Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Setbacks....and Time out

Remember all that talk about getting it together? About being another year older and really making things happen this time? It seems I really should keep those comments to myself. Evil forces hear them and use them to mock me. What those guys don't know is I'm not easily knocked down. Distracted? Yes. But eventually I remember my goal. Eventually..... This is why it has taken me 3 years to lose 25 pounds. But, darn it, I HAVE managed to keep those pounds off! I just happen to let myself get distracted from losing more.

So, no sooner than those "I'm gonna do this" statements had left my mouth, yet another setback. A distraction...or seven. I started having trouble with IBS again. SEVERE trouble. Then, wham. Foster placement. Suddenly the number of children in my home doubled and I'm trying to parent from the bathroom. (Not effective I might add.)

It took some doing but I finally figured out what caused the tummy trouble. Do yourself a favor. When your health and well being is on the line, don't switch from one probiotic to another just because it's a good bit cheaper. There are reasons.

As far as being outnumbered by children? Well, so far it's okay. I spend most of my day supervising SOMEONE through a time out. Sometimes I wish I could put myself in time out. But wait. I can. AND find a way around my "I'm too busy to exercise" excuse. I'm thinking of taking a couple of days a week and going to the gym after supper. My hubby will be home to wrangle the animals, and I get a very much needed "time out". Now, I have to actually do it. If I asked the husband to stay on top of it he'd make sure I made the time. But that would make me annoyed. Ah well.

Yesterday was one of the worst days in the history of parenting. Or at least it felt that way to me. One of my biological children has been complaining of sore throat and fever for a couple of days. Dutifully, I called the pediatrician who, of course, said bring her here so that I can get paid. (Maybe not those exact words) I bring ALL the children with us to the doctor's office and spend about 45 minutes "shushing" in the waiting area. We get back and see the pediatrician (who really IS wonderful) and he tells me her tonsils and surrounding lymph nodes are pretty swollen. He prescribes an antibiotic. Off to the pharmacy. Did I mention it's raining? So we get the meds and get back home.

I spend the rest of the afternoon putting people in time out and seriously considering driving through for supper... On Meatless Monday! I am ashamed. Then God gave me a lightbulb moment. Leftover Spanish rice and Ranch Style Beans. If you've never had them you won't miss them, but those little dudes sure are pretty good. This is what I feed all the children. The sick one wouldn't eat though. She lives solely off of Tylenol and throat drops. I was pretty proud of myself. When faced with the decision to either drive through for unhealthy food or try to whip up something at home, I chose the latter.

Last night, the sick one kept me up half the night crying. I finally got to sleep and the others woke up begging to be fed. I love my job, but the hours stink!

So right now the youngest children are napping while the elders are watching Inspector Gadget. (Who remembers that one?) Excuse me while I lie in the bed and think about how glorious it will be to work up a sweat in a mostly quiet gym. I will think these things from behind my eyelids. And then I shall do them eventually...

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