A Perspective on Dying

I haven’t posted in a while, but I couldn’t let this one pass…

An Uncle passed away this past week. Being good Catholics, we went to the rosary and took Pumpkin and Cookie. They hadn’t been to a funeral since they were much smaller, so we talked a lot about how to behave just like they were in church. We emphasized the fact that Uncle had died and many people would be sad. They could not bounce around like monkeys and should act like proper young ladies.

They were very well-behaved during the evening service. Then Cookie asked me, “What did he die from?” This was such a mature question, I wasn’t sure how to respond. I looked at her trying to figure out to explain cancer to a 3-year-old. Apparently, my confused expression just made Cookie rephrase her question. She looked up and said, “Like was it dinosaurs… or a lion… or monsters… ?”

It was so hard to keep from laughing.

It’s Official

The current economy situation has finally hit us… right between the eyes! Hubs lost his job this week. He worked hard in Hell for about six years and then *wham*… goodbye.

Now, normally this would be a horrible thing. However, the job itself has become horrible, so this is really a blessing in disguise. Even though the circumstances could have been better, and it is definitely a little scary worrying about the money, and he doesn’t deserve it… all in all, I’m still happy he doesn’t have to work for that place anymore.

As I’ve stated before, I’m a firm believer in things changing. Bad times don’t stay bad forever (and neither do good times, for that matter). We don’t necessarily deserve these bad times, 0062ut I know beyond any doubt they won’t last forever. Soon enough he’ll have another job… a better job… and we’ll look back on these times and laugh.

So, Hubs, just know that I love you and that I’m proud of you despite all this crap.

But… since you are home, would you mind if I left you a honey-do list each morning?

Redemption Necessary?

Life is full of regret, right? Isn’t that what they say? Well, I now I know it’s true (as if I didn’t before).

This past Friday was our Summer Party at work. It was a pool party at my boss’ house. Most of my coworkers are twenty-somethings, single, no children, blah blah blah. They are having the time of their lives no matter what the circumstances. I, however, am full of responsibility and generally regarded as the “mom” around the office. I’m supposed to be the serious one, not the fancy free one.

All of that changed at that party. I have six words that will define the day… sweet tea vodka and cranberry juice. If you haven’t already tried the concoction, consider yourself warned. I discovered it that day and am now full of regret. The drink was wonderful, but the consequences not so much. I won’t go into all the gory details. Suffice to say I had too much.

So I’m sitting at my desk this morning wondering who will give me a hard time for my behavior last Friday, most of which I probably won’t recall. Do I laugh it off? Do I apologize? Do I ignore it? How could I have been so stupid? I am old enough to know better!

Oh, and to put the evening in true context… my husband and Weasel had to come pick me up from the party to get me home. Although that particular act was responsible, I wasn’t exactly the role model I would choose to be.

Or maybe I’m just a cool “mom” at the office… right?

Boog, R.N.

Boog is currently on the path to becoming a nurse. She is still doing her pre-req’s at school, so she’s not fully immersed in the nursing program. However, she recently started a job that is more closely related to nursing than being a hostess at a restaurant (her previous job). She has obtained a job at an assisted-living facility as a care assistant. Now she is doing some things that I could never do… and I’m in complete awe of my Boog.

Practically all Boog’s life, I was there to listen and give advice. I knew about her friends, boyfriends, school, etc. And, of course, being the overbearing mom I am, I always had an opinion or advice to share. Now, I can only sit back and listen to the stories about her new job. I have no advice to give because she is doing things I have never done – and probably could never do!

I cannot relate to having to bathe an elderly person. I haven’t bathed anyone over the age of about six. I cannot relate to changing the diapers of an adult. I’m truly not sure I would even be able to do it if I had to. And she is not only fully capable of doing these things and caring for these people, she actually seems to enjoy it.

I’m so, so proud of my Boog… and we are only in the early stages of her grown-up life – which makes this just that much more exciting. I think she is going to continue to do great at this job. I know if I were one of those residents, I would smile just a little bit more after seeing Boog.

And before you know it, she’ll be “Boog, R.N. “

Engine-uity – Update #2

Well… I hadn’t actually been giving updates to the engine swap in Weasel’s Miata. It was just too depressing. We ran into one problem after another. We were constantly problem-solving and undoing and redoing things. It has been quite a learning experience. But… THE CAR FINALLY STARTED! Weasel has a little fine tuning to do, but he should be good to go by this afternoon!

I won’t go into all the specifics as I’m sure you don’t really care. Suffice to say I now know all about: timing belts, cam gears, crank shaft sensors, ignition coils, drive shafts and much, much more. I even know how to use a torque wrench and a feeler gauge (which is not as sexy as it sounds).

The only thing that was disappointing when all was said and done was Weasel's reaction. He didn’t seem very excited. His excited face and his frustrated face and his sleeping face and his angry face and his happy face are all the identical. He is the most stoic person I know. I nearly cried when the car started, and all he could say was, “cool.” Where was the excitement and elation? Where was the giddiness that only comes with slaying that dragon? Wait a minute… I take that back. When confronted about it, Weasel said he would be excited when he was driving away from the house. I guess that’s good enough, even though I won’t have the pleasure of witnessing it.

I’m proud of you, Weasel, for sticking it out and getting it done!

And if I never have to clean black gunk from under my fingernails again, I’ll be just fine with that!

The Tax Man

Pumpkin lost her second tooth this weekend. Luckily, the Tooth Fairy stopped by and traded her tooth for a crisp one dollar bill. She was quite excited about her new found money. When Hubs asked what she planned to do with it, she quickly responded she was going to take it to IRS.

WHAT?!?!

Hubs and I were shocked by her answer. It took a couple of minutes before we were able to get her to clarify that she was taking her money to Toys R Us, not IRS. Big difference!

Now that makes more sense!

What the… ?!?!?

I turned the dreaded 40 last week. And basically it was sort of a suck-day. It wasn’t so much about getting older, but more about feeling inconsequential. My day was just a typical Thursday, like any other day. We didn’t celebrate my birthday at work like we do for everyone else. And that evening, I just went to dinner with the family. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t like everyone forgot. It just didn’t feel like the momentous birthday I had anticipated.

Well, all of that changed on Saturday. I spent the day working at the office, then drove Boog around trying to find an apartment for her return to Austin. She was texting “Sam” all day and planned to go out with him that evening. I knew Hubs had something planned, but honestly thought it would be a normal date-night-dinner-and-a-movie.

Boog and I arrived back at home and walked into the house… and a bunch of my friends and family shouted “SURPRISE!” I was literally stunned. I even shed a tear or two.

Apparently, my dear Hubs had planned a party for me all along. It was an amazing surprise! Boog wasn’t texting “Sam,” she was texting Hubs about our ETA. She is quite the little liar… I’m so proud. Apparently Hubs’ surprise went off without a hitch. I had no idea and was truly in the dark.

It was a lot of fun! It feels so good to realize that I’m NOT inconsequential… to my family or my friends. Seems I really do matter! Nice.

I’m Old Today

Happy birthday to ME!

I’m forty today, which seems pretty old when you weren’t forty before.

I suppose it’s time for me to turn in my Blackberry for a Jitterbug phone. And perhaps I’ll need to pick up a walker with the little tennis balls on the feet. I even need to start thinking about which home I want to spend my last days in.

Ugh… better get moving… time is running out.

Caffeination Appreciation

Hubs and I have our regular little routine in the morning. He wakes the girls up while I’m in the shower. I get them ready while he’s in the shower. I fix the girls’ hair while he feeds the animals. And then he takes the girls to daycare, while I finish getting ready.

When I’m all ready to go, I head to the kitchen to find this on the counter:

Every morning, my dear Hubs makes me two cups of coffee to-go. It’s made just as I like it. No flavored coffee. No flavored creamer. It’s a great start to my day, every single day.

Now you must understand… he doesn’t do this because he loves me so much; he doesn’t do this because he makes the best coffee in the world; he doesn’t do to this to make sure I make it work on time. He does this to avoid me spending money at Starbucks. Well, that AND the fact that I’m probably much easier to deal with after my cup o’ Joe. A girl needs her caffeine in the morning… no matter how much it costs.

I just wanted to take the time to say thank you to Hubs. Thanks for the coffee, and thanks for saving us money. Lord knows I don’t have the strength to avoid giving our money to Starbucks.

Children of Earth

We spent the past weekend in the country. Gamma has several acres about a hour outside of Austin. We worked hard ran electricity and water to a new building that Gamma recently had built. So now, we have water!

The girls stripped down to their bobbies (Boog-speech for panties) and played in the newly piped in water. Pretty soon, they were playing in the mud. Who needs a pool?!?!

It was so funny watching them get dirty. They seemed to look up time to time to make sure they weren’t going to get in trouble. And when Mommy gave them the green light, they went crazy in the mud! They had a great time, until they had to get cleaned up. And I just had to share the picture.