Friday, April 11, 2014

I Can't Come Up With a Witty Title. TToT Week 43

This post is an illusion.

I'm not really here.

After being home for 6 days, I decided that all of this staying in one place is for the hermits!  I need to be on the road!

For this weekend's road trip, no kids are involved.  There will be no stopping at fun places.  It is a 10 hour race to Virginia for my older sister's wedding.  I will be stopping in Kentucky to pick up my mom and youngest brother.  My dad will meet us there.

I can't tell you how happy it makes me that my mom is coming with us.  The sister getting married is not my mom's daughter, but the daughter of my dad and a woman he knew before my mom.  The weekend is a perfect example of a "water under the bridge, life is too short for grudges, forgiveness is the best way to live" attitude my parents and sister have embraced.  We're going to have so much fun.

So, I'm not here.  While you read this, I may be in the middle of a 10 hour drive to Virginia.  I may be at a wedding.  I may be playing cards with my mom, dad, and brother.  I may be sleeping in the backseat while my brother drives the 10 hours home.  Regardless, I'm not here.

Doesn't mean I haven't been thankful this week!

1.  I am thankful for the dozen roses which greeted me when the kids and I got home from our trip.  Bryan missed me.

2.  I am thankful for new sheets for my bed.  It seems that when I sleep, I kick a lot.  So much so that the area by my feet always wears thin.  The other night, I actually put my foot through the thinning sheet.  New sheets for me!

3.  I am thankful for opportunities for my kids to grow.  The kindergarteners were in charge of presenting the all-school Mass this week, and Turken led the way by reading an introduction.  I was a bit nervous for him, seeing as how he is one of the most shy of my children.  I needn't have worried.  He stood tall (you could actually see the top of his head over the lectern), spoke loudly, and paced himself nicely.

When kindergarten is in charge of the Mass, a couple of 8th graders are in charge of helping the 5 and 6 year olds to their proper positions at the right time.  Buttercup was asked to help, and after Mass, the other kindergarten teacher proclaimed that she wanted Buttercup to help her class when it was their turn.

Proud Mama right here.

4.  I am thankful to have had some time to get a haircut.  Finally! Another related thankful... Except for the incident where he loudly and repeatedly exclaimed, "Look at him!  He's getting a mohawk!" and pointed at the poor older woman getting her haircut behind me while I tried to shush him and call him over to me and my wet, half-cut hair, Cuckoo behaved quite well.

5.  I am thankful for the great weather in which the three youngest can play while we wait many hours over the course of the week for middle school play practices to end.  (The show is in 2 weeks, so rehearsals are in full swing.)

6.  I am thankful that we had both the weather and the time to get a bunch of outside work done last weekend.  Basically, we cleaned up the messes last year's pigs created and got a good start on cleaning up the mess the winter created.

7.  I am thankful for my new doctor. I like the guy so far, despite the fact he kept comparing me and my ailments to an 82 year old woman.  He has a good plan and new ideas for getting a diagnosis and managing the pain of whatever this is I have.  Bonus points for getting me out of there in less than one hour and for the fantastic phlebotomist who managed to get 5 vials out of me with no trouble at all.

8.  I am thankful for the opportunities to meet and get to know more of the kindergarten parents.  Most of my friends have kids in grades 6 and up.  That means most of these friends will be leaving me behind when their kids head off to high school.  With Turken and Cuckoo, I am basically at square one at this school.  It would behoove me to get to know the younger parents with the younger kids.  With the weather being so nice, I have actually run into several moms at different playgrounds and have had some nice talks with them.

9.  I am thankful for generous friends.  A few things popped up to add to the calendar this weekend, and there is no way Bryan could have done them all without help.  A couple friends have agreed to help with a bit of the driving our kids to or from an event, so I can still go to the wedding.

10.  I am thankful for everyone who continues to read my blog, especially when I spend 3 days talking about our one vacation.  I'm also terribly grateful for those bloggers who read, despite my inability to read their writing much these past couple of weeks.

So, I left town and forgot to ask Lizzi for the code to put in my post before I left.  Without the code, I have no way for you to link up.  I'm so sorry.

If you have written a post, please go to Lizzi's and link up there.

If you don't have a post, tell me in the comments what got you smiling this week.

Have a lovely weekend!


Ten Things of Thankful

42 comments:

  1. I hope the wedding goes really well - all the best to your sister as she embarks on this new stage of her life.

    YAY for getting to know the kindergarten parents. That's a really good thing, and I know not easy (you've mentioned it before) but definitely worthwhile doing, cos Turken and Cuckoo are going to make friends with the kids there and be going on play dates and stuff. Might as well get to know the parents sooner than later, and SO great that the weather's helped a bit with that.

    If I had've known, I would DEFINITELY have sent you the code! Ah well...you're IN the hop :) Speak to you soon, and have a LOVELY time :)

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    1. It was lovely, thank you.

      Very true. In just a couple of years, I won't have any big kids at that school, so I need to get cracking on finding younger friends.

      It's not your fault in the least. You didn't even know I was leaving. I know you would have gotten it together early for me if I'd have simply asked.

      Delete
  2. Enjoy the wedding and the weekend, too. Love that you have gotten a chance to travel so much in the last few weeks and have totally enjoyed hearing about it. Sounded like a great week, starting off with roses from your husband right through the end. Have a great weeekend now and week ahead, too :)

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  3. Hope you have a wonderful time at the wedding. I imagine you will be thankful this week when you return to your beautiful, brilliant children.

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    1. Thank you! As much fun as I had, it was good to get home to everyone.

      Delete
  4. I miss you, my friend! And my plans to at least CONTACT you this week-end have been thwarted by all this frivolity of a wedding (Congrats, BTW to the lovely couple!)...and I am sure you'll have a fabulous time.

    Hope we can get together soon...although based on the sound of your schedule, it will be in June. :) Fingers crossed we will catch a glimpse of each other at the soccer fields!

    Have a great week-end!

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    1. Back atcha!

      Three more weeks of the utter madness before we back down to mild madness. Maybe then? :(

      Delete
  5. …you know, you have a phone*

    *and the phone gets to the internet**
    ** which is where we all are***
    *** speaking of not really here

    photos!

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    1. Dude, I have a hard enough time doing those vidchats on my computer. I highly doubt it would go better on my phone.

      Photos next TtoT!

      Delete
  6. I love that you had roses. Yes he loves you and missed you. And the kids too.

    I loved going along on your vacation with the kids. It was great fun.

    Have a fabulous weekend. :)

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    1. I do, too. :)

      He really did, and not just because he had to do all of his own ironing and meal making.

      I'm glad you liked following the vacation. It got quite lengthy, so I was worried (as much as I worry, which is hardly at all) I went overboard.

      Delete
  7. Oh such a beautiful thankful list for someone who isn't really here!!! I love that your hubs gave you flowers!! Precious. And now I'm concerned about your pain and medical issues! Is there a post that shares this info? I will be praying for healing and restoration and treatment that works and oh yeah- a diagnosis to get that ball rolling.

    Enjoy your beautiful weekend of love and grace and 'water under the bridge' forgiveness with a gorgeous moment to embrace!!! Have a good nap in the back seat on the way home!!

    I didn't do a TToT. BUT- someone ELSE did!!!!!! Hee hee... when you have time... you can go see WHO!!!

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    1. Thanks!

      I wrote about it once. I don't like to dwell on it.

      http://a-fly-on-our-chicken-coop-wall.blogspot.com/2012/02/hey-kids-you-get-to-watch-tv-today.html

      Thank you!

      I'll be over to check it out soon!

      Delete
  8. flowers to come home to! awesome! Enjoy the next road trip and the wedding. Very cool about your mom and the letting go of stuff, stuff. Glad you finally are getting to the medical stuff...hope and pray for answers that will leave you feeling better soon. Enjoy the weekend.

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    1. The flowers are still on the counter. I love that he thinks of such things.

      My mom is a great lady.

      It did! :)

      Delete
  9. Awwwwwwww......flowers??? I remember coming home from an "alone" vacation to a laundry hamper filled to the brim. G's response "oh I thought I'd wait until you got home because I knew you'd have laundry too." Yea. Thanks. That only happened the one time. Haahaa!

    I know you're not really here. I'm hoping you're having fun not really there. :D

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    1. He's a good egg, for sure.

      Ha! Poor G. :)

      I had a great time, thanks.

      Delete
  10. You are incredible, and now I am crying. I am so happy for you. what an amazing TToT.

    xox jean

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    1. Thank you Jean. Your comments always make me smile.

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  11. Read this yesterday and ran out of time to comment. Coming back because of the trip. I love this trip. So wonderful!

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    1. Aw, thank you, Sarah. I'm glad you liked it.

      Delete
  12. Such a nice list, I'm kind of new at the TToT list, but I really enjoyed yours.

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  13. Some pampering, friends & roses? Sounds like a great week to me!

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  14. Hope the wedding is going well, and that you are having a great time. So great that your family can all feel forgiveness and enjoy each other!

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    1. It was wonderful! You'll hear all about it sometime this week. :)

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  15. 1. How sweet! I get dirty dishes and laundry when I go on a trip.
    3. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: that Buttercup is a PEACH.
    4. It could have been worse; always remind yourself of that. My mom has hardly any hair on the top of her head and artfully arranges it so as to camouflage it as much as possible. Imagine Cuckoo seeing her balding, wet head at the hairdressers....
    6. Let me know when you want me to send the herder up there.
    7. This is a BIG one! You don't always appreciate a great doctor until you have had a not so great one. And a phlebotomist like that is a dream come true!
    8. You will be just like Mamsie Pepper to those young mothers!

    Enjoy the trip to Virginia!

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    1. 1. He's a sweetie for sure.
      3. You will get no argument from me!
      4. Yes, it was pretty bad, but it could have been worse. The hairdresser was trying to convince me he was talking about the posters on the walls, but I know him better.
      6. Will do!
      7. I have horrible veins, and many people have had a really hard time getting blood out of me. This lady was a dream!
      8. I will now have to look up Mamsie Pepper, but I'm thinking I already have an idea of what that means. Basically, I'll be the wise, old lady? :/

      Delete
  16. I hope you have tons of fun at the roadtrip and the wedding! Getting flowers is awesome! Indeed it seems that your hubby missed you :-) I washed our sheets today, and hubby vacuumed off the bed and put the sheets back on. Thankful for a hands-on hubby here! Have a great week!!

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  17. I don't know where you are right now but I hope you are having a good time, my traveling friend! I love the idea of you coming home to a dozen roses. That is very sweet. Sounds like you have a pretty good guy there! I think you should keep him :)
    With all that I have read on your blog about your kids, you have every right to be a proud Mama!
    Enjoy the wedding and safe travels!

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    Replies
    1. I had a great time, thanks!
      He is wonderful. There won't be any trading in, for sure.
      Aw, thanks.

      Delete
  18. I'm so impressed you had a post up so soon! I was absent and linked up really late in the game. I hope you had a fantastic time at the wedding. What a wonderful example your parents are, to let by-gones be by-gones.

    I thought I was the only one who kicks holes in sheets.

    What a helpless feeling, trying to shush a child who clearly is amused with his surroundings. Maybe the woman didn't hear or understand.

    Your doctor must be good, if you still like him after he compared you to an 82-year-old woman. I mean, being 82 is great, if you're 82 or older, but not at this stage.

    You should be proud. Good job, Turken and Buttercup!

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    1. I knew I had to get it up early or it wouldn't get done. The drive was actually 12 hours, since I had two more to go from my mom's house in Kentucky.

      My parents are wonderful.

      I am so glad you said that. I never heard of anyone else kicking so much!

      I'm hoping she didn't. My hairdresser was doing her best to explain it away as something else.

      I know! I was almost offended, but I've had enough conversations with my grandma and great-aunts to know that he only spoke the truth. I kinda am like an 82 year old. :/

      Thanks.

      Delete
  19. Hey! are you back yet?

    (well, if you are in the middle of finishing up your next Post… maybe if you could take this comment and put it…. nah, on second thought, I'll wait to see the photos, which I hope will accompany the upcoming Post).

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    1. I am back in Indy, but no back in the blogging world. It is going to be terribly busy around here for the next 3 weeks.

      Photos will be coming. Have no fear.

      Delete
  20. What mystery pain are you having? I've had some too, since October, and I'm suspecting it's fibromyalga. Not sure how to spell that. I'm still in testing. Just wondered what your symptoms were. When I hear that docs are puzzled about pain, I think, fibro... ;-( I'm looking for natural treatments, but have not found one yet.

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    1. I wrote a post about it a while ago. I just put the (supposed to be a) link in the reply to Chris Carter's comment. One doctor thought it was fibro until blood tests came back. I have low red and white cells, as well as low platelets. I also tested positive for a clotting disorder. It's been over 2 years since I last got my blood checked, so we'll see next week if they are still low. That will give us more clues and a better idea of what to do next.
      I pray your pain doesn't get too bad and you find an answer soon.

      Delete
  21. Christine, hope you had a great time at the wedding. Such occasions can be stressful, but it sounds like your family has a great attitude.

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    1. We did, thank you. There was absolutely no stress involved with this wedding as far as our family was concerned. Nothing but fun.

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Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you're thinking!