Car Rides

Dear Mom,

I was going to write about what a crazy week this has been, but this is something I have wanted to write about, so I am going to do it before I forget.  Car rides are big for you now.  Often you want to go out and "do something", but many times now that just means going along for the car ride.  Yesterday I had to get some things from Target and Stop and Shop, you wanted to come along, too.  But I knew you would not be up for walking around in either of those places.  So, as I suspected, you said you would just stay in the car.  And, that's what you did.  One of the things you always seem to notice lately are the birds...not just any birds, but as we ride along, you look at the light posts.  You'll tell me to look at all the birds sitting on the light posts.  Since it is winter, you usually are feeling bad for them being out in the cold.  You wonder out loud where they go at night, or what they eat.  Yesterday as we were driving to Target, one of the first things you said was there are no birds on the lights today.  You've never been a huge bird person that I know, but I think (but I'm not sure that I am remembering correctly) that you maybe had a small bird when you were younger.  Either way, you seem to notice them each time we go for our car rides.  It just strikes me funny that you always seems to notice them, whether they are out or not.  We also went to McDonald's that is in a strip mall.  That place always has lots of sea gulls flying around, and there were plenty of them out yesterday.  Of course you noticed all of them and mentioned something to me about them.  So, these car rides are important to you, so far be it for me to keep you from going on your car rides, and keeping track of your birds!  I love you!

I've Given Up

Dear Mom,

Please don't take this too seriously.  Please take it in the tongue-in-cheek manner in which it is being written, though these are all real things.

I have given up my toothbrush, because you have been using both of the toothbrushes in the holder on the sink.  I had the purple one for you, even though it's my favorite color too, but you end up using both.  So...both are yours now.  I have given up on having that nice, convenient spot on the sink to keep my toothbrushes.  Because if it is on the sink, you will most likely use it.  So...I keep mine under the sink/vanity.  I have given up on using twist ties for the loaves of bread.  You have been struggling twisting them back properly, and I have almost lost some pieces of bread as I pulled the bag out of the drawer.  So...I use clips now.  I have given up on simply reaching into the drawer and finding a clean fork or spoon to use, though sometimes I do.  You like to help me wash the dishes, and they don't always get as clean as they should.  So...I pretty much just wash each piece when I take it out.  That can be said for dishes sometimes as well.  I have given up on trying to be conservative about buying your Depends, to try to save a little money.  You seem to be using them a bit more lately.  So...I try to buy the 30 pack, or at least one small pack every time I am in the store.  I have given up trying to have set days for laundry each week, or even a set number of times that I do laundry each day.  So...I learn to go with the flow (sometimes literally) (so sorry for the bad pun :).  I have given up on keeping goodies in the house.  You love your sweets these days, so things don't stay long.  So...I just try to deal with that, it's probably better for my waistline that way anyway.  I have given up on giving you a few choices.  You have a hard time deciding and always just say that you want what I want.  So...I usually just get or do what I think you would like.  I have given up some of my food that I really wanted.  You see it, then decide you want what I had/have.  I tell you that it was supposed to be mine, you say you're sorry and tell me I can have it, or have what's left of it.  Then I end up feeling a little bit bad.  So...I bite my tongue (ouch!) and try to just let you have it, without saying too much (notice I said, I try!).  I have given up my nice, big trash can.  You had a smaller one in your room, but you always filled it with tissues and wouldn't think to empty it out.  Bella is the perfect height to reach into that trash can, and she loves (for whatever reason) tissues.  We would come home or even just be home in a different room and she would have shreds of tissue all over the floor.  You usually get upset with her when she does and try to tell her to clean up her mess (hmmm...), but you don't ever just think about emptying your trash.  So...I gave you my big trash can, one that is too tall for Bella to get into, and I took your small one.  I have given up times of just hanging out with friends, or hanging out for good amounts of time with friends.  I always feel guilty leaving you home for too long by yourself.  I also need to get home to make sure you have dinner, and I can't leave before I have made your breakfast and given you your meds in the morning.  So...I take care of breakfast then go where I need to, then when I go to the friend's, I leave early to get home to you.  For all the things I have "given up", I wouldn't give this up for the world.  I love having you home with me, I love being able to help take care of you and to be here for you as you have been there for me and given many things up for me through the years.  I love you!

The Bad, The Good, and The Funny

Dear Mom,

It has been too long since I have written, but that's because things have been a bit busy lately.  So, this is going to  be a little bit of a catch-up time.  A couple of Mondays ago, I really struggled with you.  Not that I even like to admit that, but this is all about me sharing with you, so I have to be real.  We got up Monday morning, I got you and Bella up, took Bella out, then came back in to get ready for school.  You were already in the bathroom which I was glad about.  I was almost finished getting my makeup on, when you finally come out of the bathroom and then you complained that your bed was wet.  Usually you let me know that right away, either before I take Bella out or when I come back in from taking Bella out.  So, that made me a little crazy because now you were in the room and I had to try to work around you to get the bed changed.  I was finally able to get it done and finished getting ready for school.  I had a pretty good day at school.  I came home and you were hungry and wanted to get some ice cream.  I told you to get a fruit cup from the refrigerator while you waited for supper.  I got a phone call from the K4-K5 teacher, her kids were sick and they decided to have me substitute for her class.  As I was on the phone getting the information for her class, you put peaches down on the floor for Bella to eat.  I freaked out a little bit and grabbed it off of the floor and tried to move Bella away from the kitchen.  You got upset with me and started telling me to leave her alone.  Of course I missed whatever was being said to me on the phone, though I tried to act as if I understood.  I tried to mouth to you not to feed her because we don't know what is OK for her to have.  You just kept griping at me.  I grabbed Bella and put her in the living room until I was done talking, which you didn't like.  When I finished I told you that you are not supposed to be feeding her.  You got upset telling me it was just fruit.  I told you that even fruit can be dangerous for dogs.  I asked you if you wanted to make her sick or accidentally kill her.  You wouldn't even look at me or respond to me at all.  I had to take Bella out to go settle down.  It was bad enough that I had to substitute which I don't like doing, all I want to do is be with my third graders.  I put all the seatwork up on the board for Tuesday, and now we wouldn't even need it.  Then I had you acting like that, I thought I was going to go crazy.  I went downstairs after and had a chance to relax before bed.  I made it through the next day in the K4-K5 class and it went well, even though I wasn't sure about the one part that I didn't get to hear, hope it wasn't vitally important.  This past weekend my church had our annual Christian Ladies Seminar.  You have always gone to it for many years.  You have rarely missed any, maybe a couple or so.  I signed you up and paid for you to go, but I wasn't sure if you would be up for it this year.  I prayed about the best way to try to get you there, because it can be a long day, and I knew you wouldn't be up for the whole thing.  Plus, I had to find some time to get home to take Bella out.  I mentioned the seminar to you Friday morning at breakfast and you said you didn't want to go.  Later that day, about noon, I was all ready to go, and I just thought to tell you to put your sneakers on so we could go out.  You did and we went.  You were surprised when we pulled up to the church, but not bothered.  We walked in and one of the ladies you know really well just happened to be in the hallway to give you a hug, that was such a blessing from the Lord.  We enjoyed the first couple of speakers.  When they broke for dinner, you decided that you were ready to go home.  I drove you the half hour home, took Bella out quickly, then drove back so I could do some of the things I needed to.  I had to sing in the choir and I was Lady Liberty in some silly skits for the weekend.  So, I really needed to try to be there.

I was able to make it back on time, and had a good rest of the night...singing in the choir, doing my silly skit, and hearing the last speaker.  Now to figure out how to make Saturday work.  I got up early Saturday so I could get there on time for the seminar.  I had a silly skit to do at 10 and again at 2, had to sing in the choir a couple of times in there as well.  Then I wanted to be able to see the specials.  They had a skit and then later on a little 9 year old girl was going to be playing the piano.  I left you at home in the morning and went home during lunch and tried the same thing as I tried Friday.  I just told you to get your shoes on so we could go out.  You did and I brought you back to the church and you enjoyed the afternoon.  A good friend of yours was there to sit with you, so that was blessing as well.  You did really well both days, and then you still went to church on Sunday.  I was glad you had a good weekend.  

Then yesterday, I got home from school, and you were good.  I reheated our leftovers and we had dinner.  You went into your room to eat and I stayed in the kitchen.  Then you cracked me up because you peeked out your bedroom door from your bed and said, "I see you!"  I laughed so hard, and you cracked up too!  And said what you often have..."It's so good to be able to laugh!" It was great to laugh with you.  I love you!