Stick Figure Family

Stick Figure Family at FreeFlashToys.com

Stick Figure Family at FreeFlashToys.com


Saturday, April 25, 2009

Saturday is a Special Day...

March of Dimes Walk: Team Kamiakin - that's me in back in the white shirt
Our walking buddies


J & T just starting out. We walked the whole 6 miles!
I got up early today - couldn't sleep. Heather's cat had been missing all night. I'd gotten up every so often to go outside and call. No luck. I quickly made some signs on the computer - REWARD Lost Siamese cat..... - on my way out the door to tack them up all over the neighborhood, in walked kitty herself! Whew!

Next J and T went with me to Columbia park to walk in the March of Dimes 6 mile Walk. I hadn't intended to go the entire distance. But, we did it! It was so much fun that I want to walk/run some more :)

Next, we went to Richland so that I could do some genealogy research. I finished looking through the microfilms earlier than I thought, and J & T were thrilled to not have to wait around for me. We got home and they both got pretty for their prom dates. It's Mormon Prom tonight.

And I'm all alone! Woo hoo!!!!!!! Those two are gone, hubby and K are at a scout camporee (and haven't returned just yet) and S is gone with friends. It's just me me and me..... what fun!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

A Bunch of Sickos

So, Stephen has this broken collar bone. It's had two weeks to mend and last night he stood up too fast and blacked-out. Hit his shoulder again..... And Dad cracked his rib last Saturday. And Jacob's burst ear drum is leaking again (it quit for a week), and I'm running on fumes (Chemo has left me a bit exhausted.) What's a family to do?

At least the warm weather has come. It makes life just a little bit easier!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

No one's mom...

Who was it that said if we have prayers morning and night and do family home evening each and EVERY week our families would turn out all right? I don't know whether to believe it anymore. We read the scriptures daily and go to church each Sunday and Wednesday and whenever else we're needed. And as parents we go to the temple regularly..... And pray for these kidlets of ours...

So yesterday, Big Boy who is in the National Guard and FINALLY got a job 4 days ago - a good one, mind you - at Home Depot was showing off for his little high school-age friends and rolled another friend's four-wheeler.... and broke his collar bone. He's doing okay. Pretty sore. But I'm going to whine anyway:

There goes his great job (and being able to pay us back for school, car towing, lost car keys at $200 each....) there goes the quiet evenings... there goes his 3-week National Guard training in June... Hello Mom and Dad. Hello Chaos. "It's none of your business what I was doing." "I hurt." "I can't sleep." "I need some more blankets..." "I'm hungry."

I left him at the emergency room after I gave them all the insurance information, etc. He had four friends with him. He didn't "need me anymore." Okay. So I went home and worked on my homework.

I wonder what kind of person he and our others would be if he'd been raised in a different home. Yes, we chose this lot, but there are times when they're hollering, "You're not my real parents." "I hate you." "You only adopted us so you'd have someone to do all the work for you." "Call the police!" and pulling stunts like this latest one when I want to run and hide on some quiet, lonely beach (with tidepools) and pretend that I'm no one's mom.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Ball, string, bead...

We have a son who is doing vision therapy. Every day. And he needs my help to accomplish this..... First of all, we swing a ball over his face (he's lying down for this.) Around and around, back and forth, front and back, cross-ways..... training his eyes to work together and track the bead that's attached to the ball. We follow this with having him track a styrofoam ball on a stick as I slowly do figure eights. Then there's some beads on a string. He has to stare at one bead and try to focus. It's quite involved and there are several other exercises involving red/green glasses. It's pretty difficult for him, even though we've been at it for over two months. After about 20 minutes, his eyes water with the effort and we have to give up for the day.

We did this about 8 years ago, too. I assumed that when he was finished back then, it was over with for good. But, apparently he needs a tune up. We first noticed this recent problem when he started driver's ed. After almost a year of practice, he wasn't being very successful. He followed cars too closely, couldn't decide when to turn left in traffic, etc. Finally, I remembered that he had told me something about his doing eye therapy if he wanted. I hadn't gone to that appointment due to chemo treatments. What I missed out on was that he was SUPPOSED to do the eye therapy. He clearly has no depth perception. Aha! So after I discussed this with one of the assistants at Pasco Vision Clinic, I finally understood what was going on.

We made an appointment and got the supplies to do the therapy at home. I told him that he needed to take the initiative and do the practicing on his own or fork over the $150 for the supplies plus the doctor's visit. Well, turns out he needs me to help, so I do. And after the first month, his eyes had improved some... but the doctor says it will be at least until June before the tune up is complete. I guess we love those we serve, so I'm really loving this guy! He's also doing Accutane - with the monthly doctor's visit for that... and will have his braces and orthodontist appointments until summer.

Up until a couple weeks ago, I was letting him drive anyway with my supervision, but after almost sideswiping a semi, I've forbidden him to drive until he graduates from high school and gets a clean bill of health from the eye doc. This is going to take a lot of work, though. And, now we have to reassemble the ball on the string. You see, the bead had popped off. I handed it to him and asked him to please put it back on. With some twisted sense of logic, he took the ball off the string.... he said something about the bead was on the back of the ball, so he had to take the string off the ball to get it back on.... I may love this guy, but I had to ask him to leave my presence before I killed him!!! Aaaaaaagh!