Wherein I Cry

It's been a rough week. I won't lie. I won't exaggerate. I won't even sugar coat it. It sucked. And the suckiness {if that's a word} is still going strong. Granted, I've had much rougher weeks, but it's been awhile so I'd forgotten to bring my A-Game.

Last week we had a meeting with some school district uppities. {They had the results of a test B had taken in 2nd grade.} While they looked us over like spoiled meat, we cringed, knowing they were thinking we'd stolen our oldest kid from some smart people, because how could he have come from us? They talked, we nodded; a little shell shocked to do much else. Among their suggestions on how to educate this rare oddity was to grade skip him.

We didn't know what to do. We didn't know what to say. This was new territory and we weren't Lewis and Clark. They at least had a compass and Sacajawea. We didn't have either and they really wouldn't have been helpful in this situation anyway.

So we talked to people. Most times, the response was positive. We met with a group of people who have their own rare oddities and they had awesome advice also. But when it really came down to it, the decision was ours. So, we did it. We decided as parents that we could not in good conscience not do whatever we could to help him progress. This wasn't a decision we took lightly. {I look a little zombie-like and I think if you tried to hold a conversation with me I might unwillingly nod off.}

And after it was decided, I cried. I knew it was right, but here I was sending my just barely baptized eight year old to the wolves. And then, all the negatives wouldn't leave me alone.

He'll be in a grade with kids 2 years older than him.
He won't have any friends.
They won't like him.
They'll pick on him because they know he's supposed to be in third grade.
They won't let him play with them.
He'll be alone.

Everything I read and everyone I talked to said he'd be fine. Heck, even the test he took said he'd be fine. But in my heart, I was scared. No child should ever have to feel alone and I certainly didn't want mine to feel that way.

When I walked him to class this morning and heard a few kids ask why he was there, my heart ached. When I left him and he looked a little smaller than them, my heart cracked. But, when I checked on him during recess and saw him standing alone, my heart broke.

As I stood by the lunchroom door crying silently, I questioned my once strong decision.

Was I wrong?
Was this the right thing to do?
Would he be ok?
Would he ever make friends?
Would he be alone for the rest of 4th grade?

The test said he'd be ok. Everyone I talked to said he'd be ok. Even my head said he'd be ok, but I couldn't reconcile that with my broken heart.

And still, I cry. Because I wonder.

I didn't say I was a genius...

*As an explanation, for some reason, sharing my stupidity with the rest of the world makes the whole situation a little easier to deal with.*


These are my new toys. Purchased for $100 each at Lowes. Yes, I said $100 dollars. Crazy eh? The washer was used and sounds a little noisy, but we're getting that fixed. The dryer, brand new, just discontinued, with the manual still taped inside.


We're loving them until it comes time to dry the clothes. We put them in, and wait. Five hours later our towels are dry. I call my mom and ask her if her front loader takes a really long time to dry clothes. Nope.

So, I try every configuration that I can, trying to get some warmth. Nothing. It is just cold air. So, I call Lowe's and talk to a really nice lady at Samsung who puts out a repair order. The repair lady calls yesterday and says that the guy will be out about 10:00 today. And, she adds in, that if it's just human error related to hook up and there's nothing wrong with it they have to charge us $60. That's fine, we say, because we've checked every possible configuration in the back as well as the front to try to get it to work.

So, when he showed up, shined his little flashlight in the back, and said to me,

"This is a gas dryer. And a gas dryer won't work if it's not hooked up to the gas."

I wanted to melt. I wanted to crawl in a hole. I wanted to disappear. I wanted my face, which was bright red from embarrassment, to stop flaming.

Now, you may think we are completely stupid, but really, we're not. We've never had a gas dryer. We had these for almost 13 years, and they're both electric.


We even read through the manual to try and figure out what could be wrong. There were no diagrams of gas dryers and how to hook them up. So really, we were just clueless.

After I stammered my way through explaining to him that we bought it on clearance and didn't even ask, and we've never had a gas dryer, and on and on and on.... {I tend to stammer A LOT when I'm embarrassed.} He said to me,

"I'm really sorry but I have to charge you $60 for this."

I knew it was coming, the punishment for our stupidity. As I wrote that check out, my stomach churned a little. Okay, a lot. And flashes of fun things I could do with $60 flashed through my head. Heck, flashes of unfun things {like groceries} flashed through my head.

As I handed him the check, I wondered if I could just shove him outside, snatch back the check, lock the door and pretend it was all just a really bad dream. But alas, I couldn't muster up the courage.

He left, I called Derek, and he laughed. I'm not quite there yet.

Brandon's getting baptized!

Brandon's getting baptized next Saturday and you're all invited! If you're reading this, this is your invitation to come and enjoy the wonderful spirit of a newly baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. After, we're having a dinner at my parents house and you're invited there too! There will be plenty of food, so don't be shy! {It's not just for family!} We'll see you there! {If you need directions, give me a call.}

These Two Ladies

Today, my mom, brother, myself and our three kids {two mine, one his} decided it'd be fun to take a trip to Costco. Now, after reading Marie's blog entry from yesterday, I was a little hesitant to go and subject myself to the torture that would most likely take place.

Let me tell you, it would have been better had I stayed home. Although, I wouldn't have had the opportunity of buying lots of stuff for ten dollars a piece!

So, we're walking through Costco and we happen to walk by this older couple who are screaming at each other in a foreign language. I would have totally eavesdropped if I could have understood what they were saying. As it was, I can't update you on the nature of their conversation since I have no idea what it was about. The odd things that happen in Costco! But wait, it gets better!

After that, all was good till we got to the check out. There was a little misunderstanding and it was taking a minute to get resolved. In the mean time, this girl {probably mid-20's} and her mom {who are standing behind my mom and have really only been standing there for about 30 seconds} decide that complaining right into my moms ear is for sure going to help things along quicker.

So, for the next few minutes we hear:

"How long is this going to take?"
"This is taking forever!"
"It's not your fault mom. They should know the rules."
"Oh my gosh, this is taking so long."
"Mom, this is taking too long. You go get our food and as soon as they're done I'll be over there."

And on, and on, and on....

Now, I can understand that you're frustrated, but seriously! Making the people in front of you feel like the scum who walk under the scum of the earth really doesn't help.

And then, as I walk over to get the kids something to eat, there they are. Taking about us and laughing. And if you wonder how I know, what gave it away was the loud, "There she is." As I walked up to order food.

If my looks could make people burst into combustible objects I would hope that I did my job. If not, my brother took care of the rest. After I explained what happened, he was slightly agitated. Mostly about the fact that they were picking on my mom. Who is very, very sweet.

So, as we left the parking lot passing the lovely ladies on our way, he rolled his window down, made sure to get their attention and stuck up for my mom. As this is a family blog I won't tell you what was said, but it involved a certain finger and someone getting sick from a certain disease.

Yes, unlike how Marie handled herself yesterday, we were much more mature and grown up.

Brandon

Who knew that after 8 years, I'd love you more than the day I learned I was going to have you?

Who knew that you'd grow up to be so amazing?

So...

loving

caring
smart
giving
funny
friendly
confident
happy...

Everyday I'm astonished and amazed at what you know and who you are.

Thank you
for teaching me more than I ever thought I'd learn in such a short time.

I love you
and
everything about you.

Happy Birthday
Bubba Boo!

I'm sorry you had to spend it like this:

Back To School

By the time Thursday rolled around {the first day of school} the kids were ready! I think they'd had enough of me and each other. They were so excited to start school. Kendal especially. She was a little perturbed that she didn't go in the morning with Brandon and that she didn't get to eat lunch at the school. Eventually she was ok though, and we headed off to school.

Kendal has to have the obligatory silly face..or faces. One will not suffice. Take for instance last years pictures found here. It's just her though, and I love it!

Brandon's silly face. One will suffice for him.

Sadly, Brandon didn't quite have the most wonderful first day. That morning, we put his new shoes on, that we had bought about the 18th of July, and they were a little snug. I asked him if they were ok and he said they were comfortable. They felt tight to me, but seeing as how he wore flip-flops all summer {and you can't wear flip-flops to school} and his other shoes were all the same size, I sent him off thinking they'd be ok. About 1:00 he called me and asked me to bring him a different pair of shoes because his toes hurt really bad. I was at the school so I headed to his classroom to talk to him. I told him I didn't have any other shoes and asked him if he could manage for another couple hours. He said he'd be good and I left. When he walked into my mom's library after school, he had an enormous fat lip. Apparently he and another kid were trying to slingshot another kid with a jump rope and the jump rope slipped out of the other kids hands and smacked him in the face. Poor kid! And day 2 wasn't any better, but that's a story for later.

Kendal, though, loves Kindergarten and had a great time. Her teacher's so cute and I know Kendal's going to love her.

I though, am not loving having no children at home. It's so different and I feel a little lonely. I'll survive though and I'm sure I'll love having the extra time to myself in the afternoons. So, if you're not busy in the afternoons and are feeling lonely like me, let me know and we can comisserate together!

For Marie

Laundry: 2
Dishes: 0