Thoughts on being a housewife . . .

I am typically a very very busy person - almost to the point of being so busy that it isn't really healthy to my relationships. I work a full time job, I work a part-time job, I run Special Olympics for my county (another part time volunteer position), and I am currently pursuing my master's degree. So obviously I do have alot of extra time in my schedule to be a wife . . . This sounds weird but it is sadly true.

So over the past three weeks here in PA, I am obviously not working my full time job, I am not working my part time job, and I have not been running Special Olympics (with the exeption of some odd email here and there for my Bball teams). And although my husband is at boot camp, my mom is currently - hmmm . . . how to phrase it . . . on hiatus by doctors orders when it comes to cooking, cleaning, and running errands. So, my life has very suddenly changed to that of a housewife (despite the fact that I am still doing masters program work). I know that many many people are very happy being a housewife, but it is just not my cup of tea. I have compiled my personal pro/con list of this lifestyle. Could I ever get used to it . . . maybe - but probably not.

Pros:
1) TLC, Food Network, and HGTV: I officially LOVE these three channels and do not know how I would get through a day without them. Cake Boss, Say Yes to the Dress, Challenge, Property Virgins . . . the list goes on and on! These shows get me through the laundry folding and vaccuming and have become my personal friends. I am really going to miss them when I go back to work and I have to say that I am glad we have a TV that can record shows (I just don't know how to use it).
2) Starbucks: Running errands is SO MUCH more enjoyable with a good latte in hand. Thankfully, there is now a Starbucks in Shrewsbury, which happens to be where the Walmart, pet store, and grocery store are located. It is also close to the church AND the YMCA where I run Nikole for many activities! How perfect!

3) I am really struggling to come up with a third number - I feel that I should have a third, but I just don't.

Cons:

1) Cooking: I am a TERRIBLE cook - I am not joking you to say that I really am bad at it. I feel so bad that my father has had to go from my mom's cooking to my cooking - that is really sad! John cooks at our house thankfully, but that does not help my dad out at all. Thank goodness for Mignano Brothers - the super tasty pizza shop right down the road.

2) Cleaning: I HATE cleaning and I don't think I am really good at that either. I mean I can clean - but I don't know what to use for what. I used a swiffer duster today to clean the wooden floors in the living room -- I mean it doesn't seem like I should have used that but I really don't know what else to use!!! At home in NC, I had to hire a housecleaner for a couple of months JUST so I could learn what materials clean what - oh that is so so sad.

3) Grocery Shopping: WAY too many options at these grocery stores. Like, I just want chicken - there are too many chicken parts, fresh or frozen, and 3 brands of each of these! I just stand there staring at the chicken for like 10 minutes until I get so frustrated that I don't even buy any. I know this sounds NOT normal - and I acknowledge that it is not normal - but it is really what happens to me. That is why at home I shop at ALDI! I love that store because there is only ONE brand of everything - it is perfect for me:)

I am sure there are other things to being a housewife - but I don't even know about them. The only think I think I am good at doing is laundry. So, at least my mom, dad, Nikole, and I will have clean clothes.

All in all, I think I am really good at my full-time and part-time job. I am good at my part-time volunteer position and I am good at what I do in school. But, sadly, I am just not at being a housewife. Sorry John:)

Blizzard Pics!!!

Well, within the past week, we have had over 40 inches of snow here!!!! I have not seen this much snow in such a long time and let me tell you the dogs LOVE it! Here is a little picture progression of our week of snow . . .
As the snow started, my mom and dad bedded down in a hotel in Baltimore about 1 mile from the hospital. We knew that they would not be able to drive from our house to the hospital, so we hoped that they would at least be able to walk there if needed.Back in PA, we started the snow removal process. We had to keep the deck clear so that the dogs could have a place run outside to go to the bathroom. My parents older dog will go to the bathroom on the deck if it is covered with snow.

This is what the front of our house looked like 2 days later. We were completely snowed in!!! My dad called and told us that he wanted us to attempt to shovel out the cars. So, I got ready to head out . . .




After just a short bit, I called my dad and asked him how he expected me to do this!! It was like an impossible task!


But, after a lot of hard work and determination, here was my final product! I was so proud of myself.


In the end, I think we had about 25 inches of snow in those two days. Then, two days later, the snow started again! This time, the doctor gave us permission to give mom her shot from the house so we did not have to drive up to the hospital. As we shoveled, played, and shoveled, the inside crowd watched HGTV, TLC, and the food network:)


Here is my dad ON TOP OF OUR POOL!!!

The most fun part of this blizzard was helping the dog forge trails in the snow! They wanted to run in the snow, but it came up over their head. So, we walked around the yard to create trails for them. Here are some of our play pics:)

I had to throw poor Dina into the snow bank just to see how tall it was!!! She would swim out! It was so funny.

This is my FAVORITE picture of my boy! He loved chasing the birds through the trails! He would run and then poke his head up over the snow bank like a meer cat to see where he was then get back down and keep running:)
Of course we would come in occasionally for some snow breaks:)





Here is me and Tootsie hiding in one of the tunnels and staying warm! The wind was crazy!

At the end of each play session, we had to actually bathe Kaylynn in hot water because this is what she looked like!!! The snow caked to her and made snowballs that clung to her hair!


Ahhh , at the end of the second storm, we had seen another 20 inches of snow! So, my dad is once again preparing to dig out the cars, the dogs are probably out for the night, I am going to make dinner and watch a little "Say Yes to the Dress", and my mom powers on while relaxing in the bed.

And one more piece of information . . . the weather forcast is calling for snow again on Monday:) I may never be able to get back to NC.

Sigh

That is how I feel right now. It has officially been 5 days since I left the hospital. There have been ups and downs for my mom. Ups including some nice conversations about food that she wanted to cook or eat and downs including some throwing up and a very late night trip to the ER after her first day of chemo treatment following the transplant. But all in all, things seem to be pretty good right now. We are sitting back at our house in PA, next to the fire, and everyone is home and healthy (well as healthy as can be expected) and content.

Becky and I came home yesterday afternoon, took a looooooooong nap, ate pizza, and then went back to bed while Mom and her friend Patty took on the last day of chemo, endured more sickness, and spent the last night in the suite next to the hospital. Then, Becky and I spent 5 hours cleaning and sanitizing mom's bathroom and bedroom and stacking the house with hand sanitizer so we could cleanly welcome her home this evening. She is once again looking quite perky and talking about food - which is our signal that she is feeling pretty good:)

And so . . . as the bruises on my butt get bigger and bigger (still unsure as to why that is), I guess it is about time to get back to the regular grind of life. Back to grad school due dates, daily hour drives to and from the hospital for bloodwork, cooking, cleaning, and sitting by the fire in between. For the time being though, half-marathon training WILL be placed on hold. And to top off the week . . . I got to talk to John for a whole 10 minutes last night!!!!

It seems that day +5 transplant brings a simple kind of content feeling. I have spent the day thinking about my husband, praying for an old high school friend, and talking with an old college friend. I thank all of you for your prayers for me - it seems I am healing up fine despite the ugly looking marks. So, it is time to turn our prayers towards my stem cells that are floating around in my mom. I pray for them to be strong and productive in their quest to take over my mom's stem cells and make their own white blood cells. Love to you all:)