I'm not a big fan of change, I'll admit. Even when the change is a positive thing (like a new house or a new baby), I still feel sad and uneasy during transitional times. I'm going to have to get over it, though because my world is about to get a little shaken up here in a few months.
I won't be able to go to nursing school unless John goes to the dreaded evening shift. The problem with this is that in the past, I have really, really struggled with John on that shift. He'll be working from 3 in the afternoon to 11 at night. It has its perks... Like John actually sleeping next to me and him not being so tired all the time. However, he'll miss the precious hours of dinnertime and bedtime. I will miss him so very much but I have to remember this is a season in our lives, not forever.
This is what my schedule will look like...
Tuesdays: 8-9:30 (nursing seminar), 9:45-10:45 (nursing discussion)
Wednesdays: 7-2 (Clinical)
Thursdays: 8-9:30 (nursing seminar), 9:45-11:30 (nursing lab)
I will also be taking Human Development II online so that will add to the stress.
The original plan was for John to come home from working overnights (11 P.M. to 7 A.M.) but it takes me 30 minutes to get to the college, provided that there is not traffic. This doesn't include for extra time to find a parking spot and get into the classroom. John gets home right around 7:30 in the mornings now so my morning commute would be stressful. There are also days when he gets late calls and doesn't get home until the afternoon. It's not always predictable. After thinking it through, we decided that him working evenings beats the stresses of him making it home, only to take care of the kids and not sleep.
I am so blessed that I have a wonderful husband who would be willing to sacrifice so much for me. He's not the biggest fan of evenings, either:-( He is so committed to my success and I know that somehow, someway we will make it work together. We always have! Wednesdays will be tough because I won't see him but he also gets Wednesdays off sometimes so it won't be horrible. This is temporary!
After I first got my schedule, I felt really conflicted about all that I'll be laying on John and I told him that I was just going to decline my nursing school offer and scholarship and not go. I meant it, too. I felt selfish messing with our happy family so much. He insisted that I have worked too hard to give up now and that we will get through this. I repeat... My husband is amazing!!
So now that we've figured things out and I've had time to process, I'm really excited! I think that this will all work out in the end and I will always, always be happy I stuck it out. I keep reminding myself that, "anything worth having, is worth working hard for."
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Blessed Beyond Belief!
Over the past few weeks there have been more and more exciting things happening in my life!
For starters, I was awarded a very generous scholarship from the school. I applied for it in January and I never really thought I had a chance. It's a scholarship for married students and I had to have to have 2 staff recommendations and one personal recommendation, along with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. I also had to write an essay. So anyways, I was chosen for this award and the amount is triple what I thought it was. I'm just blown away at how God has provided for my school in some miraculous ways! I'm also invited to an awards dinner where they will present me with the scholarship in front of everyone. I could totally do without that but hey, I'll take it!
This is a huge deal to me. I can remember being the one and only senior in my graduating class of like 33 who didn't receive an award. I know that was almost 9 years ago but I still think back on that day and remember how stupid I felt. God has brought me so far and equipped me with the knowledge to become a good student. Talk about a transformation!
John also bought me an amazing new van yesterday! After driving clunkers for the past 4 years or so, we finally have a really nice vehicle that's reliable and stylish. I feel so blessed and I never think I'll get sick of driving this:-) It's a Nissan Quest and it's gorgeous, inside and out.
I am so thankful for all of the blessings in my life. I could sit here all day listing them all day and I thank God for all of it!
For starters, I was awarded a very generous scholarship from the school. I applied for it in January and I never really thought I had a chance. It's a scholarship for married students and I had to have to have 2 staff recommendations and one personal recommendation, along with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. I also had to write an essay. So anyways, I was chosen for this award and the amount is triple what I thought it was. I'm just blown away at how God has provided for my school in some miraculous ways! I'm also invited to an awards dinner where they will present me with the scholarship in front of everyone. I could totally do without that but hey, I'll take it!
This is a huge deal to me. I can remember being the one and only senior in my graduating class of like 33 who didn't receive an award. I know that was almost 9 years ago but I still think back on that day and remember how stupid I felt. God has brought me so far and equipped me with the knowledge to become a good student. Talk about a transformation!
John also bought me an amazing new van yesterday! After driving clunkers for the past 4 years or so, we finally have a really nice vehicle that's reliable and stylish. I feel so blessed and I never think I'll get sick of driving this:-) It's a Nissan Quest and it's gorgeous, inside and out.
I am so thankful for all of the blessings in my life. I could sit here all day listing them all day and I thank God for all of it!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Exciting News!!!
First of all, NO! I'm not pregnant:-) That's what everyone assumes "exciting news" is when you're in you're childbearing years. Hahaha
I found out last Friday that I got accepted into the nursing program at my college!!!!! It's a highly competitive program and my advisor told me that over 250 people applied this semester and only 90 were accepted. That means that only 36% of people who applied were accepted. How impressive is my math? :-) Lol. I knew I had really good grades but I always doubted that I would get in. This whole being a good student thing still doesn't quite fit me yet! I'm very, very, very excited and I cried tears of joy and relief when I opened up the acceptance letter. I did NOT want to wait another year to go to nursing school but I was assuming I would have to before that all-important piece of mail came.
Apart from microbiology and another psychology class, I only have nursing courses left to take. Most students do all of their prerequisites at the same time as their nursing courses so I think that I have definitely set myself up for success by doing it this way. It will still be hard but soooo worth it! And as a side bonus, all of my classes that I've spent the last year taking (in conjunction with classes that I took fresh out of high school) have given me a degree in Health Sciences. It won't really do anything for me but it's kind of nice to say I have a degree of some sorts!
My family has been really supportive and excited for me. My brother and dad ran out that day and bought me an iPad to take to school with me and my sister ordered me a bright pink stethoscope and had it shipped. I feel pretty special! Apart from that, everyone has been extremely encouraging and excited right along with me!
The days ahead are exciting! I can't wait to buy my shoes and my scrubs. AHHHH!! I'm still not over how amazing this news is:-)
I found out last Friday that I got accepted into the nursing program at my college!!!!! It's a highly competitive program and my advisor told me that over 250 people applied this semester and only 90 were accepted. That means that only 36% of people who applied were accepted. How impressive is my math? :-) Lol. I knew I had really good grades but I always doubted that I would get in. This whole being a good student thing still doesn't quite fit me yet! I'm very, very, very excited and I cried tears of joy and relief when I opened up the acceptance letter. I did NOT want to wait another year to go to nursing school but I was assuming I would have to before that all-important piece of mail came.
Apart from microbiology and another psychology class, I only have nursing courses left to take. Most students do all of their prerequisites at the same time as their nursing courses so I think that I have definitely set myself up for success by doing it this way. It will still be hard but soooo worth it! And as a side bonus, all of my classes that I've spent the last year taking (in conjunction with classes that I took fresh out of high school) have given me a degree in Health Sciences. It won't really do anything for me but it's kind of nice to say I have a degree of some sorts!
My family has been really supportive and excited for me. My brother and dad ran out that day and bought me an iPad to take to school with me and my sister ordered me a bright pink stethoscope and had it shipped. I feel pretty special! Apart from that, everyone has been extremely encouraging and excited right along with me!
The days ahead are exciting! I can't wait to buy my shoes and my scrubs. AHHHH!! I'm still not over how amazing this news is:-)
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Happy 2nd Birthday, Bailey!!
Happy Birthday to my precious Bailey girl! These 2 years have been a whirlwind with many ups and downs but I wouldn't trade the joy and laughter that she brings into our lives for anything! Mommy loves you so much, Princess! Xoxo
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
6 Years Already??
See this gorgeous girl? She had her 6th birthday on Friday. Where has the time gone? I will never forget the day that she came into the world and I am so thankful for what a precious gift from God she is!
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Celebrate!!!
I have been M.I.A. for the past few weeks and that was mainly because chemistry was kicking my butt. Wow! I don't think I would like chemistry in any situation, it's just not my thing, but cramming 15 weeks into 3 and doing it all online was a killer. Not to be corny or anything but there were moments when I just didn't think it was possible. It was also extra stressful knowing that I HAD to get an "A" for the nursing program. I am happy to report, though, that after lots of help from my sister-in-law (who's truly a genius!) and meeting with the professor, I got a 92!!! I'm over-the-moon happy and I sure worked my butt off. The class ended on Wednesday and all of my other classes start on Monday. I don't see life slowing down at all anytime soon....
Thankfully, John and I had a little breather this weekend. Our anniversary is this Monday so we went out of town last night and had a romantic dinner and did some shopping. We were only gone for 24 hours but it was so refreshing to just be a couple. Every now and then it's nice! I sure love that man and the life we've created together! :-)
That's about it for now! It seems like between school and my family, there is hardly anything else to write about. Such is life!
Thankfully, John and I had a little breather this weekend. Our anniversary is this Monday so we went out of town last night and had a romantic dinner and did some shopping. We were only gone for 24 hours but it was so refreshing to just be a couple. Every now and then it's nice! I sure love that man and the life we've created together! :-)
That's about it for now! It seems like between school and my family, there is hardly anything else to write about. Such is life!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Extended Breastfeeding
It's really amazing, this blogging app from my phone. Now I update it while putting Bailey to bed. It's so nice!!
Each night I sit in Bailey's room with her and hold her, love her and yes, nurse her. My 22-month-old princess still nurses before nap time and bedtime and I love that in the crazy world that she lives in, she still finds comfort and rest with me in this way. I keep reminding myself that she is my last baby and these last few months of breastfeeding will be it. I've been sharing my body for quite a few consecutive years now but I wouldn't trade the precious moments for anything. I am proud to say that I have nearly 6 years of breastfeeding between all of my children. I'm pretty sure that that's awesome breast cancer prevention so it's an added bonus!
Now that she's sleeping, it's all I can so to take my eyes off of her. There's something about a sleeping baby ( or toddler, in this case) that makes my heart melt! I'm so in love!!
Each night I sit in Bailey's room with her and hold her, love her and yes, nurse her. My 22-month-old princess still nurses before nap time and bedtime and I love that in the crazy world that she lives in, she still finds comfort and rest with me in this way. I keep reminding myself that she is my last baby and these last few months of breastfeeding will be it. I've been sharing my body for quite a few consecutive years now but I wouldn't trade the precious moments for anything. I am proud to say that I have nearly 6 years of breastfeeding between all of my children. I'm pretty sure that that's awesome breast cancer prevention so it's an added bonus!
Now that she's sleeping, it's all I can so to take my eyes off of her. There's something about a sleeping baby ( or toddler, in this case) that makes my heart melt! I'm so in love!!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Kindergarten Blues
Here we are in January and every single morning I ache as I send my oldest daughter to school. She loves school and has so many friends, not to mention how very much she's learning. There's just something hard about letting a major piece of my heart go away for 8 hours a day. I think if I could text message or call her teacher throughout the day I would be doing much better... But I don't think that's happening anytime soon! Lol
This morning I watched her walk down the long hallway to her classroom, like I do every morning. The principal said, "It's still tough saying goodbye, huh mom?" I couldn't help but laugh and agree with her wholeheartedly. Maybe she said that because most parents don't stand their quite so long or maybe she could see the look on my face?
The unfortunate thing about all of this is that this is par for the course as a parent. We nurture them and love them without end, only to say "goodbye" for increasingly longer lengths of time. While they're away, we simply have to trust that we've raised them well enough to fly on their own. I just love these children so much and only wish I could keep them little for a while longer. I'm sure every parent has yearned for this at one point or another.
All I can say is, thank goodness it's Friday! I plan on enjoying every second with my girl.
This morning I watched her walk down the long hallway to her classroom, like I do every morning. The principal said, "It's still tough saying goodbye, huh mom?" I couldn't help but laugh and agree with her wholeheartedly. Maybe she said that because most parents don't stand their quite so long or maybe she could see the look on my face?
The unfortunate thing about all of this is that this is par for the course as a parent. We nurture them and love them without end, only to say "goodbye" for increasingly longer lengths of time. While they're away, we simply have to trust that we've raised them well enough to fly on their own. I just love these children so much and only wish I could keep them little for a while longer. I'm sure every parent has yearned for this at one point or another.
All I can say is, thank goodness it's Friday! I plan on enjoying every second with my girl.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Goodbye, 2012!
This year was a great year! I can't look back on it and think of any awful times or extended periods of frustrations. It was a year of mostly awesome health for us all, if you exclude Bailey's constant ear issues. It was also a year of new beginnings with our family compete! This was the first year since '06 that I wasn't either pregnant or welcoming a new baby. It's been nice to have not have make any new adjustments or changes! I also think I fell more in love with my husband and daughters this year! I'm so blessed:)
Next year (wow, weird to say, since it's tomorrow!), I know we will have more adjustments. Adrienne will start Pre-K and I will most likely be starting the nursing program in the Fall... I applied and have the grades to get in but I'm not promised a spot. I just keep telling myself to take it one day at a time. My days of worrying about every little detail really, really need to end! :)
I'm looking forward to spending tonight with my husband, who surprisingly is OFF for the next 2 days! We'll be having a few family members over and John promised the girls they can stay up until midnight. It should be lots of fun!
Here's to making 2013 the best year yet!!
Next year (wow, weird to say, since it's tomorrow!), I know we will have more adjustments. Adrienne will start Pre-K and I will most likely be starting the nursing program in the Fall... I applied and have the grades to get in but I'm not promised a spot. I just keep telling myself to take it one day at a time. My days of worrying about every little detail really, really need to end! :)
I'm looking forward to spending tonight with my husband, who surprisingly is OFF for the next 2 days! We'll be having a few family members over and John promised the girls they can stay up until midnight. It should be lots of fun!
Here's to making 2013 the best year yet!!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
iPhone Ap for Blogger??!
Someone (Ashley, I think??) told me about the Blogger app a while back and I forgot about it! I'm so glad I finally checked it out! It makes uploading pictures and writing short updates a lot easier. Hooray! So, without further adieu, here is an updated picture of my beauties! :) Man, that was easy!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Merry (Belated) Christmas!
The past month has been a whirlwind... When you combine my birthday (December 2nd), John's birthday (December 9th), finishing up classes (that ended on December 18th), school concerts and parties for Brooke and then everything that comes with Christmas, you have a hectic schedule. I love Christmas and am sad to see it go but it hasn't been so bad unwinding for these past few days!
So , what's new?? Let me think! I finished out the semester with 2 A+'s, an A and one B+, giving me a GPA of 3.7. I'm pretty gosh darn proud of myself! I really learned a lot and I enjoyed my classes. I will be starting my winter break chemistry class in a few days and I'm a little nervous about it. It's online and I have NO chemistry knowledge whatsoever so I'll have to figure a lot out on my own. It's also one semester worth of chemistry packed into 3 weeks. Wish me luck! I really need an A in that class so it ups the ante quite a bit.
The girls are all doing pretty well! I volunteered in Brooke's class before Christmas break and her teacher and I chatted for a while. She told me that Brooke is "absolutely perfect at school" and that she "wishes she had a classroom full of kids like her. " What mama wouldn't be beaming with pride?? Brooke has also become quite good at reading and spelling. She's actually better at spelling words out and writing them than reading them but she does well in both areas. As for Adrienne, she has been having constant urinary tract infections on and off for about a year now. The doctors have been testing her kidneys and tried all sorts of things but it just keeps happening. I feel bad for the poor girl! Other than that, she is doing great, though! She finally learned how to spell her name and she's proud. Then there's Bailey... She's hilarious and silly but if you make her mad, she will throw a temper tantrum like you've never seen. She's my moody girl, for sure. Her language has improved greatly since her ear surgery and she has started speaking in 2-3 word sentences. It's so exciting!
Christmas was really great this year! John had to work all night long on Christmas Eve so he came home on Christmas morning just in time for breakfast and to open presents. We then went to spend time with my parents, his grandma, and then his parents. He did this all on NO sleep and he didn't so much as complain about being tired once. My husband is an amazing man! I'm not even exaggerating:) The girls got piles and piles of clothes and toys and movies and activities. It was a sight to behold when we emptied the contents of our van in the house. We are so blessed to have so many that love us and want to do nice things for us.
The best part of Christmas, in my opinion, was the day after... We were hit with a big storm and got about a foot of snow. So the 5 of us spent 2 days cooped up in the house and we organized all the toys, watched some movies, played some new games, and just relaxed. It was very low key and just what we needed after being so incredibly busy. Speaking of snow, we got another 8 inches today. Blek! We were supposed to get a dusting at first, then they changed it to 1-3 inches and then, about an hour before it stopped snowing they changed it to 5-8. Lol. Gotta love it!
The horrible Sandy Hook tragedy has taken an incredible toll on me, as a mother. I have been a bit obsessed with it and I have become familiar with the names of the children who died, along with their parents and siblings. I can't get them out of my mind and I have felt this awful pit in my stomach since it happened. A pit for my own children and wondering how I'm ever supposed to feel secure letting them go ANYWHERE. And a pit for those families who lost such beautiful children. I have literally had to cut myself off from reading about it and looking at the pictures because I was saddened so deeply and in such a fog. How will those parents ever feel "normal" again?
I think that about sums the last month up! The next few months are my least favorite of the year.. The dark, freezing and gloomy months of winter where all you want is Spring. We will survive, right? We always do! Until next time...
So , what's new?? Let me think! I finished out the semester with 2 A+'s, an A and one B+, giving me a GPA of 3.7. I'm pretty gosh darn proud of myself! I really learned a lot and I enjoyed my classes. I will be starting my winter break chemistry class in a few days and I'm a little nervous about it. It's online and I have NO chemistry knowledge whatsoever so I'll have to figure a lot out on my own. It's also one semester worth of chemistry packed into 3 weeks. Wish me luck! I really need an A in that class so it ups the ante quite a bit.
The girls are all doing pretty well! I volunteered in Brooke's class before Christmas break and her teacher and I chatted for a while. She told me that Brooke is "absolutely perfect at school" and that she "wishes she had a classroom full of kids like her. " What mama wouldn't be beaming with pride?? Brooke has also become quite good at reading and spelling. She's actually better at spelling words out and writing them than reading them but she does well in both areas. As for Adrienne, she has been having constant urinary tract infections on and off for about a year now. The doctors have been testing her kidneys and tried all sorts of things but it just keeps happening. I feel bad for the poor girl! Other than that, she is doing great, though! She finally learned how to spell her name and she's proud. Then there's Bailey... She's hilarious and silly but if you make her mad, she will throw a temper tantrum like you've never seen. She's my moody girl, for sure. Her language has improved greatly since her ear surgery and she has started speaking in 2-3 word sentences. It's so exciting!
Christmas was really great this year! John had to work all night long on Christmas Eve so he came home on Christmas morning just in time for breakfast and to open presents. We then went to spend time with my parents, his grandma, and then his parents. He did this all on NO sleep and he didn't so much as complain about being tired once. My husband is an amazing man! I'm not even exaggerating:) The girls got piles and piles of clothes and toys and movies and activities. It was a sight to behold when we emptied the contents of our van in the house. We are so blessed to have so many that love us and want to do nice things for us.
The best part of Christmas, in my opinion, was the day after... We were hit with a big storm and got about a foot of snow. So the 5 of us spent 2 days cooped up in the house and we organized all the toys, watched some movies, played some new games, and just relaxed. It was very low key and just what we needed after being so incredibly busy. Speaking of snow, we got another 8 inches today. Blek! We were supposed to get a dusting at first, then they changed it to 1-3 inches and then, about an hour before it stopped snowing they changed it to 5-8. Lol. Gotta love it!
The horrible Sandy Hook tragedy has taken an incredible toll on me, as a mother. I have been a bit obsessed with it and I have become familiar with the names of the children who died, along with their parents and siblings. I can't get them out of my mind and I have felt this awful pit in my stomach since it happened. A pit for my own children and wondering how I'm ever supposed to feel secure letting them go ANYWHERE. And a pit for those families who lost such beautiful children. I have literally had to cut myself off from reading about it and looking at the pictures because I was saddened so deeply and in such a fog. How will those parents ever feel "normal" again?
I think that about sums the last month up! The next few months are my least favorite of the year.. The dark, freezing and gloomy months of winter where all you want is Spring. We will survive, right? We always do! Until next time...
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Bailey's Surgery
Bailey had her ear surgery early yesterday morning. It was absolutely awful, probably one of the worst mornings of parenting I've ever had in nearly 6 years. It was especially hard because she had been really sick with a bad cold and double ear infection, not to mention the 2 molars she's been cutting. When we got to the hospital she was running a fever and I just knew they wouldn't operate on her. However, the anaesthesiologist and the doctor were in agreement that the fever was most likely a result of the ear infections and because her lungs were clear, they determined that it was safe to do the surgery. That didn't change the fact that Bailey was a disaster, though.. She wouldn't let anyone touch her and even when they tried to put a hospital bracelet on her (the easiest part of the whole day), she just about had a heart attack.
It wasn't long before they took her from me and letting her go off with complete strangers as she was screaming hysterically was not easy. I held it together and lost it as soon as she was out of sight. We went into the waiting room and the whole time I was a nervous wreck. For this surgery they had to put in a breathing tube and IV, which had me anxious from the beginning, and with her nasty nose and cold, I was more worried about a complication. Her doctor is the most popular ENT doctor in this area and he had come highly recommended from several of my friends, along with Bailey's primary care doctor, so that did help ease my mind.
Before I knew it, the surgery was over and the doctor was out to see us. He told us that Bailey's ears were in horrible condition, some of the absolute worst he's ever seen. He took out her old ear tubes that were completely colonized with bacteria and thoroughly cleaned her ears. He also got cultures of all the crap in there so we can have a better understanding of what has been causing the never ending infections. In addition, he removed her adenoids, which were covering 75% of her nasal cavity. He said that that is huge and that they could be the culprit for a lot of the issues that she has.. As far as constant colds, infections, etc.. He then said that he couldn't make any promises or guarantees that this would even fix her because the last course of treatment "should have done the trick." He said that if this surgery doesn't work then we're going to start testing her for some type of immune deficiency, which scares me to death. So I'm hoping and praying that it was just the adenoids causing all of these severe problems and that she'll be completely better this time! I guess I have to take it one day at a time...
So that's the latest on Bailey. She's been a wreck and extremely out of sorts. I know that she has to be in some pain, plus she is still teething and still has a cold. I'm trying to be as patient with her as humanly possible! I can't wait for things to get back to normal!
It wasn't long before they took her from me and letting her go off with complete strangers as she was screaming hysterically was not easy. I held it together and lost it as soon as she was out of sight. We went into the waiting room and the whole time I was a nervous wreck. For this surgery they had to put in a breathing tube and IV, which had me anxious from the beginning, and with her nasty nose and cold, I was more worried about a complication. Her doctor is the most popular ENT doctor in this area and he had come highly recommended from several of my friends, along with Bailey's primary care doctor, so that did help ease my mind.
Before I knew it, the surgery was over and the doctor was out to see us. He told us that Bailey's ears were in horrible condition, some of the absolute worst he's ever seen. He took out her old ear tubes that were completely colonized with bacteria and thoroughly cleaned her ears. He also got cultures of all the crap in there so we can have a better understanding of what has been causing the never ending infections. In addition, he removed her adenoids, which were covering 75% of her nasal cavity. He said that that is huge and that they could be the culprit for a lot of the issues that she has.. As far as constant colds, infections, etc.. He then said that he couldn't make any promises or guarantees that this would even fix her because the last course of treatment "should have done the trick." He said that if this surgery doesn't work then we're going to start testing her for some type of immune deficiency, which scares me to death. So I'm hoping and praying that it was just the adenoids causing all of these severe problems and that she'll be completely better this time! I guess I have to take it one day at a time...
So that's the latest on Bailey. She's been a wreck and extremely out of sorts. I know that she has to be in some pain, plus she is still teething and still has a cold. I'm trying to be as patient with her as humanly possible! I can't wait for things to get back to normal!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
The Trouble-Twisted Life of Bailey Quinn
To my sweet Bailey girl:
20 months ago from today you made your entrance into the world with a bang... Quite the bang, actually. One big enough to land you in a NICU 30 minutes down the road. I thought that that troubling experience was just a difficult start to your life but little did I know, your many challenges were just beginning.
From an awful case of reflux, which caused so much concern that you were admitted into the hospital, strabismus, a trip to the ER for cracking your head open, to horrible ear problems, I'm afraid that your life has been anything but trouble free. Tomorrow you will be having your second ear surgery in your life and as I put you to bed, you were very sad and your ears were bleeding. Oh how I held onto you and wanted nothing more than to wave a magic wand and spare you of the frustrating morning that you'll have tomorrow. I can't even imagine how it's going to feel to tell you can't have your milk or your "bayfest" (As you like to call breakfast) and how my heart will break as I hand you over to the doctors and the nurses.
Each and every day you push me to new levels of patience that I never even knew I had. I cannot put a number on the amount of times in one day that I pull you off of the dining room table, drag you down from the stairs (now that you've gotten smart enough to get around the gate), reprimand you for hitting or biting your sisters, or redirect you when you find the light sockets, my purse, your dad's wallet, the cleaning supplies, etc.. You keep me hopping from sun up to sun down and you really don't even sleep long enough at night for me to recover. You are my earliest riser yet!
The best part is that for every single one of your many "quirks" there is something beautiful about you that I love. I love your sense of adventure, how everything is a game and everything seems to new to you. I love your beautiful smile and how others are drawn to you by it. I love how friendly and outgoing you are and how no situation, animal or person seems to scare you. You keep us cracking up all day long and daddy and I truly can't imagine you not being in our world.
We love you so much, baby girl. Tomorrow will be a tough day but are excited to see you get better and to watch you grow more and more!
With all my heart,
Mama
20 months ago from today you made your entrance into the world with a bang... Quite the bang, actually. One big enough to land you in a NICU 30 minutes down the road. I thought that that troubling experience was just a difficult start to your life but little did I know, your many challenges were just beginning.
From an awful case of reflux, which caused so much concern that you were admitted into the hospital, strabismus, a trip to the ER for cracking your head open, to horrible ear problems, I'm afraid that your life has been anything but trouble free. Tomorrow you will be having your second ear surgery in your life and as I put you to bed, you were very sad and your ears were bleeding. Oh how I held onto you and wanted nothing more than to wave a magic wand and spare you of the frustrating morning that you'll have tomorrow. I can't even imagine how it's going to feel to tell you can't have your milk or your "bayfest" (As you like to call breakfast) and how my heart will break as I hand you over to the doctors and the nurses.
Each and every day you push me to new levels of patience that I never even knew I had. I cannot put a number on the amount of times in one day that I pull you off of the dining room table, drag you down from the stairs (now that you've gotten smart enough to get around the gate), reprimand you for hitting or biting your sisters, or redirect you when you find the light sockets, my purse, your dad's wallet, the cleaning supplies, etc.. You keep me hopping from sun up to sun down and you really don't even sleep long enough at night for me to recover. You are my earliest riser yet!
The best part is that for every single one of your many "quirks" there is something beautiful about you that I love. I love your sense of adventure, how everything is a game and everything seems to new to you. I love your beautiful smile and how others are drawn to you by it. I love how friendly and outgoing you are and how no situation, animal or person seems to scare you. You keep us cracking up all day long and daddy and I truly can't imagine you not being in our world.
We love you so much, baby girl. Tomorrow will be a tough day but are excited to see you get better and to watch you grow more and more!
With all my heart,
Mama
Monday, November 12, 2012
A Month???
Okay, okay... I'll admit. Maybe, just maybe, I have labeled my blog as "just another assignment." After I do my schoolwork, the very last thing I want to do is sit behind the computer, even if it is for leisurely purposes. I've said it a million times, though, I really do like having a record of our lives so I'll try to keep up!
What's new? Not a whole lot of anything, really. Brookie is doing awesome in school and has started to read really well! She was chosen as the student of the month a few weeks ago and I also received a sweet letter from her teacher about how cooperative and wonderful she is. That's what every mama loves to hear:-) My poor girl had a horrible go at it a few weeks ago... She came home on a Monday complaining that her tooth hurt. I took her to the dentist, where we learned that her previous filling had broken off and exposed her tooth, leading to a horrible tooth infection. This resulted in a root canal... Which was NOT fun to watch. I kept her home from school the next day because she was running a little fever. After a couple of days of that, we took her to the doctor for the continual fever and found out that she had pneumonia and an ear infection. It was a long week but truthfully, it was really nice having her home!
As for Adrienne, she continues to be stubborn and strong-willed. I try not use that infamous "middle child syndrome" label on her but boy, if anyone had it, it would be her! Lol. To go with it, though, she is amazingly funny and silly and she will just come up to you and kiss you, which of course, fixes anything and everything. She is my little buddy while Brooke is at school and she definitely makes my life fun!
Poor little Bailey will be having her ear surgery on the 28th. We her pre-op appointment the other day and the doctor said that her case is one of the most severe he's seen and her situation is quite unusual. Along with new tubes, he will removing her adenoids. He said that there is no promise that it will fix the problems with her ears but it's worth a shot. Thanks, I think?? I feel bad putting her through this all over again but we have to try everything possible to get her better. She's finally starting to repeat more words and say things but the doctor thinks that her delayed speech is mostly a result of constant ear problems, which obviously impact her hearing. Ugh!! I can't wait for this to be over.
We're gearing up to have a houseful for Thanksgiving again this year. I can't wait! I really love cooking and this feast is my favorite meal to make. I don't really like setting up the tables and chairs and all of that, but other than that, I love it all. It's nice to come together as a family and enjoy all of our blessings!
As for me, school is over for the semester in a little over a month! I still have all A's and I'm extremely proud of that... And I'm hoping to finish out on a strong note to lock in those grades! Next semester will be quite busy for me.. During the winter break I will be taking a crash course in chemistry online. I can't imagine what an entire 15-week semester worth of assignments will look like condensed into one month. I had no choice but to make that decision, really... If I had waited I wouldn't have been able to apply for the nursing program for another year. No way! Then, in the Spring I'll be taking medical terminology, pharmacology, another Biology class (that is the second half of the course I'm taking now), and creative writing as an elective. It will all be online and I'm confident that I'll make it work. One step at a time!
Oh, and I can't forget, I became an aunt again on the 19th of last month. My brother and his wife had a little boy, Jacob Matthew. He is so precious! I love having 2 babies to hold and it feels pretty darn nice to send them home with their mommies and sleep soundly through the night:-)
Alrighty, off to make dinner! Until next time... (whenever that may be!)
What's new? Not a whole lot of anything, really. Brookie is doing awesome in school and has started to read really well! She was chosen as the student of the month a few weeks ago and I also received a sweet letter from her teacher about how cooperative and wonderful she is. That's what every mama loves to hear:-) My poor girl had a horrible go at it a few weeks ago... She came home on a Monday complaining that her tooth hurt. I took her to the dentist, where we learned that her previous filling had broken off and exposed her tooth, leading to a horrible tooth infection. This resulted in a root canal... Which was NOT fun to watch. I kept her home from school the next day because she was running a little fever. After a couple of days of that, we took her to the doctor for the continual fever and found out that she had pneumonia and an ear infection. It was a long week but truthfully, it was really nice having her home!
As for Adrienne, she continues to be stubborn and strong-willed. I try not use that infamous "middle child syndrome" label on her but boy, if anyone had it, it would be her! Lol. To go with it, though, she is amazingly funny and silly and she will just come up to you and kiss you, which of course, fixes anything and everything. She is my little buddy while Brooke is at school and she definitely makes my life fun!
Poor little Bailey will be having her ear surgery on the 28th. We her pre-op appointment the other day and the doctor said that her case is one of the most severe he's seen and her situation is quite unusual. Along with new tubes, he will removing her adenoids. He said that there is no promise that it will fix the problems with her ears but it's worth a shot. Thanks, I think?? I feel bad putting her through this all over again but we have to try everything possible to get her better. She's finally starting to repeat more words and say things but the doctor thinks that her delayed speech is mostly a result of constant ear problems, which obviously impact her hearing. Ugh!! I can't wait for this to be over.
We're gearing up to have a houseful for Thanksgiving again this year. I can't wait! I really love cooking and this feast is my favorite meal to make. I don't really like setting up the tables and chairs and all of that, but other than that, I love it all. It's nice to come together as a family and enjoy all of our blessings!
As for me, school is over for the semester in a little over a month! I still have all A's and I'm extremely proud of that... And I'm hoping to finish out on a strong note to lock in those grades! Next semester will be quite busy for me.. During the winter break I will be taking a crash course in chemistry online. I can't imagine what an entire 15-week semester worth of assignments will look like condensed into one month. I had no choice but to make that decision, really... If I had waited I wouldn't have been able to apply for the nursing program for another year. No way! Then, in the Spring I'll be taking medical terminology, pharmacology, another Biology class (that is the second half of the course I'm taking now), and creative writing as an elective. It will all be online and I'm confident that I'll make it work. One step at a time!
Oh, and I can't forget, I became an aunt again on the 19th of last month. My brother and his wife had a little boy, Jacob Matthew. He is so precious! I love having 2 babies to hold and it feels pretty darn nice to send them home with their mommies and sleep soundly through the night:-)
Alrighty, off to make dinner! Until next time... (whenever that may be!)
Friday, October 12, 2012
I'm Back!
Hello, blogging world! I knew it would be a while before I had spare time to get on this thing but now that I do, I'll take a chance and get caught up.
Let's see..
-The most exciting news in our family is that my sister gave birth to my precious little niece, Lauren, last Friday! She is absolutely gorgeous and I have, of course, fallen head-over-heals in love with her. She has jet black hair and I simply cannot get enough of the girl. This is the first time my sister has had a baby that I haven't been expecting a baby of my own and honestly, it's felt really nice to have a little bit of extra time and energy to help her out. My brother's wife is due TODAY my nephew decided not to come. Maybe tomorrow?!?! Isn't new life amazing?
-Little Miss Bailey went and saw another ear specialist because of the constant infections and drainage from her ears. On November 28th she will be undergoing another ear surgery to replace her tubes with a different type of material and possibly remove her adenoids. This doctor thinks that she must be sensitive to the current synthetic material that's in her ear tubes now and by replacing them we will have better results. This all stinks for her! Poor little princess:-( She's doing well otherwise, though! She's starting to talk up a storm and while she's crazy and super busy, she's finally becoming more content and much easier to get along with. She had her 18-month appointment yesterday and at 22 pounds she is in the 25th percentile for her weight. She's a bottomless pit so I'm not sure how she stays so little!
-Last week John and I had our first overnight date since before Bailey was born. It was amazing! We went to Pittsburgh to watch the Braves play the Pirates (because the Braves are John's team). We stayed in a nice hotel and had a nice road trip. It felt beyond amazing to just be the 2 of us. It's always nice to come home again, don't get me wrong, but we're so busy that it helps to reconnect.
-School continues to go super well for me! I currently have "A's" in all 4 classes, which is a big freaking deal when you're Jillian! I got a 100 on my math test yesterday and when I found out, I just about screamed with excitement. I've said it before, but who would have ever thought that I would like and succeed in school???
Life is pretty wonderful lately! We've been busy but we've also had lots of quiet down time as a family of 5 lately and I fall more and more in love with our little family every day.
Until next time! Hopefully sooner than a month from now...
Let's see..
-The most exciting news in our family is that my sister gave birth to my precious little niece, Lauren, last Friday! She is absolutely gorgeous and I have, of course, fallen head-over-heals in love with her. She has jet black hair and I simply cannot get enough of the girl. This is the first time my sister has had a baby that I haven't been expecting a baby of my own and honestly, it's felt really nice to have a little bit of extra time and energy to help her out. My brother's wife is due TODAY my nephew decided not to come. Maybe tomorrow?!?! Isn't new life amazing?
-Little Miss Bailey went and saw another ear specialist because of the constant infections and drainage from her ears. On November 28th she will be undergoing another ear surgery to replace her tubes with a different type of material and possibly remove her adenoids. This doctor thinks that she must be sensitive to the current synthetic material that's in her ear tubes now and by replacing them we will have better results. This all stinks for her! Poor little princess:-( She's doing well otherwise, though! She's starting to talk up a storm and while she's crazy and super busy, she's finally becoming more content and much easier to get along with. She had her 18-month appointment yesterday and at 22 pounds she is in the 25th percentile for her weight. She's a bottomless pit so I'm not sure how she stays so little!
-Last week John and I had our first overnight date since before Bailey was born. It was amazing! We went to Pittsburgh to watch the Braves play the Pirates (because the Braves are John's team). We stayed in a nice hotel and had a nice road trip. It felt beyond amazing to just be the 2 of us. It's always nice to come home again, don't get me wrong, but we're so busy that it helps to reconnect.
-School continues to go super well for me! I currently have "A's" in all 4 classes, which is a big freaking deal when you're Jillian! I got a 100 on my math test yesterday and when I found out, I just about screamed with excitement. I've said it before, but who would have ever thought that I would like and succeed in school???
Life is pretty wonderful lately! We've been busy but we've also had lots of quiet down time as a family of 5 lately and I fall more and more in love with our little family every day.
Until next time! Hopefully sooner than a month from now...
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Do I Dare Share?
Well, I learned some interesting information this week. At first, I didn't want to share it with people because it's kind of personal, but then I got to thinking about how much this vital information explains about me and my past. There is not a reason in the world for me to be ashamed. So here it goes... I have dyslexia. There I said it. That wasn't so bad!
You would have to understand my history to really get why this "diagnosis" explains so much. For starters, I was never a "good" student. I always had trouble with charts and graphs, I was hyper-sensitive to dractions, to the point of being agitated and frustrated by someone tapping their fingers on their desk, and I had to work very, very hard to even get a "C." I would know material but it was never clearly reflected unless I was writing an essay, which was always my strong point.
I can remember being in high school Boology and really enjoying the material. I studied my butt off and got a a grade in the upper 70's. I was pretty excited! I went to a Christian high school and my teacher wrote on the top of my paper, "Do everything as unto the Lord. Is this effort really unto Him?" I will never forget ripping the test up and telling myself that if I was going to get accused of not trying, even though I studied hard, then what was the point of trying? I pretty much stopped all attempts at studying and had more fun skipping class and goofing off. It was easier to pretend like I didn't care than to acknowledge that I really DID care and it just wasn't clicking.
My "lack of intelligence" has always bothered my inside. I know that I have other gifts and abilities that make me unique but I've often wondered if people take me seriously or think of me like I'm an idiot. In a social situation it kind of makes me feel insecure. I'll want to interject something that I know about but deep down inside I wonder if I really do know what I'm talking about and I'll choose not to share things. Sometimes I wish that I had some way of validating what I know because I really do know things and I'm not stupid!
I've always had this uncanny ability to speak backwards. It sounds weird but when I'm trying to focus, I repeat words backwards. If I can remember how a word sounds backwards I can remember how to spell it forwards. I also read sentences backwards. When I read a road sign, for instance, I will automatically go to the last word because in my wacky brain I don't think that I'll be able to read the whole thing. It's odd. I know.
So, what really lead to this discovery was a couple of things... My math teacher this semester noticed that I have a great understanding of the mathematical process but along the way, I transpose my numbers incorrectly and make silly little errors. She suggested talking to the staff at the college that specializes in learning disablities. The second issue that lead me down this path was my testing abilities thus far this semester. I took a quiz in Biology and I KNEW the material. That wasn't the issue. I studied very hard. However, I got a mere 60% (luckily it wasn't worth much and I had some extra credit points to bring it up quite a bit) and when I reviewed the mistakes, I realized that I had inadvertently chosen answers which I knew to be wrong. It killed me!
I went to talk to the learning disability specialist fully expecting that they would tell me I was fine. I thought these differences for all these years were "normal" and that I just wasn't as smart as my peer counterparts. However, the lady told me that in 30 years of working with people with learning disablities, she has never seen someone with such an interesting and severe case of dyslexia. Thanks, I think? She told me she was fascinated by me because I have come up with such creative strategies to compensate for the unusual ways I take in information. She said the very fact that I graduated from high school and even had the courage to come back to college shows intelligence on my part and she's confident that a few little tweaks could make me an excellent student. AHHH! I wanted to hug her!
You have to understand, I had a principal give me a quarter in his office once. He said, "Do me a favor... Use this quarter to give me a call if you're ever successful. I'll have you know, I never expect to hear from you." I had teacher after teacher wrongfully accuse me of not trying. I'll admit, I was a trouble maker and I probably deserved to be disciplined, but I never deserved to be treated so poorly in regards to academics.
From here out I just have to do things a little differently. I'm given time and a half for all future exams to allow me to process and re-read questions if neccessary. In addition, I'm also allowed to have someone read me an exam and based on my oral answer, they will choose the appropriate response. I'm able to do this from home with John and my school is okay with that. I take my first BIG test using this method tomorrow and I'm so excited! I truly do know my material.
I'm really excited for the days ahead! Knowing that my oddities have a name know is so encouraging and I've decided that when I do graduate, the success will be that much sweeter!
You would have to understand my history to really get why this "diagnosis" explains so much. For starters, I was never a "good" student. I always had trouble with charts and graphs, I was hyper-sensitive to dractions, to the point of being agitated and frustrated by someone tapping their fingers on their desk, and I had to work very, very hard to even get a "C." I would know material but it was never clearly reflected unless I was writing an essay, which was always my strong point.
I can remember being in high school Boology and really enjoying the material. I studied my butt off and got a a grade in the upper 70's. I was pretty excited! I went to a Christian high school and my teacher wrote on the top of my paper, "Do everything as unto the Lord. Is this effort really unto Him?" I will never forget ripping the test up and telling myself that if I was going to get accused of not trying, even though I studied hard, then what was the point of trying? I pretty much stopped all attempts at studying and had more fun skipping class and goofing off. It was easier to pretend like I didn't care than to acknowledge that I really DID care and it just wasn't clicking.
My "lack of intelligence" has always bothered my inside. I know that I have other gifts and abilities that make me unique but I've often wondered if people take me seriously or think of me like I'm an idiot. In a social situation it kind of makes me feel insecure. I'll want to interject something that I know about but deep down inside I wonder if I really do know what I'm talking about and I'll choose not to share things. Sometimes I wish that I had some way of validating what I know because I really do know things and I'm not stupid!
I've always had this uncanny ability to speak backwards. It sounds weird but when I'm trying to focus, I repeat words backwards. If I can remember how a word sounds backwards I can remember how to spell it forwards. I also read sentences backwards. When I read a road sign, for instance, I will automatically go to the last word because in my wacky brain I don't think that I'll be able to read the whole thing. It's odd. I know.
So, what really lead to this discovery was a couple of things... My math teacher this semester noticed that I have a great understanding of the mathematical process but along the way, I transpose my numbers incorrectly and make silly little errors. She suggested talking to the staff at the college that specializes in learning disablities. The second issue that lead me down this path was my testing abilities thus far this semester. I took a quiz in Biology and I KNEW the material. That wasn't the issue. I studied very hard. However, I got a mere 60% (luckily it wasn't worth much and I had some extra credit points to bring it up quite a bit) and when I reviewed the mistakes, I realized that I had inadvertently chosen answers which I knew to be wrong. It killed me!
I went to talk to the learning disability specialist fully expecting that they would tell me I was fine. I thought these differences for all these years were "normal" and that I just wasn't as smart as my peer counterparts. However, the lady told me that in 30 years of working with people with learning disablities, she has never seen someone with such an interesting and severe case of dyslexia. Thanks, I think? She told me she was fascinated by me because I have come up with such creative strategies to compensate for the unusual ways I take in information. She said the very fact that I graduated from high school and even had the courage to come back to college shows intelligence on my part and she's confident that a few little tweaks could make me an excellent student. AHHH! I wanted to hug her!
You have to understand, I had a principal give me a quarter in his office once. He said, "Do me a favor... Use this quarter to give me a call if you're ever successful. I'll have you know, I never expect to hear from you." I had teacher after teacher wrongfully accuse me of not trying. I'll admit, I was a trouble maker and I probably deserved to be disciplined, but I never deserved to be treated so poorly in regards to academics.
From here out I just have to do things a little differently. I'm given time and a half for all future exams to allow me to process and re-read questions if neccessary. In addition, I'm also allowed to have someone read me an exam and based on my oral answer, they will choose the appropriate response. I'm able to do this from home with John and my school is okay with that. I take my first BIG test using this method tomorrow and I'm so excited! I truly do know my material.
I'm really excited for the days ahead! Knowing that my oddities have a name know is so encouraging and I've decided that when I do graduate, the success will be that much sweeter!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Soooo Much to Report!
I have been crazy busy. Actually, crazy busy probably doesn't adequately describe just how insane and jam-packed my schedule has been as of late. Let me get caught up!
Vacation was wonderful! We spent an amazing week on the beaches of Ocean City, Maryland. We did some shopping, ate lots of seafood (Well, everyone else did... I'm allergic), played in the sand, walked the boardwalk and relaxed. It would have been the perfect vacations if it wasn't for a few factors. For starters, Bailey did NOT sleep well the entire trip and it was frustrating. Luckily we had family that put us back to sleep a couple of mornings (John's mom and sister) and we were able to catch naps from time to time. Once Bailey and I even feel asleep under and umbrella at the beach. It was amazing! Also, I started school on the middle of vacation and the house that we rented had no Wifi so I had to run back and forth the local McDonald's to get assignments and figure out what the heck I was doing. It all ended up working out okay! We came back with awesome tans and we had an incredible time.
Brookie started Kindergarten last Wednesday. I'm not going to lie... It's been tough being away from her. Every time I drop her off I just want to hold her and squeeze her and not let her go but she's always ready to start her day. She loves school so far and she has some really good friends and an amazing teacher. I find myself looking at the clock all day and wondering about what she's doing and if she's happy or tired or having fun.We also started letting her ride the bus home (but we still drop her off in the mornings) because the pick-up time is at 2:30, which is the middle of Bailey's nap and it's just not possible. She loves to ride the bus and sits with 2 of her friends so that makes me feel better. All this school business is a lot to take in! People tell me it will get easier. I hope they're right!
Adrienne is a new kid while Brooke is at school. It's crazy. From 8 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon she is compliant and happy and eager to please. Then, once Brooke gets off that bus, she is like something out of a horror movie. Lol. She throws herself on the ground when asked to do something, she hits and yells, and is overall very grumpy with Brooke. I'm not really sure why this is but I'm attempting many strategies to make the afternoon hours less stressful.
Bailey has had a rough go of it lately. For starters, on Labor Day we were walking around our neighborhood and all three girls were in the wagon. We stopped to talk to some friends and she stood up. At the same exact time, we started to walk away and she fell straight back and hit her head on the concrete sidewalk. She was obviously upset so we tried to comfort her but then we realized that she was cut and bleeding like crazy. We took her home and tried to determine where the blood was coming from but her curly hair was completely saturated, making it hard to see what was going on. We quickly threw her in the tub to get a look and there was blood dripping everywhere. Not a pretty sight. She then started having a hard time staying awake, which I didn't know if it was because she had a concussion or because she was just so upset. We took her to the ER to be safe and the doctor said that she could have used a staple in her head but because the bleeding had stopped we wouldn't put her through the trauma. And apparently CAT scans carry a high cancer risk with young children so he opted to not do one and wait and see how she progressed throughout the day. Thankfully, she was completely fine! What a scare.
Not to give Bailey 2 paragraphs and my other girls only one... But she's also having substantial issues with her ears lately:-( She has yet another infection and her ears are dripping with blood. Her ENT hasn't been the greatest with the reoccurring infections so I took her to our pediatrician, who we love and trust. He said that her ears are completely colonized with bacteria, to the point where he couldn't even see her eardrum in the one ear. He also thinks that her tubes are about to come out. He referred us to another ENT (who is supposed to be great) and we're getting a second opinion. It just gets frustrating for the poor girl:-(
As for me, I'm plugging away with schoolwork. I'm enjoying my Human Biology course, which is notoriously hard. It is a time consuming course but it's very interesting. My English class has been really easy, which is a blessing. and as for my Trigonometry class, I'm really struggling. The teacher awesome and lenient so my grade isn't suffering but I'm having a hard time staying on top of it. I know it will click one of these days. It's been a lot juggling the girls, John, the house and school but I think I've done pretty well so far and I'm coming up with a great system that doesn't really interfere much with anyone else's life but mine.
So, there you have it. A complete update! Don't count on another one for a while:) Lol
Vacation was wonderful! We spent an amazing week on the beaches of Ocean City, Maryland. We did some shopping, ate lots of seafood (Well, everyone else did... I'm allergic), played in the sand, walked the boardwalk and relaxed. It would have been the perfect vacations if it wasn't for a few factors. For starters, Bailey did NOT sleep well the entire trip and it was frustrating. Luckily we had family that put us back to sleep a couple of mornings (John's mom and sister) and we were able to catch naps from time to time. Once Bailey and I even feel asleep under and umbrella at the beach. It was amazing! Also, I started school on the middle of vacation and the house that we rented had no Wifi so I had to run back and forth the local McDonald's to get assignments and figure out what the heck I was doing. It all ended up working out okay! We came back with awesome tans and we had an incredible time.
Brookie started Kindergarten last Wednesday. I'm not going to lie... It's been tough being away from her. Every time I drop her off I just want to hold her and squeeze her and not let her go but she's always ready to start her day. She loves school so far and she has some really good friends and an amazing teacher. I find myself looking at the clock all day and wondering about what she's doing and if she's happy or tired or having fun.We also started letting her ride the bus home (but we still drop her off in the mornings) because the pick-up time is at 2:30, which is the middle of Bailey's nap and it's just not possible. She loves to ride the bus and sits with 2 of her friends so that makes me feel better. All this school business is a lot to take in! People tell me it will get easier. I hope they're right!
Adrienne is a new kid while Brooke is at school. It's crazy. From 8 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon she is compliant and happy and eager to please. Then, once Brooke gets off that bus, she is like something out of a horror movie. Lol. She throws herself on the ground when asked to do something, she hits and yells, and is overall very grumpy with Brooke. I'm not really sure why this is but I'm attempting many strategies to make the afternoon hours less stressful.
Bailey has had a rough go of it lately. For starters, on Labor Day we were walking around our neighborhood and all three girls were in the wagon. We stopped to talk to some friends and she stood up. At the same exact time, we started to walk away and she fell straight back and hit her head on the concrete sidewalk. She was obviously upset so we tried to comfort her but then we realized that she was cut and bleeding like crazy. We took her home and tried to determine where the blood was coming from but her curly hair was completely saturated, making it hard to see what was going on. We quickly threw her in the tub to get a look and there was blood dripping everywhere. Not a pretty sight. She then started having a hard time staying awake, which I didn't know if it was because she had a concussion or because she was just so upset. We took her to the ER to be safe and the doctor said that she could have used a staple in her head but because the bleeding had stopped we wouldn't put her through the trauma. And apparently CAT scans carry a high cancer risk with young children so he opted to not do one and wait and see how she progressed throughout the day. Thankfully, she was completely fine! What a scare.
Not to give Bailey 2 paragraphs and my other girls only one... But she's also having substantial issues with her ears lately:-( She has yet another infection and her ears are dripping with blood. Her ENT hasn't been the greatest with the reoccurring infections so I took her to our pediatrician, who we love and trust. He said that her ears are completely colonized with bacteria, to the point where he couldn't even see her eardrum in the one ear. He also thinks that her tubes are about to come out. He referred us to another ENT (who is supposed to be great) and we're getting a second opinion. It just gets frustrating for the poor girl:-(
As for me, I'm plugging away with schoolwork. I'm enjoying my Human Biology course, which is notoriously hard. It is a time consuming course but it's very interesting. My English class has been really easy, which is a blessing. and as for my Trigonometry class, I'm really struggling. The teacher awesome and lenient so my grade isn't suffering but I'm having a hard time staying on top of it. I know it will click one of these days. It's been a lot juggling the girls, John, the house and school but I think I've done pretty well so far and I'm coming up with a great system that doesn't really interfere much with anyone else's life but mine.
So, there you have it. A complete update! Don't count on another one for a while:) Lol
Monday, August 20, 2012
Falling Apart
I have reached my breaking point, as far as my asthma goes. I have been depending on massive amounts of steroids, breathing treatments and constant doctor visits just be able to breathe enough to survive. I want to breathe like a normal human being, without drugs or treatments, but if I'm going to mess with taking all of those things, I want to breathe great... And I'm still not. After a while, it gets old feeling like an old lady at the ripe age of 26. I should be able to run after the kids and carry them up the stairs without needing an inhaler or feeling like I'm going to pass out from lightheadedness.
This has been going on since the middle of May so I have every right to be fed up. They keep putting me on steroids, which is like putting a Band-Aid on the problem... They cover it up for a few days but don't really fix the problem. To top it off, the steroids aren't good for you and there are some serious consequences to taking them long term. They can lead to osteoporosis, weight gain, liver problems, etc.. And even when I'm on them, I'm horribly hungry and all I want to do is eat. It's to the point that I love taking them because I can breathe but at the same time, I hate taking them because I don't want to gain back all the weight I've worked so hard to lose. It's a lose-lose situation.
To add to my already horrible asthma, I caught a nasty cough from my kids and that lead to a bout of bronchitis. When I have bronchitis I am extremely sick... I wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air and truly wondering if that next breath is going to come to me. I take a breathing treatment or a puff of an inhaler and I'm always fine but I shouldn't have to get to that point. All of this has left me exhausted and it's hard to feel so groggy all the time when you have a house full of energetic little girls who need you!
So right now I'm on an antibiotic, oral steroid, inhaled steroid, an emergency inhaler, breathing treatments and another medicine for allergies and I still feel like garbage. To add to this mess, I have a new doctor because mine moved. I love the new doctor but she's still trying to figure me out and she doesn't know me as well, obviously. She's pushing for me to go to a pulmonologist because she's concerned but I'm anxious about that. It's kind of my "last resort" and if they aren't able to make me feel human again then I don't know what I'll do. That may sound weird but that's how I'm feeling.
The biggest worry I have is that Fall is approaching and that is my worst time of year, by far. In the Fall I usually end up in the ER with such severe asthma symptoms, no matter how hard I try to avoid it. They have attempted to hospitalize me before but I'm pretty stubborn and always demand to manage my own care at home. Maybe that's the problem? Lol
I'm hoping that I'm miraculously better by vacation and that I can enjoy my time away without asthma controlling me. I know it could be so much work and that some people could read this and think I'm a big baby, but in my small world, it's a huge deal.
This has been going on since the middle of May so I have every right to be fed up. They keep putting me on steroids, which is like putting a Band-Aid on the problem... They cover it up for a few days but don't really fix the problem. To top it off, the steroids aren't good for you and there are some serious consequences to taking them long term. They can lead to osteoporosis, weight gain, liver problems, etc.. And even when I'm on them, I'm horribly hungry and all I want to do is eat. It's to the point that I love taking them because I can breathe but at the same time, I hate taking them because I don't want to gain back all the weight I've worked so hard to lose. It's a lose-lose situation.
To add to my already horrible asthma, I caught a nasty cough from my kids and that lead to a bout of bronchitis. When I have bronchitis I am extremely sick... I wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air and truly wondering if that next breath is going to come to me. I take a breathing treatment or a puff of an inhaler and I'm always fine but I shouldn't have to get to that point. All of this has left me exhausted and it's hard to feel so groggy all the time when you have a house full of energetic little girls who need you!
So right now I'm on an antibiotic, oral steroid, inhaled steroid, an emergency inhaler, breathing treatments and another medicine for allergies and I still feel like garbage. To add to this mess, I have a new doctor because mine moved. I love the new doctor but she's still trying to figure me out and she doesn't know me as well, obviously. She's pushing for me to go to a pulmonologist because she's concerned but I'm anxious about that. It's kind of my "last resort" and if they aren't able to make me feel human again then I don't know what I'll do. That may sound weird but that's how I'm feeling.
The biggest worry I have is that Fall is approaching and that is my worst time of year, by far. In the Fall I usually end up in the ER with such severe asthma symptoms, no matter how hard I try to avoid it. They have attempted to hospitalize me before but I'm pretty stubborn and always demand to manage my own care at home. Maybe that's the problem? Lol
I'm hoping that I'm miraculously better by vacation and that I can enjoy my time away without asthma controlling me. I know it could be so much work and that some people could read this and think I'm a big baby, but in my small world, it's a huge deal.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
No Judgement, Please
Disclaimer... The purpose of this post is, by no means, to down homeschoolers. In fact, one of my best friends is going to be homeschooling one of her kids this year and I totally respect and support her. As I will explain, it's not homeschooling that I'm opposed to... It's people that think homeschooling is the one and only way to educate their children and that they are superior for doing so.
Lately I have been feeling very judged by many people in the homeschool world. There are quite a few people who have questioned why I would send Brooke to public school and not teach her at home. One lady suggested it and for every single reason I gave her, she was argumentative and simply could not see it from my point of view. That makes absolutely no sense to me because it's my child, after all, and it's not up for her discussion. Just like I don't look down on her for homeschooling her kids, I would appreciate her for giving me the same social courtesies.
I also met another lady this week who treated me the same way. She was talking about how she homeschools and I simply told her that I don't feel as though I have the level of knowledge that a trained educator has. She said, "Well, it's your child. If there was every anything to invest your time in." Oh yes, because I don't homeschool I'm not invested. That's right. She then gave me the whole spiel about how I should be the number one influence in my child's life and not allow the school to "indoctrinate" her. I kept explaining to her that John and I feel comfortable with the school system and like we're doing the best thing for our daughter and she just kept pushing and pushing the issue.
I'm not saying that there aren't great things about homeschooling and that it's not perfect for some families. As for our family, though, we are going to send our kids to public school. In my opinion, if we pull all of our Christian children out of schools for fear of tarnishing them, then what hope is there for the public school? And how will we ever expect our kids to stand up for what they believe if they are never given a time or place to have to give an answer? Our home is such a loving and secure place where we're all obviously like minded and unfortunately, little to no exposure to the world is not setting our children up for the day that they have to venture out on their own. Then, there is the educational aspect of homeschool.. I know that I could never teach them everything they need to know to go out and attend college. I'm not trained in teaching, let alone math, biology, history, English, etc... These teachers go to school for a reason and I want my children to have every opportunity to learn and grow. This is how I feel for MY children but if you feel differently for yours, good for you! My feeling and opinions are rooted out of love for my children, as I'm sure yours are.
I'm just so frustrated by the "holier than thou" attitude that I've encountered recently. I was listening to a Christian radio station a few weeks ago and they were interviewing one of the speakers at a local homeschool conference. The man was so overwhelmingly critical of parents who chose not to buy into his way of thinking and it really made me feel judged. I'm no less of a Christian because homeschooling isn't for me. My parent are some of the most Godly people I've ever met and they sent us all to public school and guess what...We are all living for the Lord and we have all made something of ourselves. The same could be sound for countless other families. Public school is not the enemy.
Like I said, there are several homeschoolers that I love and respect and I know that I can't label everyone who homeschools because of the few that have been rude. I just wish that we could all unify as parents trying to raise Godly, productive children and not become divided by which method happen to choose.
Lately I have been feeling very judged by many people in the homeschool world. There are quite a few people who have questioned why I would send Brooke to public school and not teach her at home. One lady suggested it and for every single reason I gave her, she was argumentative and simply could not see it from my point of view. That makes absolutely no sense to me because it's my child, after all, and it's not up for her discussion. Just like I don't look down on her for homeschooling her kids, I would appreciate her for giving me the same social courtesies.
I also met another lady this week who treated me the same way. She was talking about how she homeschools and I simply told her that I don't feel as though I have the level of knowledge that a trained educator has. She said, "Well, it's your child. If there was every anything to invest your time in." Oh yes, because I don't homeschool I'm not invested. That's right. She then gave me the whole spiel about how I should be the number one influence in my child's life and not allow the school to "indoctrinate" her. I kept explaining to her that John and I feel comfortable with the school system and like we're doing the best thing for our daughter and she just kept pushing and pushing the issue.
I'm not saying that there aren't great things about homeschooling and that it's not perfect for some families. As for our family, though, we are going to send our kids to public school. In my opinion, if we pull all of our Christian children out of schools for fear of tarnishing them, then what hope is there for the public school? And how will we ever expect our kids to stand up for what they believe if they are never given a time or place to have to give an answer? Our home is such a loving and secure place where we're all obviously like minded and unfortunately, little to no exposure to the world is not setting our children up for the day that they have to venture out on their own. Then, there is the educational aspect of homeschool.. I know that I could never teach them everything they need to know to go out and attend college. I'm not trained in teaching, let alone math, biology, history, English, etc... These teachers go to school for a reason and I want my children to have every opportunity to learn and grow. This is how I feel for MY children but if you feel differently for yours, good for you! My feeling and opinions are rooted out of love for my children, as I'm sure yours are.
I'm just so frustrated by the "holier than thou" attitude that I've encountered recently. I was listening to a Christian radio station a few weeks ago and they were interviewing one of the speakers at a local homeschool conference. The man was so overwhelmingly critical of parents who chose not to buy into his way of thinking and it really made me feel judged. I'm no less of a Christian because homeschooling isn't for me. My parent are some of the most Godly people I've ever met and they sent us all to public school and guess what...We are all living for the Lord and we have all made something of ourselves. The same could be sound for countless other families. Public school is not the enemy.
Like I said, there are several homeschoolers that I love and respect and I know that I can't label everyone who homeschools because of the few that have been rude. I just wish that we could all unify as parents trying to raise Godly, productive children and not become divided by which method happen to choose.
Friday, August 17, 2012
911
Bailey carries around something that we call her "mischief stool." This stool is what enables her to reach things that would otherwise be out of her grasp and it makes our lives crazy. We try to hide it from her to prevent her from getting into things but sometimes we forget and we find her on the kitchen table or pulling things off the counters. The girl is absolutely fearless!
Her favorite forbidden item to get with her mischief chair is our home phone and I could spend the entire day taking it from her and putting it back. If I'm trying to get a meal on the table or something, I sometimes let her play with it because it keeps her happy. John always tells me not to let her play with the phone because he doesn't want her calling 911. While that's a valid concern, I figure that mathematically speaking, the probability of her dialing those numbers in that sequence is slim to none.
Wrong! The other morning I was rushing around to get the girls dressed and ready to go. I had run upstairs for a few minutes to get clothes for everyone and about 15 minutes later, I heard the door knock. I saw one of John's co-workers at the door and instantly my heart started pounding, Thankfully, John was sleeping soundly in his bed so I wasn't worried that they were coming to deliver some horrible news to me. Completely perplexed, I answered the door and the deputy standing there said, "Jillian, is John beating you? We had a 911 call from your house." Of course she knew better and was laughing but at that point, I just felt completely stupid. The department has a policy that they send a car to all 911 calls just to be safe but because they know us, they tried to just call and see if we were but the phone was still busy. They also tried calling John but he was sleeping and didn't hear his cell phone ring. It kind of makes me worry that they wouldn't have rushed right out if there really was an emergency!
I'm still shocked that Bailey actually dialed 911. I know that the other girls didn't do it because they were playing in the toy room nicely and hey don't even know to dial 911 in a real emergency, let alone just for the heck of it. I'm not one to put away things that children shouldn't have... I would rather discipline and teach them not to do something. However, I'm thinking that this phone is going to have to be an exception to that rule for a while. I'm not interested in having the police at my door anytime soon... Unless it's my husband, that is!
Her favorite forbidden item to get with her mischief chair is our home phone and I could spend the entire day taking it from her and putting it back. If I'm trying to get a meal on the table or something, I sometimes let her play with it because it keeps her happy. John always tells me not to let her play with the phone because he doesn't want her calling 911. While that's a valid concern, I figure that mathematically speaking, the probability of her dialing those numbers in that sequence is slim to none.
Wrong! The other morning I was rushing around to get the girls dressed and ready to go. I had run upstairs for a few minutes to get clothes for everyone and about 15 minutes later, I heard the door knock. I saw one of John's co-workers at the door and instantly my heart started pounding, Thankfully, John was sleeping soundly in his bed so I wasn't worried that they were coming to deliver some horrible news to me. Completely perplexed, I answered the door and the deputy standing there said, "Jillian, is John beating you? We had a 911 call from your house." Of course she knew better and was laughing but at that point, I just felt completely stupid. The department has a policy that they send a car to all 911 calls just to be safe but because they know us, they tried to just call and see if we were but the phone was still busy. They also tried calling John but he was sleeping and didn't hear his cell phone ring. It kind of makes me worry that they wouldn't have rushed right out if there really was an emergency!
I'm still shocked that Bailey actually dialed 911. I know that the other girls didn't do it because they were playing in the toy room nicely and hey don't even know to dial 911 in a real emergency, let alone just for the heck of it. I'm not one to put away things that children shouldn't have... I would rather discipline and teach them not to do something. However, I'm thinking that this phone is going to have to be an exception to that rule for a while. I'm not interested in having the police at my door anytime soon... Unless it's my husband, that is!
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