Thursday, March 31, 2011

Another month, again. And again.

Jazz Band
Is it really the end of March already? The year is going so fast. The schedules this semester have been insane and all we're doing is running and running and running. Well, everyone else is, I'm sitting here with a confused and lonely look on my face as everyone runs past me.

In less than 2 months, our third child graduates high school. Shortly after that, we'll have our first grandchild. Then, in the fall, one of our youngest starts Kindergarten. That is a level of insanity that only those with large families will understand. Not to mention college planning and packing and moving, summer jobs, Senior pictures and announcements and on and on and on....

Barbie Cupcakes for a 20th birthday
celebration.
But we do what we do because we love it and wouldn't have it any other way. So this weekend we're praying for good weather to get the Senior pictures done, then we'll make the announcements and have the computer print the envelopes. While we're out, we'll try to get a tux for the prom, run any errands we have to do at Wal-Mart and wherever else... multitasking, it's just how it is.

When people find out we have so many kids, there's two questions the inevitably ask (at least in this part of the country). The first is "Are you Mormon or Catholic?" and the second is "How do you do it?" The answer to the first is, of course, "neither". The answer to the second is "Just keep moving". Yes, if you look at the details, it looks hard. Especially when I am disabled and can't work, my wife is working part time and going to school full time and our finances are scary to say the least. But step back and look at the big picture. We have clothes on our backs, food in our stomachs, and a roof over our heads. The rest is luxury. And we have many luxuries.Others might not see it that way, but compared to 99.9% of the world, we're insanely blessed.

First Jr. Band concert. Lots
of nerves.
The trumpet. It's loud.
I do think, however, we need to find a moment to breathe. While we love having a big family, there does come a point where the stress level is in the red. Not just in the red, but breaking the scale. We need to find a vent, a release valve. As a couple, my dear wife and I need to find a time and place we can be grown ups in love. As parents we need to find a time and place we can enjoy our children without worrying about getting this or that or running here and there. I don't know what that should be, but we need to find it. Soon.

I'm still on the downward slope, health-wise. Though it is slower. Still trying to get in with the neurologist. No matter how many times I call, I just get the voicemail and they never return my calls. Frustrating. But I seriously think that I"m at a point where everyone is throwing up their hands and saying "we don't know what do to, sorry, go off somewhere and die". But maybe now that I have insurance, that will make a difference.

Speaking of insurance, it's is a huge blessing. My meds run about $500 a month. We went to get refills and the bill, with the insurance, was $5. That's 1% of what we were spending. And on top of that, they gave us 3 months worth. So if you do that math, we spent a third of a percent. That's unbelievable.
What else can I rant about? Well, all our school age kids are on the honor role. Our sixth grader had a book of poetry published. They're doing standardized testing this week, so everyone is bored bored bored. 
Star Wars cake. With ninjas.


The weather has been miserable. The wind is tearing up our house. I need to get some pictures and file a claim on our home-owner insurance to get it fixed before it gets worse.I wish we had a wind turbine because with all this wind it would generate enough electricity to power us for a year.

Well, that's enough rambling. Have a happy.

Gorilla. Eating poo.