Something "important" enough to blog about.

Yeah, bad blogger. Gotta get more off-my-butt and practice my writing more. Oh wait, that was my kids' homeschool goal. ;)

My sister-in-law (41 years old, 100 pounds overweight, on blood pressure medicine, after multiple miscarriages, having given birth to one living VATER/VACTERL child, one buried Trisomy 18 child) just gave birth to healthy 5-lbs-plus twins yesterday. The whining, I mean, the pregnancy was not pleasant, but by pregnancy standards not too bad. After all her miscarriages and damaged children, she suddenly has healthy twins and $40k in debt. Makes you say, "hmm". Especially since she and my brother swear that they would rather adopt than use fertility treatments. Umm, yeah. I was 37 years old when I had my twins, and I know what's going on. I'm not sure how stupid they think we are.

Now my sister's daughter (22 years old, size 7, healthy as a horse) is expecting identical girl twins in August. Now we're going to see how it's REALLY done.

And seriously, is there ANYTHING cuter than twin baby girls? EEEEEEE!

Where was I?

Oh, I was just trying to stuff as much outdoor time as possible into our lives before The Heat sets in and we're trapped indoors like overheated rats for the next six months. (Why did I move here again? Oh yeah. Money.)

I've been spending my time stressing over The Boy's math curriculum, whether I should cancel my HSLDA membership, and whether I'll ever get my tomatoes in the ground. (Did I water those buggers today? Oy.)

I've also been watching that vein in The Husband's forehead bulge out as I read the seminar descriptions for the FPEA Homeschool Convention. Bwaa-haa!

At the car wash, yeah...

A few days ago, I experienced a kind of zen bliss. I was one with the moment. Time had no past or future. I was sitting in my car, riding through the car wash.

The nice boys at the entrance had already scrubbed at the worst of the grime and had handed me over to the tunnel of soaps when I suddenly realized that I could do nothing. I could neither accelerate nor brake. I could not steer. I suddenly had no worry about traffic or being hit. I could neither hurry nor delay the process. I could only be.

I sat with my head in my hands, and let it all be.

Can I live there? Or would that get too expensive?

Don't worry honey -- we're all losers

My sister is having a low self-esteem month or two. Suffice to say, it's something to do with "how the kids turned out". The only consolation I can think of is that we're all failures, really.

No one's kids turn out to be charming, good looking, healthy, smart, motivated, sensible, and well-adjusted. You can really only hope for two or three on the list. She's got healthy and motivated. Sensible? Not so much.

Somehow, though, I think telling her, "Honey, we're all failures," isn't going to make her feel better. I had to settle for a truth I've known for many more years than that.

My sister is fearless, fierce, and a force to be reckoned with. She doesn't see it as much as I do, but whatever life hands this chick, she can throw back. Controlling, overbearing parents? No problem. No college education? No problem. Crazy, spendthrift, heart-of-gold husband? No problem? Working full-time in the armed services with small children? No problem. Multiple moves with only military movers to help? No problem. Finding time and freedom to enjoy as much retirement as she really wants? No problem. My sister if indomitable.

When I grow up, I want to be just like her.

Calvin!!!

I was flipping through a Calvin and Hobbs book yesterday when I suddenly realized that I now identify with Calvin's dad. When the that happen? It was bad enough when I stopped enjoying Lord of the Rings, but Calvin and Hobbs? Maybe it's time to give up reading...

Okay, in all fairness...

Turns out that The Boy has a stomach virus. He hasn't eaten in 24 hours and slept most of the day today. He's actually asleep right now. This afternoon, he was too sick to play computer for more than half an hour. Now, that's sick!

My life on the funny pages...

It's like living on the comic pages.

First you have to understand that I'd rather let the kids eat all their Easter candy on one day, rather than spread that tooth decay out over months until it's all gone. In fact, I had just finished explaining it to my mom this morning. After all, they won't go bowlegged by morning.

Then, at 7pm, it was "The Family Circle" all over again. It's midnight on Halloween, and the mom is distributing barf buckets and cleaning up beds while demanding the rest of everyone's candy.

Yup, you guessed it. Just as we were trying to have a little light dinner, The Boy barfs all his Easter candy and then passes out. I never laughed so hard in my life. Bad mom!