Thankful Mom of Five, Adoptive Mom of Two Ukrainian Beauties and Bereaved Mom

          Today I am thankful that Dan and I went to  my appointment with the physiotherapist.  I actually had never heard of a physiotherapist.  He referred to himself as a movement specialist! I just hope all he did to me helps alleviate some or all of my pain.  He supposedly treats the whole person or whole body.  He thinks my sciatica was caused by all the stress in my life.  First he talked an asked questions.  He asked how I knew my friend Priscilla and I told him that we are both bereaved moms who lost a daughter and are best friends.  He asked about my health and I detailed it fr him.  He said my sciatica is due to PTSD from Amy's death. He said my neck was out of alignment and so was my back and my hips.  I am wondering why my sciatica didn't happen sooner because Amy died 17 years ago.  He said it is an accumulation of stress.  I don't know why my sciatica happened, I just want it gone.  He was very nice and talked the entire time he was manipulating my body.  He

         Today I am thankful that Dan decided to go with me to the Physical Therapist.  It is in the city and I get lost easily.  He'll drop me off and go sit at a park or go watch trains or ships.  I am excited to go to the PT because I am hoping so much that he can help me!! I just can't  imagine having to live the rest of my life with this pain! The PT told me that I  had to soak in the bathtub in Epsom Salt for two nights before I see him.  I am rules oriented so I went to CVS and bought Epsom Salt and soaked in the tub! I COULD NOT get out of the tub! I kept yelling for Dan but he was busy watching the History channel and didn't hear me.  You' think he would have wondered where I was for so long.  Eventually, about 45 minutes later, I inched my way up and out of the tub.  I can't put any pressure on my bad left sciatica leg and I have a torn rotator cuff in my shoulder on the left side. It is difficult for me to maneuver my body.  You just don't appreciate

         Today I am thankful that Dan and I had a picnic at lunch yesterday.  I had to go pick up Renee's mail because she and Adam are away.  Their house is about halfway to a park that Dan really likes! I called Dan and asked him if he wanted to go for a picnic there and he did. It is a park on a river and there is usually a lot of water traffic.  There is also a train track across the street from the park. Those are Dan's three favorite things:  food(it's always about the food), the outdoors, and trains.  I packed lunch and he left work and off we went.  The park was very quiet!  There was a goose that hung out with us most of the time but we didn't feed him/her. He/She was hopeful and kept hanging with us!  We only saw one boat but it was a beautiful day and I enjoyed being outside. We saw three or four trains go by across the road!  You can see the train behind the trees! I am thankful for the beautiful gift of nature.   There is such beauty to be f

         Today I am thankful for my book club meeting on Sunday night.  We read Natural Causes .  I didn't care for the book but we had a lively discussion about it.  There were only five of us this time so we all had plenty of time to chat. I think there are about 10 people in the book club.  I didn't like the book but I love all of the women in the book club.  I am thankful to be in this book club with women who love reading as much as I do!  Most of us raised kids at the same time, I raised my bio kids with them.  I am still raising Olivia and Olya!   Three of them are nurses so they knew a lot about aging and the topics discussed in the book.  Carol and Jackie couldn't attend last night and that was a bummer.  Carol and I usually see the books from the same viewpoint, maybe because we were both special ed teachers for so long!  My friend Mary, a nurse and therapist, and also a renter in Dan's office building, gave me the name of a great pain management team.  I am g

         Today I am thankful that my sister-in-law Pennie sent me a really nice email telling me how much she enjoyed my blog.  Her email gave me such a good, warm feeling.  Pennie is very thoughtful  She lost her teenage sister when she was a teen so she definitely understands the enormity of loss of a loved one who died too young.  Pennie once told me that she pictures Amy and our mother-in-law Bernice swinging together  on an outdoor swing.  That image hugs my heart and makes me feel a tiny bit better. She sends angels every year at Christmas in Amy's memory. I have them all on a shelf in my family room. This is my favorite one because the angel is holding a cat and Amy LOVED cats.  Amy begged for a cat since she was a very little girl.  Dan would never let us get a cat because he said HE HATED CATS.  One day when Amy was about 4, she said to me, do you think we can get a cat if Dad dies??  I said, sure!  When Amy was in middle school, she rode and worked at a horse farm. 

         Today I am thankful that Dan, Olivia and I went to see the movie Crazy, Rich Asians.  The previews looked funny so I really want to see it! It was really good and very funny!  We all really enjoyed the movie.  I usually bring my own snacks and bottles of water but Olivia asked if we could buy snacks at the movies this time.  I took my own candy and a bottle of water.  At the concession stand, Dan got a package of peanut M&Ms, Olivia got a box of cookie dough candy, a small soda, and a medium popcorn to the tune of $22.00!!!! The candy was almost as much as the movie tickets!! I am thankful we did something fun together!           Olivia usually is busy with Frankie but he had to work today so she graced us with her presence!! She hadn't felt well lately, she had the flu, and missed school on Thursday and Friday.  Her work called her off on Saturday because they were slow.  I hate when they cancel her last minute because they are slow. If she counted on the salary fo

         Today I am thankful for this lovely gift from my friends Jackie, Carol, and Bill.  It was a get well gift.  They are the nicest, most thoughtful friends ever! It looked so pretty, I hated to open it! When I first opened it, Dan thought it was a picture!The inside was even better than the outside.  The dried fruit was so delicious!  My niece Erica and her two friends came to swim so I shared the snacks with them.  Erica especially liked the chocolate covered nuts.  I ate all the pistachios because they are my favorite! I gave Dan the cashews because they are his favorite. I enjoyed having Erica and her friends here.  They are always out doing fun things and I get to hear abut them! I am thankful that Erica and her friends came to swim. I had a check-ip with my surgeon yesterday and she said all was good and I could start trying to eat some dairy items.  I made a frozen Freschetta pizza and ate two small pieces. I gave the rest of the pizza to Erica and her friends and they w

         Today I am thankful for all of the students that I had the opportunity to work with.  I especially loved working one on one with my severely reading disabled students.  That was the greatest period of my career. I really felt fulfilled and felt I was really making a difference in a child's life!  I loved working with students at every level. I taught from preschool through the university level during my career.  While purging, I came across a bunch of old folders with student work in them.  I really enjoyed looking through the binders and folders I had.  I hope they are all doing well! Last summer I went to Chick Fil A to pick up a party tray.  It took me a few minutes to realize it was a former student waiting on me.  I taught him in middle school and he is now in high school.  When I looked at his name tag, I was OMG, Kevin!  He kept smiling and I kept saying, I am so excited to see you!  When I worked with him, he started on a first grade reading level!  He did reall

         Today I am thankful for going to  a gastroenterologist that the hospital wanted me to see after I had pancreatitis in May.  He was one of the nicest doctors I have ever had.   This was the earliest I could get a appointment. He was such a wonderful doctor! He went through my x-rays and MRIs and explained everything to me.  He showed me where my gall bladder had been and where my pancreas is. And he said he didn't find any damage to my pancreas so he didn't think I needed more tests or surgery for the time being!! That was good news.  He also gave me the name of a doctor I could see for my sciatica!  While I was waiting, a woman poked her head in the door and said Hi Colleen!  I knew her but it took me a moment to place her and soon as she said her name, I knew who she was! Our kids all went to Catholic elementary school together.  I didn't know that she knew we adopted Olivia and Olya.  I always liked her, she was always very nice. She still looks really good

         Today I am thankful for Olivia's fabulous cosmetology skills.  Her teacher had all of the students take home a mannequin head and do a creative style on it.  BEFORE I think they are getting a grade for it.  I remember last year there was a show on TV that followed Project Runway on the Lifetime channel.  Hairdressers had live models and did creative make-up and hairstyles and competed to be the best. I think it was called American Beauty or something like that. I loved the show but I don't think it is on any more!  I think Olivia's teacher wanted the girls to come up with something new and original which showcased their skills!  Olivia is great with braids and with curling hair.  She was a natural with hair and make-up before she went to cosmetology school, now she is even better. Her model is going to a prom!  I guess they have to have a story about their hair style on the mannequin!   AFTER Dan came home early and helped me take some o

         Today I am thankful that I got to talk to my friend Jackie yesterday!  She always makes me laugh!  She told me that she and Carol won't be able to make the next book club because she will be away visiting her grandson and Carol didn't finish the book.  I told her to tell Carol not to worry about finishing the book beause I read it and I forgot almost all of it!! The book was "Natural Causes."  The book club is never as much fun if they don't go!  I'll just have to eat extra junk food to balance it out!  I am also thankful that I got to talk to my friend Deb L.  She just called to see how I was doing post-surgery!          I am also SO, SO, SO THANKFUL that I got to make an appointment with the PT that my friend Priscilla recommended! I am seeing him at the end of the month! My sciatica is so painful, he couldn't make it any worse! My checkbook will take a hit but it is worth it if he can help me! At this point, I would sign over ALL of my word

         Today I am thankful that I found a new birdhouse. Most places are out of the really nice birdhouses. Home Goods had a ton of them at the beginning of the season but they were all sold out when I went today! I found it at TJ Maxx!  We had a birdhouse that Dan's father had built but when we went to put it up, it started to fall apart.  It's a shame because it was really cute and I know he must have spent a great deal of time making it!  Dan's father must have glued the parts together and the glue was failing! His dad had made several birdhouses over the years and that was the last one we had.  I am  happy with the birdhouse we found today. It is so cute! It was the only one in the store and on clearance. It was only twelve dollars!  What could be better??          Purging continues!  How could I have so much crap?? I threw away about six pillows!  I don't even know why I had so many. I thought it was mostly clothes!  But I still also have a lot of other crap.

         Today I am thankful that we went out to dinner with Olivia and Frankie.  Olivia called me from work and asked to go to Hibachi's.   Olivia is a Ukrainian girl who has a strong preference for Asian food.  She loves Chinese food and Japanese food as well as Russian food.  Frankie had never been to a Hibachi Grill so he enjoyed the show! He didn't know what he was in for! The food was delicious but I ate way too much and felt overstuffed and uncomfortable for a few hours. Olivia ate her food again after we got home, she ate her leftovers.  I can't believe how much food she can stuff into that skinny body.  The girl can eat!!! Frankie's favorite place to eat is Chipotle.  I told Olivia that we should google the recipe for chicken burritos from Chipotle.  I don't think they would be difficult to make!  Olivia and Frankie love to eat out.  They would save so much money if they ate in!          I contacted the PT that my friend Priscilla referred me to. 

         Off she goes!! Today I am thankful that Dan and I took Olya back to college and she is happy and settled in!  Olya took a carload last weekend and then we took the rest of her stuff yesterday. Olya is a quiet young woman but she is always chatty in the car! Her apartment is fabulous. The apartment is so spacious!  It is the nicest apartment that any of my 5 kids ever had at college.  She is right next to the campus so it is a very short walk for her.  Her roommate Elise also went and set up a carload last weekend.  We took Olya to Giant food market to shop and when we got back Elise was there! Olya spent over $200. We gave her $50/week for food and she has to learn to manage that.  We gave her six weeks in advance because we knew the first food shopping would have to cover essentials like mayo, Pam cooking spray,salt and pepper, etc.  There was a dollar store in the same shopping center so I went over and got her 10 disposable aluminum cooking trays! She said they didn'

         Today I am thankful that Renee took me to her country club yesterday.  We hung out at the pool, chatted and then had lunch there. Renee is going to join one of  their tennis groups. She, as well as Amy, were were varsity players in high school.  Renee played racquet ball in college so she still played with a racquet for four more years.  I think she will easily pick it up again. They also have a book club that Renee is going to join.  They are going to read Little Fires Everywhere.  My book club read that book and it was excellent!  I loved it and it is a great book for a discussion!   Dan and I never belonged to a country club but Adam grew up belonging to one and he is an avid golfer.  Dan doesn't golf or play tennis. I played tennis in my thirties but I always preferred playing indoors!  The country club was very nice! It was the first time I had been out of the house since my surgery and I was exhausted after a few hours.  But I was so happy and thankful to be in the

         Today I am thankful that Olivia came home with an award! She had perfect attendance in Cosmetology school for the month of July!  She had us guess what the award was for and neither of us guessed attendance! I thought it would have been for cooperation, motivation or excellence in cosmetology skills!  She definitely is in the correct training place because this has NEVER happened before.  She missed a great deal of school due to her back injury and subsequent spinal fusion surgery. I think she went to high school less than two years because of pain and surgery. She had home school tutors and I home schooled her for the last two years of high school.  Perfect attendance is something she has NEVER had! She is more likely always the one who has missed the most days and has the most absences.  Even she laughed when she showed us the award! I should put it in a 24K gold frame!          Dan just made our travel plans for the Christmas holidays.  We usually go away the week bef

          Today I am thankful for purging more stuff.  Everyday I am going to fill at least one hefty trash bag for Goodwill and one for trash!  It is a non-ending job.  I have clothes in my closet from teaching that I will most likely never wear again.  I am never going to wear pantsuits again or some of the regular dresses so off they went! Sometimes I wonder why I kept so much stuff! They went into the Goodwill bag!  Dan said that he wears a very small amount of the clothes in his closet so he can also purge.  My closet is still stuffed so I am sure I will need to do a second or third or fourth cycle of purging! I feel motivated to keep going for the time being so I don't want to stop! I couldn't sleep last night so I purged another hefty trash bag from my closet and then filled a trash bag from my bathroom.        We have had groundhogs living in our yard this summer. I think they live under the pool deck.  I want them gone but I don't want to kill them! There are a

         Today I am thankful for this adorable get well kitty card from my friends Jackie, Carol, and Bill.  They are such good friends, they always think of others.   It is amazing that a get well card can lift someone's spirits so much!   Jackie, Carol, and I all LOVE kitties.  My new kitty continues to be my faithful friend while I am recovering. She stays by me most of the day! Last summer Olya got hermit crabs during senior week and I am still taking care of them!  And this summer, she got a kitty and I'll be taking care of it when she goes to school      .(I am looking at the photo below and I think I have weird looking feet)! I never really looked at my  feet up close in a photo before! Who takes feet photos? Dan took this photo! I think Jackie and Carol have five kitties in their home! I have to assume that Bill loves kitties too because he is Jackie's husband and Carol's brother.  Bill is just the nicest laid back guy!  I heard him speak at his father