Fast forward

Fast forward SIX years...I just got an itch to find the old blog(s) I had done. I very much enjoyed reading them again.

We added another kid to the mix, intentionally, thank you very much. I will be 60 when he graduates high school and that is ok. I have high school classmates who had kids after me, as well as classmates that are grandparents. But I just talked to a guy the other day in the same boat, actually a few years older, and we agreed that it's a great idea. Ha. Ha. Ha. I am thrilled I have 3 and we have 5. Never a dull moment. Kindergarten to college, got all the phases covered!

I wouldn't have made it this far in the sanity department if it weren't for my sister, 2 years younger. She gets the mom thing and has 3 that are older than mine, so she graciously gives me a heads up on what situations have happened at her house. Her sense of humor is just what I need most days.

A huge thing on my mind is retirement in approximately 101 days. I cannot emphasize how ready I am. This LE job has had its ups and a lot of downs. I do not enjoy it much anymore and feel like I'm not good at it. Some things, yes, like talking to people, but I'm not, and never have been, a high ticket writer. That's a whole other blog. You can make numbers say anything and I have worked with more moody male supervisors than I've cared to. Not man bashing but things can be blown out of proportion and they have definitely been WRONG at times. Whatever, I'm almost done. Trying to move on.

I have all these plans of what I want to do when I have "all this time" but I will probably be just as busy. I'd really like to get the house in order. I can't keep with with 4 other people. I prioritize and the rest is bonus. Some days I can't find the energy to do what I want to. Some days it's lack of mental energy.

Life is still as busy as ever, but that's the way it is with a family.

The drive thru

I move that if you work in a drive thru at a fast food restaurant, you must first have children. Today, my day OFF of WORK, I put my 4 yr old on the bus, kept my 3 yr old occupied while I took a quick (academy efficient) shower, took the 3 yr old to the 4 yr old's preschool (the 3 yr old goes there on opposite days), took both kids to 4 yr old's doctor appointment for some minor skin irritations, ran to shoe store with both kids (happy happy joy joy), purchased 2 pairs of shoes for said kids, ran over to McDonald's drive thru/through (I am aware of the correct spelling), administered both happy meals to the kids from the driver's seat (a stash of ketchup & straws in the glove box ensures that they will actually give you some) and no, no, that's o.k., we CAN get by with only 2 napkins only because I HAVE A STASH ABOVE THE VISOR, celebrate the fact that they now have Power Ranger happy meal toys, which pleases both kids as we are now in the PR mode, take 4 yr old back to school, pick up lunch for hubby, take 2 yr old home for a nap, check on the husband who has rented a lift to fix the roof peak from the Storm of June '12 and trim some damaged trees, rock the 3 yr old to sleep, try not to fall asleep myself, lay the 3 yr old down, wait on bus to drop off 4 yr old, run up town to pay a bill, check mail, & get Gatorade for hubby because I am nice and it's 90 degrees out, 3 yr old is awake, TRY to help hubby with branches & wood that has now covered half our yard, take care of various needs & referee issues between 3 & 4 yr old, discover that 3 yr old's leg is swelling from a bug bite, decide to get neighbor/friend/babysitter's opinion (she's an EMT), realize that she is having her jewelry party TONIGHT instead of tomorrow, make some quick bids, decide to take 3 yr old to Urgent Care, load up both kids, trek 25 miles, arrive at UC 5 minutes before they close, but they are gracious enough to whisk us in & look at 3 yr old's leg, try to talk to doctor/NP(I think he was an NP) while both kids are asking me questions, give them my phone to take turns playing games, get a script for antibiotics, load kids (well, CARRY the 3 yr old out because he is now throwing a fit about one of the games), head for McDonald's again, realize that the local pharmacy is open & maybe I should get him started on the medicine tonight if at all possible, get script filled after a Who's on First exchange with the nice pharmacist, go to McDonald's, tell the kids, Oh Look, they have Power Rangers, too! but they get Spongebob instead because, when I asked about it, the kid at the window said they have to wait on an e-mail so why are we advertising PR at the window???, administer the meals (rip off ranch dip foil-always messy, straws in drink, open up toys-explain that they are getting a Spongebob toy instead of the anticipated Power Ranger as advertised, and hey, my kids are a little spoiled but not too bad, but would it kill ya to deliver the goods?, put previously stashed ketchup in cups absconded from another visit, text the hubby that we are finally headed home, let kids share phone since I downloaded a new app while in pharmacy drive thru, to keep them occupied, and that's o.k. again, we don't need ANY NAPKINS because my 3 & 4 yr old are the cleanest kids in the WORLD (stash above visor now depleted, thank you very much), drive 25 miles home in DARK (but with 1 interior light on so kids can see to finish eating), arrive with full & happy kids in driveway, unload van (trash, drinks, medicine to go into refrigerator (did I do that? be right back.....yes, one of us put it away, oh, got to feed the cats, geesh the back yard looks like a storm hit it again), tell the hubby that the kids are all his the rest of the night, grab a Hershey bar & my coke from McDonald's and head for this blog. Holy cow. Where's the Tylenol!

To cater or not to cater? That is the question.

My daughter is entering into the having a friend sleepover stage. Her friend is no trouble at all. But MY 2 cherubs, whether it's my own fault for spoiling them (are they spoiled? I didn't mean to!) or the fact they are excited another playmate is in the house, seem to demand more when company is here. Mommy, I need this. Mommy, will you bring me that? Mommy, I can't find _____(fill in the blank of anything you just saw them with 30 seconds before.) I want their childhood, and that of their friend, to be happy and memorable, but where to draw the line of fetching & dropping everything to literally just be the 4th member of the play group? So what if the dishes don't get done, or the mail isn't gone through? We'll buy more paper plates & just pay the bills when stuff stops working. But I will have to disappear for at least 5 minutes to warm up lunch so they can eat. Can't survive on junk food from the pantry! Have you ever tried to load 3 PEZ dispensers while getting requests that the youtube video won't replay and the DVD movie needs restarted? And while you're at it, we are thirsty. I love my darlings! Why, they are so adorable as they nap. The next question: To nap or not to nap, that is another blog.

To Be A Kid Again

In this world of bad news & tragedies, I resolve to find the best in things. My children help me do that often. "Oh to be 4, again!" we all have said. The world is simple to them. Mom & Dad are superheroes. The 4 food groups are hotdogs, icecream, french fries, & chicken nuggets. They live to play. They don't have to ration their energy. Every new kid is a potential friend.

Thank you, God, for the unusually warm weather. Yes, it gives us something to talk about with complete strangers. And it has allowed us more blessed time outside in the fresh air. Yeah, there's a little mud tracked in the house but Drew can dig in the sand and Lauren can ride around on the patio. Fun overrides dirt.

Thank you for the wisdom of a child. Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves that life can be simple. Share. Say please & thank you. And the rest will fall into place.

Puzzle Pieces in the Laundry

"To everything there is a season," is one of my favorite quotes from the Bible. A time to do laundry, a time to do dishes, a time to clean house. As I wondered if I'll EVER catch up on this house, I found a puzzle piece in the laundry basket. The kids were working on a puzzle on the dining room table, which doubles as a laundry table, something I detest & hope to remedy soon. The puzzle piece make me think I should be happy to find it here, because that means there are kids in this house. Just like the handprints on the inside rear of my van window say the same thing. "There are kids here." I shall be grateful because there are parents who have just lost their child and children who have just lost a parent. Some days there is too much sadness. To those who have lost, peace. Some day there will a time to dance.

Find the rewards in small bits

Hectic weekend. It's a long story. The more I try to make sure others are having a good time, the worse things go for me. So, I'm printing the pictures of the fun things about the weekend, and passing them on to the ones who enjoyed it.

Pictures are some of my therapy. A little wine would make it better. I say that but I haven't had a drink in about a year, when my sister came to help me clean the house. She has the energy that I can't find anymore. Which is why I can't drink much-I'll fall asleep. Then Mommy will wake up to Lord knows what mess that can only be created by a 2 and 3 year old team.

All I know is a festival, a late night, and 2 small children don't mix well. The fireworks topped it off. I can't predict things and I only had the best of intentions. We didn't HAVE to go anywhere. But we tried to go out like a normal family. That's a good one. Normal.

My husband and I are in law enforcement. Our schedules and our family is not normal. Weekends off together have just begun and it's weird to say the least, to be able to plan to go to events on the "normal" weekend.

We've done more things and gone more places this weekend than the last 6 months combined. Maybe we should try baby steps. There are too many factors that can alter the way the ship is sailing, i.e. the 2 yr old's nap time. DON'T mess with that!

Enough said. Going to get the pictures to Ashton. He loved the Roundup. Glad I said yes.

This is my first blog and first post (trumpet sound!). I hope this is entertaining and helpful to anyone who stumbles upon it.

I am an "older" mom with 2 small children. I have shared that I had my life planned and God laughed. Show me a person that is living their life as they planned it and I'll show you someone who has 2 children 18 months apart, a full time "male dominated" job, a husband that works shift work, and 2 step children, among a lot of other things.

I have realized as I turned 40, that Super Mom does not exist. I cannot give 100% to everyone. My work gets a part of me, my children, I hope get the biggest part of me, and my husband gets a part of me. Whatever is left of me, I get, which is not much when it's all said and done. If I gave everything I had to everyone, I'd simply go crazy. Which, after some of the days I've had, starts to seem like a good idea, since I would get some quiet time in a hospital, with people taking care of ME. Just kidding, really.

So, to any young mother, please realize that you can't be super mom. You can try, but she does not exist. She is a legend and a myth. God bless you for trying, though. Picture yourself as a pie and assign pieces to each part of your life. That is how much of you they get. "And they don't throw a fit."

By the way, the time I have spent here could have gone towards housework (because the kids are napping) but I fully realize the consequences and I don't care. The house will always need something. I am accepting a lot of things lately.

With age, comes wisdom.