Spelling Test and Such

Davey had his first spelling test yesterday and he, of course, earned a 100%. The list included words in the -an and -at word families (plan, man, bat, cat...). Friday, he will have the test on this week's words, the -am and -ap word families. He was so on the ball this week (after last week having to do his Monday and Wednesday homework at 8:55 on Tuesday evening, due to his mother's lack of awareness that Language Arts homework is now posted on the Internet, not sent home in the folder) and finished the "write the spelling words 3 times each" and "write 5 sentences using your spelling words" assignments on Sunday night! So tonight, he did not have homework!

I have been attempting to teach the boys about Lent and why we don't eat meat on Ash Wednesday and on Fridays in Lent and why people often abstain from something during Lent. I think Davey might understand. He is becoming really big on putting money in the Rice Bowl (a cardboard container we received to collect money for the needy in the Third World. He put $2 in there today. Am I defeating his charitable attempts by reminding him he needs to be saving something for our Spring Break trip so he has money for souvenirs? I want him to balance and do both. Maybe I should get out the kids Dave Ramsey books Chick-Fil-A gave away s few years ago and reread them with him.... I did attend Mass with him this morning. It was his first "smudging" (that he remembers), so it was nice for me. I was so pleased with his behavior in what turned out to be a lengthy Mass. He did better than most of the other kindergartners. I would expect nothing less, I might add!

Dinner with the Teacher

Last night, we had the pleasure of having Mrs. Flechler, Davey's kindergarten teacher, over for dinner. We asked her if she would come over while we were at the Spring conference last week. I have fond memories of having my teachers over for dinner (it seems like it was often something Mexican, followed by my mom's yummy sopapillas with honey) as a kiddo, so I wanted to start that tradition with my boys. Now, there are very few of my students over the years from whom I would accept an invitation to their home, but it is a very different type of clientele, not to seem to be too big a snob. So, I asked at the conference and she replied that it would be such a treat and that she had never received such an invitation before. She has been teaching at least 20 years, I would guess, so I was surprised about that. I asked Davey what he would like to have and, after some hemming and hawing, it was decided that we would make homemade pizza. I called to give directions and we were set. She arrived about 5:30 and we had not picked up and tidied like I would have preferred, but she was adamant, "I certainly hope you did not rush home to clean for me! I want to just relax and enjoy." She lost her husband when her children were in middle and early high school, so she empathizes with my struggles with trying to fit it all in in one day. We "decorated" the pizzas, one white and one red, with sausage, mushrooms, olives and artichoke hearts on the red one and chicken, mushrooms, olives and artichoke hearts on the alfredo one. We had a salad and king cake (for dessert). The boys asked for those items, specifically, so everyone was happy. Mrs. Flechler even became acquainted with the Wii and several games we have (especially MarioKart and Big Brain Academy). Max liked getting to know Mrs. Flechler, or "Fleckeley" as he called her. I think the feeling was mutual! Around 8:30 she said she needed to go because her bedtime was quickly approaching. Davey thought it was funny that his teacher and he share the same bedtime. It was such an enjoyable evening!!!

This morning, as I was dropping Davey off at school, I was more short with him than I liked, telling him to hurry, that there were lots of cars waiting behind us. He didn't want to take the cowboy boots (on loan to the music teacher for the production of "Oklahoma" in April) to the school office ("I don't want to go to the office."), so I ended up parking and taking the boots in and went down to his room to apologize. Mrs. Flechler gave me a big, huge hug, told me thanks again and told me she loved us. We are blessed to have her! I was greeted with 20 "Hi, Mrs. Albright!" and one "Hey, Mommy!" Davey had already forgiven me for my shortness and rudeness, so it was worth it!

I continue to attend physical therapy 3 days a week. There has been some improvement. I can now raise up on my toes on the left foot, where I could not 2 weeks ago, and have loss pain and more flexibility. I hope to be near 100% by spring break, if not sooner!

I have now begun the process of getting the taxes done. I wanted to try to do it myself, but my knowledge and patience are not condicive to it this year.

Tomorrow, we are expecting the arrival of the pieces and components for our new swingset (courtesy of the generosity of David's parents). It was a discontinued model on the Creative Playthings website! Yippee!! The next step is recruiting dads and other men we know who like to/ are willing to be destroying and demolishing the old, crushed set and constructing the new one. If anyone (locally only, please :o), it makes it easier) wants to volunteer themselves, their spouse or other random person, to assist with this adventure, let me know.

Here's to nearly being on the back end of the work week!!

Da, Da, Da... The MRI

Well, I went in this afternoon for the MRI. I had myself all prepared for tight quarters and loud noises. It included both, but it was not nearly as bad as I was expecting!! I got to wear loose, comfy scrubs and I was forced to do nothing but lay there and relax for 30 minutes. That is a TREAT for the working single mom!! I don't know what the official results and findings are, but I seem to be in hardly any pain, now. It seems rather odd. Should I chalk it up to being in that position? Being on a flat, hard surface? The magnetic field? The power of prayer? All of the above? Regardless, I am able to bend and pick things up off the floor (don't tell the boys, I have them convinced I can't bend over and pick up their toys!) and putting on p.j.s tonight was virtually painless.

I knew many of you would be wondering how it went. Now I just wait to hear from my doc. I have 3 PT appointments this week. I hope they all go well!

Have a great week!!

Great Time at Great Wolf

We took a brief overnight trip to the Great Wolf Lodge in Ohio Friday. The boys had fun and I enjoyed watching them get completely worn out. I am so grateful for the help from other St. Margaret Mary families who were there. It was Winter Break for the Catholic schools in L'ville. There were about 7 or 8 families from SMM who went, too. The boys and I drove up and shared a room with our friends the Straubs. They are so good to us! Rudy, the dad, took Davey on several slides that I just couldn't do with my sciatic nerve issue. I tried to go on a couple and ended up yelping like I was being tortured. Max found a set of slides he really enjoyed and could get up to so that I could watch him all the way to the entrance to the slide. He just kept going and going. He crashed on my lap before his food arrived at dinner, so he was ravenous at Waffle House yesterday morning. Davey made it through dinner, but was down for the count within 10 minutes of getting back to the room. Jennifer (Rudy's wife) was not feeling well the whole time and even debated staying back in L'ville while we all went. I am not sure if she regrets going after all, but it was good to have her there, even if we didn't actually see much of her. Now we have another trip to another GWL to look forward to with Chip, Sherri, J.T., my mom and dad. I hope the doctors and physical therapists and I can get this sciatica taken care of by April!!

I have my MRI tomorrow afternoon. I have never had any of this kind of tests before, so I only have the advice and descriptions from others to go on. All I know is that the tube is small and the noise is very, very loud. I have never had a problem with claustrophobia before, so we will see how it goes. I just hope some answers arise out of it. I am not feeling like a very effective mother with this problem hanging over me. This weekend, Max did tell me frequently that I am "the best mommy in the 'woild'!" I can't hear that enough these days!

I received several calls and cards from people wishing me a good Valentine's day. I guess since it was my first without my usual Valentine, it warranted special wishes. I appreciated them greatly. The boys and the trip helped keep me distracted yesterday. I think in many ways, Valentine's day has become more and more of a kids' holiday. It was really great to get packages from both Tena and my parents with some goodies for the boys AND some for me, too! My mom knitted me an amazingly soft red sweater. I got a fantastic quilted pillowcase handmade with love by Tena, too. They are both creative and love me so! I enjoy benefiting from their creativity.

I hope everyone felt especially loved this weekend and that it carries on for a long while!

A Milestone

Well, as of Monday, we will have survived 6 months since David died. The boys and I are doing well, I believe. I still expect David to walk through the door some nights while I am making dinner. I wish I could get his advice on things around the house or with the boys, but I only can guess about what he would say. I feel bad that I haven't gone out to the cemetery more than I have. I have been busy and it isn't close to where I usually drive, but is is something I feel like I should be doing more often, it is just so hard to go alone. I am not sure what to do. I guess it would get easier if I went more frequently. (pardon the interruption, I had to get a tissue...) I imagine I miss him more than anyone, I am not sure how people who didn't see him every day, like I did, have done with losing him, but I know my family misses him greatly.

It was a little humorous, and a little sad, to have my doctor tell me she knew that telling me to rest as much as possible to recover from this pinched sciatic nerve was a bit unrealistic. She has known us since Davey was nearly one, so she is well aware of the circumstances. I will have an MRI (my first) next Monday.

The good news about the pain and discomfort I have been feeling in my left leg is that the steroids seem to have helped and now the PT is ready to start working on me. Also, the work to be done on the van will be done on Tuesday, so I can go get a car wash to truly rinse away the remaining salt that the winter storm left behind.

I have an appointment to get the van worked on (to replace the trim on the liftgate where I tried to back into the garage while it was up... you know to save time instead of closing it, backing in and reopening the back... not one of my most brilliant moments!) and I have arranged a ride to get to work and back to pick it up. But, now Davey's conference is in the middle of the time when I will be without a car. Hmm... as my mom said, I have tomorrow to figure that out. Speaking of Davey's conference, I still am torn about whether I want to see him challenged more academically or whether it is more important for him to feel part of the cohesive unit of his class. He says to his teacher "no thanks" when she offers more difficult work to do in reading and math. He wants to do what everyone else is doing.

I have been looking into new backyard swingsets/ playsets since ours got destroyed in the ice storm 2 weeks ago. It is toast, maybe good for firewood, but little else. It seems ToysRUs has some on sale now, but they are still at least $800. I hesitate to buy something that I haven't seen, just a picture on the computer or in the advert.

I am reading The Shack for my bookgroup. It is a book that my mom had recommended to me about a year ago, but I had shied away from due to its topic. I am enjoying it (when I can stay awake... but I am staying off the muscle relaxers at the suggestion of my PT and using only Aleve, so I should be able to read more at a sitting, now). It is making me think about my questioning of God's plan and why God "lets" bad things happen.

Tomorrow, I will be thinking (even more than usual) about David and about the many lives he touched. I just keep hoping the boys will have some memories of him. Davey seems to and Max just keeps saying "night night, sleep tight, turn off the light" when we blow kisses to Daddy at bedtime. I don't remember David saying that, but perhaps it was part of the Daddy- Max bedtime ritual? I hope those of you who knew David will share your favorite memories of him with me so I can share them with Davey and Max in the years to come. Tena is still planning to compile memories of David into a book for the boys. Please send them to her at: worthycubed@yahoo.com.

Thanks and have a fantastic week!

Return to normal??

I am so ready to be back to some normal schedule! We have missed 5 days of school due to this winter storm! Aargh! Davey went back today and, since I had things to accomplish and a day to do it, I got into high gear and tackled my list.

1. Check battery in the van to see if it is "bad" and replace it, if necessary.

2. Go see the physical therapist to work on my atrocious pain in my left leg.

3. Get a quote on replacing the trim piece on the liftgate on the van where I (stupidly) tried to back into the garage with it open before Christmas.

4. Meet Davey for lunch.

5. Call insurance company to report fence, swingset, sandbox, shed, and potential roof damage.

6. Meet tree removal men at the house to ensure they did what they said they would do for the agreed price.

After dropping off the boys and seeing my parents off, I went to do #1 and discovered the battery on the 2 year 7 month old van was shot and needed to be replaced. I told the gentleman there that I would be back this afternoon to get a new battery. Off I went to my 9:45 appointment with a guy who is a member of SMM and is a PT. He moved me around, asked me to stand on my left leg (which I could do) and then raise up on my toes (which I could not do). He thinks it is either a sciatic nerve problem or a disk problem and said I needed to go back and see my doctor and check out a couple things before he wanted to work on me. So, tomorrow, I have an appointment with my internist.

Rob, the PT, had a suggestion of an alternative to going to the Honda body shop for an estimate, so I gave that a try. They were very reasonable and very nice. Next week, that will be completed, too, as soon as the parts come in. I had a little time before meeting Davey for lunch, so I thought I would see what Circuit City had left and at what prices. I still needed a TV to be prepared for the "Great Switch" in 2 weeks. So, I found a 15" set for a decent price (a good TV for a good price, according to my brother who is in the electronics field) and bought it. Now, I will be ready with 3 DTV ready TVs and I can keep the existing satellite set up.

Off to SMM to have lunch with my favorite kindergartener. Davey invited a few boys to join us at the special table reserved for parents and kids dining together. What an experience! Then, on to getting the new battery and then home to see how the tree removal was progressing. That went smoothly and they even picked up some smaller sticks that I had figured they would leave. I called the insurance company to discover the shed is covered, but the other things are not. We will see how the roof looks after the snow melts (we are supposed to get 1-3" more tonight, but we will see...) I laid on the couch for about 30 minutes, before it was time to go pick Davey up from school. We went to a car wash and did a quick rinse of the salt and collected Max and came home. We had company coming over to share leftover tortilla soup from last night.

Both boys were bathed, pajama-ed and had their teeth brushed by 7:30, books read by 7:50 and Max was tucked in by 8:00. Davey, on the other hand FINALLY got to play MarioKart with me and do some WiiFit before I scooted him off to bed. Now I am debating whether a hot shower or bath is in order for my back/leg or whether I should just go to bed with some pain relievers.

Either way, have a wonderful week and remember to count your blessings!!