Chills and Thrills



Thrills: 

• Erik is home for a couple of weeks.  He just finished a week long visit to St. Louis last week, back in time for Evy's Video EEG.
• Evy is SEIZURE FREE!!
• Merritt is talking more and more. This morning he spilled some milk,"Dad, I spilled.  I need a towel."  He cracks me up because when he doesn't want to do something (something he needs to do), he says,"No, thank you."  And, on more than one occasion, because he says it so politely, I almost just let him not do whatever it is!

Chills:

• My arm.  Frankly, I'm frustrated.  Frustrated.  Everything takes forever to do.  I have typos in everything I type.  I can't clean or cook sufficient to meet my expectations, can't plant in my garden, etc, etc, etc.  And, don't you dare start the "don't be so hard on yourself" speech. 
• The acceptance of mediocrity as okay behavior.  If you are going to put effort into doing it, just do it right.  I'm starting to sound like a cranky person.

A Little Bit of Fun

Before Erik left for Asia, we had several families over for Sundaes on Sunday.  We had a marvelous time!  Everett loved having fresh competition for his air hockey matches!

Memory Lane

This past weekend we toured my old high school and my hometown of Lewisville.  We were sneaky and found an open door to get into the school.  The boys LOVED touring my old high school, which was also the place where my parents met and graduated from school.  We saw my old locker, classrooms, the old choir room which is now the ISS room, the old smoker courtyard, the bathroom where someone started a fire my sophomore year, the first real stage (aside from the podium at church) where I performed, and several other spots.

They are tearing down the high school.  I didn't graduate from Lewisville High.  We moved halfway through my high school years.  No offense to the school I transferred to, but LHS rocked and the other school just didn't compare.  Had to get one last look before it is gone.

My Freshman Locker

This wall once had several vending machines.  I don't remember how many packages of Laffy Taffy I bought from them.

Nothing like a toothy ring pop!

Two of Our Favorite Things

The boys and I have spent a lot of time doing things with just the three of us while Dad is busy out of town.  We love to cook together.  This one was banana coconut muffins.

And, we are suckers for tents.

Would You Buy From This Farmer?

He was selling bunches of herbs for 20 cents apiece.

He sold 4 bunches, gave one away, and walked away with $1.25.

The neighbors loved him.

When we walked up to the door and he rang the doorbell, he was prepared with his sales pitch.  But he always hesitated when he got to the price.  He paused, looked at me, and I would whisper the price.

He was really hoping to sell each bunch for $43.

Next time, he wants to add recipes because one neighbor simply said,"I don't use herbs when I cook," and then she shut the door.

BTW, he chose his outfit.

A Little Bit of Green

We had a visitor walk through our house during the middle of the night, the eve of St. Paddy's Day. When Evy heard that someone passed through, he armed himself with a special outfit and defense weapon, a chainsaw.

Shamrocks!
Treasure!
Green toilet water?
Green milk?

The boys had a great time finding all the treasure that was dropped by our visitor as he was passing through our house.

National Brain Injury Awareness Month

It is March Neurological Madness for us because of our Evy's seizure disorder.

At the same time, March is also National Brain Injury Awareness month.

My first experience in supporting a child with a brain injury was during my first year teaching.  My student's brain injury affected his hearing, memory, and cognitive processing.  At the same time, he was the most thoughtful and kind student.  I learned so much from him.  His injury was from a car accident.

In graduate school, I worked for a non-profit called T.H.E. BrainTrust.  Although their core membership comes from those with brain tumors and related conditions, many of the issues overlap with those who have brain injuries.

Here is one resource I found recently that is one of the easiest to understand publications on understanding a brain injury.  Traumatic Brain Injury Survival Guide

There is more to say, but my blasted arm hurts. 

Got a couple of minutes, check out the info on this link:  Children and Brain Injuries
Brain injuries aren't as uncommon as you think.

As for our March Neurological Maddness, we are packing our bags, planning our fun, and have our snacks picked out.  It will be like a 3-day birthday party!

Promises, Promises? Yes, an Update.

Let's see.

This has been the longest patch of silence ever for our blog.  It is time to pick up and begin again.  I've put out short updates on facebook to keep Erik in the loop.  I need to get back to this forum no matter how long one entry takes me to type.

In a life saving move that kept Merritt from harm's way, I screwed up my right arm.  What?  Why, yes, I do write with my right hand.  What?  No, I can't write right now.  Thanks for asking.  Damaged a nerve and strained two tendons.  It makes it very, very difficult to type. and cook. and clean. and do laundry. and drive. and write checks. and make to-do lists. and organize. and you can imagine the rest. Thus, a main reason for the blog silence.  I wear a splint full time.  I spend an inordinate amount of time with physical therapy.  In all, I am confident I will heal and my boys and husband are ever so awesome!

BTW, I nominated Merritt to be the one to take care of me when I'm 82 and break my hip.  I know he'll have the energy.

Another reason for the silence.  We made a decision, and people are, hhmm, not nice about it.  Much of what I have been doing in the past month is to manage that situation.  When I write in a personal manner, like this blog, I release stress and it took me awhile of processing to be able to want to write without releasing about that situation.

Erik toured Asia, working very hard.  He was gone 22 days, I think.  In that time, we were sick, and I became injured.  I had to rely on others like I never do.  You know how I hate not being independent.  See, I even have a hard time writing the word d.e.p.e.n.d.e.n.t.  I had to say "not being independent."  Sheesh!

The boys are doing so well! 

• Evy has started baseball.  This is a big week for him, and he has his first game on Friday.
• Merritt is chatting up a storm.  The other day I asked him to do something and he said,"Yes, your highness!"  HAHAHA!  I don't know where he got that one but I'll take it.
• Evy has been an earning machine.  He has earned over $30 in the past month doing odd jobs, etc. He is now designing new money that he would like to sell door to door in order to earn more money. Not only am *I* out of money now, but I obviously need to find other ways for him to earn money. Maybe one of our neighbors will buy a post-it decorated with tape and boasting the five year old handwritten message of "10000$". (He came up with it during Quiet Time.) 
• Everett is now selling bunches of herbs (rosemary, mint, and cilantro) cut from our garden.  20 cents a bunch.  His first time going door to door to our neighbors resulted in $1.25.  He is eager to earn more.  (I'll have to post a picture of him after his first selling session.  He picked out a "gardener" outfit to wear while selling.)
• I was at my first physical therapy appointment the other day for my messed up arm. The physical therapist, with straight-beautiful-long-blond hair, was notating my pain and difficulty with tasks. "It is hard to fold clothes, open jars, . . . ." When I stopped, she looked at me, glanced at my hair and asked very sincerely,"You having a hard time doing your hair, too?" Bbwwaahhhhhhhh! If she only knew . . . .
• Evy has been adamant about being bald for the video EEG.  (I may or may not have mentioned that it is "March Neurological Madness" for our family.)  The glue is terrible to get out of hair. I've been hesitant to shave his head. So, we started with a modified mohawk . . . a couple of weeks ago.  Last week, he said it was time. I tried to stall but he was certain. He is delighted with the results and wants a BFBC (bald family by choice).

Next, I'll include some of the updates I put on Erik's facebook wall.  Seems that on many days his facebook wall is the best way to get a message to him when he was in Asia.

Feb 14th

Although you flew through Valentine's Day and are gone, it is okay because I get to wear your favorite sweatshirt whenever I want to today and you won't know, um, yeah. Love you! Be safe! (Photo by Evy the Photographer)

Happy Valentine's Day, Dad! (Luckily, the photo was taken before kids were jacked up on candy.) We love you! Evy is wondering if you have eaten fish eyeballs yet.

Feb 22nd

Our Asian Market Field Trip

Yep, we found one!!! (too huge for the 3 of us to eat even if it tasted like chocolate)

Just in case you need some silly . . . Too bad the fieldtrip pictures were taken before they got their hair cut. :)

We bought many things that I'm going to have to learn to cook. I had to convince Evy to pass on the $10 bag of dried fish. He thought it was *so* cool. Instead, I have to buy a can of sardines the next time we go. That was a pretty good negotiation, I think.

Feb 24th

Both boys were singing their hearts out to Uncle Kracker's version of "Drift Away" while driving around town this afternoon. You'd have been proud!

Feb 25th

Merritt continues to find your travels inspiring! Love you!

Feb 28th

While Erik was in China.

Greetings from over the Wall:

If you don't get back soon, you'll miss the entire season of spring, seriously.

Confiscated toy total: 9. Number of toys earned back: 1. At this rate-we'll never have to buy a toy for Merritt ever again since we can regift him his own toys.

Getting injured at school, means cookies and flowers in bed. (Evy biffed it today on the trails today.) 

Sooooo, for my bangled arm, I want dinner in bed and a story with songs sung in operatic form. and a tambourine. and a foreign film. and a Monty Python reference.

Evy asked for MILK. AND DRANK IT, AND ASKED FOR MORE. AND DRANK THAT. 'nuff said through capitalization.

Before actually seeing it happen, if you had ever told me that the best way to get ahold of you over the 14 hour difference and third world infrastructure snaffoos was your facebook wall, I'd have taken sugar out of your diet because what else would cause such a delusion. So glad you've gotten our messages!

We love you!

Feb 29th

We are off to Evy's first baseball practice. I'm nervous and Evy is thrilled!

later
Evy is doing well and Merritt is split between running around or watching his brother and chanting "evy, evy, evy." I think evy told him to do that

March 2nd

Greetings from the other side of the Wall:

All the lids for the jars are resting on the jars . . . not screwed on. My way to get into the peanut butter easily, etc, since I felt like I was lucky to open it once and don't have any faith in a repeat performance. And, I have a pile of stuff I need you to open because I can't.

A bird that must have imbibed on some cola pooped all over your car. ...sorry. It is going to take a scrubbing.

And, this is starting to sound like a "when you get back from traveling honey-to-do list" . . . .

Today, Merritt told me he was tired of me and was grown up and didn't need my help getting his bed ready for nap. So, I said goodnight, walked out, and shut the door. Then I heard his little voice say,"Mommy---blankie me." Obviously, he is sick of my gorgeous face!

The list of things that the boys have planned upon your return 1) going to the movies, 2) baseball practice (evidently my pitching isn't accurate enough with my left arm), 3) going to the pizza/arcade place, and 4) going to every store that we went to while you were gone. Get Ready!

Merritt is potty trained. He doesn't allow any pull-ups. His is talking, talking, talking. You are going to love it! "punkin cha-cha chip"--pumpkin chocolate chip

You know that clean house you left to go on business travel. Well, when you get home and open the front door, close your eyes and keep them closed and then image that same house and you won't be disappointed. :) Really, it isn't too bad. Except for that clogged toilet and couch full of laundry . . . . HAHAHA!

We are eager for your return. What a surprise to hear that it is one day less than we thought. 

YAY!  We love you!  

March 19th
Guy Time while waiting for Dad's taxi!

I'll work on getting more timely updates up.  More to come!