Rock Chalk

I’m not a huge sports fan.  Never been into the whole March Madness phenomenon.  Recently, I had a conversation with Jake about picking an activity-at least one (besides video games) to get involved in and I would support his choice.  I left it open as far as music or sports or even some kind of theater activity.  He has taken karate, piano and t-ball in the past.  He just didn’t get into any of it.  Anyway, all that to say he has yet to make a choice.

I not-so-secretly have in mind what I would like for him to do.  Play basketball.  My boy has some height on him.  And, yes, I know this could change.  (When I played b-ball in elementary school, I was the center at 5′5″.  And I haven’t grown since 5th grade.  Not height-wise, anyway.)  His pediatrician thinks he will be over 6 feet tall. 

My mindset in trying to get him to get interested in basketball was for me to take an interest in b-ball.  What better time to take interest than March Madness??  So I have been watching KU play and even filled out a tourney bracket.  So tonight, instead of going to church (oops) we watched KU play.  I think between my interest and that fact that I tell him KU is my Alma mater, he actually got into the game tonight.  And it was a great game.  It was a great opportunity for me to teach him some of the rules and terminology.  Now, hopefully, he will be interested in joining a league next year.

Mission accomplished.  Hopefully.

Arts and Crap

I have never really been an “artsy” person and anything that I try to make usually turns out, well, less than ideal.

My pregnant sister, who is on “bed rest,” has a two and a half year old daughter.  How anyone, especially someone with a toddler can be expected to stay in bed all day, is beyond me.  I digress, yet again.  So my sis is home with my niece and they are making fun little things out of paper plates and tissue paper and ribbon and such.  Fun, fun.  My brother-in-law gets home from work and my sister is trying to get my niece to tell him about the arts and crafts they made that day.

So she says, “Yeah, arts and crap.”  She will repeat it on command.  And it never gets old.  I so adore that girl. 

Seriously, you can not tell me that she is not the cutest thing you have ever seen.  Just look at that face.  Now picture it saying “Arts and crap!” with a big grin.  I love it. 

Done

Put a fork in me ’cause I am D-O-N-E.

I don’t like to complain, I really don’t.  But I am beat.  Beat down.  Tired of being the “go-to-girl.”  I am there, in full force, whenever anyone needs anything.  I gladly do so.

In return? I get disrespect in multiple forms.  It is exhausting. I can and am willing to give as much as I am capable of giving.  But when I get, figuratively, kicked in the teeth, well that just breaks my heart.  I guess I’m naive thinking that everyone is loving and happy and willing to help others. I don’t even want or need help.  Is respect too much to ask?

Apparently so.  I understand the respect is earned. And I am also realizing that people are cruel.  In most situations, it is in a passive-aggressive manner. Which just sickens me. Because they plan it and intend to behave that way.  In all this mess, as of late, I have learned to set strict boundaries.  I realize that when people don’t care about me, likely, will not give a hoot about boundaries I choose to set.  I have to set them for me.

Soon, I will take a vacation.  By myself.  It’ll just be me and Mexico.  ASAP.  The thought of it is just about the only thing getting me through.  That and my son, my niece, and my friend Becca.  They are the only reasons I’d even come back.

On the same wavelength

My middle sister and I don’t hang out much, but last weekend, we took the kids to McDonald’s.  We were sitting there with our mom talking, watching the kids, and people watching.  The Playplace is the all-time best place to watch people.  Wanna see Psycho-Mom?  And her litter of psycho kidlets?  Just stop by and McD’s Playplace any afternoon, but especially on Saturdays!  Goodness, the blog fodder that trapes in there is, really, too much.

My sisters and I usually can tell what each other is thinking. I’m sitting there, looking around and a man bends over to help this child. And displays his crack. His hairy crack at that.  I started busting out laughing, but I tried to control it until my sister could see it for herself.  She faced that way, and I know it was just a matter of time until she saw it.  I stared at her and tried to maintain composure, watching, waiting… until Yahtzee!  I knew when the crack entered her view by the look on her face. It was priceless!  Then we busted out laughing uncontrollably until we both had tears in our eyes.

Tomorrow, my mom flies to Texas for the weekend.  I offered to take her to the airport for her 7:30am flight.  She lets me know that my middle sister wants to take her so that she can borrow her car.  No problem, I was kind glad NOT to have wake up at 5am.  Well, it turns out that my sister still wants me to go. Because she’s not sure how to get back from the airport.  Umm…how about the way you get there in the first place?  So I’m  gettig up at the crack (ha! crack) to be her GPS?  uh-huh.  She’s buying my breakfast, I immediately say to Mom.   Mom tells me that Sis has already planned on it.  She knows me so well.  And that can be a good and a bad thing. She loves to tell all the “embarrassing Tina” stories.  And there are many of those.  She remembers and retells every single one.  Not nice.

No title

Today I had a wonderful mother-son moment with Jake.  We were in the car and he asked me to turn the radio off.  And he starts talking, which is not unusual.  Jake is a BIG TALKER.  Though, today, he did not speak of the Bionicles.  He told me about a conversation he had with a couple of girls in his class.  One of these girls said that all the boys in the class who talk all the time are dorks, except a few boys.  Jake asked if he was one of the dorks.  Yes, was their reply.  I could tell that he was really hurt.  For the life of me, I will never understand why people feel the need to be mean.  Especially to my precious boy.

I said, “Who cares what they think?” 

“Yeah…”he mumbles.

“I am a dork,” I state, thinking, if I can’t beat him, join him.

“You’re not a dork, Mom.”  Those are the sweetest words that I have ever heard.  Well, other than, “I love you, Mom.”

Well, he thinks that for now.  Ask him again in a few years.  Because, we all KNOW that I am a really big dork.

Anyway, I talked to him about relationships and people and hopefully, he feels that he can continue to talk to me whenever stuff like this comes up.  I am so grateful to have such a wonderful son.

I love being a mom!
 

Wiener poopie

People need to get a life. Don’t you think?

Thanks to Heather for the link.

My fave

Working on a psych unit, I have few “favorite patients,” yet this week I have a new one.  She is an elderly lady with dementia.  She is adorable and has a wonderful family.  She calls me “Mary” and “Mother Mary” every single day that I have worked with her.  When I asked her family who Mary was, I was told that there was no Mary in their family.  I have no idea where she gets this.  One of our nurses told me that she calls HER George every time that she works with our lady.  She is consistent.  I’ll give her that. 

She was talking about her kids and, of  course, I started talking about Jake.  I told her that he was cute.  And ornery.  She said, “Would you want them any other way?”(She has eight kids and countless grand kids)

When wheeling her around the unit, she kept talking about how she was on a cruise and was afraid of the water.  When a patient has dementia, I just go with whatever they are saying.  I asked her where we were cruising and reassured her that I would not let her near the water.

She talked yesterday about how she was a daddy’s girl and how she was so spoiled and got everything she wanted.  Then she said ”I got things I didn’t even KNOW I wanted!”  And then she started laughing.  What a doll.

She is feisty and fun and I really enjoy working with her.  It is refreshing to work with a patient with spunk and life.  What is sad is when her family visits and I can tell that she is not herself and it upsets them.  If she is that fun with dementia, I can only imagine how fun she would be in her normal state.  And I really feel for her family.  I adore her and see how much her family loves her.  And then it inspires me to take that much better care of her and how I would want one of my family members treated.  I often need that reminder.  And I really hope and pray that she gets better.

Wii and mii

For weeks, neither Jake nor I played the Wii.  I decided that we need to play it or sell it.  We have since picked up our playing time, so we will keep it for now.

The dog hasn’t been over since before we got the Wii.  He was over last night and I was playing. I noticed the dog standing in the hall staring at me.  I can only imagine what he was thinking.

” What on earth….???”

“Now, she’s gone and lost it. We knew it was just a matter of time.”

He cracks me up. I love how sweet and cuddly he is and how he still remembers me even When so much time passes between our visits.  Unfortunately dog + apartment + winter = not fun. Especially when said dog wants to go out at 3am. 

Depleted

This week has thoroughly exhausted me:  physically, mentally and emotionally.  Spiritually, I am doing well.  It is the only thing that motivates me to get up in the morning.  I have been stretched this week further than I thought imaginable.  And I feel that I have endured may share of trial.  I am glad this week is over and I am thankful to still be plugging away.  I need about 3 days sleep, though.  And I know that’s not going to happen.  I’m doing well to get three HOURS in a row.  Ugh.  I’m running on fumes, but I will make through this day!  Yay for Friday!

Trifecta

I have three things to post about, but will roll them into one because I have been up since 5am.  I went to the gym!  And ran!  Fast!  Well, fast for me, at 30 second intervals, that’s a pretty good start.

So, the ex was telling me about how the women that he has been dating, all remind him of me.  And my biggest concern?  I wasn’t jealous, I was worried that my dog would become more attached to one of them than he is to me.  I know that no one will replace me in Jake’s eyes, ever.  I would hope that his dad would choose someone who would get along with Jake and have his best interests at heart.  And I remind myself that my issue about the dog is not a big deal.  Right? 

I need a new computer.  I have ADD and my computer can not handle me checking this and that and playing solitaire and booting up iTunes and on and on, trying to get it to do 20 quadillion things at once until she locks up on me and then I just want to throw her out the freaking window!!!  I will get one soon. 

I did an admission tonight at the hospital.  It was a post-partum case, the couple came in with their precious baby.  And, anyone who knows me, knows how much I love kids, and babies?  They turn me to mush.  So our secretary puts this sweet family in the hall.  Of a psych unit.  With a BABY!!!!  Seriously, WTH???  I was furious.  It is unlikely that the baby would have been hurt, but I am not one to take risks.  Unless it is my heart on the line and I am putting it in the hands of a complete ass.  Then, apparently, I am all in.  Kidding. 

Anyway, back to this sweet young family.  I lead them into a room where they can be comfortable and safe.  I am going through my admission paperwork, trying to be helpful to this precious family.  Everyone in the room was crying except the baby.  I don’t think they saw me tearing up.  Can you imagine??  Checking into a psych unit and the intake staff can’t keep it together??  Just the thought of this family spending time apart, the dynamics of it all, absolutely broke my heart.  And I ask if they have family to help with the baby.  “No,” the reply.  Oh, Lord, I had to leave.  I really wanted to offer to watch the baby.  I am aware that is crossing the line, professionally.  I still wanted to.

One more thing.  I may have decided what I want to be when (IF) I grow up.  I am going to get and MPA-Master’s in Public Administration.  This degree fits all of my gifts and interests.  So I am going to go for it.  Because, you know, I have SO much free time.

That’s it for today.  I am aware that I am all over the board, but you were warned of my ADD tendencies.  Blessing to all.