Go Away Cold!

I sure hope that we are getting all of the sickness out of our system NOW so that the kids will be ready for school to start! This week has been tough for my little ones. Mallory had a cold a couple of weeks ago. She must be one tough cookie, because she fought it off and bounced back quickly. Faith and Cameron, on the other hand, have really struggled this week. They were so pitiful. We battled fever, runny noses, and coughs. They were taking naps and they were not up to their usual mischief! Poor things! Monday, I got home to find that Faith's eye was pink and a little puffy. My immediate thought was, "pink eye," but I hoped that it was simply cold. After I panicked and worried about what to do (I HATED to take off work), I simply called the doctor and they called something in to the pharmacy...WHEW. Of course, Cameron's eyes became "pink," as well.

I DO have one funny story....

I guess that I was telling a lie above...the whole thing about them not being up to mischief. For most of the week, they have napped and watched television. HOWEVER, on Wednesday, they began to perk up a bit. Of course, I was unaware that they were feeling so much better, and I was so stressed about being at work while they were sick and the decision of whether to take them to the doctor or not. So, I was calling every couple of hours to see if they had any fever and to make a decision of, "Do I leave work or do I not?" That's when I learned that Cameron had taken a fall. From what I can understand, he was jumping from a chair. When I talked to the sitter, I found that Cameron was refusing to walk. He said that it didn't hurt, but he refused to walk. I got him on the phone to make sense of it all, and he told me, "I teasin' B." That's what they call the sitter. Well, I tried to reason with him that if it doesn't hurt and if he is JUST teasing, he should walk. Still, he refused. Having said that, Granny B was carrying him wherever he wanted to go. Still, I was concerned. OMG...I mean, if he had ANOTHER broken foot, DFACS would definitely be calling me. Seriously. I called Cody up, and he went on home to inspect the foot. As soon as he saw Cody, he jumped up and said, "I can walk, Daddy," and he took off. The sitter thought it was funny, and I laughed it off. However, I was beyond irritated, and we had a little heart to heart. :)

Soooo.....it seems that everyone is on the mend and we have no broken bones. I consider that to be a fairly successful week, right?

I sure hated that my babies felt bad...but they loved to snuggle and I took FULL advantage.

Going out on a Limb

It was back to school week! AHHHH! I am definitely getting used to getting up at the crack of dawn every morning! Overall, I think that I have done very well with the leaving the kids part. I have had a couple of good cries...in private....but I am holding it together fairly well. There have been certain times during my first days back that I have had to just walk away. All of these little bitty babies keep reminding me of my own! I was trying so hard to comfort a preschooler the other day that I had to finally rub his little face, pat his little head, say that it would be ok, and walk away. I almost lost it. Really. No kidding. Ahhh...but I battled with that ALL YEAR last year. So, I am not so sure I will overcome that one. 

The kids are adjusting VERY well to my being gone. It's like there's no change at all. Cameron has said that he doesn't want me to go to work, and Faith usually asks each night who will be there in the morning (which breaks my heart). Other than that, though, they are doing GREAT....and loving having their way with the sitter...lol!

 I know that most mothers work these days, and I am extremely blessed to have a summer and holidays with my children. So, I am going to hold on to those positives for now. However, I am also convinced that God doesn't intend for us to feel "stuck" or accepting of an existence full of what ifs and regrets...and I think that as a society that's what we do. We go to jobs that we are unhappy in. We sit back and think that's the way that it should be. We convince ourselves that there's nothing else that we can do, and we worry about what people may think or say if we go out on a limb. I believe that I think with my head a little too much....and with my heart not enough. After all of this rambling, I must clarify that I don't HATE my job...or the profession. There are some changes that I would like to make, however. I am vowing to follow my heart these days and see just where that takes me. Praying for blessings and a peace like no other.

Speaking of going out on a limb, and taking chances, our family is about to do just that. As most know, we did so about a year ago. Cody partnered with a friend and opened up a business, Down South Diesel. We could only hope and pray. Opening a business these days is scarier than ever...A BIG RISK. So, I am so happy and proud to announce that we are expanding!!! WOOHOO!!! Cody has outgrown his current building and is moving right up the road to a bigger shop (as long as all details work out). I say "we" are expanding....like I have something to do with it...lol! Through much stress and hard work, Cody is making it happen. Can we say very proud?!  I do believe that I typed this last year, and, so, I will say it again. Things may get harder before they get better. We know that there is a risk. We are asking for continued prayers and support. We are following our hearts...enough said!

Now to the funny part of my blog (sorry this is SO long, but I have not written in a while)! I think that Cameron and Faith are ready for their school to start. As I go to and from school, I think that they are a little confused. They asked, "When are we going to school?"  I am working hard on getting them "school ready." I don't mean teaching them their ABCs and 123s or anything of that nature. I am talking about coaching them on "how not to embarrass me." As I have mentioned, they love words such as, "poop," "poop head," "booger," etc. We constantly talk about how those words are inappropriate and not what we say anywhere......ESPECIALLY SCHOOL....ESPECIALLY A CHURCH PRESCHOOL. So, during one of these conversations, Faith says, "...but that's how we talk, Momma." Bless her heart. She was SO serious.  Cameron was quietly listening in on this conversation, and says, "Well, can my shake my booty?"  I can see him breaking it down right in the sanctuary.  Cameron is also more interested in DOING bodily functions at school. He is SO proud of his poop in the potty. He told me that he was gonna' "drop a big bolda (boulder)" at school. OMG...thanks for the terminology, CODY PATRICK!!! 

I love my kids...I really, really do. I act like they embarrass me, but their funny little personalities keep me going. I'm so glad that they are not boring...lol! Who wants a kid that never says or does anything completely off the wall?

Ran across this on my computer. It's an old one but good one (I've probably posted it before).

Adventures at PCPS

I think that I mentioned that I have a one-track mind. So, I have this thing looming ahead of me and driving me crazy....it's called "school is starting in less than a week and I have to get my room ready....NOW!" We have very few preplanning days, and, although I have gone over a couple of times this summer, I want my room completely finished before the first day of preplanning. Then, I can actually PLAN...makes sense, right?  Therefore, going to school was a MUST today....even if it meant taking the kids with me. That's right. You heard me. It was all very eventful, but I must say that they were TROOPERS.

So, first of all, I was completely shocked that two staff members asked me, "Are they all yours!?" I get that question all the time from strangers, but most people at school know of my litter...and that's what most people remember if they don't know anything else. REALLY. Lots of times, people do not introduce me as the spectacularly amazing teacher that I am (just kidding), but as the mommy of three children three years and under. Oh. Well. I like to be known as the mommy of these incredible babies. So....anyway....it was funny to find someone, who didn't even begin to know our story.

I really didn't have that much to do in my classroom, but I wanted to hang some things and move things around. I also scheduled a meeting with a new teacher, who I will be collaborating with. Overall, the kids were super good...just busy. They liked to climb on my ladder. Their hands went straight towards the scissors. They loved the sink. They were probably the least behaved when I met with the teacher....of course. My attention was diverted a bit, so they took full advantage. During our little adventure, these are some of the things that occurred:

~the ladder was climbed multiple times during my nice meeting, although I asked that to be stopped multiple times
~the ladder was climbed with scissors in hand, even
~during their interest in cleanliness and washing their hands, the sink faucet was somehow turned to run all over the counter and onto the floor
~Cameron couldn't make up his mind if or when he had to do his business...so I imagine that we went to the restroom at least ten times...no exaggeration.
~We finally had a little accident so we had to do a change.
~During my meeting, in which I was really trying to make a good impression, Faith somehow pulls up YouTube, and finds an inappropriate song...I think that it had the word "hell" in it...OMG!!!
~During my meeting, Faith had YouTube going and Mallory and Cameron had Laurie Berkner from Nick Jr blasting....very distracting
~When helping the nice teacher out to her car with files, Faith held the door. She also allowed it to shut...which locked us out of the building. So, we had to make a nice, heated walk around the school.
~During our walk, Mallory had a little leak, and I was covered with urine. Yay.

I think that sums it up. LOL! I know the list makes it sound as if it were a horrible day....but it wasn't so bad. We were there for five hours, and they were actually really good. I think that I pooped them out, too....they were so irritable AND exhausted the remainder of the evening.

Love these babies!