Random Thoughts Thursday

This year of sickness has continued in our home. This week...stomach flu. Abbie is the only one to escape scott free.

School lets out for the summer next week. I'm getting excited for all the fun I have planned for the kids. Visiting a cave, hiking, kayaking, backyard camping, baking. Gotta love summer.

This weekend I'm participating in the Little Red Riding Hood bike ride up in Logan, UT. I had signed  -up to do 50 miles but my knee and the doctor have nipped that in the bud to 36. It will still be fun though.

It makes me feel like I'm doing something right as a parent that my girls like The Beatles We were listening to, "All You Need is Love" as we were drive home from Costco today.

Savannah: That's not true! You need more than love.
Mom: What else do you need?
S: A heart!

Abbie's school choir had their end of year concert this week. She could not have been more proud of herself singing all these great songs from the movies. Me, I'm turning into the sappy mom who gets teary when she starts singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Russ is doing something right as a parent because Savannah knows the name of almost all the Star Wars characters from all three movies.

Random Thoughts Thursday

This morning I got up early and went for a bike ride, gardened for an hour and a half, and made pie dough.

This afternoon, I slept, and slept and slept.

I'm in the process of signing my girls up for extra-curricular activities for the summer. In typical me fashion, I put a lot of weight on these classes. They might help them develop their talents, become part of their identity, or help in their career path. Or if I choose the wrong one, they might be fodder for discussions to their therapist. No pressure. (Can anyone else see the Ebert in this, or is it just me?)

Tomorrow I'm going to make strawberry rhubarb pie. I'm kind of excited. I've never had it before, but we have a big rhubarb plant in our backyard and it seems a shame to waste it.

As I was gardening this morning my neighbor stopped by. He handed me an envelope. He said the mail man must have dropped it on his lawn. This man is one of the handful of neighbors we know, but not our next door neighbor. The mail man dropped it on his lawn. If this were junk mail that would be one thing but it was a check that we've been waiting for! I've heard several neighbors complain about this particular mailman and I'm afraid I'm queuing up right behind them.

Mr. Bean + Seinfeld - Elaine - Kramer - George + Cornwall = Doc Martin.  Mine and Russ's new favorite show. (Behind Call the Midwife, but that is just my favorite.)

Nathan had a follow up for his ear tubes yesterday. He might need another surgery to take his adnoids out. (Considering he has had two, yes two, ear infections in the last six weeks since the surgery.) Let's go for four surgery's in one year now shall we?

And his hearing test in his left ear came back inconclusive.


This has, however been the first year in..well..ever that I've been very, very grateful for health insurance.

Random Thoughts Thursday

I haven't posted about this in awhile but the truth is my kids are still sick. Not all of them and not all the time but since last October I can think of only a few times when we've gone a seven day period with no one being sick. The current culprit, Nathan. He has an ear infection. (Last week he had a fever.) Ear infections with tubes are less painful but more gross.

My book club read The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Not a read for everyone, but a book I need in my permanent collection.

I get to plant my garden this week and I'm getting excited!

Not so much for the weeding though.

Physical therapy is going well. I am pretty close to fully functioning.  This week I can finally bike outside, which I've been craving for ages. My biggest PT accomplishment? I can touch my toes without bending my knees. I don't think I've ever been able to do that. Probably not something I should be admitting to the entire internet, but I'm pretty darn proud of myself.

I'm getting excited for summer. 

Sorry I have no more randomness in me.

 

Random Thoughts Thursday

After tomorrow I will have taken Abbie to seek medical care a total of four times...this week. Two doctor visits, one instacare and one emergency room. Asthma sucks. But I think after the E.R. triple cocktail of meds we are finally over the hump.

Last week when all I could do was lie around staying off my knee I became addicted to the YouTube Phenom that is Lizzie Bennett Diaries. Each  video is only 3-6 minutes long so I totally had time to watch one (or two, or three, or four). Most of you actually have lives to live so I would recommend skipping through to the ones with the most views but it is pretty fun...if slightly amateur.

For the second half of last week Russ and I got away for a few days. The two highlights (and the order here is really debateable) 1 - Remembering how much fun we have together when we aren't problem solving and dead tired. 2 - Sleeping in as late as we wanted.

Nathan is walking! He is up to six steps! Props little man!

There is nothing like great writing to make me loose patience with poor writing.

Favorite moment of the day: Pushing Savannah on the swing.
Least favorite moment of the day: ER for four hours without a book.

At church a man donated some land for those who want to plant a garden but don't have room. I think eventually we will have something at our house but it will take an overhaul of landscaping that I'm not looking forward to. So tonight about 15 families got together and started making plans. I think I'm as excited about the prospect of gardening with my neighbors as I am about having a garden.

Random Thoughts Thursday

On one hand it is sad how I can get sucked into hours of watching episode after episode of West Wing and Call the Midwife. On the other, I am so sick of sitting around doing nothing, that the thought of needing surgery on my other knee is like asking a woman to have another baby right after she has just delivered one.

I can't carry my baby. I can hold him but when I take more than two or three steps I remember why I'm not supposed to carry him. It is heartbreaking to me.

Abbie started piano lessons this week. She is taking it so seriously because these are things she, "just has to know."

Nathan pulled up one of the keys on my keyboard that goes with my iPad. Now I have to press it extremely hard to get it to work. Which key? 'S.' Why couldn't it have been 'X' or 'Q'?

Savannah has a recital for her music class in a few weeks. I'm honestly surprised how fast she has picked up so many songs. She is one smart cookie.

My knee is the size of a grapefruit.

I do really like Call the Midwife, though.

Lame

Friday afternoon I had knee surgery, an arthroscopic lateral release, which means, at least in my case that they cleaned out a bunch of cartilage and bone spurs, and cut a tendon so my patella will...hopefully..move to the correct spot.

The surgery was scheduled for 4:30...p.m.Yes, I was the last surgery of the day which meant I got to fast for the entire day. I honestly don't mind fasting for spiritual reasons. I find that it helps me focus my mediations, thoughts, and prayers on what really matters to me. But to fast for fastings sake just ticks me off. Which is probably why when I was dropping off my bike to my brother-in-law and visiting I happened to pop a few dried blueberries in my mouth.

Thankfully they didn't cancel the surgery. Although all their dumb paperwork would lead you to believe they would do otherwise.

Finally at the hospital I checked in and started all the, what I thought would be, routine, physical exams. However the nurse listening to my heart seemed to be taking an extra long time. And then the words,

"Hmmm... that sounds interesting."

Never a good thing in relation to your heart. Enter EKG machine.

Unfortunately the EKG wasn't entirely conclusive. I either had a PAC (premature artirial contraction) which is not a big deal or an artirial fibrilation, which is a huge deal, and only a minor side effect would be to cancel the surgery to figure out what was going on.

Two anaesthesiologists later they decided they were 95% sure it was a PAC and to go ahead, but be sure to follow up with a doctor about it later.

Now I am home, and keeping my leg properly elevated and iced.(Thanks Lisa and Ben for the ice machine.) I am much less mobile than I'd expected and much more bored than I expected, and still have to be off my feet until at least Wednesday. Once again, any books or Netflix suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thankfully my husband, kids, and neighbors have been such fantastic supports that hopefully, this will go by relatively quickly and I can get back moving again.

Random Thoughts Thursday

I made it on a Thursday!

Nathan got tubes Monday..turns out he had strep at the same time. I'm still waiting for the miracle that is supposed to be the post-tubes joyful baby.

I'm slowly learning that knee surgery is not the minor inconvenience that I had once pictured. It looks like short-term life pause.

Conversation:

Savannah: "Mom, I love you more than anyone in the whole city."
Abbie: "Mom, I love you more than this gallon of milk."

Yes, yes I'm a successful parent.

Any suggestions on post-surgery books?

In some ways I feel like I'm preping to have a baby except instead of bringing a cute baby home from the hospital, I get a lame leg.

It is starting to get warm here. I am so very, very excited.

I put Nathan down for an early nap. He only slept for an hour. He has kept me up most nights this week, and now he thinks he gets to pull a short nap? No siree. He has been crying for 20 minutes.

Random Thoughts Thursday (Saturday Edition)

Good News: My degree of separation from Tiger Woods has been reduced to one.
Bad News: I'm having knee surgery.

Conversation:

Mom:"Girls, mom and dad need to talk for a few minutes how about you go downstairs and play." (Note: I did not ask them to work, do a job, do homework or watch their brother. I asked them to play.)

Savannah: "Why?"

Abbie: "How many minutes will it be?"

Mom: "It doesn't matter just go play."

Abbie: "How many minutes.

Mom: "Three hundred."

Abbie: "No really how many?"

Mom: "Fifteen, now go."

Abbie: "How long do we have to? Why?"

Savannah: "Fine." angrily

Mom closes the office door. Girls stand outside and wait for about two minutes. Within five minutes someone is screaming in the basement. Is it really so difficult to play?

Nathan is getting tubes on Monday. May he be a happier child for it.

Nathan is my most mobile/get into mischief child. His favorite play items include toilet water, aluminum foil, tupperware, toilet brush, computer on/off switch, and toilet paper. It is awesome....or not.

Random Thoughts Thursday (Sunday Edition)

I had strep throat yesterday. This is the second time this winter. I got strep all the time as a child, I was one illness away from having my tonsils removed, and then it stopped. I don't remember it feeling quite this lousy.

At church we have a lip sync where the children, youth, and adults each get to do a variety of songs of their choosing. Thankfully I'm over the primary so I'm home free. Abbie chose to be a back up dancer to Life is a Highway from Cars.

This started as a Saturday edition, now it is a Sunday edition, hopefully it doesn't turn into a Monday edition.

Nathan burned his fingers on the flat iron this morning. Poor kid couldn't sleep for his nap because he was in so much pain. Made for a rough day all around.

Saturday (before the family chat) I went for my second bike ride of the year. So beautiful. Now if only my knee would work properly.

Abbie lost her second tooth today! The Grandma Toothfairy had to spot the Toothfairy some cash because the Toothfairy was fresh out and it happened at dinner time.

I am going to be thrilled when this semester is over.

Happy Birthday Nathan (Yesterday)

Yesterday was Nathan's birthday. (Although technically because he was born on March 1 of a leap-year he is really one-year-old today.) And he has grown from this,

to this.

Nathan is such a happy, easy going baby (except for when he isn't). He loves to laugh, and it is so fun to see that he already has a sense of humor. He currently loves to shake his head back and forth over and over again and just starts laughing whenever he does it. He is also a little explorer and gets into everything he has access to, including cupboards, shelves, toys, pots, pans, tupperware, garbage and the toilet bowl cleaner (which he now no longer has access to). This morning he got into Abbie's water colors and ate the turquoise paint. It got all over his mouth, hands shirt and hair. I really wanted to take a picture, but not as badly as I wanted to not get paint on the carpet and walls while I got the camera, so you'll have to just imagine. (Yes, I'm overloading on Nathan pictures, but I feel like I haven't taken enough of him so I wanted to make up for it....and he's just so darn cute!) We love Nate the Great!

Random Thoughts Thursday

Since the week before Christmas (eight weeks ago) we have had the following illnesses by one or more members of our household: 1- Bronchitis (all three children), 2 - stomach flu (parents and Savannah), 3 - two eardrum ruptures (both Nathan), 4 - random-two-day-fever (both girls), 5-  pink eye (everyone but Russ), 6 - strep throat (me), 7 - croop (Savannah), 8- sinus infection (Russ), cabin fever (all), whining (all), general irritability (all).

Last weekend we drove four hours south and spent the weekend hiking, running and generally feeling warm. (In between the instacare visit.)I started making all sorts of fun plans for summer. Then we returned to snowy weather. Blast it all.

A few weeks ago I was talking to my friend about her daughter and mentioned how great it was that her daughter was willing to wear different clothes every day. (At the moment Savannah has one dress she wears almost all the time, and two other outfits that she will deign to wear when the dress is being washed.) I didn't realize it at the time, but Savannah heard me and caught my frustration. This week she cried to me about it because it hurt her feelings. Sometimes I just stink at parenthood.


Russ however, makes up for where I lack. For example, I got the girls $3 snow globes for Valentine's Day. Russ drew the following for each of them.

It is a good thing we're a team. Because I need his points.

Not so Random Thoughts Thursday

Things are not very random around here. My kids got sick again this week. The weather here is very polluted  and cold. So rather than bore you with the same thoughts I've been having for the last few weeks I will give you a little insight into my teaching this semester.

The following is a transcript from an email I got from a student regarding a paper they wrote and their grade. (Name deleted to protect the guilty. Subject deleted to protect me from spam and internet wrath)

Dear Sister Gray,

Are you telling me that I am being penalized, through the grade you gave me on my paper, because I exercised my civil liberty of “freedom of speech,” which is protected by the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States, because I do not agree with the ... agenda of a church?

[Name]

(My response...)

No that is not what I am telling you. You are being penalized because you did not maintain the standard of an academic paper, as I said in my comment. A respectful tone is necessary in academic papers. I have given good grades to students regardless of their political opinion when they meet that standard. 

- Emily Gray

(And their response back..)

What do you mean by a “respectful tone?”   Where is the guideline for what defines a “respectful tone” in academic papers? Also,  what is the political opinion I expressed?  I just expressed a morale agency opinion?  I also stated that the church promoting the.... agenda had a right, protected by the first amendment, to voice their opinion.  Are you telling me that because I do not agree with the agenda that I did not have a “respectful tone” and I was penalized in my paper for that reason?   I need clarification.

[Name]

Sent from my iPhone

(My response)

Let me try to answer your questions.

First, a respectful tone is one that does not engage in emotional arguments or demeaning labels. That is the standard for academic papers. Emotional arguments are problematic for two reasons. First they make their proponent look too lazy to do actual research (even if this isn't the case). Second they make their proponents appear overly biased. This then weakens their credibility. Part of learning to write well is writing in a way that presents your position in as strong a way as possible. Strengthening your argument with facts and data rather than emotional arguments will add considerable strength to your papers. (Although for these one page papers you shouldn't need to do any research outside of what is in the news article, unless you want to do so.) I've re-reviewed your paper and tried to provide specific suggestions for help on future papers. 

Regarding your questions about political or moral agency opinions expressed, this assignment was not an opinion paper. The requirements for this paper are, " Write a brief  summary of the article, and how the current event is related to the content of the chapter.  Also include (where relevant) how both political parties approach the issue, including their logic for doing so."  Your opinions while not overtly expressed were very apparent in words like "so called" and "promotes itself as a Christian church". You have every right to believe these things but the place to express them is in an opinion paper, and then maintaining the standard I explained above. 

Once again, you were not penalized because you do not agree with the agenda. I hope by applying my suggestions you can be a strong proponent of your beliefs. I also hope this provides you some clarity.

- Emily


I, so, do not get paid enough.
I