Sheer Exhaustion

This past week has just been crazy [I believe the above pic sums it up] and the Shorties are just T-I-R-E-D. We are busy - too busy. So, today, we so took a three hour nap [Of course, now I"m up at 1:13am posting on my blog....maybe there is a reason we are so tired?] Awesome Saturday for the Walk for Hope in Shelby - Mindy's Maniacs walked in her honor. [More on that later.]

I am going to get on my soap box for just a minute so please humor me [or go surf the net] while I rant about negativity. I will be the FIRST to say that there are those situations where I am negative so I am certainly not without fault. HOWEVER, do you know people that just grate at your nerves because they are so negative? [Like you wonder if they complain about breathing and blinking since they tend to complain about EVERYTHING else?] This tends to happen a lot in the stands at football games. There is ALWAYS someone there who can coach better or play better than those on the field....and they ALWAYS seem to talk the loudest. [Or maybe, because my sweet thang is a coach I am hyper-sensitive to talk in the stands....hmmmm....something to ponder] I guess what gets in my crawl about the particular incident in question is that this person always seems to have a comment and I always seem to be around to hear it. [What comes up, comes out kind of thing] This one also happened in the stands at the game [I could tell you some stories about things I've heard in the stands...and things I've said to people in the stands. Don't talk about my kids and don't run your mouth about my husband, the coach, within earshot of my kids. Don't talk about the kids playing the game or any of the other coaches. Seriously, have a little tact because you never know who is sitting around you.] Back to said incident, [You know, if you read my blogs, that I'm into random tangents....it is what I do...it is the cross I bear] this person makes a comment about the game being "over", especially since KM will proably do something to turn the ball over anyway.

"So go home. Leave. If you can't support the team then go home."

Not a terribly bold or powerful statement for me but I wasn't about to get into an arguement. [And I realized that trying to trump a huge redneck with a response to their nonsensical rhetoric is about as useful as rooster crap on a pump handle.] If you are not there to support the team [That includes EVERYONE on the field working as hard as they can to put points on the board] then stay home. Don't bring your snide remarks, your bashing comments, and most of all, your OPINIONS about what you think should be done, with you to the game. Seriously, despite what you think, Mr. and/Mrs. I Have a Big Mouth fan, the coaches DO NOT call the fumble play or the missed block play or the get your punt blocked play. And besides, the players are KIDS...like between the ages of 14 and 18....they aren't perfect either! They get nervous...they forget...they make mistakes. So keep your negative, team bashing, ugly comments to yourself. If you have such a bad attitude about the team then do us all a favor and STAY HOME! [Because we all know that just telling them to be quiet won't work. Redneck, ignorant fan = loud, ignorant comments....it's a theory like e=mc2 - Look it up.]

Conversation overheard at our table tonight: Me: He was decapitated. Molly: Is he still alive? Craig [Putting his head in his shirt]: Yes. He just looks like I do now. [Don't ask why we were talking about decapitation - please.]

I promised to elaborate more on the Walk for Hope event today. Our group, Mindy's Maniacs, was well represented!! What an honor to be there and show support for the people battling cancer. I will admit that it was emotional for a lot of reasons. There are so many people in our community that are dealing with cancer...as patients, caregivers, Hospice workers, employers, children, parents, spouses, friends....and to see them come together was awesome. Each person had a purpose, a person, a cancer survivor that they were supporting. As I looked around at the love and compassion I openly wept. As I watched Jeanine, with her girls [Jenny, Mindy, and Sue] I realized how important family really is, especially when faced with life changing news like cancer. I have watched them rally together and support each other, in the good and the bad. [As Jenny says, one doesn't fart without the other smelling it....] I am honored to be able to witness the love and sacrifice. If you don't believe in committment or honor or selflessness then you should have been with me today while Ronnie held Mindy's hand or when Jenny stopped to make sure another person was OK during the walk or when Natalie went forward during the caregivers recognition or when the entire family embraced. God was alive and real today...and He knows our prayers for these people. What an amazing experience....

In closing, promise me you will take the time to pray for someone who is surviving cancer or who is nearing the end of the long fault battle. Pray for the children, like Natalie and Mallory, who must stand strong for their parents. Be specific and call these people by name and ask God to heal them - either here on Earth or with Him in Heaven.

I told you, I am a woman on a mission.

Hey Momma....Hey Mommy...Hey Mom

Well we made it 10 whole days before taking a day off from school. [What? 10 days is a long time...not really....I mean, I did have the ENTIRE summer to make my kids sick didn't I?] Cooper decided on Wednesday morning that he wanted to be sick. [That could be a slight exaggeration because no one wants to be sick...do they?] Of course, in our house, you must specify in what context you use the word sick. [Breaking out a little teacher lingo there: Vocabulary context....get you some of that!] You see, Coooper, being the eleven year old that he is, often uses the word "sick" to describe something good. For example, just this past Monday, when Boise State and VT played, Cooper described the uniforms of VT as "sick". [No, they don't need a doctor - ha ha ha.] Yet, Wednseday morning, Cooper was not "sick" as in cool or groovy or beast [Whole 'nother conversation people - don't ask] but he was sick as in fever, aches, and pains. So, 10 entire days into a new school year I'm getting a sub and staying home. [Though, I would be a big, fat, liar if I said that I didn't get right back in the bed and sleep 'til 9:45....it was nice.] Coop hung around the house all day, puny and pitiful, until we went to the doctor. As we were sitting in the doctor's office I noticed this ugly, nasty sore on his wrist. [Rewind to exactly two weeks before....Coop picked a tick off this spot during church. The tick was attached. Gross.]

Me: Cooper! Is that where the tick bit you? Cooper: Uh yeah...duh. I told you that. Me: Well did you tell me it left a nasty scabbed over place on your arm that looks infected? Cooper: No, I left that part out.

Well that changed things completely....my first instinct was Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. [When I said that to Coop he looked at me like I had three heads...like I made that up or something.] Luckily, he did not have all the symptoms of RMSF but to be on the safe side the doc prescribed an antibiotic to cover it and help the infected bite. The horse pills [as Cooper calls them] will hopefully take care of him. [But will it keep him from telling lame jokes? Hmmmmm....]

Tonight I was a single parent. Not by choice but the JV was away, in Hickory, so I have not seen Craig since 8:40 this morning. [I'll get to this morning in a minute] Well lucky me [and I mean that sincerely] got to run the kiddos all over the place. Actually it was just Coop but the whole clan went with me. We literally went all over Cleveland County [well, I did skip Casar, but for other reasons] because Coop practices at Optimist Park so we went there....they sent me to the park for his uniform [He missed picking that up Wed. night because he was sick]...I left him and Molly there and ran one of Emma's friends back to the mall...then back to the park to pick up the oldest two [with uniform] ....then to see Mindy....then back to the KM. Needless to say, the Pilot needs gas :) The entire two hours in the car I think I heard the two words "Hey Momma" about 4928 times....no lie. Between Emma and Gabe, those two words get spouted ALOT. Most of the time the end of the sentence is either incoherent [Gabe], blasphemy [Gabe], or filled with loads of drama [Emma]. No one has ever accused my children of being quiet - no one. I should keep a tally sometime.

This morning I rolled over, checked the time on my phone, and flew [literally] out of the bed. We usually leave the house around 7:20am each day....today we woke up at 7:06am!!! OMG! Needless to say, there was a lot of shouting [Get up! We overslept! Put your clothes on! Brush your teeth! Change your underwear (I have to tell Craig that everyday)! Fix your lunch!] I mean, my house is crazy enough when we get up on time so can you imagine? We were out the door, thanks to wonderful people like KB, and on time - all six of us. [I don't know how much teeth brusing actually happened so if you were near a Short and they had halitosis then we apologize.]

On a serious note, I did get to see my good friend Mindy tonight and it was awesome. She looked great, despite not feeling well this week, and she was in great spirits. I had a fabulous visit with her, her girls, and her sweet husband Ronnie. I hope that you will take some time to drop her a note [www.caringbridge.org/visit/mindyhumphries] and pray for her. She will be visiting her oncologist next week to get firm plans on treatment so please lift her up with your thoughts and prayers.

If you are asked to give money, even if it is just $1 or $5 or whatever, to fight cancer then please don't hesistate to do this. Join your local Relay team, give to Susan G. Komen, buy something from a bake sale raising money for a cancer survivor, put your extra change in those jars that you see on counters, or simply donate your time, your baked goods, or whatever to fight this dreaded disease. My own mother is a cancer survivor...and you could say that my sister is too since my mom was diagnosed when she was six months pregnant with my sister. This is my personal mission :)

Looking forward to a great weekend with good friends and good food. As always, life is awesome.

Shortisms

I've been so busy that I've neglected the blog [and trust me when I let it all hang out on here it is much easier on my hips and butt 'cause I likes me some food when things get a little crazy - I really should be blogging on an hourly basis to lose some weight!!!] This going back to work thing is for the birds!!! Seriously, why can't I win the Bazillion dollar Powerball or something? [Probably because I don't play....but that's besides the point]

The Short children have been up to lots and it's been a wild [but absolutely wonderful] beginning to school this year. Living like half a mile from my job is totally AWESOME! [But, unfortunately, has not helped me to get there any earlier...just ain't in my blood to be early...or apparently, on time.] Thank goodness for wonderful friends like the Wilsons, who help us out with the kiddos!!

Gabe and Emma have been up to their usual antics and keeping us in stitches here:

Gabe: Daddy I cannot listen to that song. Craig: Well why not buddy? Gabe: Because it is humiliating. It humiliates me so turn it off. [He's three and a half and runs around, inside and outside, in his UNDERWEAR...humiliation is not in his vocabulary!!]

Emma: Mommy! Guess what? Lexie and I slept on junasium mats at her house! Me: Don't you mean gymnasium mats? Emma: That's what I said - Junasium mats!

Gabe: I love to scream at the top of my RUMS!!! [Rums? Oh he meant lungs...ok, now I get it...]

Emma: You know what Mommy? We're going to do science in first grade - we've never done science before! Me: You learned about butterflies last year - wasn't that science? Emma: No Mommy...that was just butterflies!

Gabe: Mommy are we going to daddy's ballgame tonight? Me: Yes we are buddy. Gabe: Good...I want to see Carsyn [She's a Varsity cheerleader and Gabe's girlfriend] and one day I'm going to give her a kiss. [So now I gotta worry about Gabe too? Geez...this parenting stuff is tough.]

Fly on the wall people...that's all I have to say...fly on the wall - if you could only listen to the conversations that happen in our house....

Last night, in our sheer boredem [more like sheer exhaustion] we were giving names to Craig's phone number in my phone and calling it [Stay with me folks...there is a reason I'm telling you this...] to hear my phone talk. When I get a phone call my phone says, "Call from_______" and gives the name or number of the call. Craig thinks it is so funny because when Molly calls [Her name is Moo in my phone] the phone sounds very weird. So [of course, because we are Shorts and we are notorious for dumb things] I decided to rename Craig in my contacts as other names, then he would call and the phone would announce the incoming call:

"Call from Jack ***"

We laughed so hard I nearly peed my pants! [Sad I know...but it was funny...to us anyway.]

So goes it at the Short house. We are so loving our new digs in KM, loving the fact that college football kicks off tomorrow, and loving the fact that we can laugh at just about anything. God has truly blessed us ♥