And then there were 2....

The last of Bonnie's litter left our house on Monday. We are left with the two Cade will show this year - Carly and Sam.  I'm just going to say it, since it is my blog, the last pig left rather abruptly - and we are sick over the fiasco.  These little piggies have caused me to loose more than one nights sleep!

I know I tell a lot of stories on here with good humor in mind (the surgery story was not a lie by the way!) but all joking aside I am thankful for Jay and the type of man that he is. I've never seen anyone put other childrens needs above his own as much as he does. That is why I can go to his FFA Banquets and see the respect those kids have for him and Lyle. They both truly care about those kids. Their #1 goal is to see those kids be successful in whatever they choose to do.  I am so thankful that I have married such a selfless, patient and caring man. I'm also thankful that he is working so hard to make sure those same values are passed  on to our children and to the kids that he has influenced every day of his 15 year teaching career. Jay- you are appreciated and I know there are hundreds of kids who would tell you the same thing!

Sorry for the mushy moment there- but it needed to be said. I've never told the story about the pig who died. I can't even remember exactly when it died. It seems like there was something else going on at school the day that Jay found it. Something that made him think school would be a little different and a teacher wouldn't mind altering their plans for te day....

We knew the pig was sick. Jay had given it everything he could think of. He had

consulted his Pig Whisperers and they agreed. There wasn't anything else we could do. Jay found the pig one Friday morning.  So what does anyone who finds a dead pig do?  Take it to school of course....to see if the Biology teacher would perform an autopsy. 

Here is where some of the story might not be quite as funny to you. But picture Jay...now picture someone as completely opposite in every way. That would (or would've been since he wasn't rehired) the biology teacher. I wouldn't have exactly called this teacher and Jay "Besties" during the school year. Now picture Jay carrying a dead pig in a feed sack into this teachers room and slapping it down on a table. I'm not entirely sure that's how it all went down but that's how I imagine it. Even though the teacher was all preppy and there was this rough Ag teacher with a dead pig in a sack standing in his room- he was a biology teacher after all. Of course he jumped all over the chance to perform an autopsy. We even have the pictures to prove it, which I will spare you from. The pig was full of infection. A least we knew we had done all we could. 

So after loosing one to death and selling two we are down to the two Cade will show. This has definitely been an adventure.  I just hope the pig drama settles down- but it is sure to be replaced by chicken drama. We are a 4-H/FFA family so I'm sure animal drama and catastrophes will follow us the next 20 years!

Our Version of a Three Ring Circus

Thursday night I stayed after work and got groceries for Camryn's party.  Jay stayed at home with the kids.  That is a pretty normal occurrence for us since it is easier for me to grocery shop alone and Jay would rather be at home with the kids then going with me.  It is usually a win-win for both of us. 

Thursday night was like any other night.  Camryn declared she wanted to walk the pigs but "just one pig at a time" is what she always says.  Jay got the black pig out and they walked it.  When he put it up both of the white pigs ran out at once.  Jay thought he would just try to walk both of them at the same time.  Camryn decided that she was done walking pigs so she disappeared to the front of the house.  Cade had been inside and came out shortly after Camryn disappeared.  Since Jay was busy with the pigs he asked Cade to check on Camryn.  The next thing Jay saw was Cade chasing Charlie through the yard.  Camryn had walked around to the garage and turned the Gala baby chicks loose.  Charlie thought he had hit the big time so he grabbed one and ran off with it.  That is why Cade was chasing the dog and screaming at him.  So Jay had two pigs, a flock of chickens, an almost 3 year old and an extremely upset pre-teen all loose at the same time.  I'd say things were more than crazy for a few minutes around the house.  Jay managed to save the chicken from Charlie, got the chicks put away and got the pigs back in their fence.  He was catching his breath and then thought he could hear his name faintly being called...."Jay....Jay."  He looked around for the source and finally spotted our neighbor....with a broom...chasing the black pig home.  At some point during the earlier excitement the black pig had escaped and Jay didn't realize it. 

When I heard the full story Saturday morning I asked Jay if he realized we might have a little too much going on at the same time.  All Jay said was "it was crazy."       

Random things on a holiday weekend

I am so glad today is Friday.  I've only worked 4 days this week, but it has been the longest week ever!  I've been so tired every morning and I haven't wanted to get out of bed.  Thankfully that isn't a common occurence for me, but when those times happen they are miserable!  Of course I've tried to talk myself into getting up every morning with the promise of sleeping in on Saturday.  I'm sure I will be up at 5 am tomorrow.  That will be fine as long as I wake up ready to go and not have this so tired I want to sleep until noon feeling - that is a yucky feeling. 

Jay and Cade got out of school Wednesday. Jay has to go three extra days though for Professional Development.  According to him Thursday was the worst day of his whole 15 year teaching career.  He may have been a little dramatic, but I can understand.  It is also a miserable feeling when you have a million other things to do (like for the county fair) and you are stuck listening to people talk about things that either don't make sense or you will never actually apply in the real world.  But that is the way it goes in every profession.

This past week we added to our version of Green Acres.  We have more baby chicks.  We already have a half grown flock for out county fair.  Now we've added another flock of babies for the Gala.  The Gala is still two months away, I have no idea why we get those chickens so early.  Right now the chicks are living in our garage.  The reason for that is 1) Jay didn't quite have the chicken house set up to have the babies and 2) we have a black snake roaming around.  Sharon and I saw the snake in our backyard on Mother's Day.  He made another appearance Tuesday night.  Before Jay could kill him he slithered into the chicken house and is between the inside wall and the tin on the outside.  Jay decided to keep the babies in the garage until they get big enough the snake can't eat them. 

So to recap in case you are as lost as I am.....

15-20 half grown chicks
15-20 baby chicks
3 pigs (we sold one and one died which is another story)
too many calves for me to keep straight (which are not halter broke and the fair is in 2 weeks)
And 1 black snake

Jay and Cade are going to be gone the middle of June for over a week.  I've told Jay the black snake needs to be gone before I'm responsible for the chickens.  If I run into a snake in the chicken house it is highly possible I will have a heart attack.  My heart will explode right then and there.  I am terrified of snakes. 

And I will leave you with a picture and video of Camryn.  She has a band aid obsession and sometimes it is too hard for me to tell her no.  

6th Grade Graduation and a trip to Silver Dollar City

Miller has an actual 6th Grade Graduation.  I'm not sure I've ever heard of one before so I wasn't sure what to expect.  It was actually was more like a 6th grade awards assembly and not so much like a graduation.  It was a short, sweet little program (the best kind).  They did have a slide show but we were so far away Jay said it could've been pictures of kids from Alaksa for all we would know.  We did spot our trailer once....not our kid....our trailer.  We were very happy to have all of Cade's grandparents with us and Aunt Charity and Avery.  We appreciate everyone coming on a weird Tuesday evening. 

The day before the graduation Jay and I went to Silver Dollar City with Cade's class.  I am so tired today after all these activities.  We got stuck with a group of boys who weren't exactly bad, just high maintenance.  I'm sure it was because Jay went and there are very few males that go on these elementary field trips....and even fewer males who are also teachers and know how to handle shenanigans.   I think those elementary teachers loved seeing Jay show up for the field trips over the years.  That meant there was a bathroom monitor!

I on the other hand am not use to shenanigans.  Quite honestly I can't tolerate it.  I still to this day do not comprehend why people can not do what they are told.  Why can people not keep their hands to themselves, or quit talking or for the love of pete stay with the group?  I spent most of my day Monday trying to spot JR.  That boy could not stay with our group.  Ever.  That is the first thing I pound into Cade's head when he goes somewhere without me - STAY WITH THE GROUP.    That evening Cade made a good analogy.  He said that JR was like a pig.  Not the classic way most people compare people to pigs but because pigs are very curious and constantly wander around getting into things. 

Towards the end of the day 4 of the boys were on Wildfire.  Jay decided to wander away from me for awhile.  Cade came running up to me and said that one of the boys was stuck on the roller coaster and was having to walk down.  I headed to the coaster and called Jay.  He was going to head that way.  I got the boys and realized we had another boy who was on the American Plunge.  I had completely forgotten about him.  I had to call Jay back and tell him to wait on Jesse.  And that's when it hit me- I have really only had to worry about 1 kid at a time during my parenting years.  I quite honestly am not cut out for being responsible for that many beings at one time.  God gave me my children one at a time because He knew I couldn't handle it.  Anyway, our boy made it down ok and now has a story to tell.  Another boy (from another school) opened up his restraint while the coaster was moving so it shut down.  Stupid kid.  What if the coaster hadn't stopped?  It does go upside down.  See - I can't handle that.  Why can't they just sit still and not touch anything???

Which then reminds me of another story about JR (the curious as a pig boy).  We were on Fire in the Hole.  The ride started out and JR stuck his arm out.  Cade said the minute he saw JR do that he knew I was going to yell, which I did.  Of course I'm a child of the 80's and have heard all the Urban Legends of Fire in the Hole.....people loosing limbs, people being decapitated, people being snake bit, etc.  I'm not sure if any of it is true, but as narrow as the ride is I'd say having an extended arm ripped off would be very possible.  I did not want to be known as the chaperonage who brought back a kid with a bloody stub.  Then as we were pulling up to get off one of the workers yelled at the same kid for sticking his foot out of the cart before it stopped.  How hard is it to keep your appendages inside the ride????  I don't understand. 

Other than being bossed around by a boy who had only been there 1 other time it was a good day.  That particular boy talked non-stop.  All the time.  So much so that I had to take some Tylenol.  If I had to guess I'd say that I've been to SDC at least 50 times. And that is a conservative estimate.  I know my way around the place.  I got the boys to where they wanted to be in the most direct way possible.  But this particular boy didn't think I could do it.  There was one time where I had to stop for a second because I had turned the wrong way.  But we took maybe two or three steps before I got my bearings.  This kid said "we took another wrong turn."  Grrr!!!   

Of course Jay just loved this because he deals with this stuff every day.  He thinks it is funny that 5 boys drove me crazy.  I do have to brag about Cade though.  These boys weren't exactly his friends, but he never complained about having to go around with them and he never acted mad or upset about it.  He also told us that since he gets to go to SDC pretty often the other boys could pick what they wanted to do.  I thought that was very sweet of him to say that.  Sometimes I worry about Cade and if we are preparing him enough for the world, but then when I see him in action around other kids I realize he is a good kid and is well on his way to turning out just fine.  

Potty Training

I probably doomed myself when I wrote a few weeks ago I was considering Camryn to be potty trained.  She was doing so good.  So good that I removed the Diapers line from my monthly budget and gave away all of the million swim diapers we had in her closet.  What a mistake!  Ever since my surgery she has been backsliding. 

She won't poop in the potty.  Ever.  I apologize if you come to our house and see a nugget that got loose from me hiding somewhere.  I try to get them all but sometimes things can get a little wild.

She is wetting the bed constantly.  I messed up a few weeks ago and bought regular pull ups instead of the overnight pull ups.  After the 7th day in a row of changing sheets and having Jay tell me he felt like he worked in a hotel I bought the overnight ones again.  Now we are changing sheets every other day.  She is even wetting Stacy's bed during naptime.  Last night Jay said that we needed to take Stacy some overnight pullups due to the Hammon's Fountain.  Stacy didn't actually call Camryn Hammon's Fountain that was Jay's contribution.  Have you ever bought Overnight Pull Ups?  I'm going to have to add "Diapers" back to the budget if the girl starts wearing at least two of those a day. 

I think the problem is that she doesn't want to go to the bathroom.  Stacy can't get her to go all morning and then at nap time she floods the bed.  It is the same way for us in the evening.  I've wondered if there is a reason for that - like a bladder infection or something. She doesn't act like anything hurts her so I don't think that is the problem.  At first I thought it was a "punishment" for my surgery.  Stacy even commented that it reminded her of when they would leave their cats at home and then the cat would poop everywhere once they got back.  Yup, that's what it reminded me of to.  But now it's gone on for longer than her just getting back at us...unless the girl has a vindictive side and won't let it go.  That wouldn't surprise me either.

Since she backslid I've been having some internal conversations with myself on if I would have her use swim diapers.  I mean the chlorine would kill the pee germs and most kids probably pee in the pool anyway.  And I've never been convinced those swim diapers hold in urine anyway.  But then I had a vision....

When Camryn was an infant we went to White Water for Night Water.  We sat in the baby pool area.  I can't remember exactly why, but Cade was in the baby pool.  He bent down to pick up what he thought was a rock.  It wasn't a rock.... He and Jay told the lifeguard they found poop in the pool.  Have you seen Monster's Inc when that monster comes back with a sock stuck to his back?  That was what happened at White Water.  Whistles were blowing, people were exiting the pool...the lifeguards formed a barrier around the water and patroled it so no one would go in.  Management looking people were sprinting in and people were talking on walkie talkies. It was crazy.   Even though we weren't directly responsible (it was not Camryn's nugget) I still felt bad.  Kids were crying, parents were stressed, etc.

I am not ready to have all of White Water hate me because Camryn could poop in the pool.  I'm going to buy more swim diapers.  One thing I've learned with Camryn is that life is too short and I'm too old to handle that kind of stress.  I'll be adding swim diapers to our summer budget.    

Surgery

I had my surgery on April 10.  I’m about 99% healed right now and everything turned out fine.  But of course with us there is always a story.  I’m not sure if other people are as weird as we are, but I always feel that chaos seems to follow us.  Or maybe it is because I get through things by finding the humor in situations…I don’t know.

We got to the hospital early that morning.  I think we had to be there at 5:45am. While we were waiting to be called to a room Jay got out his computer to email his sub plans.  His computer was dead so he had to pack it back up. Shortly after that I called back to a room and was told to undress.  While I was undressing Jay was unpacking his computer and plugging it in. Shortly after that I got my IV.  Jay asked the nurse where he would be during the surgery.  She told him where the waiting room was and how all that worked. 

The IV made me have to pee about 3 times while I was waiting.  Each time I had to go Jay had to put his computer down and help me with the IV tubes.  Then the nurse came in and told me I’d be moved to a holding room in a few minutes.  Jay asked her again about where he would go during the surgery.   She told him again where he would go.  Once she left Jay packed up his computer again.  A little later the nurse came back and told us it was going to be delayed and Jay could get his computer out again.  So he did.  And I dozed and he worked for the next hour.

Finally they came to take me to the holding room which is where the doctors will meet with you prior to surgery.  Jay asked the guy wheeling me away where he needed to go.  The guy told him (3^rd time I’d heard the waiting room story) but he said Jay could go to the holding room with me.  Jay looked at me and said “You are a big girl I think you will be ok. I don’t want to get my computer out again”  And here is where Jay and I are a little different.  I’ve told that to some people and they were just flabbergasted that Jay didn’t stay with me the whole time.  Maybe we are weird but we are both fairly independent.  And honestly by that time I was tired of Jay fretting over the waiting room situation and watching him dink around with his computer.  I told him that was fine and he could go to the waiting room.  He walked as far as he could with me and then the guy pushing me stopped and said the waiting room is ahead.  Jay looks at me, says goodbye and then turns to his right and starts to walk down another hall.  The nurse had to tell him again that the waiting room was straight ahead.  Jay is a great husband but he didn’t have his listening ears on that day. 

Once I got to the holding room I saw the nurse, the anesthesiologist and the surgeon.  Each one had a surprised look on their face when they walked in and had to make sure that I did have family there.  Yes….he’s in the waiting room and lucky for you that he is because he probably would’ve asked each of you where the waiting room was.  And I really was fine except for the fluids they were pumping into me.  I had to pee 3 more times while I was waiting.  Which the IV was in my right hand and the bags were hanging on my left side.  I had to maneuver my body to grab the bags, climb out of bed while wearing a gown with a split up the back and nothing on under and head to the bathroom all while the door to my room was wide open.  I was so relieved when they finally got me for surgery so I would quit having to pee constantly. 

Once I got back to my room after surgery I saw Jay and the first thing I asked was if it really was a hernia.  I’d had a CT Scan earlier that showed a “cystic lesion” so I was wondering exactly what I had.  Jay gave me a look like I was insane and said “yes, it was a hernia.”  We sat there for a few minutes while I was trying to drink and eat some crackers.  Then out of the blue he said “well they also removed something but I don’t remember what it was….cyst, tumor, I can’t remember.”  Seriously, he could not remember which one of those words the doctor used.  I honestly was not worried about what it was I just couldn’t believe that he couldn’t remember.  I felt that I stayed very calm and didn’t get mad at him.  I don’t think he believes that though. I think he thought I was freaking out about it (which I wasn’t) so he went to the nurses station to ask them what it was.  A nurse came back to our room and they way she acted I think she thought I was freaking out (which I was not) and said it was a cyst. 

It ended up being a cyst that had popped through the torn muscle in my groin.  I really was never worried about it, but I was glad to find out that it was benign.  I actually think I had the cyst for awhile because I had been having a lot of pelvic pain over the last several months.  I’m not having it anymore so I think the cyst was the cause of it.  I’m just glad it is gone!

My recovery went really well and I am pretty much back to normal.  I did try to do some sit ups Sunday night and I’m not quite ready for those yet – but I can do pretty much anything else.  The one important thing that I learned after this is that I will never have surgery in March or April again.  Jay was there in body but his head was in the FFA clouds.  After almost 15 years I just know that is the way it is….and that is ok.         

Mother's Day 2014

Mother’s Day is one of those events that infertility has permanently skewed my view of.  For me it is an awkward day.  I actually would be just as happy to go into hiding with my family for the whole day and not be seen in public at all.  I find the whole day to be very difficult….and it’s not the fault of anyone. And it isn’t because I don’t want to celebrate my own mother, mother-in-law, grandma’s, grandma’s by marriage and my own sister.   It is survivor’s guilt. 

Yesterday at church the minister had all of the mother’s stand.  Oh my goodness….I hated it.  Again, until you’ve experienced infertility you don’t think about it.  His heart was in the right place, he was honoring the mothers.  All I could think of was the pain I could be causing someone by standing.  I kind of half stood and then sat right back down.  I felt like I was suffocating for the rest of the service.  Then as we were singing the last song I saw Cheryl bring the kids in the front door and gave them flowers to pass out to all the women.  And again my heart hurt.  I know I’m biased but Camryn was the cutest little thing yesterday walking towards me with those flowers.  I was so happy but yet so sad for those who have a hard time with Mother’s Day.  Those who have unfulfilled motherhood dreams, those who have lost a child or their own mothers, mother’s who’s children are walking a dangerous path,  Camryn’s birthmom who gave her baby to complete strangers and all the other birthmom’s out there, etc.   It is probably one of the most happiest sad days for me every year.

But with that being said I do want to say how thankful I am for my own mother and grandmother’s.  Another thing our adoption journey made me realize was how fortunate I was to have the grandmother’s I had who taught my parents how to be good parents which then trickled down to me and then hopefully on to my own kids.  I am thankful that I get to share this season in life with my sister as we navigate these different childhood ages together.  I am thankful for the family that I got through marriage with my mother-in-law, two grandmas and a sister-in-law.  I am thankful that Nana and Mattyle raised their kids right which trickled down to me getting a really great husband and father.  And I am extremely thankful for the two blessings that God has loaned me here on earth.  Some day’s they push me to the brink of insanity but I would not trade this time in my life for anything.