Grrr. Last Monday I was 228. All was going good. Then suddenly I ended up on an emotional rollercoaster ride. I've been losing sleep over a few things. I'm worried and stressed. I haven't been watching what I eat. And I only did one workout. So, I gained weight.
It's looking like a couple of situations are going to work out and I can stop stressing so much. Hopefully, I can get some sleep and have some energy to do what I gotta do. This next week will probably be kinda hard as we work to get Cameron into a different situation. I'm gonna be doing some running around and may not have time to fit in many workouts. I'm gonna have to really watch what I eat and be creative with getting some movement in.
Still haven't heard from Ortho.
Well, that's all I've got. Till next week.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
ENOUGH!
OK, vent session time. This will be a little long...
I am sick, sick, SICK of all the non-English speaking crap going on around here. Fed up, ticked off, done sucking it up. Finished! I can't get a job...I suspect because I don't know Spanish. So, we decided that I would open a certified home day care. In order to even start the process, you have to go through an orientation which must be paid for at least 48 hours in advance. I went to pay for it and guess what. The door to the office I was told to go to was closed with a sign on it in SPANISH. No English translation at all. I was a little miffed, but I sucked it up. Fast forward...I paid later and have taken the orientation already.
Cameron's school...
Last Tuesday Chris and I went to Open House for the school. Before we went to the classrooms, there was a meeting for all the parents. They spoke in English, then translated to Spanish. That's fine. Except there were several times when they would speak in Spanish for a longer time and then people would laugh or applaud and Chris and I would just look at each other because we had no idea what was so funny. They hadn't said anything worthy of a laugh or clapping when they spoke in English, leading us to believe that the Spanish speaking people heard allot more stuff than us. And the meeting was pretty dang long, and it was burning hot in that stuffed non air-conditioned windowless auditorium.
Last Friday I went to a "Coffee With the Principal" meeting. It's just a little get-together they have every last Friday of the month to discuss the goings on at the school. There were about 50 people present. At the beginning the principal asked who needs English translation. Five of us raised out hands. Five. They put us all at one table and sat a translator with us. Throughout all of the discussion, the lady would talk softly and tell us what was being said. Um, I'm hearing impaired. So what I heard was a little bit of the English and a whole lot of the Spanish, since the person speaking Spanish was talking nonstop and louder than the person translating. And the meeting, which was supposed to be 30 minutes, turned out to be an hour and a 15 minutes.
When I go with Cameron in the mornings and pick him up in the afternoons, all I hear is Spanish, Spanish, Spanish. Even the crossing guards are speaking Spanish to each other.
During recess, Cameron doesn't understand what is going on and plays by himself or sometimes with another little boy who is English-speaking only. That kid's parents are looking into putting him in private school. Then who will speak to Cameron on the playground?
Last Straw.....
This morning I went to the PTO meeting. Which I knew would be frustrating for me. I had no intention of going. Not because I don't want to be involved in the whole process, but because I knew they would speak Spanish first, then English. I was WRONG. Spanish ONLY. I sat at a table with the only other non-Hispanic lady there and asked her if she knew Spanish. She said she knew a little, then she started translating the best she could. I couldn't hear her. I got up, walked straight to the office and told them I wanted to buy a school t-shirt. The lady told me that they were going to sell them at the PTO meeting. (Which I already knew--that's the only reason I went.) I told her LOUDLY for all to hear that I was not going to sit through it, that they were speaking Spanish and I only speak English. She asked me if they were translating, I said no. I said every once in a while they say something in English if they felt it was important enough, but for the most part, it's all Spanish. I said everyone in the United States is supposed to know English. She said not everyone. She pulled out a piece of paper with the order form for the T-shirt. I put my hand up and said, "Screw it! I'm done with this. I'm taking my kid out of this school. I'm sick of this CRAP!" I said it loudly and I walked out the door. Shaking and furious. I don't give a flying flip that there were 3 other Hispanic parents and their kids standing there in the office and 3 Hispanic office workers there to witness my outburst.
The other night, Chris and I were discussing the option of homeschooling Cameron. I'm not good at it.
But let's see.....I've gotten a call from another school about 40 minutes away letting me know that they have received Cameron's transcripts from the current school he is in and wanted to know when I wanted to come in and sign the paperwork to transfer him to their school. I said, "What? I've never even heard of your school." Now how did that mix-up occur? They sent his transcripts back to his school.
What else....they've changed the lunch time and pick up time on Wednesdays without letting the parents know.
Cameron got into a fight in the bathroom when a boy pushed him and Cameron pushed back. There was no adult supervision. The boy left a scratch on Cameron. When I spoke to the teacher about it the next day, she told me that they were aware of it and that the boy is autistic and that now they wait till everyone else is done and then they take the boy to the bathroom by himself.
They other day when I was helping Cameron with his homework, he informed me that they are making him write with his right hand. He's left-handed. When I approached them about it, they said it wasn't true. Why would Cameron tell me that?
Also, I noticed that Cameron is now biting his nails while he's trying to do his homework. Is he frustrated too. Is this a coping mechanism? Every morning when I'm trying to get him ready for school, he tells me he doesn't want to go, that it's not fun and he hates it.
Kindergarten is not supposed to be this way. How is he going to be successful in school if he starts out hating it? I'm at a loss.
So, I'm looking into homeschooling options for us. Problem is, how do I do this daycare and home school at the same time? What about his speech therapy that he receives at school? What about socialization? I'm lost and frustrated right now. I want to hold Cameron in my arms and just cry right now. I feel like we are failing him.
Any words of wisdom?
I am sick, sick, SICK of all the non-English speaking crap going on around here. Fed up, ticked off, done sucking it up. Finished! I can't get a job...I suspect because I don't know Spanish. So, we decided that I would open a certified home day care. In order to even start the process, you have to go through an orientation which must be paid for at least 48 hours in advance. I went to pay for it and guess what. The door to the office I was told to go to was closed with a sign on it in SPANISH. No English translation at all. I was a little miffed, but I sucked it up. Fast forward...I paid later and have taken the orientation already.
Cameron's school...
Last Tuesday Chris and I went to Open House for the school. Before we went to the classrooms, there was a meeting for all the parents. They spoke in English, then translated to Spanish. That's fine. Except there were several times when they would speak in Spanish for a longer time and then people would laugh or applaud and Chris and I would just look at each other because we had no idea what was so funny. They hadn't said anything worthy of a laugh or clapping when they spoke in English, leading us to believe that the Spanish speaking people heard allot more stuff than us. And the meeting was pretty dang long, and it was burning hot in that stuffed non air-conditioned windowless auditorium.
Last Friday I went to a "Coffee With the Principal" meeting. It's just a little get-together they have every last Friday of the month to discuss the goings on at the school. There were about 50 people present. At the beginning the principal asked who needs English translation. Five of us raised out hands. Five. They put us all at one table and sat a translator with us. Throughout all of the discussion, the lady would talk softly and tell us what was being said. Um, I'm hearing impaired. So what I heard was a little bit of the English and a whole lot of the Spanish, since the person speaking Spanish was talking nonstop and louder than the person translating. And the meeting, which was supposed to be 30 minutes, turned out to be an hour and a 15 minutes.
When I go with Cameron in the mornings and pick him up in the afternoons, all I hear is Spanish, Spanish, Spanish. Even the crossing guards are speaking Spanish to each other.
During recess, Cameron doesn't understand what is going on and plays by himself or sometimes with another little boy who is English-speaking only. That kid's parents are looking into putting him in private school. Then who will speak to Cameron on the playground?
Last Straw.....
This morning I went to the PTO meeting. Which I knew would be frustrating for me. I had no intention of going. Not because I don't want to be involved in the whole process, but because I knew they would speak Spanish first, then English. I was WRONG. Spanish ONLY. I sat at a table with the only other non-Hispanic lady there and asked her if she knew Spanish. She said she knew a little, then she started translating the best she could. I couldn't hear her. I got up, walked straight to the office and told them I wanted to buy a school t-shirt. The lady told me that they were going to sell them at the PTO meeting. (Which I already knew--that's the only reason I went.) I told her LOUDLY for all to hear that I was not going to sit through it, that they were speaking Spanish and I only speak English. She asked me if they were translating, I said no. I said every once in a while they say something in English if they felt it was important enough, but for the most part, it's all Spanish. I said everyone in the United States is supposed to know English. She said not everyone. She pulled out a piece of paper with the order form for the T-shirt. I put my hand up and said, "Screw it! I'm done with this. I'm taking my kid out of this school. I'm sick of this CRAP!" I said it loudly and I walked out the door. Shaking and furious. I don't give a flying flip that there were 3 other Hispanic parents and their kids standing there in the office and 3 Hispanic office workers there to witness my outburst.
The other night, Chris and I were discussing the option of homeschooling Cameron. I'm not good at it.
But let's see.....I've gotten a call from another school about 40 minutes away letting me know that they have received Cameron's transcripts from the current school he is in and wanted to know when I wanted to come in and sign the paperwork to transfer him to their school. I said, "What? I've never even heard of your school." Now how did that mix-up occur? They sent his transcripts back to his school.
What else....they've changed the lunch time and pick up time on Wednesdays without letting the parents know.
Cameron got into a fight in the bathroom when a boy pushed him and Cameron pushed back. There was no adult supervision. The boy left a scratch on Cameron. When I spoke to the teacher about it the next day, she told me that they were aware of it and that the boy is autistic and that now they wait till everyone else is done and then they take the boy to the bathroom by himself.
They other day when I was helping Cameron with his homework, he informed me that they are making him write with his right hand. He's left-handed. When I approached them about it, they said it wasn't true. Why would Cameron tell me that?
Also, I noticed that Cameron is now biting his nails while he's trying to do his homework. Is he frustrated too. Is this a coping mechanism? Every morning when I'm trying to get him ready for school, he tells me he doesn't want to go, that it's not fun and he hates it.
Kindergarten is not supposed to be this way. How is he going to be successful in school if he starts out hating it? I'm at a loss.
So, I'm looking into homeschooling options for us. Problem is, how do I do this daycare and home school at the same time? What about his speech therapy that he receives at school? What about socialization? I'm lost and frustrated right now. I want to hold Cameron in my arms and just cry right now. I feel like we are failing him.
Any words of wisdom?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Burning The Bridge Behind Me...230
I woke up very hungry this morning and ate breakfast and drank about 16 ounces of water. Then I remembered to weigh. Oops! So, my weight isn't 100% accurate for this post.
I'm getting really discouraged because of Ortho blowing me off. There are many run/ walk events going on around me and I can't do any of them with my leg hurting. I can't even train to do one right now. I'm starting to notice I've developed a "why bother trying" attitude. I know it's not right, but it is what it is.
I'm going to call my doctor again today and ask her to resubmit my consult to Ortho. This will be the 3rd time. I don't know what to do after that. I guess I just wait some more.
Till next week...
I'm getting really discouraged because of Ortho blowing me off. There are many run/ walk events going on around me and I can't do any of them with my leg hurting. I can't even train to do one right now. I'm starting to notice I've developed a "why bother trying" attitude. I know it's not right, but it is what it is.
I'm going to call my doctor again today and ask her to resubmit my consult to Ortho. This will be the 3rd time. I don't know what to do after that. I guess I just wait some more.
Till next week...
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Oh, Cameron...You're Just So Cute...
Cameron: Emily! There's a monster in your bedroom! It's either a large dog or a small bear!
*******************************
The day Cameron came home with dried vomit on his shirt, he told me that a girl in his class got sick and threw up on him. I said, "Well, did you tell the teacher she threw up on you?" Cameron said, "Noooooo, the teacher didn't throw up on me."
*******************************
Cameron: Are we going to move to Alaska?
Me: Maybe.
Cameron: Does it snow there?
Me: Yes. Allot.
Cameron: Yay! You know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna do this! (he throws himself on the floor and proceeds to go through the motions of making a snow angel.)
Me: Oh, you're gonna make snow angels?
Cameron: Yeah! Are there any animals there?
Me: Yes. There are black bears and grizzly bears and caribou and moose. We have to be careful and watch out for bears.
Cameron: Oh, why? Will the bears eat my toys?
Me (laughing): Maybe, or they might eat YOU!
Cameron: OK...I don't want to move to Alaska.
*******************************
The day Cameron came home with dried vomit on his shirt, he told me that a girl in his class got sick and threw up on him. I said, "Well, did you tell the teacher she threw up on you?" Cameron said, "Noooooo, the teacher didn't throw up on me."
*******************************
Cameron: Are we going to move to Alaska?
Me: Maybe.
Cameron: Does it snow there?
Me: Yes. Allot.
Cameron: Yay! You know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna do this! (he throws himself on the floor and proceeds to go through the motions of making a snow angel.)
Me: Oh, you're gonna make snow angels?
Cameron: Yeah! Are there any animals there?
Me: Yes. There are black bears and grizzly bears and caribou and moose. We have to be careful and watch out for bears.
Cameron: Oh, why? Will the bears eat my toys?
Me (laughing): Maybe, or they might eat YOU!
Cameron: OK...I don't want to move to Alaska.
Friday, September 18, 2009
How Many Cups of Sugar Does it Take to Get to The Moon?
Bonus points if you know what movie my title is from.
Do you ever say crazy stuff when you're asleep? I don't know if I do. No one is ever awake when I'm trying to sleep. Usually Chris goes to bed way before me. He gets up super early so usually he's pretty beat when he gets home in the evening. Around 8:30, he could get to bed and not think twice about it. Me, not so much. I stay awake usually till 10 or 11, sometimes 2, 3, 4 in the morning. Otherwise I just lay there in bed and stare at the ceiling, then stare at the wall. Close my eyes and try to sleep. Next thing I know, I'm staring at the ceiling again. Chris will be on his side of the bed just snoozing away.
Sometimes, when I climb into bed and Chris has already fallen asleep, he wakes up and starts talking. Sometimes it's coherent like, "Hey, I forgot to tell you that I have late-stay tomorrow so I won't be home till later." Or, "Did you remember to throw my uniform in the dryer?" And we'll have a teeny tiny conversation before he goes back to sleep and I stare at the wall.
Sometimes he talks crazy like, "Hey. Where'd the....where'd the....ummm.....where'd the hotel go?" And I smile because he's on vacation and I wish I were too. Last night when I went into the bedroom after he'd been asleep for an hour, the conversation went like this:
Chris: (excited) Hey!
Me: Hey!
Chris: (something inaudible, then) on the neon bench!
Me: What?
Chris: On the neon bench!
Me: On the neon bench?
Chris: Yeah.
Me: Um, I'm gonna go brush my teeth now.
Question: What's a neon bench? I want to see one. And I really want to know what the first part of the sentence was.
Do you ever say crazy stuff when you're asleep? I don't know if I do. No one is ever awake when I'm trying to sleep. Usually Chris goes to bed way before me. He gets up super early so usually he's pretty beat when he gets home in the evening. Around 8:30, he could get to bed and not think twice about it. Me, not so much. I stay awake usually till 10 or 11, sometimes 2, 3, 4 in the morning. Otherwise I just lay there in bed and stare at the ceiling, then stare at the wall. Close my eyes and try to sleep. Next thing I know, I'm staring at the ceiling again. Chris will be on his side of the bed just snoozing away.
Sometimes, when I climb into bed and Chris has already fallen asleep, he wakes up and starts talking. Sometimes it's coherent like, "Hey, I forgot to tell you that I have late-stay tomorrow so I won't be home till later." Or, "Did you remember to throw my uniform in the dryer?" And we'll have a teeny tiny conversation before he goes back to sleep and I stare at the wall.
Sometimes he talks crazy like, "Hey. Where'd the....where'd the....ummm.....where'd the hotel go?" And I smile because he's on vacation and I wish I were too. Last night when I went into the bedroom after he'd been asleep for an hour, the conversation went like this:
Chris: (excited) Hey!
Me: Hey!
Chris: (something inaudible, then) on the neon bench!
Me: What?
Chris: On the neon bench!
Me: On the neon bench?
Chris: Yeah.
Me: Um, I'm gonna go brush my teeth now.
Question: What's a neon bench? I want to see one. And I really want to know what the first part of the sentence was.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
More School Frustration
Last week I wrote about some of the frustrations I'm having with Cameron's school. I mentioned that he got lost, but I didn't mention that he was in a 2nd/3rd grade class when they found him. Now how did that happen? So far he's gotten lost 3 times. The second time, he got "yelled at" because the teacher thought he ran off. The third time, he says he found his way back before the teacher noticed. I talked to the teacher about it and mentioned that he said he got in trouble. She didn't confirm, but she also didn't deny.
On Wednesdays, they get out of school at 12:10. Last week when I got there at 12:10, they were headed to lunch and told me that if I wanted him to eat there, then to come back at 12:30. Ooookaaay? So today, what time do you think I went to the school? That's right, 12:30. Guess where he was. Guess. Not at the lunch tables. Try at the office because I was "late" picking him up. The office lady told me that they now eat lunch earlier so they can be ready to go home at 12:10. I said, "They really need to send home notes when they change things. We are not psychic. They need to communicate with the parents better." She agreed, probably just blowing smoke.
On the walk home Cameron told me that a girl in his class got sick and threw up and some of it got on his back. I looked at his shirt and sure enough, dried vomit down the right side of his back. Eeeeeeewwwww! What is wrong with these people? How can they just let a kid walk around with vomit drying on his shirt? Do they not have eyes? I know they have eyes, but do they not care? Are they not paying any attention at all? It's not like he didn't have a shirt to change into. They told us to pack a large ziplock with extra clothes in their backpack everyday. And we do. So what's the deal?
On Wednesdays, they get out of school at 12:10. Last week when I got there at 12:10, they were headed to lunch and told me that if I wanted him to eat there, then to come back at 12:30. Ooookaaay? So today, what time do you think I went to the school? That's right, 12:30. Guess where he was. Guess. Not at the lunch tables. Try at the office because I was "late" picking him up. The office lady told me that they now eat lunch earlier so they can be ready to go home at 12:10. I said, "They really need to send home notes when they change things. We are not psychic. They need to communicate with the parents better." She agreed, probably just blowing smoke.
On the walk home Cameron told me that a girl in his class got sick and threw up and some of it got on his back. I looked at his shirt and sure enough, dried vomit down the right side of his back. Eeeeeeewwwww! What is wrong with these people? How can they just let a kid walk around with vomit drying on his shirt? Do they not have eyes? I know they have eyes, but do they not care? Are they not paying any attention at all? It's not like he didn't have a shirt to change into. They told us to pack a large ziplock with extra clothes in their backpack everyday. And we do. So what's the deal?
Would You Visit Us in Anchorage?
As everyone knows, we are retiring from the Navy next November 1, 2010. We are trying to figure out where we want to go. We can go anywhere if we want. We have a few criteria for the place we pick. The top two are: One, it MUST be within a reasonable driving distance to a military base because we want to use our benefits. And two, we want our kids to go to an IB school. After that, we are pretty flexible. Though we'd prefer not to melt or be eaten alive by mosquitoes in the summers.
We have been looking at quite a few places. Our top pick right now is Anchorage, Alaska. Yes, it is cold and snowy there. Which is opposite of what we said we wanted a few months ago. Well, the snow anyway. I'm sure we can adapt.
Anchorage has two military bases and an IB high school. Also, it has the Aurora Borealis. Who doesn't want to see this in person?
Round trip nonstop flights from Houston range from $673 per person in economy to $2253 per person (ouch) in first class. It's a seven and a half hour flight. From Kansas City, round trip flights with one connection range from $573 economy to $2081 and higher for first class. You can also get there by train, but I'm sure it would take a week or so. You would also have to switch train lines in Canada. I'm not even sure if Amtrak goes into Canada anymore. You may end up on 3 different train lines. I'm sure it can be driven also, somehow and for days and days.
This post is long enough. If you're interested in reading a little about Anchorage, here's the Wiki page for you. Skim through it if you feel like it.
And, no, this is not a joke.
Love ya!
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