Roller Coaster

First of all I would just like to say I am so grateful my mother in law is alive!  She was in a bad car crash (not her fault) and is ok.  Her car was totaled (Honda Fit), she is sore, but otherwise is ok.  God is good!!!!

Today was just one of those crazy days.  I have had a horrible sinus/cold/cough and in general have felt bad since around January/February.  I have been tired, depressed, anxious, and out of it.  I thought it was postpartum depression (never had it with my other 2 girls).  In my mind I kept thinking that something was off because I just haven’t felt like my normal, positive, bubbly self.   I went to a doctor in Katy and he gave me a low dose of welbutirn to help me feel better (it hasn’t worked).  It is funny how life works.

For months Christa and I have worked out a minimum of 3 times a week for an hour with a personal trainer who kicks our butt.  She is so good, but we work so hard.  I even go one or two times extra to the gym on my own.  Yesterday I was coughing and feeling like crap, but still doing my lunges and all the other things that good personal trainers make you do, when I just fessed up.  I said out loud what I have been thinking internally for some time.  I feel bad, real bad.  I have no energy, am tired morning, noon, and night, am depressed, anxious, am not losing weight, and can’t seem to find a solution. I drink coffee and diet cokes to try and get pep in my step.  Both Deborah (my trainer) and Christa commented about my thyroid.  When I got it removed in February my doctor told me I was good, it wasn’t cancer, the half that was still there would work harder.  He said I didn’t need to have it checked.  Both Deborah and Christa commented that this didn’t make sense.  My friend Tara whom I was complaining to suggested I get blood work to see if I was anemic.

The same day (yesterday) I was lucky to get into a wonderful medical practice a mile from our house. The sweetest girl, Lindsey, is in our freezer meal group is a Nurse Practicioner.  One of the doctors had a cancelation and so I got in to see him for my cold and my request for blood work.  He was SOO nice and professional.  He said my cold was something that unfortunately was going around.  He really listened to everything else I said about being tired, medicine, thyroid, etc.  He said if my thyroid levels came back normal, I should still consider seeing an endochrologhist because they can really see if it is working (I couldn’t help remember that Christa’s thyroid levels were normal and she had cancer and mine were normal when I had huge growths).  He said he was going on vacation the following day and wished he was a part of our freezer meal club.

Fast forward to today.  Christa came over to watch the kids because a painter was coming so I could go to my doctor and get a refill for my wellbutrin which is not working. I spent 2 hours waiting for this quack doctor who overbooks about 10 people per slot.  I told him the medicine was not working.  He asked if I was stressed or depressed.  I told him point blank, “I have a very, very good life. I am a stay at home mom, get breaks, have a personal trainer, just moved into a beautiful new house, life is good, but I don’t feel well”.  Christa meanwhile texts me that she thinks my kids have lice.  I can’t deal.  I ask her to start washing all of the bedding.  On my way home I was going to stop and buy lice kits when I asked her if it could be dandruff (seriously, I could not figure out where they could have gotten lice).  She said to hold off on the lice kits.  I called Dave and he reminded me the girls have been obsessed with hairspray recently (they are into Anna and Elsa braids).  I get home and all the bedding is in being washed and gratefully realize that no, they don’t have lice.  They have a case of “kids using too much hairspray”. I spent hours with each girl on my lap blowing the flakes out of their hair.

I finally got a hold of the Lowes people (not Comcast) and the blinds will be installed in 8 days.  Dave says, “that is 21 days from when we measured, our house was built faster).  Life is good, they are coming!

The best phone call came from my freezer club friend Lindsey.  Apparently the best doctor ever told her that her freezer meal club friend came in and I did blood work. He asked her to track it (even though she was off today).  She called to let me know that I was not CRAZY!!!! I have hypothyroidism. Your levels are supposed to be 1-2, mine are 5. That is why I am tired, depressed, and working out like a fool and not losing weight!  It was the best news ever!!!!!  I now get to take medicine 30 minutes before I eat (like Christa) but am ok with that.  I just want to feel normal. I was so relieved that I was not crazy.

The girls had their last evening at vacation bible school. We dropped them off and Dave wanted to try a restaurant out by our new house. We stopped by a pub and grill to realize that no, it was not appropriate for a baby (we still had Finley).  We walked a few doors down to an Asian restaurant. I asked if they had wine and they said, uh…just white zinfandel (we left).  We tried another pub/grill- still not baby appropriate and ended up at Vietnamese Bistro.  The food was ok…3 stars at best. Dave liked the beer.  The wine (red and white) was awful…so bad. For 6.00 a glass, it was very gross.  The food was just ok.

We picked the girls up and they had another wonderful night.  We got to stay when they sang a song and ended in prayer.  I really appreciated the part about having our neighborhood be a place where God is present.  I love this place. We are so lucky!!!

Blind to Customer Service

Once upon a time there was couple who decided to move and buy a big house that did not come with blinds.  The husband asked his coworkers about the cost of blinds and when they reported that blinds cost $10,000 he decided that blinds would be on the bottom of the “need in new house list”.  He decided that things like built ins and backyard patios were much more important.  Good thing he is married to a wonderful woman with common sense.  She told him that the blinds they would be purchasing would not be REAL wood, but FAUX wood and they would look great. 

So they shopped around and decided to buy the blinds at Lowes Home Improvement Store.  They had always been loyal to Home Depot because it was right down the road from their old home.  In their new home, the Home Depot and Lowes were basically across the street from each other.  The wife called to set up someone to come measure the 24 windows that would need to be fitted.  The girl who came out was VERY professional, nice, and precise (she was not a Lowes employee, but a contractor). 

 

A few days later a Lowes employee called the husband and told him he needed to drive to the store, pay for the blinds (they ended up being about $2500), and sign some papers.  This was inconvenient because the couple was in the middle of a move, but he went because he realized that, yes, the wife was right and blinds should be at the top of the list.  The husband paid for the blinds but after 45 minutes was told that they couldn’t find the paperwork (???) and he would have to come back another day.  He left and went back a few days later to sign the paperwork only to be told, “sorry, we can’t find the paperwork, you have to come back a third time”.  The husband could not understand why he would have to make a 3^rd trip to a store when he had already paid for the blinds.

The wife decided that she would make the third trip and sign the paper work.  When she got to the blinds department the employees were making excuses (just like on the phone).  They all pointed the finger at someone else.  The wife toldone of the unprofessional employees that she didn’t care whose fault it was, but everyone was throwing each other under the bus and she didn’t appreciate having to drive to Lowes a million times in the middle of a move.

 

The Lowes people said the blinds would be in from 7-14 days.  The wife called yesterday to check on the status of the blinds only to be told they wouldn't be there until August 4^th (today is July 30).  All day long the wife missed calls from an 800 Lowes number.  When the wife called the store to find out about the blinds, she was told by the blind lady, “give me your number and I will call you back because I am not by my computer”.  The call never came.  Instead, an automated call came later in the day saying that the blinds were in the store and to please come pick them up and schedule an installation date.  The poor husband who woke up at 4 am to go to work was exhausted but agreed to drive to Lowes to pick up the blinds. 

He waited an hour at Lowes to be told that they were not there.  Apparently the installer had them.  He left empty handed and tired.  He was greeted by his wife who had stayed home because the Comcast people said they were coming from 4-6. He was not happy to hear that Comcast stood them up. No call, no stop by, no nothing.

Customer service…you have to love it. 

 

P.S. Both the husband and wife get that these are first world problems and are extremely grateful for everything else in their lives!

Working out, ikea, and the doctor

Day #3 with this horrible head cold/cough/crud. I worked out for an hour and then Christa and I took the kids to Ikea. The food is so good!!!

I got home and Christa was sweet and watched the kids so I coukd go to thr doctor. I wanted to check this cold out but wanted to get blood work to check my thyroid. I am just tired all the time. My doctor suggested if my thyroid levels come back normal, I should consider seeing an endocrinologist. 

The girls were so excited about the second night of vacation bible school. It was nice walking them a few streets over. We live in Towne lake in the part they refer to as creekside because of all the creeks. It is so nice and beautiful:)

VBS

The girls got invited to a Vacation Bible School at a house a few streets over. It is three nights from 6:30 pm- 8:30. They had a blast!

They can't wait to go back. As soon as I saw Sophia she said "mommy, did you know Jesus walked on water!"

Our friends from Florida came in on their way to Dallas.

The girls fight over the car.

Play Dates

Sophia loves her birthday present from her cousin Charolotte (it eventually got put together).

My girls are awesome!

This morning I had my 9 am workout. It was pretty hard because I have some kind of sinus infection/head cold. I have tried taking Claritin and cough drops but feel bad.

We had our freezer exchange at 1 pm. The sweet girl who hosted it invited us for a play date/lunch before the swap. I went home with 9 awesome meals!

After we drove to Katy for a swim play date with a sweet girl I met at swim lessons. Her daughter Olivia is Sophia's age and can swim so well! I was excited to see their beautiful backyard/pool. One of the two people we are thinking about going with was who they went with.

I loved their gate!!!!!

Also, Amy told me to buy fake plastic snakes so that birds won't poop everywhere. What a cool tip!

Christa said the girls were in a picture in the Towne Lake newsletter or magazine? (Not sure what they have). Isabella kept saying she was famous:)

We had the poppy seed chicken for dinner. It is soooo good (probably one of my favorite freezer meals).

Combined Family First Birthday Party

This week has been hectic. My mom has been in town since Tuesday helping me set up my house:)

Our carpenter has been working on built ins all weekend.

There will be covers, drawers, and stain. 

This is the laundry room solution. We will have space for laundry baskets and a table to fold laundry. This will be painted white. 

Christa took the kids to a snow cone place while my mom and I went shopping.