God put good people in my life ...

My husband has been out of town working ... for 11 months ... out of the past 15 months.

YES ... you read that right.

My husband is a proud Pipefitter for the Union ... and travels a lot for his job.

It sucks.

Sucks big time.

But at the same time ... I feel HORRIBLE even complaining venting fucking loosing my mind  stating the factor ... because there are MILLIONS of single parents doing it day in and day out.

GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!

AND they are working 40 or more hours a week.

If not multiple jobs.

There are military families ... that their spouse is away protecting our country ... and they are at home holding down the fort ... Every. Single. Day.

So I feel silly even having a mental break down pitty party every now and then ... for myself.

But ... I do have my moments ... and I normally hide in the bathroom and cry.

Then I feel all better after I drink a bottle of wine.

Let me just say ... the kids and I eventually got into our own little "groove" ... but  my groove seems to involve wine more and more often lately.

At this point in time ... cereal counts as a full course meal.

If you have showered at least twice in a 7 day time span ... that is an accomplishment.

If you ring my doorbell ... chances are I am not gonna answer my door ... because I can not clear out a path quickly enough ... to open the door for you.

Dirty socks are completely acceptable to wear.

Vacuuming ... what is the fucking point???

Sometimes ... just simply getting the clothes out of the washer ... and into the dryer ... BEFORE mildew sets in ... is an accomplishment for me.

Shoot ... combing my hair BEFORE I walk out the door in the morning ... is a MAJOR accomplishment for me.

The Moms that cook all healthy with organic foods ... well ... congratulations.  I guess. Shit ... I am lucky if my kids get the bananas ate ... BEFORE they are a solid black mushy mess.

I have learned how to plunge a toilet ... because my son is a pooping machine.

Most importantly ... I have realized how UNBELIEVABLY blessed I am when it comes to the people God has put into our life.  I am NOT one that likes to ask for help.  I HATE asking for help ... because it makes me feel like a failure.  I mean ... they are my kids ... and if I can not manage their schedule ... then that makes me look like a screw up failure.

About 5 months ago ... I had a friend tell me ... that if she did not want to help ... then she would not offer.  And by me turning her down ... then I am not allowing her to be the kind of friend that she wants to be for me.  Those words have stuck with me.  It is true ... if people did not wanna help ... they would never offer ... and would just avoid the conversation all together.

So ... slowly but surely ... I have admitted defeat ... and began to ask for help.

I need to thank those of you that have feed my kids on the way to Vacation Bible School ... when I forgot to.

I need to thank my friends for simply checking in on me.

I need to thank my new neighbor that offered me her car ... when ours broke down.

I need to thank the amazing neighbors that have baked cookies and meals for me and the kids.

I need to thank our friends who came to get us ... when my SUV broke down.

I need to thank my bestfriend for letting me vent ... when I was having a mental breakdown ... even when she was going through something in her life as well,

I need to thank my sister for answering the phone whenever she sees my name on her caller id ... and just talking to me for hours ... just so I can have some adult conversation.

I need to thank the baseball coaches and parents ... that help Clint with his baseball team ... that did not judge me when I was way late a few minutes late for practice.  Shoot ... I need to thank them for helping me get Eythen to and from MANY of his baseball games ... because I could not be there.  And simply cheering him on for me ... just as if he was one of your own.

I need to thank the people that drove clear out to our house ... and helped me get Harleigh to school when she was on crutches the last week of school.

I need to thank the people that have also helped get Harleigh to and from her softball practice ... and basketball games through out this time.

I need to thank the parent that noticed Bree was lingering around at the dance studio ... and sat in the parking lot ... until they saw me pulling in.  You did not have to do that ... but you did ... and it was so very nice.  Plus ... those amazing Dance Moms that have helped me get Bree to and from the dance studio.

I need to thank my Mom and Dad.  I really do not even know where to start.  You seem to know when I need "rescued" and show up.  You drive up here ... in a drop of a hat ... when it feels like everything is going wrong.  You put a new lock on my back door so I feel safer.  You help me mop up the basement when it flooded ... and drag wet carpet up the stairs and out the door.  You took the kids to the movies ... and let me take a 2 hour nap.  You instantly came up when I realized I had a random mouse in the house ... and put traps up all over the place.  You had pizza delivered to the house on Clint's and my Anniversary ... because I was sad that I was not gonna see him.

I need to thank a friend who just happened to be over here ... when we discovered there was a mouse in one of the moving boxes.  Even though I screamed ... and jumped ontop of the counter ... and we were laughing so hard we had tears falling down our face ... she still got the darn mouse out of the house.

I need to thank the friend who left 2 bottles of wine at my front door.  I think I like you the best  *wink*

Originally ... the hubby was suppose to be home in October.  Then it got moved to November.  Then we heard December 15th ... now we are back to the unknown.  He has been working 7 days a week ... 12 hour days ... FOR THE NIGHT SHIFT!!!  This man is my hero.  I do not know ANYONE that could continue to do what he has done for months up end.  He is truly an amazing person. 

Not many people would drive all the way home ... when he should be sleeping ... to help me with a leaking pipe.

Not many people would drive all the way home ... when he should be sleeping ... just to spend 30 minutes with his son up at the school for breakfast.

Not many people would drive all the way home ... when he should be sleeping ... to help me get my broke down SUV up to the mechanic shop.

Not many people ... are as hard working as my husband ... and I love him more than words could EVER describe.

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How many hours are in the day?!?!?

Today is one of those days that there are NOT enough hours in the day.

Not even close.

*sigh*

AND ... there are not enough of me to go around.

*double sigh*

I have exactly 7 1/2 hours till the kids get home to get all the "house duties" taken care of today.  And it is a big list today.  Since the kids did not have school yesterday ... I put them to work ... but you know how that goes.  My 10 year old and 8 year old do a pretty good job ... if they are bribed well enough.  My 7 year old ... well ... let's just say ... that I am pretty sure he deliberately throws his dirty underware in the hallway and sticks the Wii remotes on the bathroom counter ... just so I get aggervated enough ... that I take care of his room myself.  He learns from the best though ... my husband is the king of "I will get to it" ... and then I end up taking care of it myself.  So ... Eythen is just soaking up all of the knowledge that his Daddy is teaching him ... and putting it to use with his Mommy.

Anyways ... It is now 9:30 am and I am already ready for a nap.

*yawn*

Beds are made ... including my sheets and bedspread are in the washer due to the little present that Harleigh's dog decided to leave on my bed this morning.

*sigh*

Dinner is in the oven for this evening.

Clint's lunch is already made for tomorrow and in the frig.

Dishes are washed ... but they are not put away yet.  Any volunteers?

Kitchen is scrubbed.

Bathrooms are scrubbed ... except the bathtubs.  Any volunteers?

Went and got stamps ... paid bills ... and ran to the post office to mail them all.  Stamps are so darn expensive.  I am starting to think it might be cheeper to hand deliver some of them anymore.  Even if the places are 6 states away.

I went through Eythen's closet and pulled out all of the clothes that will not fit him much longer.  When I started this project ... I thought there might be a clothes basket full ... which is why I started the pile in the middle of his room.  I thought it would be a quick "in and out" project ... but 45 minutes later ... the pile is up to my hips and 6 piles deep.  So ... I am in a bit of a pickle now.  I have no where to put the clothes ... and they are in the MIDDLE of my 7 year olds bedroom ... which is plays in every day after school.  Crap!

Laundry that I did yesterday ... are all put in drawers and hung up and put away in closests.

I just need to vacuum, sweep and mop.  Now ... this HAS to be done while the kids are at school.  A MUST.  It also has to be done while my hubby is at work.  If I fail to do so ... then I will have spilled juice on the kitchen floor 30 minutes after mopping and muddy boot footprints 20 minutes after I mopped.  It is just a little known fact.  IF I make sure that I do it while no one is in the house ... then I have at least a hour of clean and sparkling floors.  Well ... that is until the dog decides to throw up on the kitchen floor ... 15 minutes after I mop.

Once school is out today ... it is go time.

Literally.

Harleigh and Breeanna have private dance lessons first thing this evening.

Breeanna has an away volleyball game shortly after.

Eythen has football practice while Breeanna's volleyball game is going on.

Harleigh has tap/ballet dance class just when Eythen's football practice is just about done and over with.

OH ... did I mention that my hard working husband is working a 16 hour shift ... and will not be home until well after the kids are home and sound asleep.

*head spinning*

I have NO FLIPPING CLUE how single parents do it.  God Bless each and every one of them.  I would loose my mind.  Literally.  I already feel like I need to be in a psych ward about 22 hours out of each day ... and that is on a good day.  Thank goodness Clint and I have made some amazing friends in this town to help us out in situations like this.  You each know who you are ... and we TRUELY appreciate the help that you bless us with on days like this. 

Thank you!

We owe each of you amazing friends some wine or beer!  Clint is working enough over time this week ... that I will be sure he hits the liquor store on his way home on Friday.

*cheers*

Don't forget to click on the link below ad vote for my.  When I checked this morning ... I was ranked #35!!!  I could not believe it.  Thank you to each of you for voting for my blog.  Keep it up ... it means so much to me!

Dear Laundry Mountain:

Why must you mock me?!?!?

I spend all day washing you, drying you and folding you.

But somehow ... the next morning ... there you are ...

AGAIN!!