Big Brag

I am so proud of this kid, I just have to write it down.

A few days ago, Eric asked if he could go with a group of friends to the theater and watch Yes Man. I said I would look at the review on Common Sense Media and get back to him. The review was not good. Language, sexual humor and partial nudity. I suspected as much when I saw that Jim Carey was the star of the film. So I looked at the theater website and saw that The Day the Earth Stood Still was playing about the same time (a little violence, no language, no sensuality) and told him to ask if his friends would go see that instead.

His good group of friends agreed that they would change the feature so that Eric could go. So the plan was to walk home with his friend after school and this friend would take them all to the theater. I told Eric that the trick as youth was to tell their mom that they are going to see one movie, but then get to the theater and go see the one they weren't supposed to. But the problem was that the mom always finds out and then the kid can't be trusted anymore and won't be able to do things like this again. That morning as he left for school, I said to call me if there were any problems or anything and I would come and get him.

That afternoon (it was an early-release day at school) he called and asked me to pick him up at the theater. He said that the theater marquee didn't show the time that Earth Stood Still was playing like it did on the Internet, so all the kids just decided to see Yes Man instead. They told him to come with them, but he said that he couldn't see that movie and called me. When I drove to the theater, he was standing alone against the wall and it just struck me that even though his group of friends were generally good kids, he still his the only LDS kid in the group so sometimes he will have to stand alone. He was fine, not mad or visibly upset or anything, but I knew it bothered him.

I told him how proud of him that I was and that not only did he make me proud, but his Heavenly Father as well. I said I would take him to Sonic for a giant Dr. Pepper because I knew this sucked! When we got to Sonic, he asked if he could get tots too because he didn't get much lunch. I told him I would buy him anything he wanted, I was so proud of his decision! (He got a bacon cheeseburger with Sonic sized cheese tots and a Route 44 dr pepper! - way to take advantage of the situation, son...). I could barely drive, my eyes were wet with tears. I tried to tell him all the wisdom about how his decisions now, regardless of how difficult they might be, are setting the foundation for his life and setting an example for his friends and siblings, etc, etc... I could barely get it out. I just let him eat.

The best part of all is that the next day, he found out that all his friends were kicked out of the movie because someone complained about a rowdy group of kids. It was actually the group behind them, but the manager didn't know the difference and kicked them out just the same.

So, not only would he have disobeyed, filled his head with things he shouldn't be seeing, and then lost his money to top it off.

That there is a great young man, if I do say so myself!



P.S. On the way home from the theater, I asked if he called me because he a) didn't want to do something he shouldn't be doing, or b) he was afraid of his mom.

He answered B.

Hey, whatever works!

Twelve Days of Christmas

Here's a little ditty some friends and I did at the ward talent show last night.

(Warning - it's a little over five minutes long - just FYI.)

Some explanations in case you need it.

1. There is a candy line after church each Sunday. There are over 100 children in our primary. This was the Bishop's wife.

2. Absent Hometeachers

3. Greetings and Salutations - One bishop counselor welcomes us this way EVERY time he conducts a meeting.

4. Please be reverent - with 100+ kids, 50 nursery kids, and 30+ babies, it's not a quiet meeting.

5 Nurseries -not exaggerating at all

6. Weeks of dinners -the relief society tries to have meals made for families when a baby is born. Six weeks of meals - incredible.

7. Emergency preparedness - we're big on this, living on the gulf coast.

8. Enrichment evites - the women's organization in our church has gone a bit overboard with the get-togethers

9. Million meetings - self explanatory

10. Ward-Split rumors - We're busting the seams of the building.

11. Sleepy residents - there are an extra lot of doctors, interns, residents, and students in our ward - hence the babies

12. Pregnant bellies - lots of families starting out.

Little things here and there

My favorite line from one of the kids on Sunday.


I will not name the child, in order to protect their identity and spare said child humiliation. But you need to keep in mind that this conversation was on SUNDAY:


Child: Is there a clean clothes basket in your room for me?
Me: No. What are you looking for?
Child: Underwear.
Me: Are you telling me you don't have one single pair of underwear in your drawers?
Child: Only ones that I don't like. But if figured when I put these on Thursday, that there would be more clean ones by today.
Me: Oh hell no. (Yes, it was Sunday morning before church. I have since repented.) You did not tell me that you have been wearing the same underwear since Thursday....


Then child walked away as I told them that they would in fact wear a pair from their drawer whether they liked it or not because at least they were clean and hadn't been worn for three days straight.


Do you see what I'm dealing with here?!


Can you guess who it is? Probably not your first guess.



Here's another one:


Every so often Maren will get into the car with me and say:


"I don't know why, but I really want to drive the car. And I already know so much, I know I could do it! I know how to turn the volume up and where to put the CD's..."


Maybe she just needs a boom box in her bed room.

For the record, she also knows what the "tickers" (turn signals - we called them 'blinkers' growing up!) are for and how to use them.



And one more thing...


Fourteen years ago today at 2 o'clock pacific time, Geoff and I were married for eternity in the Los Angeles Temple. How can 14 years seem to speed by so quickly, yet it feel like he and I have been together forever? It's a weird phenomenon.


This guy drives me completely bonkers and at times makes me so mad I could spit, but I adore him more than I did even at 2 o'clock fourteen years ago this day. He always says that he is grateful that I put up with him, but secretly (if you're reading this Geoff, I said secretly, so you have to fake like you never saw this...) I really have it dang good. Great actually!


Funny story about how he and I met:


Lauren and I were mission companions in Texas. She was set to go back to her home in Virginia a year before me. So, on P-day's,(she would only talk about "non-mission" stuff on our day off.), she would tell me about this Geoff guy who was the only eligible bachelor in her small Virginia town and she was going to marry him. I said; "Enjoy that last name for eternity!"


Lauren went home, Geoff was away for the summer. Lauren met and fell in love with Geoff's best friend and room mate, Mike. After I completed my mission service, I went to Lauren and Mike's wedding where I was the maid of honor and Geoff was the best man. It was a complete set up and worked like a charm. Nice match-making skillz, Lauren!


Now I am "enjoying" this last name for eternity. And loving every minute of it!


I love you Geoffrey. To a million more 14 years...

Halloween 2007

Driving to San Antonio - 2005

Hey Global Warming....

... in your face!

That's snow.

In Houston.

The kids had such a great time.

Christian, not so much.

But that's okay, because by Friday it will be back to 75+ degrees. It was great while it lasted.

Thanks, Al Gore!

Our house... in the middle of our street...

This was our house last Wednesday:














And this is our house today!:

Ahhh.... It feels so homey - especially with all the Christmas up!

I love it. And I love that we paid Pedro to do it so that we didn't have to go to marriage counseling and/or divorce court at the end of it. We've been waiting/saving for this for four years. I feel so grown up!

A little shout out

(Me and Pops on the porch after church - 1976)

Can you do a shout out for someone who's passed away? I don't know. Anyway, I felt like I wanted to do a little tribute about my dad.

Thanksgiving day was my dad's birthday. He would have been 88 years old. When I was born, Pops (my name for him) was 52 years old. I never knew him with other than gray hair, and definitely never with a full head of hair (although, I'm not sure many of us kids did -- he lost his hair pretty early!) He was a great, hard working, middle class American dad. He worked his fingers to the bone to support his wife that he adored and his ten children in Los Angeles, California. (I mention that because I know now that there were other places where the cost of living would have been easier to manage.)

Pops was in the US Navy. He served on a carrier ship. He had told me that he was stationed in Hawaii for a time, and I guess I assumed he was there during Pearl Harbor. Don't know why I never asked for more detail, but it wasn't until his eulogy was read that I learned he joined the Navy after December 7, 1941. He was still a hero in my book.

Some of my favorite things about Pops: Teaching me to drive. I learned in his Pea Green colored Dodge Dart (not sure of the year). Pops would only own an American made car (I'm pretty sure, Dodge was his brand of choice.) First he taught me to drive in the church parking lot, and one day I guess I was good enough, so he let me out the back of the lot onto the residential streets behind the church. We quickly went back to the parking lot when I couldn't stay on the right side of the road. Maybe I thought I was British. Anyway, when I was finally able to stay in the lines and get on the street, he taught me to glance at the cross walk signs to gauge when the light was going to turn yellow or red so as to not have to slam on the brakes. I still look at those signs today and think of him when I do.

Once in a while on a Sunday afternoon, Pops would come home from his meetings at church and holler "Who wants a frosty?" We'd all come running and pile into the car and he'd take us to get an ice cream cone then go sit somewhere and visit. Many times he'd take us to Rose Hills Cemetery (I, know, it sounds creepy, but it is a beautiful place with rolling hills and beautiful gardens. We used to roll down the hills - careful to miss the place markers). I later learned that he would do this often to get the kids out of the house and give mom a break. What a good guy!

Pops worked fixing semi-truck diesel engines and didn't retire until the age of 72, so that he could send his fifth child (yours truly) on a mission. Of coarse I didn't realize it at the time as much as I should have, but looking back, I am so appreciative of that sacrifice for me. By that time, working in the diesel garage, he had all but completely lost his hearing, and you know he was old and tired, but he went in every day they would have him.

After serving a mission, I lived at home with my parents for a few months. They had both deteriorated much health-wise while I was gone, so as a result, our rolls had reversed for the most part. I was now the driver, care giver, and "slave" as my mom called me. It was fun. They liked to go on long drives and go to Polly's Pies and Jack's Salad Bowl for lunch. The three of us had family home evenings regularly where we discussed the scriptures. We had a lot of good conversations and I am grateful for that short amount of time that I was able to serve them.

Five years after my mom passed away, Pops finally went to meet up with her. I saw him a few times between my mom passing and before he left us. He was suffering from Alzheimer's, so he didn't know me very well -- especially because I only got out to California about once a year or so, but it was worth it. He knows me, and I know it.

Pops was a good, simple man and I am grateful to call him Dad.

Happy Birthday, Pops! I love you.

Couple questions

Does everyone hear news about NASA and Space Shuttle missions now days, or is it not even big enough news to report outside of Houston? I know that pretty much after the first moon landing, it was no big deal anymore. No one knows the names of the second guys to walk on the moon (Pete Conrad and Alan Bean). It seems like now days, the only time there is any note of the space program is when there is a tragedy or something.

Anyway, if you have heard about this latest Shuttle mission; how'd you like to be the chick that dropped the tool bag in space? And then, I wonder: it's not like the tool bag was dropped and then rushed away by the wind. Couldn't she have gone after it? Grabbed something long to knock it back, or something? I guess it did float away pretty quickly. Poor girl. So, now she's going to come home and be the astronaut known for letting lose a big bag of heavy tools to wander in space until it crashes into and ruins some multi-billion dollar space equipment. Way to go what's-her-name! (Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper - I think I'll stick with what's-her-name.)

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1488655367/bctid2624229001

It's good to be free

It took a whole weekend and two different borrowed cars and a lot of car seat swapping, but my car is finally legal.

I took it into the auto shop on Friday to have them figure out why the engine light was on. I dropped it off at 2:30 pm. At 9 am on Saturday, I called to see what was going on. "Oh, didn't my assistant call you?" Um, no. They were waiting for a part to arrive. The EGR something-or-other. I asked if this had any connection to the THOUSAND dollars that I just put into fixing the car on the 2nd of October. "No, this is different from any of that that was done. Let's see," he said, "yep, you're right about at the mileage when the EGR goes out." Of coarse I am.

So, another $200 and my engine light was off so I could take it for the state inspection. So, by the time we were able to pick the car up, it was almost 10 pm on Saturday (it didn't take that long to fix, we just couldn't get down there! They locked the keys in the car to wait for us.)

Sunday, I drove carefully to and from church, avoiding any highways where Highway Patrolman Lightfoot might be lurking. Then hid the car again in the garage until this morning when I was able to get to Jiffy Lube and take care of it.

I pulled into Jiffy Lube and asked the guy if he could inspect my car. Nope. "We've only been open for three weeks and haven't set up our machine for inspections yet." Um, you may want to get on that! So I carefully drove down the street to the next random auto place because now I was desperate.

So after wrestling with Christian in a greasy, stinky, dirty floored auto shop waiting room for 45 minutes, my car was legal! Hip, hip, hooray!

To celebrate, Samy got a happy meal with a Madagascar toy and I got.... the engine light on again!

I can't even talk about it....

Fugitive

It's been in the back of my mind. It really has. But time flies. Not even when your having a whole lot of fun. Time just flies. Days run into weeks, weeks into months! Where does it go?

Wednesday, I was going to pick Samy up from school. I wasn't late or anything. I made a very safe, very legal right hand turn out of my subdivision. Then I saw the lights behind me. I was ticked. Could not imagine what I had done. So, Officer Lightfoot (are they required to have these types of names upon entering the force, or are they given a cool name upon graduation from the Academy?) comes up to my window to ask for my licence and registration. Luckily I knew where they both were and the registration was the current copy. Whew! I said I couldn't imagine what I had done. He said that my state inspection was expired. I said "crap! Um, I have an appointment to take the car in on ... what is today, Wednesday? I have an appointment on Friday."

He gave me a warning and said to take care of it on Friday. Then he asked, "Will it pass inspection?" What the heck is that?! Does it look like such an old piece that it wouldn't pass inspection? My reply was, "No, because the check engine light is on. That's why I'm taking it in on Friday." He said okay and sent me on my way.

What I didn't tell Officer Lightfoot is that the car is in fact a piece and is 10 years old and that the stinkin' check engine light has been on since two days after I paid a thousand dollars to work on the transmission and other stuff. And that was about a month ago. The state inspection actually expired TWO MONTHS ago. I stink. I ask you: Where did September and October go???

So here it is on Friday. I have tried to get the car into the shop, but can't find a convenient time to drop it off for three or four hours without needing it to take kids here or there and without having to completely inconvenience anyone. So, today I have awesome neighbors car and took her to work until other awesome neighbor gets home from her work and can take me to drop off my car. Then the hope is that I can leave it over night, they will fix it so that the engine light goes off and then I can take it to Jiffy Lube for the state inspection and thereby once again be an upstanding citizen in the community. As opposed to now hiding my car in the garage and feeling like Officer Lightfoot is hiding out waiting to see the old, shoddy blue minivan with the expired inspection sticker from TWO months ago.

I feel like maybe I should hide the car in some bushes. Really, I just need a new car. *sigh* What has become of me? And seriously, where did September and October go?

Moving on

We're happy. We're well. We have a good job and a good home and we're just fine. I'm almost positive that this can't be taken away from us. It took a day to really have this settle in and I have come to terms and have great hope that it'll be okay.

My one prevailing thought after the election of Barack Hussein Obama has been: "So this is how everyone else has been feeling for the past 6/7 years with George Bush." Now it's my turn to feel the burn.

On Wednesday morning when I told the kids who won the presidential election, they were funny. They all said they wished it had been McCain. Then throughout the day, out of the blue, Samy would come out and say (almost in tears), "Mom, I really wish John McCain was our President". Then another time she said, "Well, at least John McCain is the President in my class!" Yes he is Samy, and I'm sure he would be proud to know that he won by a landslide (10/2) in your Pre-K class election in small-town Texas!

In listening to talk radio (yes, I'm an old lady! Remember being in the car with your parents and the radio was on AM!?!), of coarse they were upset the day after. One woman called in to one of the shows and said: "Well, God let this happen for a reason. So He is in charge and we need to have faith and trust in Him."

I thought that was very nice. It makes sense.

God also allows earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and hurricanes to happen. But whatever.

I just can't even talk about it right now.

"Mershals"

Samy: "Mom, when I go watch TV today, will you come with me so you can see the mershals and all the things I want?"

Me: "I don't want to. I have to do all my work while you are having quiet time."

Samy: "Please. Or do you want me to just yell for you every time something is on?"

Me: "Okay, I'll watch for a few minutes."

So I go upstairs and turn the TV on. As she's walking up the stairs, not anywhere near the play room, she says "I want that!"

Me: "You don't even know what that was!"

Samy: "Yes I do. It was the baby who goes potty then you flush the toilet and wash her hands."

Amazing. Then she proceeded to proclaim that she wanted each and every other toy in each and every commercial that came on. The Barbie cruise ship got her extra excited. I cringed at the talking house with the British accent. The only toy she didn't want was the helmet that basically has a virtual video racing game in it. She said Christian could have that one.

Welcome to the Christmas Season. Mershals.

At dinner just now

Here's the conversation:

Samy: "Mom, what would happen if Arak Bama gets all the people?"

me: "He would take money from the rich people and give it to the people who are too lazy and unmotivated to earn it themselves."

Logan: "Well that would be dumb."

me: "Yeah, but he probably will get all the votes and be the next president, and it'll be okay."

Maren: "I hope McCain wins. [the family] across the street are voting for the other guy, Obama."

me: "That's okay. They're not citizens of this country, so they can't really vote."

Then we moved on to slurping from straws and teasing each other.

I just lost two hours of my life

that I will never get back.

Maren was invited to a birthday party yesterday for the premier of HSM 3. We were both thrilled. She about seeing the movie, and I was thrilled that some other schmuck of a mother was taking her to see it.

Maren got sick on Wednesday. No party. I told her I would take her to see it when she was better. Today she was better. I now became the schmuck of a mother.

I knew I was in for it when the opening scene was a close up of Zac Efron's greasy face and all the girls in the theater screamed joyfully.

The little girl next to me didn't appreciate my "Are you kidding me?!"'s and "He needs to pull up his pants" every now and then. Thankfully I got to get up and use the bathroom once for a brief repose. Thank you large diet coke and bladder that has had five babies sitting on it!

Hey Maren, I just took a bullet for you. Remember this....

That's all I have to say about that.

Is it over yet?

In the last post I talked about "birthday season" around our house. It's almost done. Almost.



This week, we celebrated Geoff's birthday. The kids and I pitched in and bought him a massage appointment. The kids didn't actually pitch in per say, I just deducted ten bucks each from the money that we owe them because we never have cash on hand at family home evening on Sunday's. We keep a tab. It may or may not get paid off. Is it considered debt if I owe money to my kids?

I digress....

So now we are having Logan's official party tomorrow. I am going to watch Beverly Hills Chihuahua with 14 nine and ten year old children.



Heaven help me.

My plan for America

I have a lot of plans...

Lately, as probably many have, I've had discussions with friends of varying political stances. Some discussions have gotten quite heated, but I prefer the ones that are more of a conversation. In my mind, I think I am right and the "other" side is wrong, but I'm not trying to convince anyone or convert anyone to my side. Sometimes, depending on who I am having a conversation with, they ARE trying to convert me to their side. It's not going to happen! They are not going to change my mind any more than I am going to change their mind. I realize this, and it's okay.

Now, the best conversations we have had are the ones where we (both sides) agree that politics are too political. That we would love someone like Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington", where his political party doesn't matter, lobbyists and special interest groups don't matter, but what matters is the American people and the continual progress of this great country.

In watching the Presidential and Vice Presidential debates over the last few weeks, I've been annoyed that they are all the same rhetoric and political answers that are not really answering the questions that were put before them. It's just jabbing at the opponent and saying you are better. I want to know WHY you are better and WHY I should elect you to the highest office in this great country, and what you are going to do to make it better.

In last nights debate, the moderator asked the question something to the effect of: "What would you ask the American people to sacrifice because of this financial and economic crisis?" I can't recall exactly what the candidates answers were, but no one came right out and said anything that we are going to have to sacrifice. How could they? If one of them would have said: you need to donate and recycle tires, or you need to donate silk stockings like during World War II, that would have been the end of this election for the guy who suggested that. I think that we should, on our own accord, make some sacrifices. In short, we should follow the admonition of the prophet and prepare "every needful thing."

But here's what I would suggest. I would suggest that if you want something done, you have to start with yourself. Walk the walk before you talk the talk. They are talking about decreased spending in Washington. I suggest we start on Inauguration day. When the Obama's (it's going to be them -- I'm not a supporter, I'm just saying...) move into the White House, they are going to redecorate it. They are going to get new china and new furniture. There is going to be an inaugural ball. There will be gala's and parties of that nature. Why do we need this? Where is that money coming from? It's not going to be 10 trillion dollars (hopefully) but it is a significant amount of money. You need china and you don't like the design that Laura Bush chose? Then go to the archives and use the stuff that Jackie Kennedy picked out - she had good taste. You don't like the furniture? Deal with it! I need a new mattress and a new couch. Guess what, I've got to wait until I can afford it. You can too. How about taking the money that would be spent on a Ball or a Gala and give that directly to the homeless. Put it into natural disaster recovery. Put it into education.

Again, I know it wouldn't be 10 trillion dollars and cover the national debt, but the point is that it would be a statement. It would be a great statement. It would tell the American people that they are in touch with what we are going through and that if we are having to make cuts and sacrifice, they will too.

Birthday Season is coming to a close

In the gulf coast region, 'Hurricane season' begins in June and goes through October. Similarly, in our house, we have 'Birthday season'. It starts off slow in March and June, then really picks up in August, September, and finally ends in mid-October.

As the 'season' comes to an end, we got to celebrate the birthday of one of my five most favorite children. Logan went into double digits today. The big 1-0! Logan was my 9 pound preemie born almost a month before his scheduled arrival. He's never been early since...

As I thought about Logan today, I reminisced about some of my favorite Logan stories.

In kindergarten, each child is tested to figure out the level they are at academically. When I went to my conference with his teacher after he had been tested, she reported that Logan did very well in his testing and actually excelled. For example, she said trying not to laugh, she asked Logan to count as far as he could. She said most children count to about 12 and then start mixing up. She said that Logan started counting and kept going until he got to 499! She said that as he counted, he sighed of boredom, rocked back in his chair, and acted pretty bored. (She was cracking up at this point and pretty funny as she acted out Logan!). I asked why he stopped at 499. She said that she had asked him too, and his reply was that he was bored and could he count by tens now. She said that 499 was fine.

Another day, I went into the class to help the teacher. When I walked in, I noticed all the children sitting on the 'reading rug'. Then I looked over to the teachers desk and saw that the teacher was at her desk. I looked back at the rug to find Logan sitting in the middle of the class reading Harry Potter to them!

These stories are among my favorite mostly because if you know Logan at all, you know how laid back and sort of simple (in a good way) he is. He's humble and wise-cracking. It's so funny that the kid with the perpetual kool-aid ring around his mouth and food stains on his shirt is brilliant. But he is, at least to his mom.

We had a good birthday today. I took a Texas sheet cake to school. In order for the snack to be 'legal' it had to relate to Texas Social Studies - it was either Texas sheet cake or buffalo wings and the wings would have been way too messy! We had dinner, cake and gifts this evening.

Logan always impresses me with his kind heart. He is always so thankful and gracious. He has the best manners and is always very considerate of others. Usually. You know, for a 10 year old boy, he's remarkable, I think! I adore this guy.


So as we wind up the birthday season this year, I have to say, Logan, we're so glad you are in our family. We love you, we love you, we love you! Happy Birthday!

Spoiled Rotten

It's not because of the 'things' you 'get', but because it is nice to know people like you.

***

First great birthday gift was that three kids went back to school. Thank you School District!

***

Next was lunch and a facial (including childcare) from Awesome Neighbors. Thanks neighbors, you really are awesome. We're so lucky!

***

Geoff came home early and we went out for dinner with friends. Not cooking a single meal in a day is a great gift!

***

Each child gave me a gift that they chose especially for me (way to go, Geoff. Mega points for that!)

*Getting old isn't so bad. People like me. It makes me feel pretty darn good. Thanks for a great birthday everyone!*

I've resorted...

... to "drinking" Trix cereal out of a cup.



I'm just in a funk. The kids have been out of school for two weeks. They only started up about two weeks before that. They have been really great, actually, and I haven't felt the need to physically hurt any of them, or me. Nor have I had the desire to run away. (Except for maybe today). I just really like the structure of a schedule. I really like school. I like vacuuming and not seeing footprints on it for a few minutes afterward. Just silly things like that.

Stores are opening up more and more each day, but gas is still difficult to come by. So as a result, I'm "rationing" my going and doing. Hence the Trix from a cup. Don't want to use the milk, cause then I'd have to go to the over crowded and understocked stores to buy more. And, I haven't gone to the store to stock up for the 4 pm sugar rush - that's totally my fault for not preparing! My one saving grace has been that Sonic close by home has opened and so Happy Hour Diet Coke is available. (Honestly, the withdrawal headache was not pleasant.)

The schools supposedly start on Thursday. I keep checking the website for fear of a delay. So far it is on schedule for Thursday. I can see an end in sight. Now I just need to get out of the funk. Anyway, don't mind me. I just needed to vent. I'll be okay. Maybe another cup of Trix...

I have a gripe

A couple weeks ago, a neighbor (this guy actually was my PTA vice president my first year on the board. We didn't get along. It's a whole other story for another day...) asked if I would pick up his daughter from the bus stop one day after school because he had a job interview and couldn't make it to get her. (The wife works too.) I said that I'd be happy to help out that day. Then as we continued to talk (I should point out here that this neighbor doesn't despise me like I do him), he said that he would most likely take this new job and would therefore need to find before and after school care for his daughter, and asked if I would be willing to do it -- of coarse he'd pay me for it. I said; "Oh, no. Sorry, I can't commit to that! Some days we are going and don't even come home after school. When we are home after, it's all about music practice and homework and all that stuff. I'm not in the child care business." So then he says: "Well, yeah. I just thought I'd ask. I figured you already have so many children that what's one more!"


What's that!?!


I'll tell you what's one more, buddy! (Can you see a little why he's not my favorite neighbor?) One more means one more person to herd into a car and one more voice to either zone out or talk over. One more is one that I haven't crafted, and guilted and scarred into obeying my every command the second I command it. You can't just throw in one more after 6 or 7 years of non-Nic training! One more....


What if I said to him: "Huh, you only have one child. How about if I give you two of mine, then that makes us even. One's not enough. You need at least three. Besides, you only have one, what's a couple more?"

It's just really weird.

Like, Twilight Zone weird, sort of.


In my home and in my small community, life is normal. Except not really normal. Other than the fact that school will be out at least until next Thursday, life seems normal when I am within the walls of my home or at least in the confines of my subdivision.


Outside of my bubble is a completely different story. Approximately 60% of the residents in my town have no electricity still. That just makes me so sad. The hurricane struck one week ago tonight. In the greater Houston area, 2.21 million customers still are without power. That's customers! You average 3 people in every home, that triples the number of people living without electricity.


Within our ward (congregation) boundaries, things are slowly picking up. At this point, there are only a handful of people without electricity. (A good portion of the folks in town without power are on the east end of my town and therefore are in the other ward -- not that we can't help them too!)


Some friends and I have coined the term "electricity guilt". To ease the guilt, I have offered and tried to help out as best I can. Sadly, I am not the most charitable of women in the Relief Society - women's organization at church (maybe that's why I love the primary - children's organization at church). We've got one couple's freezer plugged in our garage, and I've done laundry for a couple people. I've got frozen food of another family in my freezer.


The other night, a lady in the ward who is basically our adopted grandma, came over and asked if I would do her a favor. I was thrilled that she asked! She and her husband live in a retirement community and at that point had been without electricity for about five days. Despite my pleading for her to stay with us, she said that a couple people had generators and they were all sharing those so as to plug in refrigerators and turn on a fan once in a while, so they were doing fine - (especially since the weather has graciously turned very unseasonable cool and nice). She and her neighbors were all taking turns cooking each night. So anyway, it wasn't her turn to cook, but she said they were desperate for chocolate and so she asked me to bake a cake. She brought over a pan, cake mix, frosting, and eggs. (Little did she know that the majority of my food storage is cake mixes and frosting so she could have had her pick!) I just thought that was so cute. So the next day, she came after work to pick up her cake and I gave her some cupcakes too -- we were needing a bit of chocolate too. (See how selfish I am!?!) I was so impressed with all these, um, mature people roughing it and having a great time doing so! (They got power in their community finally yesterday evening - yeah!)


So, just the little things that I am able to do make me feel a bit better about it all. I feel like there is so much more that I could be doing. Tomorrow I am going to try to volunteer at a relief center for at least part of the day. But I am also making myself realize that Geoff is out each weekend with the Mormon "Helping Hands" crews working in ours and neighboring communities, so by being home with the kids and allowing him to go, I am helping in a way. (I'm not looking for kudos here, I'm just saying what's going on in my world and in my head...)


Anyway, back to the title of this post (I realize I'm rambling. There's a lot of emotion going on with me right now, so bear with me.), it's weird because although I'm 'normal' in my little bubble, it all seems to be an abnormal domino effect on the outside of that bubble. For instance; I am limiting my driving because there is limited gas, so I am rationing what I have and only going places that are essential -- okay, yes, the zoo the other day was essential because the kids have been home for a week and we are looking at another week out of school, so I'm wrapping my brain around basically still being on summer vacation.


Also, I get a little panicky when we are running low on milk and/or essential groceries because the stores are still so thinly stocked. It's getting better and better each day, but as it is, I am trying to stay out of grocery stores for as long as possible and leave that for people who are still without power and such. That all goes back to the 'electricity guilt'. But, I know, when I need it, I need it, electricity or not. Not trying to be a martyr at all, I'm just saying.... Anyway, I'm going to attempt to get to the grocery store at 6 tomorrow morning so as to try to get the things I need. Wish me luck!


Any WAY, it's weird and crazy and I just want everyone to be happy and housed and back to normal. I want to go to Target and browse the isles, not because I need or necessarily want anything, but because that is normal (for me at least)! Maybe if I just act normal... And I can do that. As long as I don't go out of my subdivision. How long can that be possible?

I told you. It's just weird. Twilight Zone weird.

Hurricane Ike (aka: Bill and Ed's excellent adventure)

First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for your prayers, concern, phone calls and thoughts. That means so much to us and we really appreciate your concern.

Secondly, I have to say that Mayor Bill and Judge Ed did not steer me wrong by asking me to "hunker down". However, I say that as one who weathered this storm very fortunately.

And third, I must say that the city of Houston (and surrounding cities/towns) ROCKS! I'm sure there are those who have complaints (and again, I have electricity, little damage, etc...) but over all, I think this horrible disaster was handled wonderfully.

As far as our little family goes, it was all (THANKFULLY) pretty under-dramatic. (Can I make that a phrase?) The power went out at about 8 pm on Friday, September 12th. Shortly thereafter, we put Christian in his bed in his room with the windows facing north (the storm would be coming from the south). We let the other four camp out on the living room floor just outside our bedroom. It was hot already. We put a movie on the portable DVD player for the kids and Geoff and I went outside to stand and commune with the neighbors. It was eerie and a bit scary. When the wind got to where we couldn't hear each other and we were being knocked off balance by the gusts, we bid each other good luck and went to our respective homes. Geoff and I read for a bit by candle/flash light, then decided to try to get some sleep knowing that we would most likely be up throughout most of the night. We said some of the most fervent prayers we ever have!

At 9:30 pm the rain started and the wind picked up greatly. By 11:30 the windows were shaking and the rain was pounding straight into the house. Samantha came into our bed about this time. At around 2:30 am (Saturday the 13th), we got up to check the house. Christian was sleeping like a baby. The storm was all at the back of the house, so he probably heard nothing. Eric had made a cave out of pillows and blankets so despite probably being suffocatingly hot, he slept through most of it. Maren slept through it all, except she did do quite a bit of talking in her sleep. And Logan took every opportunity to play Gameboy DS. As I said before, Samy was in our bed and came in and out of sleep.

As we checked out the house, we found water coming in under and around the back door. The rain was just pounding it, so it would have had to be some special door in order to keep that rain out. We shoved towels at the bottom. At one point the door was shaking so much, I put my hands on it as if to hold it shut. It felt like a very strong man was trying to push against me and get it open. Weird and scary. There was also water coming in through the stove vent. It's totally our fault for that one. The kids long ago knocked the vent cover off playing ball and we never got around to replacing it. We will now...

Everything else seemed in tact and fine, so we slept as best as we could off and on for the next few hours. Geoff had gone out on the floor with the three kids and I was in my room with Samy. The windows in my room were getting pounded so hard and rattling and shaking so badly, that I finally picked her up and went to huddle with the rest of the family in the living room. Now, before you decide how horrible we are, I will say that we checked on Christian frequently and literally, the storm was at the back of the house, so he heard virtually nothing. Also, we are in a fairly new community so there are no mature trees that were in a position to fall down on the second story of the house. His bed was well away from any windows. Plus, it was just better for him and all of us, that he was in his own bed and sleeping as normally as possible.

When morning came, the wind and rain were still ferocious. It finally laid off at around 9:00 am.

At that point, we found that a part of our fence had blown down, and there were a lot of roof shingles in our yard, but none from our house that we could see. Geoff checked out our house and finding no damage, went to check on the church families that live in our area -- this was all pre-determined and assigned.




Geoff spent most of Saturday checking on/finding ward members and their houses to do a first assessment of damage. When he got back and told me what had happened to some of the homes, I realized how very fortunate we came out of this.

The kids and I spent the day drinking water and being as still as possible in order to keep cool. Christians naps were whenever and wherever he felt like it. I put a cool cloth on him when he was sleeping in the middle of the living room once. Check out his damp curls. He was one little sweat ball!



Every few hours, we'd get into the car in order to charge the cell phone (one of the best things we've ever bought is a power converter/adapter) - I could receive text messages at this point, but had no reception and could not send anything out - and listening to news on the radio (bad planning is that we didn't have proper batteries for a radio in the house) while we cooled off in the car air conditioning.

As I said, we were very fortunate. Our electricity came back on just 24 hours after it was initially cut off. By Saturday night, we were back on power and cooled off. At this point, the "disaster" was by in large over for our little family.

We surveyed our immediate area and took some photos. They are absolutely nothing compared to Galveston and the coastal communities, but it shows a bit of what happened directly near me.

Stay tuned for a post regarding the aftermath and our personal efforts to try to help in recovery...

Hunkering down

This post was begun the evening of Friday, September 12. Power went out before I could finish and publish.

So here we are. The wind has picked up and the sky is very overcast.

The wind is picking up significantly. The clouds are moving at an eerie pace. It's howling, actually. We've made all the preparations that we can/can think of. We've got a stocked pantry,



water,

flashlights galore.

72-hour kits are at the ready and in my anxiety driven state, I made cookies (priorities!) I had to do something, and nothing says comfort to me like homemade chocolate chip cookies...

Everything that we may possibly need to be charged is being charged. Now we wait. This is the part that is bugging me. The news has completely gone berserk and is so excited for themselves it is hard to watch. They have been doing continuous coverage for the last almost 72 hours it seem, bless their hearts. We're hunkering down.

I'll admit it. I'm a bit nervous. I'm totally a tough chick, but this is a little nerve wracking. At this point, I can say for sure: I'd still take a hurricane over an earthquake any day. At least you know it's coming and can make preparations. But, like I said, I'm a little nervous, so ask me again in about 8 to 12 hours. I may need to reassess.

As for now: Game on!

The Verdict

We're staying. Throughout last night and into this morning, I was still going back and forth as to whether or not to leave. I've prayed and thought and watched news and thought and prayed some more. Then the Houston Mayor (Bill White) and County Judge (Ed Emmett) conducted a press conference this morning wherein they told us the zip codes that were mandatory evacuation areas - mine NOT included - and said that everyone else should "shelter in place" (unless, of coarse your place is like a mobile home!). So, we're obeying/trusting our local leaders and "hunkering down" as they said.

I'm not really that concerned. I feel like we are going to be just fine. And hey, if it does turn real bad and we are put in danger, then I am totally going to blame Bill and Ed! Ike is gigantic, and we will get a lot of wind and rain. I've put all of the patio/outside 'stuff' into the garage, so there are no foreseeable projectiles. Plus, at this point now, if we felt that we should leave, the possibility/probability of getting stranded on the freeway parking lots would be worse than if we stayed at home.

As for today, the laundry show must go on! We are actually enjoying beautiful weather - the calm before the storm? - and are celebrating Awesome Neighbor Mary's birthday. Tomorrow, we will watch TV and play Wii at Awesome Neighbors until the power goes out. From then on, the plan is to have a massive Mexican Train Domino's tournament (via candle light?).



We've got water, food, birthday cake, and good company. It's fine.

And again, if it's not; It's you Mayor Bill and Judge Ed!

Snow days

Let's talk about Ike. I'm not particularly happy with Ike or his behavior at the moment. Just this afternoon, I sent a big informational email out to my family telling them what's going on and what our evacuation plans are (currently not to evacuate). I felt the need to let everyone know my point of view because the national and especially the local media/meteorologists tend to get overly excited about these things and blow them out of proportion.

However, now here is my dilemma/problem with Ike: 1)Ike is huge. Although it is not as of yet, nor is it predicted to be a really strong hurricane, the span of it is enormous, so no matter where he makes land fall, we will feel it. How much we feel it depends on where landfall is. Not to mention that we are on the "sloppy" or "dirty" side of it, so we're looking at a lot of rain and wind most likely. 2) He keeps jumping all over the place. He is being pushed by fronts and troughs and stuff so that he isn't just staying on one track. Currently, he is supposed to go to the southwest of us, but if he is pushed or moved, it is usually to the northeast. And that 'IF' would bring him right to us.


So, the big question is: do we evacuate? When we evacuated for Rita in 2005 (that's a story for another day if you haven't already heard it), she was a CAT 5 barrelling right for Galveston. We high tailed it (it was just me and four children). At the last minute, Rita shifted to the northeast, and we barely got our lawn watered. However, I'd still do it again.

Now with Ike, right now I don't FEEL like we are in any sort of danger. We are stocked with food, water and batteries. We are in a 100 year flood plain (which means it would take a lot for us to flood), and we're a pretty good distance inland. BUT, stranger things have happened. And the biggest issue of all, for me, is power outage. Yeah, I can handle being cooped up for a few days and eating all the junk in the pantry by candlelight. But I'm sorry; I can not go without air conditioning for any amount of time in this place!

So now Kelly calls me to tell me that my school district has closed for the next two days. (There is a chance that I wouldn't have known until I went to drop the first group off at their bus stop and noticed there was no one around, so thanks, Kelly!) Now. granted, a good part of our district is in low-lying areas or nearer to the coast, but dang it. Two days! I didn't tell any of my people. We just had normal homework/bedtime routine. I have to prepare myself mentally before I can let them in on the snow days and see the glee shining in their eyes. I did, however, turn off every one's alarms so they won't be woken up so early -- here's hoping...

I'm so confused. I will make my final decision as to weather we stay or go by tomorrow early evening. I've reserved a hotel room up north just in case and hope to/plan on canceling it. (I have learned to do that because for Rita, there were no hotels in Texas and we had to drive to Oklahoma City for a room!) Anyway, if we were to leave any later than that, we'd be stuck on the freeway for hours on end anyway, and I'd much rather be stuck at home with no air conditioning than on the hot pavement with car fumes and a few million of my closest friends.

I'll let you know. I need some serious chocolate. Maybe I should head to Target before the flood waters rise and I can't get there...

Dang you Ike!!!

The hills are alive...

Okay, there's no hills where I live, but there are freeway overpasses. Anyway, Maren had her first piano lesson this week. Oh, the joy. I am so excited and jealous, and vicariously living through her!

Her teacher is the music teacher at our elementary school who happens to live right around the corner from us (hello one thing I don't have to drive people to!!!). When she walked home from her first lesson, she walked up to the back door, I was standing in the kitchen and saw her approach. The look on her face was pure and unadulterated joy. The smile literally stretched from one ear to the other. Oh, so cute. (Didn't have the camera handy, dang.)

So, she did her worksheets while she ate dinner, then went straight to the piano and practiced for an hour. I know it will get less exciting real quick probably, but for now it is good. Real good.

So, between Maren pounding out the keys and Eric's oboe sounding like a duck in heat, we are totally an instrumental version of the Von Trapps! I L O V E it!

One

This is more "historical documents", but it has to be said....

One year ago this evening, Geoff was out of town on business, baby #5 was due in about a month (we never knew the sex of a child before it's birth), and the four children and I were heading to the Church for Cub Scout pack meeting where Eric was being honored with his Arrow of Light. During Pack Meeting, I waddled myself up to the front to say some nice things about Eric (as instructed by the Cub Master) and we had a good meeting. When it was over, a friend of mine who was a little further along with her pregnancy than I was with mine, were marveling at how us two very pregnant women were putting up chairs while several men stood around and chatted. We decided it was probably good, so as to bring on labor. Ha, ha, ha, we laughed.

Got home, put all the kids to bed. As I was leaving the last bedroom, a contraction came out of nowhere and stopped me in my tracks. I held on to the stair rail for support until it passed.

I felt a little bad and the pain came regularly, but I was sure it would pass. Geoff wasn't in town and it was a month early, there's no way this was labor! I took a shower in order to help with the pain. I laid down in bed and called Geoff on the phone. I told him that contractions were pretty hard and close but I was sure they would go away after I slept for a while. We talked about him getting on the last flight that left at 10 pm. I said whatever. At about 9:45, I realized that I needed to call the doctor and get to the hospital.

Awesome neighbors came over. Diane stayed at the house with the kids while I got in the car with Mary. She sped to the medical center, trying with no avail to keep the Pilot from bumping all over the place. I think she called Geoff while we were driving, but I'm not sure as I was pretty wrapped up in myself at the time. We walked into the maternity ward at 11:30 pm. I stopped at the nurses station bent over a contraction, and a nice voice (couldn't see her face) asked me if I wanted an epidural. I nodded fervently in the affirmative. She said: "as soon as you get in that room right there, you can have one." I wanted to run. The contraction passed and as I entered the room, I announced that I was taking my pants off because it was coming. I lay on the bed as nurses and techs moved frantically around me. Poor Mary was witnessing it all. You know at this point you don't care who is there. At one point, one nurse caught my hands and demanded that I look in her eyes and breath to keep from pushing. It worked (for a minute), she was good.

Thirteen minutes after we walked through the hospital doors, I had a bouncing baby boy. I fell in love at first sight (okay, first sight after he was cleaned).

I never got that epidural.

Until Christian was actually born and in my arms, it didn't dawn on me that Geoff was missing the birth of our child. Poor guy. He felt terrible. Even if he had made the last flight, he wouldn't have made it on time. The doctor barely made it for this one. Fifth child.

Geoff rented a car at about 10 pm when he got the call that I was on the way to the hospital. He made the five hour drive in four and got to the hospital at about 2 am, thanks to adrenaline and Clay in California with a two hour time zone difference.

Can I say again, I ADORE this baby! Happy 1st birthday, Christian.