Remembering little Lorie

Lorie turned 15 today. She's beautiful...inside and out. I can't take any credit for her physical beauty...she looks more like my sister than she does me. I hope I can take some credit for her inner beauty, but seeing that I act more like a temperamental, immature 12-year old boy (my apologies to any 12 year old boys) , I'm not sure I can take credit for that either...that would be due to the calm, solid nature of the Hubby.

On her birthday I can't help but remember the first few weeks of her life and just how scared I was. She had jaundice, but that was something we'd gone through with little Kenny. I knew as soon as her system decided to kick in, things would be fine. Jaundice and breastfeeding kind of go hand-in-hand. But the day she was cleared by the doctor, he gave the news this way, "We have good news and bad news for you." Never a good sign. I was by myself with Lorie. Mom (if I remember correctly) was at the house with little Kenny, so I had to deal with whatever the "bad news" was all by myself as this was before the cell phone became part of my life. The good news was that her bilirubin levels were fine so the jaundice situation was over. The bad news was that they detected a heart murmur and I needed to take Lorie to the hospital immediately and get an EKG. I still remember thinking, "crud, I'm in white pants", which will be a duh moment for anyone that has been one week postpartum...if you haven't, you don't want to know. Anyhow, the doctor's office was right next door to the hospital so I packed her up and drove her over to the hospital. I remember walking around the hospital being directed to where I needed to go with a big diaper bag and that mammoth-feeling car seat. The technicians that hooked Lorie up to the EKG machine weren't really very soothing. They were nervous because they'd never done this with a child so young. Stoic and strong...that was the word for me. I'd called Mom before going to the hospital to let her know not to expect me home and to let her know what had happened. She got in touch with Kenny and somehow, someway he tracked me down. The phone rang and it was him...that's when I lost it. I can remember being numb and just needing to get through it and then as soon as I heard Kenny's voice, it all became very real and very scary.

She was eventually diagnosed as having two VSDs (ventricular septum defect) and we had to make a number of visits to a pediatric cardiologist. Those were heartwrenching as Lorie was a very healthy, robust type of child and when we'd go to the cardiologist there would be parents in the waiting room with their babies who were thin and obviously not doing well. Lorie was released from the cardiologist's care when she was two. They determined that the holes had closed.


Seems like yesterday sometimes...I am so grateful for my girl!

Fall, fall, fall

It must be fall...the weather is turning cooler, if not downright cold, and Halloween is right around the corner. Right now I've got a definite case of the blahs. It's hard to get excited about anything and I seem to be able to find fault with EVERYTHING! If I dressed up as a Whiney-Butt for Halloween, I'm afraid I'd just have to dress as myself. What's even worse is that I can't stand to be around people who act like I am! Guess I need to figure out how to get my act together...get those ducks in a row...and all those other cliches that mean "for crying out loud, put your big girl panties on and deal with already!"

Sleep! I just want to sleep!

It seems like all I ever do is sleep. I'm afraid my kids' memories of me will all center around me being in bed. It just seems like I'm always exhausted.

I went in for my thyroid check-up and according to those levels, I should be feel quite perky! (I found out in the spring that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis which means that my thyroid antibodies attach and destroy my thyroid hormones. The symptoms of which were all things that the principal had mentioned having a problem with so if I'd found out about the H.T. sooner, I might not have lost my other position. Dang it.) I shouldn't be as draggy as I am and I shouldn't be bothered by temperature like I am. They suggested getting my iron levels checked to be sure I haven't developed anemia. Great...just what I want more needles stuck in me.

Plus, there's the whole exercise thing. I cannot escape the fact that I resemble a Weeble when I walk. (you know, "Weeble wobble but they won't fall down.) I just wish I wasn't such a procrasinator/exercise-weenie. I hate exercising because it makes my legs and rear itch so badly. Plus, if you exercise properly you will sweat. If you sweat, you will stink. If you stink you need to shower. And I don't have that kind of block time! Now, I realize that really sounds like a load of bad excuses, but they really are valid when you think about them. Of course, I have my kids and their bad habits (modeled after my own) staring me in the face begging me to make a difference.

It really stinks being an adult sometimes. As a child you are told what to do and you can choose to do it or not and face the consequences...but, hey, you're a child. You have an instant "out." But as an adult, knowing what you are supposed to do and not doing it affects your kids, too.

Victory...tastes so sweet

Okay I know that pride goeth before a fall, and I have a nasty habit of tripping over my own feet, but I've been feeling so down about my new position, that surely, SURELY, I can gloat just a teensy-weensy bit without fearing retribution or karma taking a huge hunk out of my rear! (Although, truth be told...there is enough to spare back there.)

I just managed to fix 3 separate computer issues by just using my wits (and my notes, but I had to know what to look up, so that totally counts in this case). I almost danced down the hallway, I felt so good. One was a printer issue, I so don't know what in the world I did but it didn't work when I walked in and it did when I walked out, so it counts. The teacher said her printer wasn't working so I jiggled all the connections, sat down at her desk and tried to print something...AND IT WORKED. So...onward. I had to change computers that the teacher's ActivBoard was connect to. This isn't hard, just irritating because of all the different cables you have to play with. Plus, the cables from the 4 computers in the same area were one big snake pit. The USB cord wasn't long enough so I ended up having to physically move two computers, then replug them up. Just before I left, I remembered that this teacher had a Document Camera (think really cool overhead projector that puts the picture through the computer and onto the ActivBoard so you can interact with it...only thing is is that it looks like something from outerspace), so I went about installing the software that went with that and in checking to see if I did that right, realized that the new computer I'd hooked up to the ActivBoard didn't have the software on it to run it! I added that (with just a little help from my notes) and before I left had the ActivBoard AND Document Camera running. Then I popped into my friendly library to check on the media specialist's laptop and try to figure out if I could get her connected to the wireless network. Thanks to my amazing notetaking skills, I was able to come up with a solution and teach her something new...which we all enjoy.

Then I did the Big White Girl Rump Bump all the way down the hall to my office.

YES! Well, the glory of that moment is now over and done. Back to life as I know it. But at least I have this documented for all posterity (or until something happens to Blogger) and can come back and read it to enjoy the thrill of victory another time when I'm down in the dumps because all I could do is say, "I don't know how to fix that. I'll have to check with Lisa."

you can take the momma out of the home...

But you can't take the momma out of the woman! So I'm at work and as happens in humans I eventually need to use the facilities. All of the adult restrooms here at school are one-stallers and all are on the classroom halls except for the one off the teacher workroom (which is ALWAYS busy) and the one in the principal's office (which is kinda off-limits). So I'm taking care of business and hear this noise...and it's not coming from me! Now I'm not one of those who likes to use public facilities in the first place. I like to have my own space with my own things and I really like to feel that I can control my surroundings a bit. After all, in my own bathroom I no problem announcing to whoever it is outside the door that, "I'm in the bathroom. Unless someone is about to bleed to death or the house is on fire...LEAVE ME ALONE!" But I've found that that kind of attitude is just not as acceptable in the workplace.

So I'm hearing this noise that somewhat like feet scuffing...not an uncommon sound on kindergarten hall. But I purposely planned this bathroom break for a time when the little crumb-catchers are supposed to safely be in their rooms at naptime! I try to crane my ear to catch more sounds to help discern what it is that I'm hearing while at the same time concentrating on the task at hand so I can leave the room as quickly as possible. And then it hits me...the sink is dripping. That's the sound I heard that caused all this internal ruckus in my head.

Sometimes I just have to shake my head over my own insanity!

High and dry

So the last few days have been cuh-razy! Rainfall that hasn't been seen for over 100 years and rivers flooding all over the place! Our county closed schools yesterday because there were so many roads that were flooded or bridges that had water OVER them and engineers couldn't get close enough to check for any structural damage. The news shows were absolutely horrifying. So far there are 10 deaths directly caused by the flooding. One shot they showed over and over was a school in Austell had water up to their eaves. In fact, the school had to be evacuated because the water was coming into the school while students were still there!

We have families in our school that have been evacuated and have no idea what's going on with their homes. I think it's a wakeup call that our lovely "emergency" plans aren't quite what they should be. Now, noone thought the rivers would ever rise to 20+ feet, but they did. And they may do it again. But if they do...will we be ready? Or will we bury our heads in the sand, forget about the lessons we should be learning from this, and say that everything is fine?

My heart goes out to those who are now at the mercy of others. Everyone WANTS to help, but who actually does put action to words? I also wonder just how much finger pointing and blame will be shoved around while those whose lives have been put on indefinite hold end up being poster children for whoever screams the loudest!

To flu shot or not to flu shot

So it's that time of year again, the county nurses come and set up shop for about 45 minutes and give flu shots. Usually there's a cash-only $25 fee, but with our new insurance we just have to provide a copy of the front and back. Bing, bang, boom and Bob's your uncle! So this morning as I turn on my computer and open my Outlook I see a reminder that today is flu shot day. I've gotten a flu shot every year that I've worked here (5 years now) and never had a problem other than a vaguely achey arm. My boss however shares her story of how she and her husband came down with vicious flu-like symptoms within 30 minutes of their flu shot and she's never having one again. Ah well, to each his or her own. But that's now in the back of my head...have I ever mentioned that I have real problems with being open to suggestions? Anyhow, I fill out my paperwork, make my copy of my insurance card (front and back) and dutifully go the conference room to get my shot.

It's now four hours later...my head is killing me and feels like I've got a 10-lb brick inside it, my body aches and I just don't feel like being nice AT ALL! Luckily my boss is in a meeting and I've just got to get through 1o more minutes and I can blow this joint. I do have to rally enough to make dinner and put in an appearance at the ladies meeting at church. But I plan on going home and taking a small nap to get me over the hump...I hope.

Good thing I didn't get cocky and get the pneumonia vaccine and my tetanus booster!