Breaking up is hard to do

I have a secret relationship. His name? Pain. We've been flirting for about a year now, and it finally came to the point where we had to have a DTR (determine the relationship) talk, because things were just not working out for me.

He can be a perfect gentleman at times. The whole time Glenn and I were in Florida he pretty much left me alone. He poked his head in now and then, just to make sure I wouldn't forget him, but thankfully, he respected my time with Glenn.

But over time, he has become more and more abusive and controlling. He is a very jealous boyfriend. He interferes with my other relationships. He does not like my attempts at eating healthy, nor does he appreciate it when I try to do too much. Too much according to his standards, though, not mine. Bring on the vacuuming, carrying bags of groceries in from the car, cleaning out two freezers, and making pizza, and he rears his ugly head. I think he knows our time together is quickly coming to an end, that it won't be long now until I cut him off completely, and he is hanging on for dear life, milking our relationship for all it's worth.

Until we end things completely, there is just one thing that can help me deal with his torture, but it is something that can also have a potentially harmful grip on me. And I am so afraid of going from one negative relationship to another that could have even greater ramifications. This one's name? Percoset. This guy's a player. He's gone from person to person, destroying many lives in the process with his gentle touch and smooth ways.

Last night (actually early this morning) I woke up and Pain was in bed with me. He had a grip on me and would not let go. I wandered downstairs and knew Percoset was my only chance to break free. I embraced Percoset with a cup of water and a bowl-of-cereal chaser. And even though this relationship can be just as controlling, it is so much sweeter. So calming and relaxing, so warm and soft. Who wouldn't want a boyfriend like that? But I just can't let myself get too involved with him, even though he is seductive and enticing.

So here I am, torn between two who are ruling my life. But like a battered wife planning her escape, I have a plan to break free. By this time next week, I am hoping the two Master P's will be gone forever. Goodbye and good riddance.

Post a la Miley

Dear List,

The 7 things I hate about you:

1. You are everywhere. The counter. The fridge. My planner. My head.

2. I cannot get you out of my head.

3. Sometimes I think I can keep you in my head but then you are not nearly as effective.

4. My planner looks like evidence of someone's psychotic break.

5. I add things to you that I have already done just so that I can cross it off.

6. You even find your way into my blog.

And the seventh thing I hate the most about you:

You make me love you.

Self-Absorbed

The theme for five whole days. Five days of doing what we wanted when we wanted to, a luxury we can't afford in our daily lives (thank you, Grandma and Grandpa Franklin, for taking the crew for us!)

All in the warm Florida sun, or while watching a sunset over the Gulf of Mexico, or falling asleep on an uninhabited key, or seeing the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean. And I took about five hundred pictures of it all.

Of course, with there only being the two of us, there was no one to take pictures of Glenn and me together. Never fear. I made use of my prowess with my camera's timer, and may I say--man, I'm good. Who needs a professional photographer when you've got a button to push and ten seconds before the shutter clicks? I set that camera up everywhere-- deck railings, towels, signs, swim bags, even trash cans. I turned down offers from people willing to snap a shot for us.

We've got this under control, thank you.

If he weren't married to me, Glenn might think I am part of the papparazzi, constantly stalking places to perch the camera, saying Move over there, no--back, ok, hold it! But it was so very worth it, so very fun getting the shots just right, and we are so very grateful to have these money shots of our vacation.

Cocoa Beach at Sunset
Thank you, Wakulla Suites, for providing such great lighting on your deck!

Again, the walk down to Cocoa Beach

Shell Key just south of St. Pete

Duh, ice cream, of course!

Clearwater Beach

We also made use of Glenn's long arms.
Only he can reach far enough to get us both in the shot.

More Cocoa Beach, camera poised on a surprisingly clean and unsmelly garbage can.

St. Pete Beach

Sunset at Redington Shores Beach

Now, obviously I took more than this. Do you really want to see 50 pictures of the same sunset? Or the 75 I took of the sunrise? How about the 30 I have of the various birds, shells, dolphins, sting rays, lizards, and other local wildlife? Nah, those are going in to a Snapfish book (thank you, Oprah--I knew there was a reason I kept recording you every day!). You'll have to come visit me to see it.

Because, really, those pictures are pretty good, too.

Remembering

Today was our school's Veteran's Day assembly, an event that has gained quite a bit of recognition here locally. We had the mayor, several council members, the police and fire chiefs, and a liason from our senator attend, along with many veterans. Andrew is a member of the Peace Force, and his job today was to greet the guests as they arrived. He let me take a picture of him.

The third graders (that's Brooke) sang the hymns from each branch of the military. Here is a clip of a very enthusiastic Brooke:

The veterans stood as their hymn was sung, and the Peace Force members handed out cards and flowers.
At the end, the first graders sang "Proud to be an American." I recorded that also, but Andrew was at the very end and a distinguished veteran friend was blocking my view, so you don't get to see much of Andrew. The nice thing about concentrating on the recording was that is distracted me from crying! The whole assembly was very sweet and respectful. I am so glad that we are passing on the importance of honoring our soldiers to our children. And today, the children did our soldiers proud as well.

The show must go on...

Last year, when Andrew had afternoon kindergarten, it was just me and him in the mornings. I, being the funny mom that I am, called our time together "The Andrew and Mommy Show," sung to a catchy little tune. Today I got to have Porter in the morning while my sister was enroute to California and my brother-in-law was at work. And naturally, I sang "It's the Porter and Amy Show!" to him every chance I got. He was pushing for the "Porter and An-doo Show," but unfortunately Andrew had other obligations, i.e. school. So Porter and I tackled WalMart and Giant Eagle alone. Porter did put on quite a show while we were checking out at Giant Eagle, laughing at nothing and talking gibberish.

We got home and had to play outside in the gorgeous weather. We started with a rocket game that lasted all of five minutes, but Porter got some good air.


I purchased some insurance for a good nap by walking with Porter back to his house to get Macey off the bus. We hung out there for lunch and rockin'-and-rollin' (more nap insurance) and headed back to my house. It worked for one:

But not for the other:All in all, Porter and I were separated from each other for just over two hours. And he was becoming more and more disenchanted with me as the day went on. He was very happy to have Andrew greet him upon returning this afternoon. And at 5:40, he kind of lost it and wanted nothing to do with me or anyone in my family. Fortunately, Nate came back with the ballerinas soon after to whisk him away from the woman standing in for his mom but not quite making the cut.

But guess what, buddy. It may not appeal to the toddler demographic, but the show's back on tomorrow. And I am sure that the ratings will be through the roof.

Talk me down from the Ledges

On Saturday we took a little trip to one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to--Nelson Ledges State Park. I first heard about this place when our friends, the Quists, posted about it on their blog. When I saw the pictures and realized how close it was, just about 45 minutes away, I knew I wanted to visit. Saturday was the perfect opportunity. Nothing going on, beautiful weather, the fall colors in full bloom. I will let the pictures speak for themselves....

We found a waterfall--BONUS!



Make that two!

You can run, but you can't hide

It all finally caught up with me. Three pregnancies (including a twin pregnancy and 2 C-sections), years of wrestling four young children, weight gains and losses (mostly gains), and various intensities of working out have left me with just one thing: a hernia. OK, I guess that's not the only thing, but it is what has been consuming my life over the past month. There have been many days and nights of pain, several doctors appointments, a CT scan which showed nothing, another trip back to the doctor where he just didn't show, a couple sleepless nights, and finally, a surgery scheduled for November 18. The physician's assistant had never seen someone so excited for a surgery before. I say let's get this thing over with.

It really isn't that big of a deal, especially now that I have made the connection between exercise and pain. I have stopped weight training and have mostly been walking. That has really helped a lot. And I have a trip to Florida with Glenn (and only Glenn) coming up on Saturday to distract me. And, if worse comes to worse, there's always my trusty narcotics prescription to make it all go away. Except that those darn drugs are the reason for my bouts of insomnia--I'm not taking those unless absolutely necessary!

I am also secretly looking forward to some built-in, mandatory time off. You know, rest and recovery, no unloading the dishwasher or lifting laundry baskets. Glenn says, "So things will pretty much be the same...?"

It all just goes to show that sometimes the human body can only take so much. Sometimes we need a little help in getting ourselves back together, whether from a doctor who sews things back into place, family members who watch kids during long appointments and remind you it's ok to need help, a husband who lets you sleep from 6 to 11:15 PM, then stays up with you while you have "dinner" and watch a show and plans to take the day off to be with you for the procedure, or family who listen to the whole darn thing over the phone (and are outraged in your behalf when your medical care is less than stellar) (and would drop everything to fly out if it weren't just outpatient). That has been a hard lesson for me to learn, but I am accepting it. And really looking forward to it all being over.