More strep, cotton candy hair. Old age.

Laney and Sophie do have strep. I went in to get checked, and although my test came back negative, he did note that my tonsils and throat were red and swollen, and pocked with scar tissue. He asked if I had problems with infections in my youth. That is an understatement.
Caleb was in the clear.
I am feeling so blah. I haven't been getting to the gym, and am feeling the effects of not exercising. Part of that is that stupid pain that has been giving me fits since July. I really wish I had the fortitude to go through medical school. Nursing school is looking better and better. When all the kids are in school, that is my goal. It's funny how your life's ambitions can take a radical change so late in life. When I was in college, my major was early childhood education. After I had kids, I said " NO WAY!"
I am not a young duckling anymore. I see it everyday in the mirror. I plucked a grey hair from my scalp on Monday. YIKES! I have laugh lines around my eyes. Nathan recently commented that I have wrinkles on my forehead when I am in deep though, or I am angry. ( Thanks for pointing that out dear..)
You rend to think of yourself as always being young. I am still Me, still Christi. I still think like I did when I was 16, and I remember all too well my teenage years like they were yesterday. It blows me away that I was 16 16 years ago. Half my life ago. You just never think that old age is creeping up on you. Not until you run on the treadmill for 30 minutes, and feel like your having an aneurysm.
I assume that is how our parents, and grandparents feel. Your heart and mind still are young and the memories are there, but your body starts to betray you. Hands that used to be porcelain, flawless and smooth now bear the effects of time. I have noticed it with my own hands. My Mothers hands. Hands that do mounds of laundry and dishes. Hands that bathe children, and peel potatoes. Hands that soothe fevered brows and clap the hardest as children kick a soccer ball, or sing in the school talent show. My hands now bare battle scars from raking leaves and lifting bags of groceries. All for using them as they were meant to be used.
So, I am growing old. So what. Graceful I may not be, but every scar, grey hair, line on my face will have been earned the very hard way. So bring it on Father Time!

Oh, Cotton candy hair. I desperately tried to straighten my hair this morning. I lined up my arsenal of product. Hair straightening serum and cream, a special brush, and blow dryer. I somewhat succeeded after 30 minutes of pulling and blowing hot air onto the cuticles. I was happy!
Then, I walked out to the van with the little ones to go run an errand. It was drizzly. As soon as that moisture hit my hair ( and not even the rain itself, just the moisture in the air) it was over.
I will use cotton candy as an example. Have you ever eaten cotton candy? Of course you have! When your tongue moistens the candy ( Pure sugar I may add), it melts. Yep. That's my hair. Simple as that. A clumpy, curly mess. I need desperate hair help.

G'night my little birds!
ChristinaMaria

Strep Throat

Yeppers, it's strep. Aubrie's Temp was 103 when they got to the Dr's. We will take the little girls in tomorrow to get them swabbed. Perhaps Caleb to be on the safe side. Hopefully their meds start to work fast. I was a little peeved at Nate though. I called his cell and told him to get the antibiotic shot. They get home and he says " They wouldn't get the shot." I said "What do you mean they wouldn't get the shot?" Long argument later, the girls balked at the idea of the shot, and Nathan thought he could save a few bucks going the route of 10 l o n g days of oral meds. * Sigh* ..... 1 shot in the hiney versus 2 doses a day for 10 days ( that is 40 doses among them in case you have to count on your fingers like me..) Grrrrr. I argued that the choice was not theirs to make, that it was non- negotiatible. I lost an already lost battle. Sometimes choices we make for our kids are not the most popular , and they may not be so thrilled with those decisions. But, in their best interest, some decisions are based on a logical and safer alternatives. Yeah..They will hate me when they get older, eh?
So, here I am with a sore throat, wondering if I need to get checked as well. I missed several weeks, if not months in 5th and 6th grades to strep( and thus becoming immune to several antibiotics) This is only the 3rd time Kiera has ever needed antibiotics. I am not one of those mothers that takes her child into the DR if the sneeze, or cough, and demands antibiotics. I do my research, and only need the John Hancock on a stupid piece of paper for the medication. I already knew the rash Kiera had was a strep rash. Maybe I should become a medicine woman and find the natural cure in Africa with Sean Connery. Hmmm...There's a thought!
Okay, I had better try and get some sleep. The girls will be missing one more day of school, and it will be like pulling teeth when I get their make-up homework tomorrow. I don't even want to think about how much work they will have.

~G'night all. Sweet dreams.
ChristinaMaria

P.S. I think I am psychic. Seriously.:) I dreamed Sunday night that I was sitting at the kitchen table and there was an earthquake. I told the kids to get under the table. I didn't find out until Monday, late morning that one had hit Hawaii. My friend Kari expressed worry, and wondered if we should go over to the islands and see if our assistance would be needed on the beaches....

Off to work I go

I started a part time job this week. I am working at Target in soft lines( Clothing, shoes accessories, ETC) Some extra money for the holidays, and our trip to Arizona this Christmas. Plus, if you you can believe it, it's a break for me. Something different, away from kids for a couple hours. I miss Nathan though. I enjoy the work. I was going to work the night shift ( 10-3 or 4) but decided against it. Even with my insomnia, I was afraid I would wear myself thin. So 6-11 is not too shabby. Only 20 hours a week.
Kiera saved up enough money to buy a replacement hamster for Delilah. She decided on a male on this time, and got as handsome chocolate and cream colored one and named him Covington. I am sad to report that his strong name was not enough to sustain him, and he passed sometime Saturday. Kiera was beside herself. I honestly could not console her. I told her that perhaps hamsters were not the best pet, and maybe we could convince Daddy to get a puppy. Her sad eyes have about won him over, and we may get a dog soon. Hopefully one that will snuggle with a 9 year old animal lover and be content in her arms for a few years.
We have all been so sick the last week. Some nasty , fever bug. Nathan is taking the older girls to the Dr. Here in a few. Kiera has a weird rash today, and her fever won't go below 102( 4 days now) Just when they seem to be getting better, they both crash again.

I will write more later.
ChristinaMaria