Ever had one of these kinds of days? Well, I'm having it and, by God, it's never going to end! Sometimes I envy the life of a dog because even if they have bad breath (and, holy crap, my dog has got bad breath!) or they pee on the floor or they chew your favorite shoe, all they have to do is put their little heads on their paws and quietly sit by you. Yeah, that kind of loyalty is why I envy dogs. I cherish being a human and all the beauty that it contains but I envy dogs, I tell ya'! So, yep, this picture sums it up and I just wish someone would scratch behind my ears or rub my belly and tell me it's all going to be ok!
I really hate the media, you know? I'm tired of the arguments between Jon and Kate (FYI Jon, grow a pair and be a man), I'm sick of the love affair with Michael Jackson now that he's dead (you remember him, the one who allowed little kids to sleep in bed with him?), I'm over the obsession with anything David Letterman and his insipid behavior (I guess it's ok to cheat on a loved one as long as you haven't exchanged wedding vows - screw the fact that you have been dating for like 20 years!), and, for the love of God, this stupid Swine flu coverage has gotten on my last nerve! I totally get the reason for reporting about the H1N1 (hate, hate, hate that some moron decided to call it the Swine flu) and also for reporting on what one can do to both prevent it and treat it. But, must it always be tinged with the "Holy crap! The sky is falling" mentality?
Two years ago, I got the flu and I gotta say, that I really wanted to die! My head hurt more than anything, I was covered in a layer of sweat induced by 104 temps, I couldn't lift my head long enough to make sure the kids were up and ready for school, and so on! It wasn't too much after Bill died that I contracted the stupid flu and, as much as it scarred my kids, I might have mentioned to them to say their goodbyes to dear old mom because I'm ready to meet Jesus! I know! Don't say it!
So, fast forward a year or so and we've got the Swine flu! Briege has been at home since Wednesday with a severe cough and a temperature. Half of the people tell me it's just the seasonal "crud" but the other half tell me that it's the Swine flu and that I should take her to get tested for it. Well, the test costs roughly 400 dollars when all is said and done and most insurance doesn't cover it. Do I have to take her to the doctor for them to tell me to keep her hydrated and keep administering Motrin? Duh!
I just would like to dial back the hype and the scare tactics that get ratings. Again, I understand the need for information but we are overdosing on information of all sorts and I've had it! Many times I get made fun of for not having cable television and people mock my rabbit ear antennae but I, for one, do not miss the 24 hour coverage of Obama (both pro and con), the behind the scenes goings on of , and the hours upon hours of scary news stories of a H1N1 flu pandemic in this country. For all that is good and wholesome in this world, I am taking a stand and I am going to control the amount of drama and panic that enters my little house on Holiday Drive!
So there!
The last and final submission of the O'Brien kids is Keagan. My youngest, born on Halloween, has provided me the most activity in my life as Mommy. He is an amazing young man that is able to, in a 5 minute span, make me the most frustrated and the most entertained! I am constantly amazed at his ability to creatively make a situation fit to his liking rather than having to adjust his own perception. This trait will serve him well as he gets older but right now I would just like him to conform, dang it!! But, I have come to love this little stinker for everything that he brings to my life.
What I love most about Keagan is that he just exists as though the sun rose this morning for him and for him alone! He has, in his mind, an idea of how things should be run and when it is altered he is thrown and attempts to bring the rest of us around to his way of thinking. Now, don't get me wrong, I love his independent spirit and his huge heart! I do! He is just so different from his other siblings and just when I thought that I had the "manual" memorized, along came Keagan.
I look forward to every day to see what new things Keagan has learned and will teach me. He is well loved in school (he's got a big fan base of 8th graders!) and he is always careful to see that everyone gets a fair deal each and every day. God most definitely has a sense of humor in that He sent me this little bundle of energy as my final gift in the world of motherhood. Thank God for his little dimple as it has saved Keagan on a few occasions but, mostly, thank God for Keagan!
