Tics, A Rant and A Meme

TICS:
Interestingly enough, the holiday stress doesn't seem to be getting to me this year. At least, my conscious self tells me that. I wonder if my subconscious would give a different answer. I'm wondering this because I've noticed the return of some of The Boy's facial tics. Nothing major but the fact that they're there is noticeable simply because he has been sans tics for so long. Is it second hand stress? Is it the approaching holiday vacation? Is it the TS starting to take a stronger hold as he gets older? In all honesty, I'm not that worried about it. But having just revisited my post from this time last year about how his tics increased in the presence of stress, it just makes me wonder. [And Maureen, if you're visiting again, I love your comments on that post and would love to chat w/ you more. Feel free to email me via the link in my profile!]

I've just noticed in this past week, quite a few facial tics returning. Exaggerated blinking but not as bad as previous times. A few facial movements that seem to go with his blinking. Again, nothing horribly obvious. But I see it. With my dad's hospitalization and a few late nights due to Christmas festivities, who knows. Maybe it's just that. We'll see.

A RANT:
I'll keep it short. Because if I don't, this will become a 5 page tome. But here is my gripe about future ex. And keep in mind that this comes on the heels of weeks of getting along wonderfully with him.

Winter break, the kids get 2 weeks and 2 days off. I was able to take one week plus 1 day vacation. The other week would hopefully see the boys with their dad. I'd prefer to have them with me but time with their dad is important, fair, and also legally suggested. The divorce decree (no matter what details we are hammering out) is pretty unchanged and clear about that. Most major holidays will be split. Well, a few weeks ago, future ex informed me he couldn't take them as he couldn't get the time off from work. No problem. They'll stay with me and have to be bored while I work. But they'll be safe and not stuck in some weird day care where they don't know anyone. I'm fine with that. So is future ex.

Fast forward to a couple of days ago. Future ex informs me he will be taking that 2nd week of the winter break to visit his girl thing up in her state. He couldn't get time off to take his boys. But apparently his work was ok with him taking it off to have a week with his girl thing in a totally different state than his boys. 'Nuff said.

I have mercilessly ridden his butt on this subject. Most other infractions, I say my piece and leave it be. Not this one. This is anti everything he ever believed in. So I have not relented on pointing out this really big bone-head dad move. He's feeling pretty rotten about it. But not rotten enough to cancel his flight. And in my book? That's the only action that will redeem any part of him to me.

If I ever get a boyfriend and start dissing my boys? You all better smack me upside the head until I stop being stupid.

And I'm done. Now on to more fun things:

A MEME:
I found this meme on Stacy's site. I adore Stacy and try to do anything she does. I want to be her when I grow up. Here 'tis:

Two Men I’d Love to Date (if they were single)
1. A Clive Owen look-a-like that plays and sings in a worship band in a really kick-ass spirit filled church. Know any?
2. Same as above but with a Christian Bale look-a-like. (And yes, I’m aware of the ridiculousness of the details in my fantasy wishes.)

Two Things I Am Wearing Right Now
1. A purple ‘Keep Austin Weird’ t-shirt.
2. Jeans.

Two Things I Would Want in a Relationship
1. A man.
2. A Christian man (see answers to first item).

Two of My Favorite Things to do
1. Play/hang with my kids.
2. Singing God songs.

Two Things I Want Very Badly At the Moment
1. To be madly in reciprocal love (I added that ‘reciprocal’ after realizing that, without it, it indicates a situation where I might be the only one in love. Been there. Done that.)
2. Someone to clean my house regularly for a cheap price. Oh wait…I meant world peace. Yah. World peace.

Two Things I Did Recently
1. Ate one of the 3 huge enchiladas my neighbor’s hubby made & she brought me tonight. I’m going to see about paying him to make them for me every single night. This means I will inevitably be a size 24 very soon.
2. Prayed over my sons.

Two Things I Ate Today
1. Way too many M&Ms.
2. PB&J with Lil’ Bro for lunch.

Two People I Most Recently Talked To
Aside from my boys?
1. My mom.
2. Future ex.

Two Things I’m Doing Tomorrow
1. Updating those use cases if it kills me. (Ah, the glamor...)
2. Trying to avoid having to do production DB2 updates for the users. But will end up doing them. (...the glamor never ceases...)

Two Longest Car Rides
1. Connecticut to Texas/New Mexico almost every summer as a kid. So that’s way more than two.
2. Boston to Roanoke, VA in 2004.

Two Favorite Holidays
1. Christmas.
2. It’s a tie between Thanksgiving and the New Year.

Two Favorite Beverages
1. Fresh home-made lemonade - not too sweet, please.
2. Any decadent mixture of espresso, chocolate and dairy.

Two Things About Me, Things You May Not Have Known
Like there’s anything I haven’t already told you? Let me think. Think think think think think…hmmm. Wow. I’m boring.
1. Ok, I have only one kidney.
2. When I was little, I prayed nightly to wake up and be a boy. God, in his wisdom, just gave me a little extra testosterone and kept me female. Thank you, God!

Two Places I Have Lived
1. Boston, Massachusetts
2. Austin, Texas
Yes, I have a thing for places that rhyme with "_ostin".

Two of My Favorite Foods
1. Mexican – and of this genre, give me enchiladas any day.
2. Breakfast – and of this genre, pancakes, hands down.

Two Places I’d Rather Be Right Now
As long as my boys were with me...
1. Cornwall, England, or
2. Somewhere with butt-loads of snow.

Two People I’m Tagging
1. Anyone
2. Everyone