The Grill Girl

LOL! OK, this is a story about one of those things I have gotten myself into. It all started around Valentine’s Day. Mark has wanted to make an outdoor kitchen for some time and we found some grills on an auction, so we bought it. I think at that time we picked up two grills. One was really nice and brand new and one was ok and may have been used a time or two. Then, in March, we found another auction that was three grills. Anyway, between a few auctions we have accumulated an amazing stainless steel outdoor kitchen for relatively very little money. It was a very good purchase and will easily add value to our home.

You will notice that I said “between a few auctions,” which means that we did get a few items that we didn’t want. At one point during the summer, I believe we had about 15 grills, refrigerators and sink units on our back porch. Can you say white trash? I am so glad that it was on the back porch! Welcome to the trailerhood! Just call me the Grill Girl! Anyway, I have been putting the grills on Craig’s List, and to date, we have recouped our investment, so our outdoor kitchen will has cost us nothing so far, and we kept two grills, to fridges and another piece that are all stainless.

It has been kind of fun, almost like having a business again, only I am working very little. But it has also been a bit stressfull because the back yard has been so packed with grills that we haven’t been able to do anything that we want to do yet. We are down to our last few and I am hoping in the fall that I will get to complete our outdoor kitchen project . . . just as soon as we get a remodel on the master bath finished! LOL!

Chaos is in the house!

Chaos. That is the situation you find when you walk in our front door. Well, at least when you get to the top of the stairs. You see, all my boys are trading bedrooms. This started last week as Mavrick took all of Major’s things and put them in his room and moved some of his things into Major’s room. This would have been ok if we would have had a smooth weekend. . . but we didn’t.

So, here we are a week later and our upstairs is still in complete chaos! Major’s old room needs to have the crib taken down and the rest of Mavrick’s things moved into it. The bathroom is clean and looks great. Mavrick’s old room and Michael’s old room look like a tornado came through them. Half of the game room is near perfection, however the other half just needs to be put in a bag and sent to CCA.

The point in this whole room switch thing was to put Major into Michael’s old room – that still has the Buzz Lightyear mural painted on it. We just were having such a tough time with painting over it, and then Major started watching the Toy Story movies, and it just seemed to work. I am praying that Major will like sleeping in his new room, and stop sleeping in mommy’s bed! I guess if I am honest, I would rather take it all slow and do it all myself so I can make sure a lot of their junk is moved out and/or thrown away. The only problem with that is the fact that Major has been so sick this week and so needy. I am hoping that by this time next week I can report that he is well and they are all moved into the appropriate bedrooms. . . Keep your fingers crossed!

Journaling

I have decided that I need to start writing again. Seriously. I have so much going on in my head. I have to get it out. So, with that said, please know that what I say here is not intended to hurt or upset anyone. What I write here is for me and my kids to look back on one day and see how we have grown from the experiences we have gone through. This is my journal, published for the whole world to see. I welcome you to read our story, but remember you can stop at anytime. I do hope you enjoy what you find here, and perhaps it helps you to grow a little too.

Where I Am

Christy and I are going to a Grief Share group that starts tonight. Ok, I’m not going tonight because Major is sick, but that is a later entry. Anyway, I started reading the workbook that goes with the group sessions. I think it will help me move forward some. As of now, I am in denial. I am not dealing with my dad’s death at all. As a matter of fact, I am kind of in a process where I feel like if I don’t admit it, it won’t be real. I am doing an amazing job keeping myself busy so I don’t have to face reality.

The bad part of this plan is that every time I see a picture of Daddy it is like the first time I am finding out he is gone. I don’t know if this is a normal part of the grieving process. And now that things are slowing down a bit, I am realizing that it is going to be difficult to keep as busy as I was able to do this summer.

Major Rash

Major is a sick little boy. Last week, I think it was Tuesday night he started coughing, and gradually by Friday it was a very congested cough. Over the weekend his nose started running and he wasn’t sleeping well, which meant that Mark and I were not sleeping well. So, on Tuesday I took Major to the Dr. who had us go for x-rays, which verified that he has pneumonia in his right lung. After I got him home, he started to develop a crazy rash. And it just got worse and worse. I took him back this afternoon and they gave him an oral steroid, Benadryl, and a breathing treatment. She said that the rash was unrelated to the pneumonia and a virus that was working its way out of his body. Here are some pictures of what we have been dealing with.

Back to School

School has started. As you know, last year we homeschooled the boys. It was the right thing to do at that time. But about March I started to see that I was not where I needed to be in order to be what they needed me to be. This was further compounded when Daddy died. I am not in a position to teach anyone anything. I realize this, and although I feel like have let people down, I just can’t do it right now.

The boys started at Hawk Elementary School on Monday. And, as of the third day of school they both really like it. They are making new friends, like and dislike their teachers and have a crush. Mavrick has two teachers and they change classes. Michael has three teachers and he changes classes too. Already preparing them for middle school! Mavrick even has a little girl that was in his class at Temple in his class. There are two other kids who went to Temple with them, one in each grade.

We all were crazy nervous. I have been praying a lot about it; for Godly, Christian friends and for protection from anything that is not from or of God. Every time I think about them during the day I lift them in prayer. And you know, I have taught them right and wrong, to love and respect, and to follow God. That is really all I can do, none of the rest is in my hands.

These are pictures from the first day of school. Mavrick is in 4th and Michael is in 5th.