Hello There!

Yep, I've been very busy.

Charlie has been feeling ill for a couple of months. He FINALLY went to the doctor yesterday. They said he needs to see an Allergist. They also said his blood pressure was WAY TO HIGH for someone as skinny as he is. What the hell does THAT mean? Anyway, they made him wear a blood pressure cuff all day and all night. He took it back this morning, and when they read it, they called and told him he needed to do 3 things... 1. avoid salt (easy enough), 2. exercise (maybe he'll join me), 3. avoid stress for 3 months... I know what you're thinking, because I'm thinking it too... he needs to get his affairs in order because he's a dead man. Anyway, he goes back to the doctor in 3 months and if his blood pressure is still high, they will put him on medication.

This has been a little bit of "Hell Week" for Tabitha. She woke up Sunday morning with yet another allergic reaction on her face. It looked like poison ivy on her eyes. Yes... it was gross! But that afternoon was her first Karnival (group of kids sign up to go to two gatherings during the school year hosted by parents of the kids). So, by the time we left the house she had taken 4 Benadryl tablets... and discovered concealer. She had a pretty good time. I stayed and chaperoned so I wouldn't have to drive so far back and forth (bfe Mansfield). She took two more Benadryl tablets before going to bed. Monday morning, her right eye was so swollen that her bottom eyelashes were imbedded in her skin. Some of the red bumps had white crusts on them. Needless, to say, I kept her home from school and took her to the doctor. Guess what? The doctor said she needs to see an Allergist. Sound familiar? The doctor gave her a prescription and a note for school (thank God). She had cheer practice for Homecoming from 3:30 to 5:30 that afternoon (you miss school... okay, you miss cheer practice... you don't cheer). She didn't want to get hot and sweaty because she was afraid the bumps might flare up again on her eyes, so she told her sponsor she needed to take it easy. She didn't get a comforting response from her sponsor. (You know how Tabitha reacted to that.) Oh, and did I tell you she didn't have a top for Homecoming yet? She decided she could wear the top she bought in San Marcos... that is strapless. Strapless or less that two finger width straps are against AISD policy. So, we spent the rest of the evening hunting for ribbon to sew onto the shirt that would match... yeah, that was fun. The next day she went to school. The rash looked better, but still pretty bad. Another cheer practice for Homecoming from 3:30 to 5:00, followed by regular tumbling class from 6:00 to 7:00. "Oh, and can we fix my shirt tonight?" No. Wednesday brought mandatory Homecoming practice after school, at school, until 4:45. When I picked her up she said all the sponsors did was yell at them and not try to help them at all. We pinned her shirt with the straps and Charlie sewed them on for her. It looks pretty good. I'll post a picture after Homecoming. Today is Thursday. She is at the football game cheering her little heart out in front of all the parents and her dad. Homecoming is tomorrow... pray for us all!

Michael has been coming home with notes from the teacher just about every day. The notes always say he's talking, and he always says, "It wasn't me.". Who do I believe??? Anyway, it has had such an ill effect on him that he's coming home angry, throwing stuff around and wanting to be home schooled. I had been letting it slide, but I finally wrote a note to the teacher. First of all, he has already asked her to move him to another table because the other kids are disruptive and he can't hear her and doesn't understand the lesson. She moved him today... after I sent the note. Secondly, I explained to her that Michael believes she hates him and that if she continued to push him regarding any disciplinary action on a consistent basis (every day), it would undermine all the therapy he has been through already. We didn't get a note home about him talking today. Amazing. Michael has started a tumbling class at the gym where Tabitha takes tumbling. He is doing really well. His coach is funny and that helps a lot.

Now me... I have got to get this school directory finished by the end of October. I have to have it published and in the mail to Texas PTA by November 15th. Nevermind that my hard drive is crashing (Dell sent me a new one and is waiting for me to call for installation instructions), and all the files are on my hard drive. Nevermind the constant chaos in my everyday life. I spent last Monday through Thursday in constant panic mode and crying at the drop of a hat. I had an appointment with my nutritionist this past Monday and she said, "Good, you're ready for the next phase. You're detox is over, and now you know how to eat for your body. Now you're showing signs of fatigued adrenals." WTF??? So, I now have a new pill, a new liquid and a new book to read on the way. Also, I got her cell in case I feel like I'm going insane again so she can assure me she knows what is happening and tell me how to fix it.

Monday morning my dad, brother, sister, and I are going to Moody to bury my grandmother's ashes. It has been almost a year since she passed away, but the funeral home has not been cooperative. We didn't want to bury her ashes until the headstone was engraved. I received a picture of the finished product July 31st. I started calling to arrange the burial, but no one would call me back. My dad finally called them every two hours, several days in a row until they let him schedule it. Send a prayer with us Monday morning.