Vacation Woes

If it's not one thing, it's another! Marcie either is sick from swallowing ocean water (she got a mouthful yesterday), or she has the GI bug that everyone at her daycare now has (much more likely!). During the night, she woke me up and said she had thrown up after drinking some water. There was just a small spot on the bed, so I figured she must've been a little sleepy and choked on her water. Just a little while later, she came and got me again and then also vomited a little in the toilet. It was really strange, though -- she never really retched and each time she claimed that her stomach didn't hurt. I changed her sheets and left a pan with her and went back to bed. She woke up around 9:45AM and wanted to eat. She said she felt fine but after eating a little, she said her stomach hurt. She was able to drink some grape drink and a little while later, her stomach started hurting worse and she ended up in tears. I gave her some maalox and she settled down a little, then went back to sleep. She's been asleep now for about 3 hours and has had no more vomiting or diarrhea. Poor Charlie was so disappointed that we couldn't go to the beach today, so I called around and found a nanny service that is reasonable. A nanny now has my other 3 kids at the pool downstairs. It's *only* $18 an hour for 3 kids, so I bought 2 hours. Actually, I do think that's pretty good for CPR and First Aid certified caregivers, all over the age of 18 and all have had criminal records checks. Surprisingly enough, Kyle got really shy and had to take his blanky baby with him. The sitter was really good with him, so I think they'll be fine. Marcie is still sleeping so I have some time to myself. I just hope she will still be able to sleep tonight! Please pray that no one else gets sick!

Vacation!

We are on our first family vacation in years. The last vacation I took with my kids was 2 adoptions ago. We've taken some side trips here and there but no vacations. Thanks to some wonderfully generous friends at church, we are able to spend this week at North Myrtle Beach. The kids were so excited and we finally got on the road after lunch on Saturday. We had been gone only about 30 minutes when I realized that I had forgotten Kyle's insulin and the cartridges for his insulin pump, so I had to go back. We were back on the road around 2PM, and by 2:45PM, Marcie was asking how much longer. We had to make lots of stops and I got turned around once so we didn't arrive until around 10PM. We were beat. About an hour and a half before we got here, Marcie started asking what the condo would be like. I told her that I didn't know because I hadn't seen it. She said, "is it going to be like Extreme Over Make Edition when we get to go see the bedrooms? " They were so excited. When we walked in, Kyle kept saying, "Oh, my gosh!" like they do on the show. I finally got them all in bed just before 11:30, and of course, Charlie and Kyle were up by 7:10AM on Sunday. I told them to go back to bed but they were so excited. They went out on the balcony around 8, and Kyle came running into the room where I was sleeping and he just kept jumping right beside my bed. He was telling me all about what he was seeing on the beach. After breakfast, we went to Wal-Mart to get some groceries and it was packed! I guess everyone else had the same idea. It was all I could do to keep all of the kids together and I had gotten really frustrated with Kyle because he was being so obstinate. I finally bought some fruit chews and gave him a package figuring his blood sugar was probably low, and he actually did behave much better after a little while. After we finished checking out, the store clerk said, "you have such well-mannered children." She clearly hadn't seen them when we were in the back of the store!

We ate lunch after we finished grocery shopping then headed out for the beach. They were so excited and ran right down to the water. Charlie thought the waves crashing on him was pretty funny and none of them minded when they got knocked down. Marcie was the bravest, venturing out in slightly deeper water with her wave board (I guess that's what you call it). I showed her how to get on it and try to ride the wave in (laying on her belly, not standing up). She got a mouthful of water and I think was surprised how salty it was. I went a little further out (water was still only up to my chest) and a wave knocked me under. I came up and didn't see Kyle anywhere. I kept looking and asked the other kids but they didn't know where he was either. I sent Charlie over to an inflatable slide that I knew Kyle had been eyeing and then the girls and I went over to the lifeguard. I was really getting worried but the lifeguard was so calm. I guess that happens a lot. He was getting the form out that I guess they have to fill out and I'm describing the bathing suit Kyle was wearing, and his pen didn't write. I thought, "oh, great" and continued to look around. Then, I saw Charlie and Kyle walking back towards me. That was scary!

After the beach, we went to the pool. Marcie started "diving" off the side while holding her nose. Actually, they were belly flops but she didn't seem to mind. After about 30 minutes of watching her, Kyle started doing the same thing without holding his nose. He and Marcie both have just about taught themselves how to swim. There is another pool at the place we are staying and it's called the "Lazy River." Everyone has to be on or in the middle of an inner tube. The pool is a huge oval with a "current" and you float on the inner tubes around the pool. We all enjoyed that, and then sat in the hot tub for a few minutes to warm up. Then, it was back over to the other pool.

We ate dinner in the condo then went about a block from here to an outdoor carnival. The ride tickets were $1.25 each, 20 for $25.00 (includes one free ride ticket) and 50 tickets for $50.00. I got 20 tickets, which didn't last long. Charlie and Marcie rode the bumper cars and they all rode the little train. Marcie wasn't tall enough for the other "ride" Charlie chose == a huge, tall slide. Marcie, Kyle and Joanna also rode a "dinosaur" ride for little kids. They wanted to do more but I was nearly out of cash. We took a walk to see what was on Main St. and then they wanted cotton candy. I had a $1.00 off coupon that was attached to the ride tickets, so I used it. The cotton candy was $7 but $6 with the coupon. It was a huge bag but still expensive.

I don't know how we will organize tomorrow but I do hope they sleep longer than they did today. I'm tired!

Other Issues!

I will post about our vacation next but there were a few other things that happened before we left. Charlie was scheduled for surgery on Aug. 17 but the surgeon called and told me that he had to reschedule Charlie's surgery. There's another case that is more urgent that has to be done that day, so now Charlie won't get his surgery until Aug. 28th. I was upset, but understood why the other case had to be prioritized. I was really hoping to get Charlie's surgery over with before my semester starts at work (Aug. 20). Oh, well. At least that one didn't cost me money....

I took my car in for an oil change and an alignment and to get a noise checked (I knew it was something with the AC compressor). You probably already know what happened....yes, they found something else (isn't that the way it always happens when you take your car in?). I needed 2 new tires, but that's not really the worst thing (expensive enough, though). I also needed rear brake pads and could use the rotors replaced. And...they told me that Toyota recommends the timing belt be changed at 90,000 miles for my type of car. I had slightly more than 90,000 miles on it at the time. When they change the timing belt, they also change the water pump, and I can/should get the AC belts changed at the same time. (They apparently were functioning fine but making that noise due to age -- I guess they are less resilient). If I had had that work done (timing belt, etc.), I would have had to pay about $800 more than what I paid ($558.00). I wasn't really planning on that right before vacation! I did the tires and brake pads and put off the other work but know I will have to get it done soon. If anyone finds a money tree anywhere, please let me know. Charlie has been looking -- he thinks it would be great if money grew on trees -- but he hasn't found one yet. :(

Ballerina Issues

Marcie is at dance camp this week, and it's the 4th week of her evening classes on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. She has been loving it! The dance studio is also having registration for fall classes. I asked her if she would like to take an additional ballet class (she will be taking a ballet/tap combination class already) and she said no, that she would rather take an extra tap class. I asked her why, and she said because "ballet hurts my feet." I couldn't quite figure out how ballet would hurt her feet, so I asked, "where do your feet hurt?" She pointed to her heels and her big toe, and then it occured to me that her ballet shoes were too small! Bless her heart! I mentioned it to her dance teacher and she said that Marcie has not complained at all in class. Poor thing was suffering in silence! I corrected that problem today!

I'm Unlucky

I always try to go grocery shopping, well, do ANY shopping, without children but still had to take kids with me to Kroger on Sunday. While there, I noted the 10 for $10.00 with $5.00 rebate sale so decided to take advantage of it. I thought about getting some school supplies (Marble composition books would have been $0.50 each) but then remembered that Wal-Mart has great sales on that stuff in August (same composition books were $0.20 each last year), so bagged that idea much to my children's shagrin. However, we did buy chewy bars, frozen pizza, and other favorite items that fell into that 10 for $10.00 bargain (you could mix and match). I am going to price the stuff at Wal-Mart the next time I go to see if I really got a deal. But, anyway,....while I was checking out, Kyle, Charlie and Joanna decided to check out the little toy and candy machines. (Marcie was "helping" me at the self-check-out.) They always turn the knobs first and check the dispenser to see if a toy (or candy) will pop out and they check the change return to see if some quarters just might be there. They didn't find any quarters but Kyle figured out that by turning the knob of one of the machines, toys would come out without putting any money in. They did have a few quarters of their own that they used but by the time I got over there, Charlie and Kyle had about 4 or 5 toys each. Kyle said, "look Mom, they keep coming out!" Marcie got in on it and as Kyle demonstrated, she got 4 toys. I told them that they needed to tell the sales clerk because the machine wasn't supposed to do that. They did, and were allowed to keep the booty. Charlie was so excited and kept saying, "I'm unlucky Mom, look how much I got!" I corrected him on that and taught him a new expression, "I hit the jackpot!" He had to call my mother when he got home to tell her that he hit the jackpot and then also to tattle on the mis-deeds of his siblings. Some things just never change, but all in all, the grocery shopping trip wasn't all that bad. Still, though, I really prefer shopping without kids!

King of Pop

For nearly 2 weeks there has been so much media attention on the death of Michael Jackson that I can't imagine that anyone hasn't heard. His funeral yesterday was a marvelous tribute to the life and creative genious of such a prominent figure. I grew up with the Jackson 5, the Osmond Brothers and the Partridge Family, and of all of those groups, it seems the Osmonds have had the most normal adult life (if you can call any performer's life normal!) ....seemingly free of addictions and controversy. The most tragic thing is that Michael Jackson's music has been ingrained in our consciences for slightly more than 40 years and spanned continents and yet he still couldn't find fulfillment in his adult life. I know he deeply loved his children and I admire how he protected them from the harshness of a life of performing and made sure they had what he felt he never had -- a childhood -- positive, free of criticism and full of love. There was a beautiful photo taken yesterday of his 3 children together -- the older 2 standing over the younger as if protecting him.

In spite of his shortcomings and other things that cast a more negative light on this controversial figure, there is no denying that his contributions to the music industry and his stature as a performer are among the greatest ever. He has left an undying legacy and with the unreleased works coming to life, his voice will be heard for years to come. He has also left 3 beautiful children who loved him deeply and a family reeling from his untimely demise. We must pray for them, especially his kids.

There is also another poignant lesson in this. Entertainers, and others we revere like Princess Diana, are humans who search for love, acceptance and peace. Those Christians in their sphere of influence need to minister to them and share the love of Christ, in whom there is perfect peace. The rest of us need to keep them in our prayers. We must celebrate their talents but remember that they have the same needs as all of us.

Michael, rest in peace.

He's Back!

Charlie got home from camp Friday afternoon, safe and sound, all in one piece! He was all business, though, when I arrived at the church for the post-camp performance. He was sitting with the other kids from his group and when I went over to say hello, he replied but didn't offer a hug or anything. Guess he was "focusing."

After he was finished with the first performance (his group doing 2 of their camp cheers), he came over and sat next to me. Then, he went right up to do the 2nd performance and came back to sit with me again. I think he was unsure at first if he could leave his group. I also think he had to deal with his emotions -- he was happy to be home but had such a good time at camp, he wants to go back. When I walked in the door of the church, the first person who saw me said, "Your son did so good at camp!" and then the camp nurse commented on how mature Charlie was when coming to take his medicine. The only indication that I can see that he might have experienced some stress at camp was that he did some sleepwalking Friday night. He came into the living room about 1.5 hours after going to bed and was saying "wait" "wait" and was walking quickly. I intercepted him and walked him back to bed. He woke up and I asked him if others had left him behind at camp, and he said, "yes, Nathan." He hasn't said anything else about it so I wonder if he had just been dreaming.

I learned that he had sausage every morning for breakfast and that for dinners he had lasagna and meatballs and spaghetti and meatballs. Apparently, for one of the meals he had mashed potatoes and "graby." He also visited the snack shack quite a few times. He said that the counselors in his cabin, Justin and Jamal, had a meeting every night after the kids went to bed and that they woke them up every morning. Justin and Jamal never slept. :) Also, the pastor on the trip, Pastor Shane, had to come into Charlie's cabin the first night to tell the boys to turn off their flashlights, stop talking and go to sleep. Charlie said he was not playing with his flashlight and that he was trying to sleep. (Hmmm....). He told someone we saw at McDonald's Friday night that he had been to camp and had a good time. Then, with a dead pan expression and monotone voice, he said, "and grow deeper with God." It was so matter-of-fact! He is telling me about his week in bits and pieces, but I can tell that he had a wonderful time and actually matured a little bit. He is already talking about going back next year. I am grateful that he was well taken care of and that he had this opportunity. I'm also really glad to have him home and back in his own bed!