October? Already?!

Time flies.

I know the second half of that is "when you're having fun" but frankly, here it seems to fly at a frantic pace if I'm having fun or not.

So.. let's see...

School started. We were there the first day. I love 3 of the 4 teachers this year. Again. Joey and Sonia are in a team teaching group, so Sonia's homeroom teacher teaches language arts to both of them and Joey's homeroom teacher teaches science and math to both. Yes. homeroom. They're in 5th grade. When did that happen?! And if I believe them about their homework, they're getting a whole lot less homework than they've had in previous years. Or they're not doing it because parents no longer sign anything in 5th grade. Last year if I didn't sign the 3 different places Joey would loose recess, this year.. nope.. nothing. we don't need parents anymore.

In a weird twilight zone sort of occurrence, Sonia's suddenly in advanced math because she tested out of the math book. I have yet to figure out how that happened. Last I checked we still were shaky on the basic math facts. But apparently she's suddenly got them down. In the switching classrooms with Joey, there are 3 or 4 sets of twins. The twins share desks. My twins argue almost daily that the other one moved their shared red pen or pencils. I've bought them extra red pens and pencils so they can have extras and not need to argue. It hasn't settled anything, so we're back to the 'they'll figure it out eventually' mentality.

Kayla will either cure cancer or drive me to an early grave. She's smart, personable and the one I fear most. This week, for example, she sat on hand sanitizer container causing her to have a wet spot on her pants. Joey and Sonia thought this was hysterical and teased that she pooped hand sanitizer. (we haven't outgrown potty humor, I'm not sure we ever will) This brings on an onslaught of tears.
"mom, they said I pooped sanitizer"
well, did you?
"no, but they said I did!"
well, if you didn't, why worry about it?
"because they said I did!"
so they think you're so clean that you poop sanitizer instead of poop, that means you're really clean. that's a compliment. 
(more tears, louder this time)
"no it isn't!"
why not?
"because that means I'm DIFFERENT!" (sobs hysterically)

So you can see that there might be reason for concern about getting her through her teen years. Elementary school right now is fraught with potential problems. But, hey, she tests well.

Jon/Jonathan/JM is another one that I'm pretty sure is payback of fate from any aggravation I caused parents and teachers in my past.  And the model for why I no longer feel qualified to give parenting advice on anything to anyone. Should you try to breastfeed? gee, at this point I'm not sure, I'm re-thinking everything I thought was the right parenting decisions..... maybe I should go vaccinate him a bunch more.. And of course of all the teachers, he got the "academic" one. Which I think it administrative speak for the mean one that yells alot and doesn't allow fun.  It's going just swell. I have this month to file my homeschool affidavit. I have it filled out and ready to go. I'd have to work out the work/childcare details. Apparently even if I'm working in pediatrics, I'm not supposed to bring my own pediatrics to work with me. 

I did. once night. I got an email that I had to code 2 charts by 6 pm that night and they changed the home access procedure I haven't bothered to do.. so rather than leave them unattended I brought them with me. In all my passive aggressive glory. Because one of the other people there was demoted because her semi-adult child study in the waiting room waiting for her to clean up and they'd go home together. There was alot of crime in the parking garage, so frankly, going home alone was a "not recommended" activity per administration.  Like the Australian guy who'd handle snakes and stuff would say "look at it arching it back, it's REALLY angry....... I'm going to touch it." And I didn't get fired. in fact the person who sent the email sent it in error, so I didn't have to do anything, anyway and got an apology. The world is unfair, folks. This is proof. And a teaching point for the kids that if you're going to work for someone else, if you're higher on the food chain you have greater freedoms than those lower on the food chain. Look at congress if you have any doubt. They do whatever they damn well please and there is no one to stop them. But this isn't a political post. yet.

Amazing it's coming up on 2 years that I've been treading the insanity of this work place. I know this because I'm due for my annual TB test next month. I dread it because every year, waiting for the year I qualify for a positive induration.  And of course I had a patient with active TB this year... used to be once you were 35 you didn't have to do the treatment. That's changed. Maybe because there is active TB here in paradise..?

Larry is slogging through the final year of residency. I pray daily that he gets through this month and year. Assuming he does, we should have some idea of where we head next August this December. We are hoping to stay put. But as I've said before I don't expect to get my first, second or even third choice. And there is a nagging thought that if Larry is put on a probation or repeating a month that he'll be off the eligibility for choosing when everyone else is choosing and thus we'll get last pick. Like Japan. Although, the DOD is largely shut down right now, so I doubt they're going to spend money to move us anywhere anytime soon. They closed youth sports, the movie theater and commissary this week, so for sure the expense of moving a family of 6 overseas or at all is probably off the budget right now. We can hope and assume so anyway. But if not, I'm cleaning out the house of all things redundant and not being used. Except for Larry's stuff. He doesn't like it when I Craigslist or goodwill his stuff. And I don't appreciate it when he sells stuff I consider mine, either.

whelp.. I need to go feed the crowd here, they're going to start to riot since I withheld cookies and muffins a few minutes ago from the "starving" masses and the apples I offered were deemed not good.Personally I prefer them dipped in caramel... like from Buell's. Actually on my list of things I want to do when we're in CT.. in no particular order
1. see trees
2. visit autum
3. take kids to Sturbridge Village
4. take kids to Plymouth Plantation (both in case I succeed at #10 below)
5. gorge on Buells apples, possibly shipping a case back to myself.
6. oh, right. grandparents.
7. and other grandparents
8. and a great grandma
9. and cousins/brother/sil
10. encourage family to move from New England


California's ok. I understand Texas is better although it's still mostly hearsay.