just checking in

we are still here. chasing our tails mostly. but alive and kicking and relatively healthy.  my papa is back in the hospital. again. for the 4th time in the last month. we are trying to get him on Hospice but its not going well so far. maybe soon.  my sweet friend whose mom got so sick so fast is still managing a road trip several times a week to be with her and try see her kiddos as much as possible.  one of my 2 classes this semester will be over next week. thats great news, except for the final, two other tests and paper that has to be done before then.  the house is coming along. without any help from me. he says he will have it framed by next Friday. until then I will continue to wash mounds of mud out of his clothes that he collects while tromping around out there every.single.day. I got to work L & D yesterday (first time in several months) and it made me realize that as much as this post sounds like I am complaining, really, I am VERY, EXTREMELY, WONDERFULLY GRATEFUL for my life and all its chaos!

change

Its not something I'm good at. Even when its for "the better"... just a few things that are changing (or not) around here
my friend's mom is still in ICU on a ventilator with no improvement. she is there every.single.day.  away from her 3 kiddos. 
little man is having a good "run". he is beginning to get a handle on some of the things we struggle with so hard.
sis is having a hard time at school again and I'm not sure why. She's back to crying and begging me not to leave her.
my grandpa was back in the hospital last week but is home now. he has congestive heart failure and they are trying to manage the symptoms and keep him comfortable.
my grandma had a stroke Saturday. she doesn't have any motor deficiencies but it affected her mentally.
I got to have lunch with a great group of friends. It had been waaaaaay too long. And even though it is greatly appreciated, they are in trouble... ;)
one of my classes is 1/2 over for the semester. whoo hoo!
I took THE test for school last week. I should have results by Friday.
We broke ground on the house yesterday.

a sweet friend

my heart is heavy today for a dear sweet friend. her mom is on life support and not improving. she is faced with a very hard decision. and they are not in a hospital in the same town she lives, so she is away from her kids. as if that isn't enough, she's got more heartache coming, she knows about this one, but its not any easier.  I talked to her today for a while and we both cried. I absolutely hate this for her. she's the kind of friend you don't have to see or even talk to for a long, long time but you just pick up right where you left off like it was yesterday. she is one of the sweetest people I know. she needs some prayers today, tomorrow, and probably for a while to come. 

arguing with myself

Today has been a yuck day. Nothing really bad, just a yuck day. Especially for a Friday. This whole building a house thing is making me crazy (when really I should just be thankful we are being given the opportunity) I took a test and got a B (I should be glad I passed) Sis has an ear infection (she could have the flu) I have LOTS of paperwork piled up that I need to be doing but the kids won't let me (we are all together, relatively healthy & happy) My grandpa is home from the hospital and doing better. My grandmother, however is not. (we still have both of them with us) I know in my heart that all is good. My head just keeps arguing :/

holding pattern

My monday morning plans of sleeping in didn't quite go as expected. My phone rang at 6:30 am. Never a good thing when you aren't expecting it. My grandpa was on his way to the ER. That was a little over 9 hours ago and he is still in the ER. They are admitting him for pneumonia but there aren't any rooms so he's just hanging out. When they did the x rays & the dr. came in to talk to them he said his lung cancer is now stage 4 & has spread to his stomach. He isn't in any pain but his heart rate is really high and his pulse ox is staying about as low as they will "let" it without intervention. I can't go up there with all the kiddos this time of year so I'm having to hang out & wait too. I feel guilty for not visiting with him more often. We had plans to go out there today.
We have been waiting to put a hole in the gorund for a few weeks now but because of all the new paperwork that is required its taking a little longer than we were told. So, we are just hanging out & waiting. In the mean time I have started back to school for the spring semester. I have 2 classes but one of them is only until March 3. Can you say ExCiTeD??!! I won't know what to do if I only have to keep up with one set of assignments :) It does however require clinical hours so that will be an adjustment, and it is in an area that I'm not so crazy about, but still, only a little bit compared to what I've been doing. Kiddos are all good, tired of being confined, but good. Little man takes 2 steps forward and 1 step back but overall going in the right direction. Sis is 4 going on 14! Speck got his braces today. We go Thurs for a consult with the ear surgeon to schedule #3. And he has to go see the oral surgeon about getting his wisdom teeth out.

already behind

I have lots of pics but for some unknown reason both of my cameras are on the blilnk. One is currently in line to be repaired and the other is still sitting on the shelf while I decide whether to fix it or replace it. Anyway, pics are locked up at the moment :(
We celebrated Christmas at my grandparents house Christmas Eve and Christmas morning then headed to LR to see the inlaws. We made it just in time before the snow hit and to enjoy the power outage! We hung out Wed then headed home Thurs afternoon. The kiddos stayed to visit while hubby and I went to CO with some friends. We skiied and ate really good food and it was SUPER DUPER COLD (-12). We came home and sis turned 4. WHAT?! How.Did.That.Happen??? One sad mommy. This is the first time I've had a 4 year old without being pregnant or having a new baby. So far no sympathy from anybody around here ;)
I start back to school 1/14. Not ready for that yet either but don't think I have a choice. I'm spending this week working on a to do list hubby gave me a while ago. I thought mabye if I igorned him he would go away. No such luck. Knock on wood, nobody has been very sick. Just coughing and runny noses. Thank goodness. There are lots of people who are though, work has called a minimum of 2 times every day trying to get me to come in. Not nice, I know, but I really don't want to spend any extra time at the hospital right now.
We are still struggling with Little Man and his lack of self control. We've tried all suggestions and so far no luck. This too shall pass. It just doesn't feel like it right now.
Speck's mouth is just about to run away with itself. I'm sure its a combination of age and being so confined. I love them anyway.
We started the new year off with a big bang, trying to make a dent in our deductibles. Between the three of them they had 7 cavities and 3 crowns. It wasn't a fun last few days of break! & Speck gets his braces Monday then to the oral surgeon for a consult on wisdom teeth. Never a dull day around here, just gotta remember to slow down and enjoy ALL of it, even the yuck stuff.

4.0

I have NEVER EVER been able to say that I was a straight A student. Guess being 36 instead of 18,  responsible for the bill yourself and a role model to 3 kids makes you push a little harder. Whatever the reason, I made all A's this semseter!!! I am just a little bit excited since I was ready to quit about 6 weeks ago. Merry Christmas to me a couple of weeks early ;)