back to school:2013 edition

Today is the first day of school...I have a 2nd, 5th and 8th grader.  Yikes!  The boys woke up excited and ready to begin the new school year.  It made my heart happy to see them so excited to go back.  I think it's because our summer was so boring that they were just ready to have something to do!  Oh well.

Of course I wouldn't walk Connor into Middle School because while I do enjoy embarrassing him, I do have to draw the line somewhere!  I also hadn't planned on walking Coby up to his class but he surprised me when he said that he wanted me to.  He didn't have to ask me twice that's for sure!  This is the last year I can do that with him since he'll be in Middle School next year.  Yikes.  I can't even think about the fact that I'll also have one in High School next year.  The years are just flying by.

So, back to Coby wanting me to walk him to class...pretty sure that didn't include him wanting me to take a picture.  Clearly that sent him over the edge. haha

Now my baby Cale tried really hard to have me just drop him off at school.  He wanted NO part of me walking him to his class.  I told him that I was most definitely walking him in.  I know I probably shouldn't have, but come on!  He's only in second grade for crying out loud!  I just had to walk him in.  Sadly it might be the last time I get to.  I'm pretty sure he'll put his foot down next year.

Cale is super excited about school.  He is in a class with very few kids that he knows this year, but I know he'll do fine.  He told me that it doesn't bother him at all.  Out of the three boys, Cale is the perfect one to be in this situation.  He'll have made lots of friends by the end of the day I'm sure.  Plus, he says he'll see his other friends at recess.  No worries.  

I'm looking forward to a wonderful school year!

it's the thought that counts

Today was Cale's parent/teacher conference.  I scheduled it for 3:30 knowing that I'd have some time to kill after picking up Coby and Cale from school but it needed to be early so I could make it to Connor's baseball game (he leaves on the bus directly from school on game days).  I planned on hanging out in the car with the boys until the meeting but the boys reminded me that the book fair was going on....they thought they'd just head over to it while I was in my meeting!  haha....NO way was that going to happen.  I mean I know that Coby would be on his best bahavior, but Cale?  Well, I never know, lil stinker!  So, off we headed to the school library with 20 minutes to kill before my meeting.  We looked and looked and I finally told Cale that I'd buy him an $8 book and I told Coby (who had been off on his own most of the time) that I'd do the same for him.  He told me that he didn't need $8 but that he didn't have his money with him and asked if I would loan him $4 until we got home.  I pressed him to know why and he hesitated but finally told me that there was a flower pen he wanted to buy me for my birthday (which is on Friday).  Melt. my. heart.  I gave him the loan and he was so happy to have bought me something.  The whole way home he told me how he just wanted to make me feel special and that I always make him feel special....he just kept saying that he wanted me to feel that way too!  He told me that I'd have to wait until my birthday for my new pen but that once I got it, he hoped I'd think of him when I used it.  Oh, I love him so!!!!

Coby has voiced a lot of concern lately that I don't get a cake for my birthday.  Tonight I asked him if he'd like to make me one.  He was SO excited!!!!  Cale overheard the conversation and came in to say that Coby should make me an angel food cake (one of my favorite cakes ever!) because I'm an angel.  Haha....FAR from it, but it was cute and sweet for him to say.  That boy should be a politician!!!  He always says the right thing at the right time.

I love being a mom to the boys.  It's the hardest job ever for sure, but I am SO blessed by my little family.  I love that they love me so despite my many failings as a mom.

And so I don't forget...the conference went GREAT!  Cale is rocking school.  So thankful for that, too!

re-entry

This post is really just for me because I don't want to forget....

Yesterday marked my re-entry into the world.  I was given the go ahead by my doctor to both bear weight (with protective boot) and drive once I felt comfortable at the 8 week post-surgery mark (which was 8.5 weeks post-break).  Weight bearing went alright, but I quickly learned that after not using a leg/ankle/foot for so long it just doesn't want to do the things it used to do.  I really thought that I'd be driving the minute I was given the go ahead, but unfortunately my ankle/foot didn't want to do that.  I went out to the car one day to just see how it would feel to sit in the driver's seat and get a feel for the gas/brake pedals.  Sadly, my foot couldn't even press down on the brakes...AT ALL. :(  I cried and cried.  But then I decided to suck it up and do the work necessary to get back at it.  I upped my daily exercises which consist of writing the alphabet in the air with my foot (and I even added picking up marbles with my toes after a little research) and I knew that eventually I'd feel comfortable driving but until then I just needed to suck it up and enjoy my time  tolerate being chauffeured around (MUCH easier said than done).   The boys had a dental appointment yesterday and I knew it was time to give driving a go.  It scared me to death!  I honestly thought about canceling, but I knew it was time....it had been 10 weeks since I had last driven outside the neighborhood (I did take three test drives IN the 'hood just to build up confidence ahead of time).  I was nervous to drive my boys outside the confines of the neighborhood, but deep down I knew that I was ready.  I drove my boys to the dentist and it felt so good.  In fact, it felt so good that we spent much of the day away from home...after the dentist we just ran several boring errands but it was so nice to be able to even do that.  Last night I paid the price with a very swollen and sore ankle but it was worth it.  Being stuck at home for 2.5 months without being able to leave unless someone could take me was really depressing.  Most days I didn't even get out of sweats, fix my hair or put on make-up...what was the point I would tell myself!?!  So it was nice to get out with the boys by myself again and I think the boys loved it too!  Yesterday I felt myself slowly come back to life.

Another first happened today.  I went shopping ALONE (at Sam's Club).  It was the first time in ten and a half weeks since I have been anywhere by myself.  It was so nice and I  think I must've had a smile on my face the entire time I was shopping.  People probably thought I was a little weird but I didn't care!  I felt so free and normal (well, minus the large boot covering half of my right leg!).

Now I have to say that driving is a bit of a pain because I have to wear the big protective black boot (BPBB) out to the car, change into a regular shoe once in the car (can't drive with the boot, but can't walk without it), get to destination and put the BPBB on once again...and on and on.  But, it's SO totally worth it!!!  I'm just thankful to be walking and driving again.  Independence is SO nice!!!  

Next up....I'm looking forward to losing the BPBB!  Hopefully I'll get the go ahead in a few weeks.  I'm learning that there's always something to look forward to. :)