THANKS!!!!

This is the day we set aside each year to publicly announce the things we are thankful for in our lives.


I'd like to take a moment to share what I'm thankful for:

• I'm thankful for my wonderful family. I have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams to have such an incredible son and spectacular spouse who support me and love me and accept me wholeheartedly even with all of my numerous flaws.
  

• I'm thankful that we decided to homeschool Baby Boy. It was such a pivotal decision in my life and I don't know who or where I'd be if we hadn't made that choice.
  

• I'm thankful for my new granddaughter. Although there have been times when I thought she just may be the death of me, she has already in six short months, taught me so much about unconditional love, total trust and devotion, and patience . . . patience . . . patience.
  

• Despite lots of turmoil, economic uncertainty, unnecessary wars, unequal rights and other general unpleasantness, I am thankful to live in the United States where I am free to bitch, moan, and complain about whatever and whomever I see fit. I don't rant often on this blog, but in real life, I usually have A LOT to say.

• I'm thankful that Mom #2 is a talented and enthusiastic cook. I have mentioned it often here and on other blogs as well that I provide the kind of cooking that keeps my family from dying from malnutrition. It's usually done within 30 minutes or less; sometimes it may take an hour if I'm trying to "make it fancy," but not often. This Thanksgiving the delicious, decadent, laborious holiday cooking will all be done by Mom #2 - AND - she's been trained to clean up after herself. Hallelujah!

• Last, but certainly not least, I'm thankful for anyone and everyone who is reading this. I know there are lots of other more interesting, motivating, and inspirational blogs out there. Thank you so much for dropping by from time to time and taking a tiny peak into my little corner of the blogosphere. You make me feel special, and no one can live without that feeling. You're the best.
  

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Holiday . . . be sure to spend it with those you love!

Until next time . . .

The Weekly Report . . .

I'm going to try to keep it short and sweet this week:

• In Algebra 2, we completed the chapter on Roots and Irrational Numbers. We're going to review a little more next week, because Baby Boy found himself a little confused on some of the methods.
  

• In Literature, we read and analyzed the short story Unlighted Lamps, by Sherwood Anderson. I've read better stories, I'll leave it at that, but we got through it. Thankfully it's a short story, LOL.

• In Human Anatomy, we're getting started on a chapter completely about the skin and bones, specifically the integumentary and skeletal systems. Right now we're on the skin part . . . next week we'll get to the bones part. We Looked at some skin samples under the microscope (I took your advice, Holly, and had Baby Boy to more clearly label the slide sketches - very nice):

Skin Cells Without Hair Follicles

Body Hair Shaft

Body Hair Follicle Bulb

• In American History, we've finished up discussing the American Revolution and closely examined both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Baby Boy is working on memorizing the Preamble to the Constitution as well as the Bill of Rights. I had to do it when I was in high school, it won't hurt him. We also completed our additional reading from Black Heroes of the American Revolution to get a little more insight on African Americans who's stories are often left out of our regular history texts. Very enlightening.
  

All of our extra curricular activities are going smoothly.



In response to the emails regarding my yucky wisdom tooth situation, thank you so much for your well wishes, prayers and other general words of support. I'm not having it out until next Friday, but my antibiotics have really taken the pressure off my tooth and sinus cavity, the darvocet is working hard on controlling the pain, and the ibuprofen is taking most of the pounding out of that throbbing feeling in my ear that was driving me so insane. It's a complicated cocktail, but we do what we have to do.

Right now I'm practicing saying nice things and not thinking about that date rape drug they give you under the pretense of calming you down. Hopefully that will keep me from offending the staff at the dentist's office while I'm under the influence. I don't really care, but this is for Mom #2's sake as she has to answer for all of my weirdness. They are actually very nice people, I just have an acute fear and anxiety of dentists. The proof is in my dental records, I assure you.


That's all! I guess I couldn't keep it short, but I hope it's somewhat sweet, LOL.


Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!




Until next time . . .

Temporary Reprieve

My surgery has been postponed.

Perhaps this is good; perhaps not. It depends on how I react to it. I'm thinking this may just be more days for me to get over anxious regarding this little procedure although I'm trying not to think about it at all. I guess we'll just have to stay tuned to see how gracefully I handle it, ;-).

Ordinarily this is where you'd find our weekly report, but I've been so busy taking lots of pain relieving drugs and antibiotics . . . that I can't think clearly enough to put one together today.

But in case you're wondering, by fantabulously wonderful son did manage to be available for every beck and call as well as get all of his assigned work done this week. I'm just too lazy to type up what all of that work entailed.


I'm taking a few days off . . . all this anxiety ridden waiting has really gotten the best of me.


Have a great weekend!


Until next time . . .

OK - Let Me Just Talk This Anxiety Out, Please.

I'm feeling better today.

Not perfect, but better than I have all week.

I think my antibiotics are finally starting to work on my abscess. It's a great big, pussy, disgusting abscess that is in my upper right wisdom tooth and pressing up against my sinus cavity. I have a fairly severe pain directly in my tooth as well as in my jawbone and in the front of my face above the sinus cavity. I'm also alternating darvocet and ibuprofen, with minimal results.

It's so funny because one day I was fine, then all of a sudden I wake up hurting so badly I couldn't talk or eat or sit or stand-up or lay down or be alive without hurting.

Why is it always so extreme? I have always had extreme health. I'm either totally healthy or I totally feel like I'm going to die. Why?

Mom #2 and Baby Boy have been taking very good care of me. It's great to have such a wonderful family. Mom #2 is making me her fabulous passed down from grandma homemade Mexican chicken soup. It's a rarity but has true-blue healing powers, which is good because I can use some true-blue healing right about now.

I have had to ditch my low-carb diet. I have the kind of stomach that likes to expel medications . . . so I have to eat very heavy foods like chili with cheese and peanut butter toast in order to keep my medications down. It's a weird thing. I don't know how to explain it. I'll probably try to get back on after Thanksgiving. I'm still 13 pounds down, though . . . many many more to go. *SIGH*

I'm starting to get a very nervous about Friday.

I've had one wisdom tooth removed surgically before. They used that "conscious sedation" method on me, which is basically when they give you a bunch of sleeping pills and then operate on you real fast before you wake up.

Apparently all of my deep dark dental fears came careening out of my mouth when I was under the influence of these drugs. I honestly don't remember any of this, but according to Mom #2, I told her right in front of the nurse that she had to "watch out for those people because they just want to rip us off" and I kept telling her to "cover up my legs so that perverted dentist doesn't look up my dress" and of course, to top it all off, I looked at the dentist right in the eyes and told him "Please don't rape me."

What the . . . ?

I guess you can say, I have an acute fear of dentists. Why would anyone want to be a dentist? I can't think of a worse job to have. I know they are necessary. Why is dental health care so expensive? I better let that question drop right here. I have much pent up aggression regarding the cost of dental care. This would not be the time to go into it. Perhaps after I pay the bill for having my tooth pulled; I'm sure that will give me the strength to get it all out.

OK. I'm officially rambling. That must mean I'm at the end.

Thanks for letting me talk this out with y'all. If you're of the praying persuasion, please do so . . . I'll also take all well-wishes, good vibes, ritualistic chants . . . whatever method your positive energy comes in - I'll take it.


I'm not picky.


Until next time . . .

On Friday . . .

. . . I'm having a terribly decayed, abscessed, infected, inflamed, battered and broken wisdom tooth surgically removed.

Until then . . . I'll be sitting in a dark corner crying my eyes out, popping Amoxicilin and Darvocet while trying to maintain my low carb diet and without ticking off Mom #2.

If you've ever seen or perhaps read in the newspapers about what happens to this family when I'm sick . . . you'll start praying now.


*SIGH*


Until next time . . .