August 2014 – Page 2 – Coffee and Inclusion

Transition

I was more than ready for the kids to return to school. Now, I’m paying the price.

Transitions are difficult at our house. Alex just doesn’t handle them well (chalk it up to his Down syndrome, I’m told), and then when he acts out, the other two follow suit. Not that they shouldn’t also be tired; they’re back in school, too, sitting for long periods of time, following new rules and learning new routines. They need to blow off some steam when they get home; I get that. But boy, they are all little nightmares by 8pm.

I’m hoping that Ad and Andrew will find their groove in the next few days, and Alex will hopefully only need a bit longer to do the same. Of course, as soon as things start to improve, they will have a three day weekend.

We’ll make it through this transition; we always do. I can’t promise you that I won’t deal with it by eating obscene amounts of junk food and banging my head on my desk. We do what we gotta do.

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Hot

Our a/c is busted. It is 84 degrees on the first floor of the house, and even warmer and stuffier upstairs. Great sleeping conditions, ugh.

I am thankful that on a typical day, we have a/c, and I am anxious for the new unit to be installed on Thursday.

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Happy

Since March 21st, I’ve been working to reach a fundraising goal for Team Alex and the Columbus Buddy Walk, to benefit the Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio. I have posted incessantly on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, sharing the link to our fundraising page countless times. I have asked you to buy Tupperware, eat out on a particular day, and for the second time in the last six weeks I am telling you about our amazing #InclusionMatters campaign (seriously, do not delay…order your shirt now, because this time, once they’re gone, they’re really gone!).

It’s been a never ending parade of requests, all centered around this fundraiser that is near and dear to my heart.

And the amazing thing is, people are listening. Acting. Reacting. It’s incredible.

You are registering to walk with us, or giving a donation if you can’t be here on 9/21 for our walk. You are ordering the Tupperware and eating out. You are buying a fabulous shirt with an even more fantastic message, and you’re telling your friends to do the same. You are hitting yourselves in the face with pies. You have resisted blocking me and all my posts on Facebook. All in the name of Team Alex.

This makes me very, very happy. I see how Alex has touched so many lives, and how people want to help. We are fortunate and thankful to have such amazing family and friends. So, thank you, sincerely, for all that you’re doing to help us reach a goal.

Only a little over a month to go, then you won’t have to hear (too much) about the Buddy Walk until March 21st rolls around again. Of course, Girl Scout Cookie season will be upon us in that interim… 😉

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Team Alex Pie Challenge

So, with less than $2000 to go to reach our Team Alex fundraising goal, I am determined to keep up our momentum. We still have lots of people who want to register, and some funds coming in from a couple of other fundraising initiatives, but we needed an extra little push.

Borrowing from another successful fundraising endeavor, we give you the Team Alex Pie Challenge! If you accept the challenge, we need a $5+ donation, or you can make a $25 donation to decline, at the Team Alex fundraising page. I hereby nominate anyone who wants to join in the fun! Let’s see those videos! If you head on over to the Team Alex Facebook page, you can find my video (and be sure to “like” the page once you’re over there!).

Thanks, again, for your continued support of Team Alex and the 2014 Columbus Buddy Walk!

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Weirdness

Today was full of strange surprises.

I was trying to get caught up on housework, laundry, and anything non-school related; I didn’t complete my list, but I got a lot accomplished. As I was working in the kitchen, I heard a smoke alarm sound; it wasn’t a full blown alarm, but it was a longer tone than a low-battery chirp, so I was curious. So were the kids! A couple minutes after the alarm sounded, the boys were yelling about smoke in the backyard. “Yeah, right,” I thought, and went on about my business. But, as I turned the corner to calm them down a few minutes later, I realized they were right: there was smoke coming from the backyard. I opened the door and realized that it was the a/c unit, so I quickly headed to the thermostat and turned it off (we really didn’t need it today, but it was still on) and began brainstorming reasons that this could have happened.

Not long after I started pondering (panicking about?) this, we realized that the wifi in the house had gone down. What was going on?!? Our connection is pretty reliable, and for it to stop working is rare. In an attempt to stop my runaway imagination (as Andrew had been ghost hunting earlier this afternoon, ha!), I gathered up the kids and headed to the grocery store.

After returning from our errand, I went upstairs to try and restart the router and restore the wifi. I then discovered that nothing would turn on in my bedroom, causing me to think that a fuse was blown. I was right. Craziness! But, I was happy to restore the wifi so the kids could watch a little Netflix before bed.

As I was trying to get the bedtime routines going, Al looked out the window and yelled “Maisey is eating a RAT!!”, and of course, we all went running outside to see what she had found. Fortunately, it was just one of her bones, and as we all stood around watching her, she paused and looked up at us with such a look of disgust that it was truly funny.

Hopefully, these quirky little adventures have ended for today. I hope whatever ghostie Andrew disturbed earlier has relaxed a bit; this mama is tired and wants a good sleep tonight. 😉

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Planning

With the Columbus Buddy Walk coming up in just over a month, I’ve started thinking about fun ideas to incorporate into our Team Alex tailgate. I’ve spent the last couple of hours pouring over different websites, considering custom nail wraps, personalized temporary tattoos, and DIY slap bracelets.

Wow. There is a ton of stuff out there. I need a break. I want to create an amazing tailgate for our supporters, but I don’t want to break the bank, nor do I want to pile on more than necessary to my already huge To Do List. This is our 11th year at the walk, so I’m also trying to come up with something new.

Any thoughts? What would you like to see at a team tailgate before participating in a fundraising walk?

Want to learn more about Team Alex, join our team, or make a donation? Please visit http://www.columbusbuddywalk.org/profile/387/team. Thanks!!

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Fried

The first week of school is a lot of things: exciting, fun, challenging. Most of all, though, I find it exhausting.

Shopping for supplies, organizing paper work, meeting teachers, shopping for even more supplies…draining. I am so stinking tired that I can barely remember what day of the week it is.

But, the kids are happy. They are ready to learn and thrilled to be reunited with friends. I will not complain, especially since the year will go by in a flash and we’ll be facing another endless summer before we know it.

For now, though, I’m going to go fall over somewhere. G’night.

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First Day of School, Part I

We made it. We survived the first day back at school. Al & Ad were happy and had many things to share with us about their new classrooms and first day adventures.

Tomorrow, however, will be a challenge.

My mission, as I have already accepted it, will be to get three kids ready for school and on the bus by 8:10am. I, too, will have to be ready to go so I can meet Andrew’s bus at school and take the traditional First Day of Kindergarten photos. This could be interesting.

I tear up a bit just at the thought of that bus pulling away with all three of my babies on it tomorrow morning. Andrew is super excited for Kindergarten, though, so I know that we’ll both be OK.

Of course, I’ll have Part II of this story tomorrow…

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Ready or not…

…here they come, 3rd & 4th grades!

Tomorrow, Addie and Alex return to school for another fun-filled year of learning. Both are quite excited to get back into the swing of our “normal” schedule, and I am beyond delighted to send them back. Ha! Not that we haven’t enjoyed our summer, but routines are a wonderful thing.

They are both excited about their new teachers, happy to already have friends in their classes, and they are looking forward to making new friends too. Did I mention that I’m excited and happy that they’re going back? 😉

I don’t even mind the endless paperwork that comes with the new school year, or really even the ridiculous cost of getting your child ready to go back to school. I’m determined to enjoy the years that they still like going to school, because who knows when that may change. I’m fortunate to have at least one kiddo that thinks homework is fun; Addie can’t wait to break in those new #2 pencils. Alex has more fun being with his friends, I think, but that’s ok too; he learns a ton from peer interaction, which makes me happy.

Andrew’s first day of Kindergarten (what?!?) isn’t until Thursday, so I don’t have to experience the joy of getting three kids out the door until then. That, my friends, should be interesting. Wish us luck!

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Tragic

Tonight, around 7pm, Facebook blew up with news that Robin Williams had passed. Suicide. Sad and unthinkable.

I read many posts and links; so many people are sharing their grief and disbelief. It became clear that this person who was surrounded by many who love and adore him, either personally or from afar as fans, must have felt such despair and loneliness. It seems impossible.

This serves as a good reminder that things aren’t always as they seem. Someone who laughs and appears happy can be struggling. Sometimes, it might be easier to force a smile than admit you need help.

If you suspect that a friend or loved one is struggling with depression, reach out to them. If you are the one struggling, please find help. The world isn’t ready to lose another one.

Month: August 2014