Monday Monday

The kids were supposed to have the other side of their noses cauterized on Tuesday. When the pre op nurse finally called her line of questioning was way off base. She asked why we would have 3 kids getting cauterized, were they just punching each other in the nose? When I mentioned Jani being Chinese her questions became even more rude. She told me previously I just needed to bring in a photo id and an insurance card. But now she also wanted their adoption papers as proof that I had a legal right to seek medical treatment for them. My blood ran cold. And then fiery hot. I told her we would not be bringing our children to that center and that she would NEVER see their adoption papers.

I had a dentist appointment at 10am. To go meant leaving 3 13 year old boys at home with my 3 and 4 year old boys. I took Jani so she wouldn't be in the line of fire. I have a cavity. There is now a hole in my tooth. Amazingly it doesn't even hurt. That's the beginning of my day.

But before I could leave for the dentist, the Northwest Surgery Center called. The littles have surgery scheduled for this morning. I should say had. I thought it was Seton Northwest. But no. NSC operates completely on its own in the basement of Seton Northwest. I know this because when I called up to talk to their attorney it made them very nervous and they asked if I meant NSC. And then quickly gave me the # to the Director of the Surgery Center. :o)

I called and asked for Mr. Gordon and was told he was in a meeting. I left a message on his voice mail with my name and cell (twice). That's believable, right. So I went on with my day.

I dropped Adam's 2 friends off on our way to the allergy office. Normal allergy shots, blah blah blah.

And then we were all off to ACC for John and I to retest on the Math section. We both failed it when we originally took it last Monday. You should know (just for the sake of knowing that the Bridge classes really work) that John got a 30 and I got a 32. In order to not take remedial math you need a 39. ahem.  So off we go into the testing center. BTW, a Bridge class is a 3 hour lecture you take to help you brush up on different things. It's $10 and you get a certificate allowing you to retake the placement test again that cost $29. Do the math, it's basic math. :o)

John finished before me. I didn't notice that he left. It took him a solid 37 minutes which is better than before when it took him 6 minutes. And you have to know that he completely failed Geometry. He had one of THOSE coaches for a teacher and he would sit and talk with the jocks about the football games. I wasn't sure when he left, but he was gone. I kept plugging along, verbally moaning that the C test kept giving me something that looked the same. It was one of those 'if f(x)=8x2(that's a square)+7x-16 and g(x)=4x3 -9x+3 then f(g)+x3-8x=? Don't work that, I made it up, but can you see why my brain got fried? And then it would toss it and absolute value sign on some of them. I tried, guessed a few, but continually rolled my eyes in true Jeri form. My previous time was 26 minutes. This time it was 66 minutes.When I left the ladies told me that John said he was waiting in the car. I asked if he passed and they said they didn't look but he squealed. Really? My John squealed?

I'd like to tell you that we passed the test. But we BLAZED it! John got a 43! I'm so proud of him!! This means we don't have to pay $500 for a class that we don't need.  You know those ridiculous equations I mentioned? It turns out that was college algebra! I spent 19 minutes on algebra and 47 minutes on college algebra! My score? 63 on algebra and 26 on college algebra! I was really proud of myself! And I learned that there are 4 parts to the exam, we just never made it out of the basic part last time.

Then we see and advisor and they let us sign up for the new class only now everything is full and the only slots open are all the way in Austin. Yuck. But we digress and take them. Now come on, someone signed up for the RRC classes miss you payment deadline so you get dropped.

Are you wondering if Mr. Gordon called? He didn't. At this point it was about 3 so I called him again. Secretary answers and ask my name (I give it) and who am I with (myself). That last answer didn't take me far. She put me on hold then came back and said Mr. Gordon was unavailable. Really? "Ok, well, I can understand if he doesn't want to talk to me. I'll just have our attorney contact the surgery center attorney. Thanks for you time, Bye." Um, yeah, you know that's exactly what I said. A few minutes later my phone rang. The conversation was rather lengthy and involved me telling him just how wrong it wasChildrens Brackenridge (which is now the Dell Childrens Hospital and Specially Pediatrics) they would find that a few years ago I challenged the same policy and as a result CB's attorney told them they were in violation for asking this.  It's wrong, it's discrimination, and you should NEVER allow it to happen to your family/child. By the end of the conversation he had seen my point and said that hopefully should we find ourselves needing surgery again we would find the policy changed. It certainly gave him a new perspective and he hoped that sometime in the future my kids would know that their mom challenged an archaic system and made a difference for other adopted kids. Yep, he really said that. So now the kids are having surgery on 8/26 at our favorite surgery center. Wouldn't you fight for these 3 faces?

The rest of the day just happened. We spent time hanging out as a family cementing how much we love each other. Love your family....it's the only one you get.

oops! PS: I knew I forgot something. When we got home our 1st floor ac wasn't working. It was 85 in the house and a bit warm for me. A quick jog outside and yes, the unit was making a noise but the blade wasn't running. A call to Ray at Sierra Air and he sent someone out within an hour. It was the capacitor.  The exact same thing that gave out on our 2nd floor ac last week. $274 last week. Yesterday $224. But at least we all were able to sleep in our own beds.

Vote, Vote, Vote

Elections of a different sort are on my mind. I entered the littles in a photo contest. So here is your rare chance to see them. You can VOTE 1X A DAY!!! The winner is announced next Monday. 2 different categories, 1 for 0-2, one for 2-4. They will win cute little Leap Frog animals to help continue learning English words, so go vote!!!

http://www.thebabycorner.com/baby-photo-contest/ Vote for Jovi here, he's Cowboy Cutie, a picture of him in his cowboy hat he got for his birthday. He turned 2 in October and loved getting a birthday cake.

http://www.thebabycorner.com/toddler-photo-contest/ Vote for Jani or Jace here. Jani is Wild Laughter and Jace is Precious Pumpkin. Jani's pool picture is from June, shortly after getting home with the boys. Jace's picture is from our pumpkin patch picture.

So you'll vote 2 times, 1 in the baby category where Jovi is, and 1 in the toddler category where Jani and Jace are. And you'll vote EVERYDAY until voting ends next Monday. So 7X you're going to vote for them, right?

1st haircuts

I decided that today was the today. I only decided it this morning though. I was going to surprise John...or hate myself for thinking I could take 4 kids to get haircuts and 2 of them I had no idea how they were going to do. I figured I knew them well enough to know they would sit still. And they did. We lucked out that the stylist was easy going and there was no one else in the place. She was really great with them, and patient with me as I snapped pictures. I had them sit on the floor while Jani got a bang trim.

The boys were quite interested in seeing what was happening to Jani and they sat pretty still. Mesmerized even. It was a good plan, because I forgot that Jace doesn't really like to get wet. I questioned my decision but decided to persevere. And for once we didn't need a traditional cut because their hair is straight; Adam's is curly. He gets more cut off.

Jace sat pretty still, I think a little fearful, and watched me pick hair off of the apron to put in a baggie for the traditional "first haircut" clippings. I know it isn't technically their first, but it's our first as mother and son. There was also the great bowl of dumdums on the counter that I promised they could choose from for behaving well during the cut. So there was something to look forward to for sure. Because since realizing how much candy they had both been given prior to being our sons, we've not handed out candy at all. I think they've had maybe 5 m&ms. Anyway, he did great and was very happy to have earned his sucker. He chose a blue one, I think it was cotton candy or maybe blueberry.

Then it was time for Mr. Cuteomous to take the chair. His hair is very thin...we're hoping it gets thicker at some point. He moved his head a lot and I wound up having to hold his head still. He wasn't to hip on the buzzer (need to get one of those little tools) but did fine. When his hair would fall off he would say "hhhuh" like when you take in your breath in surprise. He's so funny. His chosen sucker was pink and strawberry. This picture is the 2nd one as she started buzzing, I missed the first one which was even cuter and more wrinkled.

So with a little hairspray and mousse or gel, this is what their hair does:

First Day of Co-op

Today the piglets (maybe I should call them bugs?) had their first day of coop with one of the local homeschool groups. I was not sure how the boys would do at all. Jovi was a little clingy. Jace frowned a lot and didn't participate much. I had to make him do the hand actions during his book time. I'm supposed to be lead teacher 1st hour but just don't have it in me right now. 2nd hour I go to the nursery as a helper where Jovi is. 3rd hour is my off hour but today I was helping a bit in nursery then got a break.
Sometimes I dread when coop is going to start. I think it's because I have a steady appointment to keep each week. It's almost a 1 hour drive each way too. But once we get there we love it!

(As I listed the kids just now in the labels, it hit me all over again....WOW I have 4 children!)

Jovi is in nursery the whole time. He'll stay here until next fall when he'll be almost 3 and hopefully ready to move up to the preK class. They play and have snack for 3 hours. Basically just hanging out.

Jace is in preK. I chose to go ahead and move him up so that he can start catching up on some skills he's behind in. Like learning to sit still and also to participate in class things. It's a good spot for him to be in. 1st hour they spend learning something, 2nd hour is craft, and 3rd is a movement class that is new. Or sometimes playing outside.

Jani is in preK for the 2nd year (it's for age 3-5). She really enjoyed it last year and enjoyed making some friends. Her schedule is the same as Jace's. I think she enjoyed the new format of circle time during 1st hour. She really got into the hand motions that Ms. Isabella had them doing. And when I mentioned a line from the book later on she said 'hey, that's from my cwass!'

Adam is taking World War II during 1st hour. He really likes Ms. S as his teacher. He took history with her last semester too. And since learning more about his heritage this summer he was really interested in taking her class. 2nd hour he has calendar but I think it was changed to photography. We're a bit unclear about it still. 3rd hour is PE. 2nd and 3rd hour weren't things he would normally take but the choices were a bit limited this semester. It's making me think about doing a class next semester that would give the 11yo boys more options.

After coop we met John at Sonic for a picnic lunch with some Sonic sweet tea. Mmmm.
It was the first day of coop, no matter what, that's always a bit chaotic!
(PS: during our lunch with John, Jovi got the first of many nosebleeds that led to the kids having surgery later on. They just randomly start and stop for no reason which is very frustrating for sure.)

just outright funny

Adam gets these wild ideas sometimes. This is the result of the recent one. It was just down right hilarious. It was dinnertime, so the boys got to see just how funny we are.

we have peeps!

Once upon a time there was an unopened package of 6 blue peeps left over from Easter. The mom was about to toss them when she wondered if the 2 little peeps might like them. So for part of their snack they had peeps. All 4 human peeps had marshmallow peeps for snack.



At first they weren't sure about them. After all, when do you come across something blue and squishy that you can eat! But then they realized how yummo the squishy peeps were. Now they live on in the bellies of the human peeps.

However the lone female peep realized these were the same as the regular marshmallows she'd been given before and left her peep with no head. She's done with peeps.

Adam turns 11

Today Adam turned 11. Wow, 11. Which means I've been a mom for almost 12 years. The time really does fly. It was a very full day as we planned to go bowling, then to eat at his favorite Mexican restaurant, La Margaritas, then home for cake. Only we had a slight detour.

We did go bowl, our 2 lanes were reserved for 10am and we got there in great time. 2 of his friends made it to his party, but it was a good group. The 3 boys bowled in 1 lane, and John and Jani bowled in the other lane. They mgmt turned the lights down and made the disco kind of lights come on. John and Jani bowled with their bumpers up, and after about 3 rounds the boys asked for the bumpers to be raised on their lane also. At that point they had only hit a few pins. About 5 minutes til 11, Jani chose to get her ball from the the place they come up. Only when she went to step up on the platform she missed it! She fell on top of the ball and on her left hand, the hand she uses. She cried but could move it, and we didn't realize she fell on her hand. I took her to the potty and saw her thumb in better light. Oh man! It was swollen and completely blue, withing 5 minutes! I got her some ice and bowling ended and off we went to minor emergency.

I never will understand why they make people wait so long. But they did have an xray machine only now we know not to get xrays done there because they make you wait 2 days for results! She in fact had fractured her left thumb, the little bone on the very tip. I have pictures of her pretty blue cast (that she got on Thursday 6/26) on my phone but don't know how to get them off.

We finally got to go eat lunch about 130 and we were all starved. Mixed fajitas and queso for everyone! Mmmm And they bring you fried ice cream for your birthday and put the Mexican hat on you. That's the pictures you see.

Oh and we had planned on having it here at our house, with a Lego theme. And even Lego fruit snacks. But I forgot to pass them out since I just wanted to get Jani to a doctor. But can you see my awful Lego cake? Cool idea, just bad frosting job!

Jani turns 3!!!!

She loves Wonder Pets, but they really don't have anything out yet. So the next best theme was Little People. I still can't believe that stuff has been clearanced. But she loved her party so much it didn't matter. Check out her cake...it has the "happy birthday Sonya Lee" set on it. Very cute!