Stop to Smell the Cream Cheese

Things have been well....here lately. Not too much of interest. No word on the job front (my husband has been out of work for nearly 4 months.) I have been starting to feel a bit self pitying. Why shouldn't I, I tell myself? I can if I want to be right? Then you read the newspaper wiping the crumbs that had fallen from a crisp bagel with cream cheese on the page. The blatant fact that I can write that I had a bagel with cream cheese nonetheless shows that I have no right to self pity. Well maybe a little :) Still....there are those that have lost their homes due to no fault of their own (fires, disasters) or those that should have thought things more carefully (mortgage crisis). Either way, I still have my house, two beautiful kids and a dedicated husband who has every right to be more self pitying than I do but isn't. We have bagels and boxes of cream cheese to eat over the morning paper if we so choose. There is still ham and chicken for dinners and an occasional night out courtesy of my father's generosity. I have my family and friends who care to listen to my self deprication and rambles of the way I wish things could be and why they aren't that way and how slow everything is taking. I hear the radio (yes I also have all 5 senses in tact too and a radio to boot!) The song Take One Step At a Time by Jordan Sparks....reminds me to take those baby steps and in time things will happen that are suppose to when they are suppose to even if it goes against my plan (and I have a detailed plan mind you.). So leaving it out there....take one step maybe two but don't forget to stop and smell the cream cheese on that bagel on your way and be grateful that you can.

Sleeping is Nothing

Sleeping and hospitals are rarely synonymous, but in this case, a sleeping was exactly what you were supposed to do. Jake had been told that he needed to get a sleep study done even after his ear tubes were put in. He apparently has enlarged tonsils, still snores, and the prospect is not looking good for him to avoid getting his tonsils out. Being the 4 year old he is, he was brave and was looking forward to our "sleepover" as I had called it. My biggest fear was getting down there without getting lost. Once that hurdle was solved, we then went off to begin our new adventure.


The hospital seemed different at night. I had been there before when he had gotten his tubes in and it was livelier, more bustle. Now it was quiet, with sleepy children roaming the halls, along with the oncoming night shift. The imagination and fun didn't end even near bedtime however. Jake was enamoured with the idea of a McDonald's in a hospital. How cool is that!!! Even though I had taken him for McDonald's that afternoon, we just had to get fries. After our trip, we returned with steaming fries in a greasy bag and grins like cheshires to our room. Reading stories during the setup helped to ease Jake's uncomfortable ordeal. Nothing hurt...but the gel and "stickies" as they were called were cold and a bit irritating to him. The staff however was fantastic! They were sweet and informative and helped Jake open up. As of now, I can only guess at the results. He tossed and turned, snored like a lion and moved around quicker than a jackrabbit. Needless to say, nothing out of the ordinary. Me on the other hand, barely slept at all. 5 star hotel the couch was not:)

We were up at 6 am and had the get the wires removed. The gel had to be wiped down (that is impossible to get out!!!) before we were ready to be moving on. He got a big hug from me as we waved goodbye to the staff and made our way down the hallways to leave. We passed by the oncology department on our way out. For a moment, I found myself clutching Jake's hand a bit tighter. After all, sleeping is nothing.