Tuesday, December 18, 2007

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

7 comments:

Sarakastic said...

I'm always happy to get permission to smack someone upside the head, but that will never happen because you're a great mom & your boys are lucky to have you. So what's up with just one kidney?

LEstes65 said...

I had renal reflux as an infant. Basically, that means that the ureters allowed urine back up to the kidneys from the bladder. Not a good thing. After 2 failed attempts at a new corrective surgery procedure, I lost the left kidney to infection. They removed it when I was almost 2, I think.

The Boy was lucky enough to inherit this from me. That old failed procedure is routine now and the guy at Children's Hospital in Boston has a 100% success rate with it. He corrected The Boy's reflux a month before he turned 3 (The Boy, not the doc - ha!).

I'm lucky to be alive. My mom tells me I almost didn't make it a couple of times. Mostly due to infection and/or pneumonia. God is good and I'm a tenacious little bugger. The world is stuck with me and my one kidney.

Beck said...

I am just furious for your boys' sake right now.
One kidney, eh? Take CARE of yourself!

Kristen said...

Once again, future ex has reached a new height of suckitude. I keep saying it, but I just can't believe him! Where is the guy we all knew and loved?!! GAH!!! If I see him while he's here, A may have to restrain me from hucking an ice chunk at him.

I'm praying for The Boy (and Lil Bro and you) as always. The stress of this time of year can be hard to take, and I'm sure The Boy picks up on that. Plus, he's so sensitive and in tune with other people's worries that he's probably worrying a little about his Grandpa. I'll pray for God to ease his sweet soul.

Trish Ryan said...

You won't need head smacking. But Future Ex....I'm firing up the Tae Bo tape right now so that my upper cut and jab are ready to go should the opportunity arise.

And the lawyer in me can't help but suggest that you keep notes of events like this and make sure people around you and him know about his choices (especially his family) so that if he ever gets crazy legally you have proof of what a deadbeat he's turning into.

Bless you!!! You rock!!!

Mary Ann said...

Your future ex sure is consistent. Bah humbug on him. And I second Trish re documentation.

Loved your meme. May self-tag that one.

Sending snow your way...

Unknown said...

I wanted to know if by any chance you would be interested in doing an unbiased review of our product.

If you agree we will send you a product sample so that you can try it and then write a review about it.

Please let me know if you are interested.

Thank you