What I know for sure...

1.) Compile and share a list of your favorite tweets.

2.) Share a story of a memorable dinner.

3.) What I know for sure.

4.) You stole WHAT!?! Spill it!

5.) The house that built me.

#3.  What I know for sure.

I know for sure that the other night while under the influence of sleep medication, Kris told me I started making out with him.  Then I turned back to watch Chuck, and promptly fell asleep on the couch.  Here's the thing:  I DO NOT REMEMBER THIS...AT ALL!!!  Makes me wonder what else I have done without knowing.

I know for sure that Livvy has not coughed at all the last four nights after she's gone to bed.  HUGE difference!!!  See previous post for details on why that's a big deal.  It's amazing the difference I've seen in her!  Take that dust mites!!

I know for sure that sometimes you just need a bowl of cereal before bed.

I know for sure that I fell asleep last night while trying to write this post!

I know for sure that I miss my muscle relaxer.  I'm on an antibiotic for another 5 days and my muscle relaxer interferes with it, so I cannot take it.  My body CAN tell a difference!

I know for sure that some of my favorite songs right now are "What Do You Want" (Jerrod Niemann), "Not Tonight" and "Just By Being You" (Steel Magnolia), "Jar of Hearts" (Christina Perri) and "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not", "My Kind of Crazy", and "If It Takes All Night" (Thompson Square).

I know for sure that sometimes my blog is just plain boring!  :-)

A brave little girl

Today I took Olivia for the dreaded "skin test".  She has had issues with allergies for years.  Granted she's only 5, but between her asthma and our being convinced that she was, at the very least, allergic to soy bean oil, it was getting really hard to feed her.  And then I thought she was allergic to milk because she broke out in hives after having it a couple of weeks ago.  Well, today was the BIG day.

The allergist was really nice too, so she put me Olivia right at ease.  The test consisted of a total of 48 pricks on her skin.  6 sets of 8 different allergens.  They did the four sets on her back all at once...one nurse on each side.  Then they did the set on her arms at the same time, again one nurse on each side.  And then we had to wait.  And keep Olivia from scratching, which was more difficult than anything else.

First of all, she didn't cry.  AT ALL.  Such a brave girl. She did really great and the doctor and nurses kept going on and on about how great she was.  They said she was the best patient they had had in a long time!  We made it through the next 30 minutes until the nurse came in and put cream on all of her tested areas.

Here is what I found out.

She is NOT allergic to soy bean.  AT ALL.  Of all the things I was convinced she was allergic to, soy bean is NOT one of them!  Which I suppose is good news, because it may expand what she can eat.

Now, let's talk about what she IS allergic to.  Before we get to the foods...

The biggest one is DUST MITES.  So now we have to get a vinyl pillow covering and get rid of her stuffed animals.  Not all of them, and she can play during the day, but she cannot sleep with a stuffed animal.  I promised her a trip to Target to pick out a special doll/toy to sleep with at night that the dust mites can't live in.  The allergist actually said she is allergic to the dust mite feces.  That's just gross!  To think that there are dust mites everywhere...leaving their feces...YUCK!

She is NOT allergic to dogs.  She is however VERY allergic to CATS.  Do you know how happy this makes me?  I am SO proud of that little girl!!!  Being that I don't like cats and all, I have an even better excuse to never get a cat, aside from the fact that I'd never get one anyway!

She is allergic to every kind of pollen that there is.  Tree pollen, grass pollen, weed pollen.  So we're screwed there.  Good thing I'm not a window-opener.  I'm more of a "turn the air on whenever it feels too hot because I don't care about the electric bill" kinda girl anyway...so this is actually safer for Olivia.

She is also allergic to mold.  And I know that we have mold in our house.  I am not sure how we address that, since there's no way we can move or afford to completely remodel the house in order to get rid of the mold.  We'll just have to figure out a way to keep her from being exposed to it I suppose.

The allergist thought it was odd, seeing as how Livvy has NEVER been around horses (to my knowledge) but she is allergic to horses.  There goes her Triple Crown dreams.

Next we have a few food issues, potentially.  The allergist explained that food tests can often have a false positive, but NEVER a false negative.  Meaning that if soy bean is negative...it's negative.  However, she tested positive on the skin test for an allergy to PEANUTS, WALNUTS, and SESAME SEEDS.  I had to take her to a lab to have a blood draw to see if she is truly allergic to those foods.  She has to go back to see the allergist in 4 weeks.

The allergist explained that some of the hives we have seen can simply be that because she has eczema, her skin is just extra sensitive/reactive.  So while soy bean oil was a common ingredient in peanut butter, ranch dressing and Pringles, she may not actually be allergic to them.  We will still avoid peanut butter for now, until we find out for sure if she is allergic to peanuts or not.

It feels good to finally have that done and have some answers.  I will feel even better when I know if she is allergic to peanuts, walnuts and sesame seeds.  Oh and the allergist did say that her reaction to wheat was higher than normal, but that she didn't believe she was allergic to it.  And she also said that allergy shots ARE in her future.  Poor baby.  She gave us a prescription for Singulair and I have to start giving her Zyrtec once a day as well.

So there's the update, for all of you who were waiting and concerned.  We appreciate all your thoughts and prayers!

An old journal entry

It's Thursday again, which means it's time for Mama Kat's writer's workshop.  I was going to write about what I do that drives Kris crazy...but the list is just too long.  I mean, he'll tell you that he only hates it when I crunch...in fact, my first blog on blogger URL was krishatescrunching.blogspot.com.

So that got me thinking that I could share a "journal" entry from that particular blog, since that is essentially what my blog is/was-a journal.  I was just thinking on the way into the house to night that the gum balls were out in full force 

From Saturday, February 25, 2006:

So, we have this stupid, incredibly annoying gumball tree in our front yard. And those things mass produce themselves daily. I've needed to get out there (Kris hates yardwork and doesn't really have time) and rake the gumballs up, because in the last couple of weeks, it has become a mine field, trying to walk through the yard. Even the driveway was beginning to get covered with those stupid things. So on the way home from school yesterday, I told the kids that they could play outside because it was so nice out. And I said something about mommy getting out there and raking up some of the gum balls.

Katherine [only 5 at the time] then says "I wonder why God put that tree in our yard." And I told her that the tree was probably there long before the house and that really she should be wondering why someone thought it was a good idea to put a house next to a gumball tree. (And don't give me that whole "it provides shade" thing--I'll take the heat over the chaos in my yard). So anyway...she said again that she wondered why God put the tree in our yard and I repeated myself and she said "Well, I wonder why God put trees in people's yards." So again I told her that most of the time the trees were there before the houses. So then she said "But what I want to know is why God put gumballs on the trees." I told her that I had absolutely no idea and that it was a good question and I wondered that myself sometimes.

Then Kaleb chimes in and says "It's just because Jesus can do whatever he wants." It was hilarious! Kaleb went on to say that maybe Evan's dad (Evan is a boy in his class--I may have the name wrong) built the house and that Evan's dad builds everything. So I had a good laugh over the whole conversation. They can be so cute!

Speaking of feeling violated...**updated**

Remember my dermatologist appointment post from yesterday?  Let me follow that up with my creepy massage experience from Saturday.

I got two more cortisone shots, this time in my left shoulder.  The following night (Thursday) I think I slept on my shoulder funny.  I woke up Friday morning with awful pain in my left shoulder-I could feel a huge knot and the pain was stretching up into my neck/head on the left side.  I finally located my BioFreeze that had misplaced itself and began massaging that into my shoulder and neck.  It provided *some* relief...but the knot was still there.  I had scheduled a last minute massage for Saturday night, hoping that between that and the cortisone shots, I would finally experience some relief from the neck pain that has been plaguing me for over two years.

I am pretty sure I got the only massage therapist available, and I hesitate to even call her a massage therapist.  She was creepy, to say the least!  Not at first.  At first she seemed nice enough.  A little...weird...and way too chatty...but OK.  I was still hopeful.  I had a 90 minute massage scheduled.  At 6pm, my appointment time, the therapist came and introduced herself, and then asked me if it was OK if I waited a few minutes because she had some "cleansing" she needed to do.  I wasn't sure if she meant cleaning, like the room, or cleansing...like her mind?  But I was fine with waiting.  I wanted to get my eyebrows waxed anyway and they just did that first, instead of after the massage as I had originally planned.  So I got back into the room around 6:15pm.  I got myself situated, without the presence of anyone else (dermatologist, take note!) and so the massage started around 6:20pm.  Which means it should have ended at 7:40, because a 90 minute massage is really only 80 minutes of actual massage time.

I had explained to the therapist that I had a knot in my shoulder and pain in my neck.  She said she'd try this "rolling" technique that I was really going to like.  First things first, she wasn't very good.  At the whole massaging thing.  Which is really unfortuante because that's kind of her job!  It didn't feel great, but not much time had passed, so I was thinking "she'll eventually really get into actually massaging my sore muscles..."

After a while of sub-par massage, she asks "Can I put my fingers in your hair?"  Now, I'm all about having my scalp massaged.  I think it feels great...although now I may be a little hesitant to let anyone touch my scalp again!  So I tell her to feel free.  So she begins and I should have been freaked out the first time she kind of "sighed".  And for the next 10 minutes at least she proceeds to "play" in my hair, massaging my scalp and kind of MOANING from time to time!!!  WHAT??  I am not joking!  This really did happen to me Saturday night.  At the end of the massage, she sighed heavily and said something about that being great...and I'm like...wait...shouldn't I be the one saying that?  She was acting as if she had enjoyed it more than I did...which in reality is likely true, since I didn't enjoy it at all!!

As if that wasn't bad enough...she didn't even flip me over.  If you've never had a massage, usually you start on your stomach and then they flip you over and massage the other side (minds out of the gutter people...they do avoid the areas you don't want them touching).  But she didn't flip me over, which also meant that the area where the knot was in my shoulder didn't get the same attention it would ahve with pretty much any other massage therapist-because they actually know what they are doing. 

So she tells me we're done and leaves the room.  I look at the clock.  It's 7:20!!!  Remember, the 90 minute massage started at 6:20pm.  I was NOT happy.  Not only did I feel completely the same as before the massage (which was a little bit better than awful and I got to add creeped out to that), I got robbed of 20 minutes!  Really, I got robbed of the entire massage if we're being honest.  Since the therapist was horrible.

And because I'm not a confrontational person (except when writing), I didn't say anything.  I keep thinking about emailing them.  When I went out there to "tip" (which was less than 15% percent...I shouldn't have given her ANYTHING!), she just hovered for a while, so I would have felt weird saying anything at that point.  And when I looked at my receipt, they charged me for 3 half hour increments.  For my 60 minute massage, if you can even call it that.

What would you have done?  I will confront it...if I can find an email address, or work up the courage sometime this week to call or go over there.

**UPDATE** - I worked up the courage and called this morning.  They were very sorry and very good about it and credited my 90 minutes back to my account!!  So I still love the company and they assured me they would NOT put me with that therapist again and that they would talk to her.

Derma-completely-inappropriate-tologist

I went to see the dermatologist on Wednesday to have suspicious looking spot checked out.  It was on my back, and I had no clue it was even there until the rheumatolgist pointed it out.  I'll start out by telling you the biopsy came back clean...so I'm good there.

Now that that is out of the way...let me tell you a little story.

The appointment started out like any other.  You know...get there 15 minutes early to fill out paperwork that only takes 2 minutes.  Seriously...there was only ONE form.  I felt a little cheated.  I mean, I'm so used to 15 pages of paperwork, where you essentially write down the same address and insurance info on each individual page.  I guess the one page only should have been the first sign that this doctor appointment wouldn't be just any ordinary appointment.

After keeping me waiting for what only doctors would consider an appropriate amount of time, I was finally called back.  Where as you all can guess, I waited some more.  After another "appropriate" amount of time, the dermatologist finally came in.  She briefly introduced herself and then proceeded to violate me.  Or at least, that is how I felt.  People, I am not a stripper and I do NOT take kindly to people asking me to take my shirt off for them.

I am not even exaggerating the fact that she told me to take my shirt off.  But first, let me back up a little.  Let me show you the view from the little room I was in. 

This is ALMOST at ground level!  I could see people walking back and forth.  CLEARLY.  So that in and of itself was a little disturbing.  And the blinds were up.  And the doctor came in.  And told me to take my shirt off.  She didn't close the blinds. She didn't give me a gown to put on or politely excuse herself while I undressed.  She just stood there while I took my shirt off...and didn't pay me for it!  In fact, I had to pay her!!!  What kind of craziness is that?

So she has me lay down on the table, spends 5 seconds removing the spot, then tells me how to care for my "open wound".  And as I am picking my shirt up, with her still standing there, she opens the door.  I'm left standing there, holding my shirt, half naked and she walks out of the room!!!  I could see the receptionist!

OK...I shouldn't feel as violated as I did...when you look at the building from the outside, the windows are so dark that you can't see anything.  But I wasn't thinking of any of that.  All I could think about was the fact that I could see the people walking back and forth and I was half naked.  It was horrifying and humiliating! And the fact that the receptionist was there in plain view while I held my shirt in my hand just made it that much worse.

Raising Hope

Do any of you out there watch Raising Hope?  I love that show.  It's one of my favorites out there presently.  That, and Big Bang Theory.  I'm also a big fan of Chuck and Psych.  Along with about 75 other shows.  And while I'm talking about shows I love (or USED to love), the second half of Glee this week was GREAT!!!  I loved all of the music, especially "Get It Right" and "Loser Like Me".

I got cortisone injections in my left shoulder on Wednesday.  I can't really tell a difference.  And then this morning I woke up with a horrible knot in my left shoulder, radiating up my neck on the left side.  I think I just slept "funny"...after 14 hours of pain, I remember I had BioFreeze somewhere, found it and applied it.  It finally gave me a little relief...a little.  I'm hoping it will work itself out by morning.  If not, I have a massage scheduled for the evening...

I love the new muscle relaxer I am on.  It's called Tizanidine.  I swapped my Unisom out for it and the last two nights have not taken Melatonin and am still sleeping just the same...4-6 hours straight without waking up!!!  This is so great!  So far, I haven't cut the two Xanax (used to be three) down to 2 at night.  I can't tell you how great it feels, after 8+ years of not sleeping at night to sleep for even just a few solid hours!

Oh and just for those who were wondering, there was nothing cancerous in the spot the dermatologist removed from my back.  So all is well on that front!

That's it for the quick, boring update.  I can barely keep my eyes open, because this muscle relaxer is pretty powerful.  I'd better go!  Have a good weeknd!  I apologize in advance for any typos or grammar errors.  I'm now half asleep.

Writer's Workshop

I chose writing prompt #3, possibly because I am in a bad mood right now, and so I am discontent.

"I often daydream about..."

Being independent, i.e. unmarried and unencumbered by the burdens and hardships that come with children and marriage.

Traveling the world, seeing all the places and things I've always wanted to see.  Castles, ruins, beatuiful architecture.  Mountains, oceans...

Being thin...and yet still being able to eat whatever I want.

Feeling beatuiful.

Men that aren't creepy being attracted to me, both physically and for my funny, light-hearted personality.

Being NOT crazy.

Being less emotional.

-----

And yet, in the midst of all of that, I daydream about...

Growing old with Kris

Dying before he does, so I don't have to cope with losing him.

Seeing my kids grow.

Seeing the paths that my kids choose for themselves.

Enjoying my grandchildren.

Going to culinary school.

It's a wonder I get any work done at all with all the day dreaming that I do!!!

More doctors

Tomorrow will be a day filled with Dr. appointments.  OK...not filled.  But I do have two.  At 9:55am I am going back to the rheumatologist for the cortisone injections on my left side (neck/shoulder).  I told you I did the right side didn't I?  Then at 2pm I am going to the dermatologist to make sure I don't have skin cancer...good times...I'm not really worried about it...but it's best to be safe.  I'm pretty sure one of my brothers and my sister have had spots/moles removed and it hasn't been a big deal, so I am not panicking unless it becomes necessary, at which point...I can't say what I will do!

Work is CRAZY.  Nothing new there!  I was off on Friday and Monday and between those two days managed to put in 5 hours anyway.  So much for taking off!  I have a problem!!!  But I am SO far behind (even though I caught Friday/Monday up before I left).  I have so many things on my calendar for today and tomorrow that I didn't get to, because I was too busy answering the phone and setting up new claims.  But new claims are GREAT for our business, especially when they are from new clients!  I will be working from home in the morning, then dropping the kids at my MIL's, then rheumatologist, then working some more remotely, then maybe lunch (hopefully not Red Hots again like today-maybe something a little more substantial), dermatologist appointment, and then, to top off the day, I will be going to the office (around 3pm) and working until at least 8pm.  I am looking forward to it though because the quiet after 5pm will give me the time I need to really get caught up on a few things.  I think some things may be transitioning at work soon, so hopefully within a couple of weeks my work load will lighten up a bit.  We shall see...

I think Olivia, in addition to soy bean oil, is allergic to milk.  I won't know anything for sure until March 30th, but her stomach hurts every time she drinks it AND she broke out in hives after it touched her face over the weekend.  So it will be really interesting to see if she is allergic to both soy AND milk.  I want to go to Trader Joes and get her some almond milk to see if that makes a difference with her stomach.  I'm just ready to get this skin test done and find out what all we need to avoid.  I think just knowing will make it easier.

I guess that is all for now...hope everyone has a great day tomorrow!

A much need mini vacation

We are taking a short, three day trip to see my brother and sister-in-law this weekend.  The kids' spring break starts on Monday.  Even though they are off school today.  I don't understand why they don't just say that spring break is today through next Friday...but whatever...and while we can't be gone the whole week of spring break (what with having to work and all) we will get to spend three days there.  And while I'm talking about spring break...remember when we used to have spring break in April, around Easter?  Or, beyond that, when spring break was actually AFTER SPRING???

So my "vacation" started out with a fire (problem) that needed to be put out.  As we were finishing packing and heading out the door, a potentially VERY bad scenario was unfolding and I was chatting w/a co-worker trying to resolve it.  I ended up spending 2 hours working through it once all was said and done.  And not only did it resolve itself and wind up not being something we did wrong, I got an incredible compliment from the client and felt completely validated and more than competent.

Olivia has already given me plenty of good "content" to write about.  She is giving us a running commentary on the drive.  We had to go downtown to the office to drop some papers off and every street we turned down she said "I see another city!"  I didn't have the heart (or desire) to explain to her that it was all still the SAME city.  After we left the office and headed through downtown further to get to the interstate she started chattering non-stop (as always).  Here is a sampling:

"I think that's China over there!" quickly followed by "Are we in Japan?" promptly followed by "Look Mommy an airport!", as we drove past the train station.  She's so funny sometimes!  Oh and apparently she calls Long John Silvers "Long John Silverware".

Daydreamer

It is hard to narrow down my selection of significant songs to just one, or 25 for that matter.  I LOVE music.  I love lyrics that apply to me or my life.  I am moved by music and words and love that there are people who can write exactly what I am feeling/thinking, and take it a step farther by putting it to music.  On the other hand, if it has a great beat and sound, sometimes I don't even care what the lyrics are, or if they apply directly to my life.  Lately I find myself consumed with Adele.  She is a new discovery for me, and I just LOVE everything about her voice and her music.  The significance of this song is the certainty of knowing that there is someone in my life who waits patiently for me, even when I think he shouldn't.  So, the song encompasses everything I could want.  Great lyrics that speak to me and such a smooth, enjoyable sound.  It's called "Daydreamer".

The video above the lyrics is her singing "live".  Whether you listen to her live or on CD, she's just amazing.  Very talented.  I love her!  And if she ever comes to St. Louis, I'M THERE!  Her new album "21" is awesome too!

Daydreamer sitting on the seat
Soaking up the sun
He is a real lover of making up the past
And feeling up his girl like he's never felt her figure before

A jaw dropper
Looks good when he walks
He's the subject of their talk
He would be hard to chase but good to catch
And he could change the world with his hands behind his back
Oh

You can find him sitting on your doorstep
Waiting for the surprise
And he will feel like he's been there for hours
And you can tell that he'll be there for life

Daydreamer with eyes that make you melt
He lends his coat for shelter
Plus he's there for you when he shouldn't be but he stays all the same
Waits for you then sees you through

There's no way I could describe him
But I'll say he's just what I'm hoping for

But I will find him sitting on my doorstep
Waiting for the surprise
And it will feel like he's been there for hours
And I can tell that he'll be there for life
And I can tell that he'll be there for life

Waiting...

The past week was a blur of pain and agitation.  Literal pain, and terrible agitation due to it.  I couldn't stand being around Kris, the kids, anyone else.  I couldn't focus on work.  I actually screamed something so horrible at Kaleb today that I hope he forgets.  It was so horrible I am not even going to tell you what it was.  That's how bad it was!!  I felt like the worst parent in the world and I really hope he forgets it as he grows up.

The pain in my neck and shoulders was horrible.  As bad as it has ever been.  Yesterday I want to kill someone.  I would have paid any amount of money yesterday (OK...only the $3 I had on me) for some pain pills!  I finally called the rheumatologist at around 4:30pm yesterday because the pain in my neck and shoulders, shooting down my right arm was practically unbearable.  He called me back an hour later.  He told me that once the pain pills wore off, the pain would "rebound" and so he wasn't going to give me pain medication.  But he told me I could come into the office for injections.  He told me he'd be in the office by 9:15am this morning.  I showed up at 9:15am.  I was seen right away.

He examined my neck/back/shoulders.  Even though I take a muscle relaxer every night now, the muscles are still very tight in the morning and he found the worst trigger points and then injected my neck (C-7), my trapezious muscle on the right side, and the middle of my back, between my shoulder blades, on the right.  He used a combination of Novocaine and Cortisone.  He said the areas would feel numb for about an hour (they *kind* of did) and that the Cortisone would start doing its work tonight or tomorrow hopefully.  I'm skeptical...just because NOTHING has ever worked.  But I've heard good things about Cortisone.  So...there is a glimmer of hope...I'll keep you posted...

Here's the semi-bad news.  The rheumatologist asked me if I go to a dermatologist every year.  My response?  "I never been to a dermatologist."  He told me I should find one because there are several spots on my back that he doesn't "like the color of".  At first it was just one...and then he pointed out two others.  I asked him if they were moles.  He said no.  He said they were spots that concerned him.  Being that I always NEVER get paranoid about everything anything, I promptly found a local dermatologist and told them the situation.  They are seeing me next Wednesday afternoon.  So...we'll see how that goes.  In the meantime, I will try not to obsess about it.  No need to worry, unless there is something to worry about, right?  At least, that's what I'll keep trying to tell myself!!

Oh, and my blood pressure was high.  For the first time in my life.  Not very high, but higher than it should have been (140/95 or something like that-so not really high).  The rheumatologist assured me that it was most likely because of the amount of pain I was in...so I am hoping that was all related too.  I have an appointment to go back in 5 weeks.

I want another day...

...in my weekend.

Yesterday was a crazy, chaotic day.  It felt like a normal work day.  But it was a Saturday.  Saturdays shouldn't be like that.  It's just wrong.  Today was nice, up to a point.  Kris and I went to see "I Am Number Four" this afternoon.  I thought it was entertaining.  It was a bit corny in spots...but I loved Dianna Agron in it.  It was great to see her in something besides Glee and I think she did a great job!  The biggest drawback was the "bad guys".  They just looked and sounded and acted stupid.  But other than that, I liked it.

Katherine has this book of Freaky Facts.  She keeps reading to me out of it and I decided to post some of the things that amused me.

"Cats can spend 16 hours a day sleeping."  Lazy animals.  I knew there was something not quite right about them...Additionally, "When awake, cats spend up to 30 percent of their time grooming."  They're prissy too...

This one is absolutely CREEPY:  "Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have more than one million descendants."  GROSS!

For all the Star Trek geeks out there, "The Bible has been translated into Klingon."

Ludicrous laws:

Florida:  Men may not be seen publicly in any kind of strapless gown. -- it just can't be strapless...

Minnesota:  It is illegal to mock skunks.

Virginia:  All bathtubs must be outside, not in the house.

Milan, Italy:  Citizens can be fined $100 if seen in public without a smile on their face.  Exemptions include time spent visiting patients in hospitals or attending funerals.

Oklahoma:  People who make ugly faces at dogs may be fined and jailed.  --note to self, don't go to Oklahoma.

New York:  It is illegal to do anything against the law.

This one was probably my favorite.  I know this is kind of inappropriate but yes, I'm going to go there.  "Research indicates that plants grow better when they are stroked."  Does anyone else see the humor in this or is it just me and my dirty mind???  My immediate thought is "Most things do..."

Enjoying the Quiet

It's just before 7:30am.  The house is still quiet.  Now.  I woke up to Livvy coughing non-stop.  I got up and went to her room water bottle and inhaler in hand.  She was, of course, wheezing, which did not surprise me.  Go asthma...

I put her back on the elevated side of her bed and she has gone back to sleep.  Kaleb was sleeping on the couch in the living room.  Ever since we had the squirrels in the attic, I keep finding him out here.  I sent him to my bed, rather than making him get back in his own.  I was feeling generous this morning.  He's very jumpy, like me.  So I think he is hearing the heat kick on, or other noises of the night, and getting scared.  His bed is very close to the ceiling, and some of the squirrels were actually accessing the basement around that area, so I can't be too upset with him.  Plus I understand his paranoia.  I hope that we can teach him and help him outgrow it, so he isn't a grown man still trying to work through some of his fears, like I was.  Except for the man part.  Because I am a woman.

All that being said, I think everyone has gone back to sleep and I am enjoying the quiet and finally sitting down to write.  It is rare that everyone in the house stays asleep this long.  But the last two nights we were out until 11pm, and so they all need it.  Truth be told, no matter when they get up, they will be cranky and fight with one another, which we mean an early bedtime.  Which I am OK with.  I think it will be necessary.  They could surprise me for once, but after 8-10 years of similar situations, I do not think this one time will be any different.

So here's an update on the Bishops.  SOME of the busy-ness is going to finally stop.  Basketball is now over for Katherine and Kaleb and while I really love watching the games, I am SO glad practice is over!  No more Mondays and Thursdays 5:30-7pm.  No more juggling Kaleb's 3:30-5:15pm practices, that conflict with getting Abbey to speech therapy by 5:30 on Wednesdays.  We'll JUST have speech therapy for Abbey on Mondays and Wednesdays.  And my mother-in-law has the younger two in something after school on Thursday, but it only lasts until 4:30pm.  So while we still have several activities outside of work and school, I am hoping we will all feel some relief.  And no more activities until next school year.  We ALL need a break!!!

My neck pain was better, for a while.  The last 4 (today will be 5) days in a row, the pain has gone from "noticeable" to "incredibly frustrating".  When it is ALL you can think about in the course of your day, that's a problem.  Granted, the weather may have been playing a part in that, between storms and temperature changes and more rain.  During the week, even the muscle relaxer I have been taking didn't seem to be doing its job and I was beginning to worry that it was going to quit working, as far as allowing me to actually sleep at night.  But the last 2 nights have been better.  My body seems to respond well to it, if I take it after 10:30/11pm.  The problem is that I can't get up early when I take it that late.  7:30 is still early, yes...but I'd really like to be getting in to work by 7am during the week, so taking it that late isn't an option unless I can sleep in.

Beyond that...we're all fairly healthy for the time being.  We will see how Livvy does with her asthma over the next few days.  I am calling an allergist on Monday to try to get her in for the actual skin test.  I am starting to think she is allergic to more than just soy bean oil.  She has been complaining at home and at school (to the point of crying) that her belly hurts for over a week now.  The school nurse said it is one of the first signs with asthma (though it has never been with her before), and given that she woke up wheezing this morning, it may be as simple as that.  But she threw up mangoes a couple of weeks ago and she's been eating these almond bars with no soy bean oil almost every day...and I am wondering if there is more that she is allergic to.  So I am finally going to find out what all this little girl is allergic to.

Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop

I realized too late that I did NOT participate in the writer's workshop last week.  I am a bit disappointed in myself, considering I was trying to commit to writing for the workshop every week, even if I didn't post the rest of the week (which would make me sad!).

To say that work and family and life in general has been insane would be the understatement of the century.  Some good, some bad.  Work has been chaotic, which is good, because it means we have more business coming in.  But it's bad because I've had so much tension in my neck and shoulders.  I am not able to keep up with everything at work, and my anal, controlling self is not handling that very well.

Additionally, as I am trying to build my own business back up, I have been so busy getting shows booked and closed and that is the really good busy.  But it's draining.  The last two nights I have had more stress, which means more pain, which means that the medicines I take to help me sleep are less effective.  I'm hoping to sleep better tonight.  We'll see...

Anyway, for the writer's workshop I think I'm going to go with #5.

A random act of kindness.

I was stopped at QT for my daily addiction (White Peach Tea) and there was this woman who was sort of in line before me.  Or, at least I thought she was.  But she waved me ahead, indicating that I should go first.  So I did, and just in the spur of the moment I told the cashier I had the lady's drink behind me.  The same lady who had let me go in front of her.  The cashier acted as if it happens every day.  The woman, on the other hand, was shocked.  She said "Are you sure?"  I just smiled and said yes.  She thanked me, then took her drink and left, while I put my money away.  As I was walking out to my van, the same woman made a point to roll down her window and say thanks again!  It felt so great because I knew that it had made her morning.  I really should do things like that more often.  It's a great way to maybe brighten someone's day.  It doesn't take much to make a difference in someone's life.