Passenger Seat Cure

 For two years I have worried about Covid.  

Originally I worried for everyone in my family, and the world, when little was known.  I am a germaphobe.  So anytime a scary new disease emerges--bird flu anyone?--I scour the internet for information and stay glued to the TV.  I then assess the threat to my family.  Usually it's not bad.  I look first at how is it transmitted and then, the death/survival rate.  

The last one that terrified me was Ebola.  I had seen the news reports early, before people were really talking about it.  And I thought this looks scary.  I mean the disease progression itself.  And another scary part was the death rate.  Originally I think they said 80% were dying.  This of course was skewed by the fact that it was in an area with little medical advances and other reasons but still--super scary.  The one thing that calmed me was it was not airborne.  Only transmissible through body fluids.  Well folks, if anyone can stay away from body fluids and keep her kids away from body fluids it's....this girl!!

When it hit Dallas I told all my family members who would constantly joke about my sanitation standards who are you looking to now??  HaHA.  Me that's who!  Ebola would not stand a CHANCE!  Then it seemed we were able to get that under control thank goodness.  

Covid was different.  I immediately thought oh this one could be for real.  I remember sitting in my favorite Mexican restaurant with my husband and cousin eating lunch.  I remember saying I think this one is gonna get bad. This was the week before my kids Spring Break.  The Spring Break that lasted until summer because schools closed down.  

One thing that was known pretty soon is how deadly this was for older people and people with preexisting conditions.  My parents.

I immediately did what I have been training for my whole life it seems.  I quarantined everyone and everything.  You did not have to explain to my how to wipe down items and keep things sterile.  Training my whole life people!  It was easy.  We have stockpiles of so many things because I'm a germaphobe remember AND we live in the country so we don't make trips to the store often.  Also I had started using curbside a year before because it made grocery shopping so easy!  I was set.  Well except for the bread situation.  I did not have stockpiles of bread.  And turns out yeast was also scarce.  I ended up getting some for $50 from Amazon--a pound.  I still have it and it still works.  I recently went to check and see the price of it now.  Eight Doll Hairs.  *disgusted face*

Time moves on and my priority was keeping my parents safe.  We decided to do virtual school the next year so that we could still have contact with my parents.  Then sweet blessings!  A vaccine was made!  Mom and dad got the vaccine--after trial and error of vying for the doses being released.  Then me and husband got ours!  So the last nine weeks of school my kiddos went back face to face----with masks of course.  They got to finish the year with their friends and teachers.  It was a big adjustment.

Then summer came and teens could get vaccinated!  We were so happy to be getting back to normal!  Little d and little m both got fully vaxxed by July.  I felt like I could breathe a sigh of relief.  I was still nervous for little md.  He was starting 6th grade at a new school and they were no longer offering virtual school.  If I didn't want him to go (as Delta began to rise) I would have to homeschool.  I was so torn.  He had done blood work and his Vitamin D levels were low.  He was on a supplement.  It was thought that low vitamin d was bad with covid so I consulted with his pediatrician.  She said he should wear a mask but she thought it would be ok.  

So my kids all started this year wearing a mask.  And less than two weeks into the year kids and teachers were dropping like flies to covid--not dying, I guess I worded that wrong--they were getting sick.  So many that the district sent out a notification to please consider wearing a mask even though Texas can't let them mandate it because we were at the breaking point for being able to have staff to run the schools.

My kids were among the roughly 1/3 of students wearing masks. Little md's friend at the lunch table had covid (his family doesn't believe in masks).  Two days later Mitchell came down with it.  Long story short so did I.  As I was primarily the one taking care of him.  It was rough and scary for me but we both recovered.  

In October my parents were able to get their booster.  I told my husband to get one to since I just had covid, my hybrid immunity was considered strong.  D put it off and sure enough in January when Little m followed by Little d caught it so did he.  Little md and I stayed well.  Their bout was not too horrible.  Like a flu.  Little m had a very bad sore throat for several days.  And they all had headaches too.

But so far I had managed to keep the most vulnerable in my fam safe.  My mom and dad.  

They started hanging out with my aunts and uncles.  Several family members have moved back to POC and it's actually awesome.  It's like a little retirement village!  Card games, dessert, potluck dinners.  I am so thrilled for them!  And everyone attending is vaccinated and most are boosted.

But unfortunately one aunt (who is going through chemo) turned up with covid after a Sunday spent playing cards.  In the week and half that followed 15 others would test positive including my parents.  Thank goodness all are doing well and on the mend.

I went and picked up my parents meds the other day and was riding with them in the passenger seat.  It hit me that two years ago I never would have thought I would be carrying what is essentially the cure for a pandemic in a paper bag on my passenger seat.  I almost started crying.

The ups and downs have happened this year.  My entire world view shifted--more on that to follow--and we made it through.  We officially MADE IT THROUGH a pandemic.  We can now go back to our regularly scheduled program of my fear of regular germs.  

peace out....wait did someone say monkey pox??!

15 Minutes

It takes about 15 minutes to drive my two middle schoolers to school in the morning.  Give or take considering lights and traffic.  Our usual thing is to talk about the day ahead and say our morning prayers.  Sometimes we listen to the radio--not too often these days as we are tired and unenthusiastic for school.

15 minutes:

'Get in we are running behind.'  Little m was running late-unusual for her-because she is in a play today and needed a last minute 'costume'.  Camo jacket with black jeans as she is playing in The Night Witches.  A story about Russian women pilots during WW2 worth learning about if you haven't heard of them.

Hop in check to make sure we have all our things. Lunches. Badges. Phones.

Drive way.  'You know there was a school shooting in Texas that killed 19 kids, right?'  I start.  Talking over the lump in my throat.  They have to hear it from me also I have to give the warnings.  'I just want you guys to be aware ALL THE TIME of your surroundings.  Always aware of the situation.'  I go on to talk about paying attention to things.  Remember where you are supposed to go in each class room.  From the active shooter drills they've had.

10 Minutes:

We discuss as we always do at least once a month.  Be kind to everyone.  Stick up for anyone you see getting bullied.  It's hard but it's the right thing to do.  'We are privileged.'  We have food everyday.  And clothes and your parents don't hit each other or you.  'We are so lucky.'  Just be kind to everyone because we don't know what they go home to every day.

7 Minutes:

'I am soo proud of you guys.'  Not just for your grades I let them know.  But for how they are so kind and good humans.  'Being a good human is more important than being smart.'  We say our prayers.  As we do every morning.  But this morning I am fighting hard not to cry as we add prayers for the families in Uvalde.

3 Minutes:

Pull up to the stoplight by the school.  Little m from the back seat....why are the flags halfmast?  Is that for the shooting?  Me....yes it must be.  Turn into the drop off lane.  'You know these last two days of school will be the safest all year because everyone is on heightened alert.'  I fucking hate that I said that and that I know that.  There is an SRO walking through the parking lot an assistant principal standing with a security guard at drop off.  Little m laughs that she's going to have to explain that she's wearing a camo jacket because she's in a play.

One Minute:

'Ok I love you guys kisses kisses see you at regular pickup time.'

And then I watch them get out.  And then I check my blind spot and the crosswalk.  And then I pull back into the traffic lane.  And then I start crying.

I don't know what needs to be done but we can't keep doing what we are doing now because it is not working.

The Comment Section

 The comment section gets me every time.  

I'll see a post on fb and I know the comment section is gonna piss me off, but I'll read it anyway.  It is such an Achilles heel for me I thought about creating a twitter account just to post the stupid comments people post.   If I'm honest I still want to do that.

I usually don't say anything.  Unless it's just TOO much.  Most of the time I'll just screenshot it and send it to little d and then we roast the beep out of the person.  

Just today I saw a comment of a relative--I use that term loosely as he is married to one of my cousins--about the formula shortage.  

Now let's start by saying I breastfed three children.  One for four months with little medical support and two breast infections and then another infection that required a medicine that was not bf friendly so I had to quit.  The second child refused to use ANY other nipple/pacifier and I was forced to bf exclusively for one year.  The third ate WAYYY more than I could keep up with I had to supplement and then stop at five months.  So when I say I have a personal opinion about this know.....that I do. 

Anyway back to the comment.  

The original post said "BABIES WITHOUT FOOD SHOULD BE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY, NOT A PROBLEM FOR PARENTS TO SOLVE"   Seems reasonable to me.  I mean babies without food=emergency.  So Dipshit comments the following....

"I'm still stuck on the fact that people have been a thing for a couple thousand years and commercially produced formula has only been around 50-60 years.  How'd we make it this far?  Wake up sheep, and pull your heads out your asses."

Well that's a lot to unpack.  I mean let's break it down.  People being 'a thing' for 2000 years.  Well we've been around longer but let's slide on past that.  In 13 seconds I found on google that commercially produced formula was invented in 1867 to solve infant mortality.  I mean he asked a reasonable question....how'd we make it this far?  I thought maybe he actually wanted an answer.

Here's my response:  "Formula has actually been around for over a hundred years.  It was invented to help combat infant mortality.  So I guess the answer to what did we do before that was.....die.  Or I guess hope you could find a wet nurse *shrug emoji*"

Snarky I know.  But he was being a dick.  And since both of his children were born addicted to controlled substances I thought he was being a little holier than thou.

He responded with this gem: "obviously the vast majority survived just fine without formula *shrug emoji*"

Yeah.  He's right.  Fuck those babies who can't survive.  

I didn't comment that.  But I really wanted to.  I mean reeeallly wanted to.  I mean like even now I want to go back and write that.  But I decided to let his stupidity speak for itself.  

Gosh this blogging thing is super therapeutic.  Maybe I don't need that twitter account???

You've Got Mail

 I got an email this morning that kind of rocked me.  

I slept in--lazy Saturday.  When I woke up I checked my phone as always.  Email first today.  There was a comment on my blog post from September 3rd, 2010.  It could be a bot who knows.  "Lisa said Hi, great reading your post"

I haven't gotten a comment in years.  I tapped the link wondering what post it was.  It was the post titled The Secret Life.  It was about the day my oldest....little d....started kindergarten.  

Whew.

I was done in.  I was so incredibly sad.  Why on earth had I stopped blogging?  The emotions were so raw and perfectly described that time in my life.  I went back to my most recent post.  The start of the pandemic.  Again.  Why on earth have I not documented these last two years?  I could scream.

I come back to this blog every once in a while intent on starting to regularly update.  I think that the overwhelming sense that there is too much to catch up stops me.  But what if this time I just document what's going on now and as past stories are relevant they get included.

I started this blog as a new mom.  I had no idea what life had to offer.  I didn't know I would end up with three brilliant kids who are also amazing little humans I love to be around.  I didn't know my political beliefs and world views and religion would shift and change for the better.  I didn't know I would sit on boards and task forces and work at volunteer organizations that would change my life.  Never thought I would be president of a PTO either.  *shrugs*

Here I sit as a middle aged woman with a child one year from college, another starting high school, and yet another halfway through middle school.  I've logged 20+ years of marriage and we're building a vacation home directly on the spot where the trailer I grew up in sat.  I spend several hours a week volunteering, not enough time doing laundry and dreading every meal I have to cook.  I pick floor and tile samples and second guess choices and dream of the day the house is finished.  It's been almost two years.

Seriously this time I've got to stick with the blog.  And hopefully my writing will improve because like my weak muscles it is a skill that needs exercise.  Also my 17 year old said 'I think you should start writing again I think it will be good for you.'  So there's that.

ok as i reread this i am cringing so i'll hit publish before i change my mind....

Is it appropriate to be happy about a stay at home order?

Why come back to blogging now?

I wanted to document life, and I'd rather type that write in a journal.  Simple as that.

Probably no pictures though.  I think my account was deleted where I could upload from and my blogger memory was full.  Plus rather just journal for now.  (Huh I just added a test photo for fun and it actually loaded so who knows)

I have thoughts.  Being stuck at home is actually my dream.  I love having all my kids here all the time.  And if D didn't have to work still (end date is in MAY!!!) I would be in heaven.  The only thing that makes me sad is that my parents can't visit.

I've seen them two times.  I took them groceries and got their mail, but still felt like I was putting them in jeopardy. 

I don't think I've mentioned, but I'm a total germaphobe.  So you would think that I would be freaking out.  But its actually the opposite.  I am safe at home.  My family is safe at home.  And I've trained D well so he better be safe at work.  I am more freaked out every single time my kids get out of my car and walk into the school building. 

When they extended Spring Break and said we would not go back to face to face learning I was OVER THE MOON happy!  Make of that what you will.  Don't care.

And, being a germaphobe, if you don't think I had on hand when this hit a huge stock pile of disinfecting stuff you would be very mistaken.  I did not (and have not) bought any disinfecting stuff since before this started.  Nor (funnily enough) have we run out of toilet paper.  Again make of it what you will.  We are basically preppers I guess???

I'm even getting used to cooking every single meal.  We had one of our calves butchered earlier in the year so we are set for meat.  My sis in law had eggs should we run out AND I love beer bread.  Again we must be preppers because all this happened I had five loaves of bread in the freezer--it's just how we do it. 

We have finished day two of 'crisis' schooling and today----no tears!!  Little md is actually finished with all his work for the whole week except PE and specials (art/music) which must be done daily.

Little d and little m are mostly working on their own.  Easy for me.

I've sent ALL the pics of Little md's work to his teachers and barely forgot any attachments haha.

Wow....you can really danse....

I debated on what to title this post.  I mean "Quarantine day blah blah blah" sounded sooo done.  I went with my current ear worm.  Thanks to TikTok.

Today we started home school.  I recently read a post that called it 'crisis' schooling and I feel that is the perfect description.  Because it is of course a situation we are forced into not one we planned or chose. 

Little d--who is 15 by the way--yeah. When I started this blog she was three I think?  Anyway she is doing all online 'distance learning'.  She is sad because she actually liked school.  She loves learning and really loves the social interaction with her friends.  One of the last things we did 'out' was her One Act Play district UIL competition.  Her school didn't advance but it didn't matter because everything grinded to a halt right after. 

It was the start of our extended Spring Break.

Little m.  Ah my 12 going on 16 year old girl.  She is also doing online distance learning BUT she hated school so this is just an extension of her hate.  The only thing she liked about school was theatre.

Little md.  My baby boy, who is 9.  Who still says he will always live with me and never marry.  *heart emoji* *cry emoji*  He does his school work in the same way as his homework--bits of serious with intermittent crying.  So this should be a fun several weeks.

I'll end today with how we are spending our stay at home time (in no particular order):

• eating
• just dance 2020
• video games
• eating
• netflix
• eating
• sleeping in late
• eating
• laundry
• dishes
• cooking all our own meals
• eating
• trying to schedule grocery pickup orders to coincide with grocery availablity
• video chats with mimi and pawpaw
• eating
• swimming
• ping pong
• eating
• praying

Stay safe peeps!

Mere

THE Easter Story

No we are not going to church.  Because I can't decide about that.

But we pray every morning on the way to school. And every night before bed.  And plenty of other times too.

"Kids come pray with momma right now for so and so....."

"D can you pray with me for a minute...."

Or my favorite times:

Little md "Mom" (mouth full of afterschool snack) "Can we pray for Mrs. B?"  Sure why?  "She's having surgery.

This from a six year old who has been to a church maybe five times in his whole life.

So my view of what constitutes faith and Christianity maybe doesn't involved an organized religion yet.  Our religion is prayer.  And trying to be humble.

But I see the lacking.  They need to know about the bible and the stories.  And I don't know where to begin.  I think God did.  Because this weekend (Easter) I told the kids--you know Easter is about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.  So we can go to heaven when we die.  And the blankish stares.  "We need to read the Easter story in the bible".  I said.

And tonight THEY held me to it.  And little md was the first to tear up.  Then me.  Then little m.

Because as she said "not because it is so sad--but because it is so beautiful".

God in Heaven thank you for the beauty of your Word that makes sense even to a child.

We have decided to read stories every night.  Or as often as we can.

My heart is full and blessed.

"I hate tonsils!"

This is one of the first coherent sentences little md uttered upon waking from his tonsilectomy this morning.

He had a bit of a freak out.
********
Later that week....

We are recovering well.  He is not sleeping great, but he's been off tylenol for most of the last two days and I took him to his first day of first grade this morning.  The doc said he did so well with the surgery.  I am hoping that we have seen the end of the sore throats!

First week of school

Little d is doing well in 6th.  She hates her theater arts teacher.  We'll see how that progresses.  She had a best boy friend ask her to be his 'girlfriend'.  That has somewhat blown over.

Little m missed day 2 and 3 due to fever and congestion and sore throat but bounced back fast on Friday.  She's back at school today.

Little md was not excited about today, but he was in a good mood overall.  Hoping for the best when D picks him up today.

I have to take little d to the chiropractor after she gets out.

August is here----aaaaaand-----we're-----off!!

Last Hooray (albeit low key)

We made a trip to POC to spend the last few bright moments of summer.  I am trying to get back to school schedule.  It's hard.  Current wake time for kids @8am.  Wake time for school 6:10am.  So we're close.  lol

The kids went Pokemon hunting this morning and we are being lazy this afternoon.  Hoping for a boat ride tomorrow morning.  Days are lazy here.  Just what I need before the chaos of school starting.

Little d going to middle school is like starting all over for me.  Added to that Little md's surgery makes the beginning of this year so stressful.

I'm going to hit the ground running when we get back home.  I'm going to whip the house into shape and get so organized that I can't help but be calm.

At least that's the best laid plans.....

Hustle and bustle and tonsils

For whatever reason the school district has decided to lengthen the school year.  Or in other words.  Summer is getting shorter....  So I am trying to get all the things ready.  All. the. things.

Today was school shopping for clothes with little d.  I hate shopping for clothes.  Well mostly I hate not finding what you need.  Just random shopping is fun.  But when you need a certain jean or short or capri and a certain color/style/bullshit to meet dress code it saps the ALL the fun out.

I also have to get all the school supplies.  I have about half of what I need so far.  My plan is to go early in the am to get the rest.  I'm sure the store will totally have the red yellow blue and green plastic folders with pockets and brads and not be picked over at all.

I ordered those pink erasers online.  At the store you can get 3 for about $4.  Online I got a case of 24 for $7.  How ridiculous is that?

Well not as ridiculous as needing 13 cases of pencils.  Each elementary kid needs 4.  And my middle schooler needs one for each subject.  You have got to be effing kidding.  I am for sure supplying pencils for the entire district.

Let's not talk about the paper goods.  8 boxes of kleenexes.  Roll of paper towels. Box of wet wipes.  2 boxes of ziplocs.  Does the school even have a janitorial budget?? Oh but let's not get started on school taxes please....

Ok onto other news.  Little md, like his sis, needs his tonsils out.  Long story short we will probably be scheduled for the day before the first day of school.  But good news is we can then enroll him in first grade the following Monday and he will have NO absences.  Still that one in your you know what school district.

I am anxious about it.  But praying.  And praying some more.

Face!

I've been wishing for a long time that my skin was lovely enough to go without makeup.  Well let's rephrase.  I go lots of time without makeup--dropping kids off in the am.  Running to walmart first thing in the morning.  I just wish I liked the way my skin looked without makeup to hide the unevenness and brown spots.

ANYway.  I started using a regimen this week.  Roden and Fields.  Hoping it works, everyone seems to love it.  We'll see.  This week it's every other morning.  Working up to twice a day in a few weeks.  I made little d take a before picture.....

If it works I'll have a side by side.  :)

peace out!

Swimmers Gonna Swim

As I mentioned we put in a pool this year.  After just a few weeks both little m and little d are swimming like pros.  Little d will jump off the deep end and the waterfall.  And both are going down the slide.  Little md is spending most of his time underwater.  He loves to dive under in the shallow end.  He's not swimming but his progress is just as amazing as the girls.

I could not be more proud of these kids.  I am also having fun swimming it should be noted.  Pool--good idea, no great idea!!

Summer 2016

The summer started out with a stormy pool party for the 5th grade graduates in our back yard.  I say stormy because the weather nearly ruined it.  But is was so fun!!  DJ, pool, splashing, rain, lifeguards, pizza, cookie cake, and lots of beach towels.

I should do a whole post on how the pool is not finished and how it has taken them since January to not finish.  AND how communication with the company is a joke.....but I'd rather talk about our Dr. Who obsession.

Amazon Prime is just awesome.  And dangerous :/   How easy to just order whatever you want.  BUT also the free stuff...shipping....movies.....tv series.....

That's how I binge watched Downton Abbey a while back.  And how I discovered Dr. Who.  Now the kids and I are in season 6 and watching together.  Where has this show been all my life? The BBC duh.  Incidentally I just ordered Dr. Who mugs from AmazonPrime......free shipping.....will be here Thursday.

So also---just after summer started we took in an orphan calf.  Kids named him Redwood.  His doing amazingly well and loves his summer home in POC.

Little md is having some issues.  I am not sure if it's from the chlorine or his throat.  But he's seeing the ENT tomorrow and we'll see what he says about his tonsils.

I have not gotten the house reorganized for a new school year.  Diplomas/awards still sit on the counter in the homework/folder spot.  And backpacks still hang on the hooks untouched since the last day of school.  I still have to shop for school supplies and Little d's clothes.  This year she has a different dress code.  Which is a whole other stupid topic!!

School starts early this year.  They've cut almost two weeks from summer and it feels like they cut a whole month out.  I don't know how I will get three kids to two different campuses in the mornings.  I don't know how I will survive the start of another school year.  By next summer I'll be a pro.  But this summer I'm dreading it.....all of it.

Almost forgot that yesterday we took in a grounded mockingbird, which is probably a crime.  But it appeared injured.  We've fed it cat food and egg as per the internet and are going to see if it's parents will take care of it today....

Oh did I mention I signed on for another year on the PTO.  This year as VP.  It's not as glamorous as it sounds.  But you do get a lot of inside scoop.  So there's that.

Registration for school on Friday....hopefully a boat ride this afternoon.

If the weather cooperates....

A year ago today

Just hanging out on my laptop and looked at my bookmarks bar.  I thought --huh--haven't checked into mere's lair in a while....

And it was exactly one year ago today that I typed in a post about those parakeets.  Of which we now have one.  The others having found a loving home.  I think I just did two back to back fragments.

I'm sad I didn't document this last year here.  I have a middle schooler, and a kinder graduate.  I have a pool in the backyard and a friend getting a divorce.  I have not lost a single pound.  In fact..the opposite.  I have a beautiful new eternity wedding band and a husband with a beard lol.  (Same guy, new look)  I had a great time attending a bible study class and a busy time on the PTO board.

I'm trying to think of all the highlights of the last year.  Overwhelmingly I'm proud of my children.

My little boy started kinder and did so wonderfully.  I watched him show compassion and have fun.  He learned so much!  And he is so smart! He graduated speech and learned to read.  His math skills are amazing.  And he started piano lessons.

Little m had a solid year in second.  She did great with her first year in GT.  Worked hard on her TPSP project and leaned to focus and complete work in time.  She earned the marvelous mustang award for her class and straight A's.  All the while doing her favorite thing--dance!

My little d.  So silly a name since she's nearly 12.  What an inspiration she is.  She is just the neatest person to be around.  So full of life and humor.  And she is so happy to finally have her phone!!  She also did great this year academically--earning the top three award!!  She is continuing with her piano but her passion is drawing.

D and I have had a wonderful year too.  I'm ever so thankful to have such a wonderful man to spend my life with.

I have GOT to keep up with this blogging!

Summer's Wrapping Up

I can't believe that we are already in August.  School is about two weeks away.  This weekend is our last in POC.  I'm so sad that school is starting soon.  I miss the kids so much when I'm away from them and this year ALL three are in school.

Yep.  My baby is going to kindergarten.  I can't tell you how much trauma this is causing me.  At least not right now.  I'll start crying.

All three completed a two week swim lesson course.  Little d did great!!  Little m did pretty well and is continuing to improve!!  Little md did well at first and then started hating it.  He did sit in the water on the last day so....   But now he is trying again here in mimi and pawpaw's pool.

I went school clothes shopping with little d.  She ended up sick that night possibly a motion sickness, headache, greasy food thing.  Not sure.  But she recovered.  I'm still a little shaky.  Summers are not for throwing up.  We are supposed to coast through summer without any illnesses.  Sigh.

As an official officer of the PTO (ahem.  Volunteer Coordinator is a real thing.)  I had to man the table at registration for a couple of hours.  I have to say I actually enjoyed meeting some new people there.  I think it's going to be fun to be part of the PTO.

Speaking of registration, the kids are.  Registered.  And I am thinking of having a address, a phone number, and a name stamp made.  Filling out my info thirty times gets a bit excessive.  If only there was a way for the school to run your stuff through a magic machine that could spit out multiple copies to file in different folders without you having to write it multiple times.....



Over the summer we all got a little more tan (despite copious amounts of sunblock).  Our hair is a little drier.  And our feet are a little rougher.



PUBLISHING this unfinished a year later lol