Updates~

***Jake's test results came back just fine for his chest and back! I am so relieved and thankful! Apparently he just has a thick bone in front that we will watch through puberty??

***School starts next week for the kids and each one starts on a different day!!!! Whew! Jake start 7th grade on Tuesday, Tatum starts her Junior Year on Wednesday, Matt starts 4th grade on Thursday, and Summer starts Preschool the following Monday. I am SO READY!!!!

***We put on our super cat savers capes today and found the home for a lost kitty. We had to keep it overnight, and the kids loved on it. Mike was ready to ditch some of our cats for this one, and I was lost as how what to do with a 5th cat! But it was all worth it when the owners were found and the man said he couldn't wait to get it home to his wife and daughter who had been crying all night :)

**Last week Jake started Cross Country. I crack myself up thinking of the runners in the movie Juno every time. Actually this has been quite a huge adjustment for him and I can't believe he has stuck with it. {we almost fell over when we saw he signed up!}

He has traded in sleeping in till 2 pm for getting up at 7 am. And yesterday and today they ran them FIVE miles. He actually threw up ( apparently many of the runners do???)today. I really couldn't be prouder. This is the best thing ever for him!

***Matthew just got to spend two nights at grandma's house, and had his fill of baking cookies and swimming and undivided attention. He is home now, and already the house seems so much busier and louder and fuller, lol~

My take on Marriage~today at least/ letter to Mike

Where do I start??? And how do I diplomatically explain this all without making me look so bad, lol?

All marriages have peaks and valleys. When you are at the top of a peak you feel empowered. "We did it! We can do this - see! We can show the world! You and Me, babe!"

And when you hit the valleys you have to just ride them out. Ride and ride sometimes. This is where we loose alot of people I think today.

They fold.

If the valley is long enough I can understand the temptation. Especially if you feel you are in the valley alone.

I was raised in a family though luckily where marriage was forever. Like for real. No matter what. Problems arose and things got ugly, and you just stuck it out and were together. There was not divorce. Mike came from the exact opposite, but the result of his line of thinking came to the same place. His parents divorced and things were so raw and sad and loud and ugly that he knew he never wanted that either. I think that is a part of why our marriage has lasted so long is just the mentality of "We are together. Period."

It has been a hard balance for me to digest the whole definition of "ME". We are partners, but one has the career and one stays home with the children. (don't get me wrong about reading this sentence- It was my life dream to get to stay home and raise babies. That was the best wish come true!) But with that entails the One has the income, the status, the time clock, and the power. You really loose your sense of partnership in there- how could you not??

If he leaves for work before the kids gets up- and gets home after they go to bed...did he still get to fit in a workout at the Y??...is home late because of his guitar gig?? -when he comes home he wants me to watch his guitar gig on the computer and I don't...he is mad. Does he not know that right before he walked in I peeled the sleeping 3 year old off my chest after 45 minutes of trying to get her to sleep. that I worked in the office on his business for 3 hours that day. That I did dishes and laundry, and drove the boys around. That I battled our preteen over video games, and got the garbage to the curb for garbage night. That I vacuumed and washed Summer's hair with knots and that's she had 2 tantrums that day. That I deposited money in the bank and made sure the 16 year old was home by curfew. That I JUST haven't had a minute to myself yet, that I even had to poop with a preschooler and a cat and a 9 year old knocking at the door???

Do I support his playing????


Well...did you just read the previous paragraph?

I may not be able to sit throughout the video. I'm so sorry. Tatum had just walked in with my damn Cinamelt from McDonald's, and LA ink was on. I hear you play guitar throughout the air vents for HOURS every. single. night.

But do I support you???

Ha.

I think I've got your back. And if you don't see that then I'm hurt. Man. I need a moment too. I love you. Go chase your dream. Help me chase mine. But we have to be aware of our other half.

Summer Antics

Summer being a dog...for an entire afternoon!

Her Single Ladies dance at her dress rehearsal...she had the whole place laughing!

braids from Sissy

a swollen goose egg that turned into TWO black eyes. She totally looked like avatar...

13 year Check Up

Today I had to take Jake for his 13 year check up. He doesn't officially turn 13 until September 8th, but with Cross Country starting next week, I had to get his physical in...

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I love this time with this kids. It's almost like a prideful time to show them off with the doctor. Sick visits and other visits are awful, and painfully icky and slow...but their yearly check ups I look forward to. We get to talk with the Doctor ALL about them...and the pride in me makes me cluck like a mother hen :)
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The boy has grown 5 inches since last summer! And put on 20 lbs! I swelled with inner pride as the doctor breezed in and first commented at HOW MUCH the two of us are starting to look like each other. She knows what a hoot he is and said she loves our banter. She laughed because he wore underwear this time....(last time he surprised us ALL when she peeked for the exam, and he was going commando for the day...@!) We talked about the frustrations of ADD and changed his meds for the upcoming school year. We got excited about Cross Country and she gave a firm hand in the department of him not staying up so late, hence sleeping all day...
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Then as I was on cloud nine with how smoothly it all was going...she asked what was going on with his chest? Could he take off his shirt? What is this??
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Jake in his maddening way pipes in that yes he had told me about that but I was too busy or didn't pay attention...
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Chest xrays are ordered, and she is filling out paperwork...."don't you see this Lump of bone? she asks? On one side of his chest. By his heart?? This whole side is uneven...
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WWWhhhatt?!?
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She assures we just need to get it checked out...but try to tell a mother not to worry!
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What in the world could this be. Oh please Lord, let it be something silly and little...!
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So I am off to get it checked out tomorrow!
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Rotten kids.
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They sure like to keep life interesting...sigh...:(

August!

That point in the summer has come. I have been fulfilled. I have accomplished the essence needed to call it a summer, and have the strong desire in me for the lazy chaos to be rattled into a more uniform schedule of school.

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The bottom of my feet have been blackened well from walking outside without shoes. I have established my horrible 2nd shift life style upon my children to which we all embrace all too willingly...lunch at 3pm...Dinner not until 10pm...bedtime by 2am.... not dare waking before 10 to 11 am. We have all done the mandatory but fabulously wonderfully horrible 40 hour car trip in which we endured siblings, and calls of nature, and popped tires.

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We grilled out, and enjoyed friends, and ate ice cream.

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We swam, and our skins are brown, and our hair has lightened.

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But I am toast. No more can these children be in this house lounging, eating, arguing, and watching tv. I need to clean this place up, and keep it that way for 20 minutes :) I need to be able to hear myself think....

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I am ready. God Bless August. You are here. You have come to take them. I appreciate the wonders we have had!