Monday is...

Monday is...Bounding into a busy work week after a 36 mile bike ride and cheering/encouraging/
supporting NF runners along a half mile stretch of the Philly Half Marathon.

Monday is...International Talk Like a Pirate Day. What else to say, I looked like a pirate until the clock struck noon and I rushed out the door of my classroom

Monday is....CHOP day. Owen was incredibly sweet and sour today. Lovey and obstinate. One minute telling me he loved me the next yelling at me "Chee, Chee, Chee!" (not sure what it means but I know in Owen's world he is cursing me out) His doctors are still trying to find a dosage "sweet spot" varying the amount of chemo to give him the strongest dose he can handle without his blood counts dropping and spiking fevers. Latest MRI shows stable optic glioma (good!) but a scan of the spine shows an area of the spine tethered to the spinal column (bad!). Joe and I take Owen to the neurosurgeon on Wednesday to find out about next steps.

Monday is...rush Joey to soccer practice after picking him up from his after school program, running into Pina's for a couple slices of pizza, Joey gobbling it up in the car and Owen eating at a picnic table at the field.

Monday is...leaving the kids with Alex at the soccer field to rush to Owen's Back to School Night...Alex having to deal with an explosive mess while I was gone (sorry and thank you.)

Monday is...OVER...thank god.

in two weeks

In the past two weeks...
...I watched as Churchville Elementary transformed itself from a workzone to a bright-beautiful-brand-new-school ready for a new year...I unpacked boxes upon boxes filled with 13 years of teaching experiences...I realized waking up at 5:30 is not early enough to get my crazy crew ready in the morning...Joey spent fun-filled days with grandma, pop and puppies...I was the only one in my family to actually feel and acknowledge that we had an earthquake...we prepared for and Joe dealt with a surprisingly small amount of flooding from Hurricane Irene...Joey went fishing and kayaking with great-dad...we had our first "snow day" on the first day of school...Owen had two chemo treatments and one uber long MRI...after working off $210 of spring and summer chores to cover his last pair of broken glasses, Joey heartbreakingly found his latest pair puppy-chewed on the livingroom rug on the first day of school...I was dismayed and angered after reading #14 of the fine print on the insurance I bought when we purchased the glasses...Although Joey was miserable I still persuaded him to allow me to take a first day of school picture...Me-ma thankfully picked up the boys, entertained and fed them while I spent afternoons at PT...after weeks of therapy I finally went on a bike ride with my dad...I welcomed some wonderfully sweet sixth graders to a new year (they should stay sweet until at least December)...I gave birthday hugs to Alex...I created 4 bulletin boards (after teaching in a trailer for 5 years it was somewhat fun to do this again---I think my 6th grade teammates sometimes look at me funny)...I congratulated and shared a drink with Aimee after our first week back to school...I watched Owen delight in a Spiderman popicle, talked with some 11th graders that were once my students, and had to drag Joey away from the DJ after a fun Churchville back to school picnic...we finally had dinner with mom and dad at Cravings, a favorite summertime spot...I went to the teacher store 4 times...my students had "Mr. Mc" as their terrific-first-day teacher...I bought my last purchases at Borders :(...I used my Smartboard for the first time with some success...I drove an amazingly swank convertible...

I could probably fill a couple pages...it is been a crazy couple weeks.

Most importantly...
Both Owen and Joey enjoyed their first week of school and there are no complaints about having to go back in two days. Owen got through a hellish MRI day at Chop after waiting for 3 hours, he endured a four hour scan and came out smiling (we are still waiting for the results). Joey got a new pair of glasses and although the fine print clearly states pet damage is not covered I only had to pay $25 (I did not ask why). We are going to spend our last days of summer enjoying the pool (weather permitting) and gearing up for what will probably be another crazy couple weeks.

"last day" of summer

Owen and I head back to school tomorrow so today
was our unofficial last day of summer. We spent the
morning at CHOP, had a visit with Grandma and Pop (& two adorable foster puppies) and went to the pool in the afternoon. We got home in the late evening, Joe ordered Pizza for the boys and I mowed the lawn!!! Two weeks after knee surgery and I am a half acre closer to 13.2 miles!


Owen had a good day at CHOP. His blood cell counts are strong and he had treatment without any issues. The nurses let him pick out a new pillowcase for himself and one to bring home for Joey. This woman, Cindy Kerr, comes into CHOP every few months with her sewing machine and sews pillowcases (with the kids help) to give out to all the patients. Owen loves his tractor pillowcase. Lovely how these small details we find so often at CHOP make sure an impact. Owen will always remember where that pillowcase came from.






We met Joey and Joe at the auto body shop after CHOP.
The window on my truck, after being rolled half way down was refusing to go back up. Owen was thrilled at getting the chance to ride "Dadda's taxi" to Grandma and Pop's to pick up the jeep.




Chloe was once this small and adorable too...after finding my favorite sandals shredded this morning I think the cuteness only lasts for so long.

end of summer tradition

We made it to Eagles training camp. It was the last day, rainy and muddy, the only Kids Zone activities were a football toss and mini golf, practice was held on 2 out of 4 fields with everyone packed into the same muddy standing area and wet stands, I think I saw 2 plays before the boys wanted to wander around and find the kids zone, and Joe said he didn't see much more than that....but watching the boys dance around and laugh in the rain as they tried to play mini golf, running into Swoop! and keeping up the yearly tradition made it all worth it. We have gone every year since Joey was born and with the NFL "strike', Joe's crazy work schedule and me still hobbling around I didn't think we would get there this year....I am so glad we did.

one of those days

It was a five hour day at CHOP.
Owen's counts were good, he was very patient and dealt with triage, port access, doctor exam and chemo treatment with humor and ease. He even helped to calm a one-year-old friend, showing this little boy how he had a port too. He told him, "It's just one pinch." Moments like these helped me to deal with the day that followed...Owen didn't want to leave CHOP after 5 hours, he still wanted to play and screamed at me loudly in a crowded waiting room to "LEAVE ME ALONE! DON'T TOUCH ME!" So we got over that hurdle by swooping him to the elevators only to deal with...
2 accidents including one poopy bathroom nightmare---Owen.
2 accidents-including poop in the basement---Chloe. A shredded front screen door---Chloe. A spilled cup of milk---Owen. One shattered Winnie the Pooh snowglobe---Owen. That last one hurt...this is the second of three snowglobes Owen has broken. Not that Winnie the Pooh goes with my decor anymore or that I would ever buy anything Winnie Pooh again...but in college I was really into the classic stuff. Joe bought me these three snowglobes and looking at them always made me think back to our dating days...so in love, carefree, light-hearted..a time when Winnie the Pooh was endearing. When it dropped from Owen's hands and shattered all over the livingroom rug and hardwood floor...I just had to sigh...Oh Bother. The last of the snowglobes is now carefully placed up high where I am pretty sure Owen will not be able to get it. Pretty sure....because I have been stunned by what the boy manages to get himself into.

on the brightside??

This weekend last summer...my first triathalon.














This weekend...recovering from knee arthroscopy.

Hard to put into words how frustrating/depressing it has been not to have been able to run, bike and swim all summer. One up side...it was probably the most relaxing and quiet weekend I have had all summer. Lovely mom had the boys, wonderful mom-in-law had the puppy and I had vicodin... I am actually feeling better now that the surgery is done...hoping to start slowly training soon with the goal of walking the NF Philly Endurance Run and bike at least part of the MS 150 City to Shore. Tricky part is they are back to back weekends in September. Hopefully when I meet the surgeon for post-op we'll figure out a plan for physical therapy and get me where I need to be in time to at least cross the finish lines.

Well, the relaxing weekend is officially over...the boys are back...Owen is eating frozen waffles, trying to figure out how to make them himself and Joey's friend is pounding on the door to see if he can come out and play for the last 30 minutes of daylight. At least Joe is out picking up sushi for dinner and I have one more night before Chloe is jumping all over me...