Hope all the mothers out there are getting some pampering.  My daughter sprung out of bed with well wishes.  We were pretty lazy this morning which is unlike us.  We both had big days yesterday and it’s a rainy day today so we both took advantage of that.  Around noon we visited my 88 year old grandmother along with Zoe our dog and met my father there as well.  Turns out her television broke (sucker was around when my grandfather was alive and that’s been a long time.) So, that gave my dad and I an excuse to go to a gizmo store hehehe.  We bought her a new LCD flat panel TV.  Heh, my grandmother has a flat panel and I don’t.  That’s sad! LOL  Oh well.  When I win the lottery I’ll get one and mount it above the fireplace : ) 

My daughter and dog stayed with my grandmother while Dad and I ran to the store.  It made for a longer than normal visit for her which was nice.  We hooked up the new TV, ran to the grocery for some late lunch and then to the library to get a book report book.  Since then we’ve been home.  I watched a show I had recorded and Meg did her homework and lots of reading : )  I’m not used to doing nothing for so long unless I’m sick.  I feel a bit guilty!  What I would normally do on a day like today is go to the grocery, do laundry, dishes, clean the house and I am due for an oil change.  Oh well.  I only get two days a year where I can play hooky from my to-do list and one is my birthday and the other Mother’s Day.  Granted I have to share this day with my mom and grandma but that’s okay.  My daughter and dad are picking up carry-out for dinner tonight : )

What happened to the days when I could sleep in until 10 or 11?  I used to think that on weekends if the clock didn’t have four numbers on it then it was too early to get up.  Then I had my daughter and it was more like 8 or 9 I would get up.  Then I got a dog and it’s been 6 a.m.  Somehow I think even if I didn’t have the dog I’d be getting up that early.  The body is a strange thing.

Speaking of my body - I’m still having issues with peeing every hour.  Only this morning I peed three times in an hour and a half.  I’m supposed to see a urologist in a week and a half but this morning 3 in an hour in a half concerns me.  So, I called and made an apt with the doc.  Not the doc I normally see though : (  She is off all next week at a conference as well so I couldn’t get in with her and I don’t want to miss more work.  You are probably thinking its a UTI but my culture came back negative so who knows what it is.  I just really hope this doc who I don’t see doesn’t decide to admit me to the hospital over it if it’s gone to my kidneys.  I’ll be ticked.  I’ve already missed Thanksgiving to a hospital and I refuse to miss mothers day too!

Well, I just logged in and realized the last post I typed up was unpublished.  Bummer.  I’ve published it now so you should be able to see it. 

In other news….

I don’t remember ever watching the Kentucky Derby before and yesterday was determined not to miss it.  I even told my daughter about it and thought she’d be excited to watch it being the horse lover she is.  I watched the little story line about the jockey who was riding for his son with hearing and visual impairment and when he won I cried in joy (yes, I’ve become an emotional sap the older I’ve gotten.)  Then they turned the cameras to the horse that was down and when I learned it was the filly and she had to be euthenized I was sobbing in sad tears.  I really really wish there was a way for vets to come up with a way to keep them alive even though they’ve broken ankles.  If humans can survive it why can’t horses?!  Poor girl won second place and didn’t even get to savor it!  I recorded the race to show to my daughter when she gets home from her dad’s but now I think I’ll erase it.  I don’t want her to see that.  She’d be scared.

Speaking of my daughter she had another soccer game yesterday and unfortunately her team lost.  The wind was firece in the open field and when the ball went airborne it was almost like a boomerang that it came back.  I’m bummed they lost to a team they beat once this spring but conditions were definitely not good and I give them credit for trying.  My daughter had some great defensive saves and that’s what counts to me : )

My neighbors adopted a tiny kitten on Friday and last night while I was there she fell asleep on my arm/side which just so happened to be right on top of my pocket containing my cell phone.  So, when my daughter called to say goodnight the tiny kitten was vibrated.  She seemed none too upset about it but it was awfully funny to watch!

Today I have a large list of things to accomplish which my mind is ready to tackle but my body says “I’ll stay here and watch.”  It’s amazing how this house has become so trashed in one short week.  I’ve got to clean that up, do dishes, laundry, mow the lawn, go to the grocery, etc.  You know, things that would go much faster if I had a husband to help me!  hehehe  Oh well, at least things will be done the way I like them right?  Oh shadup - I’m trying to look at the bright side of this mess.

Alright, time to dive in. 

Last fall the soccer team my daughter plays on did…well…horrible.  I give them credit because they didn’t know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and frankly - they didn’t know each other.  They lost every game except the last one unless you want to count the scrimmage before the season started. 

Over the winter they played indoor and I think lost all their games keeping in mind they played older teams most games.  This spring they have been on fire!  The first game they lost but it was also a cold weather monsoon that day and the object of the game was not to freeze or get sick as well as keep your eyes open in the downpour of horizontal rain.  I cut them slack there.  The second, third, fifth and sixth games they have blown away the other teams!  The fourth game we only lost by one.  What’s intersting about that forth game (and I’m not sure how I missed this but I was so cold that day I don’t remember much) at the end of the game we scored a goal and the girl who scored was running away from the goal with her usual proud smile when up from behind came an opponent who shoved her down to the ground.  The ref saw it thankfully and pulled out a red card on her.  The girl’s coach of that team (from another state) yanked her to the side and chewed her out.  I heard about this from the other parents who were at that game with me.  I’m tellin’ ya - I was physically there!  Yet somehow I missed it!  Maybe I was packing away my camping chair at the time.  Anyway, that was downright nasty of her to do!  She’s kicked out of the next game that team plays too I believe.  Rightfully so! 

The who games this past weekend my daughter played in they both clobbered the opponents.  The passing skills have developed like crazy and we parents (as well as the coaches) aren’t quite sure where it’s come from!  We are all just so proud though!  I sure wish my daughter like offence.  She is such a natural defender though.  She doesn’t like to run a lot.  So, she is primarily there to help the goalie protect the goal.  She’s done a dang good job this spring too! Apparently one of the coaches told her she is the team’s secret weapon : ) 

I’m home today with a nasty kidney/uti infection that has sucked the fluid and life out of me.  I made it to work about 20 minutes then got back in the car and drove to the doctors office.  I was dizy all weekend and today it was worse.  I’ve been to the bathroom WAY too many times so I’m so dehydrated (the skin on my hands looks like a crocidile’s no matter how much lotion I use.)  What is even worse is I’m allergic to most of the antibiotics that are used for treatment of this.  I’m trying one today that I’ve never been on before.  Cross your fingers it works for me please.  Pretty please?!  With sugar on top?

Off to take a nap.  I’m exhausted.  Infections tend to suck the life out of me.

So, yesterday was “Take Your Daughter/Son to Work Day”.  I admit I was very excited for the day because I could be content knowing she was with me and I could share with her what I do every day.  However, I was also nervous she was going to be board out of her mind and I’d be left with whining and complaning. 

We packed her backpack complete with two worksheets, a Science book to study for her science test and the rest of her book report - all due today.  I also had her thrown in a few chapter books just in case.  We probably ended up touching that homework for a whole 10 minutes.  My co-workers were so welcoming and were constantly asking if she wanted to help.  She did everything from copying, faxing, stuffing envelopes, delivering files, collecting files, delivering faxes, etc.  I had her do some computer work and stapling for me as well.  Mind you - she’s 8 years old and in 3rd grade.  That girl was WORKING HARD! 

She had brand new sandles on and her feet were hurtin!  I ended up slapping band-aids on the sore spots throughout the afternoon.  The girl was pusing the file cart around making deliveries and pick-ups to my 30 some co-workers.  I pretty much lost track of her a good part of the afternoon because my co-workers sucked her up. 

One of my co-workers was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  She was scheduled to go through a mascectomy next week when she got a phone call yesterday saying they reviewed her MRI again and found the other breast has a very suspicous lump and they want to delay surgery until they can do a biopsy.  My daughter didn’t know that.  Any of it.  She just so happened to grab some bubbles I had in my office and walked overe to that co-worker’s office and started blowing bubbles at her.  My co-worker smiled and laughed at the innosence my daughter brought in such a heavy moment.  My daughter knew she appreciated it and throughout the rest of the afternoon my co-worker told me today that every now and then she’d be working and all of the sudden out of nowhere a bubble or few would float between her head and the computer monitor.  It made her laugh and smile.  I’m so glad my daughter could make such a difference for her.

Earlier in the day I told my boss that I was thinking of buying some ice cream from the restaurant downstairs in the building and sharing an afternoon break with her.  My boss suggested we go outside and eat in the small grassy area in downtown district where I work.  I thought that was a great idea.  So, yesterday afternoon I went down to get the ice cream and when I brought it back for us to enjoy our break outside she said she didn’t want to go outside because she’d rather work and eat it at the same time!  This is also from the kid who was asking how much longer lunch was because she wanted to get back.  We were outside by the river enjoying the beautiful day at the time!

Needless to say, she worked so incredibly hard that she didn’t make the commute home awake.  She passed out in the back seat from absolute exhaustion.  She had hardly touched her homework and was to have soccer practice that evening.  I called the team manager (it’s a travel team) and told her there was no way in heck she was going to be able to do it.  She was so tired as it was she struggled to keep her eyes open enough to do the book report, science test studying and worksheets.  I sent her to bed early and let her sleep in an extra hour this morning since I had to take in her book report prop that would not have survived the daycare or bus trip.  I’m glad I did that because she needed the sleep!

She wonders why I’m exhausted when I get home?!

Wow [looks around] this is pretty neat!  My ol’ pal Darrell switched me from MT to Wordpress.  It’ll take some tweaking and if you see any bugs please feel free to report them in comments.  I’d tell you how to leave a comment but frankly I’ve only been in this application for oh…say a minute..so I have no idea if you even have to register.  Sorry I’m not much help ; )

Thanks Darrell!

Happiness:

My daughter’s soccer team - which has struggled to find it’s nich - won yesterday a screaming 4-0! I was so excited for them! My daughter was none too happy her dad wasn’t there as he chose to go up to an aunts cottage for the weekend instead. So, when I asked her if she wanted to call him to tell him the great news she said no. She did cave later and called him.

Sadness:

Do you have anyone in your life whom you’ve known your entire life? I do. A family who lived a few houses away growing up had a daughter who I’ll call Mo here. Mo is my age and she and I have been best friends our entire lives. 33 years now. Mo’s only sibling is a brother who just so happened to be friends also with my only sibling brother - both of whom are the same age (36 years old). Our families were friends as well. So, Mo’s family was like my second family. When my parents would go out of town there were many times I’d stay with them. Or visa versa.

Anyway, to make a long story short - Mo’s brother passed away this week due to complications during surgery for cancer. It has been so painful. I sobbed most of Friday morning at work as he had passed away Thursday evening. I spent that evening on the phone with Mo as we reminiced all the great things we could remember about him. We were both pretty numb. I knew it would hit me some time but I didn’t expect it to be while I was at work the next morning. I was a wreck. I stayed in my office as much as I could. I went home during lunch on such a beautiful day and ate in the back yard with my dog. That helped me regroup. I could then go back to work and even though I couldn’t focus - at least I wasn’t sobbing.

That night I had Mo, her husband and two kids over for a cookout per Mo’s request. We decided her brother would want us to party since that’s what he liked to do. That man had so many friends. His wife had setup a website and there are 170 members - 54 of which who emailed the listserv the first 24 hours and flooded my inbox with amazing memories and condolences. My own brother is torn up about it as well. It’s just so hard to believe he is gone. 36 is too young.

Last night was a wedding reception for another neighborhood friend from growing up. Her dad was the minister of the neighborhood church we all went to. Minister was the one sent to tell Mo of the bad news of her brother a few days ago as Mo’s parents and brother with his wife were at Johns Hopkins while this was all happening. Anyway, it was to be a happy occasion last night to see minister’s daughter in her beautiful wedding gown glowing with her new husband. However, it was hard to see all the old church congregation there giving condolences to Mo. She said it felt like a funeral already. I tried to stay close to her in case she broke down. She held up pretty well but it was hard.

The reception had only finger food which we weren’t prepared for. Being over the dinner hour we expected a meal. So, come the end of the reception which was around 8 Mo asked if I wanted to go out to eat since they were starving. My daughter had been eating a lot of the finger food but I was starving and figured it wouldn’t hurt her to get some real food. We went to Maaax and EErmas (misspelled on purpose) and had a nice dinner..all up to the part where my daughter said her stomach hurt. We dashed into the bathroom. I figured she had to go and held it too long. She sat down on the toilet and proceeded to throw-up all over the floor of the restaurant bathroom. I called Mo on her cell phone and told her what happened and if they needed to go because of their babysitter I totally understood. However I asked if she had a coat of some sort as my daughter managed to have covered her skirt. Mo ended up coming in and getting a key to my house and running to get my daughter some pants. Meanwhile I kept apologizing to the employees of the restaurant who had to come in and clean it up. It was so gross.

We didn’t get home until after 10. I was thoroughly exhausted. I spent the day running around town trying to find my daughter something to wear to the reception and also to my office as she’s coming with me to “take your daughter or son to work day” this week. (Yes the skirt she puked on was brand new.) Soccer and reception and eating out added to that and I was done for. Needless to say the dog actually let me sleep in until 8 this morning which was a record and welcomed one at that.

It’s drizziling outside today and she has another game today. I’d love to just go back to bed.

Wahoo! The soccer game was cancelled! I’m guessing the fields were too wet from all the rain. Typically when they are this mushy the field owners don’t want them ripped up. It was snowing this morning and early afterenoon and frankly that just crosses the line of insanity for me.

Can anyone tell me how on earth to fry chicken on the stove in the 20 minutes the recipes claim it’s supposed to take?! It never fails - I always burn the outside of the chicken and the inside is raw. I ended up microwaving it this time to finish cooking it. I must be missing something!

Hard to believe tomorrow is Monday. I prefer Saturday and Sunday so much more!

Ah yes, the season has begun. What am I saying - it never ended! My daughter plays travel soccer and when she signed on it was a full year commitment. So, the fall bled into indoor winter with little break and then now we are in spring OUTDOOR. One word best describes outdoor so far: BBRRRR!!!

Yesterday was her first game and it was in a rural town so it was pretty open aired as it was. Add in pouring down rain in spurts almost constant and 40 degree temps with winds 16 mph gusting to 35. Yes, it was very cold. My daughter was mud head to toe by the time the game was over. I told her she was going to have to strip off her clothes and she said “WHY?!” My reply? hehehe IT’S A LEASE!!! I have to give it back! We stripped her down and threw her clothes in the trunk and I had her sit on a blanket then wrap in it. We all agreed (we all being my ex husband, daughter and I) that hot cocoa was in order and I was clean out of it so I stopped at a store that had a Star****s and told her she had to go in. hehehe She freaked then knew I was joking. Can you imagine an 8 year old going into a mega store to go to the coffee shop in her underwear? That’s subject of a nightmare!

Today’s game isn’t looking much better. I’m none too pleased considering I just spent all this time since yesterday’s game doing constsant laundry. I’m not kidding - even her soccer backpack had to be washed! Just my luck today will be just as ugly. I am going to need to pick up more bleach.

Today though I’ve learned to pack hats, gloves, long underwear, etc. I think I saw the “S” word in the forecast and if that white stuff comes down I’m going to plead mercy.

The city brush pick-up starts Monday and I haven’t even been able to get to my back yard! It’s been flooded for the last three weeks. That’s the part of my yard with the most trees and bushes so I’m a bit bummed. Not sure what I’m going to do about that.

The dog decided yesterday right before we were leaving for the soccer game that she wanted to sprint through the back yard at full speed and stop on the back porch begging to come in while covered in mud. I had to do an unplanned dog bath then to turn around and go to soccer and have another child covered in mud. COMMON SUN! WORK WITH ME HERE!

Two days ago my daughter and I returned to Ohio from Disney World!!! Yup, you read that right! Spring Break in Florida! My parents bought a time share down there a year ago and for Christmas and birthdays gave my brother and his family as well as my daughter and I tickets for things. That included plane fair and a 3 day park hopper pass to Disney. One of the things I’ve wanted to do for a long time - and wanted to do once in my lifetime - was to go to a Cirque du Soleil. There just so happens to be a tent in Downtown Disney and my parents got my daughter and I some great tickets! We were third row from the stage! I highly recommend that show to everyone at least once in your life. It is lots of money to go but it is well spent.

Now I must tell you - I have a flying phobia. So bad is it that two xanax did not calm me from the terror of take-offs. My dad had to fly up from Florida just to fly us down. I did much better at landings and only because I knew we were almost there and I had gained some trust in the plane by then. The take offs were pure hell. I was shaking, crying and hyperventilating as I climbed up my Dad’s arm in fear. My poor daughter was trying so hard to calm me. The flight attendant on the trip there felt so bad for my daughter for having to take care of me that she gave her some free snacks. Unfortunately, they contained nuts I’m allergic to so she coudn’t open and eat them.

The weather was in the low 70’s most days but the kids still managed to swim a few of those days. We picked up a tan which was great because I have been so incredibly pale from being so sick. Now when I break out in facial and neck rashes several times a day it looks more like a sun burn : )

While there we visited Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom. We heard the double sonic boom of the space shuttle landing and my parents said they saw the shuttle from where they were at the time (we were at one of the parks.) It was great to see my family together and especially over Easter. The kids had fun hunting for eggs in the villa rooms. We played putt putt and I saw some friends from high school with their kids (one just born in December I hadn’t met yet.)

I didn’t take my watch on the trip so I could enjoy a week of not having to constantly look at a clock. That’s how I am at home. I have to fit so much into a small period of time I’m always clock watching to see how much time I have to do a task or to see when the next one has to be done. I’m dreading going back to “real life” tomorrow. Today is a transitional day as I have to go to the grocery and fill the fridge with something other than eggs and milk I quickly picked up Friday night when we got home. I need to open my daughters back pack to see what lies ahead. The alarm is going to be going off awfully early tomorrow ; )