Recovery and life in general

     Recovery is such a funny thing. We WANT to take it easy and then we don't. We want to go slow and then we don't. Oops, am I using the word WE? I guess I should change that to ME. I am enjoying the pace and yet I seem to see the world racing past me and I wonder if I'll get behind. What is "get behind" anyway? Does this mean my kids might miss a math lesson, or..yikes...we don't follow the exact schedule I laid out at the beginning of the year? Did I accidentally encourage a friend on the phone when it wasn't on my google calendar? Isn't life, real life, what accidentally happens on the way....to, well....something? Does the entire math book have to be done? Does it have to be done in exact order? I ask these questions because they roll around in my head all the time. I was a school teacher with lesson plans THAT HAD to be turned in mind you. Hand to be executed according to the almighty TAKS or TAS or AT&T or CBS or something like that. What lessons are missed that happen in the unexpected? Those are the BIG ones, not my perfect little lesson plans with my perfect little soldiers....yeah, I dream about that one! LOL

     Now, don't misunderstand me, I am not taking "school" lightly. I just think I am guilty more times than not of being driven by a calendar or goals when the goal needs to be the child and the education of the child BUT NOT just the schedule of it all. I am often referring to the book Cultural Literacy and making notes and reminding myself of these things my children should be exposed to and yet once that book hits the shelf then much of it is forgotten. Discussion.....not on the lesson plan...those are important.

     As soon as I came home from the hospital child #3 asks me, "Exactly what kind of surgery did you have and what did they take out?" He also told a friend I couldn't lift anything for a while because I had stitches in my arms and they might rip out. I had to go back and explain a few things. He came to this conversation prepared (he's really into Science).  He had 2 of his science books with pictures and he was ready. It would have been easy to brush him off, I was on medication and I was tired, but his 7 year old mind was ready to understand so I did it. For once I did it! We got the "Girl" anatomy pictures out and then explained the girl parts and why mine needed to move on (I had a hysterectomy for those coming late into this discussion). Then the whole bladder thing was a little confusing. Stitches and why did that keep me from lifting. He got it, but it took a while. Now, I am hopeful and yet not confident that he will not go and share his new found information with his friends.

   Hysterectomy and Bladder Suspension surgery coming from a 7 year old male to other 7 year old children, is not ideal. Oh the phone calls I may get. We shoot pretty straight here at our house. Within maturity and intellectual levels considered we answer questions that are asked. Colin is a science guy and he "gets it" so we explain, yes with pictures! I am SO going to be in trouble. Colin has told us he plans on being a pediatrician a few days a week and then a babysitter on the other day so we were just getting him started early. We did share that a pediatrician was kind of like a babysitter so he is considering it full time. He has time to make his choice.
 

      Now back to recovery: I AM taking it easy. I can't drive and I don't lift which means that my children change all the diapers and put kids in high chairs. I have only packed 2 boxes of Christmas stuff, which means we have 2 somewhat naked trees standing in our house and piles of stuff everywhere. I hate piles.....ooops, bad word! I have cleared out baby closets trying to get to my goal of less is more like I wrote about a while ago. 9 outfits? Really? That won't happen, but I am going for less. 9 outfits with babies who can go through 2 a day means way more laundry than I can adequately do. How many cute sweaters is too many? Cleaned out! They will go into storage for other foster children. We are close to overflowing right now! We are giving more out, but we are also being blessed with more people giving us stuff! That has been the extent of my cleaning for 2 days. It is NOT much. Those clothes are laying in the corner of my bedroom daring a realtor to show our house or show our junk! If God plans on selling it he'll sell it with my piles.