Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Really - 2010 is Over?

Crap, I mean Holy Smokes! I mean what just happened here?

The year is gone. Over. Done with.

Memories I Would Like to Leave in 2010

Scott's blood clot(s) and the 24 hours between finding him in the front room and him lying in the hospital.

Showing up an hour late for Gracie's dance recital rehearsal and hearing her little friend innocently ask Grace "what happened, why weren't you here?"

Stomping like a child up and down my stairs cause I just didn't want to go back to work.

Memories I think Others Can learn From Including Me

I'm getting ready to pick Scott up from the hospital last February and my doc calls me and tells me to come by the office and pick up some lab results and radiology films to get a second opinion. As soon as I hang up the phone rings, it's the school, Gracie's puking I need to go get her. I pick her up, head to my doc, pick up my stuff, stop for gas on the way to the hospital. I don't have the debit card so I run in to pay with cash. I do my best to figure out how much to pay but my mind isn't working at this point and tell the cashier that I want 10 gallons, could she please help me. She politely smiles and starts to help but we are interrupted by a woman who tells the cashier that she only needs $10 and she doesn't have time for this. So, the cashier asks what pump she's on. She pauses and looks at the cashier, then at me, then at her car, then leans back and looks and hums, (clocks ticking) Reactively I start laughing. Cause she was in such a big hurry she forgot to check her pump. The cashier thought she was gonna just lay me out. Right there. But I couldn't help it, the laugh just fell out of my mouth. Sometimes life isn't what it seems. Sometimes life isn't all about you. For all I know the lady was in a hurry because her mom was dying and she only had an hour left to be with her.

When you think you should call some one to support them, you should. The morning of blood clot drama I was beside myself. Scott's mom had just left the hospital and we were waiting for Scott to go down to radiology when my phone rang. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief when I saw Laura's name on my phone. I tearfully said hello and she strongly asked what happened. I don't remember much else other than I felt safe. It was comforting to talk to her. So if you think you should call or run over or make a meal or just send a note or email or text, do it. Don't hesitate.

Did You Mean Kristin or Kristin?

Okay, God does have a sense of humor. How do I know? Well, I'm in my mid 40's and he blesses me in the same year with 2 friends that have the same name. Try having a dinner conversation with your husband and explain you just ran with Kristin and you are going swimming with Kristin on Saturday, oh and you wanna hear what Kristin told me .....

Funny Things I've Heard?

There's just not enough space to write everything Zak has said.


"Mom, I wrote you down as my hero at school". "Gracie, thank you so much. I love you." Gracie, "Well, I couldn't think of anyone else so put you."

Dying from heat on a Saturday run on the lakefront. Caro and I are half way done and seeing Kristin jogging alone. Yelling to her and then waving and she yells back ..... "You crazy bitches, how'd you get in front of me?" The girls next us at the fountain burst out laughing. Caro and I are laughing. Ok, maybe you had to be there. It really was funny.

"I paid for 17 and that's what I'm doing." Gotta love it Kristin :)

"Are you girls really riding in this heat?" A Broadview police officer after a ride on a July lunch break. I thought he was talking to someone else, like girls. I literally looked around for 2 other girls riding their bikes until I realized he was talking to me.

UNCLE. Not so funny then but funny now.

"Hey, are you 2 sisters?" "Are you models"? I think he thought our padded bike shorts weren't padded bike shorts.

"Who's coach Troy?" I asked Caroline. "You have got to turn off those reality t.v. shows and start doing the spinnervals!"

"Just go in back and start swimming. I set it up for you. I even moved the trampoline over to the edge of the pool so the kids can just jump right in." I panicked for nothing and the kids had a blast :) Thank you Jeff and Barbara.

Didn't hear this but thinking about swimming in total darkness @ 5:30 in the morning, in the rain, staying as close to Dennis's feet at possible. It was the longest swim ever! Going back the shore was better cause th sun came up. And yes, Dennis beat me in UGH!

If There Was Ever A Time to Say Thank You

I really am not gonna say it now. I'll say it when my time is done and I don't go back. But I am trying to think of the best way, if there is one, to say thank you to my colleague's at work. I was scattered much of the springtime. My thoughts were all over but the support I recieved from 5 strangers, who only knew me for all of 4 weeks before my life started spinning, is difficult to put into words. What will be more difficult is saying goodbye.

Dirtiest Kids in Chicagoland!

I was so close. Thanks to everyone who voted. Looks like I'm gonna have to save my money to get to Louisville.

2 Books

Much to my complete and total surprise I read 2 books this year.

4 Agreements (self help)

Comeback (non-fiction)

I think both of them can make you a better person. Maybe next year I'll read 3 books. If you're a betting man, bet against what I just said.

Did I Really Just Say That?

So our school cut it's full time nurse to a part-time position. 4 hours a day. Both of our children have chronic asthma and our son has a peanut allergy. Without getting into long details Scott and I found ourselves at some school board meetings at the end of spring.

School board meetings are a process every tax payer should go through. Find the time. Go.

I thought the board had no money for a nurse. Then realized there was a surplus. After doing a lot of research on line about having a nurse in the school as opposed to not having one. Which was kind of a waste of time cause there isn't much out there. I also talked to a lot of people in the community, including our Park District, which doesn't not have a nurse on staff at all programs because it just won't be cost effective. I reached the conclusion that a part time nurse would be appropriate.

Here's where it got really foggy for me. The board approved a part time nurse in March 6-1. In May, after a petition was signed that the parents wanted the issue readdressed, the board president agreed to increase the nurse's 4 hour day to 6 1/2 hours. This meant that a nurse would be present the entire time the children would be at school. She would still be considered part-time and paid without benefits. I'm thinking cool, that's just like me. I'm working part-time and not being paid benefits. If I needed benefits I would apply for a job that pays them. Right?

Some of the board members that agreed to a part-time nurse voted against the new part-time nurse.

So, in all my wisdom (anger) I made a complete ass of myself and confronted the board members by name after the vote. I went as far as to say that they had the nurse's best interest at heart and not the children of the school. I just wanted to know why they flip flopped. It still doesn't make sense. But I was out of line and spoke up at an inappropriate time. I now know that this is something that should have been done after the meeting not during.

I must say, and I do believe this with all my heart, all the members of our school board work hard. Heck, I was exhausted just going to 3 meetings. They go to meetings at least once a month to fight for what they believe is best for the school. They do this on their own time/dime.

My final thought. It was the first time in my life I felt like a republican. Did I just write that?

The Secret of Life

I think I discovered one of the secrets to life.

We can't do it alone. We aren't meant to be here and go through it by ourselves. We have to interact. Talk, laugh, cry and just be with each other. Help each other. Piss each other off. Comfort each other. Learn from one another. You get what I'm trying to say here.

I am looking forward to 2011. It's gonna be a good year.

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