What a week!!!

I was going to curse in the title but I decided that it wouldn't make my week any better nor would it make me feel better. I have a really REALLY bad week. Let's start with Monday night as I was sitting in the Chinese restaurant eating and the waitress comes over and says she has an emergency phone call for me. It is my brother, Tom, letting me know that my dad has just had a stroke and he needs me to drive to my dad's house to convince my dad to go to the ER. So I stood up immediately to find out that my legs were not going to hold me because the shock of the news had struck me harder than I thought it ever would. So...I sat for a minute and cried for a second and then regained my composure and took off to my dad's. Once there I was met by Tom and my half brother Justin who is 17, who have finally decided to transport my dad to the ER by themselves...so we all load up in cars and head there. The whole time I am thinking...Is there a reason they didn't call the EMS? But questions that would have to wait. Once there they decide that he had not had a stroke but rather a TIA (whatever that means) except that they said it is a precursor for a more severe stroke. The admitted him overnight and ran a bunch of tests and then sent him home. And so my crappy week starts. Then on Tuesday it is Wayne's birthday but because of my dad being in the hospital, I was a crappy birthday for him and then I also had to take Joshua back to the neurologist and find out what his EEG said. Well good news...his EEG shows nothing wrong and his MRI shows nothing wrong BUT...he might have PDD or a form of autism. OK...not bad what does that mean...more tests...more waiting and maybe he doesn't have it at all and maybe he is just slow for his age and maybe he doesn't talk because he doesn't have anything to say, maybe he falls all of the time because he is clumsy, and maybe, just maybe these crazy outbursts are "normal" for him. But only time will tell. So that was day 2 of my week...I would like to say that Wednesday was uneventful but I really don't remember Wednesday...maybe I fought with my husband all that day because he was tired and I was exhausted and we haven't seen each other or talked to each other in a couple of days because he is working all the time and I have been dealing with doctor's appointments and hospital visits. So...TODAY...just the break I need. I decided to meet a few friends for lunch at Pizza Hut. So I ask grammy to watch Josh...I get in the car to go and my phone rings...It is the school where Samuel goes. They want me to come out because Samuel has fell on the playground and cut his eye and because he hit somewhere on his head they have to have the parents come out and decide what to do. WHATEVER! So I am thinking, quick trip, check it out, sign a form and send him back to class. When I get there he has a boxing type cut above his eye. Not bleeding but busted wide open. Mind you...he is not crying but proud of his battle scar. He was super brave right up until I took him to urgent care for stitches. So...3 stitches later we are on our way back to grammy's to get Josh, who I figured by now has pushed the grandparents to their breaking point. Once we pick Josh up we head for home and it is roughly 5 o'clock or so and like any good parent I insist on a nap...more for the quiet for me than the fact that they were even sleepy. So they wake up around 7 or 7:30. I fix them dinner and I am sitting talking to my mom who decided to come by and see the kids. At about 9:00 my cell phone keeps ringing and ringing. I had just put it on the charger and assumed that it was probably just Wayne asking how my night was going and I figured he would call back later. But the phone kept ringing so I finally checked and it was my brother, Tom...Dad had another episode and the EMS was called this time and he is on his way to the ER. So...I have spent the last 3 hours plus at the ER with dad and they are going to admit him again, run the same tests, and probably send him home. So that has been my week so far....I CAN'T wait to find out what tomorrow brings...

TO BE CONTINUED................

I was alseep until I woke up

Weird title, I know but have you ever said something like that...I have to say it wasn't me who said it but it made me laugh...Like I was watching TV until I turned it off...It is one of those "DUH" moments. For instance...today I went to Applebees with some friends for a birthday lunch and I had bought a cake for after the meal and so I asked the lady cleaning the tables..."Do you have any small plates?" Her answer was "Yes...Did you want some?" I sarcastically said "NO...I just wondered if you had them...Thanks!" So she didn't get me any. She is clearly a black and white person. I have a hard time with people like that. I am always amazed when someone doesn't get the obvious humor in things people say... Here are a few more examples of the "duh" things people say...when you get an obvious haircut like 10 inches off...sure as the sky is blue someone is going to say...Did you get a haircut? I want to say...no I am just combing it over and hairspraying it close to my head so I don't have to mess with it anymore...but thanks for asking. Or you are out somewhere and it is 100 degrees out and you are sweating and someone says "Are you hot?" NO....my body just can't hold anymore and it is starting to seep but thanks for asking. Or if you are tall and someone says...how is the weather up there? You want to say...it has been raining since this morning but I think they are calling for clearing skies later.
To end this blog, here is a little something that my grandpa says that makes me laugh that sort of falls into this topic...When someone asks "How are you feeling?" He almost always answers "With my fingers."

Pottery Outing...

If you want to see pictures of our outing go to the link above...
or paste this in our browser. http://im-sarah.blogspot.com/

1st day of Kindergarten...

Well it is official...I have a son old enough to go to school. He took off this morning on the bus with not even a goodbye. He didn't even seemed the least bit fazed by the new situation and a bit annoyed with all of the pictures. He was pretty mad that he had to wait to get on the bus...the time they said to be ready was from 8:05 till 9:00. Needless to say he was one of the last to be picked up. The picture in the middle is Samuel standing at the door counting to 60 ten times because I told him he couldn't go outside for 10 minutes. The bus trip was uneventful as well...he got tired of waiting, can you tell.

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On another note...yesterday I went with the some friends from church to the Bare Bowl, a pottery painting store. It was so much fun. I also brought along my mom so she could have a little stress reliever. I painted a large mug and several ladies painted plates and bowls. My mom painted a snowman with all the details...I did a super simple design of stripes but freehanded so they are a little crooked. AFTER I painted it the lady that works there told me I could have used masking tape so the lines would have been straight. Maybe next time. I think we all liked it so much that we are planning our next trip. We may do it while the men of the house take the youngsters to a fire museum...at least that is my plan, sound good to the rest of you? Maybe SOMEONE (Sarah) can post pictures on her blog of the trip and you can get a better idea of what I am talking about. It was definitely a time to find out who is creative and who isn't. I fall into the less creative.

So...I think I will go play with Josh and wait patiently to use my camera again as Samuel gets off the bus.

Pay Attention

My friend recently gave me this really neat book called "Furry Logic" and it has some really cool sayings it. I was trying to think of a post for tonight since I said I would try to do better at posting more frequently. I ran across this.."The quickest way for a parent to get their child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable." It is SO true.
I never understood why my mom would sit in the bath tub for hours with the door closed and locked, it was to keep us out and give her a minute or two to herself. Or how annoying it is to try to talk to someone on the phone and have your kids think of everything that they have been waiting to tell you. Samuel will spend two hours watching cartoons in the playroom and Josh is busy playing in the playroom and then I think...I will call Sarah...AND BOOM, they are in the living room with me or running up and down the hallways screaming or jumping on the couch. I think as soon as they hear me talking they assume I am talking to them...of course if I say their name they don't hear that!

Moving on...Kindergarten starts in 2 days. Technically about 35 hours but who is counting. I am getting more anxious everyday and I don't really know why. He seemed completely comfortable at his kindergarten orientation. I stood there watching him as he sat quietly and as he listened to the teacher and did as she said. I hope he keeps up this trend when school actually starts. He seemed to be about the only kid actually listening but maybe that is because I watching him more than the other kids. I didn't realize how expensive this kindergarten stuff can be...not only did we have to provide 2 bottles of glue, a pair of scissors, new gym shoes but they had on there 2 boxes of Kleenex. Now I was thinking 2 small boxes of Kleenex...but NO every kid brought those big boxes of Kleenex. So now the classroom has enough Kleenex to coat the whole ceiling in the cafeteria with spit balls. Then they asked each kid to bring a package of napkins, which I am assuming is for snack time...which is something else we have to bring...a snack once or twice a month. Here is one that I really think should be the responsibility of the school...headphones for each child. Don't they have an expense account for that. Sorry to all of you in the school system but this is getting ridiculous. I have heard that next year's list includes chalk and dry erase markers (nothing like stocking the teachers supply cabinet). By junior high he might have to bring his own desk and laptop and the teacher will be on CD-rom.

So that is it for tonight...tomorrow I am church hopping. Getting drunk on Jesus juice at not only my church but I am taking off after SS to go watch grandma sing at her church. Then tomorrow afternoon I am going with some girls from Sunday school class to a pottery class in Delaware, I can't wait. They decided to throw a birthday party for themselves. I will let you know tomorrow if we had fun...I know we will though.

Ramblings...

I really don't know where to start, it has been a really "long" time since I have blogged, or SO I HAVE BEEN TOLD! It is funny that in a blog world it seems like 2 weeks is a lifetime, in that short amount of time you can lose loyal readers. I may have lost loyal readers with my last post...it seems I stepped on a few toes. I took it from the non-comments that they didn't agree with what the sermon was about and that they went to Applebees for a little after sermon drink. To that I say...have at it...but it is just not for me. I promise not to judge...for those that know me and have known me from a long time ago you know I have issues with control and that alcohol and keeping it at one drink is next to impossible for me. I suppose that if I had some sort of control and restraint in my life I would weigh 140 and I would be paying weight watchers to tell me that I weigh the same as I did 6 months ago. I was thinking the other morning as I was getting dressed and I was using the loops on the sides of my jeans to pull my jeans up over my butt and prayed they didn't break, I have made so many excuses as to why I am this big. I tell myself, it runs in the family. I would like to believe that but if you have seen my grandparents you know I can't blame it on my genes. I would like to say that I am "BIG BONED" but come on how many of us have seen CSI where they uncover a enormous bone and they immediately assume it is a "big boned" person. I have seen my x-rays and nothing looked overly large except the light shadows surrounding the bone, maybe I am just thick skinned. HA...

This weekend has not helped my membership to the "I am Kim and I am Fat" club. I went to not one but two family reunions. Lots and lots of food. On Saturday we went to the "Grate" Reunion...it was a blast. On our invitation thing it said "We will be there at noon and be there until whenever." We decided to get there around 2 (grandpa's decision not mine...I wanted to get there at noon). Well good thing we went with grandpa's time because we were the first to show. That is right...2 hours after all the festivities were supposed to start. We had decided that if no one else showed up we were going to build a fire, cook our hotdogs and eat without them. BUT...then they started coming...slowly but they came. I think we ended up with more than 60 people. But it was well worth the wait. I laughed and laughed...I even laughed at myself when no one else was laughing...I crack me up! I was so glad to be able to share all of my hard work on my genealogy stuff. I was glad that all of my hard work was appreciated.
On Sunday we went to the Hersman reunion. Not nearly as fun but very much on time. In fact it said it was over at 3 and boy it was it...everyone packed up and took off right at 3. This is the first time I have been there in 16 years. I had people wondering who I was. I just acted like I belonged there. Around 2:30 I finally started telling people how I was linked to the family, which is something that people at the "Grate" reunion never did...I still don't know some of the people who came to the Grate reunion...I think they were just at the park for the catfish tournament and they saw we had food so they stopped by. I was thinking that maybe Wayne and I could drive around on Sundays and look at parks for a large number of people who are eating and show up with a bucket of chicken and sit and eat with them. Sounds like fun to me. It is not like anyone is going to ask you who you are.

So that is it for tonight...I promise I will write more later. I do have a little more to share but it is more on the serious side...I PROMISE...I will not be talking about sinful tattooing or the awful playing cards not to mention what dancing can lead to......(Have you met my kids?). Sorry Wesleyan Joke.






Here is a picture of the "Grate" kids...they are the reason that we all get together every year.











Here is the Hersman clan.