Random things

I find myself thinking "that should go on the blog" several times a week.  However, when it's time to actually sit down and write the blog, I have a hard time getting motivated.  I'm not even sure why I have such a hard time other than the T.I.M.E.  Yes, I knew when I started this project that it was going to require some time on my part.  However, what I failed to realize was that I would sometimes enjoy other tasks more than blogging when that precious time was available.  :)

So, this is some randomness that has been distracting me from life lately.

I can't sleep.  If you've known me for more than 2 weeks, you know that my spiritual gift is sleeping!  Maybe not my spiritual gift, but I do love to sleep.  And, I am good at it!  Or at least I was good at it.  The good news is that I'm pretty sure I know why I can't sleep.  I have too many things going on, and I can't "let go" of them long enough to sleep. 

I enjoy sleeping so much, that I have trained my children.  Here's the deal.  During the week (in the summer), Chad leaves home before 6:30 AM.  Kennedy is an early riser (just ask Duke Watson)!  Okay, this deserves a little side note--About 3 years ago Sadie invited Kennedy to spend the night.  Kennedy was so excited.  Although the girls lived across the street from each other, they couldn't get enough time together.  Sadie is one of those "sleeping" children that I've only dreamed about.  So, Saturday morning Duke got up to have his coffee and watch whatever manly TV shows he watches early Saturday morning, when my child came in and politely asked Mr.Duke to turn on the cartoons.  If I remember correctly, this was approximately 2-3 hours BEFORE Sadie's usual time to get up!  Now that I think about it, that may have been the last time Kennedy was invited to spend the night with the Watson family while The Dukinator was in town!

Back to the point--I have trained my children during the week to get up quietly, fix themselves cereal, and watch cartoons, etc.  Until last summer, this worked nicely.  The girls could be up and enjoying their "earlybird selves" while I enjoyed my "not so earlybird self" until about 8:30.  Who wants a worm anyway?  Obviously, last summer our world changed!  Blake was so young, that I seldom was able to sleep in because she wouldn't, but I often took advantage of her afternoon nap!  This summer, things are getting back to normal.  Kennedy has grown into this mature, responsible, little babysitter.  Now, don't get carried away, she is still immature and argues over who gets the green cup when I'm close enough to get irritated, but when she feels like she's in charge, she takes charge!  Monday morning I was awake when Chad left for work.  I wasn't feeling like I could sleep any longer, so I turned on the bedroom light and started reading my book.  Apparently, I went back to sleep.  At 7:30, I heard Blake whine.  I sat up and realized that some little angel had come to my room, turned off the light, closed the door, prepared breakfast for herself, Taylor, and Blake!  I asked her about it, and she said, "I just turned off the light so you could sleep better because I can take care of all of us in the mornings!"  Wow!  My kid is a.w.e.s.o.m.e!

More randomness.  My dog is hurt.  I am a dog person.  I love dogs.  However, about 8 years and 6 months ago, my priorities changed.  I still love my dogs, but they have become "the dogs" instead of Hershey and Buckwheat.  Buckwheat is a Pekingese.  Hershey is a Basset Hound mix from the pound.  Yes, there's a side story for this too! 

I had a Pekingese most of my life.  His name was Pinocchio.  Yes, you know the dogs with a mushed face and hardly a nose?  Well, when I got Pinocchio and was trying to think of my name, my Daddy said, "You'd better call him Pinocchio because that's the only hope he has of ever having a nose!"  So, I did.  But, my senior year of college he began to have some serious health issues.  He was taking the same heart medication as my grandfather for congestive heart failure, he was blind, he was deaf, he was old!  But, I loved him dearly.  After all, he had been through it all with me.  I got Pinocchio when I was in the third grade!  He'd been there through real homework, puberty, boyfriends, break ups, good friends, not-so-good friends, driving, high school, college, engagement, and planning a wedding.  I knew that Pinocchio was nearing the end of his life, so I did the only responsible thing and talked Chad into buying a puppy about 2 months before I graduated from college.  "Our" dog lived part time with my parents and part time with Chad and his parents since I lived on campus and couldn't have a dog.  After we got married, he was a spoiled rotten dog, but we thought he might be lonely.  Naturally, we went to the pound and adopted him a friend because Chad said, "We are not spending another fortune to get a registered dog.  Just go get a pound puppy."  So, that fall I brought Hershey home for Chad's birthday.  She was just a $40 pound puppy for about 8 months.  Then, she began to limp.  Approximately $1600 dollars and an ACL replacement later, she was as good as new for about 2 months.  Approximately $1300 dollars and another ACL replacement later, she was as good as new again.  I know it is crazy for those people who aren't "dog people", but we felt that we didn't really have options.  She was just a puppy, and her injury would not heal on it's own.  So after being convinced that the surgery would be the final fix and only a small percentage of dogs actually need both hind legs "fixed", we went for it.  Obviously, 2 months later we were back for round two.  At that point, we had so much money invested in the dog that we had to fix the second one!  And between those 2 surgeries, Kennedy was born. 

So, all that to say...I am a dog person, but since those days, my dogs have become second class citizens.  Buckwheat is now over 10 years old.  He's a matted mess.  He insists on sleeping under the storage building in the dirt so that he can get nastier than nasty.  This weekend he began to limp.  I really think that he has an irritated spot on his leg from fleas.  Yes, I am that dog owner.  I'm embarrassed ashamed.  But, in my defense all three of my children are healthy, and I am taking the dog for his summer haircut today so I can see his leg enough to determine if he needs to see the vet.   

Yes, I did say this was going to be random.

Work--I only have to work a handful of days during the summer.  I like that.  But, even a few days requires the monumental task of arranging for someone to watch the kids.  I hate to ask people, but I can't afford to pay a babysitter all the time either.  And, recently I've had to make arrangements several times, so it stresses me out.

Although it is stressful to arrange for the kids, I'm pretty darn excited about going back to New York.  This time I'll be going with my Mom and Dad.  They planned a week long vacation.  Can you believe the nerve they had?  Planned a vacation without consulting me first to see how it works with my schedule?  Seriously, they planned a trip to New York.  I.love.New York!  So, I managed to work out the details to squeeze in a few days with them to show them some of my favorite things in New York. 

So, I think maybe I can't sleep because my brain is making lists of things to pack, childcare arrangements, dog groomers, vets, TAKS retest preparations at work, moving classrooms, paying bills, and keeping the kiddos alive and healthy!