Playing in the (Lack of) Snow

Sunday was a beautiful 45 degree day. Here in the frozen tundra, that is down right balmy in December! So of course, my boys could not pass up the opportunity to go play in the snow or what was left of it!

My baby, you're not going to kick snow at mama, are you??? 

Just look at that guilty little face.

Yes, it was still cold enough for red cheeks, not to mention...

runny noses! 

Oh well, at least we got outside! 

So I'm guessing it will be a brown Christmas, which is pretty rare in these parts. But can I share a little secret??? I'll take these milds temps any day over a white Christmas! Shhh, don't tell my boys :-)

1st Semester Final! (Leap of Faith Update)

Right now, as I write this, DH is taking his 1st semester final. I can't believe how fast this first semester in his RN program has gone. He's done really well and I'm sure he'll do fine on the final.

I'm so proud of him. Last year at this time, he was still a chiropractor running his own clinic. But he knew something was missing. He knew he wanted to do something different, something more fulfilling. Now, a year later, the pieces are falling into place. He found a buyer for his clinic last February, found a nursing assistant position at an assisted living facility and was accepted into the RN program at a local college. My work, thank goodness, has been open to letting me work flexible hours since I supervise officers on two different shifts. The boy's school schedules have amazingly fit within that. I just can't say enough how much God has orchestrated all of this. I have no other explanation. 

So I'll keep you posted on how his final goes. I keep sending up little prayers, hoping all his studying has paid off!

Photo Credit

Crash

Crash

The stolen car slammed into a tree

Earlier, they had been seen

Two 18 year olds and a 19 year old, my big brother

Rummaging through a dumpster behind a restaurant

Hungry, alone, three states south of here, running, running away

The officer first on scene ran the plate

It came back hot

And a car chase ensued

Through town and onto country roads

My brother in the right rear passenger seat

Not in control, a follower

All his short life

I wonder sometimes if he was scared or excited or high

They said there was a hay bale in the road

The car swerved to miss it

And slammed into a tree

They said my brother had his seat belt on but it didn’t matter

That’s right where the tree impacted

They said he lived a couple hours

Just enough to make it to the hospital

But he died before we ever even knew

I remember the open casket

The mortician's make-up on the right side of his face that didn’t look quite right

His blond, feathered 80's style hair

My big brother was gone

Six months after my mom’s crash that took her life

I now know he was lost

Lost in life, lost without her

I imagine sometimes them sitting in heaven together

Both at peace

For the first time in both of their lives.

Author's note: Honestly, that was hard to write. I fought back tears just letting this take me where it went. Sorry if it's so sad. The prompt for today at RemembeRED was "Crash" and the challenge was just to sit and write whatever came to your mind. This is where it led me. I was 14 at the time. 

My Sick Baby Boy

I know Cubbie is sick when he voluntarily lies down for a nap. Yesterday, he said his head hurt. He grabbed the ice pack (that's what's on his head) from the freezer, lied down on the couch with my old 90's-ish comforter and fell asleep.

So I sent Daddy and Sprout outside to shovel the driveway, while I cuddled up next to Cubbie, gave him toesie rubs and read my Kindle. 

We don't normally give our children medicine, but he was pretty miserable so after a few hours, I caved and gave him some Children's Tylenol. Within an hour he was his old self and he felt fine the rest of the day. I was so glad. You know how that is. I think as moms we always worry about how bad it's gonna get until the fever breaks. But I have to admit it was nice having a little quality time cuddling on the couch...my sweet baby boy. (I know he's not a baby anymore but I don't care. He's MY baby. ;-)

So I Fell Down the Stairs...

No punch line.

Seriously, I fell down the stairs. The back stairs at work, to be exact.

I was in a hurry, had my cell phone in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. The steps are the kind with the rubber coating. I saw that they had been freshly mopped and thought to myself, "I better be careful." Next thing I knew, I was airborne. Down a whole flight I went. I landed on my right side, causing my gun (in it's holster) to slam into my ribs. I immediately felt a shooting pain in my right side. Two officers who were coming down the steps a few flights up from me heard me. They came running down and said, "Are you okay!?!" I felt so stupid that I said, "Yeah, I'm fine," got up and walked out to my squad car. I was so embarrassed, I could have had a broken leg and I swear I would have still got up and walked out.

I drove my squad car to my office, closed my office door, took my vest off and examined myself for any signs of a fracture. I didn't find any but I was in some serious pain. One of my officers convinced me to go to the hospital. I told the nurse that I've given birth naturally to two babies so I can handle pain, but this seriously hurt. I thought for sure I had broken some ribs but instead it turned out no fracture, just bruised ribs.  She prescribed Vicodin! Um yeah, no thanks. I think I'll stick to ibuprofen.

Now, a week later, the shooting pain is gone, but I'm still pretty sore.  The worst part is everyone at work knows! In my line of work, battle scars and injuries come with the territory but when you get one from something as lame as falling down the stairs...well, let's just say I already have a few nicknames! ;-)