How best to update on weeks of many happenings? I decided to take a page from my creative friend, Jeanne's, Christmas letter and work in A-B-C format. And so I present to you our alphabetical life update:
Antibiotics: Benji and I have both found ourselves in need of these in the last 2 weeks.
Back to Michigan: we've been there twice now in two weeks. Unexpectedly, if you will. The first trip was planned as a golf outing for James and Fathers' Day celebration with family. The second time was my spur-of-the-moment decision to go and help with some flood clean-up.
Cousins: My boys (especially Jeran) have gotten to spend a good deal of time with Michigan cousins. James's brother, Keith, and sister-in-law, Jeni, and their 3 kids (all close in age to ours) moved from Oregon to MI in May. We are SO excited to have them around and spend more time together!
Dads: We celebrated Fathers' Day our first trip to Michigan. I am SO grateful for and crazy about my dad, dad-in-law, and husband. I need another post to regale you with all the reasons they are my heroes.
E.R.: Our first time to Michigan, two weekends ago, I ended up visiting the ER on Friday night due to an intense urinary tract infection. I can't pinpoint why, but there is something decidedly embarrassing about this. More on that in another post.
Family: I have been so blessed by all the time I've had to spend with my extended family in the past couple of weeks. I've been spoiled by their generosity in helping out with my kids and have now caught a glimpse of what exactly I have been missing all this time that I've been living in Illinois. (A tough pill to swallow) I love you guys!
Gripe water: This little herbal miracle was recommended to me by my sister-in-law Jeni as a possible solution to Grayson's colicky behavior. While medical personnel and some parents aren't convinced of its effectiveness I can say that for the two weeks we've been using it we have DEFINITELY seen a difference. Found it in the baby aisle at Walgreens, and it's the best $10 I ever spent. Our greatest difficulty, it seems, is when he is in his car seat. He just seems to hate it. Not good with all the driving our life involves. I am happy to say that with all the driving back and forth to and from Michigan he really did very well.
HMO: This is the type of insurance I have. Up until now I have been VERY happy with it (can we say two FREE labors and deliveries? That's right...we didn't pay a dime), but now I see why some people have warned me of its complexities. Being stuck in Michigan with a UTI was no picnic in the first place but was made many times more complicated by the fact that I had to track down the right doctor after hours on the phone to get a referral to an urgent care center. After an hour talking to insurance and doctors' answering services I was sent to the ER. HMO is now synonymous with "Pain in my butt".
Ice cream: my summertime addiction has begun. I can't get enough.
J.J.: He's gotten, as I said, lots of time with cousins in these past 2 weeks. He has spent the night twice now at his cousin, Bella's. She's one year older than him, and they already have the perfect love-hate relationship. :-) It's been really fun to see them getting to know each other and to hear him talk about how much he loves her and her brother Keagan. They spent lots of time in the backyard partaking in water activities such as the slip 'n slide, water balloons, squirt guns, mini pool, etc. This week he will start 2 park district classes, one involving sports and the other is more of a preschool-type format (and gives mom a break! - thanks for that one Steph!).
Keeping up: Things I have learned I cannot keep up with in my life right now: a clean house, gardening (not that I was much of a green thumb anyway), cooking (my husband is absolutely brilliant in this arena), this blog, reading (great sadness attached to this one), my friends (sorry guys - I'm trying), the bills, laundry.
Letting go: Finally, with child #3, I am learning to let go of some of the things in the list above (or at least letting go of some of the guilt attached to these things). I know I have to be better at prioritizing in order to hang on to any shred of sanity. And so I am practicing letting go.
Minnie the Van: Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my van? While the coolness factor is perceived as decidedly low, I can't sing its praises enough. After the aforementioned Michigan travels and a trip to the zoo today with our whole family and my in-laws all comfortably fit in, it has proven its worth in spades.
Nothing: the price I paid for both Ben's and my antibiotics. Meijer RULES.
Otitis media: Fancy medical jargon for "ear infection". Ben had one in both ears this past week. His fever was 103.5 on Tuesday night, but I put off a trip to the urgent care to see if his fever would go down and symptoms dissipate which they did. The next morning, however, he was MISERABLE (capital M), so we got him on antibiotics ASAP. NEver again will I ignore my instincts and put off having a sick kid looked at. P.S. - to whom it may concern: the Holland urgent care center should DEFINITELY have a frequent visitor discount. I'm absolutely certain I would qualify. Nearly every time we're out of town we end up having to make a visit.
Photos: I am crushed to tell you that in the great flood swamping my folks' basement (see "Water"), I lost nearly all of my life in pictures up to this point. Three albums I had painstakingly scrapbooked as well as one my mom made for me (with countless pictures of me growing up) were waterlogged. I was able to rescue quite a few of the photos themselves (scarred as they are), but to see all that hard work go so quickly down the drain (no pun intended) made me physically ill.
Quit: Because of the photo album/flood tragedy I may be throwing in the scrapbook towel for good. That's a LOT of time and money to put into something that can so easily be destroyed. That could be said of many things though I suppose.
Realtor: We finally had one call with clients who wanted to see our house last week Sunday. First visit in the 2 months our house has been on the market. The verdict? Our price is too high and the bedrooms/closets too small. Let the waiting continue.
Salvage: My mom and dad were able to salvage very little (although, from my end, I am very grateful to them for cleaning off a trunk my grandpa made for me and I'm grateful to my in-laws for washing three huge bins of the boys' clothes). However, my parents' attitude has been a good reminder for me. They took everything in stride, are smart to have had an emergency fund, and realize that the things of this world are fleeting. They continually teach me the right perspective I need to be having.
Treasures: "Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO." - Matthew 6:19-21
Urgent care: I successfully navigated a trip to urgent care for Ben with all 3 boys in tow and was very happy with the prompt attention we received. We were in and out in less than an hour. I'm sure the 4-year-old and 18-month-old taking over the waiting room were no motivation whatsoever to move us through.
Vacation: James got a bit of one last week Thursday - Sunday as he was golfing with his buddies around Benton Harbor, Michigan. This works out well for me since upon his return he is more refreshed and I can shove the kids at him and run. Just kidding (sort of).
Water: Following the "Great Storm of '09" my parents' basement took on a bit of water: two and a half feet of it to be exact. It was a sight to behold (see pics below). My parents were out of town, so my brother and sister-in-law dealt with the tragedy handily, spending all day with rented pumps getting the water out. At the end of the day they realized water was still leaking in, so we all left a little dejectedly. Come Sunday, however, he checked things out and all water had drained away leaving lots of sogginess in its wake.
Xray vision: Something I clearly need since when leaving my parents' house one night this week I backed right into my mom's car which was parked behind me and which my mom had just REMINDED me was right behind me. That's what multiple children and multi-tasking will do to you. Luckily no damage ensued and my parents were very cool about it.
Yearbooks: Another tragic loss claimed by the flood. Along with much teaching paraphernelia, our high school and college diplomas, and a few other nostalgic items. Sniff.
Zoloft: A fabulous little blue pill that is helping to keep my emotions on a more even keel and allows me to cope a little more readily with the whirlwind of my life right now. My wonderful dr. suggested at my six week checkup that perhaps I'd like to try a little something to just help balance me out right now. I highly recommend.
So clearly Michigan, floods, family, and illness have consumed our time in the previous weeks. More and more I'm getting the hang of three kids and growing accustomed to accessorizing outfits with spit-up and catching only the occasional shower. Hopefully life can remain a little more uneventful and a lot more fun in the days to come.
