Insomniac Blogging: Fifth Edition

I am sleepless in Texas.  Here's what's up:

--If you follow me on Facebook, you have seen the link to this little gem that perfectly explains how it feels to be a mom at the end of the school year.  I am that mom!  On Friday I was offering the cowboys cash if they would just please, pretty please, buy their lunches so I didn't have to pack them.  Little Middle brought me his behavior chart to sign.  He said, "Mom, you forgot to sign it last week, too."  And the week before that, and the week before that...  Poor guy.  Baby's class had Silly Slipper Day, which IS silly because it's 90 degrees every day and who wears slippers?!?  My boy has outgrown his and I refused to run to Target at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday night to buy new ones, so he took matters into his own hands and wore his Christmas socks.  Whatevs.  I stopped checking their folders about two weeks ago.  I just ask them if there is anything big going on at school that I should know about, volunteer for, or send money for.  Foolish, I know, but I just can't bear to search through their stuff. 3 1/2 more days....come on, summer!

--Abby Dog is consistently becoming worse.  She is just shy of her 15-and-105th birthday.  That's a lot for an old girl.  Her old mom's heart is filled with crushing love and unquestionable compassion.  The truth?  I know what I need to do to show her the ultimate kindness.  My own selfishness stands in the way.

--I feel slightly justified in my selfishness because The Other Heartache goes on...and on...and on.  It is disruptive in every possible way that it could be to my life and the lives of my children.  Abby Dog is my constant.  I'd rather have her not at her best than not have her at all.  :(

--Gus the Terrible ran away again this week.  I was chopping fresh tarragon in preparation to cook a special dinner when our little friends next door started ringing the doorbell and yelling , "Ms. Allyson!  Gus got out!  Gus is running!!!"  For about 30 seconds I stood there and thought, "I could pretend like I'm not home.  I will not go get him.  I will not."  And I continued to chop tarragon.

--My conscience took over and I DID chase him.  Little Middle and his friend were running fools (barefoot, I might add), aided by a couple of random teenage boys who felt sorry for me.   After the five of us ran, cajoled, whistled, called, ran more, reached, missed, and ran faster, that stupid dog RAN HOME and waited for us. I hate that dog.

--I am in a situation where I am living out Proverbs 15:1 on a daily basis:  "A soft answer turns away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger."

--America's Got Talent premieres this week.  This is good news in our house!

--Last weekend we traveled to Houston to celebrate Reese the Niece's first birthday.  It's hard to believe it's been a year since I became "Auntie!"  Goodness, I love, love, LOVE that girl.  Wanna know who else really loves her?  Her 3 cousins.

--Speaking of cousins, check this out:

 

In the picture is, of course, Goliath, Baby, Reese the Niece, Little Middle, and...Aunt Chelsea's tummy, where the new Conner cousin is growing!  He/she will debut in November.  I'm going to be an Auntie again!

--We've had some crazy weather this week with random rainstorms, but our grass looks like a lovely green carpet.

--The Monster lives on.  He encourages his friends Exhaustion and Discomfort to come over to play from time to time.  I have a CT scan scheduled for June 21 to see what he has been doing in there.

--My sons are my world.  They are the three reasons that I get out of bed every morning.  Often, they are why I want to keep breathing.  I love being their mom.

--We went on a double dinner date with friends.  In the parking lot someone had dumped a huge pile of fried rice.  It put a whole new spin on "Chinese take-out."

--Buccees.  It's a Texas thang.

 

 

--I spent quality time with my son this weekend cleaning OUT (not UP) his room.  By hour five, we were both tired of the job and tired of each other.  I asked him to bring his overflowing laundry basket downstairs.  He said, "I am your son, not your slave!", to which I retorted, "I am your mother, not your maid!"  Two points for me on the Awesome Comeback Scoreboard.

--Goliath attended a birthday party at a retirement facility!  The birthday girl's grandmother lives there, and the 5th graders came in and took over the pool.  It was greatness.

--The people who make it on to the mid-day court shows are crazy.  I would love to find out how to sit in the gallery of Judge Alex's courtroom just to watch him in action.

--Band update:  Goliath is now a tuba player.  There are too many girls who play clarinet, and he didn't want to be a part of that.

--Little Middle's best buddy is moving at the end of this week.  Too far for playdates and sleepovers, but never too far for Facetime and perhaps a long summer roadtrip.  We are all so sad.

--The boys and I are finalizing our summer bucket list.  It's a little more ambitious than last year's list!  It does not appear that they are thinking that running through the sprinkler in the backyard is the definition of summer fun. I'm feeling a little apprehensive....

--'Twas grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.