Just a Regular Family

Let me just tell you about the past 15 hours or so, just to illustrate what a regular – but, unfortunately, never boring – family we are.

First off, Jared is out of town this entire week for work.  If you know me, that speaks volumes.  I am not good at parenting by myself!!  We all have a hard time when he is gone.  And we’re super happy that he is very rarely gone.

Rachel would not each lunch yesterday because she said what I gave her is gross.  In our house, the general rule is that you don’t have to eat what is given to you, but if you choose not to eat the meal, you go hungry until it is time to eat the next meal.  By about 3 p.m. she was starving, but still refused to eat.  She began complaining that her stomach hurt, which I attributed to her refusing to eat.  We ate a pretty early dinner (right around 5:00), and she ate it all.  By the time she was done, she was complaining that her stomach hurt really bad.  She was in pain and miserable all evening.  Around 8:30 p.m., she threw up.  Oh man!!  We just did this less than a week ago with Caleb.  I thought by now we were in the clear!  She continued to feel pretty miserable and threw up again a couple of hours later.  She slept on my floor and was up off and on moaning, swishing with water, and getting sips of water.

This morning I drove Emily to school.  This is the first time I have ever taken her to school.  I dropped her off, flipped a U-turn, and then saw the flashing lights in my rear-view mirror.  Apparently there’s a “no u-turn” sign that I just didn’t see.  Having never dropped her off before, I was a little frazzled with all the traffic and where to drop her and coordinating pick-up after school.  There was a bus stopped in front of me, the sun was just starting to be a nuisance, and I just didn’t see the sign.  Mr. Sherriff-man didn’t seem to care that I honestly did not see the sign, nor did he seem to care that I have 20 years of driving without a ticket.  He handed me my ticket and said, “Be careful today.”  Oh the things I WANTED to say to him.  Do not get me started on my soapbox about cops hiding in corners, just waiting to pounce on drivers who are honestly trying to obey the law and, in the process, make one tiny innocent mistake!!!  I bet he could have found at least two other vehicles that were actually being dangerous in the same time he had me pulled over.

We drove back by the area after dropping Josh off at school, and, sure enough, there is a “no u-turn” sign.  Which is a lot easier to see when you’re looking for it, and there is no traffic, and the sun isn’t coming up and shining in your eyes.  Just sayin’.

Now we’re home, trying to do all the stuff that needs to get done, like paying bills, getting kids caught up on homework, keeping a very curious Daniel out of toilets and engaged in something more beneficial.

Oh, and grumbling about ticket-happy cops and cleaning up vomit, and wondering why this all happens when Jared is out of town.

I’d say we’re just one happy, pretty typical family!  And if you think we’re not, please don’t tell me.  Just let me live out my days in blissful ignorance. :)

As of 8:30 p.m.: Daniel decided to get in on the puke-fest this afternoon as we picked up Emily from school.  Hey – he doesn’t want to miss out on anything!

My point in sharing this is to (hopefully) make it obvious that Down syndrome does not rule our lives.  Not by a long shot.  We are just a busy family, living our lives and trying to enjoy the ups and downs and everything in between.

Yet another update, 8:54 p.m.:  Josh just joined the puke fest.  Four down, one to go.  I wonder if I’ll get one day this week without a sick kid home from school?!?!