It All Changes So Fast

What a whirlwind two weeks. Three weeks ago I felt the tug to put my kids in school. All of them. I prayed and pondered for about a minute before I knew it was right. Of course it was the middle of the night. Just see my last post if you need clarification.  

I got on my phone and Googled my options. Slim, I tell ya. I asked around. I stopped a woman in the grocery store whose child appeared to be wearing uniforms. (I wasn't searching for a uniform promoting school. I am anti-uniforms for what I feel are very good reasons, but that post is still in draft mode. Be patient). Anyway. Her girls go to a magnet school in their neighborhood. Nowhere near me. I called two charter schools. Full. One offered to give us a tour and put us on the waiting list. There are four people on the list and their names are all my children. We missed it by four kids. 

We discussed. Argued some. Prayed. Welled up over the implications of sending my babies to school. Had a couple conversations with some truth speaking, wise parents/besties. 

Then we got a call last Tuesday saying kid number four could start ASAP. I left work and purchased her uniforms. Bah. 

We waited three more days and signed my number two and three up for their local zoned middle school. I cried. Threw an inter-tantrum. And rallied in my mind before handi

ng over their file and registration. 

Now? Now I homeschool kid five and work and drive 17 places a day. Why didn't someone tell me there was so much driving? Why didn't someone say how time consuming it is to send your kids to school. I promise you homeschooling takes less time and coordination, but so much good is coming from the kids in school. 

My favorite so far is my time with Sam. That kid is more than hilarious. I don't even know what word comes after hilarious, but that is Sam. 

As we were driving downtown Addie was reading a casino sign. "We've loosened our slots". Sam laughed hysterically and yelled "DISGUSTING"

Now that's funny stuff. 

Meanwhile. I would like to tip my hat to large families in school. That takes an amazing mamma. I'm working on it. 

I have five kids in four different schools. So I started drinking. HA. Ok. I simply added a cup of joe to my daily grind. 

I am also hoping to add a chiropractor, massages, and the gym. And yes. I am still considering a house keeper. More than ever actually. Try and stop me Napoleon. 

Greedy Grip

My friends, Erin and Dan-O, once had a toddler. She is old now, but when she was an itty bitty sly thing she sneaked into the kitchen garbage can, where she confiscated a few stale Whoppers I threw away. When I caught her, she gripped her chubby little hands around those candies as if they were her last melons for the next million, billion years. I tried prying those puny fists open, but she gripped harder and screamed, "DON'T TAKE IT!! I NEEEED IT!" To that I cracked up laughing and had to call in reinforcements, because as it turns out, toddlers saving candy from the trash are infinitely stronger than me. This true story took place more than 15 years ago, but I think of it often when I begin to get the greedy grip.

We have been doing all of this back to school shopping. I really do love spending money. I love picking out school supplies. I love finding smokin' deals at thrift stores and dollar stores and re-purposing the oddest treasures into greatness. After two days of straight shopping, I left my body and viewed myself as the adult watching the toddler give a handful of Whoppers a new lease on life. I took stock and heard myself screaming, "I NEEEED IT!" Aren't you a little old for that behavior? Why yes. Yes I am.

Also, I am too aware of people who hurt and need and would really like some food. I have not taught my kids to be patient for things or earn them or choose the essentials so we have left over to give away. Oh, don't get me wrong. I wrote to God in my prayer journal this morning asking him for opportunities to give. He may have asked what in the world do I have left to give? There is a chance I had no answer. There is also a chance I made a disappointed face and felt like a schmuck.
Just look away. I can't take it.

 Now, I will be using this experience as a life lesson for my children. Not only confessing what I got caught up in, but I will also be asking them what in the world can we do about this now? Lots actually. But we will come up with a plan together. Then I will pray that they will not grow until next school year, so we can really get our money's worth. :/

And NOW, you may be asking yourself what this picture of Samuel has to do with anything. I will tell you. Nothing. It has nothing to do with anything at anytime, but you needed to see it. And, you are welcome. Someone give this kid his own show. No script needed. This picture was taken while he patiently waited for his cousin, Raine, to finish trying on her jeans. We just looked over, and there he was, on the couch at Children's Place, with the bib he picked out, and the face he knew only a mother could love. He wore it anyway, and here we are today. One step closer to having our own show.

I am thankful for that face and second chances.
 

My First Link Up: Let's Talk Tuesday

I am hosting my very first link up! There is a chance I will do this all wrong, but I decided to brave the world of blog hosting in hopes of not only linking you together with bloggers of similar interests, but I also love reading what nonsense is spinning through your head. Here are the rules:

Let's Talk Tuesday

1. What's on your mind? Pick a topic (hopefully random) and give in to a short gab, letting out the pent up thoughts that just need freeing. If you can't think of a topic, you can use mine, but I encourage you to get out whatever has been keeping your brain preoccupied. Examples? Dogs in sweaters; how do you feel about it? Why won't the corners of my sheets stay put? Will my hair be this large in heaven? Should I unpack already packed boxes if I am sure there are things in there I should get rid of? Just free your mind, and start typing.

2. Visit the blog that came before you. The whole point of a link up is to meet someone you may not otherwise run into in the blog-o-sphere.

3. No diatribes. I am not one to dwell on the bitterness. Turn that smile upside down and write about something thought provoking, not something that is going to drive your readers to stick their head under the covers.

4. Grab my Let's Talk Tuesday button and invite people on your blog to link up here.

So, Let's Talk Tuesday: What have I been keeping pent up in this brain of mine? It's more of a question really. When is too soon to share with new friends? Last night I was at a cooking show, because I do this on the side. The side of wife, the side of mom, the side of teacher, the side of writer, the side of blogger. I have a lot of sides. 
So, there I am. It's the end of the demonstration of pizza a chocolate cake (win/win) and I am sitting with the host when her little boy runs in from the backyard and announces to the room of friends (and me. the stranger), "MOM! Jay is PEEING in the DOG bowl!!!" 
As a good supportive mother, I didn't laugh right away. On the outside. As any good mother hosting a house full of women, she spoke over him and pushed him kindly into Dad's arms. When everyone else resumed their boisterous conversations in the other room, I quietly shared with her THIS story. We both laughed until we cried, but the whole way home I kept thinking, "hmmm. Was it too soon to share this story? Was it too soon to let her know I told my son to secretly pee in a stranger's yard?" What do you think? Too soon. 

<div align="center"><a href="http://kreativly.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-first-link-up-lets-talk-tuesday.html" title="Nonsense at its Finest"><img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a2d824b3127ccef01f13e1b1f900000030O02AZNHLds3Ysge3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/" alt="Nonsense at its Finest" style="border:none;" /></a></div>