Pics

L: Nana & her boys...Aaron, Ben, Connor & Austin
R: Katelyn

Will Wonders Never Cease?

We don't have a home phone...just cell phones. We also have a BIG family...lots of people to talk to. Because of this, I am almost constantly on the phone, no matter where I am. It drives Jeff crazy. So Sunday... at about 5 pm, we were on our way home from a birthday party and I realized something. My phone hadn't rang all day, nor had I made a call. Unbelievable! The first call finally came at about 8:30pm, except I was already asleep...sorry to have missed you Mom!

Date

We had a date last night! It's been a while since we have done that. The original intention was shopping for a new rug and getting some Christmas presents. However, I casually mentioned that perhaps we could eat at the new Cheesecake Factory. I said this knowing I already had cheesecake at home in my refrigerator, but Jeff did say he'd take me for my birthday. We never quite got around to it though. It was nice to be an adult and order a beer and sit and relax and not be mindful of what my boys were doing...so to Gram & Aunt Karen...thank you for keeping the kids, we had a FABULOUS night!

I may be 5lbs heavier today...but it was WELL worth it.

Too Much, Too Little or Too Boring?

I know I haven't been posting. I am trying to decide if it's because I am so busy, or because there isn't enough going on to blog about or if it's all just so boring that I don't want to subject you to it.

Well subjected you are...

We had a pretty slow weekend for once. If you know me personally, I have a hard time sitting still. I need to constantly be doing something productive, even if it entails housework. On Saturday Jeff worked then we raked the backyard then we went shopping. The boys (aka the men) all played poker Saturday at our house until the wee hours of the morning (congrats on winning the pig Chris). So Sunday we got a late start to the day... and then did NOTHING all day until it was time for dinner with the in-laws. I mean I did a little laundry, but nothing. I kept thinking we should go out and look for a new area rug (which we started to do Friday), or work on some of the projects around the house that aren't done, but we didn't. I think I am happy about doing nothing....but it also means I have nothing to show for a whole day. I have issues with that.

On Saturday I got a letter from our insurance company stating that our medical plan was cancelled as of 10/1/06 due to non-payment. I had an inkling this was coming. It's happeneded before. So Monday morning I call the lab I work for and ask what's happening. I am told it will be reactivated by the end of the business day. Then we get an email from the owner stating that the new accounting system wasn't allowing them to cut checks so they had to 'de-bug' it before they could pay. BUT that it will be fixed and be retroactive. How convenient that the system couldn't cut checks, but it still found a way to subtract our medical premiums from our paychecks! Well, it's fixed, but I now have to wonder if the referral to Boston got denied because of this. Maybe they knew they had yet to receive payment and were reluctant to agree to $10K of medical bills?

Yesterday I had a day off...it was a long time in coming. Not that I feel it's important to have Election Day off, but the owner is an immigrant who strongly feels that each and every American needs to do their "Civic Duty". Does he not realize it takes 10 minutes to vote...and that's IF you have to stand in line???

But it was still a day off...one whole day of no kids...no work...well, there was work. I just said I can't sit still. I was still up at 4:45 to get the kids up and out of the house. And then I had an early morning trip to Target to buy Cars. That was followed by about 3 hours of raking leaves in my front yard. Of course my trees are still half full so I am in no way done with raking. The one perk was lunch with my baby sister...so that I could grill her on her college search. She's intent on staying near or at the same college as a sibling (there are six of us...and as of next year, four will eb in college)...but I am trying to get her to drop that idea. All three schools are within 1.5 to 3 hours away....she can really come home anytime to see siblings. She is just very unsure, but I don't want to to make a concession on her college choice to fit with a sibling.

Then it was off to the Peds office for three flu shots. Not a good way to end the day...for us or the nurses!

Two pics for you... Ben insisting on eating his bagel WHOLE and getting cream cheese everywhere and Karat praying he drops some of it down to him.

A Higher Being?

I am a firm believer in fate and things happening for a reason. Even if I'm not happy how something turns out, I ususally find out later that there was some type of positive that occurred because of it. It's happened this way many many times in my life.

Today's case in point... I was reading Sarah's blog for a post-op update. I had talked to Jodi last week and she mentioned how Sarah was exposed to Pertussis. Come to find out, she tested positive even though she is symptom free. Not only that but Children's ICU, ER and 9N (the epilepsy floor) have all had outbreaks. Even the Boston Globe reported on it.

Well, as mad as I was that our insurance denied our visit last week, perhaps it was that Higher Being making sure that Austin would not get exposed. Kids with epilepsy shouldn't get the Pertussis vax and consequently, Austin never finished his series of shots. Plus when kids with epilepsy get sick, their seizure threshold is lowered, allowing for possible breakthrough seizures. I know kids that have had breakthroughs and never re-acheived seizure control after the fact.

So, do I 'thank' my insurance company or thank the Higher Being that steered us away from Children's last week? I think I'll thank the Higher Being.

Oh What a Night!

My little trick or treaters had quite a day and night. We started st the AFLAC Halloween party that Grandma Sandey's employer so graciously puts on for the kids then it was home for a quick bite of pizza then out into the neighborhood. The weather was great...if a little too warm. It got to just about 70 in the northeast yesterday and Mom was sweating by the time we were done, but the kids made out great...lots of chocolate for Mom in the coming days!

Ben, Austin & Connor Austin & Ben

Austin & Connor
Ally & Cousins Summer & Autumn
Carli, Enzo, Austin, Ally, Connor & Ben

I will put all the photos up on Ofoto if anyone wants to order prints.

Also, if you have a moment...say a prayer for Sarah as she undergoes her hemispherectomy today.

And one last note...Happy 1 year Seizure Free to Austin. I knew we would make it there again! Hoping this is the first of many.