betterish plus other stuff

Yes, that is a word, I just made it up, but I am fairly sure it will be in urban dictionary. Right next to taranormal.
So just as the title suggested Tara is getting betterish. Doing really great in the day time, and just a few spats a week at night. When she starts coughing, its really hard to stop. So I feel like I have a newborn again, I also look like I have a newborn again. The dark circles are not flattering.
Jim is on a "gone" stint right now. He is gone til April. Suck. In Feb I celebrate my birthday, Valentines day, Jakes birthday, and my 11 year wedding anniversary....alone. Suck. I will see him in March, we are going to Israel together. I am excited. Wish my kids could go, cause they miss their dad. Suck.
I caught my dishwasher on fire in November. Its been pretty mad at me ever since. I don't blame him, I would hold a grudge too if I was caught on fire. Yesterday it started "spitting" at me. Water coming out all over the place, well, water and soap. I showed him who was boss and bought a shiny new pretty one. Yup, so I am now the proud owner of a new dishwasher, sitting in my garage. Turns out I don't know how to replace a dishwasher. Any takers? Pizza and beer could be involved. (or you know soda if beer is not your gig)
Tara loves playing with her new American Girl babies from Make a Wish. A few days ago as she was giving her baby her bedtime drugs (yes, she plays with her old syringes), she said "here Marina, tis is your yasix (lasix) it make you pee, tis is your nalapril (enalapril) its for your heart. MOM I need a pulse ox for Marina!" Is there any pre courses for a nursing program to put her in? Right now I think she is a shew-in.
Elijah is liking his new school. Can't say I like the $380/month payment, but I think I like the school too. Small class sizes, and barely and homework make my life much better. Still has pre-teen attitude, but much better than it was.
Jake has been doing the Xbox Kinect like no other. He is pretty good at it. He likes to challenge anyone who comes over. He picks the game, then wins....always. Its a good thing too, because he is a poor looser. We are working on that, but its so funny to hear him trash talk.
Tori plays the dance central. A 6 year old should not have moves like that. She is way to sexy to be 6. I am going to have my work cut out for her when she is older. I wonder how long it will take to built a basement to keep her locked in?
That's it. Well, that's all I can't think of at least. My coffee is now cold. And my children have officially turned my family room into a scene I have see before on Saving Private Ryan.

Whopping Cough

Its been a really hard week...really hard. Jim left Sunday, 6 days ago now. It does not get easier kissing my husband goodbye at the airport no matter how many times I do it. It still sucks. A lot. However my tears were quickly turned into super powers as by Monday night I had 2 kids sick. Tori with the stomach flu (better now), and Tara with the "unknown". Low O2 sats, fever, just funk. I knew something was brewing. By Wednesday fever still there, and a cough had come with it, my nights were getting longer. Last night was epic. Not in a good way. It was a bad night, bad like I have never had to experience at home with my sweet girl. Tears, and coughing spats that would dip her O2 into the high 70's that would last for 1/2 at least. When she would finally "break" from the spat, tears would fall, and she would ask to go to the "egg doctors" (Huntington Memorial is the egg doctors, she always asks them to make her eggs there, and they do.) I want to keep her home, I so want to keep her home, because in the day time, she is good, well better. Yesterday she was diagnosed with Whopping Cough. A vaccine prevented disease. While she has had the vaccine, she is immuno-compromised so still got it. While I have always been "pro vaccine" since Tara I have been even more. Frankly it pisses me off. Tara got whopping cough from someone who was not vaccinated. If you choose to put your child's life at danger, so be it, your choice. HOWEVER, when you then put my child's life in danger, it gets personal. So parents who choose not to vaccinate, this is for you. Until you see your child laying in the hospital fighting for their life, you may never get it. I don't necessarily want you to vaccinate for your kids, I want you to vaccinate for my child. My child who had nothing to do with your stupidity. In the long run, most likely it will never be your child who fights for their life from getting a preventable disease. Most likely it will be a immono- compormised child who did nothing to you, yet you choose to put THEIR life on the line. How dare you.
PS any anonymous comments will be deleted. You are welcome to express your opinion, but if you have one, have the guts to put your name, after all, I did.

Has it really been that long?

So much for empty promises of more blogs.... And pictures. I see there will be a lot to catch up on but for now, its a New Year. 2011 is here, and I am excited.
Yesterday at church I kept hearing over and over again, 2011 is going to be better. Goodbye 2010, hello 2011. A lot of "Amens" were said, and agreements, that they are so glad to get over 2010. Here is my thing...does that one day really make a difference? Is something going to change just because you get a new calender, or need to put 2011 on things instead of 2010? People, your life isn't going to get better just because its a new year, you are the only one that can make your life better. Weather it be January 1st or June 1st, you can be the change. To hallmark? or harsh? Sorry. Now its not to say that I am not excited to come to a new year, I am glad. 2010 was good to me. There was hard things, but every year there is always hard that goes along with that year. I can think back and remember "hards" in every year back as far as I can remember. However I choose to not look at the "hards" and look at the "goods". So for this post there will be no "2010 sucked". So here is my top 10 of 2010.
10. Tara had a lot less hospitalizations then any other year.
9. Jim and I had more date nights, and really enjoyed every one. (one of our goals this past year was to have more)
8. Jim and I had a wonderful vacation together to the Caribbean. We really enjoyed each other for a full week, with lots of memories and new friends were made.
7. We enjoyed the Caribbean so much that we took the kids back there for a family vacation.
6. Both of my sisters announced they will be having a baby! One thru her belly, one thru adoption! I love being an Aunt.
5. My internship. While its been hard, the hardest things in our life reap the greatest of rewards.
4. My friend Caz got married (which should be one all on its own! WHOOT WHOOT Caz!) and is now able to help me every Wed. with the kids. The kids love spending time with her, and I love having a few hours to get things done, and work on my Internship things. I look forward to Wednesdays.
3. We welcomed Jay to come and live with us. Gods timing is perfect. A friend who is an EMT and studying to be a paramedic needed a place to stay. I needed help with the kids since Jim was going to be gone. A week before Jim left, Jay came in. Its great having a extra set of hands anyways, but for someone with medical knowledge to come in is better. When Tara is sick he can take a shift so I can get some rest.
2. Great friends, great family. We are so incredibly blessed with the bestest of families. Our support system is so fun, and inspire and encourage us. Not only was 2010 rockin' because of them, but everyday is rockin' because of them.
1. Tara got a new make over on her room compliments of Make a Wish. They did an incredible Job, and its so much fun to see the girls play in there. She was also asked to be the Season of Wishes girl, so her segment was televised so that others could see the wonders of how awesome God is.
There was so much more God did in 2010. So hello 2011, but 2010, you were good to us, and for that Thank you.