1st Day of School

What a morning. As I sat drinking a cup of coffee this morning at 5:30 I could hear the rustle of blankets and tossing and turning coming from Mr. Frogmans room as well as Monkey Dude Jr's room. The natives were getting restless.

I turned on the news to get caught up on traffic and weather and some of the headlines to keep up with current happenings. About halfway through my second cup of coffee Mr. Frogman came walking out of his room (not thinking) he was in a t-shirt and his unders, wiping the sleep from his eyes, sleepily saying, "Good Morning, Mom." I told him Good morning and he sat down next to me for about 30 seconds and then jumped up to go find the right outfit for the first day of school.

As he was dressing I was able to catgch up on a bit of brief reading, as he and I talked about his morning I heard footsteps from Monkey Dude Jr. emerging from his room for the morning. It is now 6:30am. Monkey Dude Jr is up and wiping the sleep from his eyes and just like Mr. Frogman is racing to get dressed and find the same right outfit for the first day of school. He wants to look really really cool. When he and I got done trying on different ensemblesw (only 2) he looked like quite the very cool kid headed off to school.

I have not seen those 2 boys eat a meal as fast as those 2 ate breakfast this morning. Absolutely amazing. As soon as I was ready to leave for work they were ready to head out the door to the bus. Half an hour earlier than was necessary. I waited a little longer than usual to leave for work and stayed back a bit to walk Mr. Frogman out to hte bus stop.

When I got home from work tonight Mr. Frogman and Monkey Dude Jr. came running out the door to talk about their day. I didn't get into the house for a good 15 minutes until Mr. Frogman was able to regale me with his tales of the day. Then instead of being able to make dinner I had to go through the back to school packet and fill out all the paper work before I could do anything else at home. Okay okay now I know he is more excited about school starting than me. I forgot about the wonderful parental amounts of homework. It will only last for so long and then it will be over and the homework will be all his. Yay!!

The most exciting fact....His friend Sheriff from school is on his bus route. Now not only do they take the bus in the mornings together but spend all day together in the same classroom too.

Mr. Frogman has made 2 really good friends in his lifetime so far and they have been friends for 3 or more years. The Sheriff and Intimidator Jr. Amazing at this age they have bonded with friends they will have, it seems, for many years to come.

Now its a wait and see game to see how Mr. Frogman and Monkey Dude Jr will handle day number 2. :)

Stay Posted...

Waiting...and Waiting...

Biopsy waiting. Culture processing. Doctors office visits. The waiting is the hardest part. Waiting to find out test results and moving on. The waiting of course is the hardest part. So I sit and wait for all the final test results. UGH!!

Ok well I can find comfort in the fact that Mr. Frogman starts school tomorrow. He wouldn't let me tuck him in tonight. He wanted to do it himself. Again I am not sure he is the one most excited that school is starting although he shows it on the outside, on the inside I am jumping with joy!

He is going to have a great school year!

All things come back to something positive. Even though I am waiting for a few test results and I am a little apprehensive the only thing on my mind is what a great year Mr. Frogman is going to have. He is in the class of the teacher he wanted, with his Best Friend "The Sheriff". They were so excited to get back together and find their classroom. They had to say Hi to Mrs. K the principal, Mrs. P and Mrs. P and Mrs. G, Mari and of course the custodianMr. E (who has been a personal friend of mine for almost 22 years now - I went to school with his wife's son).

I think he pretty much said hi to everyone at the back to school BBQ. He was so excited to see everyone and find his room, meet his teacher. You would think he hadn't seen school in much longer than just summer vacation. **Sigh** I am so excited for him rather than being excited that school is starting. I think his excitement is just boiling over.

Tomorrow is the Day!

School begins! They go back! Time to get on to a schedule and get ready.

I am not sure who is more excited about school beginning Mr. Frogman or me.

The countdown is down to the hours now. 12 hours from now (it is currently 7:35pm PST), Mr. Frogman has to be waiting for the bus at 7:35 am.

After visits to the 2 schools, Monkey Dude Jr will be going to one and Mr. Frogman will be going to another, they have met the teachers and the principals, found their desks, put their school supplies away and have gotten back in touch with friends that they haven't seen all summer. Mr. Frogman is at the top of the hill so to speak. My 6th grader. One year from Middle School or Junior High.

He is currently standing next to me asking who is more excited me or you? Huh? Huh? Who is more excited...as I keep typing he is stating between clenched teeth...Mom you are not answering my question...So who is more excited?...Tell me please? I want to know, tell me, please, please (kiss on the cheek) plays with my face and then gets frustrated and finally realizes Im just going to sit here and smile and make him wonder who is really more excited about shcool starting tomorrow.

He is running around all excited about school starting. I can honestly say and I truly do believe he is much more excited than I about school starting. I will give him that one.

Relaxation is Over, Paranoi begins...

After all my heart stuff and finally getting resolution to the issues causing my heart problems. I thought I was in the clear.

I won't go into too much detail I started getting "lumps" on my neck. I went to the doctor since of course they were painful and they told me I had some sort of staff infection. I started antibiotics and after 4 days they weren't working. I had developed more "lumps". They cultured one and have many concerns. They want to now biopsy one of them to make sure. So far all they can tell me is that I have a severe bacterial infection that is immune to many of the antibiotics but they don't know which antibiotic will work.

So now I walk around wearing turtlenecks in 80 degree weather to avoid looking like a freak. They are still not sure of what is happening but I know what biopsy means and that has me the) most concerned. It leaves me wondering if this is a side effect of the heart medications I was previously taking? Making it so any infection I have now or in the future able to resist basic antibiotics? This is why I didn't take medications before. They clear up one thing and then another happens and its resistant to even the basic antibiotics.

I know I shouldn't panic on the biopsy thing. But how do you not? Im not panicked I have been through worse, but it still has me concerned. The doctor has already told me what would have to happen over the next few weeks if the next antibiotic doesn't work and depending on what the biopsy shows.

Yes, my gut is in knots, but I am still smiling and living life to the fullest (how do you not?). I haven't said anything to Mr. Frogman except that he has to hug me a different way and avoid the neck. He has wanted to see the "huge bumps" in my neck and thinks its "cool". Boys go figure. We laugh about it and make up stories on our own of what it could be. He keeps saying Aliens. I am about to believe him. In a way thats exactly what it is. He is such a trooper and positive guy!

Time to wait and see...

Day of Relaxation!

I spent the day following Monkey Dude Jr's birthday relaxing. Sightsee'r had tickets to the Mariners Baseball game. How can you pass up seats in the 100 level (field level) only 14 rows behind and 1 section to the right of home plate. What a fantastic game! It was over 80 degrees outside (hot for this area) and Sightsee'r and I were in the shade for the entire game. It was warm yet cool with a slight breeze which made it perfect. The roof was open, blue sky, an eagle flew over the stadium, not to mention the Mariners Won! Yay Mariners! I was hoping their losing streak would end and between Sunday and Monday their 20 game losing streak has ended for the AL West.

I hadn't had a day off in a while and that was the perfect distraction from the running of everyday life. Mr. Frogman wasn't too happy that mom got to go to the game and he didn't but being that he prefers to watch it on TV than see it in person he thought he would watch it to see if he could see mom at the game instead of watching the game. He is not much of a sports person but really wanted me to waive at him if he saw me on TV (not that I would know if I was on TV or not) But he had fun anyway.

Sightsee'r came over after the game to see the new house. So far everyone has been very impressed. I am not out to impress just to show my friends the new house so they know where to come and visit me when they come over. I think it is the hard wood floors. :)

The Pirates Have Arrived!!

Today is Monkey Dude Jr's Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG GUY!!!!

He had a pirate birthday. We had a bunch of pirates running around all day having fun. What a great time!

As I sit here typing tonight Wolfman is out watching them play in the hot tub, Mr. Frogman, Monkey Dude Jr and Intimidator Jr. (low temperature of course). They have been bugging me all day to go in so they could end their day relaxing. Amazing how the small things entertain. The age of 7 is a wonderful age. Still innocent yet wanting to grow up and be independent.

Now that I have moved you will here a bit more about Intimidator Jr. He can now come visit without having to worry how much noise he and Mr. Frogman make in the house (since I'm not in a place with thin walls).

So many things are racing through my mind tonight and so much to write about just not enough time. After our busy birthday day I am exhausted.

Good Night Monkey Dude Jr! Love you! Have great birthday dreams!

It Begins!!

The beginning of the school year begins. First comes meeting parents who are new to the program. Mr. Frogman is main stream in school. He has a teacher that works with him in the classroom with his best friend "The Sheriff" as labeled by his mom.

It was a great time meeting the other families at a concert in the park Thursday. What a great group of people!

The new mom to the group who is still trying to deal with the fact that in her mind based on social biases that her child is not perfect. After meeting this young man what a spectacular child. I saw Mr. Frogman and how he was 2 years ago when beginning this program as well.

Listening to this mom and how she fought against all odds (like most of the parents had to including myself) to get the necessary help for her child from the school district. I know the school district gets money for children with special needs and the ones with the actual diagnosis. I would be curious as to how much. Not that I don't know but I would like to see the cut and dry side of things.

It still hurts in a sense knowing my child is not "normal" and very quickly I kick myself in the backside and realize that he is as normal as could be. No one is perfect and I was rushing back into what society thinks is "normal". As I talked to this mom I saw myself 4 years ago when he was diagnosed, in tears wondering where to turn and what to do. What resources were out there? Who could I talk to? Now I find myself one of the people that others turn to for the same questions I had.

All anyone of those new parents is looking for is a hand to reach out to, hold and talk to. They are still in denial. They will be broken in soon enough. It's getting past what society tends to control in peoples minds.

This got me back to thinking of my fight to get Mr. Frogman the help he needed after he was diagnosed. I fought for 2 years being a squeaky wheel from his 2nd and 3rd grade year, with meeting after meeting with the counselor (who really didnt like me - Long story here I will go into soon) and many other people in the school. Then I heard about a program at another school that I could get my son qualified for with his diagnosis.

I talked to the counselor, and kept getting the run around. He kept "losing" Mr. Frogmans diagnosis. Finally his teacher at that time helped me by going around the counselor to the head of special ed services. The only problem I had was that the head of the special ed department was the wife of the counselor I was having problems with. She wasn't thrilled with me, but I put a quick end to any issue that may have come up between us. She hemmed and hawed a bit and I introduced myself to her. She mentioned that her husband and me had issues. I looked her straight in the eye and replied, "Yes, we did. I don't like him at all. But being that we are here for the benefit of Mr. Frogman my feelings are not important. We can do one of two things. If you are not going to approve him for this program due to my feelings for your husband coming here was a waste of my time. If you are here for the benefit of Mr. Frogman and can put behind you my feelings and opinions for your husband professionally then we will get along just fine." Mr. Frogman was approved on the spot. The next school year he was in the program he needed, we had and still have in district transportation to the school from our house any where we are located in the district.

I shared my experience with a few other parents that had shared theirs. It seemed when we were all done that I had had the worst experience. Again my opinion is due to this particular counselor but again I will share that story another time. Against all the unsolicited opinions of teachers who kept saying he is ADD or ADHD you need to put him on medication Mr. Frogman is right where he belongs. He is now with one of the best teachers who is working with him and has diligently for two years. We will definitely miss her when he moves into middle school after this year.

Being a single parent and not having very many people understand what you need to do each day to keep things on an even kiel is what is difficult. Most people think your life is just like theirs. People with children with Special Needs from Autism, ADD, ADHD, MS, Downs Syndrome and many others (this is all I could think of after todays Hullaballoo) have to do so much more. Over time this all becomes the norm of our daily lives.

I, however, would not change a thing about my life or his abilities or lack there of in certain areas. After meeting these families though and meeting with Mr. Frogmans teacher for the final year of his elementary education before entering Jr. High or Middle School depending on what they want to call it had to be a great beginning to what I know is going to be another fantastic year for him at school.

With the Previous Post...

During our dinner last night Mr. Frogman wore out the milk out your nose thing. Wolfman talked to him a bit about timing and stopping when things are still funny and only using things when the time is right. If he uses it too much it is no longer funny.

Tonight sitting around the table having chicken and coleslaw we were discussing Little Sisters burping. Mr. Frogman of course pipes up and says, "Be thankful its coming out as burps and not the other end." Everyone burst into laughter and Wolfman asks Mr. Frogman, "How do you do that?" Mr. Frogman looked at Wolfman without skipping a beat and says, "Timing, it's all in the timing." I sat there shaking my head trying very hard not to laugh but it was too funny.

I looked at Wolfman and whispered, "Touche."

LSHTMCOYN (Laughing So Hard That Milk Comes Out Your Nose)

Now that we have combined a few households into one we have family style meals. We all sit down at the table and have conversation during dinner. There is Myself (Kasey), Mr. Frogman, Wolfman, Monkey Dude Jr., and Little Sister (Wolfmans Sister).

Funny Title? Yes! This is the incident we had over dinner tonight.

We were chuckling about how it was difficult for Little Sister to pour more of her juice into her glass laughing over the conversation we were having. The more she tried to pour the more we all laughed to keep her from pouring.

I told her it was better than drinking the juice and "laughing so hard that milk comes out her nose."

All of a sudden Mr. Frogman stands up and says to her, "Little Sister, would you like me to fill your cup?" As he said this he placed his finger upside his nose and offered to blow out through his nose as though he had fluid coming out over a cup (without really doing anything). We all started laughing so hard none of us could eat or drink.

His quick wit is catching up to me. I need to get ahead again :)

He's Home! He's Home! He's Home!

Can you believe it he is home and home early too! What a way to go! He came home for a BBQ and his dad and I discussed him being home today instead of waiting another 2 days. He gets to come home early! I was so excited! I still am and he has been here all of 5 hours now.

We have been spending so much time together and discussing lots of things. He has also been arguing with Monkey Dude Jr. But what's new with that? They argue when they get together for the first time in weeks, they argue when they have spent weeks together. The comfortable sounds of home. **Deep Sigh** It's so nice to have the family back together.

**CRASH~BANG~BOOM!! MOOOOMMMMMM!!!**

Only 10 days until school starts! Now the next countdown begins....

Story from Camp

Mr. Frogman sent me a letter from Boy Scout Camp that I just received. Talk about Snail Mail. Oh well, when I got the letter it made me laugh so hard I had tears running down my face. For camp his dad had bought him a tool kit that included all the tools Mr. Frogman had on his pocket knife or swiss army knife. So we decided to take the took kit back and Mr. Frogman opted for a waterproof watch instead. This watch he thought was so cool, it told the time and would light up at night. It had what the outside temperature was, and a small compass so he knew what direction he was headed in.

As I read his letter he explained, " I am having a great time at camp. I only have one problem, I lost my watch in the lake while I was swimming. It's not such a bad thing since the watch is waterproof now the fish could tell the time and the lake could know how cold it was."

I sat laughing at this since I know exactly how he would say it with a smirk on his face trying not to smile since he knew it was funny. I laughed even harder picturing him saying this to my face very matter of factly and doing his best to keep a poker face in the process. Since the letter was received while I was at work I had to explain why I was laughing so hard I was in tears. It was just too funny. One of those parental things I guess.

He is waiting for them to drain the lake since they do it every year to release the fish that are stocked into the river. They said they would probably find it at that time and return it since it is waterproof. We will have to wait and see if he gets it back. Not likely but you never know.
He had a lot more fun at camp and there is so much more to share.

I sent a little guy to camp and a young man has returned in his place that is alot more responsible than when he left. He is definitely growing up too fast.

I sure do miss this little guy and can't wait for him to come home. Only 3 more days!! Hooray!!!

3 Days and Counting!!

Only 3 more days and he is going to be home. Only 3 can you believe it? I am so excited.

I was so excited for school to be out and I know Mr. Frogman was too...I don't know, however, if he was more excited than I was. Now I don't know who is more excited about school starting, him or me. :) It has been too long of a summer with him at his dads. But he is in for a big surprise when he comes home.

We have moved into a wonderful house that we are gradually making into our home. It's coming along one room at a time. I actually have a kitchen! No more boxes. Everything has a place and I will be able to cook in no time at all without having to dance around boxes and packages.

The living room is coming along nicely. It has no more boxes, just some random clutter and a little more rearranging, then I can hang art work. We are still discussing where to hang family and friend photos, as well as, other things that mean something to us. The art of negotiation in this household is being tested as we go through creating a comfortable living environment. Not to mention that we are combining 3 households into one so we are having to compromise as well.
My next step is moving all the stuff out of and around the dining room so that we can actually eat at the table rather than converge on the small table in the living room that we have to sit on the hard woods to actually get to a level where you can actually eat. It's rather hard on the knees or the back end depending on how you sit. It's time to actually eat at the table and become a family rather than individuals who stare at the tv to eat and then not get very much eating done. We don't actually turn the tv on when we eat but I don't like the idea of eating in the living room. We have a table and chairs and it's time we started using them properly. By tomorrow night we will have it set up and ready to go.

By tomorrow night I will have that final room and the upstairs bedroom that I now share with Wolfman that currently has his king size bed, my queen size bed and an office in set up and mostly usable with my wireless internet ready to go. Then I can sit in my room and actually work when I need to without being completely interrupted by everyone walking through and asking questions. It will definitely be a task since most everything in the dining room is boxed and needs to be gone through before we can put it in the correct location in the house. You know how it goes. The joys of moving and getting completely moved in. **Sigh** Almost done.

Wish me luck as I start to unpack in the wild unknown!

10 Days and Counting!!!

We are unpacking and getting moved in. Days are long and nights are short. That would be summer for you though wouldn't it?

Between work and Boy Scouts for Mr. Frogman and all the extra activities going on. I am still not sure of which way is up.

Mr. Frogman comes home full time after next week. Finally back to having him home full time! I can't wait. I miss having him here at home being able to wake him up in the morning and listening to him moan and groan and ask, "Do I have to get up?" "Just five more minutes mom, please?" or the all time favorite, "I don't want to go to school!" **Sigh** The wonderful things to look forward to as parents. When I haven't had to nag him about picking up his towel off the bathroom floor or turning off his lights when he is not in the room.

Definitely looking forward to him coming home. He has developed a wonderful sense of humor (takes after his mom) with zapping one line comments that just zip and make a huge impression. He and I go back and forth with all the jabs to one another and the playful jargon that goes along with it.

Starting today it is 10 days and counting!!

Still Here....

I am still here just very busy. With the summer season and moving and Mr. Frogman and all of our activities together and what not. Now with the school year about to begin at the end of this month, I thought I was going to have more free time than I do and lo and behold I don't at this time.

For those that were wondering I have moved into a large 4 bedroom 2 bath house in my local area with a huge yard and a hot tub. The hot tub was a bonus! I knew nothing about it going in. I only saw the yard and the outside of the house and I was sold. With houses ranging in the $400,000 plus per home on less than a third of an acre in our area, I would have to win the lottery to be able to afford one. Although for the time being I have a rental that is well under the rental rate for the area.

We are almost fully moved in. Due to restrictions for time off on my current job I haven't been able to get any time off of work so this move has had to happen after working hours and on the weekends. I have not wanted to rent a truck so I have used the company truck and trailor this time.

Next time I am hiring movers again. I really dislike moving.

Another 2 weeks and I should be back on track for posting on a regular basis. Mr. Frogman and I are going to work on getting settled and back into a daily routine.

Enjoy the rest of the sunny days of summer!