Ode to the Load

Crumpled piles four feet high
I raise my eyebrows, give a heavy sigh
For the clothes just seem to mock my grief
The shirts, the jeans, even the sheets
With ketchup stains and grassy knees
Armed to the teeth with Shout and Febreeze
On top of the dryer lives a herd of linty shapes
At my feet, lonely socks are searching for mates
Checking each pocket, then checking them twice
Reading the tags, ignoring advice
Stacks of laundry take over my den
Turn my back on my toddler, fold them again
The bottom of a hamper is a beautiful sight
As I finish my washing for the night
Tomorrow my grateful family will say,
"Why don't I have anything to wear today?"

A Day of Firsts

We celebrated Midge's first birthday yesterday. Stephen and I made his first birthday cake, which is a project we both really enjoyed.

We had made another bear cake, which we let him demolish in traditional one year birthday fashion:

It was also the day that we saw Midge take his first steps. The best we got was about five steps but despite the sugar high he was on he couldn't muster the courage to keep going and plopped his rear on the carpet. We caught it on video, which gives us another of those invisible parenting medals.

Today we had Midge dedicated at church, which was cool. He was really facinated with the lights and the praise team and after it was over we "walked" him into the nursery in big boy fashion.

A year old...doesn't even seem possible.

Boy Cooties

The first weekend of this month Stephen and I went camping with our small group from church. During the trip Stephen started complaining of a sore throat. It was pretty bad and I encouraged him to see a doctor when we arrived home but he is stubborn and refused.

So our camping gear is still sitting in our formal living room. Still. I can't unpack it all myself because it is heavy and Stephen has probably forgotten it exists.

Now here is where I have to reveal a secret about my spouse that I wasn't planning on telling anyone but it ties into the story so here goes...he wears my deodorant. He insists that it works better and that it smells better. Ooookay. I bought him his own but it was unscented and he wanted to smell powder fresh. Again, oooookay. So he has been putting my feminine deodorant on his stinky pits. I can hear the commercial now..."Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman!"

Stephen has used up the last of my deodorant and I remember there is some in the suitcase downstairs buried under camping gear so I go downstairs. I open up the suitcase and there I see a disturbing sight....his toothbrush.

I count the days since we have arrived back at home from camping...seven. Seven days that his toothbrush has been packed away. I try to recall if his breath was horribly stinky the last time we kissed. Yuck yuck yuck! I love the guy...but this is where the line gets drawn.

So I call him and the conversation goes like this:

Him: Hey, what's up?
Me: Do you realize your toothbrush has been packed away since the camping trip?
Him: Uh-huh.
Me: Have you been brushing your teeth?
Him: Uh-huh. I have been using your toothbrush.
Me: Uhhh huh.

I dropped it because I was really too baffled to decode the male mind and how it works.

Man is sick.

Man doesn't see his toothbrush.

Man grabs what toothbrush he finds.

Man brushes teeth with it.

Man doesn't tell owner of toothbrush.

Man repeats process for a week.

Wife wakes up with a sore throat.

DOH!

My First Troufeey.

NeeNee won her first trophy for that very cheer! Her team took home first place in the junior division and a spirit award.

She was so proud!

And to make sure everyone knew how she felt about her "troufeey" she made signs for it:

GO TIGERS!!!!

The Worth of a Mommy

Full time stay at home moms are not given the credit they deserve.

I can't think of a job that encompasses more job titles:

Childcare provider- aka "Diaper Changer Extraordinaire"

Maid- Pigsty lectures only get you so far.

Chef- "I don't like this. I want peanut butter and jelly."

Chauffer- Forget the limo...bring on the minivan with DVD!

Nurse- Able to list off each kid's individual dosage of Tylenol without pause according to weight and age.

Crime scene investigator- Evidence weighs heavy when trying to figure out who wrote on the wall with marker.

Judge- "How do you plead on the accusation of marking on the wall with a Sharpie?"

Jury- "I find you guilty on all counts of marking up the wall with black permanent ink."

Executioner- "As punishment you will sit in the corner for five minutes and when you come out you must help mommy clean the wall."

Jailer- "If you get out of time out I will add minutes to your time."

Financial consultant- "That's too expensive, put it back."

Butler- Ever answering calls for water at 2am.

Bank- "Here are four tokens, go play Skeeball."

Laundromat- It literally never ever stops.

Policewoman- "You are in violation of rule 182 that states you may not get up from the table until you ask to be excused."

Referee- "I saw what you did to your sister. Time out for you buddy!" (Refer to executioner and jailer descriptions.)

Fashionista- "Those do not match, go back to your room and put on the outfit I laid out for you."

Educator- "Yes, daddy's expensive watch will flush down the toilet."

Plumber- Usually fishing for toys or stopping toilet overflow (see above).

Milk Maid- Nothing like a screaming infant pulling on your shirt at the store.

Chief Negotiator- "If you are good on this shopping trip I will let you pick out a treat."

Historian- Baby book keeper, photographer, sentimental keepsakes saver.

Nutritionist- "Pretend your broccoli is a tree and eat it like a dinosaur."

Speech Therapist- "Say dada. Daaaahhh dahhhh. Daaaaahhh dahhhhh."

Secretary- Arranges playdates, doctor's appointments, and Gymboree.

Courier- "I've gotta run two dozen cookies to Jr's class today."

Cheerleader- Sits at every sporting event and roots for her favorite player.

Defense attorney- Because that bully at school is going to pay!

Nurturer- This is the most important job of all. One that defines our career and makes us unique in our jobs.

Today my eleven month old son was sick. Last night he was up five times. He was pretty pitiful. I had to wake him up from a nap to pick up Bear and he laid over my shoulder and patted my back affectionately. To him, I am everything. There is nobody above me. No concept of God...nothing greater than mommy. I am the healer of all things yucky. By the end of the day I was covered in snotty smears and as tired as I was I longed to pick him up for one last warm baby hug complete with back patting action. I turned up the baby monitor so I could hear every noisy breath, every cough. No matter that I might wake up more often, I just wanted to hear every movement he makes. He is everything to me, but to him I am all he knows and the only person he trusts to keep him safe. For that I am honored.

There is no way to pay a mom. No monetary value you can place on what she does day in and day out. Truly moms shape our world and can influence a whole generation...what other job gives us that kind of responsibility?

The last four months that I have been unemployed have been busy. I love my new job staying at home, but there is truly nothing quite as diificult or exhausting and I wouldn't trade my position for anything else in the world.

Kick Em When They're Up, Kick Em When They're Down

On Tuesday I had a bad headache and just felt bad overall. That night my throat started hurting. I didn't want to eat or drink. Then my glands in my neck swelled up and my throat felt like it was on fire. I waited a day and existed on 4 Advil every six hours. On Thursday I was in tears because I hurt so much despite the Advil. I called and made a doctor's appointment for that afternoon knowing I was going to have to pay out of pocket for everything because we are still uninsured.

Right before I left for my doctor's appointment I got a call from the Respiratory Therapy consultant for the new hospital where I interviewed at. He told me that because I don't have my RRT that I will not be able to be the supervising respiratory therapist. I spoke with him (the best I could with how much it hurt to talk) and told him that I was working on it but it didn't seem to sway him any. So basically that door was slammed in my face.

Feeling as if I just got kicked in the stomach, Midge and I went to the doctor's office. They confirmed my suspicion that I had strep throat and sent me off with a prescription.

The pharmacy couldn't fill my prescription for an hour and a half and so I went home, where I started feeling worse than ever. I could feel my temp spike up and my throat hurt so badly I stuck my lower jaw out and tears ran out of my eyes. I couldn't even swallow. I had to keep a towel by me so I wouldn't drool. Luckily my grandpa came to the rescue, picking up my prescription and bringing me some ice cream and a slushie. I finally was on the road to recovery.

My husband came home and the rest of the night I spent sucking on ice cubes and bravely swallowing the ice cold water down even though it hurt like crazy.

This morning I feel better even though I am still at square one. My throat is still sore but it's not as bad as it was. I am eating ice as a type. I had ice cream for breakfast but the sweetness burned too much. My glands are not as swollen and I don't feel achy. I am still planning on staying at home in my jammies for most of the day.

Thanks to everyone who was so encouraging with me getting the job. I have to wonder what God wants me to do. Midge has gotten to the point where he cries if I am not around all the time so I hate to think of leaving him full time. My bank account cries when I am not working.

The next chapter begins....

The Interview

I got back from the big interview a couple hours ago. I spent the last couple days picking out a business suit (a first for me) and updating my resume and getting pep talks left and right.

I arrived 15 minutes early and made pals with someone there who liked classic cars (go figure). Then I was sent back to meet the Chief Nurse Executive and the Director of Outpatient Services. They were both nice and we settled in for an hour and fifteen minute interview. I told them about my career and why I think I am right for the position and then they asked me a series of questions about my leadership skills and I asked them questions about the position and what they expected of me.

The hard part was that I had to explain why I was no longer working at my old job. I turned it into a positive by assuring them I am "driven" to get my registry exam done now that the opportunity has been taken away from me. They seemed satisfied with that.

The good points were that the Chief Nurse Executive commented on how organized I was and how good my resume looked. She ended the interview saying that she wants to give opportunites to people.

I have two more interviews, one with the CEO of the hospital and one with a prominent physician who I already know. I know I am up against one other therapist for the job and so we shall see...

Overall I think it went well. Continue your prayers and positive thoughts for me!