A Bat Omen

"Mommy, there is a loud cricket in my room and I can't sleep." Oh the sweet voice of Ms. I waking me up. Annoyed? Yesss!! I like my sleep! I make room for her and go investigate.
Sure enough, there IS a loud cricket in her room. It is the loudest cricket I have ever heard (not to mention it sounds like a sick, loud cricket). I hear it chirping from the radiator and know I won't be able to get to it there. Besides the cats have gathered around it--they'll get it--eventually.
I return to my room, shut the door, and go back to sleep. Sometime later another little creature crawls into my bed. Ms. G. But she leaves the door open and I can still hear that cricket in their room. I try to sleep but it is so loud! Then I hear the cats bolt out of their room and the chirping is now outside of the kids' room.
Still not being able to sleep, though the chirping has subsided for a moment, I get out of bed to use the loo. I poke my head down the stairs--to see if I can see anything. Nope, the cats must have gone downstairs. I then head toward the bathroom.
The first thing I notice: The cats are in the bathroom.
"Great!" I think. "The loud cricket is now in the bathroom." I turn on the light and look at the ground. No cricket. I look at the cats. They are looking up. Why would they be looking up?
What is that on the blind? A cloth? Why would someone put a cloth on the blinds? IT MOVED! A moth? No, look carefully. It's a...BAT. ~Chirp~...only it isn't a sick cricket chirping...it's a bat, screeching. ~screech~ My heart starts racing but I slowly shut the door.
I fight with an internal struggle--wondering if I should wake up Poppy. I think if Nana comes in the bathroom in the middle of the night--she might have a heart attack. I creep into their room and gently shake Poppy's shoulder. He startles awake.
"Um," I say. "There is a bat in the bathroom."
"Seriously?"
"Mm-hm." He gets up and takes a look in the bathroom. Things are very quiet. He exits and informs me the cats are having a bit of fun with it. He goes downstairs to get a bowl and goes back into the bathroom.
The screeches intensify and I swear I hear flapping wings! Poppy calls my name and I panic! What if he wants me to help catch it? I don't know if I can go in there. "Could you open the door?" He asks. Phew! He has already caught it.
He then releases it outside. But, his wing has been broken. Poor bat. I thank Poppy for being my hero and we go to bed. Boy, when I told Ms. I that it wasn't a cricket she about flipped out. It was quite an adventure!



Did you know? Bats are the ONLY flying mammal!

Great Grandpa

Most Likely To...

Everyone who has ever been to high school remembers a section in the yearbook that headlines: Most Likely To... Commonly we see most likely to be rich, most likely to become famous, most likely to run for president, most likely to fall asleep in class, most likely to work at a 7/11, class clowns, prettiest eyes , prettiest smile, best looking, etc., etc., etc.

These past few days I have been thinking about a few labels I have not seen in any year book one is: most likely to live the longest. A year or so ago my grandpa went to grandma's sixty-second class reunion. There were only a handful of people there. I don’t know about you, but I think this is something worth being celebrated.

If the section most likely to live the longest was in my grandpa’s senior yearbook do you think he would have been chosen? Probably not. Why, do I surmise this? My grandpa had a heart attack at 47. The doctor said he had possibly a year to live. That is the worst words to hear from a doctor. My grandpa, being the stubborn man that he is, has definitely proven that doctor wrong. Last night, over 33 years past his expected death date, my grandfather passed away.

Though it was not unexpected it still breaks my heart. He is the best grandpa. We frequently spent the night at “the woods” (as we called Grandma and Grandpa’s house) and I remember one time waking up to grandpa placing a baby deer in my bed. My grandma and grandpa are deer farmers, you see. In the summer they live in Ohio—at their deer farm. In winter they live in Florida—right on the Gulf coast. I have fond memories of both places and both are very special to me.

I love you, Grandpa. I will see you again.

Most Likely To: Be Married the Longest. My grandpa and grandma have been married 61years. This is an award they deserve. Rare, is it, to find a relationship like my grandma and grandpas. One filled with fidelity, commitment, and selflessness. My heart goes out to my grandma who will no longer wake up to the man she has been married to these long years.

I love you too, Grandma.

Umm..sorry?

Today Mr. L spilt his bottle of water. I chuckled and with a smile on my face said: "You better get a towel to clean that up!" He looked at me smiling warily and I smiled in return--wondering at his strange reaction--and walked over to get a towel. As I was passing him the towel he stated: "Mommy, you weren't mean." ~shame~

I will be the first to admit I have been a "mean" mommy lately. Stressing about school loans,psychology internships, and personal book goals have created a short temper in me. I know that I have not been the best mother lately but Mr. L brought the shame to the surface. In reply: "Yes, Mr. L, today I did not get upset at you. I have not been very kind when you spill, huh?" Then I proceeded to help him clean up his water mess.

The truth is--he caught me in a good mood. If I had been in a brooding mood on the issues that cause such feelings I am sure I would have reacted in an impatient and inappropriate way. Rest assured, friends, that I am working on it.

Seriously Sick Comedy Act

Today I am stuck home with three sick children. Ms. G has been throwing up since Saturday morning. She threw up all day Saturday and then only once Sunday morning. The rest of Sunday she kept everything down--so I thought we were in the clear...but this morning she threw up again!! And Mr. L and Ms. I...HAH..it was kind of comical. Ms. I yells for us at about 11pm last night and says: "I'm gonna puke." So...she throws up on her bed...and a little on Mr. L...at which point he starts crying: "Ms. I puked on me! Ms. I puked on me!" By now Ms. I is throwing up in the bucket and Aunt J goes to clean up Mr. L. I settle Ms. I on the couch and start cleaning up the bedding. (Ms. G is still asleep) Ms. I throws up again. When she is done Frosdaddy goes to clean out the puke bucket. Mr. L is done getting cleaned and is lying on the floor--tired--waiting for his bed sheets to be changed that Ms. I puked on. Then he starts vomiting everywhere. The bucket is getting washed up and I have to just let him puke on the floor. I yell for Frodaddy to hurry and when he finally comes...I hold the bucket under Mr. L. (Ms. G wakes up by now (with a poopy diaper)) Meanwhile...I am gagging at Mr. L's vomit. I am trying to pat his back and give him comfort...but he throws up spaghetti...and it brings back a memory of when I threw up spaghetti with morning sickness....and I have to leave the room in tears...holding back my own vomit! Thankfully Frosdaddy cleaned up the vomit on the floor...while I started changing sheets and washing bedding. Aunt J changes Ms. G and we get her and Mr. L in bed they fall asleep after a while. Ms. I is on the couch and throws up two more times before she sleeps. Whew! What a time. Since it is a sick day...they stay on the couch all day and watch movies. Mr. L and Ms. I actually seem fine today. However, Mr. L does not have any appetite and Ms. I has only a little. Hopefully they will get better soon!

Kids Being Silly

Mr. L's Birthday

Mr. L turned the big FOUR this year!

Of course he is waaay into Harry Potter...so we got him a HP cake!