Secular Confessions

[missychrissy]

Bobbie hit a deer. She was heading back to school and it was dark and rainy. She called me nearly hysterical and again I couldn't understand what she was saying. Even though she was about 40 miles away and it was 10:30 at night, Tim & I went up to see how bad it was and drive her the rest of the way to school. She was still shaken up when we left her. She's really upset about hurting the deer. She doesn't know if she killed it or not. She's more worried about that than she is her car, but she's worried about her car too. Her right front lights are out, right mirror is gone, and the doors are dented so much she can't open the passenger side ones. I kept assuring her Uncle Tim could fix it and to not worry, but then she'd think about the deer and start crying again. She's a vegetarian, so this is a really big deal to her.

A state trooper was there with her by the time we got there. He was very kind to her and tried to get her to call us because we were so far away and have him follow her, but she really wanted to see her mom I'm so grateful to him for staying there with her until we got there.

I don't know when this girl will catch a break, but man she needs one. It's just been one thing after another for her and she's so sensitive. I told her it gets better, but the early adult years are rough. I tried reminding her of the fun she's been having at college and assuring her she'll have more fun soon. When I left her with her roommates, they were cooking (again!) and being very kind and sympathetic to her. I think they'll help her a lot. The one was saying, "you should be pissed at that deer for messing up your car!"

[AmeriBrit]

Wow, Chrissy, that is just unbelievable! I hope that the car can be fixed easily and that Bobbie doesn't think too much about it. I once 'clipped' a deer when I was driving at night. It didn't damage the truck at all and the deer kept running, so I like to think that it recovered from it's injuries. :S I ran over a squirrel once, too, and I felt soooo bad about it for awhile, but I got over it. I hope that Bobbie's roommates continue to look after her. You're right; she's due a break now!

After a nice week of almost summer-like weather, we're back to cold and grey. My mood is matching the weather today. I think we'll go see DH at lunchtime just to get out of the house for a bit and to cheer ourselves up. Travis is out of school now for 2 weeks (they get a 2 week break at Easter-time). I need to get my nephews and niece and Easter present and also, tomorrow is our anniversary (been married 8 years now!!!), so I need to get DH a card. I'm just rambling now as I'm procastinating getting ready to go out!

[AbbeysMom]

Cute pic Bridget!

And to Bobbie and you, Chrissy. I'm glad she's OK. My mom hit a deer and flipped her jeep when I was 17. She turned out to be OK too, but she was pretty shaken up, and since then I've never been able to drive on back country roads at night without some fear of hitting an animal.

[MashedUp]

L, I'm sorry to hear about S's sleep issues. It sounds incredibly frustrating. Have you thought about trying melatonin? Maybe it will help settle his little mind down so that he can rest easier?

Bridget, I love their sleeping arrangement, it looks so fun! I hope the good sleeping lasts for you!

Chrissy, I'm so sorry about bobbie's car and about the deer. It reminds me of a funny story. Some friends of mine hit a deer a few years ago and it was lying in the road. They thought it was dead. The friend who was a passenger was patting it's head (she had had a few drinks) and crying when all of a sudden it's eyes popped open and it jumped up and ran off! It scared the crap out of them! Deer are pretty resilient.

[missychrissy]

...tomorrow is our anniversary (been married 8 years now!!!), so I need to get DH a card...

Happy Anniversary!!

Chrissy, I'm so sorry about bobbie's car and about the deer. It reminds me of a funny story. Some friends of mine hit a deer a few years ago and it was lying in the road. They thought it was dead. The friend who was a passenger was patting it's head (she had had a few drinks) and crying when all of a sudden it's eyes popped open and it jumped up and ran off! It scared the crap out of them! Deer are pretty resilient.

I'd crap myself!!

[3andMe]

Happy anniversary, Ash!

I have considered melatonin in the past, not for S. but for DS who is often up for hours past his bedtime and who tries to go to sleep but can't. At 4 1/2, he can articulate that he hates not being able to feel sleepy and that his mind can't shut down. He says he always has songs in his head and that it's very distracting. Every once in a while when he's sick and I give him a Benadryl tab and I tell him it will make him drowsy as well as help with his runny nose, he says, "Thank you, Mommy!" with so much gratitude it's made me run right to the computer and look up melatonin for children. I can't remember what it is that I read that made me want to steer clear of it, but there was something. Maybe I'll look it up again.

Chrissy, I have been in several car accidents involving deer. The most significant one I remember was in 7th grade and one of our neighbors was driving me to school in a city about 50 miles away. She hit a deer on the highway and both it and the car died instantly. I was horrified, but she was hysterical, screaming and crying. I was trying to figure out why the deer had thin green blood. It was only later that I realized it was radiator fluid.

Every time I hear stories about Bobbie's roommates, I am happy for her, despite whatever incidents might have led her to the need for their support. They sound so nice. It sounds like she may be in a place where she can develop lifelong friendships and relationships, which is what college should be.

I have to say, when I was little, there were no cell phones and most of the time when we hit something, we were miles away from anywhere and dependent on the kindness of strangers for road assistance. Yet another thing that will be incomprehensibe to our children growing up.

[AmeriBrit]

I have to say, when I was little, there were no cell phones and most of the time when we hit something, we were miles away from anywhere and dependent on the kindness of strangers for road assistance. Yet another thing that will be incomprehensibe to our children growing up.

Thanks for the anniversary wishes, y'all!

L, this statement stuck out to me. It's something I've thought about lately and have made a real effort to be kinder to strangers.

[Inca]

Bridget, love the picture!

And I could only imagine hitting a deer. Knock on wood I've never hit one. But the other day when I was (oddly enough) taking Remy to his preschool eval, there was a family of 3-4 deers that ALMOST ran out in front of the car. I freaked, slowed way down, but kept going, then they got scared and (thankfully) ran the other direction. But hitting deer reminds me of this family my mom once knew who, if someone hit a deer, they got a call from the police and they went and picked it up and hung it in their barn. I remember one time the oldest girl who was my age, was all like "come look at this" then opens the barn door and I freak out seeing this dead deer hanging there. Ughhh still gives me the heebie jeebies.

[Suja]

I saw a deer get hit on a very busy road once. That was plenty traumatic, I can't imagine ever hitting one. Glad Bobbie is okay. Her roommates sound like really nice kids.

Lydia, in one of my more desperate moments, I considered Melatonin for Mira, but decided against it, and like you, I can't remember why.

[Bridget]

Poor Bobbie! I hit one last winter I was very shaken up by it.
Well, Kai came out and fell asleep with dbf in the recliner but then I moved him to his bed and he stayed all night. Yay!

We used melatonin for Kai for a short period of time but then I read something that said there have been no studies on the long term side effects of using it for children so I stopped. Savana also says she can't get rid of the stories in her head when she goes to sleep. Lately she tells me she can't stop counting in her head during the times that she isn't talking. This is yet another symptom of ocd.

[missychrissy]

Every time I hear stories about Bobbie's roommates, I am happy for her, despite whatever incidents might have led her to the need for their support. They sound so nice. It sounds like she may be in a place where she can develop lifelong friendships and relationships, which is what college should be.

Yes, they're great. Bobbie is a transplant in their room because the other roomey transferred out...there's some concern that Bobbie will be relocated next semester. For her sake, I really hope not. She couldn't find a better group to room with.

[Suja]

We went to the temple on Saturday. Here's Mira, in her traditional outfit:

[missychrissy]

She's adorable!

[Cosmosmom]

Ash, happy anniversary!

Poor Bobbie. I haven't hit one but have had some close calls. And I don't drive at night. I cannot really see well in the dark and headlights really bother my eyes. So basically I don't drive after dark except those few weeks in the winter when I cannot help but come home from work in the dark...and I'm something like 3-4 miles from work and it's a pretty straight shot.
When we got Cosmo, it was November and we got her out in the middle of nowhere WI. It was dark leaving and I was helping look out for deer when I saw some glowing eyes. Told DH to be careful and he slowed and ended up coming to a complete stop as a herd of what seemed to be something like 20-30 deer slowly walked past the car. It was creepy.

Bridget, I think seeing an eagle is pretty cool. One of the things I wouldn't mind doing someday is going here http://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/ Less than 2 hours from me and I have heard it's pretty cool.

As far as melantonin....I don't know about kids BUT I don't take it myself because I read that it can affect ovulation. I am one that does not fall asleep easily and it does suck. I end up taking walgreens version of unisom fairly often....same ingredient as a benedryl.
I cannot stop thinking either....I just cannot clear my thoughts like DH says he does. I do think having a sound machine helps me.

[Cosmosmom]

Awww, she's so cute!

[MashedUp]

She's beautiful Suja!

[missychrissy]

We have at least 1 bald eagle in Owego. I've seen it for a fleeting moment...it's awesome.

[MashedUp]

My MIL's camp is on a fairly narrow section of a lake and the opposite shore is still completely wooded, with huge pine trees. There are typically 1-2 bald eagles nests in the trees and last summer we watched one giving her baby flying lessons from our dock using binoculars. It was so cool!

[missychrissy]

That would be cool. That's the sort of thing I could watch all day long.

My own parrot is starting to hop and flutter his wings in an attempt to fly. Last summer I had him outside and he caught the wind just right and flew at about waist height (on me) for 25-30 feet. It was magnificent and took my breath away.

[AmeriBrit]

Suja, Mira looks so pretty in that outfit. Did she enjoy wearing that sort of clothing?

[Suja]

Enjoy? No. She tolerated it long enough, though. First I told her she had to show it to daddy, and then I told her she had to show it to SIL and her "brothers" (cousins). She's ALL about showing other people how cute she looks. Once we got to the temple, she was pretty distracted, and lots of people smiled at her and told her she was cute, so she kept it on. I took it off because she wanted to walk around outside, and it wasn't very practical for that (the back of the blouse is open too, and it was only like 60 degrees out), and changed her into her "boy clothes"

[Ky'sMom]

Mira is too cute in her outfit!!! I don't think she ever looks like a boy in all the pics you post of her FWIW.

Happy Monday to everyone. I have had a semi-exhausting weekend. One of Elle's daycare friends had a party yesterday so we had to go and I so deplore kid parties, I just do not like them at all. They upset me for some reason, especially parties that aren't planned and that are over 2 hours long. I had to ask the host when they were going to sing and cut the cake in order to get her to do it and afterwards, I felt I probably shouldn't have done that. But I guess I can put that with all of my "mean" moments. Some say I have a mean streak. I don't think I am mean though, just impatient, especially at parties and it was nearing 6 o'clock on a Sunday and I had to go to work in the morning. We had been there since 3. I was upset before going since the party wasn't until 3pm. But I couldn't not go since Elle has a freaky memory and she knew that yesterday was the party and she would have been VERY upset if we didn't go, accompanied with dirty looks and frequent mentions of how we didn't go to the party over the course of months. She still remembers that we didn't go to the circus last year that I wanted to take her to, but something came up and we couldn't make it. She talks about it and gives me dirty looks and so I didn't want to endure them over this party. She kept reminding me that we had to go to the party at 3 all day until we went. Sunday is my day usually so I think I was more upset that I had to give up my nap time (I take a quiet/nap time on Sunday between 1 and 4 pretty much every week and usually watch a "boring," according to DH, show or movie and rest). I feel so exhausted not getting my rest period in and all wonky.

L I hope little S starts to sleep better. I don't know how you function at all with having to deal with such hectic nights.

And I love Savana and Kai's beds! They look so fun. My brother and I shared a room until I was 9 years old and him 10. We always loved it and had a good time at night laughing and telling jokes, and jumping off our dressers acting like we were superman and just making up all sorts of stories. It always is strange to me that people think you shouldn't let boy/girl siblings sleep in the same room. I think I have even read something like that here on APA, it is always strange to me. I really enjoyed sharing a room with my brother and even after we got our own rooms I would still spend the majority of my time in his room when we were a little older, until he became a butthead as a teenager of course.

Erin

[missychrissy]

And I love Savana and Kai's beds! They look so fun. My brother and I shared a room until I was 9 years old and him 10. We always loved it and had a good time at night laughing and telling jokes, and jumping off our dressers acting like we were superman and just making up all sorts of stories. It always is strange to me that people think you shouldn't let boy/girl siblings sleep in the same room. I think I have even read something like that here on APA, it is always strange to me. I really enjoyed sharing a room with my brother and even after we got our own rooms I would still spend the majority of my time in his room when we were a little older, until he became a butthead as a teenager of course.

Erin

I'm pretty sure it can be considered child neglect to allow boys & girls to share a room beyond the age of 2 here in NY. Not that I agree with that...and I'd tend to do whatever. We've talked about having Syd & Conner share a room and I'd be all for that except he doesn't want to sleep in any room except ours.

[daylilies]

I'm so sorry Bobbie hit a deer! I hit one a long time ago (I think I must have been early 20's) and it traumatized me so much I actually refused to drive for about a year.

Suja, I love Mira's outfit!

Bad, noisy day on the bus today I think I have to write 2 of them up again. J took his seat belt off in the middle of the ride, and Red would not listen to me when I repeatedly told him to turn around and calm down. I really felt helpless for a while there. I don't think I'm supposed to yell at the kids (although I imagine some bus monitors and drivers would) but I really was on the verge of it. My attempts to be calm and patient were not working.

I went to my doctor this a.m. and got some antibiotics and sleepy cough medicine. I hope it works.

I just called Bo Joshua. I think I need a nap.

[Gwenn]

Mira is absolutely adorable! I really love the second pic.

DH has sleep problems (combat related) and generally doesn't sleep well without taking something. He likes Melatonin but read something about it being bad for sperm count so stopped taking it. He's said a couple of times he can't wait until I'm pregnant so he can start taking Melatonin again. The doctor gave him Ambien when he was overseas and he speaks fondly of it.

I was thinking recently about "stories in your head." When I was a child I remember lying in bed and I would make up elaborate stories in my head, generally every night for about 1/2 hour before sleep. I never felt that I wasn't sleeping and I loved the time to just shut off the outside world and be creative. I'm sure that's why I became interested in writing as a child. Even now, when I'm really "into" creative writing I spend a lot of down time just playing out stories in my head. When I don't do that - like now - I find it much more difficult to write.

When I met DH, he was in the habit of listening to talk radio at night to help him sleep. It drowned out the sounds so he didn't wake up to every little noise. I absolutely hated it, and we fought about it for years until I finally won out. We don't have the radio at night. But I seriously felt that it took away that quiet reflective time at the end of the day that I really need to recharge, and replaced it with someone else I didn't want to hear.

Am I odd, or anyone else have a similar experience?

For today's insane work update, a friend of mine was browsing the district's job offerings to see what was open. My exact title is advertised (not my job, just there are multiple openings for SLPs they are looking to fill). Specifications were either an SLP license and certificate (which I have) or an SL Technician certificate (which is far less qualified than I am). Salary is $10K-$12K/year more than I currently earn. Seriously, they are willing to pay someone LESS qualified than I am and with no experience $12K more than they are paying me? DH and I are having a serious talk about this and the upshot is that if I can't convince them to give me that salary for next school year (I signed a contract for this year, so until that expires I can't change anything) I will have to work elsewhere. If that's what I am worth to them, they can find someone else to fill this position and I will go earn more somewhere else.

[missychrissy]

For today's insane work update, a friend of mine was browsing the district's job offerings to see what was open. My exact title is advertised (not my job, just there are multiple openings for SLPs they are looking to fill). Specifications were either an SLP license and certificate (which I have) or an SL Technician certificate (which is far less qualified than I am). Salary is $10K-$12K/year more than I currently earn. Seriously, they are willing to pay someone LESS qualified than I am and with no experience $12K more than they are paying me? DH and I are having a serious talk about this and the upshot is that if I can't convince them to give me that salary for next school year (I signed a contract for this year, so until that expires I can't change anything) I will have to work elsewhere. If that's what I am worth to them, they can find someone else to fill this position and I will go earn more somewhere else.

Your employer never ceases to amaze me. Are you going to call them out on it? I think I'd take a copy of the employment opportunity to them and ask them what the deal is.

I have a difficult time going to sleep if it's too quiet. I sleep with a tv on now, but growing up it was the radio.

[Inca]

Oh my Suja, she is ADORABLE. I am a sucker for cultural outfits like that. I have to ask though, where do you live exactly? (I'm sure everyone else knows but I can't remember) Anyways, I'm curious because I'd love for Seren to have something like that someday. Even if just to wear a couple times for the cute factor.

[Gwenn]

Your employer never ceases to amaze me. Are you going to call them out on it? I think I'd take a copy of the employment opportunity to them and ask them what the deal is.

My friend printed it out for me. I think I will have to deal with HR on this one. My supervisor has no control over salary issues.

[Suja]

Mandy, I was like you as a child. I used to make up all sorts of elaborate stuff in my head, usually with me riding in to save the day. Unfortunately, that did not translate to any sort of writing ability. Also, I'm sure you know this already, but your workplace, it's cuckoo-krazy! When do you test? I thought it was today.

Liz, I'm in the DC metro area. Anyplace with a decent Indian population, you should be able to find ethnicwear. I think I still have all of Mira's stuff from when she was younger. If you'd like, I can send some for Seren. Mira might have worn it once, although I think there are a couple she never wore. Or I can ask my mom or my SIL to get something for her. SIL is going to India in June, and my parents will likely be coming later this year. This stuff is generally not too expensive.

[Gwenn]

When do you test? I thought it was today.

Wednesday is 14 days post IUI. I can test then, but it's my last day before spring break (I'm off Thursday, Friday, and Monday) so I really would prefer to wait until Thursday to see that BFN, if it's there. Or honestly, the BFP. So unless I get my period, I won't know for sure until later in the week. Hang in there!