The Pits

This week has been craptastic.  And you know what's really strange?  This exact day two other times in recent years has been the worst I've ever had.  Remind me to not get out of bed next year on this day.  I'm not even kidding.  I'm marking my calendar now to remind myself lest I somehow forget that this date is cursed for me. 

Our friends have a 4-month old baby that needs heart surgery to live.  She was born with a severe heart defect and has already had one surgery.  Unfortunately, she has spent the last week or so in a coma and has been having seizures, so she's too sick for the surgery that is critical for her survival.  Our friends are extraordinarily strong in their faith, but faith doesn't protect you from the sorrow of losing a child.  They are now praying for peace, rather than a miracle.  It's so heart-breaking I can hardly function.

Not to be dramatic with other stuff that really isn't that big of a deal, but then there's the fact that school starts next week.  In case you are a new reader (just kidding-nobody reads this blog) you know I hate sending my kids off to school.  If I could figure out a way to give myself an occasional break, I'd homeschool in a heartbeat.  Today we dropped off Buddy's school supplies and filled out all the "tell us about your child" forms and met his teacher.  He, thank heavens, is actually semi-excited for school to start, so that's progress. 

Also, I missed blueberry season.  I'm so sad and annoyed I could scream. 

THIS WEEK IS THE LAST WEEK OF SUMMER VACATION.  WAHHH!!!!!

There were a few bright points to the day and I thought I'd write them down to cheer myself up.

Sambo let me know that he'd like me to add a red Corvette to a Christmas list.  I explained that was fine, I'd add it.  But if Santa brought him a Corvette, that would use up all his money and resources and no other kids would get any presents.  Then Buddy gave him a talking to about being "ridiculous" and "greedy."

Buddy got a whole bunch of belt loops and pins tonight at pack meeting.  He LOVES Scouts and is constantly bugging me to help him work on different achievements.  I'm really happy for programs like Cub Scouts to help boys develop new skills, talents, and confidence.  Also, at pack meeting they had a drawing for the banner his Den made at Cub Camp.  Of course, all the boys wanted it, so they all put their names in a bowl and drew a random winner.  Buddy wanted it soooooooooooooooooo bad.  And low and behold, his name was drawn.  Both of my boys were overjoyed about this.  On the way home they were conspiring to either frame it or hang it by a flagpole on the outside of our house.  Buddy thanked God for it in his prayers tonight and kept asking me if he thought Nicki peeked when she drew his name because she knew how badly he wanted it.  I explained that Nicki wouldn't do that because all the boys wanted it and she wanted to be honest and fair.  But he is convinced that "Nicki must have known I never win anything and this was really important to me." 

Are you familiar with the game "Pass the Pigs?"  It's extremely simple and fun and I had forgotten all about it.  G and I bought it when we were first married but it's been tucked in the game closet untouched for years.  G pulled it out and now he and I have each spent some time playing with Sambo this week.  And this might be sort of embarrassing, but G and I decided to play a round while in bed too because why should Sambo get all the fun?

I discovered that Buddy doesn't know what a CD is.  Can you imagine?  Go ask your kids if they know because now I'm curious.  We saw a rack of CD's at Barnes and Noble today.  Buddy said, "What is that? A movie about the Beatles?"  I said, "No, it's a CD" (in a sort of he-llo! tone of voice.)  He was then like, "A CD with stories about the Beatles?"  (He is familiar with books on CD.)  And that's when it occurred to me:  he only knows about itunes and ipods.  WHAT?!!!!!!  So then I explained that back in the "olden days" people listened to music on CD's.  The really ironic thing is, Buddy's father owns more CD's than any person I've ever met in my life.  I guess I need to show them to him and demonstrate how they work.

Oh, and does it concern you that in a period of 8 days, we ate at 4 different pizza joints?  If it weren't for that delicious pizza lingering in my soul, I'd be in the loony bin for sure.