The super mom real or myth

My cousin Nishi posted on Facebook the other day about the frustrations of being a mom.  Cooking, cleaning, paying bills, playing hide n seek, bath time, working, trying to do it all while raising healthy, happy children.  Nishi did what is rare, admitted she doesn't do everything perfect.  From reading my blogs, you guys know that I admit to not doing everything perfect, but unfortunately that is not the norm.

When you look at other mom's and even dad's  Facebook posts and it is normally something like "just made a cake for Timmy's birthday, gift bags made all while making a five course dinner oh yeah and I made cake pops to look like owls while my five kids wee napping.  I would say that is a productive day"  Hmmm..... kudos to you, sometimes I have days like that, where all the stars align and I get a massive burst of energy and I get all of this stuff done.  But that does NOT happen every day.  Most days I am lucky if I put a bra on and get out of my pajama pants before noon, and the real reason I change is because I don't want my daycare parents thinking I spend all day in my pajama pants, not because I want to change.  Most days I'm lucky if I can make it to the coffee pot without running into a wall and get the kids out the door on time.  But I don't post that, because the is my normal day.  I post the fantastic things, the funny things or thing other parents can empathize with.

Being a parent is exhausting and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.  Plan and simply lying.  Super parents only exist in our dreams. It is a facade other parents put up to not let other parents know they are going just as nuts as we are. It is not this magical experience where unicorns skip and play and make rainbows where ever you go.  Being a parent is the hardest job you will ever love.  I read an article discussing the difficulties of being a parent and how parents of older child sabotage new parents without even knowing it. For instance; the experienced parents meets someone with a baby and asks:

"oh how old is she?"
New mom replies " 6 months."
Reply "oh that is my favorite stage, they are starting to jabber and crawl and oh that one tooth grin!"

Now, we experienced parents don't mention anything about how awful the 6 month stage is when little junior throws food all over the cat, and pulls the drapes down on top of himself while crawling around, or how your wooden spoon will never be the same because instead of banging on the pots and pans junior chewed on spoon instead........hmmm  I wondered why it was so quiet... See! By withholding that part of the story, we have inadvertently sabotaged the new mom.  She thinks that we are some kind of super mom because her little girl is cute and cuddly 15% of the time, but a holy terror the other 85%, what is wrong with me and my child?  I must be doing something wrong.  Now when I talk to a new mom or a mom with toddlers, I still ask how old, I still mention my favorite parts but the I mention the bad stuff too.  It is good for us more experienced moms to relate to new moms.

I honestly think that with the addition of social media moms are in a silent passive aggressive competition with other moms to see who can out do who.  I saw on Good Morning America where Pinterest was a means of "mom-shaming" (no seriously I couldn't make this up)  where moms post pictures of the super over the top birthday cakes they made for Junior's third birthday with a functioning Thomas the Train and a smoke stack.  GMA interviewed other moms who stated putting up those pictures made them feel like less of a mom because they couldn't do that.  Seriously?

Insert me grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking you here.  If your self esteem is wrapped up in what kind of cake you can make for your child's birthday you have bigger problems honey.

Bottom line.  Mom's give yourself a break.  At the end of a difficult day when you think you have completely failed ask yourself these questions

1. Are they still breathing?
2. Have I done anything to emotionally scar them permanently
3. Were their basic needs of food, water, shelter and clothing met?
4. Can I try to better tomorrow?

If you can answer YES, NO, YES and YES to those questions you are doing a good job.  The most important thing is there is always tomorrow.

What are your mom or dad fails?

Having a child with ADD my journey thus far..

My little champ

It isn't a life ending diagnosis but it is a difficult diagnosis to get. My oldest daughter Anna has always been a mild mannered, respectful (most of the time), tenderhearted child.  Through the years in school teachers told me she was a kind, thoughtful student...but had a little trouble in the area of talking too much.  HA!  Have you met her mother??  Joe and I didn't think anything of it and just figured she was a little chatty like her mother.  It wasn't until fourth grade that Anna started to develop a problem with anxiety, we thought is was related to the death of my sister-in-law's father and then my grandmother.  We enlisted the help of the school guidance counselor and a remedial therapist to help her deal with her grief and worry issues.  Fifth grade for Anna started out on a bad foot...literally.
While playing soccer at school Anna tripped over the ball and ended up breaking her foot, no cast was needed but Anna spend the next 6 weeks in a boot and on crutches. The kids at school were either super helpful or horribly mean.  Telling Anna she was faking, that she didn't have a broken foot.  One boy even went so far as to trip her while getting off the bus to make her put weight on her broken foot to prove she could walk on it.  I spent a lot of time on the phone with teacher and the school's bullying specialist. Thankfully she wasn't in the boot forever and as soon as she got out of the boot the kids left her alone.

We went in to see our family doctor who put on medicine for her anxiety, because it would get so bad for her at school that she would make herself physically ill.  The doctor wrote a note informing the school of Anna's anxiety and getting worked up.  If she were to vomit at school at have no other symptoms of illness she was to return to class.  This note was created because I would have to pick Anna up from school one a week because she had vomited.

In December 2013, our family was crippled with Influenza A while we were all sick and suffering I decided to go through Anna's bag it was then when I saw Anna's second quarter report card realizing she had thrown away her report card from the first quarter.  She was failing most of her classes.  After talking to Anna about what I had discovered, lots of tears shed by both of us, I promised her I would fix it.  It was then I put my supermom cape and battened down the hatches and went to work.  I got a hold of her teacher, helped her organize her planner, found out ALL of the work she was late on, made an appointment with the doctor.

When I talked to Anna's teacher she told me Anna wasn't displaying the signs of ADD, but there was something in my gut that told me otherwise.  Of course, getting the diagnosis is a slow process, it's not like going in and getting an antibiotic for a sinus infection.  I felt so impatient and out of control because I knew in my heart of hearts this is what was wrong.  Finally after seeing our family doctor and being referred to a psychologist who specialized in children with ADD as well as children with anxiety and depression we finally got the diagnosis.  We also learned that children with ADD also have anxiety because they get so worked up from being unable to concentrate and then trying to cover up the things they didn't do because they could concentrate...it basically go hand in hand.

Joe and I chose to medicate Anna.  I know there is a lot of controversy about medicating the children of America because parents just can't handle them or because they are lazy.  Doing a quick Google search I found an article discussing what medication CAN and CAN NOT do for a child with ADD.  Parents are cautioned to not think mediation is a "magic pill" which will cure ADD.  Persons with ADD need to make an entire lifestyle change.  Well, isn't that the truth.

Though Anna was diagnosed with ADD, meaning she has the type that makes it difficult for her to concentrate but she doesn't have the hyperactivity which most people associate with the disorder.  In our house it has taken us a little time but we have adjusted to having a child with ADD.  Sometimes it is incredibly frustrating, especially when I am talking to Anna and I can tell by the look on her face there is a circus going on inside her head. Sometimes, when she gets really excited or her pill has worn off, she can be impulsive and will interrupt when someone is talking.  We have informed all of her teachers and Joe and I tried to be extra patient with her.  In the year since her diagnosis, we have learned to anticipate when Anna has issues and will try to help her. I'm happy to share,since starting the medication Anna's grades improved dramatically.  Though this isn't the case for some kids.

My best advice is to be vigilant, just because you receive the diagnosis and the mediation isn't a fix all, that is just the beginning of your journey.  You will need to realize this something your child will have to deal with for the rest of their life.

If you want more information about the signs and symptoms of ADD and ADHD please click here

A time to be calm and a time to freak out...mommy style

I am going to warn you right now, this is not my normal sunshine and roses post...HA! Who are we kidding, I'm never a sunshine and roses kind of girl. What I want to tell you guys about today is the "mommy freak out".  I pride myself on being a mom with a good balance between the spanking discipline and month long groundings I received as a child and the soft and fluffy "time outs" and the "don't spank your children because it encourages violence" style of parenting.  Neither of those methods were what Joe and I decided for our children, we chose to do timeouts, a lot of minor corrections so the big things would take care of themselves, mild spanking for the major infractions and the occational "mommy freak out".  Yes I said a "mommy freak out"  it's that moment as a mother that you have tried all of the tools in your belt.  To get your children to stop fighting, or to stop messing with the cat and to pick up the hangers up off the floor but you feel like crazy guy walking down the sidewalk talking to himself.  So. You. Lose. It. Words fly out of your mouth at a volume reserved for rock concerts and football games. Language is used that would make a trucker blush, you are having an out of body experience.  During the "mommy freak out" is when the children finally stop fighting and finally pay attention to what you are saying.  Except for this time they have a look of horror and fear on their face that rivals the actresses in Nightmare on Elm Street.  Then comes the tears and the hyperventilating sobs that come as a result of your freak out. But they have finally listened and you....feel like crap.

The last two weeks I have especially noticed my daughter's fighting.  Not ninja style fighting, just nit-picking at each other and arguing.  It is incredibly annoying. I have let them have it out to try to solve it on their own, I have intervened, I have made them sit in a chair and hug each other just so I could get some peace and quiet.  I mean, I do daycare for a living and my kiddos don't make me as nuts as my girls do.

On top of the arguing, we have had the talking back.  I have also prided myself on having open communication with my daughters to explain things to them and let them talk with about anything they want to.  However, they like to take that open communication to the next level and try to do it while they are getting in trouble.  Here's what I mean, I will color code it for you so you can see what DEFCON level we are talking.

"Allie I need you to pick up your back pack and put your shoes away please"
"Ok just sec" Was the yelled reply.  I wait a few minutes
"Allie, I still need you to pick up your back pack and put your shoes away"
"I know" mmmmm hmmm you know...I wait a few more minutes as I continue to clean
"Alivia Claire, shoes. Back pack" I'm starting to get pretty annoyed, I busted out the full name.
"UUUUUGGGGGH.  I was playing a game!!"
"I understand that, but I need these shoes picked up before the puppy gets into them"
"What about Anna!  She's just sitting there, I have to do everything"
"Allie don't worry about Anna, since you are arguing with me you can go and scoop the cat boxes by yourself"  See this conversation is still in yellow, I am not angry, but I am definitely using my serious voice.
"WHAT?!?! That's not fair!!  I have to do everything!!!" Cue the stomp down the hallway groaning.
"Allie come back here"  Notice Allie went straight to DEFCON1 and I took it back a notch.
Cue the stomping back down the hallway. "What!"
"I need you not stomp through my house like that and stop with the groaning or you will pull a consequence"
"Fine!"
"Please go and put the shoes away and then scoop the cat boxes"
Cue the dramatic throwing of the arms and head back and crescendo of groaning while stomping through the house.
"Allie pull a consequence"  (I'll tell you about that in a second) Notice I am even calmer now, this is called the "calm before the freak out"
"WHAT!!!!?????  BWAAAAAAAAAH! AHHHH" Allie has lost it.
And then so do I....I explained it in theory at the beginning, so we don't need to rehash it.

Kind of like this....

I Don't have a "Mommy Freak out" very often, I was sick last week so I think that made me a little quicker to blow.  Afterwards, with the tears from Allie and the guilt from me I felt terrible.  But then something happened.  After everyone had calmed down Allie came to me
"I'm sorry Mama.  I just get so worked up sometimes"
"I'm sorry too baby.  You and your sister have been arguing so much and not listening that I think I finally had enough" I said.
"Daddy said I don't get my Kindle for awhile"  Allie says, thank heavens for a tag team from Joe
"Yes, I heard I think that is for the best"
"Me too.  I love you Mama"  Allie gives me the biggest hug.

This went down Tuesday and today is Sunday.  I haven't had any freak out issues with Allie.  Now the girls are still arguing but they are quicker to respond when Joe or I tell them to cut it out.  We can't be perfect mothers all the time, time outs aren't always the answer and good mothers realize that.  But our guilt over what the "experts" tell us to do and our not measuring up makes us beat ourselves up when we have a "mommy freak out".  Sometimes we have to have a reset button.

When Kim Kardashian was on Ellen on Friday I wanted to go through the screen and....never mind.  She went on and on about how great a mother is and how Kanye doesn't change diapers but she does and just loves that time with her baby.  Now, hearing that knowing how busy Kim is makes me look like an awful mom and child care provider when I dread what is in that diaper and gag when it is a nasty.   We have to learn to not compare ourselves to other moms and especially not celebrities.  Normally moms share the good stuff, we don't like to share our dirty little secrets so others don't think bad of you.

Admit your downfalls as a mother, wife, sister, child of God in general.  Share those things with others so we can relate to one another and bring each other up.  We can't do it alone.

In my house me use a consequence jar.  All we did was take pieces of paper and write chores on them.  Things like:
"Vacuum the refrigerator coils"  NOTE this is very important.
"Dust the livingroom"
"Vacuum the living room"
"Clean up dog poop from backyard"
I also put in a Mercy card that says "God gives us mercy and you have been granted mercy"
There is probably 15 cards in there.  I tell my children when they are misbehaving to pull a consequence and then they have to complete that in addition to their normal chores. Contact me if you want more information.

Tell me about your mommy or daddy "failures" let's discuss.

The love story of Katie and Joe...Part two

Joe and Katie July 14, 2001

So the story I posted yesterday was an entry for a love story contest and was definitely the sunshine and rainbows version of our story.  I try to be very honest with my readers and as PG as possible because I know my daughters and other children read this.  Now it's time to tell you the real story and some of the struggles Joe and I had in our first year together.

The story began exactly as I wrote about it and posted yesterday.  If you missed it click here to get up to speed. I got the courage to ask Joe out after we had been flirting with each other for three weeks.  I knew he had a son and was probably a little gun shy to start another relationship because of the stigma associated with a single dad, especially a dad with a baby so young (5 months old).

After that first date Joe and I got pretty serious, pretty fast.  We spent as much time together as we possibly could.  We officially started dating exclusively on February 7, 1999 a week later on Valentine's Day Joe gave me a beautiful heart necklace.  I was floored because my boyfriend before Joe insisted on going dutch and never bought me jewelry or sentimental gifts such as that. Though I knew I fell in love with him at first sight, we didn't say the words to each other until a month into the relationship which is when we started having sleepovers at room I was renting at my high school friends house.  You see my mom and dad didn't approve of Joe.  I was raised in a fairly strict Christian family and having a child outside of wedlock was viewed as a sin.  My parents were also concerned with Joe's age, 22 to my 20, meaning he could legally drink alcohol and I couldn't.  Since I still lived with my parents they made it difficult for me to see him, so I moved out so I could be with Joe.

The relationship progressed, I was introduced to Joe's parents and I was even introduced to Joe's son, Kyran, when Joe's parent's brought him in to visit Joe at work.  Things seemed to be going on the right track, until Joe stopped calling, stopped returning my calls, when I finally would get a hold of him he told me his cell phone didn't show a missed call or a voicemail.  After awhile, I got tired of being avoided and left him a message that we were through.  In May of that year, I moved out of my friend's house and back in with my parent's.   Joe and I saw each other on and off through out the course of that summer it was hard for me because I loved him so much, but I knew they way he was treating me wasn't right.  Finally in August of 1999 it seemed Joe had gotten his act together and was again committed to me.  My parents were still singing the same song about Joe stating "I'm not sure what it is about that boy, but he's not for you" I understand where they were coming from...now, Joe was unlike anyone I had ever dated before.

In September I decided to move in with my friend Wendy and her boyfriend Jason.  As I was making the plans to move with them Joe, again, went AWAL.  Joe had told me to call him that night and we would get hang out.  I called and left a message waiting for him to get off work.  I didn't work at the salon, KJ & Kompany anymore and was working at an office doing filing.  Having played this game before I had a feeling Joe was at Diamond Dave's, the restaurant/bar where Joe and I had our first date and continued to hang out at as our relationship progressed.  I decided to drive out there to see, as I pulled up I saw Joe outside.  He didn't see my car pull up so I pulled out my cell phone to call him.  He picked up right away.
"Hey how's it going?" Joe said
"Good, I thought we were going to hang out tonight" I said
"Oh, gosh, yeah I'm sorry we had to do inventory and I got stuck at work"
I blew up.  You see Joe had just lied to me, the mall locked the doors after 9:00 and the only door you could get in or out of after 9:00 was Diamond Dave's.  He was avoiding me...again.  I walked up to Joe and confronted him on is lie.  The conversation got ugly, there were tears shed...by me.  Finally Joe said
"I can't be in a relationship right now, I can't commit myself to anyone right now"
It was over, through all the ups and downs it was over.
Wendy and I went out for kareoke one night and I met this guy from Alabama, as I sit her writing this, I can see his face and remember his accent but I can't remember his name, let's call him Brad.  Brad and I began seeing each other that night and continued to see each other.  One day as I sat at my desk preparing to file away some paperwork I was called to the front desk.  I had gotten flowers!  Oh my gosh I bet they were from Brad, what a sweet guy.  I opened the card and saw in Joe's handwriting "I miss you.  Please call me"  I ran to the bathroom and cried.  I didn't know what to do.  This man, two weeks prior, broke my already damaged heart and told me he couldn't commit to me now he missed me.

I went back to my desk and called Joe.  He answered right away and invited me to go down to Dysart, Iowa (30 minutes south of Waterloo, Iowa where Joe and I worked) with him to pick up Kyran for his visitation.  I agreed.  That night we drove in silence for what seemed like forever, when Joe finally started talking he said
"I have missed you."
"I've missed you too" I replied. "You hurt me"
"I know, I'm sorry."
"Have you changed your mind?  Are we going to give this another try" I asked
"I want to be with you, but I don't want to be in a long term commitment"
I was floored, I couldn't believe I could be so stupid.  Here he was playing with my heart again.  I tried to be strong, but fell for his charms again and ended up having a sleepover with him the next weekend.  Meanwhile, I had left Brad in the dust to follow after Joe, we left me in the dust...again two weeks later. I had screwed up.  When I called Brad he was angry because he had heard I went back with Joe and he severed ties with me.  I was alone....again.

In mid-September I was trying to move on and forget all about Joe, swearing off men for awhile.  One afternoon, I got into a fight with my roommates and left the house to stay with my parents.  I was so upset over the altercation, I called the one person who always made me feel better.  Joe.

Joe came to the rescue, telling me to move out of that house and back in with my parents.  Joe told me he couldn't stand that I was in that situation and he wasn't there for me.  Joe was down in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (an hour away) for training, he promised he would be home the next day and would come to see me.  My dad and I moved me out of Wendy and Jason's place that night and I never looked back.

Joe came to see me, like he promised, that next day.  I knew at that moment, something had changed with him.  Joe and I eased back into our relationship and when my grandfather's health started to fail, Joe was there with me.  In October of 1999 when my grandfather died, Joe was there to hold me while I cried and attend the visitation and funeral with me.  Joe had definitely changed.

From that moment on we were serious.  We moved in together that December of 1999 against my parent's wishes.  Ironically Joe's dad, Jim, showed up at my parent's house with a trailer to help move me out of my parents' house and in with Joe and his older brother, Matt.

On January 30th 2000 one year to the day that I mustered up the courage to ask him out, Joe invited me to Diamond Dave's and proposed.  Of course I said yes.  We got married in 2001 and had Anna the next year.  Our life since hasn't been without problems but we have been committed to each other.  I often tease Joe that he was a bit of a bonehead (hey I'm keeping it PG here) for the first nine months of our relationship until he pulled his head out of his butt and realized I was the best thing that ever happened to him.

Joe was dealing with some massive wounds after his break up with Kyran's mom. We both had major trust issues and Joe wanted to be with me but was afraid I would hurt him so he hurt me before I could hurt him.

I believe that God wanted us to be together.  He didn't say it was going to be easy but love never is.  Even our children are difficult to love at times.

So tell me, what are some of the ups and downs of your relationship, was it all sunshine and roses or was there a little drama along the way?

The love story of Katie and Joe

Hey is the story I submitted to Elements in Cedar Falls, Iowa to enter Joe and I for a couple massage and goodie basket.  I'll post the link if we are one

of the finalists :)

In Janurary of 1999 my heart was broken.  My boyfriend of over two years broke up with me his reasoning was “your life is going nowhere and you will never amount to anything”. With those words still ringing in my head I went to work at KJ & Kompany at Crossroads Mall in Waterloo, Iowa.  As the receptionist my job was to greet customers, make appointments and stock the shelves.  As I stocked the shelves it was at that moment I noticed the US Cellular guy who worked across the hall.  Tall with glasses, dressed in navy blue Dockers and a light blue button down, with light brown hair and kind eyes.  Still reeling from my break-up I wasn't looking for someone new, at the time I wanted my old boyfriend back, but there was still something about this guy that I took note.

As the weeks after my break up went on I went on a few rebound dates and starting talking with the cute “US Cellular guy”.  Though the gossip grapevine I learned his name was Joe, he had a five month old son, and was not seeing anyone.  It started by us running into each other by the drinking fountain,

“Hey, I didn't see you yesterday” Joe would comment.

“Oh I had yesterday off” I replied.

“What, you only work part time?” He teased.

“No. I am a full time employee” I replied with mock anger.

It was definitely flirting, but I was oblivious.

As the days went on Joe would walk by after going to lunch or coming into work and he would call out to me “How’s it going Part-Time?”   I would glare at him and then smile, quickly turning around so he wouldn't see me blushing.   The cosmetologists I worked with teased me about my crush on the “US Cellular guy”. The flirting continued and I realized I really liked this guy.

On January 29, 1999 the girls I worked with finally gave me the courage to ask him out.  It was the 90’s so it was completely acceptable right?  What’s the worst he could say? “No! Go away”  I was just off work and with my heart in my throat I walked across the hallway to US Cellular, I went in and Joe wasn't anywhere to be found so I had to ask for him.  He came out of the back and saw me,

 “Aww what do you want” Joe said with a smile.

“Wondering if I could talk to you for a second” I replied, trying not to blush

“Well, I just got off work I’ll walk you out” as we walked the short distance to the doors I finally blurted out

“I was wondering I maybe you would like to go out sometime”

“Sure.” Joe replied.  He got out a pen and gave me his number and I gave him mine.  We parted and went to our own vehicles to go home. 

As I sat in my car I replayed the conversation in my head Sure. Sure?! That didn’t sound very convincing.  Maybe he will call tonight to set something up, I thought.

That night passed without a phone call.  The next morning I got up to go to work again mortified that I asked him out and he wasn’t interested in me.  I immediately immersed myself into work avoiding looking across the hall at all costs because making eye contact with Joe would reduce me to a puddle of mortified goo.  Until I heard someone whistle. I looked up to see Joe trying to get my attention,

“Hey!  Katie! Want to go eat lunch?” Joe called to me across the hallway.  We met for lunch at Diamond Dave’s, as we sat down Joe handing me pictures of his son as if to tell me “here is my baggage” .  I looked at pictures of this beautiful little boy knowing full well if Joe and I took this relationship forward this little boy would be in my life forever.  Only being twenty at the time it was something I considered before I asked Joe out.  Our lunch together was fantastic, there were no awkward silences, we laughed together and teased each other.   As we conversed I realized he was just as heartbroken and damaged as I was.

It has been 15 year since the day I finally got the courage to ask out the cute US Cellular guy.  After that first date our relationship moved forward quickly, we had some bumps along the way even broke up for a time, but that’s what people with baggage do.  Joe and I now have been married for almost 13 years and have two daughters 9 and 11 and then, of course, Joe’s son, now 15.  I look back at those carefree days and realize it was truly love at first sight.  Joe and I were two heartbroken souls brought together by destiny.  The people we were with before were not our happily ever after, we had to go through that storm to find the peace on the other side.

Tell me about your love story.  What do you think of mine.  Remember to follow my blog to get updates on when I post :)

Week three with the gremlin

So life has finally started to normalize.  Having a puppy is a challenge, but thanks to our breeder it has been a fairly easy road.  Molly is 99% house broke and only has the occasional accident when we aren't paying attention to the signs she is giving us.  In the mornings sometimes she has to go potty so bad she is whining and howling while I am holding her to put on her leash to go outside.  I can totally relate with that feeling, you know the one where you nearly cut your pants off with a knife because your zipper won't go down and you have to pee?  What?  Just me.

When going potty isn't so much of a dire emergency Molly likes to take her sweet time, sniffing around, chewing on sticks before she decides she has to go potty or will go up the stairs to go back inside.  Molly sleeps in bed with Joe and I. Well, me because as I have discussed in previous blogs she has bonded with me.  Which on the outside I feel really bad because my daughter Anna really wanted to have an animal bond with her but in the inside I am jumping up and down and squealing with joy.

Here are my words of advise to make getting a new puppy easier.

1. Get a kennel.  Crate training is incredibly important, though to us human is seems like a cage and inhumane, but to your puppy it is a safe place they can go when they are scared, need some quiet time or you need to leave.  The trick is to not throw your new puppy into the kennel and lock the door, that makes the kennel a scary confined place.  Also, I put a bottle filled with hot water, wrapped in a towel into the kennel and I had an noise machine that my mom bought for me when Joe was snoring so bad that I couldn't sleep (this was before the CPAP changed our life) and one of the noises is a heartbeat.  I covered the kennel with a blanket, after I had eased her into the idea of the kennel, and left her in the for small amounts of time giving her a treat each time I came to get her out.  Now she goes to the kennel and has kennel time each day from about 10:00 to 1:00.
2. Use a harness, your puppy is so small that a harness helps you control her without choking her
3. Start leash training right away with above mentioned harness.  Trust me you want to avoid running through the snow the first time your puppy runs off chasing a leaf.
4. Starting training right away.  In my research I have determined cocker spaniels are eager learners and respond to food motivated training.  Already Molly knows "come" "sit" and "down"   not bad for only being in our house for just over two weeks.
5. Research establishing dominance and making sure you are the pack leader.  I know this sounds like crazy gibberish but you can read a very helpful article by clicking here

Now I have given you guys a ton of information let's sit back and watch an adorable video Anna took while I was trying to teach Molly to go down the stairs. Since this was filmed she can now go down the two step into the back yard.  Score! 

Are you thinking about getting a new animal?  What are you nervous about?  Please share with me

Stop and just be

My view Jan 10, 2014

It's my story every day.  Get up, get the kids ready for school, welcome daycare kids, take care of them, log onto the computer, pay bills, make appointments, make lunch, change diapers, down for nap....you get the point.  I am constantly racing.  Sometimes, when I am sitting in my chair or laying on the couch "relaxing" I realize my shoulders are still tense or my mind is still thinking about what I have to do.

How often do we stop and just be?  As a part of treatment for my anxiety I have taken to meditating and yoga (although I haven't been very good at it lately) it forces you to just...be.  To concentrate on your breathing and clear your mind.  Having a new puppy has caused me to be racing even more, this time I'm racing to get a puppy outside to go potty.  I've spoke before about how cold it was in Iowa last week, currently we are in the middle of a heat wave, yesterday it was 40 degrees F and the girls and I walked around without a coat on!  But going outside with the puppy while she sniffed around, ate the snow, found sticks to chew on, I found myself taking a deep breath and looking to the sky and horizon.  It hit me, what a wonderful world we live in. I noticed the stars in the sky, the 'Big Dipper', the glow in the Eastern sky from the city lights of Waterloo 25 miles away.  We had a small ice storm Thursday into Friday last week and the ice gathered on the trees.  The sight is something I have always noted and found beautiful but Friday I really took a moment to take in the beauty of what I have in my own backyard, created by God.

How often are we so consumed in our lives that we forget to stop and see what is all around us?  So I challenge you to see the beauty that is right in front of you.  If you are looking for a miracle look right outside your back door.  With all the stress we all have in our lives, take a moment whether in be in your living room, bedroom or, my new favorite, out my back door.  Take a few seconds, take a deep breath and clear your mind.  Forget your 'To do' list and recharge.

How do you recharge?  Did you take my advice how did it make you feel?? Comment below I love to read your comments.

Are you a storm starter?

Sally 'Storm' Starter

You know when I was in high school I was looking forward to graduating because then I could get away.  Well it wasn't all a nightmare, I actually loved most of high school and made some really great lifelong friends, but I did have to deal with the cliques; the jocks, the preps, cheerleaders, the grunges etc.  I was a band/chorus nerd and was proud of it.

from the cliques and the drama always associated with high school.  The people talking behind everyone's back, the people judging you by what clothes you wore, the way you wore your hair, the activities you did, didn't do, it was a nightmare.  Ok, it wasn't

After I graduated I was looking forward to the new experience that would be college. I saw movies where the college kids gathered on the lawn of the college and played guitar and read and had lunch and everything was sunshine and rainbows.  I couldn't wait to go to college and get into one of those groups!  Until I got there, and I didn't know a soul and there wasn't a guitar player on the lawn.  There wasn't girls holding posters waiting for me to arrive to complete their group.  Looking back now I think this is one of the signs of my social anxiety.  I couldn't bring myself to talk to anyone.  I was so excited when someone would actually talk to me, and in that only semester I had at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa I only met a handful of people and alas I ended up flunking out of UNI anyhow and bounced for major to major...that's another drawn out story for another time. I thought working HAD to be better.  I had watched all of these movies about lunch meetings and after work gatherings.

Stirring the pot causing disaster in its wake

So I started working, I had my my fair share of jobs but most of them were working in offices.  I have to admit it was somewhat better than high school...but not much.  There were the "cool" kids that everyone wanted to hang out with which...normally didn't include me.  I vividly remember a woman for the third floor at The Courier (the local newspaper in Waterloo, Iowa) coming down stairs with a box of cookies and giving one to her two friends in my department as well as the Circulation Director.  The cookies were to announce she was pregnant, I will never forget what a loser I felt like sitting at my desk while the other women were screaming and hugging each other at her news.  There were, of course, people at every place I worked at that were storm starters.  They live for trying to find out and exploit information.  You know what I am talking, about the conversation starts out normal;
Sally Stormer Starter "Hi! How are you? Oh my gosh what's with this weather we are having"
Me "I'm good, went shopping for the kids and got my new shoes covered in snow" then the conversation takes a turn...
Sally "Oh that's crazy! You know I was talking to Barb the other day and did you notice her hair?  She colored it..."
Me "I did notice that"
Sally "What do you think of it, you know I love Barb but I seriously think she is trying to hard with her hair style"
Me "Well, maybe the color is a little dark for her skin tone but if she likes it that is up to her"

Next thing you know, there is drama going around that I said that Barb looks and acts like a teenage girl with her hair cut and the color is far too dark and she look like Elvira Princess of Darkness.  WHAT?! I didn't say anything like that. So not only do I have to spend the next six hours saying what I actually DID say but defending what I didn't say.  And we all know that once something is out there already having been said whether it is true or not...people listen.

Within all of these stages in my life there has always been that one person that is a Sally Storm Starter.  They like to be in the center of the drama.  To be that person that like to tell people when they have been talked about, even if they have to over dramatize so they can be there to counsel the person AND gather more information.  It like I discussed in my blog yesterday about cutting people down you can read it by clicking here. By feeding into the circle of drama and not watching our words it ends up being an endless cycle.

It's hard to spot a storm starter and you will quite possibly get burned. But my advice to you, from my own personal experience, is to mind you word.  Don't say anything about another person you wouldn't say if they were standing right in front of you.  And when a storm does get started, remain calm, turn the other cheek and wait for the storm to pass.

Do you know a Sally Storm Starter?  How have you dealt with it?

A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime

Friends come and go in your life. Sometimes there is a clear cut reason why a friendship ends, but others it seems you just grew apart. You meet friends everywhere you go; the grocery store, gas station, work, church, even in line at the DMV (where let's face it everyone seems to be in a bad mood there). Friends come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you meet your
new friend you never know how long your friend will be in your life. It could be someone you just met in the line a Joann Fabric who smiles at you and picks up a dollar you dropped. She was their for a reason and maybe you will never see her again. Sometimes friends are there for a season, maybe you meet someone to help you get through a difficult time in your life or share a joyous time with you and then for whatever reason you part ways. And then you have friends for a lifetime, the ones who you can call no matter how long it's been and you pick up right where you left off. The trick is you never know if a friend is one for a reason, a season or a lifetime.  This is not my original idea but I have taken this poem to heart:

"People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person...

"When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

"Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

"Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

"LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant."

— Unknown

I posted a previous blog about making no one a stranger.  I have taken to that as my motto, you can read that blog by clicking  here. Since I have had so many issues with putting myself out there I have been pushing myself to talk to more and more people.  I learned a valuable lesson from my late friend Mitch Johnson.  Shortly after I met him he starting calling me "best friend Katie", one night I finally asked him why he called me that. He told me "I like everyone, I'm nice to every new person I meet because they could end up being my new best friend." What great words to live by.  

The hardest part of the cycle of friendships is the letting go part, that is definitely something I have to work on, when a season passes, and the friendship has fizzled I need to not force it.  I posted previously about not being able to hate me unless I hate you first and I don't hate anyone.  In that blog I discussed a woman, Barb, in our group of friends that didn't seem to like me so I was extra special nice to her to prove to Barb her first initial opinion of me was wrong.  Now we are friends. 

I tried that same method with another woman, Gail, who I was friends with but for some reason Gail decided she didn't like me.  I tried to be nice to her, saying "hi" to her whenever I saw her.  Taking Romans 12:20 to heart, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."  Well this little nugget backfired and the hot coals I piled upon her head made Gail very angry.  So I learned a lesson, and stopped going out of my way to be nice to her.  I will, however, rise above and not speak poorly about her although I know she is speaking poorly of me.  We all struggle when people talk about us behind or backs, it makes us want to defend ourselves and lash out.  But think of this; If I were to lash out and speak poorly against Gail the way she is doing to me.  I look just as foolish an petty as she is.  However, if I rise above and say nothing, Gail is the one who looks foolish.  Jesus told us to turn the other cheek, and as hard as it is I am turning the other cheek.

Have you ever had a friendship fizzle? How did you deal? Are you one to lash out on the other person or do you turn the other cheek?

Why do we feel that it is ok to cut each other down?

Words to live by...

I'm guilty, I admit it, sometimes I am not a nice person.  Especially to the ones in my household.  I tend to point out the faults of my husband and remind him of these things quite often.  I'm not the type of person that let's people get away with things.

If he forgets to put his laundry away, I tell him.
If he leaves his work clothes laying on the bathroom floor, I tell him.
If he smells stinky, I tell him.
If his hair is jacked up, I tell him.
If sits on the furniture with his work clothes on, I go on and on about how I am the one that cleans it blah blah blah...

And that is just the tip of the iceberg.  Why do I insist on pointing every single thing out wrong that Joe was doing?  With my daughters and others I tend to be a bit gentler (not always with my kids but hey, I did say I wasn't perfect).  But I seem not to be able to let things go.  I feel miserable if I keep things bottled up but I feel miserable knowing I have hurt someone's feelings.  Was there a middle ground?

During my sessions with my counselor and Bible study I discovered just how guilty I was of doing these things and how it could affect the people I was saying it to, especially Joe.  What was my constant fault naming doing to Joe's self esteem? To his feelings towards me? And even more importantly what about my daughters, what was I doing to them? I looked inside and realized that not only was my picking out people's faults a reflection on my own self doubt, but damaging to others. I was reading one of my Bible study's by Joyce Meyer and she states;

I wonder how weary we would be if at the end of each day if God mentioned every tiny thing we did wrong.  He does deal with us, but I am quite sure He also overlooks a lot of things" (Meyer, 2012 p 432).

I have spend time learning better communication with Joe and my daughters "...I was quick to tell everyone about his or her faults, but I have learned that is not pleasing to God.  Just as we want others to give us mercy, we must give it to them" (Meyer, 2012 p 432).  I have learned to let some things go, if there is something bothering me I stop to ask myself how helpful it would be to bring it up.  If I decide it isn't that important I let it go.  Sometimes, when I am really upset I write all of the awful things running through my mind down in my journal and I honestly feel better.  I have said the age old saying before "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" that couldn't be the furthest from the truth.  Words do indeed hurt.  My high school boyfriend told me "your life is going no where and you will never amount to anything" as one of the reasons he was breaking up with me.  We need to be kind to one another.  God didn't create us to be all alike, we need to embrace each others differences and learn from each other.


Are you having trouble giving mercy to someone else?  Tell me your story.

Week two with my little gremlin

Our little cocker spaniel, Molly, is growing by leaps and bounds.  Thankfully we have gotten into a rhythm and schedule.  I know that she is going to want to play and get into everything right when she gets up in the morning.

The best part about our little Molly is that she has decided to explore more. I say that with extreme sarcasm. When we first got Molly,  I was so impressed that when we took her outside she didn't wander, she just did her business and she climbed up the back stairs when she was done.  Great!  Best puppy EVER! Until Mondat: First, let me set this up for you.  Right now, in the Midwest we are in the middle of an arctic plunge, the coldest temperatures in 20 years.  Monday night the temperature got to -20 F with wind chills -50 F, schools were called off across the state.  The news stations are warning us to bundle up and to take care of your pets.  +Joe Egloff  and I were discussing allowing the dogs to go potty on puppy pads so they didn't have to go outside.  Well, we discovered the frigid temperatures did not bother our dogs.  Especially little Molly.  She thought Monday was a perfect opportunity to explore the yard.  Particularly a leaf that was blowing across the yard.  One moment we were in the approved area getting doing our potty business and all of the sudden "LEAF!!" and Molly chased after it. Mind you I am fighting a wicked sinus infection (read all about that drama here An Ode to Joe) and this is when my puppy wants to run across the yard and explore.

I've said this before, but living life with a puppy is just like living life with a new baby.  With the exception I can lock this baby in a cage without DHS knocking on my door.  I have found I have to do all of my chores, internet posting, knitting etc when my puppy is asleep.  I do give her a bit of crate time each day so she gets used to it and let me tell you when that puppy sleeps or is in her kennel I breathe a sigh of relief.  A sleeping puppy is not pooping on the floor, or finding screws, or tiny pieces of coax (yes that is cable line, Joe mounted the TV in our bedroom and had to run different coax, some how Molly has found all the tiny pieces) to chew on.  The best is when she finds yarn and I am trying to pull out this big wad of yarn out while trying not to be torn to ribbons reaching into her mouth because a puppy's teeth are like needles.  Sharp, pointy needles.

This is the way we take a nap

When we started talking about getting another dog Anna was very insistent that she wanted Molly to be her dog.  Everyone else in the family has an animal that has attached to them.  Emma is Joe's, (fat) Lily is Allie's and Knoxville is mine.  Oliver mostly loves Joe but doesn't sleep with anyone, he is way too cool for that. So Anna felt left out on the four legged animal love fest.  Well, in order to have an animal bond with you, you have to be their primary care giver.  The one who takes them outside, trains them, sleeps with them, comforts them, disciplines them.  Well.....Molly has attached to me. The novelty of the new puppy worn off in the first 72 hours of Molly living with us, so who was their to pick up the slack?  Your's truly....and +Joe Egloff. Thankfully Anna is ok with it because after she realized how exhausting the task of taking on such a responsibility, she was happy to let me have the crown (and we all know how much I like crowns, let us pause while I do my hair flip and beauty queen wave.....)

On that note, I can not tell you how CUTE it is to have this little puppy sit at my feet and whimper for me to pick her up so she can sit with me in my chair.  Or how adorable it is when one of the cats bats at her, she rushes to me for comfort.


In Molly's week with us, she has gotten pretty brave in terms of the cats.  Knoxville tolerates her and will even partake in a game of girls chase boys (meaning Molly chases Knoxville) at least until Knoxville gets tired of it and jumps out of her reach.  Oliver kind of digs the play time.  However (fat) Lily haaaaaates Molly.  With a passion reserved for the Hatfields and McCoys.  I mean we are talking some serious hate.  (fat) Lily felt the same way when we brought Knoxville home two years ago and has barely begun to tolerate his existence so...it could be a long row to hoe with (fat) Lily and Molly.

Yesterday, we leash trained, she is pretty stubborn and refused to go potty while on the leash but wouldn't go in the house.  Guess who won THAT battle of wills.  That's right, your's truly.    I worked with her on the "come" command as she picked it up very quickly.  I'm impressed with how intelligent and willing to learn this dog is.  I've read different articles about cocker spaniels and their willingness to be an eager learner.  How right they were,  we have had a few bumps in the road but I have learned a lot along the way.  She is learning so quickly I am starting to feel like the Dog Whisperer....I know, I need to calm that image down.

So an easier week. I am greatly looking forward to 20 F ABOVE zero later this week, heat wave!!

What are some lessons you have learned while rearing a puppy?

An ode to my husband Joe

So my husband puts up with a lot, I mean, hey he's married to me.  Those of you who know me and have talked to me personally know me as a pretty high energy kind of woman.  I talk with my hands and tell really animated dramatic stories.  Hey I'm an actress what can I say.  Most of the time when I get going on a story with a group of our friends +Joe Egloff  just let's me go, shakes his head and I think smiles...on the inside.

  Photo by +Katie McBride photography

I would consider myself a strong willed woman, I'm fairly independent however I depend on my husband's help for a lot of things.  Nothing can be truer than when I am sick.  I am quite possibly the biggest, whiniest, neediest baby that ever lived when I am sick.  Now I am talking really sick not a tiny little cold sick because that would just be pitiful. Joe, however, is not.  In fact, I remember when Joe had sinus surgery a few years ago and being woke up the morning after his surgery by his smiling face (of course with a nose bleed guard under his nose looped around his ears and gauze up his nose) with coffee and a "Good morning, how did you sleep?"  Of course with all the stuff in his nose is was a tad muffled.  Plug your nose and then say, "Good morning, how did you sleep" and that is what he sounded like.  I was floored, I was supposed to be taking care of him and here he was mobile less than 24 hours after surgery getting ME coffee.  Granted two days later he was down for the count but he still would barely let me take care of him.

Last winter, I came down with Influenza A, yes the dreaded flu.  I tried to push through, not realizing it was the flu.  I was in the last few performances of Christmas Crackers when it came on.  I remember barely being able to get on stage to say my few lines.  In fact I missed the final performance because my breathing was so bad.  Joe had to take me to the emergency room because I was in such breathing distress.  I have rarely seen my husband scared but he was that night.  Thinking what was wrong with me was more serious, we were relieved when it turned out to be Influenza.  Joe took care of me.  Until he succumbed to Influenza as well, except he was 90 minutes away in Lisbon, Iowa working.  He tried to tough it out in his hotel room.  When I finally got a hold of him he told me "I'm fine, I'm just running a fever and I'm really cold but I'm laying in bed so I'm fine"  I knew how miserable he was, having been their myself just 48 hours previously and yet he never asked for help.  Thankfully I was at least able to sit and drive.  I loaded up Anna (who came down with the flu the day before) all of our pills and went down to rescue the man who never needs rescued.

This last Black Friday (yes I am one of those crazy people that goes out black Friday shopping and I drag my husband with me because he is a prince) on the drive home at 5:00 in the morning, driving my mom's car with her asleep in the back I have to pull over to get sick.  I was literally a block from my parents house but I couldn't make it.  I had gotten the dreaded stomach bug that was going around my daughters' school.  Here I am, in some random driveway, squatted, getting sick, in the freezing cold and listening to a rooster crow in the black of night. My husband gets out of the car to hold my hair back. This flu was so horrible all I could say was
"I'm gonna die.  I'm gonna die"  (imagine this is the whiniest most pitiful voice ever) Joe replies
"You're not going to die" (imagine this spoken in the most patient voice one would use with a child)
"Yes I am" (again super whiny)

Joe gets me cleaned up and into my mom's car, gets me home and tucked into bed only to be awoke by me getting sick...again.  Same line of conversation as above.  Now let me remind you, we have both been awake for close to 24 hours.  Joe didn't complain once about being tired or bothered by taking care of me.  He never does.

Photo by Katie McBride Photography

I have been battling a head cold for the last couple weeks.  I have asthma and I tend to have a lot of trouble with sinus infections moving into my lungs.  Well, yesterday I couldn't take it anymore, I felt awful and so did my oldest daughter, Anna, so she and I bundled up and went to the doctor.  (we bundled up because here in the Midwest we are having some of the coldest temperatures in 20 years!  Our low last night was -20 degrees F) both of us were diagnosed with sinus infections and I got a shot of steroids because I wasn't breathing well.  After driving to the pharmacy across town then driving 40 minutes back to Parkerburg, I realized I was coming down with a migraine.  Not a bad headache that people call a migraine.  I am talking a real true need to go to the emergency room migraine.  I had the aura, the nausea, sensitivity to light and sound.  I had to lay in my room in complete darkness.  In fact, the headache was so bad, my youngest daughter Allie had to cover up the clock radio in my room plus the space heater was emitting light so that had to be covered up too.

I later thought I was going to be sick so I went into the bathroom, no lights on and sat on the floor and prayed for...anything that would make me feel better.  I guess I ended up half asleep laying on the toilet, lid down of course.  Joe found me and helped me to bed.  Luckily I had medicine here at home that helped with the migraine but I needed Joe's help.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I love this bible verse, I know that I am not always patient and neither is Joe. I realize I have painted him as a prince that does no wrong, which couldn't be further from the truth.  Let's face it there are some days you wake up doe eyed in love and there are some days you wake up feeling like Madea and "aboust to choke the life right out 'a him".  (If you don't know what I am talking you need to watch Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection.  Hilarious).

At the end of January it will have been 15 years since I got up the nerve to ask out the cute US Cellular guy across the hall from the hair salon where I was working at the time.  ( I will share that story at a later time)  I thank God for giving me the courage because this man has turned out to be a pretty good catch.

How are you when you are sick?
Love Always Wins
Katie 

My first day home alone with the gremlin

Today is my first day home alone with our little gremlin.  Going back to work after being off for five days would normally be an exciting endeavor.  I like my time off work, but gosh it seems like when the whole family is home nothing gets done.  I feel like going back to work is my time to clean the house and take care of my housewife duties while hanging out with my babies.  Well.....here is how my first day back to work with the gremlin, our cocker spaniel, Molly went...

• Alarm goes off at 6:45 a.m. look over realize that; 1) Molly is awake and 2) Allie is in bed with me..when did that happen??
• Hurry up run to the bathroom to pee because there is NO way I can stand in the cold waiting for the puppy to pee while I have to pee.
• Grab Molly take her outside.  Did a pee and a poop (score!) back inside.
• Wake Allie up
• Find Molly chewing on a sock, take sock away.  Give Molly puppy food.
• Wake Allie up again
• Find Molly eating the cat food
• Tell Anna to hurry up in the shower (on a positive note she did get up on her own this morning)
• Take puppy outside again.  Did a tiny pee (yay)
• Realize Joe didn't make coffee this morning, not time to make a fresh pot so I pulled the grounds out from yesterday and ran yesterday morning's coffee through the pot again.
• Allie comes out to the kitchen looking for her "Cat-attitude" shirt she got for Christmas that she HAD to wear today (I think Joe even did a special load of laundry to get said shirt clean) I send her to look in her room and upstairs toy room where we fold laundry.
• Coffee is finally done, pour in my special blend of creamer and Miralax (yes I have a poop problem) where's Molly? Trying to play with (fat) Lily.  Lily hisses at Molly, Molly yelps like she is being slaughtered.
• 7:04 a.m. Allie is losing her mind looking for her "Cat-attitude" top she HAS to wear to school today.  I head to the laundry room, tell Anna, who is finally out of the shower, I was coming in.  "MOM!  I am buck naked" My response "Well, cover it up"  Head in the laundry room and look in the drier.  Find the shirt.  WHEW crisis avoided!
• 7:08 a.m. First daycare kids arrive.  Grab Molly, who is still whining from her near death experience with the cat.  Have a tiny break when +Leia Shirk holds the puppy.  Introduce Molly to Wes and Olivia, Leia's kids and two of my favorite daycare kids (they are all my favorite)
• Pull out pentagon play pen (lovingly called the pigpen) for the toddlers and get toys into pigpen.
• 7:18 a.m Need more coffee, top off my cup with what's left in the pot.  Where's the puppy.  Chewing on Allie's hair...again.  Pull Molly out of hair and re-direct with chew toy.
• Have Anna take Molly outside (she peeded and pooped!  My God how much poop is inside this dog)
•  Kids take turns entertaining Molly.  Anna finally decides to dry her hair.  Thankfully both girls are dressed.  I take two minutes to change out of my pajamas and into my uniform of yoga pants and a sweatshirt.  As I am putting my shirt on Molly comes tearing down the hallway, into my room, followed by all the kids.  Ok, first day back to work and all the kids have seen me in my bra...again.
• 7:32 a.m Kids start putting their 29 layers on to head to school.  
• Take Molly outside again, did a tiny pee (this is getting old)
• 7:40 a.m kids head to school.  Molly is whining, take her outside again, into the cat food again. Finally get smart and pick up the cat food.  Get Molly into the kennel.
• Help Anna get her bag ready for school, ask her if she has breakfast.  Find Anna a cereal bar. Take Anna to the high school to get on the bus.
• Get home let Molly out of the kennel. Go outside again.
• Sit down drink a little more coffee.  Finally put the Molly on a leash to keep her with me.  Try to convince Molly not to chew on the leash.  Yes I just admitted to talking to the dog.
• Next day care kids arrive put in pigpen.
• 8:15 a.m change a poopy diaper. Gross
• Take Molly outside 25 more times just to tinkle the tiniest little bit and play in the snow.  During one of those times outside I realize my yoga pants are too thin to be standing outside in the snow.  I can't find my long john's so I put on two pairs of yoga pants. Epic ingenuity I think.
• Next daycare baby arrives, introduce to puppy then put in pigpen
• 9:30 a.m. Need to change another poopy diaper, during which I am trying to keep track of Molly, keep Molly out of baby wipes and poopy diaper.  My cell phone rings I can't answer, get the poopy and puppy all worked out.  House phone rings, can't find it my cordless phone, lose the puppy, answer phone, find Molly, tell friend I'm too busy to talk, feel like an epic jerk.  
• Molly has another run in with the cats, at least this time she tried to play with them and not run away yelping like the cat tried killing her.
• I sit down, puppy takes a nap

This is just a tiny snippet of my first day home alone with Molly.  I know it seems like a lot and that I might be losing my mind with frustration.  But, through all this I never lost my temper, I never felt like I was going to lose my temper.  I knew that getting a new puppy was going to be a challenge and when we discussed getting her Joe and I knew we would be up for the challenge. As I sit here writing this at 2:30 in the afternoon, my little gremlin has been asleep on the couch for the last two hours.  I emailed +Joe Egloff  and told him I needed him to have a smile on his face when he got home and to sweep in an be on puppy duty all the while telling me how amazing I am.

Do you have any words of encouragement for this new chapter in our lives?

Love Always Wins,

Katie