I was all set for the new year to start blogging again. But, of course, things just got out of control again this week. We are preparing for a really big meeting next week in Charlotte and things are just CRAZY at work. It's nice to be busy sometimes to pass the time, but when your so busy that you start screwing things up... Well that just isn't fun.
Things are so busy that one day this week I had to run and pick Skyler up from school and bring her back to work with me. Luckily we have this totally awesome conference room with a huge tv/movie screen in there that is hooked up to digital cable, DVD player, etc.. I told her we were going to go back to Mommy's work and she was going to watch a movie/cartoons on our movie screen. We had received one of those huge barrels of popcorn from someone for Christmas, so I poured some popcorn in a cup for her and took her in the conference room and parked her little bootie on a chair and turned on Noggin on the big screen. She sat in there and didn't move or make a peep for over 2 hours! There for a bit I almost forgot that she was even there! I kept telling everyone to make sure I didn't walk out of the office and forget to take her home! That's how crazy it was that day. So I was very proud that she acted so good while she as at my work. That is the first time I have ever actually taken her back to the office and worked. A few of the girls have brought their kids in there once or twice in an emergency situation. Again, I'm lucky to have a workplace that is so laid back and understanding. Thankya Jesus for that one.
Right now I'm sitting at my parents' house in Tennessee on their ANCIENT computer. This is an old computer I bought back in 1998 that should totally be taken out to pasture. They have a cable modem, but when you pair that with an ancient computer, well it doesn't do you much good. The reason why I'm back in TN again after we just left last weekend is because we had a death in the family. My aunt passed away on Wednesday and her funeral is tonight. She was very sick and had Alzheimer's for years. Anyone who has ever lived with a family member who has Alzheimers knows how difficult it is. My mother's mother died and had severe Alzheimers (although they didn't really call it that when she died back in 1974). One other aunt has it and then this one had it. So I would say that may not sound like good odds for my mother. She already takes lots of medication and what not for various reasons.
Although my grandmother died when I was only 4 years old, I still have faint memories of her. At the time I didn't understand that there was really something wrong with her. I just thought she was a little crazy. I can remember my cousin and I (who was 2 years older than I) would go into the bathroom and if mamaw tried to come out, we would yell at her and tell her she was on an elevator and to not step out or she would fall! How cruel was that one! She would push the light switch on the wall and call out various floors. We were mean kids. It's horrible to look back on it now, but it was quite funny at the time.
Anyway, this is going to be Skyler's first experience with death. She has never attended a funeral before. I've tried explaining things to her. I told her how Mommy's aunt had gone to heaven, but her body was still here and we were going to place her in the earth. I did'nt say a whole lot. I did tell her teacher this morning that I would pick her up early from school because we were returning to TN for a funeral. I don't know if the teacher said something to the class about it or what. But when I picked up Skyler from school and we had dinner this evening she said, "Mommy are we going to go see a dead person in a vase?" I was like, "What did you say?" And she said, "Well are we going to see a dead person in a vase?" I'm assuming she heard that from school. Because I never even said the word "dead" and I sure as hell don't know what she is talking about in a vase. Now that I think of it, maybe she meant someone who had been cremated. Anyway, where do kids come up with this stuff?
The bad thing is, I still don't have their toys and things put away from Christmas. I have so much crap that I need to do back at home. But you hate not to go to a loved one's funerl. We got back late last weekend and we just took all of the toys to Chase' room and piled them on his twin bed (he still sleeps in a baby bed). Sunday afternoon we went through all their toys and took a lot of them to the babysitter's. I didn't want to add all the new toys to the mess until we had cleared out some old. We have been so busy this week, that I got all of their new clothes put away, but not the toys. You know it's sad when 60% of the toys they received are still in their boxes and haven't been played with. Can you say "spoiled brats?" The kids don't play with half that stuff. Chase just likes to tear through the house knocking everything down and Skyler just likes to watch tv, play with her Leapster and color. Why everyone buys them all those toys I will never know. Not that I'm not guilty of it either mind you.
Well I guess I better end this for now. I need to get myself and Skyler dressed and head to the funeral. It's been quite some time since I have attended a funeral. Come to think of it, it was probably Jonathan's brother back in 2003. I guess we have been pretty lucky that no one in our family has died recently.
Hope everyone is having a great New Year!
I Just "Thought" I Was Back... Monica;name: Monica
Home: Somewhere in NC
About: The life and times of a working mom with two kids who needs a break!
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3 Comments:
sorry to hear about your aunt.
My kids had their first experience with a funeral last year when my uncle died. (their great uncle)
They handled it rather well. But as soon as they started to feel bored, i was out of there.
Good luck
Sympathies for your loss. We lost my grandpa to Alzheimer's and it was horrible watching him forget who were were-- and tougher to watch my grandmother struggle to keep him home with her.
Wishes for a great New Year.
Even though it was mean about the elevator, I got a chuckle out it. I would have been chiming in there with you (how sick am I?). That is great the Skyler did so well at your work and you have that option in emergencies. As far as kids understanding death, I think there are some great books on it and I find that the best way to explain it. They really don't have a way to understand it in their minds anyhow. Everything is the here and now.
Hope your memories comfort you and the family.
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