Sunday, July 31, 2011

Sunday Confessional


One time I had a sandwich bag of weed in my desk, a full sandwich bag, which thanks to google I now know was probably about 1.5 ounces too much.  I hope it is obvious about me that drugs just were never my thing.  While cleaning out a box at my mother-in-law's house I recently found a bottle full of about 20 Percocet and a handful of muscle relaxer.  I'd gotten them for some procedure about eleven years ago, figured out I couldn't stay awake on them and promptly forgot them.  More recently when I had my appendix out I definitely enjoyed the relief of my hospital morphine drip (I blame some of this pain on surgery while having a full out upper respiratory flu and being forced to wean my daughter in a day), but once I got home I had to take myself off the Valium because I was hallucinating.  I called up my doctor and the  conversation went like this.  Me, "So I'm taking my Valium and I'm having a problem."  Nurse, "Describe your problem."  Me, "Well there is this fuzzy, dark creature and he keeps trying to climb up the edge of my bed every time I look away."  Nurse, "Stop taking the drugs immediately!"  Obviously, I'm a drug novice.  As for illicit drugs, I was at a concert one time and a guy offered me a tote on his joint.  Where was it, Dave Matthew's, Cake, 8stops7, Third Eye Blind, Creed?  The truth is I honestly can't remember.  I smelled pot at every one of those concerts so your guess is as good as mine.  As for the invitation I politely declined.  But the point of this confessional is that one day I had a full sandwich bag of weed in my desk.  I was in eight grade and this slimy little punk at my school Juan heard that there was a drug enforcement office on campus, so he slipped his stash, (which I'm assuming was for sale...I mean who needs a whole bag to smoke at school) into my desk.  The details on how this arrangement occurred are a little fuzzy.  Did he ask me politely if he could?  Did I hold the bag and put it in my desk myself?  Was I even aware of it, before third period?  Like I said, fuzzy.  What I do remember for sure is he kind of creeped me out.  Just a year before he been a pretty nice kid.  He was short for his age, like most Hispanic guys I knew, had a soft baby face, and while occasionally the class clown for the most part, he stayed out of trouble.  Something happened over the summer though and when he reappeared he sort of scared me.  He was still short, but he had the start of a mexi stash, slicked his hair back, always dressed vato, and suddenly only spoke when he was cursing people out. My guess is he put the weed in my desk, and I acquiesced because I was freaked.  So there it sat in my desk, from third period until lunch.  Then I grew a spine, or maybe I just saw something I feared more, and that happened to be cops searching kids.  So when I got back from lunch I grabbed the big baggie of weed and I shoved it back at Juan and told him to find somewhere else to hide his stash, and then I quickly turned away because the last thing I wanted was to face him down.  I think about that day every so often.  Why didn't I tell him no from the very beginning?  Why didn't I rat him out to the teacher or the cop?  Did the presence of the cops really embolden me enough to action?  And I wonder about what it means for my own kids as far as the stupidity of youth, peer pressure, surviving junior high and high school, because the truth is I was a pretty good kid, drugs freaked me out, and I never got into any trouble, but had the cops brought drug sniffing dogs with them that day I would have found myself in a world of hurt and mainly it was because I was 13 and just didn't know how to deal with an adult situation.  Someday my kids are going to be 13.  Will they be like me, scared, a passive participant, or will they have more gumption then me and kick the crap out of that kid?

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Slim Fit

Help me convince Dr. J he should keep these pants!  Yesterday I was at the outlet mall buying jeans for the kids for school (Children's Place Sale + 30% off coupon + 10% off coupon on my Children's Place card = one great deal) and I found myself drawn to the Calvin Klein store.  The thing about Dr. J is he is deliciously slender.  He of course doesn't see it that way, but as his wife who has been following the slim fit suit/tie/pant trend, the man has an asset he keeps drowning in over sized shirts and pants.  We had a conversation about this a few months ago and he said and I quote, "I think it's time for me to start paying for more expensive clothing, so that it actually fits, instead of just buying what is cheapest."  With this in mind I picked out these pants and shirt. 



My inspiration, Lawrence Fox, known for his role as Detective Sergeant James Hathaway, in my opinion the sexiest TV detective there is. Thank you Masterpiece for giving us the show Lewis, as if I didn't already love you enough. 




Can I say that I loved the fit!  Dr. J seemed fine with them, that is until he asked me the price.  Then I had to tell them they were $40 something a piece.  That's when he said, "Well I don't like them $90 worth."  The man is breaking my heart!  I mean let's be honest dress pants and shirts aren't cheap.  I think it has been a little to long since someone has done there own shopping :)  What do you think, is $90 too much to pay for an outfit that fits? 

On a side note, Dr. J did not want to pose for these pictures.  When I went for my camera he disappeared for about a half an hour.  Who knows where he was hiding, but the man knew there was no hope for him and so finally reappeared to face the firing range :)

Friday, July 29, 2011

Mugabe and the White African

I love PBS.  It is one of the things I miss deeply since we lost "public television" and decided we didn't want to pay for it.  Luckily their website is continues to get better, and my kids are able to stay current with much of their content while I'm able to watch gems like this.


Watch the full episode. See more POV.

I found this piece to be exceptionally powerful.  I warn you that some images are disturbing and the topic while discussion worthy also can cause deeply divided sides.  I can't say that I enjoyed it, because the truth is, it was painful to watch, but I was grateful for the opportunity I had to hear the story, and to see the more human aspect and repercussions of what for me previously accounted to a couple of 30 second news stories. 

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Sunday Confessional - I don't like reading...


Does this make me a horrible person?  I was sitting in Church two weeks ago and a woman got up and announced, "I don't like reading the scriptures," and I thought "Eureka, I'm with you!"  It was a lightening moment where I found the freedom to say what I thought was completely taboo.  I just don't enjoy reading them.  I've been pondering this most of my life.  At 12, I remember hearing a mom bare testimony about how touching it was to find her daughter, Molly John, reading the scriptures late into the night in the bathroom because that was the only place in the house she could find some alone time.  I envied Molly because she got joy from them.  Meanwhile I'd be plodding through them for the previous four years and found the whole experience to be dull and sometimes just torturous.  It isn't that I disliked, or currently dislike reading about spiritual matters or thinking about God.  I read the whole Ensign the day it comes in the mail.  I enjoy listening to and rereading conference talks.  I've read books written by modern prophets with stories of their lives or doctrine and I enjoyed them.  I enjoy historical books that discuss religion.  My favorite book, the one I've read probably twenty times since my first reading is actually In the Eye of the Storm.  I like teaching my kids scripture stories, watching scripture movies, and discussing God, Faith, and religion.  So the Church, God, the Spirit, reading about them, talking about them, teaching about them, is not what I don't enjoy.  I just don't enjoy the way the scriptures are written.  A few weeks ago when we were reading in family scripture study my son said, "Why do they have to keep saying, And it came to pass."  And I just had to laugh, because the truth is I find it annoying as well.

I definitely think that scripture reading is important.  The Church I belong to heavily encourages it's members to read daily as a commandment from God, and it is something that is taught in most other major world Religions.  I figure if God sees the need to tell so many of his people, through so many different ways that reading his words is important, then it probably is.  And so I continue on, making and remaking goals to make my scripture study daily, to make it more meaningful, to increase the time, or the thought I put into it.  I read to my children, because I hope that they'll be able to gain a love for it that just never has found it's way into my heart.  I pray for a love of reading scriptures because the truth is it would be a whole lot easier to want to do it, if I actually enjoyed the process.  I try to focus on the stories and the teaching, more than the words themselves, because that is the part I actually like.  And then I just preserver on and hope that if God never sees fit to bless me with a joy of reading at least he will forgive me for my lack of joy.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Did We Pick the Wrong Name?

My mother has always been very anti TV with one notable exception, for some reason she had no problem with musical, and so in my earlier years of life while most kids were spending their time with Disney I spent my time watching Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Gigi, Carousel, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, Oklahoma, Kiss Me Kate, Singing in the Rain, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, The Sound of Music, and I'm not even going to comment on how this influx of music and sometimes questionable material :) probably forever warped my ideas of relationships but I bring it up to say that my very favorite of all of them was the musical Help staring The Beatles.  It was my earliest exposure to rock music, and it ingrained in me a love of music I've never been able to shake.  I love this band, and who can blame me, it is widely accepted that they were the greatest band every formed.  Just a few of my favorite songs....


Ticket to Ride, Hey Jude, Yellow Submarine, Help, Want To Hold Your Hand, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Love me Do, Twist n Shout, We Can Work it Out, And I Love Her, Here Comes the Sun, Let It Be, Can’t Buy Me Love, Obla Di Obla Da, She Loves You, From Me To You, All My Loving, Eight Days A Week, A Hard Day Night, Paperback Writer, You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away, The Night Before, Do You Want To Know a Secret, PS I Love You, I’m Only Sleeping, She’s a Woman, I Should Have Known Better, Two Of Us, I’m a Loser, Nowhere Man, I Feel Fine, I Wanna Be Your Man, If I Fell,You’re Gonna Lose That Girl, Strawberry Fields, Michelle, Get Back, Sexy Sadie, Imagine-which I realize is just John

Turns out these things run in families.  A certain little Peach happens to agree that the Beatles rock, although judging from her favorite song, maybe we gave her the wrong name :)







Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Because You Know You Wanted 28 Pictures of My House

 Front view.  Do you love the pile of tree branches.  Dr. J cut them two weeks ago and hasn't had time to take them to the dump.  Hopeful he can do it on his next day off because I'm actually having nightmares that our HOA is going to fine us if we leave them out there much longer.  Those three front windows are in my bedroom.
 Have to love the fake shutters.  It breaks it up a little.  In the right corner you see the ordamental pear tree whose branches are driving me nuts.
 Our couch looks a lot better in the bigger space.  This shelf will be ok to once we get some baskets for it.  Right now it's just storing picture frames.  Some of them need to get on the walls. 
 We decided to leave the computer downstairs.  Our kids are getting to the point where we really want our computer in a place that is walked through often.  Just feel better about it.  Those lamps and boxes need to go though.  I need someone to come visit so I'll feel the pressure to get it cleaned up. 
 This is our family room.  I swear I clean this up every night but with three kids what do you expect.  Coveting a good place to put the TV.  Until I find one on craigslist or at a garage sale this will have to do.
 Our family room is big enough that we've had this tent up for a week and it doesn't get in the way at all.  Have to love the extra space!
 Kitchen/dinning area.  This table fits here so much better then at our old place, and look at all the cabinets.  And yes unfortunately that counter is acting as my catch all!  I need so bar chairs at that island to keep me motivated to keep it clear.  Will be checking garage sales for that as well.
 I LOVE our patio and the play equipment.  We got them to leave that as part of the deal on the house...and it is so fun to have.  My kids hang out there two hours a day just swinging, sliding, our handing out in the pirate hold.
 Lots of grass space.  Wish it would rain though because I'm getting sick of running the sprinkler...after all we actually pay for water now :)  Lucky for me I have a doctor to mow my lawn!
 Back view of the house.  We planted some cool plants in the planter.  Hoping they all take.  Meanwhile I'm loving the gladiolas and roses.  Dr. J wants to put a roof over the patio for shade.  So excited for that project!
 Up the stairs now, nice and wide for carrying stuff up.
 1st room...planned use, office/guest room.  Currently a big scary mess.  We've put all the office stuff in here but haven't put hardly anything on shelves or in the closet, then we'll go in and pull one or two things out and leave the lids off.  So it is kind of a huge mess.  The room is huge though and ideally once we get things picked up we should have room for a full bed, futon, or possibly a trundle.  We want a place for visitors to stay...translation, WE WANT VISITORS!!!!
 This is the only non walk in closet in the house.  It has a lot of space, but didnt' seem ideal for clothes.
 Our laundry room is upstairs.  Nice not to have to drag laundry down the stairs. 
 Captain E's room.  He keeps complaining he is the only one that doesn't have to share a room.  Silly boy!  That Roman shade cracks me up.  I was going to get one to go in the girl's room.  Turns out the cheapest one I could find was almost $300 I decided not to :)

 Captain E has a walk in closet that is almost empty.  He also has a shelf full of all his treasues.
 My mom's friend did one of these for each of my kid's at the Freedom Festival this year.  Captain E didn't want to take his sun glasses off, but it is still pretty fun!
 Kid's bathroom.  My mother-in-law doesn't like the shower curtain (to much clash), but I got it for $2 at target 90% meaning I LOVE IT :)
 This is Dr. J and my room.  It is a sad empty place.  We've always been shoved into these tiny, little rooms and now we have space to spread out.  We just don't know what to do.  I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a nice headboard...and who knows what else, a treadmill, a pool table, a disco ball.  The room has a lot of space.
 There are those three windows again.  When we first moved in they had taken the curtains that were in them.  We decided we didn't want them and ended up putting these blinds in from blinds.com.  They cost us about $50 a piece and were totally worth it. 
 Have to love the walk in closet.  When my mother-in-law saw it, the one who lives in a house that cost 21/2 times more than ours she said, "Oh now I'm jealous!"  There is so much space.  I gave Dr. J the two little racks on the left.  The rest is all mine :)
 Master bath.  Not much to see but so nice to have.  We've never had one before and knew it was something we really wanted when we were looking for homes.  So WORTH IT!
 G bear and Peach's room.  These beds cost a pretty penny but the girls love them.  They can be in a bunk or singles.  These I bought at an actual furniture store because I wanted something very specific and I wanted quality pieces that would last until these little girls move off to college.  I think I did pretty well. 
 These bed sets I got at Target on clearance for $15.  I've been holding on to them for six months just waiting to get them up.  Originally I wanted to do the girls room in stripped pink, but this room was already yellow and it matched so well with the bedding I thought, why mess with what works.  The only thing I really dislike about the room right now is the dresser is just a pine color.  I'd love to paint it white but I've never redone any furniture and it makes me nervous. 
 I found this curtain rod at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and it matched the bedding so perfectly I had to have it.
 Here are Peach and GiGi.  Can you tell how much they love the room?

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Sunday Confessional

I have three great addictions in my life.  The first is my husband, the second food, the third shopping.  Two of these cause me distress, one I can tolerate.  I mean people need to love their spouses, and so I guess it is safe to say I just do that....although possibly bordering on the side of unhealthy co-dependent, I'm not a psychologist, nor is really anyone I know so I'm just not going to worry about it.  The other two though have a tendency to get me into trouble.

The problem with my addictions are that they are totally justifiable.  I mean a person has to eat after all, we can't just not eat, right?  As for shopping, most people have to acquire goods in some way.  I mean it is a requirement that we gather food and clothing, and for me that way happens to be by shopping.  So both things that are dangerous for me, I have to do to some degree, and I can justify doing.  This came to a head yesterday.  My first great love was at work again.  He was suppose to be off at 4, but at 3:55 the attending decided that they should send one of his patients home, leaving him stuck at the hospital for the next two hours getting his patient discharged, because after all you can't just decide to discharge someone and kick them to curve, you actual have to go through the formal process of discharging them, setting up their at home medication, making sure their at home care is adequate, etc., etc.  So five minutes before he is suppose to be home my honey calls me and says, "I'm stuck at the hospital".  Now this puts me in a funk, because after all it is Saturday, and I'd just like my husband to make it home for dinner one night this week.  And that is when the urge to shop hit me so strong I could barely stand it.  Now earlier this week I'd planned on going to Trader Joes and Whole Foods.  And so I sat for thirty minutes trying to decided what to do, because going to the grocery store is a totally justifiable outing...but going to the grocery store when you are in a funk, well that is just asking for trouble.  I mean I know there is only $700 in my bank account to last until payday, and a funk like the one I was in could put a serious dent in that plan.  So instead I stayed home, and made chocolate chips cookies...because I guess you can't win every battle in life.


Church alone-kids were ok.  For the most part stayed in their seats...well except Peach who started darting for it at 5 til.  Those last 15 minutes with her are the worst.  I'm a little ashamed to say I bribed them with candy and then ditched Sunday school and Relief Society to instead chat it up with the nursery workers and find out about local preschools, doctors, speech therapist, and babysitters.  Would it really be so bad to actually have some time scheduled in at church for chatting? 

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Pottermore

Look I'm not going to pretend that Harry Potter was the best book I ever read, or that the movies changed my life, or  that I think JK is a particularly gifted writer, or even that it is my favorite series of all time (that honor goes to the Hunger Games) but I did enjoy reading this series and give JK props for an exciting story that made more money then I think any other books on the planet every have.  I've read all these books mulitiple times, outloud with Dr. J, and in private.  Recently I reread number 7 and found myself in tears.  Ten points to you if you can guess at which part.  It is a joy to me that my kids are getting old enough that I can start sharing the series with them and so when I saw this today I thought, lovely.  I'm very excited for this site to open up.  Should be fun!  



Friday, July 15, 2011

How To Use That Pesky Loft Space

Unsure of how to use all your extra loft space, how about as a fishing outpost.  Great way to surprise your mom, aunts, uncles, and grandma while they are eating food.  Uncle help welcome to get a better vantage point!







What To Do With Your Porch

Right after graduation, right before the move we headed west for a Colorado Mountain Family Reunion. We rented a mountain cabin, played, and ate.  It was the first time in two years that my siblings and I had all been in the same house!  Very exciting, very fun!  The cabin had this nice little porch on the front of the house.  One night my sister and her beau T slept out there on a tent.  Many mornings I read scriptures out there as the sun was rising, wrapped in a blanket to keep out the 32 degree morning chill.  Most often it was used as a sniper point for water guns.  Can you tell the kids loved it.  








Thursday, July 14, 2011

Moving Expenses You Never Think About

Living in our house for the first month, wow what a treat!  Our favorites...the big back yard, the play equipment in the back, the pool, the big rooms with plenty of storage.  Owning a home though does come with some unexpected cost.  Here are some that surprised me...

Garbage can-Who knew our sellers wouldn't leave it.  Second day here I had to head to Lowe's to buy one.  I looked at all the models and ultimately settled on the rolling $90 one.  Sure the $25 was a lot cheaper but three in the store had broken wheels...um no thanks!

Hose and hose home-So we live in the midwest but that doesn't mean it rains enough to keep our lawn green.  Weirdly enough we had a soaker hose and sprinkler from nine years ago but we lacked a regular hose.  Yesterday I bought two hoses plus hose homes.  Cost $90.

Our yard is fairly well landscaped but there were some spots that could use some more flowers.  We went with perenials because we figured that was more cost effective.  I found a shelf of clearence ones which really cut the price.  Cost of ten plants, $36.

We have lots of lawn, so a mower was an absolute must.  Luckily grandma made this purchase as a graduation gift because the total cost was $400.

We have lots of bushes and trees on our yard.  Dr. J bought clippers last week to take care of some overgrowth.  Cost $48.

Half our cleaning supplies didn't make it to the new house.  We had to restock a lot of cleaning supplies.  Cost $30. 

Garbage service here is covered under our homeowners tax but recycling is not.  If you want it you pay for it.  Well after years of living in states where recycling is heavily encouraged we feel like it is a must.  Cost $20 a quarter.

Getting ready to move you eat up a lot of your food storage, especially your freezer stuff.  In order to get ourselves going again I got a Costco card and loaded up the freezer.  Cost $309.

Still haven't done this but I need to get it done, new licenses plates, drivers licenses, and new tags.  Stinks because you can't let the old tags from our other state that have six more months to go expire first.  Cost $230.

We had to shut down our utilities and open new ones.  Luckily gas, electric, and water did not have any set up fees.  Internet on the otherhand.  No breaks.  Same company, same modem, same service they forced us to pay out the end of the month at our old home, charged us a set up fee, and raised our price.  Total cost $90.  Thanks for nothing AT&T.  Your costumer service stinks!

Things that didn't cost to start for which I'm grateful...Gas, Electric, Water, library card, setting up our health insurance, transfering netflix...of course they are raising their price :)

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Really Netflix

So I got this lovely e-mail in my box today....

Dear Glenda the Good

We are separating unlimited DVDs by mail and unlimited streaming into two separate plans to better reflect the costs of each. Now our members have a choice: a streaming only plan, a DVD only plan, or both.
            Your current $9.99 a month membership for unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs will be split into 2 distinct plans:
       Plan 1: Unlimited Streaming (no DVDs) for $7.99 a month
         Plan 2: Unlimited DVDs, 1 out at-a-time (no streaming) for $7.99 a month

    Your price for getting both of these plans will be $15.98 a month ($7.99 + $7.99). You don't need to do anything to continue your memberships for both unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs.
    These prices will start for charges on or after September 1, 2011.
     You can easily change or cancel your unlimited streaming plan, unlimited DVD plan, or both, by going to the Plan Change page in Your Account.
    We realize you have many choices for home entertainment, and we thank you for your business. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to call us at 1-888-357-1516.
–The Netflix Team

What is a girl to do?  I recently had a run in with the u-verse salesmen when he told me I was the lame mom in the neighborhood because I didn't feel like my kids needed cable.  Here is my reasoning 1) The cost.  We are still living on a budget, and I just don't feel like adding $50 bucks plus a month to my entertainment column.  2) There is a ton of junk on TV.  I don't need my kids stumbling on HBO.  3) There is tons of stuff I would watch on TV.  I'm not going to lie, I love TV, shows like Law and Order, the Closer, CSI, all the cop shows run 24 hours a day.  Add to that the nature, medicine, and home improvement shows and I'd never stop watching.  Plus then my kids would want to watch cartoons all day long, and my husband would be glued to ESPN the second he walked in the door.  I see no reason to up the temptation like that.  For years we only had free TV and our kids only got PBS but when they change TV over we were never able to get "public television" again, even after we bought a new TV that supposedly would pick it up.  Thanks FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!  So a few years ago we switched over to Netflix.  We've loved it.  They had streaming we could watch any time a day either on our computer or on our TV using our Wii and we were able to get movies we wanted to watch in the mail, for much less then we'd pay for cable each month.  Plus because there is no set schedule on the programs if I want to let my kids watch a movie, I can.  If I want them to watch later, I can just have them watch later.  Dr. J and I have used the movies as our date nights.  Plus they've recently added many PBS programs so my kids can see some of the educational programs they've been missing out on.  For $10 a month we've been getting a lot of value.  Today though I got this e-mail telling me the price will be going up, and while $16 is not a ton it is enough to make me reevaluate my relationship.  We mostly just stream so I ask myself do I just switch to streaming?  But then streaming never has new releases and there are still plenty of older movies that aren't available on streaming (I'm talking about you Back to the Future).  I like the ability to order movies when I want.  If I switched to streaming I could theoretically get movies from redbox, but that wouldn't take care of the older ones.  Do I return to Block Buster a store I thought I'd never visit again?  Do I pay the extra $72 a month?  Oh Netflix, thanks a lot. 

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

New Life Changes

Wow, blogger has changed.  How did I miss this in the month I've been moving?  In this moment I have to say I hate the new layout....but then I'll probably love it in a few weeks.  Remember when Facebook changed and the world was up in arms?  Now I can't even remember what the old layout was like.  I'm like most human beings in the fact that I dislike change.  Speaking of change, Captain E spent the first few days in the house walking around saying, "This house isn't as big as our other one."  (A complete falsehood.  This house is actually almost 1000 more square feet then our other one, making it the largest house we've lived in up to date.)  "My room isn't as big as my other one."  (Also false.  Not only is his room bigger then the previous one but he also shares it with no one.  In the other house we had all three kids in the room.  It went like this, closet, shelf, bunk bed, shelf, window, crib, dresser, door.  The only empty space was in the very middle of the room.)  "There isn't enough stuff in this house."  (See proof positive that the house is bigger...all of our stuff is in and we still have plenty of walking around space.)  I think the kid is just dealing with some insecurities.  The result, a grouchy, critical child who sasses a lot.  We had a family home evening lesson on gratitude Sunday night and I haven't heard any complaints since then, but the sass is still on full blast.  Yesterday on his way to a time out he stopped to pick up the mail a job I'd told Gigi she could do.  When I told him to hand the mail over he started running around the yard away from me.  In not my best moment I probably chased him for five feet.  Then my face got really red and I said, "GET IN YOUR BEDROOM, NOW!"  The neighbors probably think I'm nuts.  Then we had an hour of him screaming and crying and every time he'd calm down enough to talk with me, him telling me why this was all MY FAULT!  Note, to child, when trying to get out of time out do not blame anyone else for your actions.  In the end I told him he owed me a job for all his disrespect and the job was cleaning the toilets.  I actually worked in the bathroom with him and the job took no more than ten minutes but when he first heard he had a job assignment there was probably another ten minutes of tears.  He is definitely just naturally more tightly wound (I blame his genetics) and I think the separation from mom and dad, the move, the month or so without stability, the new house, friends gone, etc. is probably harder on him then it is on the rest of us.   I mean sure I miss my friends but living in a house almost double the size, having a garage, owning a great big lawn, having a job that pays 4 times what we made last year (don't get so exited, we're still making under 50K, we just didn't make much the last eight years), well those things go a long way to ease the pain.  Kids I guess don't really appreciate those types of benefits. 

There are other new adjustments.  I'm now responsible for lawn care.  Yesterday my mother and I went to the store to pick out some perennials for my flower beds.  I was about to buy the full price ones when my mother in law found a shelf of clearenced out plants.  Instead of $7-8 a plant these guys were running $1.98-3.98.  I'm not going to lie, they didn't look very good, but they were still green and flowering so we took a chance.  Ten plants costing us under $30.  We got them in the ground last night and I went out to check on this morning and they are already looking twice as good.  So I'm hoping this was a deal success.

Church alone was delayed another week since my mother-in-law was here.  Our ward is only about nine miles away but because it is all two lane roads the drive takes about twenty minutes.  The building is really new but in an older part of the city so we are blessed with security cameras on the building and in the parking lot.  Note to self, leave GPS at home.  The people are fairly friendly although at least for the summer the ward seems a bit small.  Most of the families have young kids although there are four boys to pass sacrament and I noticed a few teenage girls.  I need to find out if they are babysitting age because I'm dying to see Harry Potter, but with Dr. J's schedule there is just no way.  Captain E did fine in class.  His teacher said he was really shy, and I laughed because it always starts out like that but once he is comfortable, watch out!  His comments on church, the ward is AWESOME but longer.  The awesome is related to the fact that they are earning a cookie party by bringing their scriptures.  I have no idea why he thinks it is longer.  3 hours is 3 hours.  Long :)  Also he is the only boy in the class, but there are four girls.  G bear seemed to enjoy her class, but didn't have much to say.  Peach was a of course a Peach.  The nursery leaders said she was a joy to have.  I guess the fact that she never cries, is so verbal, and participates in all the songs and activities really does make her fun to have in class and a little unusual for a just two year old.  There was another new resident's wife at church on Sunday.  Apparently they moved in just a few days after we did in the same neighborhood.  She's been waiting for me to show up!  It's fun to have someone going through similar experiences although her husband is doing pshychiatry so he is around a lot more.

Speaking of being around or not being around the schedule really does stink.  You know you have all these people who go through residency tell you that and yet it is still shocking when it is true.  Here are the realities.  Every morning Dr. J gets up at five.  He takes a shower, gets dress, eats, and heads off to the hospital so he can be there by 6:15 where he personally checks on all of his patients.  At 7 they round together.  He then spends the day managing his patients, writing orders, making discharges, or picking up new patients.  Every Tuesday after rounds he rushes to the continuity clinic, works from 9am-noon, seeing his own primary care patients and then rushes back to the hospital to finish care on his hospital patients.  On a normal week day he shound end at 7 (weekends the shifts change over at 1, so theoretically he could get out then), every fifth day though he is on call which means he is expected to work a 16 hour shift.  Every seventh day he gets a day off.  The goal is to keep him under the 80 hours required by law.  The reality, the man has only made it home on time one day this week.  On his call day he didn't get home until 12:30 in the morning.  That day he allowed himself to sleep in until 5:30.  Last night when he was suppose to end at 7:00 he didn't get home until 10:30.  Today is his day off from the hospital but it's Tuesday so he's in the clinic this morning, and then has to do a neonatal resesitation class this afternoon, so he won't be home until four.  The truth is he fudges his hours down every week to keep himself in compliance with federal law.  The work has to be finished so if you aren't done, you don't come home.  The frustrating thing, it isn't patient care that takes so much time, it's paperwork.  Everyday he spends hours and hours typing up paperwork, paperwork that has to be perfect.  Keywords have to be included or insurance companies won't let you bill for things.  Every detail has to maticulously recorded so that if by chance a lawsuit occurs they can prove they did everything possible.  It can be frustrating, especially since the antique dos machines the county hospital uses are notorious for freezing and losing all of ones notes, notes that have to be retyped and perfect.  Bet you never realized when you went to medicine you had to become an expert typist and record keeper.  We just keep marching on and hope that in four years it will all be worth it.  We're definitely looking forward to a pediatrics rotation where we've heard the time constraints aren't so bad.  I mean afterall, all those guys are going to Harry Potter this weekend. 

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