Oh the things that come out of this girly’s mouth!
I caught her with a bunch of the older girl’s stuff and among it was a pouch of money.
Me-Gabi! You can not take the girl’s stuff and you CAN NOT take other people’s money! Why do you do that?!
Gabi-Because I’m 4 years old and I like the color of money.
Really, where do we go from there?!
Have a great day~
I’m sitting here trying to figure out how I can feel tired after almost 2 weeks in bed. I feel like a terrible blogger and an even worse podcaster. I always have these big expectations for what “should” happen and hate it when I fall short!
Over the weekend I had a very close and long-time friend visiting to help get things back in order before I had to crawl out of bed this week and try to take over. She did a remarkable job! Things that I’ve let go over time are now back in tip-top shape. But most amazingly, she managed to get ALL the laundry in the house washed, dried, folded and put away! This alone is worthy of sainthood! I crawled out of bed for short bits of time to help with what I could, but it always, ultimately sent me back to bed. But in her wisdom, she brought the work to me. I folded socks like I haven’t folded socks in years. Whoo Hoo! This house looks great!
Yesterday was my first attempt at “normal” life. I got up and helped get the kids going for school. Clay’s back to work but has adjusted his workday so that he can drop the kids at school and then be back in time to pick them up. I’ve yet to try driving again. I made it from 5am-12pm before I really had to call it quits and lay on the couch. How in the world did 2 weeks away from the routine make me forget how much energy my 2 yr. old has?! Luckily, Mariah had a 1/2 day so I was able to climb in bed for a nap when she showed up. I was able to help out with serving dinner but was in bed for the night by 6:30. Crazy times for this M.O.M!
Today I did the same with the morning and then a friend (might I add “GOOD” in front of friend?) came to pick up Gabi and Lex for the late morning and lunchtime. I folded some laundry and headed to bed for a lil nap. I guess the big lesson here is that it’s been 2 weeks since surgery and I have to face the fact that I truly am no Wonderwoman! I MUST listen to the cues my body is sending me and obey. I just, really did NOT expect to be laid out like this! I see the Dr. this Friday and will be happy to hear if it’s all normal and that I’m on track for a full recovery by a month’s time.
On the bright side, I’ve caught up on some movie watching. I hadn’t watched an entire movie, start to finish in one sitting, in years (minus the ONE movie I’ve seen in a theater in the last year)!
Here’s some of what I’ve watched-
Legends of the Fall (an event, not a movie!)
Hello Dolly (I love musicals)
Secondhand Lions (great story!)
Blood Diamond (Happy I’m not in the market for a new diamond!)
Chocolat (for the 75th time. Johnny Depp as a gypsy. Uh huh!)
Secret Life of Bees (loved the book. loved the movie)
The Changeling (Fabulous example of motherhood’s persistence)
The Duchess (a true story of inconvenient love)
Brigadoon (an old favorite)
Jeremiah Johnson (if you haven’t seen it……do!)
Last of the Dogmen (again, an oldy, but a must-see)
That’s about it, but it’s been a good run! Any suggestions for these early nights in bed? I’m sure there are a million movies I haven’t seen! Share your favorites!
Ok, one step closer to normal……I’ve blogged!
Have a great day~
I knew that all of this lying in bed had a purpose and it’s now become crystal clear!
With all the time my mind has had to roam and “free-think” I was bound to stumble upon some sort of amazing conclusion!
Today I realized that the term “hood” stems from the word “neighborhood”. Good thing I’ve had all this time to let my mind open up and fly!
Geesh~
I woke up this morning with an intense craving for huevos rancheros. IN-TENSE! I swear I could smell them. The craziest part is that I don’t even like eggs. I generally avoid breakfast foods and if I find myself at a breakfast restaurant, I usually ask for the eggs to be eliminated. But not today!
Lucky for me our good friend, Mr. Mike, heard my craving, took it seriously and headed to his favorite breakfast restaurant and delivered huevos rancheros to my recovery bed. Eggs never tasted so good!
Whoo Hoo! I’m a lucky girl!
May all your cravings be fullfilled!
Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
Oh boy! In the last couple of days I’ve had to listen to my body and stay lying down, even though my mind is ready to be up and going. I learned a valuable lesson the other day when I stayed up for an hour, wiping down counters and picking little things off the ground. I paid for it for the rest of the day! Now, I’ve made an extra effort to stay down, but I get little bursts of energy and will head out of my cave and hibernation to see what’s happening out front. Unfortunately, I turn into a lumbering, mama bear who shows up to growl at everyone and swat my cubs on the noses and then lumber back into the den to crash back into hibernation. Not a good thing! I’m going to have to reign in my frustration! It’s not that things aren’t getting done. Dear Lord! Clay is doing his best to juggle the house, kids and homework. Thank goodness that he doesn’t have to cook! But it’s just too much for anyone who hasn’t spent the last 17 yrs. building up a tolerance and a system. So, I walk out and see that the kids have been slacking on chores and that things are out of place and I just lose it. I have all this pent-up frustration from sitting (or mostly lying) in bed for days on end However, I know that if I DON’T that this will just go one for longer. Ick!
I had a visit from a friend today which eased some of my angst. Friday I have a friend coming into town to help out for a few days. I think her halo is extra bright right now! I know she’s rolling up her sleeves and getting ready to pick up any slack that’s occured while I’ve been in bed. Wow! I hope I can be such a friend!
~sigh~ I guess Mama Bear should pull in her claws and lumber back to the den to hibernate and dream sweet dreams of good food, good friends and plenty of rest.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
Have a good day!
So, here I sit (for no more than 1/2 hour at a time) in bed. This means that surgery went well and that I’m on the road to recovery. It also means that when I’m not asleep, I’m lying down because sitting or standing for too long bring great discomfort. Ugh! I’ve also learned that having surgery is nothing like having a baby. After a baby I’m on my feet and ready to go! The pain meds and softners and the such that they give me go untouched and I hit the ground Dancing. Guess what…….not so with surgery! BRING ON the pain meds and all such softners! I had meant to get out of the hospital and document each day of recovery, here, for all to see. Hmmm……it was a good plan but an illinformed one! The first few blogs would have looked something like this;
Day 1-hooked to many things still. Pain meds please! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Day 2-out of the hopital. Staying with amazing friends who are treating me like a princess! Gave me their room! Pain meds please! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Day 3-tried to sit up for ANY length of time today. BAD idea! Pain meds please! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Day 4-had company. Sat up for more than 1/2 an hour. Pain meds please! zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
So, you get the idea! I came home after a few days of being treated like royalty and it was JUST what I needed. Many many many thanks go out for those couple of days! BUT, I got home and the pampering didn’t stop! I was walked to my room where a new (to me) flat screen tv was perched atop my curio and all hooked up to the wonderfullness that is Apple TV! Uh huh! This means that all 14,ooo + pictures that are on my lovely iMac can now roll across my wonderful, new TV playing to all my favorite songs from my iTunes library. Oh yeah! And it didn’t end there. On Valentine’s Day, 6, yes 6 of my favorite truffles from Mr. DeGroot showed up wrapped all pretty and tempting me to indulge in sweet, richness from my sickbed. I’m gonna have to be careful not to gain tons of weight while I lie here and not only because of wonderful chocolate. Each night a yummy meal is being delivered to our door by the many fabulous people in our lives! I tell you, people….watch out! A monster is surely being created! I am literally being locked in this room with the TV, my phone, plenty of books and a laptop! Clay has done a marvelous job of keeping the little ones away from the door and I text him when I’m ready for food, coffee, more water or any odd request I may have. It’s FABULOUS! I may NEVER get better!
~sigh~ alright, I know that my reality and Dancing days are only a couple of weeks away, but until then, I’m gonna enjoy this pamered life! This Mommy of Many has never experienced anything like it. Whoo Hoo!
Have a great day~
Since I returned from my, VERY FUN, trip it’s been all business! The younger kids were SO happy to have me come home and had a million things to show-and-tell me. It made me realize the wisdom of a friend’s words when he pointed out that I should think about staying a few days away from the house. I hadn’t thought about how the little kids are really on me. I’m always picking them up and they climb into my bed in the middle of the night. Luke-Xavier can be physically demanding (in a very sweet way….of course!). So, I’ve arranged to stay with friends for the first 2 days after surgery. We’ll see how it goes after that. I’ve been so fortunate to have many people offer to help out. This means that I can go in today without worrying how my kids are getting to or from school, what they will be eating or who they will be with. I think that this has all been a beautiful example of how important community really is! It’s also a wonderful example of how life as a military family can work.
Thank you for all the good thoughts and prayers and to everyone who has offered a meal or a hand with the kids. My family and I are truly grateful and thankful!
Have a great day~
This has been quite a week! I thought I was going to have lots of time between scheduling my surgery and actually having the surgery. In the short time between finding out that I will be going in next week and now, I’ve come to realize that the time frame is a blessing in disguise.
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There are times in life when everything just seems to fall into place. This trip to Washington is one of those. My friend, Pilar, and I planned this trip a couple of months ago. When I found out I would be having surgery next week, I thought I should probably cancel the trip. After giving it a little more thought, I realized it was the PERFECT time to get away, have some fun and take some time out for thought and reflection. Yesterday was our FUN time! We went to Seattle and had THE BEST day! It was full of laughter, good food and beautiful scenery. I couldn’t have asked for a better day! Here are a few pics to share-
we had a great lunch at Max’s at the Marketplace
We enjoyed the fish market
We were silly enough to have our picture taken on a big, brass pig
One of the things I really wanted to do in Seattle was to go to the original Starbucks. Heck, I’m at my local Starbucks at least once a day and I felt like I’d be making a pilgrimage.
Today has been a relaxing day with time built in for thought and reflection. I need a little time to make sure I have thought out all the things I wanted to question before I go in for this surgery. I feel very fortunate to have people in my life to make that possible! A thank you to Clay for keeping the kiddos while I got away and a thank you to Pilar for offering me her “sanctuary” as a place to unwind and be a little bit pampered. I’m not so sure how I feel about her making me leave my phone downstairs, though. She was serious when she said I was to relax and reflect!
Tomorrow, I will wrap up my vacation and head home.
Thank you for all the words of encouragement and the kind thoughts and prayers! They are all so appreciated!
Have a great day~
It’s always amazing to me how things fall together!
About 2 months ago, I made plans to go to Washington state to visit my friend, Pilar. When all of my surgery news fell in my lap I thought that I should cancel my trip. But, I now see that it’s the perfect time for me to have a few days away to gather my thoughts and tie up any loose ends.
So, today I am trying to get things in order for my family, pack and go to my pre-op apt. Busy day, but it’s a blessing in disguise because it keeps me from over-thinking. Then, I’ll board the plane and have a few days to really get my head around everything and to make any plans for the kids that haven’t been made. The trip ends up coming at the PERFECT time!
I really appreciate everyone who’s sent messages about their own experiences with hysterectomy. What a great network!
Have a great day~
In the last month I’ve said that the new year was going to bring change to the Lang Clan and that I’d talk about it as we went along. I’ve let you know about Clay’s orders for a year to Iraq. Now it’s time to touch on another subject. I’ve been waiting to talk about this because I wanted more info before I presented it. Now I have the info and dates I need.
For the last few months I’ve been talking to doctors and having ultrasounds and appointments because of endometriosis. It’s something I’ve dealt with since JJ was born,but our children have been close enough together that the symptoms had been curbed. I’ve been on hormone therapy twice, when we had bigger spaces and the symptoms would come back. When I stopped nursing Luke-Xavier, back in August, I noticed that my pain came back. Over the last 5 months everything has picked up rather quickly. After speaking with my doctor and having my options laid out before me, I’ve made the decision to have a hysterectomy. I made this decision based on knowing that Clay is going to be gone for a year, that my symptoms have rapidly gotten worse and knowing that I need to be whole and healthy for myself and my children while I am the primary caregiver. BUT, I thought I would have my appointment yesterday and then have a month or so to prepare myself, emotionally and mentally. Nope! I am having surgery next Tues. That’s right! So much for any preparing or planning! After 20 hours of emotional highs and lows, I am getting my head around it all and can see that sooner is better. With Clay leaving in May, we need to be able to have me recover and feel strong and healthy before we are dealing with all the emotions and paperwork of his leaving.
When I say I’m Doing the Dance, I mean it! There is always some sort of Dance to be done over here!
Since finding out about all of this and getting the word out, I have to say that I am amazingly blessed with the people in my life! I have women from my spouse’s club, women from the neighborhood, women from bible study, women from school and even moms of my older kid’s friends, offering to help. Wow! I know that everything will go as planned and that I will be fine and that my family will be fine. I will take you along the journey with me and let you know how this all plays out. It’s a new phase of my life!
If any of you have had this experience I’d love to hear about it! Please share!
Have a beautiful and blessed day~
Good Morning! It’s Monday and the start of a new week. I’m deciding to be cheery and optimistic about this day and the beginning of this week. Today I have 2 repairmen coming to the house. One for my washing machine and one for the washing machine that housing brought in. ~chuckling and shaking my head~. Sometimes you just have to let it go! When housing brought the machine in, I immediately loaded it up and got started. Everything seemed fine and it ran the whole cycle. But everything was still wet after it spun. So, I spun it out again…..and again. Nope! Everything was still wet. I had a bright idea! My machine was on the back patio and pumping is it’s problem, not spinning. So we plugged it in on the back patio and I drug the wet stuff, in a bucket, to my machine, loaded it up and spun it out, put it back into the bucket and brought it to the laundry room and put it in the dryer. It wasn’t a perfect system, but it was getting the job done. After 4 loads like this, my washer decided it was being used and quit spinning. So, we are facing Monday morning unsure if we have clean uniforms or underwear and there’s nothing I can do about it. BUT, I insist on having a cheery attitude, because after-all, I DO have repairmen coming for each of the machines AND we are safe and warm in our home AND I have plenty of food to pack the kids’ lunches AND my gas tank is full and my car is running perfectly AND my in-laws are visiting after we haven’t seen them in 2 years AND on Thursday I get to take a trip to Washington St. to visit my dear friend, Pilar AND I even got new jeans and new shoes for the occasion. So, it’s time to squash frustration with looking at my blessings and to move forward, into this week with a good and positive attitude.
Are you with me? Let’s go!
Have a great day!
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