Dear Burglars

Dear Potential Burglar

Should you happen to choose my house to 'hit' (listen to me all gangsta!) and upon entering come to the conclusion that someone else got here before you and ransacked the joint I would like to point out a few things.

1) I have a lot of kids.  A. LOT.  I don't know if you know kids but these folks are messy.  They leave things laying around making it a minefield.  I will trust that you have some sort of burglars insurance that covers you in case of any mishaps while stealing other people's stuff as I will not be responsible for any injuries incurred.

2) I have six in diapers.  Should you break in on an appointment day such as today having me leave the house early and are assaulted by an odour that if bottled could qualify as chemical warfare again, I cannot be held liable.

3) Ten lunches are made every early morning.  If I have to leave early there may or may not be ingredients of said lunches left out.  You are welcome to help yourself if you are hungry.  Even though you have entered my home to take what you have not earned it hurts me to think folks go hungry.  I will ask however that you clean your dishes and put whatever you use away.  I might not be able to train the children but perhaps I will have more luck with the common criminal (no offence).

4) Bathroom étiquette is not my family's forte shall we say.  Should you enter any of the bathrooms before I have had chance to have my way with them you do so at your own peril.  Should you find you need to avail yourself of the facilities kindly put the seat down, flush, wash your hands and for the love of all things holy turn off the light.  I wonder if I could beg a favour and as you make your way through the house if you could ensure all the toilets are flushed?

5) The dog.  She looks adorable.  I am sure she will all be wagging her tail thumping it against her kennel as if to say open the kennel door and I'll show you where all the good stuff is.  It is a rouse!  We have no good stuff and if you let her out of her kennel and don't take her down to her rocks and she does her bizness all over my floor I will hunt you down and have you prosecuted to the full extent of the law and then some!

I would like to end this letter of instruction by encouraging you not to judge.  Do not judge me on the basis of what you think my housekeeping skills are and what you find as a home in complete disarray.  I will actually draw your attention to the walls in the living room.  Those my friends were just washed.  Yes indeed.  With cleaner and everything.  Also there is one bedroom from bedding to carpet that is shiny clean (don't look in the closet).  So before you are all judgey judgey take note of those two things.

Well that's it I guess.

I just wanted to offer some defense to what you might walk into (or climb into or however you people get in).  I would hate people to think my house is a disaster even if the 'people' are common criminals (no offence).  I mean it is a disaster, you and I both know that but I don't want people THINKING that.  You understand.

Yours truly

Home owner and owner of all the stuff you might think good enough to steal.  Good luck!  HA HA HA HA!

Pretty please

I don't normally ask for things like this.  I don't normally ask for much of anything from anybody really unless it's something for which I am giving compensation (don't believe anything anybody tells you!).

This week has the potential to be life changing.  Sounds dramatic eh?

There are two things being brought to two different tables this week.

Both of these issues involve change in legal status of one and the possibility of growing the family via a route that I thought was permanently closed to us.  I desperately want both of these things to have the outcomes I have been dreaming about for YEARS.

I would welcome any and all positive vibes sent our way.

Applause please

Can we give Nessa a rousing round of applause?  It's raining outside and she peed.  Outside.

I know right?!

Maybe if she hears accolades sent from around the world she will repeat this magnificent feat.

#dumbassdog

#didijustwritethat

#thenamesiwanttocallheronaregularbasisaremuchworse

Fun times

I will miss these days, these days of summer.  I all ready miss the kids being much smaller but relish these days that they continue to think that I am the cat's meow.

This day we made use of the special grounds made at the Children's Hospital where there is a mini soccer field, track,  golf and basketball court.  The three of us played soccer and ran races.  I might just add that younger mothers have nothing on me.  I was a wicked goalie (not really), could pull off a good kick and was able to run races with suffering neither a cracked hip nor cardiac event.  Take that!

I enjoy these times where I have unlimited access to teaching the lessons that I feel are important.  With school being full days with added travel time on top it can feel like we never see each other.  In the end it means a more concentrated effort must be made to ensure that time is taken to be together.

Don't get me wrong.  Make no mistake about it.  There were times this summer where I thought we had a bit too much togetherness and questioned who in the world had the stupid idea to give two months off school anyways.  Luckily those times were few and far between.

School is back in session now and due to health issues for one and behavioural for another there continues to be plenty of time for me to impart my philosophies on life and anything else I can think of during the day.  This sort of was not what I had planned....

Helping her brother roll the ball

SCORE!

Lining the brother up to make the shot

SCORE

Who plays soccer in bare feet?

Luckily they were soft balls

Just Hush!

Have you ever said anything so completely stupid and idiotic in front of people who don't know you?  Have you ever used words or sentences in an effort to convey a message but in the end the message you convey is that you are a horrible beast (and not in a good way)?

That was me today.  I cringe at my word choice.  I worry that I did not effectively correct what was done.  I worry that I could in any way be taken seriously at those words.

Normally I make such errors when I am being my normal sarcastic jackass self.  Unfortunately this was directed towards professionals about one of my adored ones.

Attempting to let it go.  Hoping the words are forgotten and what they commonly connote and not what I meant.

I believe in the philosophy less is more.  Too bad I did not practice it when speaking today..

still mad

Sometimes, surprisingly, even though you feel it every hour of every day grief can rise up stronger, faster and far more furious, throw you to the ground and stomp on you mercilessly. Unforgiving. I too am unforgiving. I have a rage that roars within me towards those who failed us, those who should have done better. I share in the guilt for knowing better and not responding as I should have. I have resentment in a system who's hierarchy and promotion of doctors to a position of such reverence that other healthcare professionals fail to communicate with for fear of reprisal if they call too soon puts patients in danger to such a degree that death can occur.
Grief is stupid

pleasant surprise

I have so much to say about this year's first day of school but have not found all the words and energy.  Suffice it to say that never mind the six degrees of Kevin Bacon in this house there is six degrees to Ailish Angelia.

I will leave you with this however....

I spoke with the my adored six year old new to grade two child's teacher after school with this being the first day and surprisingly enough to me she sounded all sober and everything!

If you have done any reading here and have learned of the unique qualities that make up my princess this indeed is a surprising feat!  Not only was I surprised on the the teacher's state of sobriety I was also very happy to learn that it is the same teacher as last year.  This means the darling is in a grade one/two split class which ordinarily I am not a fan of but I think is the right move for the child.  I do not soft cell the challenges educating her presents.  I truly am surprised if not shocked that a teacher would sign up again if there was an option not too.  I fully believe that this particular teacher definitely graduated top half of her class and feel really fortunate that we can benefit again from her teaching.  The familiarity that teacher and student will all ready have will decrease adjustment and the learning curve in the getting to know you phase that occurs the beginning of every year.  It is highly possible we have fallen into our own Annie Sullivan!

Love her Love her Love her beyond measure!  (however my camera and I might be breaking up due to the quality of this picture!)