So my kids called 911. . .

This was written on a day that nothing burned down and plenty of good things happened. I was within two miles of my gas running out and I filled up my tank, I got some knitting done before my class this weekend, got my kids to where they needed to be. But. . . I took a shower in the late afternoon and got a pounding on my door shortly after I got out, "Mom! Nine one one is on the phone!"

I stepped out, I'd been hollaring at a child to find a hair brush for me. "Yes?" Apparently one of my younger children had called them and I was asked for my information. I looked at the caller ID to make sure it was who they said and gave it to them. A police officer came over within 30 seconds (we practically live next door to them) and I started rambling about my house fire. I think that may be part of why they called 911, because I had told them that in an emergency to call them and that was why I started rambling as I recalled the fire. Oh-- I had to share, I knew he'd understand.

Over the years, several of my kids have called emergency services and I never know who did it. I am torn between putting the phone up too high for them to reach it (a four and a five year old) to just banking on them doing it only once per child and letting the matter rest.

The officer spoke to my kids and told them that it is OK to call 911 in an emergency. Of course no one admitted to calling, so it was the dreaded phantom who breaks into bags of chocolate chips, gets into cookies and then glues the ends of the packages shut, sneaks into preservative laden dips and puts them back into the cupboard instead of the 'fridge where they belong and risks giving us botulism, etc.

In 20 years when I am 60, will this be something that I will recall or care about with the raising of children? Will there be something besides 911 to call for emergencies?

I am grateful for the response, but my nerves. . .

Now. . . some music for inhaling. . .

I'm worn out and it's not even summer yet!

Around tax time, we bought stuff to redo our bathroom. Our garage is already crowded with stuff, lots and lots of stuff, but instead of cleaning it, my husband set things side for what we needed for the bathroom. Since summer is coming, a lot can be taken out like the porch swing and the kids' wading pool for the back yard.

We were in the middle of Lent and there was no way we could find the time for fixing up the bathroom. Before we start that, I need to fix up his and my bathroom (the master bath) and I have no place to put his tools and what we have in there.

Clutter goes into my bedroom. I cannot stand it. I feel very, very trapped in my own house. It's not terrible-terrible, but I cannot wait for my husband's next trip where I can go on a cleaning spree and get rid of STUFF that he won't miss. I will toss my own stuff, too-- or take it to Bishop's Attic. It's hard to get rid of things with your other half is saying, "Hey! You should sell that on Ebay!"

Two of the kids have been having problems at school. It turns out that Basil's friends have been harassing Guy. Basil is not sure how to handle it because he finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. He tried saying, "He's my brother-- leave him alone." but one of them shoulder butted him and he told me that continuing to use his words was pointless because it was going to get physical. Guy told the teacher and she called me. She thought that Basil should have stood more by his brother, but he was really not able to do much other than ask them to stop. This has been why Basil has not wanted Guy to speak to him at school.

The school is taking care of it-- the principal is taking care of the kids and just talking to them and Guy was laughing when I told him that the kids will have to do a character class.

Today I spent an afternoon feeling like a complete failure for not doing anything that I had dreamed of in the last 20 years except driving kids places. I was feeling like a spent female salmon, then I got a call from Tiger. She just got a promotion to "manager" in a certain place and doubled her salary and has benefits! I'll talk more on this later, but she's only been at this place for a couple of months and they love her and are promoting her in spite of her age and short time there! She is moving in with her boyfriend to an apartment and really has it together. It's so nice to see my eagle doing well-- I just hope that I will start happening soon, too! Her boyfriend also got a promotion in a different field. She has become an official firefighter. I am so happy with her! And yes, I am proud of myself for raising her. My daughter got a promotion and thought to call me first and thank me for certain things that I specifically did to help her! What a great kid I have! (I'm rich with things I cannot lose!)

May the others be so well adjusted-- and may Tiger continue her success!

At Pascha last weekend I realized that if Christ has been here, that I will miss the Second Coming because I will be taking my children to the bathroom. The above picture is of my bulletin from church on Pascha. In the bigger picture that I have, you can see shoe prints in the petals. It's really kind of cool.