Saturday, August 29, 2009

Back to School

I think Back to School needs to quit masquerading and identify itself as the excessively materialistic holiday season that it is. Every year it seems like I spend as much in the two weeks leading up to the first day of school as I do for Christmas. All the ads come out right after July 4th, and it's like I get sucked into a vortex of plaid Jansports and new Chuck Taylor's. Then there's the ASB cards, sports fees--and we haven't even begun getting pens and paper! Fortunately, most of the Sullivan children are gainfully employed, and are therefore buying their own Chuck Taylor's. And, fortunately, Annie hasn't asked for a plaid Jansport--yet.

The upside, of course, is that law and order is about to return to our house. The lazy days of sleeping in are almost gone and in their place will be children walking out the door at dark-thirty looking like zombies. I will make my annual resolution to get up early and fix them a healthy breakfast like oatmeal, or bacon and eggs, which will last approximately one and half mornings, after which they will return to their staple diet of pop tarts and Fruity Pebbles.

Annie will be in full days this year, too. We were driving in the neighborhood of her school this afternoon, and when she looked out the window at the building, she started chattering quite purposefully, and gave me a big smile when I told her that "pretty soon, you'll be going back to see Teacher Amanda and Nurse Moira." I'd say she's excited.

I will admit that I am anxious to catch up on projects that have been idling for 2+ years. Organizing, cleaning, painting--it's almost heaven just thinking about it. Just imagining uninterrupted hours to do a load of laundry, dry it, fold it, and put it away...it's like a dream come true. And yes, I am pathetic. And I live with a little girl who requires 24 hours a day/7 days a week care, and who would rather throw up than have her mommy out of sight for more than 30 seconds. Raising our 6 kids did not even begin to prepare me for what we've been called upon to do in the last 2 years. I keep telling myself it's just a season. A really long one.

But enough of that. As of today, Annie is still doing well with the increased dose of hydrocortisone. Her seizures, however, are still in the 4+/day range, so we'll have to start working on those again. I'm almost afraid, though, of rocking the boat with any seizure medicine changes, because I am enjoying this time of relative stability. But I know it's just a season, just like Back to School.

Jean

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1



7 comments:

Sue Powell said...

Thanks for the update, Jean. Never a dull moment, huh? :) Have to admit I am WISHING bacon and eggs was a "healthy breakfast" around my house, ha.

Gretchen said...

What a darling picture of you and Miss A in your sidebar.

She's in there, Jean, and it does sound like she's excited for school. Your reprieve from a plaid Jansport may just be slight.

Praying that the seizures would decrease w/o any changes in meds. Praying for God to heal that brain. And praying that you would be blessed in your time of no kids to recharge, rest, and tackle those projects which always seem to come along.

Jean said...

Yeah, Sue, I guess bacon & eggs isn't eggsactly healthy. Maybe just eggs?

Gretchen--Thanks for prayers that the seizures go away...I wish I could figure out why they keep coming back. ??

garden98011 said...

Egg whites, oatmeal & raw almonds-complete the breakfast protein.

Anyhoo, I am prayful a doctor will be led to the answer so you can really rest. You should receive reimbursement from your insurance for all you do!!! Bless your whole family xoxoxo~A

Anonymous said...

Miss Jean, it is so funny to hear you say that about breakfast. I did the same thing last year. I lasted till about December and then my husband took over!! Thank you for always making me smile with your postings. It is so cool to see how even in your tough days you find humor! I wish I could do that! Love you and your family.

PS - I love the picture of you and Miss Annie!

Patti

Jean said...

Andrea...reimbursement from my insurance company....now there's a subject for a blog post. And how do I add raw almonds to pop tarts? ;)

Patti-you won't mind if I send my kids to your house for breakfast, would you?

aunt rebecca said...

Sheesh. Everyone knows that you put the poptarts in the toaster BEFORE the almonds! Where have you been?

kidding.

As for Gretchen's suggestion - I was reminded of Rocky's breakfast - oodles of raw eggs *7 or so?* in the pitcher!

I guess you could just dump the oatmeal and almonds on top of it all, eh?

Eat em up, yum!!!