The Eyes Have it

Monday, I spent the day (or at least part of it) at one of the larger vision centers here specializing in Lasik. It was scan after scan after scan, a counseling session, an optometry visit, another scan and then a final consultation. They were incredibly thorough (I guess they have to be). Hubby said when he had his surgery, the center he used wasn't nearly so thorough. I suppose I should be grateful.

The verdict? It was recommended that I receive PRK rather than Lasik. I was completely frightened to hear this prospect. The healing time spooked me and I was totally convinced that I would just throw caution to the wind, wimp out and just do Lasik. I even told my regular optometrist that I was going to be a wienie and he could understand. Then, I started researching and thinking through things clearly. PRK would be the best and, although the healing time is longer, I would achieve the same results and, perhaps, prevent future troubles for my eyes.

So, I've been waiting to hear back from my counselor today to see if the date we've chosen will work. I've talked to my boss and informed him of the "down time" I may experience, and he is supportive. My mother is happy for me and wishes she had done it when she had the chance (she's over sixty now so the options for her aren't as pleasant, since her prescription is very high).

What else is happening? The babe has been asked, with her dance group, to perform at a high school program next Wednesday. This after I bragged on Tuesday that I only had one more competition to endure and then the recital. Now, I've got to play mom taxi an extra time. Oh, well. She's certainly having loads of fun and getting a lot of use out of her costume. For years we've shelled out money for these things, only to have her wear it once or twice in public and retire it to the "dress up" drawer. Yeesh! Those are expensive play-dress up clothes.

Hubby is taking a weekend to go back down to St. George for some sun and recreation. He's going to hike the red rocks and be an outdoors man. It will also give him time for thinking and pondering. I'll miss him while he's gone, but I'm happy that he'll have some time for himself. I think we both need it. The stresses of life are certainly taking their toll. If only we could send the kids on their own vacation.

The swin.e flu has us rethinking our vacation plans. We shelled out money for passports, just so we could travel outside of the country this year. Thank goodness they last a while. We've decided to stay inland. Who knows where this thing is going to go. We don't want to spend tons of money on a vacation, only to be told we can't go. June is nearly here and no one has a handle on what this virus is doing. It's just to risky.

Is Blood Thicker than Water?

There's a lot of drama happening with my extended family (and a bit with me) presently. So much so that it has tensions raised high in my household. I think I'll be needing an intervention, soon...well, mental intervention. With everything that's going on, I've actually left the wine/spirits alone. Amazing!

My sister-in-law (my hubby's sister, who is in her late thirties) has been going through some incredibly trying times. Not only did they lose their mother this past January, but her husband was brought up on an arms charge in February. He is now incarcerated. She will find out for how long in May. This man has lots of kids (he's in his late fifties). Most of them are grown up and living their own lives; however, the two youngest (a boy and a girl) live with he and my sister-in-law. They are her step children, but she is the only mother they have ever known. The young boy has lots of issues and even more so, now that his father is out of the picture. He spends his lunches with the principal of the school and has been tested for a number of learning issues. He has also exhibited violence towards his teacher (he is in the second grade).

His older sister, who is one year older, has been "handling" his departure pretty well, but her mother opted for counseling for her. She and my eldest are the same age and have a great time together.

Recently, my nephew admitted to lying and theft, which was just another stress added to the pile. His mother "disciplined" him with a belt, and he showed up at school with the evidence. When she arrived home and asked her sister (who is visiting from Missouri) about the kids, she indicated that they did not come home. My sister-in-law arrived at school to find the kids there with the principal, the teacher and an officer. My nephew was removed from the home that night. A couple of sleepless days and nights later, the state removed her daughter. Their mother has been ordered to attend parenting classes along with anger management. Whenever she is evaluated again, she may be able to get her kids back.

Without directly asking us, she believed we (family members) could take the kids for the up-to-six-months time frame they are usually removed. Hubby and I talked and, with our own issues, just couldn't see bringing in those children. Our schedules alone would have prevented it and summer is nearly here (we pay for summer daycare for our kids two days per week). When hubby went to talk to her to explain why we couldn't, he was met with silence and dissension. He knew things were different.

I asked him if he thought things would be different if they were blood relatives, and he said that it doesn't matter. They are still our family. We are just not in a position to take on this tremendous favor. As I thought about it, we provided so much for her in the past. She lived with us for over a year, then her then boyfriend lived with us (which I wasn't too thrilled about). We provided after school care, when we discovered they were at home alone until she got home from work. We really didn't have to do any of those things. I hope my hubby realizes this soon and gets control of his frustration and anger. She has to come to this realization as well. If the reverse had happened (heaven forbid!) she wouldn't be able to take on my children. Her situation wouldn't allow for it either. It's been a harrowing past few days.

Having a Meaningful Relationship...

...with my scale. You'll recall that we "broke up" a while back, well we're trying to work things out. It's going to be a hard road, but I've been down it before. I'm optimistic.

How Things Change

I've been thinking a lot about the people I went to school with (college). Normally, this is not a subject of deep thought for me, but I wondered about a couple of people in particular. Yesterday, my hubby was on the phone with one of our class mates (his best friend) and mentioned the name of someone I hadn't thought about in years. We (the girl he mentioned and I) were strangers until I began my masters program. She and I found that we shared many classes together and soon became pretty friendly. I thought she was brilliant and funny, but lacking in the communication arena (that girl did not know how to call people back). Of course, that's when I relied on the phone for most communication outside of face-to-face. How far we've come!

We would run ideas past each other for papers, talk movies, books and music, and generally just hangout out. We pledged "rival" sororities, so we would give each other lots of crap (all in good fun). I remember her being very nervous about one of our professors who contracted Hepatitis. He later died and a general "unease" spread through the English department.

So, I googled her today and found out that she's an assistant professor teaching English. There were pictures and she pretty much looks the same (except for much shorter hair). The bio didn't go into her personal life; whether she was married, had kids, pets, her hobbies etc.... It's too bad too, cause I was very curious. I don't know if I'm brave enough to email her. I think, after her illustrious career, she won't know who in the heck I am. It was nice to see that she is doing well and I am happy for her.

This investigation led me to wonder a bit about high school folks, too. I'll be at my twenty years in just a breath's time. Will it be worth it to go to the reunion? I skimmed through old year books and found that I associated more with people in other classes than my own. My senior year was the year I really got to know my own classmates (three or four of whom were my "running" buddies). I discovered that many people stayed within the same area. Only a few have branched off or left entirely (I would be in the latter group, of course).

So thinking about all of this, what would I want to know? Would I really be interested or care? Would I remember who they were or would they remember me? So much has changed and we certainly aren't the people we were in 1993 (at least, I hope we're not). I suppose if they plan something, I'll see what my thoughts and feelings are then. I've got a little time to ponder it all.

We leave for the big dance competition this week (this couldn't come at a better time...I need a break!). The weather isn't looking too promising for here or down south. I was really hoping we would leave crappy weather behind. I suppose Vegas will be where we'll find the sun again, since were' planning an afternoon excursion there at some point. They're predicting snow tomorrow and Thursday. What happened to my pretty Easter weather? I really don't want to drive in the snow. I hope the forecast changes...

Spring Break, but not a break for me

The oldest is home on spring break and she's already driving me nutty. How is it that the oldest child doesn't assist in the care, but makes for more drama? She tries and tries to help, but it completely backfires. It's usually just a matter of her not thinking before she acts. We try to impress this upon her, but it doesn't seem to "stick". Wow, it makes my head spin to think the brilliance that would spill forth if she only thought before she acted.

No dance and no gymnastics this week, either. Both places acknowledge the school districts time off and take the same time off. Of course, that leaves her with no way to exert that extra energy. Too bad the dance competition is next week instead of this week. She wouldn't have to miss school. Anyway, I took them to the park at lunch time and will most likely do the same on Wednesday and Friday (assuming the weather holds out). Thank goodness my hubby will be home on Friday to help run interference with the munchkins. I love them, but my kids may get put out before the week is out.

P.S. We have our sectional in the house and all squared away. You'd never know the boys destroyed the door frame. It looks pretty much the same. Sweet!