Friday, September 30, 2011

Chris vs the IPad!!!

This is Chris (w/a vintage shot of Rachel). Chris prides himself for his intuitive sense of direction and gut manly instinct to get us anywhere on the planet.


This is the IPad maps app that if you just type in a name (like for exmp Chipotle) or an address it will tell you EXACTLY how to get to a place.
So who wins this death match? Well Chris thinks he is. He drove us through a parking lot into a dead end with a pond tonight while looking for our hotel. In his defense though a few minutes later he did find it. We also ended up in a few wrong townships. But I guess if something were to happen to all my GPS devices we would EVENTUALLY get to where we needed to go ;)

I find a lot of humor in this. Perhaps because it is past midnight and I hate sleeping in odd places. But I think the main reason I find it so funny is that if I don't use GPS I can't find anything. I think it is funny how guys think vs women. I guess in this death match this is what you would call the differences between cats and dogs!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Mommy Misses You!

I love traveling and I love working. I miss doing more of it but when I was single it wasn't a big deal. I only had to go find a cat sitter and everything was find. I could just pick up and go.



So the cheesy video isn't for the normal blog readers (if it were I wouldn't have done it with out make or hair done :p). This video is for my Mother and the wonderful Miriam to show the babies when they miss us. I feel bad I won't be there to when they wake up to say good bye!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The elephant in the parking lot (SERIOUSLY)...

Today I wasn't feeling very well and Miriam our nanny wasn't going to let me do anything until I finally agreed to see a doctor. So I saw a doctor at the University and the critters all came (sinus infection and a developing ear infection so I'm on antibiotics again).


Anyhow on our way back in the corner of my eye I saw two elephants in the student parking lot... I'm thinking wow, I must be really ill. Than Miriam exclaims "Look kids there are elephants in the parking lot!!!" So the kids got to go on an impromptu safari. We drove right up to them (but there was no way we were getting out of that car b/c there was nothing between us and the elephants besides a really crummy makeshift gate and string).

It amazed me when we were leaving that during the 20 minutes we were there no one else on campus noticed enough to stop. Makes me wonder what else we miss in life b/c we are too distracted!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Harmon's "creepy" invisible friend...

One of my favorite movies is Harvey w/Jimmy Stewart. Basically he was this guy whose best friend was an imaginary friend who was a giant bunny. You never saw the bunny but you really could picture it.

Anyhow I wish Harm's invisible friend was a bunny. Harmon's is a crazy man. This started a few months ago before we moved. He woke up upset. I asked him why and he said this crazy man was trying to come through his bedroom window and scaring him. The old house was in an undeveloped sub-division and there were no crazy men coming through windows so I chucked it off to the boogey-man or monster under the bed.

So yesterday he wouldn't nap. I just let him stay in his room and have some quiet time. Well I overhear him having this very intense conversation. I go in there and ask him who he is talking to. He explains that the crazy man is there and they are talking. I later that night asked him if this was the man in the window and he said yes, it is his friend.

So my son has an invisible friend who is a crazy old man... Jimmy do you have your old bunny laying around anywhere???? If so please send him to our home.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Night of the living dead at work and home!

I think Cosmopolitan Magazine had an article years ago on Sleep-Bulemia. It described women who didn't get enough sleep so they drank mass amounts of caffeine throughout the day and than can't sleep at night (some would take pills). That describes I think a lot of women these days.
Today I realized I was that women as well! The revelation happened today in two parts. One I was driving and totally missed my exit and was heading towards Deming. When I finally got to my destination I was walking with my ToGo cup from a local restaurant and a stranger commented "you look like you have had one too many". That was my WOW today! I'm the walking dead (and I look like it)!
I've got kids, husband, work, etc. keeping me up late (and stressing me) so during the day I'm a Zombie. I'm just grabbing sodas all day long. One of my friends and I were joking. She tells me I just need to pick up coffee so I wake up enough to hide my exhaustion. It is pretty serious. I wonder if I would have hit that car door a few weeks ago if I had been sharper. Honestly, I just need to change up my routine and take more time for myself.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

I am a total sucker!!!!!!

We took the kids to the mountains on Friday (came home early yesterday afternoon).



I said I wouldn't buy the kids any more toys just because. Our home looks like a Toys R Us as it is. Anyhow we went to the Three Bears Cupcake Hut and Toy store while in Ruidosa NM (great place if you are in the area). After stocking up on baked goods my eyes beheld an Elmo the size of Callum. He had yellow marks on the back of his eyes so I asked for a discount. The owner (who has seen us come and go for years) gave it to us and so I happily bought the giant Elmo for Cally Cally. Cally's eyes got so wide with excitement. He has a new best friend... (Now if he ever finds out Elmo has his own show he might kill me).

The funniest part of the tale has been Harmon. He earns toys through his chores and so he isn't exactly deprived. Nonetheless he has wanted Elmo so badly. He woke up and said he wanted to give Cally back his (spare) baby Elmo. At first I was like what chivalry! NOPE, it was so he could steal the big Elmo. So when Cally wasn't looking he stole the big Elmo and than proceeded to hide his contraband in his room under his bed. Don't worry we rescued Elmo and made Harmon apologize but I know it isn't that easy. He wants that Elmo! Needless to say this is turning into a great opportunity to teach Harmon that not everything you want is yours because you want it in life. Perhaps that is a good lesson for adults as well ;)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Mommy relaxation gone wrong

After the kids had gone down I decided to spoil myself so I took a bath... I have never taken a bubble bath in my new tub. Well the jets obviously work a little better than they did in my last house :p


Than I started playing Scrabble. The computer beat me so I played it again. The computer beat me again so I played again. The computer beat me again so I played again. The computer beat me again so I played again... etc. So now it is 11:30 and I have a busy day tomorrow. I should have been sleeping... but I really wanted to be that computer. I never did. Talk about wasted time.

The nice thing is that I would have been leaving out of town with Chris first thing in the morning but it fell through. I'm so glad! I don't know what we will do instead but we will be with our critters instead of working and that makes me happy! We have got to do something fun :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday, September 12, 2011

The Golden Rules of Sharing...


Having 3 toddlers is a difficult plight. Even my lovely nanny is looking a little more worn these days. One of our biggest issues is sharing. It is always very difficult to teach this basic concept. You turn your back for one moment you suddenly have a mosh pit of 2 or more toddlers killing each other for a prized item.


It has made me realize we many "golden rules" in our family...
  1. What's mine is mine, and what your's is mine! We see this often with cool toys. Callum got two Elmo dolls for his birthday so Harmon feels Callum MUST share. When Harmon has two Thomas mini-trains those are not to be shared. Harmon needs both.
  2. You get what you get and don't throw a fit! One of Harm's teachers must have taught him this saying b/c he says it all the time. It is his favorite saying when he is sharing his trains. If Cally or Rachel protest b/c they got the worse trains he extols this virtuous message. Of course if I'm handing out colored paper and he wanted blue he than will state this rule only applies for the twins.
  3. Might is always right: This is a particular favorite of the boys. Harmon uses his might on the twins and Callum uses his on Rachel... but don't feel bad for Rachel.
  4. The Early bird catches the worm: Rachel always plots behind the boys back. As soon as she wakes up she makes a beeline straight to what she wants while all groggy she has everything she wants to play with before the tired boys get off the couch.
  5. Brain before Brawn: This is another one that Rachel excells at. She often distracts the boys to get the toys she wants. It is always funny to see her throw things and make Cally interested while she goes after his Cars lunchbox. Harmon also uses this occasionally. If one of the twins are playing with a toy he wants he finds something real nice and entices them away from it.
So yes sharing is still quite a challenge but I think in a way the kids are really figuring it out well on their own. It doesn't prevent every mosh pit or whining fit but it is nice to see them work it out in their own way.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering 9/11... (long and very detailed)

I hate to admit this but these last few years this day has come and gone without much thought for me. There was something about this anniversary that made me really just STOP and remember what it felt like. Perhaps b/c for the first time in years those graphic images are back. Seeing the planes crash, listening to the firsthand witnesses retell the events, it all sort of came back to me. The lessons I promised I would never forget yet I feel I almost did. So tonight I want to detail those memories so my children might feel what I felt, and remember...

Quick note: the videos I have linked from YouTube are graphic. I used ones that were from the CNN news feed since the channel I watched all this happen. It is what I saw on the news that day...

On a 9/11/01 I had woken up early. I was sophomore at UT Austin. I was struggling in Math and my professor promised to give me a one on one tutoring. I woke up early b/c I had been dreading this and wanted to spoil myself a little and go to the Red McCombs Building where in the atrium they have Burger King. I remember riding the shuttle and the bus driver saying "can you believe some idiot just flew into the World Trade Center?" "Really, hope it wasn't some terrorist." She responded, nope probably some prop plane tourist company. I'm from there and we always thought it was a matter of time..."

I don't know why terrorism came to mind first. Perhaps because the bombing of the USS Cole had just happened or I don't know... Anyhow those fear were put to rest and I got out of the tram and excitedly went to my sausage biscuit with no cheese and an orange juice. I picked up my spoils. It was before 9 and so the business school was still deserted. I sat down in front of the large tv and started watching the CNN feed live. No one knew what had really happened. The speculation varied widely but no one had an idea.

Than it happened... just as I was eating the second plane hit.

I didn't believe it. I don't think the broadcaster believed it. Than they played this angle a minute or so later.


That is when I understood this was really bad. A lot of people were dying right now. I sat there just watching watching all that paper flying... the large debris falling... people jumping to their deaths... people waving items from the windows waiting for rescue... I wondered what it would be like to be there and I just sat there watching.

I don't know when it happened but I looked around and I went from being alone in a table in an atrium of maybe 20 people and than being surrounded by probably 100 or more staff and students. I didn't move from my seat... the empty table I was sitting was now full with strangers... my uneaten breakfast just laid there.

Than we heard, Washington is under attack... the Pentagon has been hit. Suddenly I remembered that silly Will Smith movie "Independence Day" and I felt like I was watching it. Where everything was just under attack. I couldn't believe it. Who was this? How did do all this?

Than this happened...


It collapsed... the building just disappeared. No one knew if there was another bomb or plane or what... the building was just gone.

I sat there just still in silence. This time though I started thinking again about the people affected. I kept sitting there... now the atrium was filled so tightly we were all pushing against one another. UT is a large campus, at the 55,000 students at the time and it was well past 9. In retrospect I imagine since that was one of the main buildings on campus there were a few thousand there watching now with me.

Than the other tower collapsed. So clearly...


My sister by 2001 had been living in Vegas for a while. It was like watching one of the implosions the old hotels there I had seen go down. So orderly and quickly...

I just got out of my chair and walked away. I went to the LDS Institute and wanted to use their phone (yes I was an uncool college kid who didn't get a cell phone for another year). I remember finally just feeling the need to talk to my mother. To know everyone was okay even though I knew we all were.

I got there and now I saw my friends. I don't remember who but I remember being glad some of my friends were there. They were all watching on the tiny tv's. I could hear the sound now and they started explaining the 4 airlines that were high-jacked. They announced the fate of United Flight 93 and that it had just crashed with no explanation in rural PN. (Only later did I learn their heroism). They kept showing hospitals waiting for victims to help, but there were not enough survivors to help... They kept replaying the buildings collapsing. That is when the secretary said, "all those people inside". I remember that moment I really just began to cry. I felt so bad... My heart was broken for those people and their families... I was scared and very confused...

Lessons learned...
After 9/11 I saw the hate that filled the hearts of many people I knew. It was the attitude of vengeance and prejudice. It made me want to analyze myself better. I wanted to understand and get to know new people. While before I had only certain friends I suddenly wanted to get to know everyone. Through my classes and my job I gained new friendships from all over the world, various races, and cultures. When I started my professional life in the Las Vegas resorts I continued doing so and it was part of my reason for wanting to do a mission later on. Now I am blessed to be surrounded by friends that I may never have had.

9/11 gave me a voice. Ever since I was a young child my mom considered me pretty deep. I did a lot of things with the local Holocaust Museum in El Paso; but I still had not learned to stand up when I thought something was wrong . I've always been known as the nice kid and I was scared to offend. Now when I hear something (or receive a bad email) I'm sharp with my words. Back in the day I protested the wars at the capitol in Austin along with a lot of other hot button issues. Now I'm not so vocal politically (more jaded) but I still try to speak up when I hear something that isn't right; and I make sure to vote.

"It is not merely enough to lead an exemplary life in a purely passive sense of doing no wrong. The power of good in a [person] makes him actively help those in need... "

In all honesty I know I don't do enough good. I've got a long way to go in learning, loving, and standing up for/helping those who need it.

Epilogue
When 9/11 happened I was very alone during that time in my life. The guy I had been dating for over a year was abroad. Things were tense back at home and I was 750 away from them anyhow. I had friends but it wasn't the same.

Now tonight I was just surrounded by my beautiful kids and my husband. We watched the special documentary on TV. Chris had never really seen much of this b/c he was abroad at the time in Mexico City. He knew it happened... it just didn't happen like it did for me. It made me think of what they will see. I hope they never go through the loss that so many endured that day. I hope I can teach them to love and to use their voice for good.

I'm glad those images were on the screen again. It is important to see them. It helped me remember the lessons I hope I never forget.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

I must have made a Leprechaun angry :(


Seriously! Since last Friday my luck has SUCKED. I told Miriam today during lunch I think I must have stepped on a leprechaun or something.


In one week the following has occurred:
  • Harmon might lose his pre-k services
  • I broke the $70 key to my Honda. It litterally fell about apart in the ignition when I was turning the car off. (It is a fairly new car too.)
  • I hit a sub-contractors car (very very minor and it didn't even damage my car but my 100% perfect driving record is officially gone).
  • A trip to Arizona flared up my RA so I'm walking like a defunct penguin
  • Oh and this was a weekend family reunion with Chris' family who I love but it is like having Wednesday Adams spend a whole weekend with the Waltons.
  • I'm behind on EVERYTHING!!!! I stayed up past 2 on Wednesday just trying to catch up.
  • Chris forgot Harmon at pre-k Thursday so I got yelled out while I was on the other side of town... lucky his teacher didn't sent me to the principal's office.
  • I forgot Harm's soccer game while my Mother-in-Law searched for over an hour for us
  • Callum is sick... Harmon has been sick... Now I'm getting their head cold!
  • Two small diamonds have fallen off my ring's micro-pave band...
I could go on but isn't this enough misery for one blog?


So Mr. Leprechaun let me buy you a drink and lets bury the hatchet!!!!! I can't take another week like this one :p

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Fighting for your child...


I think learning to be an advocate for my children has been one of the hardest parts of being a parent for me. I feel very overwhelmed trying to call on Rachel's orthotics, schedule her PT, OT, FT, and DS visits every week. I used to have to do this for Harmon also. Rachel had her diagnoses of Cerebral Palsy shortly after Harmon transitioned last year to the Public Schools DD-Pre Program which is designed for kids who need help with certain areas. That meant rather than coordinating several different services I just had to focus on getting him to school.

Harmon Last Year on his First Day

Before he started pre-school he was struggling. He has something known as Sensory Integration which makes organizing thoughts very difficult. Once he started school things just got better for him. He got the help he needed to start organizing his thoughts and learning to self-regulate. His speech started coming along and now he is just totally talking up a storm. So when school started this year I was so grateful. He had some serious struggles in his Summer program that didn't have the extra help. I knew that once he was back though he would get back on track. That is what happened. The school year started about 3 wks ago and it has been really great. Until Friday...

Harmon this year on his First Day

Friday is when I met to renew his annual IEP (Individual Education Plan). Basically it's the economy. The schools are cutting back on services for kids with special needs and so students who qualified once are not qualifying now. Harmon might be falling into that hole. The problem is that he has made so much progress (which is good) but not enough to just be main-streamed at this point. I think this is where you get the term "falling through the cracks," comes from. Suddenly I'm fighting for this spot that I know he needs (we live in a small town and so there are not private pre-schools that really focus on what he needs). I also am fighting for something that gives him such joy. He loves his teachers and his friends. If I just had to tell him, "sorry there is no school tomorrow" it would break it his heart.


I don't know how this story is going to end. We are looking into our rights and until things are resolved everyone has agreed to halt everything. I'm also coming up with a plan B, pre-school wise and private services. Whatever happens I will fight my hardest. I think it is affecting my choices about what to do with Rachel. I don't know if I have it in me to fight tooth and nail for 2 kids. I guess this is just life. Part of being a mom is fighting for your kids, b/c they don't have the voice in these sort of matters. I just think when I feel like I don't want to do this anymore I remember that we are very blessed to have good resources around us; and that the reward is worth it in the end if it mean our kids get what they need.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Realizing how blessed you are :)


It was an interesting week. Last week was just really hard dealing with everything I needed to deal with. That whole time my little man Cally was just smiley there by my side. I had noticed earlier that he had some really dark odd smelling urine (almost sweet). I had assumed it was dehydration b/c we have triple digit heat here daily. It came and it went until I realized it couldn't be just needing fluids. That is when the quiet worry began.

So today we finally ruled everything out, including diabetes... WHAT A RELIEF! The doctor thinks it was a UTI that got caught late. We will be watchful but really, truly in my heart I think he will be fine. It gave me a sudden realization how blessed we were. Once again I felt my priorities always will be with these little guys.

Tonight we had a banquet and got home later than usual. Little man had been through so much that day so my little buddy just wanted to rest on my chest for 20 minutes (best 20 minutes of my week) and yet again I counted my blessings!

Friday, September 30, 2011

Chris vs the IPad!!!

This is Chris (w/a vintage shot of Rachel). Chris prides himself for his intuitive sense of direction and gut manly instinct to get us anywhere on the planet.


This is the IPad maps app that if you just type in a name (like for exmp Chipotle) or an address it will tell you EXACTLY how to get to a place.
So who wins this death match? Well Chris thinks he is. He drove us through a parking lot into a dead end with a pond tonight while looking for our hotel. In his defense though a few minutes later he did find it. We also ended up in a few wrong townships. But I guess if something were to happen to all my GPS devices we would EVENTUALLY get to where we needed to go ;)

I find a lot of humor in this. Perhaps because it is past midnight and I hate sleeping in odd places. But I think the main reason I find it so funny is that if I don't use GPS I can't find anything. I think it is funny how guys think vs women. I guess in this death match this is what you would call the differences between cats and dogs!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Mommy Misses You!

I love traveling and I love working. I miss doing more of it but when I was single it wasn't a big deal. I only had to go find a cat sitter and everything was find. I could just pick up and go.



So the cheesy video isn't for the normal blog readers (if it were I wouldn't have done it with out make or hair done :p). This video is for my Mother and the wonderful Miriam to show the babies when they miss us. I feel bad I won't be there to when they wake up to say good bye!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The elephant in the parking lot (SERIOUSLY)...

Today I wasn't feeling very well and Miriam our nanny wasn't going to let me do anything until I finally agreed to see a doctor. So I saw a doctor at the University and the critters all came (sinus infection and a developing ear infection so I'm on antibiotics again).


Anyhow on our way back in the corner of my eye I saw two elephants in the student parking lot... I'm thinking wow, I must be really ill. Than Miriam exclaims "Look kids there are elephants in the parking lot!!!" So the kids got to go on an impromptu safari. We drove right up to them (but there was no way we were getting out of that car b/c there was nothing between us and the elephants besides a really crummy makeshift gate and string).

It amazed me when we were leaving that during the 20 minutes we were there no one else on campus noticed enough to stop. Makes me wonder what else we miss in life b/c we are too distracted!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Harmon's "creepy" invisible friend...

One of my favorite movies is Harvey w/Jimmy Stewart. Basically he was this guy whose best friend was an imaginary friend who was a giant bunny. You never saw the bunny but you really could picture it.

Anyhow I wish Harm's invisible friend was a bunny. Harmon's is a crazy man. This started a few months ago before we moved. He woke up upset. I asked him why and he said this crazy man was trying to come through his bedroom window and scaring him. The old house was in an undeveloped sub-division and there were no crazy men coming through windows so I chucked it off to the boogey-man or monster under the bed.

So yesterday he wouldn't nap. I just let him stay in his room and have some quiet time. Well I overhear him having this very intense conversation. I go in there and ask him who he is talking to. He explains that the crazy man is there and they are talking. I later that night asked him if this was the man in the window and he said yes, it is his friend.

So my son has an invisible friend who is a crazy old man... Jimmy do you have your old bunny laying around anywhere???? If so please send him to our home.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Night of the living dead at work and home!

I think Cosmopolitan Magazine had an article years ago on Sleep-Bulemia. It described women who didn't get enough sleep so they drank mass amounts of caffeine throughout the day and than can't sleep at night (some would take pills). That describes I think a lot of women these days.
Today I realized I was that women as well! The revelation happened today in two parts. One I was driving and totally missed my exit and was heading towards Deming. When I finally got to my destination I was walking with my ToGo cup from a local restaurant and a stranger commented "you look like you have had one too many". That was my WOW today! I'm the walking dead (and I look like it)!
I've got kids, husband, work, etc. keeping me up late (and stressing me) so during the day I'm a Zombie. I'm just grabbing sodas all day long. One of my friends and I were joking. She tells me I just need to pick up coffee so I wake up enough to hide my exhaustion. It is pretty serious. I wonder if I would have hit that car door a few weeks ago if I had been sharper. Honestly, I just need to change up my routine and take more time for myself.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

I am a total sucker!!!!!!

We took the kids to the mountains on Friday (came home early yesterday afternoon).



I said I wouldn't buy the kids any more toys just because. Our home looks like a Toys R Us as it is. Anyhow we went to the Three Bears Cupcake Hut and Toy store while in Ruidosa NM (great place if you are in the area). After stocking up on baked goods my eyes beheld an Elmo the size of Callum. He had yellow marks on the back of his eyes so I asked for a discount. The owner (who has seen us come and go for years) gave it to us and so I happily bought the giant Elmo for Cally Cally. Cally's eyes got so wide with excitement. He has a new best friend... (Now if he ever finds out Elmo has his own show he might kill me).

The funniest part of the tale has been Harmon. He earns toys through his chores and so he isn't exactly deprived. Nonetheless he has wanted Elmo so badly. He woke up and said he wanted to give Cally back his (spare) baby Elmo. At first I was like what chivalry! NOPE, it was so he could steal the big Elmo. So when Cally wasn't looking he stole the big Elmo and than proceeded to hide his contraband in his room under his bed. Don't worry we rescued Elmo and made Harmon apologize but I know it isn't that easy. He wants that Elmo! Needless to say this is turning into a great opportunity to teach Harmon that not everything you want is yours because you want it in life. Perhaps that is a good lesson for adults as well ;)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Mommy relaxation gone wrong

After the kids had gone down I decided to spoil myself so I took a bath... I have never taken a bubble bath in my new tub. Well the jets obviously work a little better than they did in my last house :p


Than I started playing Scrabble. The computer beat me so I played it again. The computer beat me again so I played again. The computer beat me again so I played again. The computer beat me again so I played again... etc. So now it is 11:30 and I have a busy day tomorrow. I should have been sleeping... but I really wanted to be that computer. I never did. Talk about wasted time.

The nice thing is that I would have been leaving out of town with Chris first thing in the morning but it fell through. I'm so glad! I don't know what we will do instead but we will be with our critters instead of working and that makes me happy! We have got to do something fun :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday, September 12, 2011

The Golden Rules of Sharing...


Having 3 toddlers is a difficult plight. Even my lovely nanny is looking a little more worn these days. One of our biggest issues is sharing. It is always very difficult to teach this basic concept. You turn your back for one moment you suddenly have a mosh pit of 2 or more toddlers killing each other for a prized item.


It has made me realize we many "golden rules" in our family...
  1. What's mine is mine, and what your's is mine! We see this often with cool toys. Callum got two Elmo dolls for his birthday so Harmon feels Callum MUST share. When Harmon has two Thomas mini-trains those are not to be shared. Harmon needs both.
  2. You get what you get and don't throw a fit! One of Harm's teachers must have taught him this saying b/c he says it all the time. It is his favorite saying when he is sharing his trains. If Cally or Rachel protest b/c they got the worse trains he extols this virtuous message. Of course if I'm handing out colored paper and he wanted blue he than will state this rule only applies for the twins.
  3. Might is always right: This is a particular favorite of the boys. Harmon uses his might on the twins and Callum uses his on Rachel... but don't feel bad for Rachel.
  4. The Early bird catches the worm: Rachel always plots behind the boys back. As soon as she wakes up she makes a beeline straight to what she wants while all groggy she has everything she wants to play with before the tired boys get off the couch.
  5. Brain before Brawn: This is another one that Rachel excells at. She often distracts the boys to get the toys she wants. It is always funny to see her throw things and make Cally interested while she goes after his Cars lunchbox. Harmon also uses this occasionally. If one of the twins are playing with a toy he wants he finds something real nice and entices them away from it.
So yes sharing is still quite a challenge but I think in a way the kids are really figuring it out well on their own. It doesn't prevent every mosh pit or whining fit but it is nice to see them work it out in their own way.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering 9/11... (long and very detailed)

I hate to admit this but these last few years this day has come and gone without much thought for me. There was something about this anniversary that made me really just STOP and remember what it felt like. Perhaps b/c for the first time in years those graphic images are back. Seeing the planes crash, listening to the firsthand witnesses retell the events, it all sort of came back to me. The lessons I promised I would never forget yet I feel I almost did. So tonight I want to detail those memories so my children might feel what I felt, and remember...

Quick note: the videos I have linked from YouTube are graphic. I used ones that were from the CNN news feed since the channel I watched all this happen. It is what I saw on the news that day...

On a 9/11/01 I had woken up early. I was sophomore at UT Austin. I was struggling in Math and my professor promised to give me a one on one tutoring. I woke up early b/c I had been dreading this and wanted to spoil myself a little and go to the Red McCombs Building where in the atrium they have Burger King. I remember riding the shuttle and the bus driver saying "can you believe some idiot just flew into the World Trade Center?" "Really, hope it wasn't some terrorist." She responded, nope probably some prop plane tourist company. I'm from there and we always thought it was a matter of time..."

I don't know why terrorism came to mind first. Perhaps because the bombing of the USS Cole had just happened or I don't know... Anyhow those fear were put to rest and I got out of the tram and excitedly went to my sausage biscuit with no cheese and an orange juice. I picked up my spoils. It was before 9 and so the business school was still deserted. I sat down in front of the large tv and started watching the CNN feed live. No one knew what had really happened. The speculation varied widely but no one had an idea.

Than it happened... just as I was eating the second plane hit.

I didn't believe it. I don't think the broadcaster believed it. Than they played this angle a minute or so later.


That is when I understood this was really bad. A lot of people were dying right now. I sat there just watching watching all that paper flying... the large debris falling... people jumping to their deaths... people waving items from the windows waiting for rescue... I wondered what it would be like to be there and I just sat there watching.

I don't know when it happened but I looked around and I went from being alone in a table in an atrium of maybe 20 people and than being surrounded by probably 100 or more staff and students. I didn't move from my seat... the empty table I was sitting was now full with strangers... my uneaten breakfast just laid there.

Than we heard, Washington is under attack... the Pentagon has been hit. Suddenly I remembered that silly Will Smith movie "Independence Day" and I felt like I was watching it. Where everything was just under attack. I couldn't believe it. Who was this? How did do all this?

Than this happened...


It collapsed... the building just disappeared. No one knew if there was another bomb or plane or what... the building was just gone.

I sat there just still in silence. This time though I started thinking again about the people affected. I kept sitting there... now the atrium was filled so tightly we were all pushing against one another. UT is a large campus, at the 55,000 students at the time and it was well past 9. In retrospect I imagine since that was one of the main buildings on campus there were a few thousand there watching now with me.

Than the other tower collapsed. So clearly...


My sister by 2001 had been living in Vegas for a while. It was like watching one of the implosions the old hotels there I had seen go down. So orderly and quickly...

I just got out of my chair and walked away. I went to the LDS Institute and wanted to use their phone (yes I was an uncool college kid who didn't get a cell phone for another year). I remember finally just feeling the need to talk to my mother. To know everyone was okay even though I knew we all were.

I got there and now I saw my friends. I don't remember who but I remember being glad some of my friends were there. They were all watching on the tiny tv's. I could hear the sound now and they started explaining the 4 airlines that were high-jacked. They announced the fate of United Flight 93 and that it had just crashed with no explanation in rural PN. (Only later did I learn their heroism). They kept showing hospitals waiting for victims to help, but there were not enough survivors to help... They kept replaying the buildings collapsing. That is when the secretary said, "all those people inside". I remember that moment I really just began to cry. I felt so bad... My heart was broken for those people and their families... I was scared and very confused...

Lessons learned...
After 9/11 I saw the hate that filled the hearts of many people I knew. It was the attitude of vengeance and prejudice. It made me want to analyze myself better. I wanted to understand and get to know new people. While before I had only certain friends I suddenly wanted to get to know everyone. Through my classes and my job I gained new friendships from all over the world, various races, and cultures. When I started my professional life in the Las Vegas resorts I continued doing so and it was part of my reason for wanting to do a mission later on. Now I am blessed to be surrounded by friends that I may never have had.

9/11 gave me a voice. Ever since I was a young child my mom considered me pretty deep. I did a lot of things with the local Holocaust Museum in El Paso; but I still had not learned to stand up when I thought something was wrong . I've always been known as the nice kid and I was scared to offend. Now when I hear something (or receive a bad email) I'm sharp with my words. Back in the day I protested the wars at the capitol in Austin along with a lot of other hot button issues. Now I'm not so vocal politically (more jaded) but I still try to speak up when I hear something that isn't right; and I make sure to vote.

"It is not merely enough to lead an exemplary life in a purely passive sense of doing no wrong. The power of good in a [person] makes him actively help those in need... "

In all honesty I know I don't do enough good. I've got a long way to go in learning, loving, and standing up for/helping those who need it.

Epilogue
When 9/11 happened I was very alone during that time in my life. The guy I had been dating for over a year was abroad. Things were tense back at home and I was 750 away from them anyhow. I had friends but it wasn't the same.

Now tonight I was just surrounded by my beautiful kids and my husband. We watched the special documentary on TV. Chris had never really seen much of this b/c he was abroad at the time in Mexico City. He knew it happened... it just didn't happen like it did for me. It made me think of what they will see. I hope they never go through the loss that so many endured that day. I hope I can teach them to love and to use their voice for good.

I'm glad those images were on the screen again. It is important to see them. It helped me remember the lessons I hope I never forget.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

I must have made a Leprechaun angry :(


Seriously! Since last Friday my luck has SUCKED. I told Miriam today during lunch I think I must have stepped on a leprechaun or something.


In one week the following has occurred:
  • Harmon might lose his pre-k services
  • I broke the $70 key to my Honda. It litterally fell about apart in the ignition when I was turning the car off. (It is a fairly new car too.)
  • I hit a sub-contractors car (very very minor and it didn't even damage my car but my 100% perfect driving record is officially gone).
  • A trip to Arizona flared up my RA so I'm walking like a defunct penguin
  • Oh and this was a weekend family reunion with Chris' family who I love but it is like having Wednesday Adams spend a whole weekend with the Waltons.
  • I'm behind on EVERYTHING!!!! I stayed up past 2 on Wednesday just trying to catch up.
  • Chris forgot Harmon at pre-k Thursday so I got yelled out while I was on the other side of town... lucky his teacher didn't sent me to the principal's office.
  • I forgot Harm's soccer game while my Mother-in-Law searched for over an hour for us
  • Callum is sick... Harmon has been sick... Now I'm getting their head cold!
  • Two small diamonds have fallen off my ring's micro-pave band...
I could go on but isn't this enough misery for one blog?


So Mr. Leprechaun let me buy you a drink and lets bury the hatchet!!!!! I can't take another week like this one :p

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Fighting for your child...


I think learning to be an advocate for my children has been one of the hardest parts of being a parent for me. I feel very overwhelmed trying to call on Rachel's orthotics, schedule her PT, OT, FT, and DS visits every week. I used to have to do this for Harmon also. Rachel had her diagnoses of Cerebral Palsy shortly after Harmon transitioned last year to the Public Schools DD-Pre Program which is designed for kids who need help with certain areas. That meant rather than coordinating several different services I just had to focus on getting him to school.

Harmon Last Year on his First Day

Before he started pre-school he was struggling. He has something known as Sensory Integration which makes organizing thoughts very difficult. Once he started school things just got better for him. He got the help he needed to start organizing his thoughts and learning to self-regulate. His speech started coming along and now he is just totally talking up a storm. So when school started this year I was so grateful. He had some serious struggles in his Summer program that didn't have the extra help. I knew that once he was back though he would get back on track. That is what happened. The school year started about 3 wks ago and it has been really great. Until Friday...

Harmon this year on his First Day

Friday is when I met to renew his annual IEP (Individual Education Plan). Basically it's the economy. The schools are cutting back on services for kids with special needs and so students who qualified once are not qualifying now. Harmon might be falling into that hole. The problem is that he has made so much progress (which is good) but not enough to just be main-streamed at this point. I think this is where you get the term "falling through the cracks," comes from. Suddenly I'm fighting for this spot that I know he needs (we live in a small town and so there are not private pre-schools that really focus on what he needs). I also am fighting for something that gives him such joy. He loves his teachers and his friends. If I just had to tell him, "sorry there is no school tomorrow" it would break it his heart.


I don't know how this story is going to end. We are looking into our rights and until things are resolved everyone has agreed to halt everything. I'm also coming up with a plan B, pre-school wise and private services. Whatever happens I will fight my hardest. I think it is affecting my choices about what to do with Rachel. I don't know if I have it in me to fight tooth and nail for 2 kids. I guess this is just life. Part of being a mom is fighting for your kids, b/c they don't have the voice in these sort of matters. I just think when I feel like I don't want to do this anymore I remember that we are very blessed to have good resources around us; and that the reward is worth it in the end if it mean our kids get what they need.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Realizing how blessed you are :)


It was an interesting week. Last week was just really hard dealing with everything I needed to deal with. That whole time my little man Cally was just smiley there by my side. I had noticed earlier that he had some really dark odd smelling urine (almost sweet). I had assumed it was dehydration b/c we have triple digit heat here daily. It came and it went until I realized it couldn't be just needing fluids. That is when the quiet worry began.

So today we finally ruled everything out, including diabetes... WHAT A RELIEF! The doctor thinks it was a UTI that got caught late. We will be watchful but really, truly in my heart I think he will be fine. It gave me a sudden realization how blessed we were. Once again I felt my priorities always will be with these little guys.

Tonight we had a banquet and got home later than usual. Little man had been through so much that day so my little buddy just wanted to rest on my chest for 20 minutes (best 20 minutes of my week) and yet again I counted my blessings!