Pass the O2

I am going to have one of those weeks where I could use a tank of oxygen in case I forget to breath. My calendar runneth over!

...and the biggest issue I have to tackle is how my neighbor Julie and I will celebrate Cinco de Mayo in our usual fashion (margaritas, chips and salsa on the back deck) on Saturday--kids home, Alee preparing for round two of prom, etc... Is it legal and acceptable to celebrate Cuatro de Mayo...crap the kids are off school that day...so say Tres de Mayo?

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Someone I know recently referred to the impending birth of there child--a watched pot never boils...well today the doctor at the Spine Center made me, us believe that saying is in fact true.

We arrived at 1:22pm at the orthodics office, got the brace fitted--in record time. Then headed to the Spine Center, checked in at 2:15pm for our 230pm appointed. To spare myself of remembering how fricking long it took to see the doctor and how M and I entertained each other, and occasionally they would send in a some body to tease us-- I will just say we saw the doctor at 4:30pm (all the while trapped in the examination cubicle). Every time M asked me what time it was I simply said "a watched pot never boils".

Needless to say this will not go down in history as a favorite day. If I could wear the burdens of my children's health I would so willingly. Since I can't, I say they are my heroes.

A Grandson's Reflection

I asked my hubby this morning if he had a favorite memory of his grandmother... he looked at me and said "you know what I will remember most of all, is that on Good Friday Grandma walked in the kitchen to tell me she was leaving, I turned to her gave her a hug and said be careful Grandma, I'll see you." My hubby then said "and for some reason I felt compelled to stop what I was doing and walk her to the door where I gave her another big tight hug."

Strange how God knows for us we need to have that extra moment with someone we love, leaving us with an everlasting warm feeling in heart.

Paging Gee-Gee...It's God

We all have treasured memories of our grandmothers, on this day great-grandmothers.

For my maternal great grandmother, whom we all affectionately called Gram--I can still feel the gentle movement of her hand, with her clear coated polished nails tenderly tickle the outline of our faces. She was the world's best tickler...and when anyone of her great grandchildren asked "Gram will you draw my face" she never refused. I can still picture her sitting in her chair in her living room with its apricot color painted walls (those walls never changed color) as we played with metal soldiers from years gone by. I remember our birthday cards always included two crisp one dollar bills and for Christmas a crisp five dollar bill. I remember my cousin Michelle and I sneaking a cigarette behind the funeral home the day of her visitation. We thought we were so under cover teenagers...but we weren't. (Don't worry neither of us smokes).

Treasured memories.

Today--heavy hearted--my daughters and there cousins will be tucking in there hearts treasured memories of there own great grandmother-- whom personally requested prior to A and her cousin Katie's birth to be affectionately referred to as "Gee-Gee".

Gee-Gee will be remembered for her root beer floats. A & M were so disappointed when she moved from her house to the retirement complex, "now we won't have root beer floats when we visit her". No matter what the time of day it was Gee-Gee was prepared to dole out a root beer float to her great grandchildren. Never was a root beer float refused!

I will recall asking Gee-Gee if she would like a cocktail when we gathered for holidays...most of the time she would order a beer, in a glass, with one ice cube. I never bothered to ask why one ice cube (either she wanted her beer watered down or chilled just a bit more). But, whatever the reason it is, the memory I hold in heart.

We last gathered as a family in whole and enjoyed Gee-Gee on Good Friday. She always called, without fail, the next day to say how nice everything was and what a good time she had.

So I speak for Charley, Stephie, Alee, Katie, Maddi, Kellie, Demi Anne, Alyssa, Austin and Jacob by saying thank you Gee-Gee for the memories, thank you for being you!

God, she is yours now. To which I am most positively certain he said to her "Marie, welcome home".

Round One on the Prom Circuit

Dress: $45 on the sale rack

Shoes: $20

Jewelry-ears, finger, hair: $26

Hair: $17

Some New Make-up: $12

Not Killing your parents pocket: PRICELESS

Princess A wearing the same dress twice & having the same date: EVEN MORE PRICELSS!

The Somewhat Dreaded Phone Call

I knew the call was coming, but I certainly have not waited for it with any type of anticipation...M's back brace is in, uhg! We tread out to the Center for Advanced Medicine on Monday April 30--the straightening of the spine begins.

I'll remind myself often that God is good...despite all M's little medical quarks, all the hurdles she has had to jump-- she is perfect in every sense of the word, and for that I will be, am, thankful.

Red Bird Fever

King Ralph, Princess A and our little jester M are all at the Cardinal game tonight (decked out in red bird jerseys) ...D and I are home plunked on the couch tuned into Fox Sports. Do you think there is something wrong with this picture?

...Cause the more I think about it I do!

Age Defying

I bought some Instant Age Rewind make-up base--I was looking to fill in my developing crows feet with some face spackle. Oh brother! Rewind this make-up is not...fast forward is more like it! Even in my complexion tone color this make-up makes me look more like a corpse than rewind back in years.

I suppose the hidden message in this Instant Age Rewind make-up base is--six feet under ground gives you a better chance at holding time still.

I say to myself now, shut up and love the crows feet!

Progress

Princess A looked like this the first 48 hours-- her cornea got scratched in surgery and it was painful! That was additional to the regular surgery pain.

Finally on March 28, after yet another dose of Percocet, she opened her eye.

On the 29th her friends popped over for a visit, brought her a Ted Drew's sundae--she smiled; friendship they say is the best medicine.

A kiss on the head from Dad reassures Princess A her 17th birthday, the next day, will be good--even if she feels like poop and has lots of post surgery complications that have to be addressed by the doctor.

March 31st, Princess A awoke to being 17 years old--a cookie bouquet delivery from Aunt Debbie, Uncle Livingston & Alyssa with both birthday and get well wishes bought another smile

Princess A's self portrait--she really wanted to get a full rotation photo of her surgically repaired eyeball

One of the post surgery complication fixes was getting these mod eyeglasses, to which a prism [was going] to be affixed too.

By April 4 her eye is healing up nicely! (Her prom date is less freaked about how his date will appear) The doctor says he thinks she won't need that third surgery, he wants to let her brain continue to sense/soak up the visual change. Being born without a few (important) nerves in your eye is no joy.

Yesterday Princess A returned to the raquetball court, not a full on game more like a low key game of tag with the ball. Now, today, April 12 Princess A has finally been approved to take to the wheel of the car. After school we are going to hit the road! That will be in about 10 minutes. Wish us luck ;-)

Hollywierd

I am going to have a great night's sleep just knowing now who fathered Anna Nicole's baby...you can't even begin to know how many sleepless nights I have had in anticipation over the announcement of paternity...I can't remember the last time I will have had such a great night's sleep...oh yes I do, that was the night Suri Cruise's photos appeared in Vanity Fair.

Hollywierd, gotta love it?

Holy Weekend

Friday we had our Not-So-Annual-Good-Friday-Fish-Fry (not so annual because sometimes King Ralph has to work nights on Good Friday). We had a great time! The highlights of the evening were: my mother in law's surprise cole slaw-- who the fun puts raisins, I said raisins (and apples) in creamy cole slaw?...the fried fish....my sister in law trying to pull off the chicken tenders she brought as chicken of the sea (photos documented the razzing)...the mojitos...the kids moonlight egg hunt...and family (expect Danny who didn't show with the wine he was bringing)

We couldn't resist marking the dining room table reserved with this sign

Princess A added her touch to the Good Friday Chicken of the Sea

...as I went to package the left over Chicken of the Sea, I found a curious addition

...then there was the question of legitimacy of cousin Kelli's flashlight-- for the moonlight egg hunt... not to mention the conspiracy theory brewing over M finding two of the five dollar eggs

D desperately searches for one of the eggs with a five dollar bill hidden inside

Saturday Princess A, M and D dyed Easter eggs, while watching the Sound of Music

...the Easter question of the day was which parka to wear with our new spring Easter outfits

(L to R: Princess A, D, KeeperoftheHouse, M)

Princess A braved the 28* Easter temperatures to test out her new floppy hat (that doubled as her Easter basket), her new sunglasses and her giant bubble wand

I had a GREAT Easter Weekend and I just required a nap after all the fun had ended

Friendship and Lip Stick

When I think my week(s) stinks my friend drops me a card which reminds me, "there is nothing a little lipstick can't fix"...

...and so I have been applying my lipstick frequently...and you know I feel better already!

There was no hash in the brownies

When M & I left The Spine Center yesterday afternoon we over heard the most adorable little black girl-- around nine years old, dressed in a school uniform of crisply creased khaki pants and white polo say to her mother, "I am sorry I cried in there I'm just a little girl"...then we all entered the elevator and the same little girl gazed up toward her mom from her wheelchair and said "why am I so different than all my classmates", the mother did not respond so the little girl repeated herself. Her question had such a sweet innocence to the tone it melted our hearts--almost made it impossible for us to pity our own unfortunate news. They exited the elevator before we could hear what the mother's response was...I wanted to turn to the little girl and say the same thing I say to M (as she rows through life being slammed with issue after issue), God made us each so different from our classmates because we are each so special, the world is so much better with variety.

Then I think to myself why is M always "the one"...you would almost think I sat on a hill in Woodstock eating hash brownies and "mushroom" pizza while incubating my little love child...ti's not the case...I'm telling you something big in this world is waiting to grace M.