My Life in a Nut Shell

3 surgeries for Endometriosis, countless medications, and lots of difficult years trying to conceive. We put the medical stuff on hold and decided to work on being parents instead. In July of 2000 we were blessed beyond all measure with a phone call announcing the birth of our daughter, Megan. Megan's birth mother had given birth the day before and was leaving the hospital. We had no warning that Megan was coming. At 4:29 in the afternoon we were a couple, at 4:30 we were parents. Deciding that we wanted a sibling for Megan, we looked into all our options. This time insurance covered IVF. One round and we were blessed with triplets, Abigail, Brigid, and Caroline. Did you know that there is a 70% chance of divorce in families of Higher Order Multiples? Almost two years after the triplets were born my ex-husband and I separated and eventually divorced. During that time both my Mother and Father passed away from cancer. In February of 2007 my sister came to live with us to help out. In December of 2008 she had to leave so now it is me on my own with the girls. In February 2010, Lisa passed away and finally found her own Peace.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

You actually EAT at your dining room table?

I spent the entire day cleaning house today.  I'm tired.  I need to tackle the upstairs and dining room.  Because you know, I'm going to end up on that damn TV show.  The dining room is overflowing with laundry again.  We can't even use the dining room table to eat because there is so much clean laundry on it.  When I win the lottery I'm getting a super duper high end laundry room with loads of counter space to stack all the clothing on that I never have the time (or energy) to fold.  Just picture the conversation in my house on any given day:

"Mom where's the underwear?"  "Check the dining room table."

"Mom I can't find shorts!!"  "Check the dining room table."

Because of course that is the first place every person looks for clean underwear right?

If you were to come into my house you would notice a few things.  Well other than my unbelievable beauty.  The first thing you would notice is my paperwork run amok.  I suck at keeping it organized.

The second thing you would notice is that none of our laundry is actually in closets or drawers.  It's in baskets and where else?? The dining room table!!!!

I have tried all sorts of methods for keeping laundry organized and haven't been successful with any of them. I tried having the girls help out but after the last few times I had Abby and Brigid help I was finding laundry stashed in all sorts of interesting places.  Like, you know, the linen closet and their drawers.  Not a problem you ask?  Oh yes it is.  I can't seem to put laundry away but I'll be damned if laundry is going to be put away IN THE WRONG DRAWERS.   Why bother putting it away if you can't find it?

Just go to the dining room table.  It's always there.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Last Day of School 2012

I now have a 7th grader and  three 4th graders living in my house.  I can hardly believe it.  It just doesn't seem right that my girls are getting older.  I keep thinking in 2 years I will have a high schooler and middle schoolers.  I'm not ready!   The trio had a celebration at their school today.  There teacher, Mrs. E aka Mrs. Frizzle, is one of THE best teachers out there.  Not only was she Megan's 4th grade teacher, she was also a co-worker.  I've seen her from both sides and there is no one quite like her.

I did not attend anything at Megan's school today.  It seems like with her being in middle school that I am missing out on what is going on.  We've gone from a wonderful school like Field where I know the teachers to a school where I basically know no one.  I miss that connection.

The last day of school in my mind was always just the best day ever.  No homework, no stress, nothing but fun, fun, fun.   My girls went off to school today looking like it was the first day of school at a military base.  Solemn faces, slow walking, quiet.  And weird.   It was a total let down for ME!  I have the opportunity to try and stay home.  I have fun plans for the girls!  Relaxation.  The pool.  Friends.  What the heck is wrong with them?????

I think if it weren't for the homework, my girls would totally love school!  Megan, Caroline, and Brigid are just so damn good at it!!!  Definitely my kids.  (Yes I was great at school.  Why do you think I became a teacher?)  Abby struggles at it but managed to bring up her grades this semester and is almost on grade level.  Her joy of school comes from the oodles and oodles of friends she has.

When they were little and my Dad was still alive (so that puts the girls at 4 and 1) he gave his predictions of what he thought the girls would be like in school.  He had them all pegged right.  He said that Megan would do well no matter what was put in front of her because she was so determined and driven.  He said that when Abby got off the bus she would be surrounded by friends and be the social butterfly.  True.  He said that Brigid would have her own unique group of friends who were smart and somewhat nerdy.  Think Bardstown Rd. and that she would find her own path home from the bus.  He said that Caroline would be the first one off the bus and race home to be with me.  True, true, true, true.  Weird that he could see that when they were so little.

So I am faced with a summer at home with 4 children who seem less than enthusiastic about the prospect.  I even let them stay up to watch the end of America's Next Top Model and So You Think You Can Dance.  Still no excitement.

Yay me.

This may turn out to be a very lllooooonnnnggggg summer.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Back at it

Oddly enough I'm being asked to blog again.  Not exactly sure why.  I often feel like I am a trainwreck of epic proportions.  Perhaps that is why people want to read.  Just to see what crazy things will happen next.  Sometimes I get so damn full of myself that I have to stop blogging and get a handle on myself.  Sometimes there is just so much to blog about I don't know where to start. But let's start with this:

You know that moment of clarity in your life where you know exactly what it is you want to do with your life?  Yeah that hasn't happened yet.  (There ya go Kate.)  I got laid off from my job two weeks ago.  To say that it has shaken me to my core is an understatement.  I devoted so much of my time, energy, and dare I say talent to that place and to have it all end so very quickly has me a bit frazzled.  The long and short of it is the new owners eliminated my position and got rid of management.

So here I sit.

I've had 3 interviews already and am actually sitting back a little bit and trying to decide what I want to do with my life.  No I can't teach for the public school system.  I've quit twice.  Bad life decisions.  I admit that.  In the meantime my teaching certificate has expired and it requires me to back to school to renew it.  That, of course, costs money I don't have.  Plus I LIKE preschool.  Always have.  LOVE the age group.  So I'll continue looking.  Right now I'm going to enjoy the summer with the girls.  I had pushed the girls to the back so to speak in order to devote so much of me to that job.  Now I get to focus on them.   I started back in April with a trip to New Smyrna Beach, Florida.  Why there you ask?   One of my sister's favorite beaches. We let her ashes go on the beach on Easter Sunday at sundown:

After that we swam, relaxed, and basically enjoyed ourselves. Yep.  We made it.

 The view from our room:

 Bingo and Caroline:

 I had time to read Breaking Dawn:


 Megan and Brigid participated in the hula hoop contest:


Abby after the egg hunt:


That's Brigid and Abby with the noodles in the pool and this is the resort we stayed at:

Even the Easter bunny came!  What a way to spend Easter:

Abby on the beach:

Brigid and Megan bodyboarding:

More Brigid and Megan:


Caroline:

Brigid and Caroline climbing on the play equipment after lunch:


It was a wonderful week and I was proud of myself for both having the money to do this and for driving the girls down and back by myself.  I was also proud of the girls for being such great travelers and being such great sports about going down there and having to penny pinch.   We did a lot of dinners at restaurants that had kids eat free deals and then ate in our room which had a full kitchen.

During the 5 months I haven't blogged, pretty much everything has stayed the same.  Well other than getting laid off.  I managed to piss off a couple of friends.  Apparently I am good at that.  A former co-worker once told me I was way to blunt for my own good.  I just have learned in the years since my divorce, to use my voice.  I hate pussyfooting.  Hate it.  I expect to be treated that way too.  Tell me to my face what I'm doing wrong or right.

Oh and for Mother's Day I got a kitten.  So if you are keeping track that is 4 kids and 4 pets.  I think I'll stop for awhile.  Although Ali has pointed out that me being me I'll probably end up with someone dropping off their kid on my doorstep.  And that will be ok.  I've learned in my life that life has a way of working itself out.   I say repeatedly that my faith in God and the Grace He provides me allows me to get through everything. It's been a long amazing journey so far.  Some really bad; mostly good.  I'll keep plugging through.

But for now...I gotta find the inside of this apartment.  It's bordering on hoarders here.