A Year in a Week

The last little while has been a little overwhelming. For a short amount of time everyone was home and it was wonderful.  But it feels like soooo much has happened in a few days!!!

Indie joined us at waterworld and stayed here for a couple weeks afterwards. She got to entertain and be entertained by Tebow. During that time she had the usual round of appointments while she was in town. One were were unhappy about was that she needs dental surgery. But, she found out she doesn't need to have it until December. She has to have skin grafted from the roof of her mouth to the gum line on one of her bottom teeth. Yuck! Turns out the recovery is alot more than anticipated - like weeks without brushing your teeth (horrors!) and liquid diet as well. So the doctor determined that Christmas break would be the best time. The silver lining here is that Smoothie King is now on our corner.

Indie was doing pretty good kicking back, getting tanned, and relaxing after very stressful weeks trying to line up possible graduate schools and professors who matched her area of interest. The final part of her summer vacation was a cruise with her friend Kristy. As you may know, they had a bad car accident on the way, just 40 miles outside of Macon. A semi threw a wall of standing water onto and over their vehicle at the same time they hit the puddle going about 55 or 60. It wasn't raining anymore but the roads were wet. The car hydroplaned and Kristy almost steered them out but they hit more water and started spinning. Right into the guardrail on Indie's side of the car, ruptured the gas tank, and then again on the rear of the vehicle. The police and witnesses said they were quite fortunate: the car didn't burst into flames (they had just filled up the tank) and they didn't get T-boned by another semi or car; and they didn't flip over the median although it was a near thing. Indie saw a chiropractor the next morning before they drove to Florida (crazy right?!). He was able to help her a little bit and determined that she has neck and mid-spinal injuries and 3 rotated vertabra at the base of her spine. Indie says Kristy has some pain but not nearly as bad.  Indie admitted hers was a 9 on a 10 point scale so I know it's terrible as she has a decent pain tolerance level.  The trip to Florida was harrowing. 2 huge thunderstorms and alot of PTSD. They pulled off the interstate twice and waited it out with several other motorists. I get upset when I think about what she will have to face with back pain until she heals all while finishing her senior year and preparing for grad school. Somewhere in there she thought about getting a job since the ends weren't quite meeting, but I don't know if that can happen now.  And poor Kristy is out of a car.  I do wish she had owned a volvo instead of a ford focus without side curtain airbags because their injuries would probably be less and the replacement value of the car would be more for Kristy.

That means the plans to go skydiving are postponed as well.  Mike is disappointed but we will try again in the Fall or next Spring.  Speaking of Mike, I will just briefly say that he is busy, busy, busy at work and dreads the word "meetings" now with a passion.  It's awfully hard to have a full day of meetings and still get a full day of work done.

Tomorrow Taryn returns to Rolla. She took care of Kitty Coleman while she was here. There was a little overlap with Aussie and it took a couple days but they became buds... buds who chase and growl at each other, but buds nonetheless. Kitty Coleman went home today. And Taryn leaves tomorrow. It's awfully hard on this mom to see all my upstairs babies leave!!!  It's just not enough to see her for 1 week!!!!

In the space of a few days, Taryn also went to a few appointments. It's hard to live away from home and still see the dentist, the eye dr, get hair cuts, etc.  One was a follow up on her eye surgery. She has been pronounced Perfect! It was a complete success. Praying it stays that way. Another was a new hair style with red highlights. She looks cute and happy.  Other than that we just fed her the favorites, got ready for another semester, and rested.  Mike and Taryn will leave super early to arrive in Rolla in the afternoon and set her up in the dorm room. Then Mike will return home. I admit, I'm a little nervous about another road trip after the girls having an accident on theirs. Taryn is still trying to work out the challenges of ADHD with college. She's putting 200% and it breaks my heart that she still has to overcome more. The patch is a great improvement, but Taryn wishes it came in a stronger dose. She is also working with a ADHD Coach and I will be praying every single day that together they find the right combo of techniques to help study and long term memory equal success in testing. Please remember her in your prayers. It also looks like Taryn may end up heading a student support group for ADHD students.  Turns out the counselor at college isn't quit on par with the challenges of a college student with this disability. I think if Taryn has the time it would be an excellent thing for her to do.  I'm a big believer in what goes around comes around. Helping others is just the right thing to do all the time and despite my other belief that no good deed goes unpunished, I believe you should still do it.   We're pulling for you Taryn!!!!

Gib and Mariah got their schedules for high school and everyone is pretty happy.  Mariah turned her double major into a triple - and has "fluff classes" this year instead of science and social studies.  Gib is insanely jealous that we didn't think of that for him. She has theatre, her fashion design class, and chorus; plus PE, algebra II honors, english honors, and spanish II honors. I don't anticipate Mariah will be overburdened with homework but she is nervous about losing study hall. Gib just scoffs even when I point out those other classes will require homework time, have projects, and tests too.  We were happy to get a locker for Mariah close to the Senior parking lot even though she didn't get a top locker. Gib points out once again how unfair it is that Mariah gets a ride to school and parks in the senior lot as a freshman. Mariah points out that the price is his friends calling her Gib Junior. While we were at school to get her locker, text books, turn in papers, etc., I was an awesome parent and pretended Mariah wasn't my child whenever she talked to her friends. Taryn says I've mellowed waaaay too much.

Mariah had a great time in France although it was difficult not speaking French and I think two weeks would have been just right. But what memories and such a neat opportunity to see France in a way that most tourists don't get to! She loves that she had that chance. I hope you have had a chance to see her album on facebook. And once again, Taryn reminded me that I mellowed waaaay to much - Mariah goes to France, Gib to Hawaii, and Indie all over the world! She forgets that I let her blow stuff up at Explosives Camp. Love those kids of ours.

Somehow life doesn't feel all that mellow to me.