Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Changes

So, not much and so much is going on in the Burgess Family. Dalton finishes up kindergarten this week. He is growing up so fast and it amazes me what he learns every day. Peyton is starting PK3 next year, if we can get him potty-trained. He is trying, bless his heart, but he is a boy and I am asking alot of him to stop playing just to potty! I joined a gym last week and have met with my trainer twice. He is a persistent man who assumes I can do more than I probably can or should. He seems to think that his plan overrides the instructions of my doctor. Unfortunately for him, I actually listen to my doctor. So far it has been a battle of the wills and I am sure it is no surprise to anyone who is winning that battle. Strangely enough, I am actually enjoying my gym time. While I am there, it is just me and the TV or Ipod and I feel very relaxed and cleansed when I leave. It may be just what the doctor ordered for the difficult year ahead. Chris will be leaving for Honduras in a little over two months. We almost have everything in order, but until he gets the printed orders, some things are on hold. We have to get powers of attorney for everything! I think I am more stressed over what I have to do to prepare to PCS to Okinawa than I am over the million things I will have to do in the year that he is gone. I know he is excited and a little upset over being away from the kids, but I also think there is always a sense of relief when you know that everything is being taken care of and you get to spend time alone and not having to take care of anyone but yourself. The military community has a phrase "married, but single" and every few years, they like to give you the opportunity to experience it. It is just alot harder when I am looking at "married, but single parent". That is about all I have for now. I am sure that in the months to come, I will have much more to post.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Commitments

This has been a busy weekend. On Thursday night, I headed home to Leland at 5pm. The purpose of my trip was to attend the high school graduation of my cousin whose mother was a very special person and an important part of my life for a long time, but was taken from this Earth way too early when my cousin was not yet 12 years old. Being there for her was important to me to honor the memory of a woman who never missed an important day in my life. The trip was well worth it just to see the look on Lara's face, but in reality, the trip home was hell! Usually the trip is 4 1/2 to 5 hours and I think this trip took 6 or more hours. Getting to Jackson was a pain because apparrently everyone was headed somewhere. It was a Thursday night and the traffic was unplanned. Then when I arrived in Jackson, I-20W had roadwork and we basically had to travel one lane the entire way until my 49N turn off. Then once on 49 I was rerouted due to an accident and I also had to wait for cows to cross the highway. According to my great-uncle Joe, the rising water in the Delta has driven the cows to higher ground and the highway is built on that higher land. He said unlike a deer, if you hit them, you also had to buy the cow. My return trip on Saturday went quickly and I was home in the 4 1/2 hour time frame. However, I came home to change clothes and head to dinner with my hubby and friends. A restaurant that usually had wonderful food now had "cheaper" ingredients and I am not sure it was worth running home. However, the company was worth it. Although they went home early, hubby and I continued our night and probably drank a few too many drinks. Lucky for me, it was he who had to run the 5K this morning and not me! We had lunch and Fatima Internatnional Festival and I got to have my once a year dose of lumpia....YAY! If you have never had it, try it when you get a chance. The boys got to ride 2 rides at the festival and then the sky opened up and dropped buckets of water on our head. Unfortunately, that was the end of our day and now I am going to sit on the couch and catch up on my Tivo...if you don't have DVR, get it soon! It is truly the best "gadget" I have ever gotten.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Frustration

Frustration is a daily part of my life. Mainly because disorganization frustrates me. I manage to maintain a level of organization over things that I have control of, but it is when other people are in control and screw up that I get this overwhelming desire to wring someone's neck. It happens all the time. The PTO asks me to volunteer; I show up and inevitably there is some woman in charge who has yet to figure out what we are supposed to do or have all the pieces of something that needs to be put together. The person who doesn't have her life together, but feels she can take on essentially the life of the entire school and have it in any kind of order. Then there are the birthday parties that are scheduled for say 3pm and when you arrive they are still decorating, the food isn't done and they have no clue to the order of events. Sometimes they just cancel the party and don't notify anyone; instead just leave town. Those are the kinds of things I expect. However, when it comes to family things, simple things like a family photo, I don't expect to have frustration and anxiety. My husband's entire family lives in Memphis. We vacation in Destin, FL and this year the entire group of 12 will be there. This is not a normal event since we move about every 4 years or so. My sister-in-law thought this would be a great time to have a family portrait done. You know the one, everyone on the beach. This idea came about at Christmas time or even before. She apparently was put in charge of the details; I am not positive since I wasn't there, but that is what I have been told. Well Saturday night, nothing had been done. No one even had a clue what they were to be wearing. There were plenty of excuses like the new baby (who turns 1 on Monday), or the fact she is moving (just happened in the last two months) and the storm that knocked out her internet (storm was a week or so ago). Planner that I am, I took on the task of organizing this event. I spent all day Monday on the phone with photographers, their assistants or receptionists to find that NO ONE was available on such short notice (our trip is the first week of June). Luckily, I finally got a call back from one person to say that there was a cancellation. Thank God! I informed everyone of the appointment time, attire, and even sent them links to the photographer's website with sample pictures and pricing information. I did this in the first 24 hours that I started the project and I have a very active 2 year old and a 6 year old who is involved in sports. Why can't the rest of the world just get on board with the plan? You are stressed because you are unorganized! You don't need medication, you need a plan and a time management seminar. You need to realize that you are doing nothing for your stress and thus, you are also increasing my anxiety and frustration. When you take on a project, see it through to the end. I bet unreliable people are the same ones whose parents let them quit an activity midstream. I guess they were never taught to finish what they started. I was taught that; unfortunately, I never realized I would end up having to finish what others start too.