The Humble And The Pie

I'm not even sure who had their fare share of that serving either.

It's been interesting.

4 rounds of the chiropractor and 1 rib is being rather stubborn. Can't say I don't have a stubborn bone in my body. Har-de-har-har!

Then again, this isn't surprising anyone. Except me because this is pain on a whole different level where I find myself just whimpering from it. No pain meds takes away the pain. I think I have frostbite on my back from all the ice packs. While it is getting better, it's hard to just have constant pain. I'm not sleeping too well because it's hard to find a position that doesn't hurt. And it sucks because I've had to just sit and not do anything because I can't.

Did I mention this has been a rather crazy busy week? Oh that's right, I haven't been able to blog because sitting at the computer hurts as well.

Long pause as stream of profanity drips off my lips.

What can I say other than not a happy camper right now. We have had some crazy crap going on. Shoulder - owie. And it's my right shoulder and what luck! I'm right handed! So going to do anything hurts really bad. Plus I've had the email to this blog hacked, I've had some weirdos try to friend me on facebook, and auntie flo just came screeching in for a visit.

Some of the humble pie is I can't do squat so the guys are having to step up in a lot of ways. While this is good for them, I find I would rather do it myself. For instance, ironing. Nicholas and Michael love button down shirts. They tend to get a bit irritated with me that I don't get the ironing done right away. House slave doesn't move fast enough for their liking.

Let the pie eating contest begin.

They both had a pile of shirts. I did one shirt as the demo, telling them how and the why and then sat down to talk them threw the rest of the shirts. Oh my freaking gosh! Nicholas didn't want to listen to anything I had to say which was no shock. But then when he had to do it, he found out it was harder than what he thought. Dude's tune changed right quick and said I made it look way too easy. He even said he has a whole new appreciation for me.

He almost had to help me off the floor after that comment.

Michael on the other hand, wouldn't do anything until he had all the steps down and then very methodically attended to each shirt. I was even able to tell him how to do some extra tips that work for me and he did it like a pro. But he took a lot longer to get it done. Nicholas has the speed but Michael has the accuracy.

And then there was Jared, who had nothing to iron. He popped his head in and said, "and that's why you have a woman around to do that for you."

I was going to slipper slap him, but my shoulder hurt too bad and he was able to dodge it when I threw it at him. Little twerp! But later that day he was goofing off around his bed and ended up slamming into it with his face and has a nasty bruise on his cheek. The guys were quick to say paybacks for that comment.

The very next day, his computer dies. The one that has all his school stuff on it. He is overjoyed with happiness while I'm having to scramble to get him to do something. He gets bored way too easy and then he pesters everyone else as a form of entertainment. I thought about duct taping his butt to his bed but I'm pretty sure he would just chew through the restraints.

But just think of the quiet time I could have!

Last week Hubby flew to Houston and passed all his tests. And by passed he got 90s or higher all across the board. So Mr. IV technician had me watch a YouTube clip of how to do step 1 and now I am skert that I are too dumb to own a pencil.

Seriously? Well isn't that special? As if I don't have that feeling on a regular basis as it is but now we have to start listing all the categories as well? This is going to be one long freaking list!

So we got through all that only to have him come home and land back in unemployment. Yippy-skippy. But we have started packing and dude is a genius and just takes smooshing things into boxes to a whole new level of how do you come up with that? Makes my head spin because me? Can't find her way out of a wet paper bag let alone try to pack it.

Oddly enough, we're actually getting excited by packing. Seeings how we have no idea where we are moving too, I'm starting to get concerned that this is a sign of denial. But at least we are feeling the happy. Pretty weird feeling if you ask me.

On A Totally Different Note....

I am not a fan of the 12 year old stage. I was going through my old blog posts - so old I had to blow the dust off of it. Way back to when the twins were at this age.

Ah yes, that explains all the cussing. Possibly where the eye twitch started as well.

Angst? Times 2? Why yes, yes it was. And the cloud of stupid showed up because I am a firm believer that all males are stupid. Before the guys toss things at me, all females are crazy. Crazy as a loon. Probably driven to that state by some form of stupidness.

So mah baby is now in the throws of angst and stupid, of emotions crazier than my own, and all kinds of resistance to school, soap, and brushes of any kind. Probably in that order too. After reading the angst posts of yore, I am not totally encouraged. In a way, yes, because I NOW know what I'm dealing with. But I also know this is going to take time. Time for him to get over himself but hopefully his brothers have matured that they can back off.

If that fails, I've reminded them how they were at this age and my how fast that shuts them up. If they don't shut up, I read a post and they just look at me sputtering with more angst at how dare I write that about them??? When I told them I could have just gone to therapy and cut our grocery bill in half, the tune was changed and muttering came to a slight pause.

I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid.

But for the record - not a fan of this stage! Past few days haven't been too pleasant with him. And true to form of any baby of any family, he knows how to press buttons and isn't afraid to use it.

If you need me, I will be rocking myself in the corner trying to convince myself that this too shall pass.......................eventually.

Let Me Try To Explain

Guess I should back up an answer a few questions I got. Yeah I know, bitter against my folks was an understatement. So you want to know what has changed?

Prepare to get comfy. I am going to give this the fast, fast version as best as I can.

Okay, I have been taught that when we repent for our sins, the Blood of Jesus wipes out the sin - and it does. I have no doubt that repenting changes things. However, my experience has been that no matter how many times I've repented, the pain is still there, the problem hasn't gone away. I had always heard to just get over it, pretend that those feelings don't exist, and just move on. Which I have tried and usually end up failing miserably.

As my blog has sadly shown.

My cousin had me borrow some teaching tapes and rather than get people's dander up over the person, I'll just give you a highlight and if you are interested about more - you know how to get a hold of me. She does a much better job explaining it and there are little pod casts on the media part of her website that explains a small portion of it.

So she was talking about soul wounds. Ever been through a traumatic experience? Find it hard to just get over it? There are a couple online bible resources like bible-gateway etc and do a bible search on soul wounds. Sin is what causes soul wounds - either we've sinned against ourselves OR someone has sinned against us. 1st off - repent and/or forgive. Unfortunately, I find myself having to do both because that whole unforgiveness thing is a sin.

And the hits just keep on coming.

I've always heard we're to plead the Blood of Jesus as this wipes out the sin factor. BUT I've never heard anyone really say how to get the wound healed. Next we're to apply the Light of Jesus to the wound. Do another bible search on the Light, or Glory Light. Interesting. All right there - never heard it taught. Just as there are elements to communion - juice for the blood and cracker for the body - there is more to Jesus than just the Blood. Not taking anything from it just saying there is more.

Soul wounds can give the demonic realm legal right to torment us. However, get the soul wound healed the demonic has to leave. We don't wrestling with flesh and blood but principalities and rulers of the air.

So regarding my folks - spent a lot of time pleading the Blood of Jesus AND applying the Light of Jesus to the wound. Results? Emotions got healed quickly, I had no problem being around them, was able to bless them, the couple digs that were tossed my way didn't even phase me, and would love to go back and bless them some more.

This? Coming from ME?? I KNOW!!!

It's been interesting to say the least. We've had crazy whack-a-doodle stuff been happening for the last couple weeks. Everything from the truck, to my ribs, to my phone battery died while down in Indiana. Came home in biblical proportion of rain that was supposed to freeze over but thankfully didn't.

The icing on this crazy cake was Thursday. All I can say is thank God I have been doing this to other wounds.

Remember the woman I sent the gift card to? Took the boys to a youth thing and her daughter was the speaker. Found out the night before when I went to get directions. Crap! Times extra crap! I was taking some other kids with us so I couldn't back out. Extra, extra crap!

Sure as I'm sitting here, saw the woman and she saw me. I had no negative emotions towards her verses the wall of venom that was sent back at me was strong enough to blow my hair back! I had wondered if I was really healed and how I would react running into someone who hates my guts. Would I behave? Would I cluck like the chicken I can be, OR would I go all crazy and just cut her down to size? I've been known to do both. So I was surprised that I wasn't feeling anything at all. Thrilled even. But I caught that thought fast and was even willing to go speak to her just to tell her that her daughter did a good job. Thankfully, I was spared doing that because wall-o-venom was not that inviting. But for me to be willing? HUGE!

I was sad, though, that here her daughter had this whole message about loving the unlovable and to go speak to people we normally find annoying. Yet when her eyes met my son's eyes, she completely blew him off. Chance to walk out her message and doesn't back it up. She lost all credibility with him and when he was asked what he thought of her message later - he said exactly that. That's not me poisoning my kid's opinion - that's their own actions not lining up with their words. I told the boys I was sorry they were treated like that simply because of me. He said he weren't surprised by it as that's how she's treated them in the past.

Still.... not cool.

However, if they want to limit themselves with God, they can keep on treating people like crap - that's their problem, not mine.

You can't go through this life without taking hits to your soul. And the wounds don't seem to understand time, nor lessen as it marches on. Jesus can heal it! Jesus heals emotions that are raw, yucky, and painful. I don't know about you, but I got a life to get on with and I don't have time for this junk to be slowing me down.

Like I said - epic.things.going.on.

Did I Say Bumpy?

What I should have said was bend over, grasp ankles firmly, and smooch the tooshie good-bye! This week has been so crazy. Like beyond bizarre and crazy.

Last week got a call that Hubby's truck broke down. Had to go flying out to the middle of no where, get him, and then raced to get the boys to practice on time. It was an ouchie of a payment too. Speaking of ouchie - my arm and shoulder have been in so much pain, I haven't been able to blog anything. Hurt too much to sit at the computer. Thanks to a crazy week, I just went to see the chiropractor today - 2 ribs out of place.

Whee.

I'm still in a bit of pain and have to go get readjusted next week.

Saturday we got to help out a friend. Always cool. Monday the van needed to get a back drum grounded down or something. Wasn't that expensive and now I can brake without it rattling my teeth out.

Tuesday, I loaded up Jared and went and saw my folks. Took my mom shopping, spent more money than what I was planning but it was actually fun. It really surprised my mom, my dad went on and on....and on, about how I have honored my mother etc.

Still have fingers crossed that they don't know about this blog.

Tell ya - it was a trip. After all the junk, it was really amazing to just be the hand of God. I can say that AFTER the huge wrestling match of surrendering my will, my hurt, my emotions. Seriously going to take me a whole different blog post to try and put it into words. Epic.

Got to see a cousin while down there. She just had a baby girl a couple weeks ago. And now we all take a collective sigh of baby wonderfulness - s-i-g-h! Jared was just smitten with her. He went on and on about how cute she was. Sort of surprised because he's the baby of our clan and I have wondered how well he would have handled it if he weren't the baby. But dude is still gushing over the cuteness of that baby girl. Go figure.

Lots more going on but my arm is starting to throb so I'll have to blog more later.

Well That Was Fast

And now I feel rather silly. You may be asking what could make me feel silly other than me taking in air? Or maybe you were thinking I was only having a moment of silly, which I would then ask if you even know me. Then again, you may just be thinking get to the freaking point you long winded freak.

Yeah, I'm thinking it's the 3rd option.

And on a side note I feel all weird calling Fred - Fred instead of Hubs. I may go back just for the sake of sameness. I'll see how the fingers type it out and just go with it. Which means don't be surprised if I use both.

Moving on -

Lots of changes for the clan of bugville. Lots of prayers, a whole lot of hurry up and wait, and feeling at peace even though there are elements of stress. Wait, I just described life in a nutshell. Let me explain - there's not enough time.

A couple years ago Fred had a dream to move to a different state and we were all yes! let us go forth and blow this popsicle stand. Then when we started to figure it out and tried to plan, nothing panned out. A year-ish goes by and it seems like the whole thing was just a chili dream after all. But one thing was certain, we are to leave this state. I think if I ask God one more time, "are ya sure?" He's going to fry me on the spot. Since I don't tan well, I think I will bypass the frying.

Turns out pharm techs need state license especially if they want to work in a hospital which Fred is aiming for. And by aiming I mean he's flying down to Texas in a couple weeks to get trained and certified to mix IVs.

That noise? Um, that's just one, or both, of us slightly screaming at all the freaking out. Dude is totally prepared for this. He's studied, he's passed the tests, it's just getting down there and doing it all. And after looking at some of this stuff, I felt like the dumbest person to own a pencil. After listening to him rattle this stuff off, and he totally understands it, I smacked dude upside the head for not going after this stuff years ago.

My hand still hurts.

So to get back to the whole title. Turns out those state licenses vary by state. Lots of jobs in Texas but charge $75 plus another $40 for a background check. Arkansas was the original state we were aiming at but want $65 plus the background. Verses Indiana who only wanted $25 plus the background check. Not to mention what it would cost to rent a u-haul and expenses equaled up to no freaking way can we afford to move there. Indiana is the winner! And so long as we don't live in the same city as my folks, we are all on board.

This meant last Saturday Fred had to go get fingerprinted. I would like to point out I found it totally messed up I gave him pointers on how to get fingerprinted. I would also like to point out I spent a few days freaking out thinking my messed up family somehow tainted dude's squeaky clean record. He had to point out my record is squeaky clean too as I was never charged in my parents' fiasco of fighting the law and losing big time.

But still....paranoia runs deep with my family.

I was just lamenting about this over dinner. I pointed out all my failed attempts to join the witness protection program and I how my blog got flagged once or 20 times. Surely we were on someone's list of people to keep an eye on. Dramatic - I can be.

We were at the store when Fred got a notice he's approved and got his license. Well okay then. But then I sputtered it was supposed to take 4 weeks! About this time I started to think of about 500 things all at once. I was later told I let out a noise that sounded like a duck being strangled. I started to ask how would they know but thought better of it.

See? I can learn. Sort of.

I was going over things with the guys and I said this is going to be some serious crazy mcdazy few weeks. And then they all laughed at me. You would think after all the made-up words I've pulled they would be used to it. You would be wrong.

The snafu in this scenario is that the boys' stuff doesn't end until middle of April. So they are freaking out telling their dad not to get a new job until then. BUT we have to be out by middle of June.

No pressure. None whatsoever. I live on the edge. I eat this stress for breakfast. Holy $*^^$@$#@#$%&!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Buckle up riders, this is going to be a bumpy ride!

So Sad

I know I get teased by the guys that y'all are my imaginary friends, but for me I've gotten to know some sweet people. People I would never have had the opportunity to get to know on any level. It is with a sad heart to know that Dianne went home to be with Jesus yesterday. She was battling cancer. Another dear woman claimed by an ugly disease.

While I can rest knowing she is in a better place, it doesn't take away the pain of the void she's left behind. Praying for her family and friends.

Hug some of your peeps today. We're not promised tomorrow.

Rotten Rodents!

I am not a fan of the rodent clan. We've had issues. Lots of issues. But this took the cake in the squirrel department.

For months Jared has been freaking out insisting that there was a squirrel loose upstairs. His computer and school stuff is right near the stairs and he is convinced the squirrel is going to come down the stairs or run all willy-nilly through the upstairs.

Granted, we've had bat issues as well. But I just wasn't buying it that a squirrel was actually in the living area. We know they're in the walls as we can hear them. I kept reassuring him that it's not in the area near the bathroom upstairs but it was in between the ceiling and floor.

Turns out I was waaay wrong.

Jared was doing what Jared does best and that is to freak out. This is my child after all and freaking + out is what I tend to be all about. Now I want to do the hokey-pokey and ponder if that really IS what it's all about.

Anyhoo, freaked out kid. Sent Nicholas to go upstairs and stomp around to see if it would shut the squirrel up because it sounded like it was either training for a marathon, or it was trying out for the ballet. Might have been a tie.

Nicholas came quickly back downstairs to inform me that yes there really is a squirrel upstairs and it peeked it's head out to stare at him near where his keyboard is. Whoopsies. Too bad Jared overheard this because I got to hear I TOLD YOU SOOOO for the next 10 minutes.

Again, this is my child so I don't even bat an eyelash.

Lucky me, I had to go investigate. But I had 2 teenagers right behind me that were suddenly armed with knives, brooms, and a plastic bag.

I will so give their dad credit - they were prepared. I'm not exactly sure for what, but they were prepared for whatever was going to go down.

The only upside to this was the squirrel was rather cute looking and it didn't freak me out to the degree that the bats do. However, the love of his cuteness ended when it charged at me. Me, who channeled her inner 2 year old, managed to scream AND smacked the thing in mid-air with a broom all at the same time. I don't think I have ever been that coordinated in my life.

I was applauded by my posse saying way to connect.

You know it's moments like this that I feel that life has somehow totally lied to me and was playing a huge joke because ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME????

Skippy then decided to crawl up the shelves and start to jump from wall to wall only to slam into the wall and slide down with a dazed and confused look on it's face. If I wasn't afraid of it charging me and mauling my face off, I would have been on the floor, panting for air from laughing so hard.

But I think I ticked him off because then he dove at me again. Chivalry is not dead! Because Nicholas jumped in to save his momma and smacked the sucker with his own broom. Michael leaped around me and had a mop and was going to pin the thing and I'll leave off what he suggested they do next.

Skippy fearing for his life, jumped out of the way at the last second and flew faster than any rodent I have ever seen move. Then again, I can't say as I've observed a lot of rodent movement as I would be too busy screaming to give a fair judgement of the speed it was going.

I had posted a little bit of this on Facebook. I'm still laughing that a friend put "Take the high ground and never surrender!!" I responded that since it's upstairs, it took the higher ground so we're screwed!

After about a few minutes of us not having any luck. I suggested we all go downstairs and let the thing make a beeline out of the house. Sure enough about 15 minutes later it made a mad dash to it's exit. Just wished I knew where that is so it can get sealed up right quick.

Crazy, crazy day. I've had people tell me I will grieve when we have to move out of the house. I'm not so sure about that. I mean yes, there is a part of me that is sad but there are a lot of issues with this house and I'm actually okay with leaving them behind. Once we're settled somewhere I'll be able to just take a deep breath. It's been a lot of years of a lot of unknown. I'm not a fan of unknown. Or squirrels. Or bats for that matter. Or for freezing all.the.time in this drafty house.

Is it wrong that my daily prayer is for the next place to be rodent free?

And what happy day! When Fred heard about all this, he came home with these hurkin rat traps. My eyes may have rolled back into my head, and I'm pretty sure the room spun. It was like a mouse trap on crack, hopped up on energy drinks. Oh my freaking gosh this can't be good!

I now have this mental picture playing through my head of the squirrel tearing all through the house all tangled up in this thing, bleeding all over the place, and squeaking in pain while Jared and I scream right along with it, and Michael whipping out a machete to chop it's head off while Nicholas cleans up the mess.

I bet that was an accurate play on a hypothetical scenario.

I'm still trying to figure out how I got stuck living out an Over The Hedge nightmare.