Whew!

Yesterday ended a two week adventure that will sorely be missed.  My brother and the best sister-in-law in the world visited us for an amazing, albeit crazy two weeks.  I'm sure the rest of the family was happy to see me and Jessica separated because when we are together the banter never stops...ever.  It was glorious!!  I mentioned that she was the best sister-in-law in the world, but I really think of her more as a BFF.  I'm just lucky enough to have her in my family so she can never get rid of me!  (insert evil laugh)  We went shopping, out to eat (a lot), to the movies, down to Savannah, to the beach, swimming, oh, and we got tattoos...with my mom!  I never in a million years thought mom would actually go through with it but she did and now she has a daisy on her foot.  She's a rockstar.  I was the only one disappointed with my tattoo, it didn't turn out as I envisioned...nothing ever does.  So now I have plans to consult with another tattoo artist here in Atlanta and get it fixed, eventually.  Andy and Jessica left yesterday and I am bummed.  But, I didn't have too much time to be bummed considering both kids got really sick.  I actually had to take Gabe to the Immediate Med because he was wheezing and had a high fever.  It turns out they both have croup and Gabe has a slight ear infection on top of that.  That makes for a crappy day.  So now we enter day two of sleepless nights tending to two miserable little babies.  I just had to make one of them soup at 11:00 at night.  Thus, the life of a mommy.  Hopefully they will get better soon.  I hate it when my babies are sick.  If they are better in time, I am supposed to be meeting my other BFF, Rachel, in Savannah next week for the big Eclipse and The Last Airbender premier!  YAY!!!  I have been waiting for so long to see these movies!  I can't wait!  I hope the kids are better in time.  I won't be going if they still feel crummy, they do come first after all.  As much as it hurts, Edward can wait for me.  Hope everyone else is having a great summer!

Ask Mellie

I got my first question for the "Ask Mellie" segment of this blog!  Huzzah!  Ok, I'm totally geeking out about this, considering I just actually used the word huzzah.  So here goes!


Dear Mellie,


What is an appropriate response to someone who uses a social networking site like facebook as a platform for be-littling you or one of your family members? There has to be a diplomatic resolution here, right?


Love,


Troubled in Tennessee


Well, Troubled, here is what I see.  There is no room for diplomacy in this situation.  This is family and we always protect our own.  So I see cold-blooded revenge!  I think this person should be exposed in some way.  I see something in a dirty little secret, a closeted skeleton or maybe even an unflattering tape that mysteriously gets "leaked".  But I guess if you want to take the high road...


It's always bothered me that some people take something as positive as facebook and use it as a platform for negativity.  I personally try to never get involved in these online "debates".  But if someone said something negative about one of my friends or family members, I certainly couldn't just sit by and let it go.  I wouldn't say anything to this person publically but I would send them a private message acknowledging their right to their opinion but that's it's not appreciated when it's belittling someone, family or not, especially in such a public way.  They need to know that their carelessness has hurt you and I'm sure whoever their words were aimed at as well.  Some people just don't think about consequences of their actions most times and maybe you speaking up and letting them know how it has affected you will ring a bell.  Maybe not, but at least now they know that their hurtful actions haven't gone unnoticed.  Most importantly, don't sink to their level and engage in a public, online argument.  It won't look good for any of you.  But then there's always the route of revenge.  If you need someone to drive the getaway car, let me know...I'm so there.

Rambling

Do you ever find yourself apologizing to someone for the way you look?  Is it so bad that I came out of the house without make-up, two day hair in a bun and wearing yoga pants, that I actually feel the need to apologize for inflicting my appearance on your senstive eyes?  The truth is the person I'm apologizing to probably doesn't care, didn't notice in the first place but now that I've brought attention to it notices I'm disheveled and now thinks I'm a little crazy.  The truth is I apologized because I was offended at how I looked, but it seems that I have just given up.  I think deployments do that to you or maybe it's kids or some diabolical combination of both.  Who am I trying to impress?  My kids are the only ones who see me all the time and I assure you, they don't care what I'm wearing as long as they get their milk in the mornings.  My husband is gone, so who exactley should I get dolled up for?  My grandmother always told me "never leave the house withouth make-up, even if you're just going to the grocery store, because you never know who you will run into".  Good advice, I just don't care.  I don't have the energy to care.  Day after day of doing the same thing, fighting the same battles and feeling the same way start to affect your joi de vive.  Days start bleeding into each other and before I know it, it's Wednesday and I haven't washed my hair in two days.  It's easy to fall victim to the demands of kids.  I can't be alone in the bathroom at any time, let alone trying to take a shower.  Kids are running through the house destoying everything in their path, or they're in the bathroom with me opening the shower door, climbing on the sink and making a waterfall with the faucet or something else that I will ultimately have to repair.  So the only safe time to shower is at night if I'm not too exhausted.  It spirals downward from there.  If I can't find a good time to shower, when the heck am I going to fix my hair and put on make up?  It just doesn't seem realistic.  But here's the thing, I always feel a little better when I look somewhat put together.  I am more confident and dare I say it?  Pleasant.  So maybe it's time the pity train left the station and I put a bit more effort into my appearance.  I'm not giving up my stretchy pants all together just yet, but will at least be putting other clothes into the rotation. 


Now on to the other deployment related topic.  Sorry if this all seems random, but that's kinda how my mind works.  I'm scattered.  Why is it that I sleep so much better on the sofa than in my bed?  My theory?  On the sofa you can snuggle up to the back and it feels secure, like when your husband is in bed with you.  When you try to sleep in an empty bed after having someone to snuggle with for so long, it can be difficult.  It's why most wives that I know have trouble sleeping...not the only reason, but the most prominent one.  In the bed alone with your back exposed, it just feels...vulnerable.  Sleeping on the sofa may ease that need some, but it has it's drawbacks.  The sharp pains shooting down my leg and up my spine for one.  It's not great for the back.  But, hey, you get a little, you give a little, right?  I must be crazy because I just described a marriage in talking about my relationship with my sofa.  So I guess there's the lesson...deployments make you a little crazy, roll with it!

And they keep on coming...

So today Gracie gave her very first talk in church.  When they handed me the slip last week asking her to give the talk and the topic it was on, I admittedly rolled my eyes.  All I could think about was first, having to write the talk, second, having to get Gracie to cooperate and give the talk.  She isn't exactley a very cooperative child and she is HIGH energy so getting her to sit/stand still is next to impossible.  So it's safe to say, I was dreading it.  So last night in true procrastinator fashion I started writing her talk at 1:00 a.m.  I actually found some last minute inspiration and I think turned out a pretty good talk that was short, sweet and to the point.  When we get to church today it's Fast Sunday and everyone was getting up and going to the front to bear their testimonies.  Gracie thought this was when she was supposed to be giving her talk and kept asking when it was her turn.  She certainly isn't shy in front of a crowd!  We get to primary and she is squirmy, as usual, and I start having flashes of her whining and refusing to talk.  I asked Dad to help her with it so I could snap a few pictures for Mike on my phone.  Her turn came and she hopped up to the podium and with a little help from Dad she nailed it.  I was stunned and more than proud of her.  Even her teacher had tears in her eyes when she was done.  This child is going to be someone important.  She can captivate an audience at age 4!  Ok, that's the proud Mama talking, but hey, I think I'm entitled today!  Between Mike's promotion and Gracie's talk today, I don't think it's possible for anyone to be more proud than me.  Happy Days!!

Little Things

Today was such a good day, aside from the snake incident...which I do not want to discuss.  I'm done with animals for a while.  What made it good was that tonight I got to talk to Mike, not on the computer and not an attempt to talk while the connection fades in and out and eventually drops the call.  This was a 30 minute conversation, clear as day and never dropped.  It was like he was down the hall!  I sent him a Magic Jack in his last box and I am SO happy that it is working like a charm.  I haven't heard his voice in so long.  I got so wrapped up in trying to distract and occupy myself that I didn't realize how much I missed hearing his voice and actually getting to talk to him.  It was so nice.  It was like talking to him before he left, we picked up right where we left off.  I also didn't realize how much I had to tell him!  There is only so much you can type in an instant message and there was a lot I hadn't gotten to tell him yet.  But my stuff was insignificant to his news!  He told me that yesterday he went before the promotion board and was recommended for a promotion!!!  I didn't even know he was going before the board or anything!  He's sneaky like that.  I'm so proud of him, like puffed up like a peacock proud!  I knew he would do well if he ever went to the board, but convincing him of that is a totally different story.  For some reason he doesn't believe that he's good at anything (unless he's telling me how to do something, then he's always the expert, of course).  He doesn't feel like he's worthy of praise or accolades.  I guess it comes from years of bad luck and a hard life.  However, I know him.  I know that he excels at anything he cares about and that he is a proud man.  He cares what people think of him and the job he does, which is why he always throws his heart into every task that he performs.  He also cares about the people around him.  He is fiercely loyal and a hero in every sense of the word.  He deserves this.  I've always been proud of him, even when he makes me so mad I could spit.  But right now, I'm just beaming!  Set me on the coast line and I will lead the ships to safety!  I love you Mike. 

Wild Kingdom

Who would've thought that there is a jungle in the middle of Sugar Hill, GA.  In fact, a jungle in my back yard and now it's creeping indoors.  It's no surprise to me.  I've been here before.  Mom's cat, Dusty, is quite the avid hunter, but unlike other, normal cats, she doesn't kill her prey, she brings it into the house, alive and very well.  Why?  Why can't she be like other cats and just leave her gift on the doorstep so it can be disposed of properly?  No.  This cat has to bring it inside as a play toy.  Only for some reason she seems to lose interest after it crosses the threshold and now it's my problem.  We've had birds, squirrels and more often...chipmunks.  None of these critters are maneaters by any means, but they may as well be as far as I'm concerned.  It's a woodland creature that belongs outside...NOT in my house.  Normally I can catch them fairly quickly because I know as soon as she's brought it inside.  However there are instances when she will bring the unwitting creature in the house at night when we are none the wiser.  This is the case today.  Dusty brought a little chippie inside while no one was looking.  Coincidentally I think it's the same chipmunk from the other day that Dusty brought inside and scared him so bad he dropped the load of birdseed he was storing in his cheeks all over the kitchen floor.  He was released back into the wild, but apparently wasn't smart enough to run away.  So as I was heading down the stairs to put the kids down for a nap, I see a small dark figure race across the stairway.  Oh, great.  So I'm going to break it down for you in days, yes, days.


Chipapalooza Day 1


I hurried down the stairs instructing the kids to stay upstairs so they wouldn't risk coming in contact with the creature, which of course didn't happen.  I chased it for a few minutes with no luck and realized that chasing it wasn't going to work.  Especially with Gracie flipping out and arming herself at the top of the stairs with a box top.  Gabe, however, was on the floor with me looking under things and just wanted to climb into the trap I just set.  So I finally get the kids to lay down after A LOT of coercing.  I then sit and wait because the trap I've set requires the animal to weigh so much in order to trip the trap door and I know the little chipmunk won't weigh enough, so I will have to trip the trap myself.  So minutes pass by and no chipmunk.  Then I hear something like a faint scratching sound.  I stop and listen and sure enough there is a scratching sound coming from the other side of Gabe's door...it's in his room!  I opened the door and found it in his closet, I chased it out and it ran under his bed.  So I ran over with my stick and tried to chase it out from under the bed.  Gabe is a little sleeping angel in his bed, unaware of the battle raging around him.  I'm trying to be as quiet as possible and had to stifle a yelp when the chipmunk runs out from under the bed between my feet and out the door.  I shut the door behind me and searched for a few more minutes but found nothing...he's good, he's really good.  I called Mom and she suggested I put Curly (Mom's poodle) on the trail, because she is normally an excellent tracker.  I pluck Curly out of her bed and carry her downstairs and set her right on top of the fresh trail.  She stands there, then looks up at me as if to say "you interrupted my nap for this?", and then bounds right back up the stairs.  Thanks, Curly, you were a huge help.  So I try to go about my day but now I've developed the shifty eyes of cat burglar and am constantly looking at the floor waiting for something to jump out at my feet.  Every noise is freaking me out.  The dishwasher made me jump a foot out of my chair.  I'm waiting for Dad to get home, because he's the critter catcher.  At this point I'm really missing Mike, because he would have been like a bloodhound on the fox trail and would have come up with some ingenius plan to capture him.  So Dad gets home and sets to work.  At first he didn't see anything but after a while he caught sight and the chase was on.  He called me down to help him and of course, my little shadow Gabe wanted to follow.  I tried to get Gabe back upstairs, because I didn't want him in the line of fire, but he started screaming and that got Gracie started screaming.  So there were two kids screaming upstairs, traumatized, while Dad and I are literally tearing my house apart chasing this little devil back and forth, getting so close and then missing.  Couches are overturned, pillows thrown everywhere and boxes stacked waist high at every exit trying to close him in.  He ran between my feet several times and I screamed like a girl, I hate to admit.  We are getting tired and I start debating whether or not to just give up, name the chipmunk Scrappy and declare it a member of the family.  Since Scrappy has effectively escaped and hidden...again, we give up for the night and I went to the store to buy glue boards to capture him.  I set up the glue boards in various locations and tried to relax enough to go to sleep, wondering the whole time if Scrappy is scurrying around below me.


P.S.  While all this other nonsense is going on, I hear yet another critter, probably a possum, in the ceiling downstairs.  So Dad sets the trap up and I caught it.  Now I have to listen to the possum banging around in the trap in the ceiling all night until Dad can get it down in the morning.  It was a long, long night.


Chipapalooza Day 2


I wake up to immediatley check the traps.  The kids are still asleep, which is unheard of with my children, but after the traumatic events of the night before and the delayed bedtime resulting, I wasn't too surprised.  All the traps were empty, but one trap had moved and upon further inspection had several tufts of brown fur on it.  Ouch.  He managed to get out of the sticky trap.  I get the kids upstairs and eating their breakfast and go back down to check the traps again.  Another trap had moved and yet more brown fur was found.  That's two traps he's escaped.  Somewhere in my basement is a frantic, ticked off chipmunk with a couple of bald spots.  This can't be good.  Rufus runs around sniffing randomly like he is trying to track Scrappy but he's just that kid in class reading a comic book behind "War and Peace"...a big faker.  I call Animal Control, who say it's wildlife and therefore not their problem and to call a pest control company.  So I call a pest control company to ask how much that is going to cost and the guy basically says all he would do is trap it the same way I am only I need to use bigger glue boards or the old fashioned spring traps.  Now, at first I only wanted to catch the little bugger and release him unharmed.  But at this point my nerves are fried and he had his chance at life.  However, I do not have the heart to use the spring trap so I plan on buying the bigger glue board on my way home from dinner with my grandparents.  But in the meantime I come up with the brilliant plan to put all four of the sticky boards in a box with birdseed in it.  Scrappy's gotta be hungry right?  So we get home from dinner and I check my homemade trap.  There's sticky boards everywhere and as we checked the last one, Scrappy pops out and scurries away into my closet room.  This is it...the final battle.  It's "Scrappy's Last Stand" and I will fight to the death.  I built a "funnel" and opened the door hoping to chase it outside.  Dad goes into the closet and he's disappeared again.  Finally Dad looks in a basket with some clothes in it and lifts up a pair of pants on top and sees a hat underneath that, only this hat is moving.  Clever little fella.  Dad takes the basket outside and Scrappy runs free!!!  I thought it was never going to end.  At last, I will have a critter free night and Scrappy was able to escape, unharmed.  But I don't ever want to see him around here again...ever. 


In conclusion...threat eliminated.  I'm SO over animals for a while.