Too Much Time To Think

This post comes solely as the result of not being able to sleep. It will probably make no sense come morning. But, what the heck, I'm awake anyways...I may as well blog. After hours of squeezing my eyes shut, tossing and turning to no avail, and not being able to find the off switch for my brain, I decided to get up and write about the oddities that pass thru my brain at the wee hours of the morning. Such are the trials of living with migraines.

Normally I lay there and pray when I can't fall asleep. But after 6 hours, one runs out of things to pray about. Then my mind starts wandering. I try to solve the world's problems. I start to get hungry...really hungry. Sleep is good for us...it keeps us from eating all night long. Anyways, as I was saying...I get to thinking. As if I don't already think enough. This is the absurdity that was going thru my mind tonite:

I have compiled a list of jobs I could never do. Why? I don't know.

1. Mailman/UPS guy - I'm sure there is a more politically correct title given to those jobs, but I don't know it. It would drive me crazy day in and day out to deliver packages and large envelopes to people without knowing what's inside them. I'm way too curious. I'd spend precious amounts of time speculating and making up stories about all these mysterious items. I'd eventually go insane.

2. An 18-wheeler truck driver - Just shoot me now. The thought of driving across super long distances over and over again nauseates me. Boring! You can't multi-task while you're driving (except for maybe listen to a book on tape). I can't sit that long. When asked during an interview once what job I would never take, I gave this answer. Seriously. How pathetic. I'd much rather be a janitor or maid.

3. A Scuba diver - Scary! First of all I hate ponds, lakes and oceans. There are lots of live creatures in there that want to eat me. I'm not cool with that. Plus, I can't take water pressure very well...I black out too easily.

4. A Fireman and/or any emergency personnel - The sound of those sirens sends my blood pressure thru the roof. I start panicking. My heart races faster than after I've taken two excedrin migraine (which is what I have coursing thru my veins right now). I'm almost in tears over the prospect of someone getting hurt in some horrific car accident/house fire. I am not calm under pressure. Plus, the fire hose is way too heavy, I like taking elevators and not the stairs and there is just so much mess to clean up after a fire. Where do you start? Plus, I possess an intense fear of fire. I don't even allow a fire in my fireplace because I'm so scared. I'm realizing through this little activity of mine that I have alot more phobias than previously thought.

5. A Herpetologist - my kids are enthralled with people like Jeff Corwin and Donald Schultz and make me sit and watch shows with all kinds of scary snakes and spiders on them. I get the hebee-jebees SO BAD. Then, once outside, say in a camping or hiking situation, I become hypersensitive to EVERYTHING around me and don't have fun because there might be a snake hanging out of a tree above me and I have to see him before he sees me. It's hard being me.

6. A Chef - Again, too much pressure. Have I mentioned I don't take pressure very well. All these people expecting me to make lots of good food. Ughh! First of all, I can barely think of 7 different meal options to feed my family each week. Imagine the pressure of cooking for so many random people and it having to taste good AND look good. Plus, I don't cook food I don't like, so the menu options would be extremely limited.

7. A Pilot or Mountain Climber - Cuz I'm scared of heights - deathly afraid of heights! I would have zero use over all my limbs because they all turn to jello and I can't feel or control my legs because they are shaking so much. Seriously. Just being up really high in a stadium is super hard for me. I feel like if I lean over the seat or railing too much, I'll just spontaneously throw myself over. The mental battles I deal with are immense.

8. A Surgeon - Because I can't take the pressure of messing up on someone's life. Plus, I have a rather queezy stomach and the sight of anything gross along with gross smells, makes me feel like I might throw up at any moment. Not a good state of mind for a surgeon to be in.

9. A Model - I hate following fashion trends. I can't walk in stilettos. My legs are about 6 inches too short. And I hate the way they do their hair and make-up.

10. A Competitive Athlete or Olympian - I can't stand the competition. It would take all the fun out of whatever it is I'd be doing. Again, it's the whole pressure thing. That and I hate to exercise or train for anything. I don't stick with schedules very well. I'm not a good team player. I get the whole fast heart rate thing again and I can't look when the score gets too close.

11. Web Designer or Programmer - I'm not big into details. Actually, I could care less. I like the big picture. I watch Chuck do his job and thank God I'm not him and then I also thank God that he made people like him who are so good at what they do and actually find joy in the details and staring at screens all day.

So...there you have it. I'm glad I've narrowed down the field for my future self. In case I decide on a new career in my middle age. It could have been worse, I could have gotten up and mopped. Now that I've gotten all that off my brain, maybe I can go take a quick nap before the kids get up...

Science of the Imagination

Is it any surprise that Gavin's favorite show is on the Science Channel and is called, "Science of the Impossible"? He also has a link under his 'favorites' on the computer to the Science channel's "Deconstructed" page - you know, where they take every and any thing and take it apart to it's smallest molecular structure so all the rest of us know how it works. Is there anything cooler? I think not.

So, then does it come as any surprise that aforementioned son, let's call him The Absent-Minded Professor so as not to reveal his true identity, was so taken with one of these shows that immediately following the end of the show he just HAD TO MAKE HIS OWN CREATION!

I've never seen him move with such speed. In a matter of minutes he had located paper, pencil and scissors. Then he sat down at his desk and worked as if his life depended on it. When he finally emerged he asked me if I knew where the tape was. Once he'd procured the tape, he was back to the mission at hand. He was making an intricate alarm/password/entry detector system for his room and all doors leading to and around it.

This was his greatest moment. Notice the amount of 'effort' and 'detail' put into these intricate drawings. Details have never been one of Gavin's strong suits. They get in the way of the bigger picture. And it is the bigger picture we have here:

This is the entry to Gavin's room. Notice the palm, retina and
fingerprint scanner along with a keypad. He seriously does each of these
4 things each and every time before entering his beloved space.

Next we have his closet. I especially love the intricate 'sticky hand' security device.

This would be the entry to the bathroom from his bedroom.

Lastly, this is on the other side of the bathroom door. This is the lovely view from the commode.

You have now witnessed the greater workings of Gavin World. A place few of us get the privilege to enter. If I could tap into a 10th of the imagination his mind possesses, it would be a good day.

Feel the Love

I love how the kids take our Valentine tradition so seriously. We have to do everything just like we did the year before. And of course, they remember the details so vividly. I'm glad Chuck still does the cooking...I'm not ready to taste their cuisine just yet. But I'm sure the day will come, but until then, I enjoy eating the exact same meal every year because really...who wants to mess with a good thing?

The waitstaff - the one in the middle with the pilgrim hat on is Bob.

The guests - seated at the customary kiddie table in the middle of the living room.
This year we were lucky to have ponytail holders keeping our napkins tight around
our utensils. It's all in the details.

Snowiest Day Ever (in Texas)

The creek behind our house

The view from our bedroom window that welcomed us to a new day

The field behind our house



Our transformer snowman (this is what happens when you
send Chuck in to go get a 'hat' for our snowman)

The Happy Snack

We all know I have 'food issues'. There is no blog long enough to describe my food woes. But one thing I've deduced over the years of being me is that there is a direct correlation between the happiness of my head and the happiness of my stomach. Seriously. When my head hurts (i.e. - migraine), it's typically because of something I've eaten. When my stomach hurts, so does my head. Coincidence - I think not.

There are very few food pleasures I have left in this world. I used to be a cookie monster. No longer. Too much sugar. I used to love cake. No more cake. Unless I want a migraine. Sugar doesn't like me. But I like it. I need it, even in the teeniest amounts. It completes my food palate. So, gone are the cookies, ice cream, cake, sweets of all varieties.

But...all is not lost. I have one trick up my sleeve. I have managed to pull a fast one on my stomach and head. And it is called The Happy Snack. You see, the reason I can get away with eating peanuts combined with m&m's is all about the ratio. I must eat two peanuts to every one m&m. I know it's pathetic, but it's all I've got. If I have to sit and count out my snack - so be it. I've found that if I eat enough protein, my head can handle sugar a little better without giving me an instant migraine.

So....I've perfected this snack to a fine art. Normally I eat it with 2 huge glasses of water. But every so often, I pull out the big guns and have it with a glass of Chardonnay. Bliss. Happiness. Contentment. Thus the name...

Potty Problems Prevail

No family should have to deal with so many "potty issues" in one life time. My blog is replete with enough "potty talk" to prove our ordeal. We call it The Curse of the Potty. Sometimes it's the actual potty causing us problems...most often it is the interaction of a child and the potty. But either way, I've written the word potty waaaaay too many times.

Bennett is well into the throes of middle childhood. I just coined that phrase. To me, that is the time frame of 6-10 years old. Poopie stories should be behind us (no pun intended). Potty problems should be a thing of the past. Everyone in this family now wears underwear (most days). I mention Bennett solely because he was the one who incited most of my illustrious writing abilities on the topic of poopie/potties and all things bottom related. What more could there be to write about where the potty is concerned?

Evidently...a lot more! Our house seems to be cursed with 3 potties each with a mind of their own. The one that Chloe and Bennett share is called 'The Overflower'. It overflowed the first night we bought the house and continues to do so at least once or twice a week - sometimes more if we're lucky.

Rightfully so, Chloe is paranoid of flushing. She refuses to be in there alone when flushing commences. This causes issues. I won't go there right now. I can't tell you how many times I thought a monster was reaching out of the commode trying to attack Chloe by the insane sounding scream that accompanies each flush that results in 'potty overflow'.

Bennett almost has a plumber's license by now, so accomplished is he at thwarting and fixing an overflowing toilet. He knows how to shut the water off at the valve, how to plunge and how to scream for help.

Each of these poor children are going to grow up feeling so self conscious each time they feel the need to potty - all because of 'The Curse'.

Gavin also has a bathroom attached to his bedroom downstairs. It is our guest bathroom. It likes to overflow as well. It also has a special sound. We call his potty 'The Hisser'. At any random time, the potty often makes a sound similar to a snake hissing. Talk about freaky. How do you warn a guest in your house about the sound the toilet they are about to use may or may not 'hiss' at them and will most likely overflow when they flush? Should you warn them, after all, it's random. We've noticed a lot of people don't use the bathroom when they visit.

The toilet in the master bath most closely resembles a 'normal' toilet. It has it's random bouts of flooding, but for the most part it just likes to make noises. Unlike the hissing of the downstairs bathroom, this toilet sounds like a firehose about to be turned on. And again, to keep things fun, the sound is very random, loud and mostly happens when I'm visiting the bathroom because I guess it likes a good prank and enjoys seeing me jump out of my socks each and every time. I'm a little skittish if you can't tell.

Since there's always something to be thankful for, I guess my thankful is that...it could always be worse. We could have a privy out back and then our stories would involve critters we find in it. At least we don't have to deal with the elements in our bathroom usage. At least all overflows have been confined to the tile area of the bathroom and have not yet spoiled any carpet or wood (knock on wood). Overall, life is good. People like to refer to this as my 'Pollyanna Syndrome'.

Fame

Before Bennett rushes off to school this morning, he confides in me that, "Mom, I think I'm famous at school."

"Oh really. How so?"

"Well...you see, this kid from this other class that I didn't even know knew my name, called my name at recess the other day and asked me to play with him. And I was like...ok."

"Cool. What do you plan to do with all your fame?"

"I don't know. I think I'll lock it up."

I guess none of us really know how we're going to handle fame until we're forced to deal with it.

Thoughts on Life by Chloe

Chloe neatly folded her special piece of paper and handed it to me like we were in school and she was trying to keep it from the teacher seeing it. It was too cute. Then she whispered to me, "Mom, open it up. Read it."

"Okay" I reply quietly in return.

And then I'm awed. This is what life taught her today and this is how she responded to it. I like days like that.

We had several issues that were the result of not listening or obeying or were of just messing up. But we tackled each one and went on with our day. No condemnation...just learning from our mistakes. But by the third one she couldn't handle it any more and yelled out with exasperation in her voice, "Mom, that's thrice I've messed up today!"

"Honey, did you learn something from each mess up?" She shakes her head yes.

"Then don't beat yourself up. You're a kid. You're supposed to mess up. That's how you learn. Remember what we read in our book today (Mountain Born, by Elizabeth Yates)? Remember when Benj tells Peter, 'never the harm done that can't be undone. Easy take it; easy right it.' That applies to your situation as well, Sweetie. Let's learn from this and move on.

Then she stopped beating herself up and moved on to poetry instead.

Locks of Love

For a while now, I have been reading a horribly sad blog about a family who discovered their sweet 5 year old girl had a brain tumor. One day Chloe found me at the computer reading the blog and wanted to know about the little girl in the picture. I told her a simplified version. Since that day we've spent a lot of time praying for her, checking in on her and asking lots of questions about cancer. She had been growing her hair out for a long time with the intent of giving it to Locks of Love. But after seeing a real little girl, her age, with her same hair color, and in need, she wanted to do it sooner and give it directly to her.

We all desire to help where ever we see a need. I'm so proud of Chloe for 'helping' in the only way she knew how...and from her heart.

Like Mike

I LOVE basketball! And I love it all the more when I get to watch my kids play it. Bennett is in an excellent league this year with a wonderful team. He works SOOO hard each week at his practices. He's learned alot from his coach. It's always wonderful to see a bunch of people, in whatever situation, learn to work as a team.

All their hard work during practices has definitely been paying off on the court during game days. We've gone undefeated so far. But today we were to play another undefeated team. We were very nervous. They were taller than our boys, knew their position better than our boys, and were excellent ball handlers and defenders.

We were down by 7 points at the half. At this age, a 7 point lead is almost impossible to comeback from. It was a hard game to watch. Fouls were all over the place and not getting called. The boys played hard and persevered even harder. The parents were cheering so loud, we were getting hoarse.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the score was 19 - 13. Our boys spent the rest of the quarter catching up and had finally tied the score 21 - 21. Unbelievable! They did an amazing job at keeping them scoreless for the last quarter.

Then comes final 9 seconds of the game. Our guys rebounded then passed down the court. Somehow, Bennett was the one with the ball. The other team was all over him. He went down. A foul was called. He shot two free throws! He made made one of them! Each time with a huge smile on his face. The crowd went wild. This is stuff kids dream about. The timer buzzed and we flew off the bleachers yelling in victory over the unreal comeback. Final score: 22 - 21.

Bennett couldn't wipe that smile off his face the whole rest of the day. He was so proud of his team. Each one of them did amazing. We told him we were shocked that the foul on him got called and he confessed, "I got fouled on purpose." I didn't even know he knew he could do that. Then he explained that during the time out, Coach told him that if he ended up with the ball, to try to get fouled. It worked!

Be still my heart. I might just have the next Michael Jordan in the making! If that's not a proud mom, I don't know what is!

Special Time

This is the epitome of wonderful for Gavin and me. The other night, Gavin and I were given the opportunity to have some time alone together. Without even talking to each other we both knew exactly what it was we wanted to do: read! We got home, put the tea kettle on, got our favorite book and sat down in the chairs together and read. It was wonderful! Gavin would look over at me periodically and say, "Mom, I love you!" and I'd reply, "Me too, Honey." I love that he considers this quality/special time together because I love it too. I don't have to go too far out of my comfort zone to accommodate him on this. We're speaking the same love language here. This is the picture of contentment!

Too Cute

Chuck was on the phone and I was out running errands. Evidently, Chloe needed something and didn't want to interrupt Daddy, so she left him this note instead:

How can you say 'no' to a 5 year old kid who asks for pickles? And even remembers to use the proper punctuation.