Good Idea?

I have to admit that I have entered a whole new world raising a little boy. I tell people all the time that when the girls were little, I could pretty much put them in one place and they would be there or nearby when I got back! This boy of mine? A totally different story. Since he was five months old and got mobile, he has been wide open.

Shopping for a boy is different world also. I like it, though. Going from pink to green was an adjustment at first, but I managed. The Man has always loved shopping for the kids, but now? He gets to shop for his inner kid.

Then you have relatives who enjoy shopping for kids. All of them seem to think that little boys should have at least one gun. When both sides of the family believe this....the results are crazy. This past Christmas, my son received what he believes to be an "awesome" present. The Man's sister decided it was time he got a nerf gun to enjoy. Nerf is good, right? All soft and you can shoot in the house?

She went the extra mile, she did. She got The Man one, too! It is her belief that the two of them could have a massive good time and epic nerf battles.

Unless they band together against the world.

This is what happens when the two males in your home decide that a certain 10 year old female has slept long enough on a Saturday and it's time to get up. No prisoners were taken and after the dust settled, they felt victorious.

New Family Member and Such

Let me just start this with one statement. I am not an animal person. I don't hate animals. Well, I don't like cats, but that's because I'm deathly allergic to them and they have the power to about kill me. Growing up, we had outside pets. That was no problem. All my life, my mother has ranted and raved about how she would NEVAH have an inside dog. Now? My Sister-in-Law's poodle, Percie, loves nothing more than to sit in my Mama's lap all day long. In her house. And she surely lets him. She's even been known to cook him a special pot of butter beans because he loves them dearly. Amazing how things change the older we get.

Before now, the kids have begged and begged for a puppy to love and cherish. Over and over again I have refused this request because we all know where the responsibility will fall. On me. Plus, we were military enlisted folk and vet bills were nowhere in my monthly budget. When I would get fussed at by others for "not letting those babies of mine have a pet", I was quick to respond "I already have three to take care of...why add more?!?"

Paige has stated many arguments in the past years on why she and her siblings need an animal. There have been many pros listed and very few cons. (I swear that girl is going to be a lawyer one day.) This past Christmas she asked for two things: Ipod Touch and a puppy.

*The following paragraph is about MY personal feelings and thoughts. I'm only speaking for me. Okay? Okay.*

The Ipod Touch was out of the question. My child is fifteen and I *personally* am not comfortable with giving a teenager unlimited access to the internet with practically no supervision. To me, that's asking for trouble and I don't know about you out there in Internet Land, but if I can avoid trouble? Then I'll do my level best to do so. Maybe we'll change our minds in the future, but today's society is a scary thing and I am responsible for my children.

That left a puppy. Dangit. That was another thing I didn't want to get. I called an old friend I consider an "older sister" to have a talk. She listed pros AND cons to having a family member added to our home. By the end of the conversation, I stated that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea, but it would take a Christmas miracle to find a puppy we could afford that would make my teenager proud. We got off the phone with her promising to keep her ears open.

Five minutes later she called back and told me "I've found you a puppy!"

It was definitely a Christmas miracle. An old acquaintance from high school had a cherished Shih Tzu that she decided to breed one time. A lovely litter of 6 puppies resulted. I called her and we talked for over an hour about this breed and how her own Zoey saved her life. She had suffered from depression and this sweet puppy walked in and saved her. I have to believe this was all a "God Thing" because she lived near my parents. Here we were in Georgia and there was this litter of puppies right down the road from my parents. Wow. So began Operation: Shock the Mess Out of Paige Christmas 2009.

The Man reluctantly agreed that this might just be the thing for us to do. We were moving into our own home. Finances would allow proper care of a family pet. It was time.

It was on then. Miss Hope figured that if we were going to do this? We were going to do this right! I started shopping.

Talks with the owner had us realizing that this sweet puppy wouldn't be ready for a big red bow on Christmas Eve. The litter was born on Thanksgiving weekend and needed time to grow and be weaned. Really, this worked out perfectly overall as we were moving right after Christmas and needed time to get all that worked out.

What could we do to make this amazing?

I figured it out quick like. It was decided that we would be getting a girl. They had a better temperament and all I heard about was how Paige wanted a girl so she could "name her Prissy and put bows in her hair...make her the ultimate Diva Dog". I found the cutest tiniest pink leather collar with a heart of rhinestones on it. I wrapped it up in a jewelry box all pretty and fancy.

My father is very strict about how things are done. He has a schedule of events on Christmas Eve and Day that must be followed. We all go along with it because it makes him happy and works for us. I had to buck tradition and be the Rebel.

Gift opening starts at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Because the owner of the litter had her own plans, we went over to my parent's around noon. (Paige stays there when we visit because she has to be up her Nana's butt.) I asked everyone to come in because something was going on. I made this lovely speech about how Daddy has his way of doing things, but this time Hope had to change things up a bit. Everyone was clueless as we hadn't told anyone about this particular present.

We made Paige open her present and she was right confused and a little scared. She saw that collar and started shaking. She asked what it was. I asked her what did it look like. She asked what it was. I asked her again what it looked like. The Man and I then told her Merry Christmas and to get dressed...she was going to pick out her baby.

It was an amazing afternoon. The owner, Carissa, was so sweet and considerate. We went to her house where Paige was able to pick out the one she wanted. Then we spent a good hour or so letting her hold her and love her. Zoey was unsure of all of this because someone was holding her baby. The collar went on this tiny puppy and she was named from that moment on.

A couple of weeks then passed with lots of text messages between Carissa and Paige. Paige received almost daily updates on how Prissy was doing. Paige anxiously awaited her baby's arrival and faithfully studied the book Santa brought her on the care and loving of a Shih Tzu. She could recite facts left and right on this breed and had a plan in mind on how to train and raise her "baby". Did I mention that Santa brought Prissy a starter goody box full of things to get her started. He's so cool like that.

Then, it was time. Aunt Lu was coming to visit and she was bringing that baby with her. Friday night when she got here, we accepted a new member into our family. I thought it was perfect timing with a three day weekend, so Paige could really get into training and bonding.

She is now in school with a lot less sleep and a whole new appreciation for parents who potty train. Heh heh.

The Boy has found a partner to chase him all over the house and he is thrilled. Prissy isn't tall enough to climb stairs at a whopping 2 1/2 pounds yet, heck she has trouble getting into the back door that is 3 inches off the ground. She is all decked out with all a puppy should need (curse you Petsmart!).

It really is like having an infant in the house. Since I've started this post, we've been outside to potty (and she did!), a used band-aid has been rescued from her mouth, and we're going to head back outside because around 9 is "poop time". Whew. What have I gotten myself in to????

Really, though? How can you NOT love a face like this?

Yeah, we've all been suckered in by this sweet face. Any dog raising advice you might have? Please share! We're a clueless bunch finding our way here. I see a whole new family portrait in our future.

Routine

Life is about routines. The older we get, the more we tend to settle into comfortable routines that help us get through each day. This isn't a bad thing. No, not at all. It's almost...soothing, for lack of a better term. I think routines mostly happen when we have children. Children need routines to function. Structure is the key to keeping a kid on the smooth side. If a kid is smooth? Our lives are much easier.

That was the most terrifying part of moving to a new place for me. Disrupting The Boy's routine just isn't the best idea anyone has ever had. I haven't talked about his ADHD lately, but it's still there. Trust me. It's there. I look at him now and remember him in October of 2008 and the difference will make you speechless. That sweet baby of mine craves a routine like an addict craves their drug of choice. From the moment he wakes up to the moment he lays his head down at night, routine and structure are the key for his survival (and sometimes ours!)

I'm not saying we don't ever do spontaneous things because we do. We also have to realize that there may be a price to pay for spontaneity. We all know for a fact that under no circumstances is he allowed in a place like Super W*lm*rt in the evenings. There is an abundance of fluorescent lights and if you didn't know already, fluorescent lights are the WRONG thing to expose an ADD or ADHD kid to unless heavily medicated. Fluorescent lights flicker constantly. People normally don't notice it but a certain part of the ADD and ADHD brain will see those flickers and it will drive that person crazy. And they won't know why. It will inspire meltdowns and behaviour problems of high magnitude. It is a given that after 4-5 p.m., someone will sit outside in the vehicle with The Boy to keep him from going in a place such as this. How about pay attention the next time you are in a store like this. I'm willing to bet that the more towards evening you get, the more kiddie meltdowns you will see because they are tired and can't understand what the flip is causing them to act on the crazy side.

Thanksgiving to Christmas saw such a roller coaster for my baby. He knew he was getting a new house and a new school. He had to say good bye to his teacher and friends. I don't think he really grasped it because a big vacation happened right after that with a visit from Santa thrown in for good measure. We had days with meltdowns. We had perfect days where we marveled at how well he was doing.

When I went to register him for his new school, I was all excited and chatty about how great this place was and how many friends he was going to make. (I make myself sick now just thinking about how "happy" I was.) Inside? I was a nervous wreck and almost about to throw up over being so anxious about how he was going to deal with yet another new loop in his life. He sat in the office while I filled out paperwork and watched the people walking by outside. Next thing I know? He's getting all rowdy and jumping and hitting his sister. Seriously, he was just being a flat out froot loop.

The lady who would take kids to meet their new teacher asked him if he was ready to meet his new teacher. Immediately, he was still and solemnly shook his head no. Nope, not interested. Again, I turned into Muffy Cheerleader, injecting enthusiasm into my voice over how wonderful this all was! (ugh) I went with him to meet his new class and teacher in the cafeteria.

This was so hard. So very hard. He did end up going somewhat willingly with his new class...with one last wave over his shoulder. It took all I had not to bawl right there in the hallway watching him walk away holding his coat in his arms. It reminded me of when I had to drop Makenna off for her first day of 2nd grade in a new school and drive away. She told me her knees were shaking she was so nervous. Yet, she got out of that van and walked right in. I cried the whole way home that day.

Not surprisingly, The Boy didn't have good behaviour at first. I cringed when I opened his folder to see where he hit AT a person that day, which is a no-no. ~sigh~ It makes me want to rush to his teacher and talk in very fast sentences about how special and wonderful he is...he just has a few issues. I will refrain right now. He has to find his way in this wonderful world of Kindergarten. He has to establish his relationship with his teacher and understand her classroom rules. He has to develop social skills with his peers. Yes, he does have issues. Yes, he has to fight that monster in his head on a minute by minute basis. Life is full of issues, though. If it's not ADHD a person is fighting? I'm pretty positive there's going to some other kind of issue in their lives. It's like asthma or diabetes. You learn to live with it and you learn how to deal with it.

It's just so hard when it's your baby.

Have I mentioned the Alpha Male deal we got going on? Oh, yeah. The Man being gone during the week left The Boy as the man of the house. Now, Dad is around on a full-time basis and there is, what I call the "Alpha Male Pissing Contest" going on. I know that's not a pretty term, but it is what it is. They've gone head to head more times than I care to count. I don't interfere either. I let the two of them have it out. I'm just the Mama. I'm the soft one that is still allowed to kiss a certain five year old and say, "That's my baby!" I will tell you this...that kid got a dose of stubborn from me AND his Dad. You tell me how you think things go down when they start barking at each other?

I also had a revelation of sorts last night. I'm kind of glad I don't have any friends here yet...or people I do things with. I have got to get this house straight before I go doing that kind of stuff. Back in Saint Marys (which is where we lived before...I can say it out loud now because we no longer live there), I was one busy butt gal. There was always something to do, lunches to go to, appointments all the time. It's kind of nice to be able to take it easy and not have to run somewhere every single day. I'm not saying it won't eventually happen, but I'm enjoying the break while it lasts. I didn't realize just how much I stayed busy until just a couple of days ago. I miss lunches with my friends and spur of the moment shopping, but it'll happen again.

Now I'm off to unpack yet another few boxes. Lu is coming to visit this weekend with her girls and I'm so excited. She'll be our first overnight visitor and I'm excited to share my new town with her. It's also a bonus that instead of five hours away...we're only three hours apart. I can live with that MUCH better. Makes me feel like I'm almost home.

I apologize for the cold weather that is happening. Me blogging twice in one week might have something to do with that. Stay warm!

New All Around

Hi there! Can you believe we're already starting the second full week in January? I personally feel like it was just Thanksgiving last week!

The Edge has now officially relocated to a new place! The time period between Thanksgiving and New Year's was like a hurricane, tornado, and tidal wave all rolled into one. Once we got the new house deal rolling, life took on a new gear that I didn't even know existed!

I'm going to stop a second now to ask you out there in Internet Land: Do you ever just wish that real life would stop so you can catch your breath and take care of a few things?

That's where I was and where I am today. Christmas was still going to happen no matter what was going on in my life at the moment. The Man closed on the new Edge on the 21st of December. I packed the kids up and all our Christmas goodness and headed here to spend a night before heading to South Carolina for the holiday. We had a short short stay there before heading back to "old" Edge to pack it all up.

The 28th found us greeting packers into our home to start wrapping it all up. I was so grateful The Man had the time off to be there to help out. Apparently, all the running and going tried to catch up with me and I honestly thought I was fighting the flu. Neighbor Debbie (God Bless her!!) came out to keep us company whilst the packers packed it all up. She is a veteran mover in the military world and I trusted that she would keep a sharp eye on things and help a sister out if it didn't look right. Tuesday was a hard day. I was literally in a stupor I was so sick. I got to the point that they packed up my bedroom (left the bed). I found my way between boxes to that glorious bed where I passed clean out until the next morning.

Wednesday, the movers showed up to load us up and carry us away. Whew. They worked like dogs to get that truck loaded with our worldly possessions and we were right behind them cleaning since we wanted to check out of base housing that day. Neighbor Debbie is a beast at working and I tried like heck to keep up with her but I just didn't have it in me. I was fighting like crazy just to keep upright and focused. USS Retired and her family stopped by on their way to an afternoon movie and we were just all teary and junk because dangit, leaving friends just isn't right.

Neighbor Debbie kept swearing up and down we weren't going to be able to check out that day. I just shrugged and said it was worth a shot. She finally had to get home to her family but we were kind of almost but not sure we might would make it with checking out. The movers kicked it into 6th gear and so did we. It was a race against the clock.

USS Retired and family showed back up to pick up where Neighbor Debbie left off. There was mopping going on, hauling stuff to vehicles, and lots of kid's giggles going around. The movers had packed my cooler on the truck and were gone by this time. Uh oh. That meant Mizz Retired got to take alot of food home with her!

We scored. Check out happened without incident and we were cleared from living there ever again. I walked through each room one more time and just thanked the Lord for providing us with a happy home in that place...if only for a short time.

I have to pause a second here to make sure you all understand how much I appreciate what Neighbor Debbie and Mizz Retired did for me and my family. There is no way we would have been able to do what we did without their help. They brush me off when I keep thanking them but I just love those gals and am so very proud to call them my friends!

It was decided that we would eat a hot meal at the Barrel of Crackers before hitting the road for a 4-5 hour drive to our new home. We all just needed to sit down a minute and catch our breath. Miss Retired and her family joined us and it was a festive laughing occasion. We had to regret one more time that we didn't find each other sooner.

That drive took every bit I had left in me, Internets. Paige tried her best to keep me company but had to doze off now and again. Makenna was riding shotgun with The Man and the poor thing had worked harder that day than in her whole entire life so she was out like a light. My husband and I kept calling each other to check in and make sure the other was functioning. The Boy was watching a favorite movie when he finally gave in and fell asleep.

We arrived at our new home at 2 a.m. I don't hardly remember coming in and falling into a deep sleep on the aerobed we had left here. It wasn't a long sleep as the movers were showing up at 7 a.m. They wanted to unload so they could be with family as it was New Year's Eve.

Tired of reading yet? I lived this and I'm tired of reading it all!!

Suffice it to say that our New Year's Eve was spent in our new home surrounded by mountains of boxes. We slept in our own beds that night and decided to just take the next day off and try to recover.

I am sick of boxes. I feel like I unpack at least ten a day and there's no end in sight! The kitchen is the heart of the home to me and I feel like it is mostly done. I don't feel like this is home because there are none of my pictures on the walls as of yet. I need to get a feel for things first. I don't want to go putting holes in a wall and the next day change my mind and move whatever is hanging there. The wall colors are a neutral selling color and I really really want to paint and make this place my own. I have been scouring sites for ideas for paint and decorating . If you were to call and ask me what I think of a decorating/paint idea? I can picture it and tell you what I think. But, for my house? Eh, not so much. Crazy, I know.

About this place where we live. It. Is. Cold. Dear Joseph and the baby lambs is it cold. I feel like I've moved to this whole new region of the country instead of higher up in the state of Georgia. I miss smelling the sea air and birds that hang out at the coast. I have never been this chilled in my entire life. Truly, I haven't. Some locals have informed me that this is NOT the normal temps for this area. I'm going to take their word for it and pray this is a fluke that happens every five years or so.

I got the kids registered in their new schools and started. The Boy is having some issues adjusting, but we anticipated that happening. He's riding the bus for the first time and is totally enjoying the freedom of no seat belt. Makenna is going along like she always does and enjoying her new busy schedule. She's had an issue with some little snotty girl making comments and Paige and I keep offering advice. Makes me want to go to the school and snatch this kid up and cut her butt. Paige is rolling right along in her new high school. She's got a vacation semester taking half credits. She may have to hit up summer school to get back on track with how their credit system works, but that's no biggie. She'll just end up with way more credits than needed when graduation time hits.

I am glad to say, though, that some things never change. The past week, I have cooked supper every night because we were just flat out tired of eating out. (Plus, that gets right pricey after a while!) Same table, new house, our usual Dinner Theater! By night two of our family supper, the kids were back in form and entertaining us. Paige discovered a plastic wine glass while unpacking and has taken to drinking "bubbly" Ginger Ale out of it with her meal. It makes her happy and fancy, so who am I to crush easy happiness?

We are adjusting to this new life. I shall be asking opinions and such in the upcoming weeks because I'm ready to put my stamp on this place and make it my own. Err...our own?

You all try to keep warm and know that no one will judge you if you have to wear socks to bed. I'm just saying.

Girls Rock

Being a single parent and Navy wife is, to me, a boot camp I just don't ever want to go through again. I'm not dissing it, but I am so glad for it to be OVER.

There is a popular saying amongst military wives, and it goes something like:

"As soon as your spouse leaves? The whole house falls apart. Appliances break and vehicles fall apart."

I've heard it modified for the submarine wives in that, "When they pull up the anchor, all things breakable tune in to that sound and break."

I can vouch for this. It's happened to me a few times. A few times too many for my liking.

Now, my husband isn't out to sea (Thank You, Lord!), but he's not here. He's been 300 miles away during the week since the end of September.

I've taken the Tahoe in to the dealership THREE TIMES (for regular maintenance and such) and done all running around concerning family members.

The other night, I guess God had to get one more thing in.

My washing machine quit working. Are you kidding me? I had mountains of laundry and no one had clean jeans for the next day.

Are you kidding me? I even looked up and asked the Big Guy this...but didn't really expect an answer back.

I was just done, Internets. I was beyond huffy and put out with the whole shabang. I just did NOT have time to mess with this. Sure, we got the warranty and such, but I did not have time to call for repairs, for the repairman to take his sweet time...like A WEEK....to get it fixed. Just DANGIT.

I got my trusty little stool and I sat down in front of that washing machine to study that bad boy. Surely, there was something I could do to make that hunk of metal start washing my clothes again. Surely.

I got the book out that I made sure I saved when we bought the washer. There was a troubleshooting section. How about that? I started reading and mentally crossing off what I knew for a fact wasn't the issue. Then I saw it...the section that might be my issue. A clogged water line. Hmmmmm......

Well, I decided to see what that was all about. I have a front loading washer so I was all bunked over the top of it trying to get to the back. The younger ones were already in bed, but that Paige? Was laughing so hard at my big butt up in the air, she could hardly stand up. Little did I know she had a squirt bottle and was wetting my butt. Teenagers. I sent her on her merry way because I had work to do.

I got the water line off and lo and behold, it was clogged with sand. Gotta love living so close to the coast. It looked like beach sand to me. I put that sucker back on and tried a cycle. No go. Argh. I took the line off again and there was another clot (for lack of a better term) of sand. I had to clean that line four times before I got water in that machine!!!

But, guess what? It's working. A few skinned knuckles later and two broken nails, and I had a machine washing some clothes.

Whew.

Now, I know why guys drop by the bar and drink a beer. There's something really cool about fixing something that wasn't working. If I had had a cigar and a beer? I probably would have had to go outside and bask in my accomplishment. I'm just saying.

I'm still feeling ten feet tall and bulletproof over the whole deal a few days later. Men may read this and scoff at me because it was a simple fix. Kiss my butt. I analyzed the problem, used REAL tools, and got that bad boy fixed. All by myself.

While I'm somewhat grateful over the life lessons I've had to learn in the past ten years with being a single parent and Navy wife.....can I just say I'm graduated and not have to do any of that anymore?

Sit a Spell

Well, hey there! Come on in and sit a spell while I catch you up on what's been happening at The Edge. There's coffee in the pot, creamer in the fridge, and toaster strudels if you're hungry. Make yourself at home.

Where to start?

Oh, I know.

We got a house!!!

We got us a BIG house. That's not bragging, either. That's me sitting here with my eyes wide open wondering how in the heck I'm going to keep that bad boy clean. All I can say is God was all over this. Shoot, He's been all over the whole entire deal as far as I'm concerned.

The kids and I have been to the Augusta (Georgia) area a couple of times to house hunt with The Man. Now, one thing you need to understand about my husband. That man has been all over the blessed world and he just adapts to where ever he is. Nothing really fazes him and he goes with the flow. Paige was my co-pilot as we drove to meet him the first weekend. Did you know Augusta is a hilly place??? Lawd. I know there are those of you who live near or in the mountains and you're laughing and thinking, "Sister? You ain't SEEN a hill yet!" I've been to the mountains, thank you very much. You have to realize that this girl has lived near the East Coast all my entire life. What I personally didn't realize is this is apparently the Flat Lands..with lots of trees. Imagine my huffiness when we finally reached our destination and I confronted that husband of mine about why on earth didn't he tell me about the HILLS?!?! Yes, he had a confused look on his face and couldn't understand my angst.

Can I pause a minute to say, "Thank you, Lord, for a GPS navigation system." ? If I hadn't had that bad boy leading me.....my kids and I would be wandering back streets starving by now. The first time we arrived at night. Paige and I were thrilled and then a little scared. Of the hills, man. My learning driver gasped and fretted as we followed Mr. Tom's directions to our destination. She asked me in a panic, "How will I tell my friends how to get to our house? Go over six hills and take a left????" It was a new experience to be sure and it wasn't until the next week that I realized that HOLY SMOKES! I have to learn how to drive in that place and soon!

I have to admit that house hunting got old quick. You look at so many in such a short time and they all start running together. Curse you, HGTV, for making it look so simple and all 30 minutes long. We didn't find "The House" on my first trip and I was just disgusted. The Man persevered and kept looking after work until he found a few he liked. It was time to head that way again. We headed out the Sunday before Thanksgiving to spend a day or two with him before we all headed to SC for Thanksgiving (separate post with cute pictures on that subject). I thought I had found a house that I really really liked. To where I dramatically leaned against the stairs in true Scarlett fashion and declared, "I LOVE THIS HOUSE!"

Then we saw it. It was fabulous. It was in our price range. It was The House. I walked and looked and walked and looked. I just knew there was no way we could do this amazing house. (that was before money was discussed.) I kept looking at my husband and giving him the How-dare-you-show-me-this-when-I-know-we-can't-afford-it look. We played it cool since the broker was there. Our amazing realtor got the low-down for us as we waited outside and discussed what was sitting before us.

We headed back to the hotel to discuss this and just decided to put on some floaties and jump right in. Monday after work, we took the kids with us and went to talk business. The kids were beyond thrilled and after I gave the camera to The Boy and he learned how to video? We had no problems out of them.

Our offer was accepted and a bidding war with another family was avoided (whew!). We walked away anxious and excited and ready for the builder (this is new construction!) to accept the contract.

We haven't looked back.

We headed to South Carolina for Thanksgiving and that Wednesday we got word that the builder signed! What a moment.

Yesterday, we got word that all things financial are a go. The only thing we're waiting on now is the appraisal to go through. Closing is set for December 21st. DECEMBER 21ST, INTERNETS!

Hold on whilst I panic for a moment, please.

We are moving. Into a house. Before the end of the month. I am just giddy, scared, excited, and dreading the packing, unpacking part. At least the Navy will move us and I won't have to pack up on my own like I did before we moved down here.

Want to hear something funny? My husband has already called the power company about putting the power in our names on the 21st (the builder has it now). He intends to sign papers and sleep there that night because he got himself an aerobed on Black Friday. The Man is serious, Internets. I have asked this question to a few friends and they all got it right the first time. What else would a man take care of...that would have high priority?

Yep.

He's got the cable and internet lined up, too. I told Neighbor Debbie he'll have a bed, laptop, and a roll of toilet paper. We might not see him again!

I am busy here getting school stuff taken care of for the kids. The Boy has been to Dr. M a few extra times so we can get him as straight as we can before leaving. I'm going to miss Dr. M. We have a good thing going concerning my son and I hope I can find someone in the new town that really works with me to insure the well being of The Boy.

I have moments where I am very overwhelmed with what has to be done and I'm not so sure I will be able to get it all taken care of on time. We all know I will...but I still worry and I don't care how big of a nerve pill you take, those things can only help so much.

I think one of the hardest things is not decorating for Christmas. Oh, how I love to decorate for Christmas. I have some fabulous decorations (because I am old and have had time to collect) that I always look forward to putting up. We tried to explain to The Boy why we're not able to put a tree up, but I don't think he gets it. I'm an inch away from going to W-mart to get a small pre-lit tree and some balls to put up for him. Something that will only take a few minutes to take down.

My husband is just a wonderful man, Internets. I am a simple girl. Sure, I like nice things and I have a couple of nice things, but I truly am not a materialistic person. I made the comment a couple of times that I'm not sure I'm good enough to live in a house this nice. I'm not putting myself down, it's just that I've dreamed and figured that's all it would be...just nice dreams. My husband has worked his butt off for twenty years in service to this country and because he chose a good rate (or it chose him?), he's able to find a good job in this economy we got going on right now. I am blessed that he loves his family as much as he does and wants to provide for us the best he can. I can't wait to hang all his Navy stuff up on the walls so that others will know what he's done. I thank God for the mate He has provided for me every day.

Yes, I do have pictures, but I hope you'll be patient and let me put my stamp on this home before putting some up. I only took a few so I would have something to look at to remind me this is a dream that's becoming a reality (as long as the appraisal goes well!).

Don't forget you have to let me be sad that I'm leaving this wonderful place that has been our home for three and half years. I will miss it so much and the people that have become so special to me. One good thing about a military family, though. They'll go visit! I hope and pray they will come visit me so we can continue to share our lives.

Look for the Thanksgiving post. I got a few cute pictures I want to share with you and I know you'll like them, too. Now, I'm off to start my mountains of laundry and wait for my husband to get here for the weekend.

It's the Little Things, You Know

Whilst I was taking a teeny break from blogging....and I didn't realize it until after the fact....I still thought of you. Of course, I whipped that handy dandy cell phone out many times to take pictures with the idea of sharing them with you because that's how I roll.

Today is my one day this week. Sort of. The Boy has to go back to Dr. M. today because we're tweaking meds again. ~sigh~ I sure wish that kid would settle into one or two or three medications for a while and give his Mama a break. I have a free morning and, yes, I am still in my pajamas at 10:43 a.m.

Before The Man went on to his next life adventure, I had the pleasure of accompanying him to the galley on base for a lovely lunch. Every once in a while, the sailors and such get treated to some amazing food. This day was going to be crab legs and T-bone steaks. This was to cost around four bucks and some change. When we found out about this, we knew we were going to be enjoying some good eating. Also, we knew this would be the last time we would do this, so it made it kind of bittersweet.

I am not addicted to my cell phone, but I am addicted to the alarms I set on it to remind me of appointments. I have three kids doing various things with doctor appointments added in for good measure. Using the calendar to helps me remember has been the best feature on that phone yet. Even better than the camera!

I always set my alarms to remind the day before and the day of anything I have going on. I happened to look and guess what? I had a dentist appointment set for the day of good eating. Oh no. I debated for all of five minutes and I called the dentist office to reschedule. I kid you not. Internets, you just can't get this deal out in the "real world"! Did I tell them why I had to reschedule? Of course, not! Suffice it to say, I got my teeth cleaned in a timely manner AND crab legs with steak. Life was good.

Now, don't you agree this was worth calling that dentist to change my appointment time? There had to be a half pound of crab meat in those claws! Note the quaint bowl of shrimp to the side and twice baked potato. I promise we didn't eat supper that night. The kids did, but we didn't.

Still on the subject of cell phones so go with me. Paige came across one of her old cell phones and was able to turn it on. She found a treasure for us on it. There were some pictures she had taken that we couldn't get off at the time because technology wasn't there for us. God bless that child of mine because she can figure out anything she wants to do when it comes to computers and cell phones. This is what she found and was able to preserve.

Those cheeks! Those sweet plump baby cheeks! His face is so thin now and he's a little boy...no longer a baby. The quality of picture isn't the greatest , but I sure am tempted to print and frame this for the sheer sweetness of it.

I'm not sure if my son remembers his pacifiers or is too ashamed to claim it, but I'm so glad we have this picture. That baby did love that paci with all his heart. In fact, we still find them around the house and I'm sure there's plenty more to be found when we go to move.

I just had to put this down because you all know Miss Hope ain't about the scrapbooking and some memories and such just don't need to be lost. There are a few more I might need to share with you I'll try to get on here in the very near future.

By the way....do any of you have an obsession going on? Mine right now is finding new things for my new house. Makenna and I have visions of how we want to decorate and I love looking for steals and deals. I've been searching around for a small table that I can paint. I thought I had one last week at a thrift-like type store here, but the green paint on it was a tad too much for me to consider fighting. I would love to know if any of you have any good home projects going on!

What a Kid can Say

Kids are great people to have around. No, really, they are. My three are a hand full, but they sure keep me entertained at times. Here are a few examples I'd like to share to prove my point.

We all know my son is a major PITA to get dressed for school in the mornings. His system has dumped his medication and it takes a good hour for the day's dose to kick in. Therefore, we endure a lot of screaming, running, and ill acting from him. I literally break a sweat getting his teeth brushed every now and then. (Who am I kidding? Practically every morning.) One morning I was calling him from the bathroom to hurry up and bring his butt in there. Finally, he decided to bless me with his presence. He got to the bathroom door and with a huge sparkly smile on his face exclaimed, "MAMA! LET'S DANCE!" He then proceeded to dance. I could have done this two ways. I could have huffed and puffed and scolded and killed his mood....or I could dance. I decided to dance. We wiggled and jiggled (that would me) and shook our boo-tays for a minute or two. I sang and made up a brushing teeth song on the fly and we were out of that bathroom in record time. It made me laugh. It made him laugh. That was a good day.

While The Man is gone during the week working the new job, The Boy deems it necessary to sleep with me because he doesn't want me to be alone. (Isn't he the sweetest?) I surely don't mind. I've always believed that Mama's bed is the best place in the world and if my kids need it bad enough? They can have it. To this day, my own Mama's bed is the best bed in the world and I always try to find a minute to lay across it when I'm visiting. So, time changed on us and I, for one, truly love the winter hours much better. About a week into the change of time, I was awoken at 5 a.m. to a sweet pat on my cheek and a little voice saying, "Mama, let's start the day!" I cracked an eye to glance at the clock and told him to go back to sleep for an hour. Ten minutes later, that little hand was patting my cheek again with the same request. Again, I told him we weren't getting up until the alarm clock went off. This continued until the alarm clock sounded at 6 a.m. sharp. When I swung my feet off of the bed, he exclaimed, "FINALLY!" and bounded into the living room. I asked him why he didn't just get up and watch television, to which he replied, "I just didn't want to be alone." Mercy, I love that kid. Bless him, the help making coffee and getting breakfast started was right interesting that morning. I sent him to wake up his sisters with a smile on my face. Later, Paige would inquire as to what pot of crack he got into. That's my boy...never a dull moment.

Yesterday, at church, The Boy's class made turkey projects for Thanksgiving. The glue was still wet so we set it to the side to dry. Later on, I heard the following conversation:

The Boy: (wailing and whining voice) Ohhh nooooooooooooo, my chicken is all messed up!!!

Sissy (Paige): Uh, Boy? That's a turkey.

The Boy: Oh.

(pauses for a second)

The Boy: Ohhhh noooooooooooo, my turkey is all messed up!!!!

That middle kid of mine? She's an original for sure. I don't know of another like her and I want to be like her when I grow up. She has her own mind and is right comfortable with it. Every morning she has a bowl of cereal and watches Headline News with Miss Robyn Meade. We all love that Robyn and enjoy getting our news on. Yes, even the ten year old. This morning we were watching it together (rare occasion) when they showed sports highlights. A golfer made a hole in one. Of course, she had to rewind it (love that DVR) and watch it again. She, being the novice golfer, was in awe. I asked her what she would do if she made a shot like that. Her response? "Knowing my luck? I'd be playing by myself and no one would believe me!" That girl has a good head on her shoulders.

How about teaching a teenager to drive? If nothing else will put you on a nerve pill, that will for sure. My girl Paige is getting better the more she drives, but she has a way to go yet. I am not my father, that's for sure. I try so hard to be patient but do you blame me for losing my mind when she pulls my Tahoe out in front of an incoming car? ~shudder~ We have discovered something, though, in this learning experience. She drives better at night. I believe that's because she can't see the world around her to get distracted. She also drives better when she's laughing her butt off. I kid you not. When we get tickled over something while she's driving, she does a fantastic job. Go figure. Her goal is drive her Nana around when we go to South Carolina for a visit. I can't think of a better goal to have.

So, while I am doing the single parenting gig during the week....it's not all bad. I'm so busy my days fly by and at least one of my kids will give me a good laugh by the end of the day. I do treasure my moments with them as instructed by those with kids grown and gone have told me to do. If you're not treasuring a good moment every day? Dance a little bit. You'll be surprised how good it feels.

A Manual, Please

Aren't manuals nifty things? They help you operate new gadgets, figure out how to put furniture together, and what those buttons do on your vehicle dash. I love manuals. Those lovely books keep me sane when my husband decides he can put things together without a consult first. This past weekend, I splurged and got a laptop table. It tilts and everything! It's like the Mac Daddy of television trays! I feel all put together and even more comfortable in my chair as I nose around the Internet.

I love the fact that he put this table together and I hear an "Oh shoot". Apparently, the first line in the manual was "Read manual thoroughly before assembly." Is that right? He, being the man, did not consult and had to take it apart and start over. So goes life with a man, right?

Some times, I wish I had a manual for other things. I am in constant need of direction, help, and advice...and I get right irate if I can't find what I need to help me. Here are some examples of some of the manuals I wish I had:

1. How to Raise a Drama Queen Teenage Girl. (Need I say more? I know what I was like and I see similarities of a sort, but times have changed some and I need to know a better way of raising this girl child of mine so she will embrace life and be a productive citizen in the near future.)

2. How to Reason with an ADHD Kid in the Mornings Who is not Medicated. (This one is important, too. You can't reason with him. I lose my temper because GET DRESSED ALREADY. It's the same fight every.single.morning. I just don't get it and I'm developing high blood pressure from it. Seriously, a nerve pill can only help Mama so much, Son.)

3. How to Cook like My Mama so My Kids Will Say My Cooking is Just As Good. (~sigh~ I know I'll never cook as good as my Mama. I remember telling her as a young child that my Grandma's stew beef was better than hers. I'm sorry, Mama. Just know that your cooking beats mine hands down in your grandchildren's eyes any day of the week.)

4. How to Buy a House That is Perfect for My Family. (Yeah yeah yeah..I know there are thousands of books out there to help the first time home buyer. I don't have time to read thousands of books. I need someone that knows their stuff who will sincerely help me and I won't end up feeling like I've been molested when it's all over. I'm ten kinds of nervous over this and I feel queasy about the paperwork in front of us.)

5. How to Keep Food from Being My Drug of Choice. (Shaddup. I don't need any assvice (advice not asked for) on this. I don't do drugs (ok, I do an allergy pill, purple pill, and nerve pill at night, but they're LEGAL, man) of an illegal nature. I don't drink. Chocolate soothes my savage beast inside but it's killing me weight wise. I just wish I could eat to live instead of live to eat. It's a mental thing and I'll work on it soon. A manual on this would be pretty handy, though. )

6. How to Keep Kids Motivated to Help Around the House. (If I could write this, I'd made trillions! Right now, it's hard to motivate them when I can't find the motivation my own self. I'm mentally tired from single parenting during the week and when you're mentally tired? It's hard to find the physical stamina to get done what needs to be done.)

7. How to a Good Supportive Wife Every Moment of the Day. (My wonderful husband. You might want to pray for him. I do support him and encourage him, but every now and again, I slip up and vent a little too much or take out my frustrations on him. He is a rock and takes my storms without blinking. We are both doing our best right now and I know as hard as it is for me to do this on my own? It's just as hard on him being away from his family. In case you all are wondering...this is kind of a public apology to him *blush*.)

8. How to Accept that Parents do Age and Nothing You Can Do Will Stop It. (I can't stand the thought of my parents aging. Don't they realize they aren't allowed to do this?!? I am just beside myself with worry over my parents and their health, and I just get so anxiety ridden being far away from them when I know they need me.)

As you can see, I need a library full of information goodness. There are rare moments during the day (like now) where I have a second to think. Thinking can be good...or it can bad. I am going to work on making those moments of thinking a good thing. Make my plans of attack on these situations I have going on. Plans are good things, you know.

Right now, I plan on enjoying my moments to myself and maybe find some motivation to get a thing or two done around here. That Man of Mine will be home this evening and I will be able to breathe and find a mental break of sorts. You go on and have a good weekend. Make it count.

Unexpected Blessings

Many people wonder why I haven't been blogging that much. Is nothing happening around The Edge that is blog worthy? Oh, Internets, you have NO idea. It is so busy and crazy, I find that overwhelmed is my name by the end of the day. Shoot, there are days that I wake up and that tidal wave of weariness washes over me before my feet hit the floor.

My husband is working at his new job and I am just so proud of him, I can't hardly stand it. This means that temporarily, we are separated during the week as he has to go three hours away to work this new job. We both decided that we would let him get started working before tackling the job of finding a home in our new town. I also want to let my oldest finish this semester of high school if at all possible. Research shows that the new school district does classes by the year where this school goes by semester. This is all good, but if we let her finish this semester, she can finish four credits to take with her. It's not a sacrifice, but what needs to be done.

This does make it a tad tough all the way around. My son is a fragile being. He adores his Dad and I am told all the time, "That's not how my Dad does it." I am patient and show complete understanding but gently remind him that I am not Dad...I am Mama and this is how I do it. There have been a couple of rough days at school and one day he didn't get his medication. Suffice it to say, he was home with me by noon.

It has bonded me with my girls in that we fell back into the teamwork we had going on when it was just the three of us. They are older and much better at helping and for that, I am so appreciative.

One reason I'm blogging this morning is about taking a breath. We were so rushed this morning. Makenna had to be at school early because she's working with the broadcast club that does the school morning news. She loves being in front of the camera and I want to make sure she's there to do her part. This makes it tough on the little boy who has O.C.D. and has no medication in his system that early. He has to get up a little earlier and it just throws his routine off. It's a crap shoot as to if he will cooperate or not.

I find myself getting all bent out of shape and my voice goes up a few octaves as I try to get his lunch made and us out the door. I am hot and irate and just ready to drop them off and come home for a quiet cup of coffee by the time all is said and done.

This morning as we left, it was still dark. My son was not happy with this because he felt he was going to school at night. I assured him that the sun would be up before his class started in 25 minutes. As I was driving back home from dropping them off, the sun was coming up. We live on the coast so I kind of feel our sunrises are special. The color of the sky was just different, but in a good way. As I drove the five minutes back to my home, I told God how beautiful His work is and how I am blessed to have seen such a beautiful sunrise. My spirits lifted as I had a small quiet talk with my Lord and thanked Him for reminding people just how magnificent He truly is.

I parked my vehicle in front of my home and when I stepped out, I turned and saw something that took my breath away. It was a rainbow. Not just an ordinary rainbow. A vibrant awe-inspiring rainbow. I had to pause a moment just to look and then I snapped together and ran inside to get my camera. I took a picture with my regular camera and one with my cell phone. I won't put the pictures on here because they simply do not do this gift justice.

I could see each band of color separate and precise. From the deep rich violet to the bright red. As I walked back out, I was shocked to see that it was a full complete round left to right rainbow. Even better? It was a double rainbow. Above it in a lighter shade, was another rainbow.

I was so blessed in that moment, I can't even tell you. I was instantly assured that no matter what is going on in my life, He is there. He is still large and in charge and we are all blessed with this gift He has given us called life.

My mother is in the hospital having suffered two mini strokes this week. My husband is away from home during the week and I am running this ship the best I can. We are stressed over buying a home, moving eventually, and how life will be.

I may stress over this stuff tomorrow, but today I choose to embrace the gift God has given me this fine Friday morning. I will thank Him for His blessings that I tend to overlook because all my problems haven't been solved. I will, with joy, accept this unexpected blessing.

The Chief has Retired

This young man joined United States Navy 20 years ago. His grand idea was to serve one term or enlistment and get out and attend college. That was twenty years ago. His incredibly smart brain got him sucked in the nuclear power program and it just took off from there. What an adventure this sailor has had over the span of those twenty years. He got to see the world and prove all those cool commercials you see on television to be true. He started in 1989 weighing not much more than a buck fifty and a head full of dark hair. He has slowed down a little bit since then as the knees have taken a beating working on metal floors in submarines for so long.

I met this sailor in 2001. We were both in our 30's and had some baggage we were toting around with us. Yet, we got past that baggage to discover that we were meant to be together from that moment on. What an adventure I've had in the past eight years. When I met my husband, I was a small town girl content and satisfied to live in that small town forever and ever amen. He showed me our great country by introducing traveling to my life. With him, I flew in an airplane for the first time, went to visit the West, drove across TEXAS (everyone should have to do this at least one time in their lives), and so many other fun things I never even thought about.

Because of this man and his patience and love for life, I found a side of myself that I never knew existed. The side that would leave that small town to see what else was out there. I will never be able to thank him enough.

You and I will never know exactly what he has seen, experienced, and done. He alone will have those memories to visit when he's older and sitting at the end of the day looking over his life. I admit to being somewhat jealous of those memories because I do know they will be amazing.

I am so honored to be a part of this Chief's life. The future is unfolding in front of us and, even though I wasn't there the entire twenty years of his Naval adventure.....I'm right beside him for the next adventure happening now.

Thank you, Chief The Man. Thank you for serving our country for twenty years and for crying when you said good bye. You are the type of person we need defending our freedom for always.

Part 1- Summer 2009 at The Edge

I am just right put out with blogger right now. I had this incredibly long catch-up post about our summer and it just got all wonked up. I must say the happy pills the doctor gave me must be working because I didn't throw the laptop out of the window or lose religion. I simply decided to start all over and break it down into parts. There truly was too much to share to put it all into one post. This way? I get to entertain you more!

This summer found us with a tight budget. What else is new in this economy, right? Can I get an "amen"? I am nothing if not determined. Summer as a child passes too quickly. You wake up one morning and you're ten, the next morning you're 23, grown, with bills, and having to go to work. Summer is a special time and I want my children to remember growing up fondly with smiles as they do something special with their own children.

We discovered the public library for starters. Oh, Internets, Makenna do love her a library. It's like a drug to her and she begs to go get books on a daily basis. Once she hits the door, we lose her until it's time to go. You'll find her in a corner in a chair with 5-10 books beside her. She will already be immersed in a story and won't hear you call her name. I have that child that if we want to punish her (which is rare) or get her to do chores (which is ALL the time), we have to take her books. I love it!!! The Boy loves a good book, he just doesn't want to find them. Therefore, he goes to the children's section to play while I get the pleasure of picking out five books for bedtime reading. He loves for his Dad to read to him and I love to hear them during their night time routine. I've always read to my children....it's just a precious gift you can give them that doesn't cost a dime.

When I found out our base chapel was going to do a morning Vacation Bible School, I had The Man go sign them up. The church we attend was going to do an evening session and that just wouldn't work for my son. Evening time is when he comes off of his medication and how bad would it be for him to get kicked out of Bible School? (I am totally not joking.) Mornings are his prime time and this was a great opportunity to get some Jesus going on for Makenna and The Boy while Paige was working. They had a blast and I'm so glad they got to go. I volunteered and helped a day or two and it was just a pleasure. There were service members who were volunteering and working with the kids. (Volunteering is encouraged in the military and there are medals and such that can be earned. The military is a great supporter of their local communities.) We were sad to see VBS end, but I am so glad to have found such a great morning session for my baby to attend!

I think we also moved to Florida when I wasn't paying attention. This has been the Summer of Storms. It seems we've had thunderstorms every single blessed day. Okay, so maybe it hasn't been every single day, but I can promise you we've had way more stormy days than sunny days this summer. I told my Daddy that it's to the point that when I hear thunder? I know it's time to cook supper. It cut down on outside activities drastically. If it wasn't raining, the humidity was so thick you felt like you were breathing water. No lie.

I also started delegating household chores more. No longer do I stand guard over the laundry and dare anyone to touch it. Both of the girls are able to wash and dry loads now because, dangit, I need help around here! I feel confident with Paige's cooking skills. No, she's not a gourmet chef, but she can follow directions with the best of them. Not to mention, she can cook a mean omelet. I've never been able to master the omelet but she has it perfected. It was time for Makenna to take her turn in the kitchen. I've had her helping me with simple things right now and her specialty dish is Shepherd's Pie. I keep telling Paige she will have many friends in college because she knows how to cook and do laundry.

Something else happened that was really special to me. My husband came into our relationship with a tattoo. For those of you who know him, I know you're probably shocked because he doesn't seem the type to have a tattoo. What can I say, I calmed him down but good! This tattoo had the initials of his ex-wife. Uh oh. It's not all bad, though. This is how my son got his name and there is no other name in the world more perfect for him. So there were three initials. Many times I studied that tattoo on my husband's arm. Finally, it was decided that because the initials were V. P. T., all we needed was an "M" in there for Makenna. We have been together eight years, married for almost six. It took a while for him to come around to the thought of needles. He is not very strong when it comes to the needle. How he managed to get the tattoo in the first place is beyond me. I'm thinking he may have had some liquid courage at the time....and that's something he doesn't do anymore. The perfect opportunity presented itself this summer and he bit the bullet and got it fixed. I am so very proud of that symbol of love on his arm. These children are our world and they know it without a doubt.

This your first installment of how the summer went. We did a few more fun things I'm going to share in future posts. I may have neglected the blog for a month or two, but I had you in the back of my mind because pictures were always taken!

Since blogger is still acting all wonky, the pictures are out of order according to how I talked about them. Sorry, but I can't switch them around for some reason. Enjoy and I'll be back sooner rather than later!


Baby Girl thought making biscuits was awesome!

See that line of storms? I took this picture to send to Neighbor Debbie when she was in Miami visiting in-laws. Everyday we had storms come through with dark ugly clouds. This was around 4 p.m. and the street light is already on. Crazy, I tell ya!

How cool is this?? I love how the tattoo artist was able to make the "M" blend right in. It is in blue to be separate from the "V" and the "P". I went with The Man to talk to the guy and he asked if I wanted my name or initial on there. "Oh NOOOOOO, " I replied. "I don't want any part of that voodoo. I got the ring and birthed the kid, so I am good!" For a while, Paige would pick on Makenna and tell her "you're not in the circle so HA!" Girlfriend can't say that anymore!

My baby loves this section at the library. I usually pick out his books and sit to the side and let him have playtime while Makenna gets her stack of books. I highly encourage visiting your local public library.

Bible School rocks!!! Crocodile Dock was the theme and the crocodile hat was too cute.

I understand

Yes, I understand I am a bad blogger. I accept this and fully resolve to make it all better.

Soon.

You see, school started back but that didn't slow me down. Different types of appointments took the place of the summer appointments and running around took a whole new frantic meaning.

I've had thoughts I've wanted to share with you all. Ohhhhhhh, the thoughts I've had. So many that I'm afraid I may have lost some in the recesses of my brain and they'll never have a chance to be shared with you. Moving on now because that just makes me sad.

Tomorrow my Makenna has surgery on her sinuses. I have watched this sweet child of mine very closely the past month or so and I've noticed a few things. The bridge of her nose always looks bruised. She has dark circles under her eyes from waking up constantly to nose bleeds, therefore getting no real rest. She sleeps when she gets home from school and she has never been a child to do that...unless sick. Her skin is so very pale. Middle of winter pale. She doesn't look like she had an amazing summer full of fun and sun (she's felt too badly to go outside much). Her beautiful white blonde hair has lost it's luster. It has a dull blonde look to it now. I know part of it is from aging, puberty, and etc. Her sister went through this. It just doesn't look healthy. She doesn't look healthy. I've got to do what I can to get her well.

I have sweet pictures of my Boy's first day of school. He has such a love for Kindergarten. My focus has been fully on him for long. Now, he's doing great and thriving. I'm doing my best to step back and let him breathe, find his way in Big Boy School, and just be five. I am just in constant awe of this little guy who has just blossomed before our eyes. He has become a wonderful source of entertainment around our home.

That Miss Paige. Whew. Girlfriend had herself a hard summer but I think she's going to be okay. She started off her Sophomore (Sophomore? When did I get a kid that old??) on a strong foot with studying and being on top of her work. Because of some not so good summer decisions, her cell phone now no longer works between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Smartest thing we ever could have done. Being fifteen is hard. If you had it easy at fifteen? Then hush. You are rare and the rest of us don't want to have to beat you up over it. I love my Baby Girl and I know she's going to come out shining and better for having learned the hard way.

I know I have to do a Summer 2009 post. Finances didn't let us take a nice fancy vacation. I scrounged around and was able to find us a few fun things to do that didn't break the bank. We were together as a family and made some amazing memories. Yes, I have pictures and will share with you soon.

Have I mentioned my husband retires in a little less than a month? Have I mentioned that I have never been so stressed in my entire flippin' life? I have this sense of urgency overcoming me all the time. This is why Makenna is having surgery tomorrow. This HAS to be done before retirement. I want to get taken care of what I can before having to learn to deal with a whole new insurance. Dentist appointments have taken on a whole new meaning. It's just crazy, I tell you. We've had eyes checked and new glasses bought (yep, got a picture of those, too!).

I have become very dependant on my cell phone. I have alarms for any and all appointments. It goes off constantly, Internets. If I lose my phone? I am so up a creek without a paddle. What's even worse is that I make Paige and The Man put the alarms in their phones...just in case I lose mine. Oh, what have I become???

I have become "that weird woman". I called today to make a doctor's appointment for some time in the next week. When asked why I needed to see the doctor, I replied, "Because I'm crazy." Appointment Lady laughs and says she really doesn't want to put that down as the reason. She said..."What about a med check?" I said, "Oh yeah, that's perfect, because we're gonna be CHECKING some meds OUT!" Bless her, she was a good sport. I believe she knew I wasn't joking but was keeping it lite so I didn't flip out on the phone with her.

I also want to say I've done this post today because my very good friend Girlfriend Down the Street was fussing about my poor blogging skills. G.D.S. keeps me tickled on face*of*books all the time. She no longer lives close to me, but I'm keeping her close to my heart. We Southern Gals tend to do that, you know.

Tomorrow morning at 6:30 a.m., I'll be handing over my child in the care of strangers. I'll sit and worry until I touch her face again. I'll pray and text and probably snap at The Man because he's sitting there and he loves me enough to take it. If you are so inclined? Prayers that all goes well will be truly appreciated.

Next week should be my time to truly catch up. I will be here at The Edge keeping Makenna company as she recovers some. Not sure how many days she'll get off...it all depends on the surgery and how extensive it ends up being when he gets up in those sinuses of hers.

You all keep playing nice....I'll be back shortly!

Plain Confusing

I am full of confusion and because of that, I am causing mass confusion in my family.

For example, we really don't know where we're going to be in a few months. The Man has gotten a very sweet job offer here in the state of Georgia. It's not back in South Carolina where my heart wants to be. I am having such a hard time with that. I told God what I wanted. Isn't that how it works?

Humble has become my middle name.

What I want may not be what He has planned. It's very hard for me to accept that. What's wrong with wanting to go home? I want to be near family and friends. I want to go visit them when I feel like it. I want to live close enough that they might even come see me! This is has just about broken my heart.

There's nothing wrong with where the job offer is. It's 100 miles closer to my family than where I am now. That'll make it easier on us to go visit them. It's not close enough for them to come visit us, but I guess I can deal with that or keep getting my feelings hurt over it. I'll let you know when I'm done being hurt....right now, I'm just not there.

Carla-Girl and her family are supposed to be heading to the same area as her husband got a job offer at this place first. I have surely neglected mentioning her lately. They, too, are heading into retirement and dealing with most of the same issues we are. There's a slight difference, though. That woman is amazing. She is a planner, researcher, decorator....just all around good at this stuff. She is the daughter of a retired Marine, so she knows how to move on to the next area. I am in constant awe of her abilities (and right jealous, too!) to make situations work and she's looking out for me, too. I am so blessed to have her guiding me with things like house hunting, Realtors, schools, and etc. I would honestly be lost without her help and patience.

I can't tell you how many hours we've sat on the computers looking at houses online. I've never bought a house before, so this is exciting and thrilling to this ol' girl. Lists are being made of the "must haves", the "no ways", the "wish it had this", and the "pinch me I'm dreaming if I get this" items. I am discovering what's the harm in dreaming if you can keep it realistic in the end?

I'm causing confusion with my family members here because one minute? I'm declaring we're moving in September. The next minute? The kids and I are staying here until end of November. I am so passionate and firmly believe whatever I'm talking about at that moment. It's wearing us all out.

In my Perfect World, everything will fall into place and I'll have perfect hair and eyebrows when it happens. Realistically? We'll be flying by the seat of our pants and I'll have a first aid kit clutched in my hands full of bandages and antibiotic ointment for the bumps and bruises we're bound to get during the ride.

Did I mention my husband accepted that job offer? Yeah, he did. I just can't breathe good until I know he's signed, sealed, and delivered. When he goes to that first day on the new job, I'll be able to shake off a bunch of stress.....I think.

Just promise me I'll have a place to put my gorgeous Christmas tree this December and I'll probably make it.

Yeah, I'm wondering why I'm not on nerve medication, too.

Need More Gumption

It's official. I suck at blogging this summer. Surely you can recall where I mentioned around May-ish, when the kids were getting out of school, how busy I anticipated I was going to be.

I didn't lie.

Dear Joseph and the Baby Lambs, have I been busy. My cell phone has become my life-line the past couple months. I put alarms in all the time. I have to in order to keep it all straight and flowing. The Man does the same in case my phone wanks out on me. It's a crazy system we have working and I almost expect it to tumble like a deck of cards at any given moment.

Take for instance the past couple of weeks.

Back in the Spring, Makenna started having nosebleeds. Alot. Out of nowhere, her nose would just start pouring. We truly chalked it up to allergies, dry sinuses, etc. etc. I was getting calls from the school nurse for a while there about 3-4 times a week. "Hi Ms. Hope, Makenna has a nosebleed again..." was what I would hear. One day we had to go get her because it wouldn't stop. A trip to the doctor's office and our Doctor decided to refer on out to an ENT because, as she put it, "they have better equipment to see up there than I do". Hey, there were no arguments from us!

Of course, I then had to do some referral dancing. The doctor they were going to send her to didn't have an opening until September. That didn't sit too well with me. I don't know what our future plans hold and I wanted whatever wrong fixed or taken care of. I did some calling and begging and Southern Charming and we got that straightened out quick.

Two weeks ago we saw the ENT. I was seriously thinking she was going to get a blood vessel cauterized. You know, something simple.

Not Makenna.

He decided to put her on a ten day round of antibiotics followed by a CAT scan. Something wasn't right up there in her head.

*pauses and waits for you to laugh with me over that last remark*

We went this past week for the CAT scan and diagnosis. My child has a "Deviated Septum" . Of the highest order. Quick-like, in our terms? The cartilage and all going down the middle of her nose separating one side from the other is all messed up. Apparently, in the past ten years of her life, she has had a broken nose. A BAD broken nose. I have no idea when or where. I have a vague memory of this past school year where she was bumped on the nose during P.E. and had a little bruise there. Maybe it happened then? The doctor wasn't concerned about all of that at all. According to him, it's very common and most people think they have allergies and are prone to chronic sinusitis, when it's a deviated septum and fixable with surgery. I fully admit that we had the scan in hand to take to the doctor's office and as we sat in the truck waiting to go in, I might have slipped them out to see. I don't have a medical degree, but when I saw that deviated line? I said, "HOLY COW!" It was that bad. Even our untrained eyes could see it and we discovered we were right when the doctor showed us during the office visit on the proper lit up machine.

We were given options. We could leave it alone and she could suffer with the sinusitis from here on out or we could let her have a surgery to fix all these nasal problems (a couple other problems have arisen due to this). I immediately told him to let's fix this!

First available surgery was the day before The Man's retirement ceremony. No thanks. No can do. I would end up in the nut house, for sure. Next available date was October. Oh noooooo. I don't even know if we'll be here then! Crap. We went ahead and took the October date.

I received a call the next morning. There's a cancellation for August 20th. You know I snatched it right on up! That was just perfect. I had already started trying to figure out how to handle being on my own (The Man plans to head out to start new job end of September) with three kids and one of them having a 24 hour hospital stay. I told the nurse I owed her big time. I swear I'm going to send her flowers or chocolate. She really worked hard to get Makenna worked in at an earlier date.

Ya know.....I'm so ready for things to slow down around here. Instead? It's moving faster and faster and faster. Some times, I feel like I'm on this wild ride I just can't get off of.

It's sad when the high light of your day is sitting in your chair looking at real estate online. Just typing that made me take a deep breath. I'm so excited about hopefully getting a new home to call my own....to paint walls.....have counter space in the kitchen.

The Man and I also get to upgrade our cell phones soon. If that's not enough to tickle a gadget lover, I don't know what is!

Now I'm off to try and get a few more things done on a big Saturday afternoon. I promise the blogging is going to pick up now. If I don't? I may miss out some memories for my family!

P.S. I got to try and remember to show you how we rigged my computer cord. It has shamed Paige to no end.