Curtains

What do you get when you have 6, 8 foot high windows in the living room? Problems with the sun coming in. Also, when it gets dark outside, I like to have curtains closed so no one can see in. We have been living here full time since March and about 6 weeks ago Mike and I went shopping and found curtain material we could both agree on. Since we have so many large windows, we had to order the fabric, and that came in about a month ago. My parents have been traveling around in the motor home, and my mom had offered to help me make the curtains, so I waited for my mom to have time to help me. We decided on Roman Shades, with a valance, and mom has made several sets of these in the past, so the pattern was in her mind, just had to tweak it for the window size. Luckily, I had made some of these about 4 years ago, so I had a basic knowledge for the materials needed, and thank goodness, I didn't forget anything!! Mom came over Monday, and we made the pattern in our mind, then put it to the test on a cheap bed sheet. Wonder of wonders, it worked the first time around!! We were also doing one more shade, for the office, in a different fabric, so we decided to do that one first. We cut out all the others and sewed the side seams. All the machine sewing done, mom left for the day, and I did the stuff left, adding the wood "bones" of the shade, hand sewing in the rings to guide the strings, putting on the hardware, and Mike had to put the hooks into the top of the window opening. We hung the shade to make sure that it still worked, and it did. I made 2 valances so Mike and I could decide what style we liked best . Mom came back and we spent a half day finishing the shades and all the valances. Mom left and again I finished the shades. After dinner I finished haning them and then sat down and just about died.....I was so tired, and my back ached. But the shades look great, and all my boys are happy to be able to drop the shades and block the sun as it sets. Thank goodness for mom or this project would have taken me about 4 days instead of 2.

I have found a new church. I decided in the late spring that since I moved a half hour from the church I have always gone to, I needed to break away and find something closer to my home. There are 2 Catholic churches in neighboring towns, and I had chosen the one located in the same state in which I live. Since the first time I walked in those doors the boys and I talked about how unfriendly they seemed there. Knowing I needed to get the boys into Sunday School classes, I decided to try the one in the town across state lines. Wow, what a difference. The vibe inside the church was different. And it turned out to be CCD Sunday, time to register and class begins today. Alrighty Then, here we go. I went to sign them up and explained we were new to this church. OK, here are the registration cards for CCD, let me get someone to talk to you. Out comes a very friendly, chatty lady, a senior citizen named Pricilla. She talked to me about the program, took the boys to their classrooms, told me to come sit with her in the office because she wanted to get to know me better. She introduced me to lots of people who were coming in and out of the office and made me feel very welcome. This is the church home I have been searching for.

All Done

Feeling bad for myself that is. My husband is asking what happend next in the journey with Steven, so I will sum up here. We were in the hospital for about a week and a half. In this journey, we moved to several different rooms with different intensity of care as he recovered from the surgery. We knew this was only stage one in a long process of reconstruction and different "plumbing fixes" throughout the years. We were given a book on Bladder Exstrophy, different verbal warnings of what to expect - children with this condition are usually very short (HA, blew that one away!), they are prone to have several food allergies that are somehow related to latex allergies (well, no food alergies, just meds and medical tapes), they often get kidney and bladder infections (we've only had one in 12 years), a prescription for anitbiotics that we were told he would be on a daily dose of for several years, these children tend to be very bright, over-achievers, and often go into medicine to help others.

He came home in the body cast, with 3 tubes still in his belly - anyone ever try to diaper a baby in a body cast??? OMG, that was an experience I don't want to ever have to do again! It was a strange double diaper system to try to keep the cast clean. The family and close friends rallied around us, although there were some who came just to see what was wrong with the baby. Those were quickly weeded out. We went back to the hospital weekly for post-op checks and about 3 weeks out, he had to be re-casted because he had already grown so much. At 5 weeks, 2 tubes came out and the cast was removed, a very new experience for both him and me, after he was imobile for so long. I never got back the "scrunchie baby" time when they are newborn and are always curled up, but we finally got to cuddle more. More weekly visits and the last tube was finally taken out. He is such a trooper. We've undergone several more surgeries, some more major than others, and a couple of "procedures", and still have a long journey. Now we wait for him to finish growing and evaluate how everything has grown with him. It's a life long struggle, but he's always been a happy, laughing child, with a great attitude.

Day 5

Today, 13 years ago, we realized we were going to be at the hospital for longer than anticipated. Or more accurately, I don't think we thought about how long we would be there. We had been staying at the hotel inside the hospital, which was great but pricey. We checked into whether or not we could stay at the Ronald McDonald House, after all, with my many years of service with the Golden Arches, I knew a lot about the benifits. Unfortunately, it was full. We needed to come home to get some more clothes and other essentials. I needed warm clothes, as I was still freezing up there. We also did some power shopping for Steven. He looked so cold to me, so I bought him some baby undershirts (not the onesies), a pack of beanies for his head, and some sewing supplies. While Jerry drove back to the hospital, I modified the shirts by cutting the shoulder and making it snap so we could take it on and off around the IV lines. Now my baby could have a warm head with the beanies and a warm chest with the shirts. I was satisfied. My parents and my sister were with Steven while I was gone. When I came back, mom and sis had been shopping and bought him several 6-9 month size outfits, since the body cast added so much to his size the newborn clothes we had for him were not going to work. I must say these were the best investment ever---when he came out of the cast, he did go down in size, then he wore the 6-9 month clothes a second time as he grew. My mom also gave him a stuffed lamb that they allowed him to have in his bed. We kept it by his head so he could have a soft friend. After we got back, I finally was allowed to hold my baby post surgery. The nurses helped me sit in a chair, and arranged his tubes for me after they handed him to me. My sweet, snuggly, baby was now stiff because of the cast. But he was such a trooper.

Day 4

13 years ago today, I had my first look at my baby after surgery. ( I was having terrible spinal headaches the last couple days and was dealing with that in the surgery waiting room). He was so small (and look at him now!!). He was in a body cast from the middle of his chest to his ankle on one leg (he had an IV in his foot) and to his toes on the other leg. He also had an IV board on his arm that they put on babies to keep them from messing with the tubes. I was not allowed to hold him, he had 5 tubes coming out of his belly besides the IV's, oxygen moniters and everything else. He didn't have a gown on because of the cast and tubes and I thought he looked cold - it also probably had something to do with the fact that I was extremly cold there - I remember vividly how cold I was. I had been given a book on Bladder Exstrophy and the web site of a support group. 1 in 40,000 babies is born with this birth defect - I began to accept it as such now, when he was born we kept saying he was sick. The doctor told us BE kids often have several food alergies, latex alergies, and are short. HHHMMMM, he eats EVERYTHING, and has been very tall for his age since he was a toddler. We had limited number of and time limits on our visits into the PICU. Jerry and I felt very sorry for ourselves, until during one of our times in the waiting room waiting to get back into our baby, we heard a doctor tell a mother that her baby only had half a heart and would not live. From that day on we lived with the thought that no matter how bad off we think we are, there is always someone who has it worse. We have always felt lucky that anyone just looking at Steve would never know there was anything wrong with him. (Other than being a 13 year old boy)

Day 3

13 years ago today I was released from the hospital (being told that under normal circumstances I would be staying another day) and headed off to Mott's to be with my infant son. On the way I talked to my mom, the priest was found and was waiting for me to get there to baptise the baby. Later that afternoon he would be going into surgery, where they would close his bladder and put it inside his belly, close the belly, break his pelvis and put him in a cast to imobalize him for the healing. I was so scared, and so drugged up that I did not really know what all this would entail. With my family rallying around me - including my sister who was 3 months pregnant with her first child - we waited. And waited. And waited. I had sent my 2 1/2 day old son in for 9 hours of surgery. We did get a few updates from the operating room, but the wait seemed endless. Finally he was out and into Pediatric ICU.

Day 2

13 years ago today (Wednesday) Jerry and my parents put my newborn baby in the car seat at about 5 AM and headed off to Motts Children's Hospital, the only place the doctor's found who new what was wrong with my son. They had an appointment with the head of the pediatric urology department to find out what needed to be done. I was left behind at the hospital, recovering from my C-section. I had my Grandma and Grandpa Fair sit with me for half the day, and my Grandma Parlin sat with me for the other half. I had a picture of my baby and a very heavy heart. I got the call that he needed surgery, although I don't think any of us really understood yet what was going to happen. I made them promise that if the surgery took place before I could get there, a priest would be found and the baby baptised before he went in. The deacon from our church visited me that day, and I was very upset that I had not thought to have a baptism done the day before, while he was with me. Another call, and I was told the surgery would take place the next day, so I could get there. Jerry and my dad came home and my mom stayed with the baby.

I'm Old

I am the mother of a teenager. Yes, I know, I look much too good to have children that old - stop laughing, I am feeling old enough. Yesterday Steven turned 13. The week after Steven was born always brings a lot of reflection of what was happening this week the year he was born. Today, I spent the day with my newborn baby boy. A day the doctors said we needed to bond before we began the scary journey into the unknown with a rare birth defect. He came via C-section in the evening, on the day he was due ( a Monday). 7 pounds, 19 inches long. The doctors did not let me hold him, they had never seen Bladder Exstrophy before and were taking pictures and sending them off to find a hospital that knew what this was and that would treat him. I did not even know anything was wrong until the Dr. came to see me in recovery and explain the situation. Finally to my room, and I got to hold my baby. Today (Tuesday) we had a quiet day as a family. This was the only day we had visitors and well-wishers, other than family, and I felt like a normal new mom. It is also the only day I was allowed to nurse my son. Many pictures were taken and run down for one hour photo developing so I would have pictures to look at in the comming days.

We Love Them

Our new renters are getting ready to move in next weekend. The really funny thing is that when she called to ask about he apartment, we were pretty sure we would NOT pick them, but hey, they can look. It is a one bedroom apartment, and it is a married couple with a 4 year old and a dog. At lease signing, we require the first week rent (we charge weekly) plus security deposit. This young couple signed the lease this weekend. We required a high deposit, since they have a dog. With the renter we had here in the basement, we discoved the damage even a sweet tempered dog could do - ruined a screen, a blind, a corner of the garage siding, and the door casing on the outside door. The day after she looked at the apartment, she met me with half the deposit (after I checked her application and told her we would indeed rent to her) and told me she could have the other half for me when we got back from Santa Claus. She also wanted me to have internet hooked up (we pay the utilities, although they pay extra for things like internet or more than basic cable.) Saturday she met me with the rest of the deposit plus her week rent. I gave her the bill for the internet hook up and first month. She cheerfully told me she would have it for me the next day. Oh, and can they pay rent 2 weeks at a time since he is paid bi-weekly. Sure no problem. Next day she hands me the internet fees for Sept, and hook up, along with 2 more weeks rent and internet fees for Oct. Wow. Mike declared to me that he loves them. Then she asked me could she pay more money ahead so they have some extra paid in case something would ever happen. YES, YES, YES. We want them to stay forever. They have also agreed that when a 2 bedroom apartment opens up to move into it and pay the higher rent they cost (one is rented right now, the other is under renovation, hopefully to be done by the end of the year). The absolute best part is now that 2 of the 3 apartments are rented, the house bills are paid by the rent, and our personal money does not have to go to that house anymore!! Once we have number 3 going, we will actually be turning a profit on the house!!

Last night we were at the apartment house, and Mike asked me to strip the paint and stain off the end pieces of the steps (they had to come off when we took out the spindles to take them to the stripper). He had bought some super-duper heavy duty stuff that he used on the steps to get off the paint the vandals had thrown(and it worked great), so I got that out and then looked for something to put the stripper in. I settled on 2 plastic disposable cups( I was going to have Pete help me - of course he had to go to the bathroom first- as he does whenever there is work to do). I poured stripper in one and when I dipped my brush the second time, the plastic of the cup was getting soft, so I put that cup into the other one. Before one minute was out (Pete was just out from the potty), I picked up the cup for another dip, and the bottom was eaten out of both cups!! WOW, that WAS strong. Needless to say, I was not letting Pete use that stuff! It did work well, and I got half of them done last night.

Is The Forrest Still There?

Do you remember that old saying "He can't see the forrest for the trees"? Seems that is where I have been these last few months. Apparently, I have been depressed and did not even realize it. I only do now, because I am feeling so much better this week. So, better late than never, I am making some resolutions.... I will be good to myself, taking time to relax, play with the puppy, have a bubble bath or whatever passes that day as pampering myself. I will dance my way through the housework to my favorite CD of the week (making that plan of what to do each day that I have been told is essesential to getting it all done every week). I will not let others (however unwittingly) point our how others do this house wife thing better than I do. (How many of you have told someone "When I was a kid my mom....fill in the blank here) I find that without my job as restaurant manager, I have lost my idenity. Sure, I'm "Mom", but when people I meet ask me what I do, I find myself struggeling for a description. So today, with my freshly painted toe nails, and curled hair I am beginning my new life!

Domestic Goddess

SSSIIIGGGHHHH. I will never be housewife of the year. I have resigned myself to this fact. I wonder if domestic goddess has a little lower standard of cleanliness and mybe more of me looking good...... Yesterday for the first time since the hot, humid weather arrived I curled my hair and put on make-up just because. It made me feel good about myself so now I will get back to doing this everyday even if I am not going out to work every day. Today is Thursday, we got back from vacation on Monday night and I still have not finished cleaning up the camper and getting everything washed and put back away. The last 2 mornings I have spent in the apartment house waiting for the cable guy to come hook up the internet for the new renters coming in (the first time he did not have everything he needed on his truck and had to come back). Then home to do some laundry, dishes, start dinner so we could eat as soon as the boys got home from work and school and off to the apartment house for the evening. Today I am home all day until after dinner and back up to the apartment. Maybe I will make more progress today. Meanwhile my sister is so much better at this than I am. Her kids returned to school a week after mine did, and she is diving head long into all that stuff that builds up when everyone is home and making messes behind you when you just cleaned that. I am trying........

Last night we returned from our trip to Santa Claus. I knew it was going to be a long drive, but with lots of anticipation, and some preperation, off we went. Mike took a half vacation day, and the boys both have study hall last hour, so they got out of school an hour early so we could set off as early as possible. We arrived very late Friday night. Mike - God Bless Him - parked the camper without much effort in the dark, in an unfamiliar place. We decided that Saturday would be our relaxing day. I had been looking forward to visiting the Christmas store, so off we went for an afternoon of shopping bliss - for me, Mike smiled, watched my pleasure and tolerated the trip. We went first to the Kringle Place shopping center (big parking lot with about a dozen shops). I was expecting a Bronners type store - huge, overflowing with all imaginable things Christmas. I was disappointed by the 3 room store, although I am sure most people would have been impressed by that. We turned one corner and just about ran over Santa as he was going back to have his picture taken with some children. I hope since we only almost ran over him he didn't put me on the naughty list! The boys emphatically refused to get their picture taken with the Jolly Old Elf. We went to the Santa Claus Museum - of the town, not the person. Driving around we found the Candy Castle and drank the speciality - frozen hot chocolate. I then asked Mike to find the downtown so we could bask in the charm of a small town with such a cool theme. Mike looked at me and told me that he had asked around and there is no uptown. Just the shopping center. What a let down. I told him we need to move there so I can join the city council and make that small town something worthy of it's name, a destination. Unfortunately, he does not want to commute hours and hours every day to go to work. SIGGGHHH. Sunday we went to the Holiday world amusement park, located next to our campground. I had packed a small cooler of drinks to find out that all over this park are "oasis" stations of complimentary soft drinks. They also had sunscreen stations with free sunscreen. The campground had free mini golf. I was unused to all this good will!!! Mike and Steve found great roller coasters. We also had family friendly rides that we all rode. The boys all went to the water park for the huge water slides and a water roller coaster. We still had lots of fun, even if I had made this trip into something bigger than it turned out to be. I'm glad we went.