Here's a Short Story

Mom and Dad take Son to college 6 hours away.

Mom cries all the way home.

Son calls to make sure Mom and Dad made it home, waking them at midnight.

Mom cries again.

Mom wakes up in the morning with a heavy heart.

Son calls Mom first thing in the morning and talks to her for an hour.

Mom feels better because she knows she's raised a wonderful, caring Son.

Healing Nicely

Tristan's new tattoo is healing nicely. He's had some peeling, and a temporary freak-out when he thought it was peeling completely away, but now that it's almost done peeling, the real beauty of the tattoo is starting to shine through. He'll definitely have to go have it touched up in December when he comes home for Christmas break, but I think all in all, he's pretty happy with it.

Happy enough that he's talking about getting more. Tattoos, that is. He wants Chinese words/symbols such as Love (over his heart), hope, happiness, etc. I told him he could be a walking billboard of inspiration. Hell, instead of majoring in foreign language in college, he could major in inspiration, and sell inspirational products after graduation.

I guess I should be happy. He wants a number of tattoos, but nothing gawdy or satanic like some that I've seen. All are positive and motivating. That's a good thing.

Man, I'm proud of that boy!

Disney Vacation in the Works?

Since I started working from home, I've read a lot about Disney. I have a good friend to thank for that, which brings to mind another post.....

Anyway, she visits Disney every year, twice. It's crazy. She and her family love it. I've never been. Never really had any inkling to.....until now. Reading all her posts about their trips and how much fun they have makes me curious. I mean, I like Cinderella, too.

So, Mike and I have been talking. And talking. And talking some more about maybe taking a vacation to Disney. It's a big maybe at this point, but just the fact that we're talking about it has me really excited.

We've talked about using a Disney vacation planner because we really have no idea what we're doing. You know, you can get their services for free a lot of the time? How cool is that? Saving money anywhere you can, that's how cool that is.

So, I really don't know at this point if the Disney vacation will ever come to light, but I sure hope it does. It would be so much fun for the kids now that they are older. Hell, it would be so much fun for this old kid!

Good News!

The doc called today. I had my 3 month diabetes check up this week, and she called with the results of my blood work. I was expecting the worst, because that's what I do. Surprisingly, she had good news.

"Your numbers look good. Your glucose levels went down since last time. You've lost weight, and the swelling in your joints has gone away. If this keeps up, and you continue to improve, I'll reduce your medication at your next check up in six months."

You can't ask for much more than that, folks! This tells me that my hard work over the last three months has paid off. It wasn't all for nothing. And, it gives me inspiration to keep going. In six months, I want to be thinner. I won't put a number out there on poundage, but I want to be thinner.

So, with a renewed sense of self, I will continue to strive for a healthy body. I will stick to my diet and shoot for a reduction in meds.

Of course, that will be after I eat this sinful brownie tonight to celebrate! Shhhhhh........

If I Weren't This Old....

Seriously.

If I weren't this old, I just might be tempted to try for another baby.

I'm sure Mike would have something to say about that, and luckily for him, I AM this old so he doesn't have to worry about it.

Tristan is going away to college in 10 days. Rebecca and Timothy do not need me like they used to. Frankly, I don't think they like me all that much, but I keep telling myself that's normal. It is normal, right?

Anyway, there is a slight, and I mean slight, yearning to have another baby. I keep remembering what it was like to hold their little, warm bodies close to mine. And their tiny little clothes! I loved the tiny clothes. And the way they smelled. You mothers know what I'm talking about. That baby smell that only lasts a little while, but you never forget it.

And what about the baby shower? That was always the best part about being pregnant. The personalized baby stuff that everyone brought as gifts to celebrate the new bundle? Love, love, LOVE the baby shower!

Ah well......I'm sure the yearning will soon pass. I know it's just a phase. I don't really want another baby.

I just miss the ones I already have.

Two Months, Countless Miles, and Counting

<-----See that key over there? The one on the bumper of our Blazer? Yep. That Master Lock key. That's the one.

That key is a little ongoing experiment Mike is conducting right now. The experiment started out purely as an accident. You see, Mike had two identical keys on his keychain for two different Master Locks. One, he used to lock the trailer on his boat when attached to the car. The other, was long gone.

It became a nuisance to Mike to have to try one key and then the other when he wanted to unlock the boat. So, in a fit of frustration one afternoon after an unsuccessful fishing trip, he took the unneeded key off his key ring and threw it on the bumper of the car. "There! That's the last time I have to deal with that stupid key," he swore.

Distracted by something other than the key, he left it there. That was back in June. It is now the middle of August and it is still there. The kids know not to touch it, and the guy at the tire center where we had our tires changed two days ago now knows not to touch it. Mike's friends know not to touch it. As a matter of fact, one of his supporters....err....friends......makes a daily check of the Blazer bumper to ensure that the key is still there.

When will this experiment end? Who knows. My guess is that the key will eventually fall off, but it will not be noticed until days later when someone happens to remember that it once was there. It will be known as the key that rode hundreds of miles on the back Blazer bumper. It will become famous for its staying power.

OK.....

Maybe not.

Thinking About the Future

OMG! Today, I was thinking about Tristan leaving for college next week. You know, being all sad and depressed-like because my baby is leaving me. Anyway, out of no where, a scary thought popped into my head ( I know. That in itself is scary that a thought would actually want to be in there, but I digress.)

I thought (to myself, of course), "What am I going to do when all the kids are gone? I'm going to have to spend time alone.......with their father!"

This may sound like a nice thing when the kids are always underfoot. What couple doesn't dream of just a few hours alone together (a few days? weeks?) to reconnect and pretend that they aren't parents? I know I have had a thought or two over the years like this. But every day?

What will we do? What will we talk about? Do we have a solid enough relationship to hang together without the children as glue? I have to be honest, the thought is a bit terrifying to me. I know couples go through this all the time. We aren't the first, and of course, we have a few years before that happens, but maybe we need to start preparing.

Maybe some relationship coaching can help? I'm willing to try anything to ensure that Mike doesn't get bored of me, or worse yet, that I don't get bored of him. I mean, we're going to be all alone in this house with no kids to wait on, or yell at. As good as that sounds, I'm going to be lost. Who will I mother? Mike? Will he let me?

Oh for the love of Pete! That is ridiculous!

And, who will he yell at and guide ever so firmly and loudly in the right direction? Me? I can't imagine.

If anyone is going to be in the Springfield, NJ area on September 9th, stop in at Barnes and Noble for the "Commitment vs. Complacency" discussion. It's part of the Heart vs. Mind series given by R.A. Leslie, a motivational speaker and life coach. It should prove to be very powerful and provocative!

Tristan's New Tattoo

My boy is growing up. Or at least according to the laws governing tattooing in Wisconsin, he is. He went yesterday and got his first tattoo. He's been wanting one for a couple of years now, but only finally became old enough to do so this past Spring.

It's an ambigram. To be honest, I had no idea what an ambigram was until just recently, when he made up his mind that his first tattoo would be one. What's an ambigram, you ask? Well, let's see if I can explain it correctly.

An ambigram is a word that spells one thing when you read it normally, but if turned upside down, it will read something else. Or, it will be a mirror image of the original word. Do you understand with my somewhat confusing definition? I confuse myself sometimes, so if not, look it up. That's what my momma always used to say when I wanted to know the definition of something.

So, it's done, and it's cool. He's really sore today. "It's like a really bad bruise with a sunburn on top of it," is what he tells me. The funny thing is, the tattoo says "Overcome Anything." I tell him to suck it up and do what his tattoo says.

I'm such a caring mother......

Free Disney Vacation Planning

For those of you that are planning an end-of-the-summer trip to Disney, are you certain that you're getting the best deals? Do you know about all the attractions and things available to do there? If you think so, you might want to think again.

Travel With The Magic offers free Disney vacation planning services to help make your trip the best it can be without spending every cent you have. The constantly monitor the deals being offered, and are in a position to upgrade your services at a moment's notice if need be to get you the best deal possible so you can enjoy your trip without the worry.

Once you've booked your trip with Travel With the Magic, you'll receive a welcome packet that contains your reservation information, fun stuff for the kids to do, park maps, stickers, their contact information, and more. If there are any issues along the way, all you have to do is contact Travel With the Magic and they will work with Disney to resolve your issue quickly and easily. It's that simple. Your trip is all about having a fun and relaxing time. You shouldn't have to worry about the planning and stress of it.

Bought Myself Some New Shoes

Woohoo!

My feet hurt so bad all the time. I think it's from the diabetes, but won't know for sure until next week when I go to the doc for a checkup. At any rate, it was time for some new tennis shoes anyway. My mom, the queen of all that is cool, told me about a pair of shoes from Skechers. She assured me that my feet would never hurt again if I were to buy a pair. A $100 pair.

Yeah...

Luckily, my wonderful son found the same type of shoe at Target. I know, probably not as well built, and probably won't last as long, but oh well. They were only $28, and let me tell you. They are awesome! It's like walking on a cloud, if walking on a cloud was possible. They're called Trim Steps.

Who knows? Maybe I'll actually get out an take a walk now. Anything is possible! :)

Slowly But Surely Adjusting

Well, I'm doing it. Surprisingly, it hasn't been as tough as I first thought it was going to be. Somehow, adjusting to diabetic life is just kind of.....happening. Without any real thought on the subject, I've managed to lose almost 20lbs. so far, change the way I eat (except for tonight. I had Taco Bell for supper AND chips and salsa. But, that's not the norm.) For the most part, my sugar levels are good. The mornings when I first get up they are high, but I'm hoping with a medication change, that will come within reason soon. All in all, it isn't that bad.

I've even learned to.....wait for it.......drink diet soda! *Gasp*

I swore when I was first diagnosed that I would never, ever, EVER drink diet soda. I gave up soda all together. But, after a couple of months without it, I began to miss it. I finally broke down a couple of weeks ago, after getting sick of nothing but water, and while at a restaurant where my only choice was diet soda or water, I ordered a diet soda. Diet coke, to be exact. It was pretty damned good! So, while I still drink water mostly, the occasional soda finds its way into my diet here and there. Sometimes I even shock myself.

I go back to the doctor in a couple of weeks. It'll be my first checkup since being diagnosed. I hope she's happy with the progress I've made, and I hope she'll address the high counts in the mornings. I'm looking forward to bragging about my accomplishments.

Oh, before I forget, if anyone is looking for personalized baby toys, I have a coupon code for Baby Stuff Gifts. Mention "FREE Pancake Crinkle Bear" on any purchase over $30 between now and August 15, 2010.

Getting Ready For School

I hate this time of year. I always feel like I'm forgetting something, and it usually ends up being something important. The school supplies, school clothes, registration, etc. It's all so overwhelming. They can have this kind of notebook, but not this kind. They need notebooks and folders to match. Fine. I can do that. Unfortunately, the store does not carry 6 different colors in the notebooks like they do in the folders.

ARGH!!!!

My head is spinning already, and we've got almost a month before they go back. To make matters even more hectic, Tristan is going to college this year. A whole new can of worms. This form needs filled out. This scholarship needs to go here, but that one needs to go there. Has he had all of his immunizations? If so, when? What kind of bed do you want to sleep on? A loft or a bunk? That dorm fridge can only be so many cubic inches. Blah, blah, blah. I'm not sure whether I'm coming or going with the college stuff. And they don't help you all that much either. I need a list. A list that says, "This specific stuff needs to be done before your child can go to college here." Luckily, there are five students from his high school that are going to the same college, so after comparing notes, the parents are about 75% confident that we've got everything covered. I'm sure this is not the case, but 75% is better than nothing, right?

Have you tried shopping for school clothes with an almost-13 year old girl? Um.....it's impossible, to say the least. She acts like she's the Queen of England or something and should only have the best of everything. She will only wear this brand of jeans and that brand of shoes. Her favorite color is pink, but only on Tuesdays. "Gawd, Mom! I can't be seen wearing THAT!" I'm so sick of that eye-roll thing she does, I'm about to roll her head across the floor.

I just don't remember it being this difficult when the kids were younger. They wore what we bought, and that was that. School registration was easy, and school supplies were even simpler.

I've decided if this is the way it's going to be from here on out, I'm going on a one-woman vacation this time next year. I'll let the grandmas take care of buying their clothes and supplies. I'll let Mike take the girl shopping. That will teach her!