Immersed

We just got home from my daughter’s first swim team practice. I am excited that she asked to join the team this year. I told her that I was proud of her for trying something new. I was on a swim team for the same township at her age and I loved it. My daughter is naturally graceful in the water. She learned the strokes quickly and is a solid swimmer. I’m thrilled that she loves it because it’s fantastic exercise and she’ll make new friends.

My handsome sixteen-year-old son went to watch his cute ten-year-old sister swim her first laps as a piranha. He recently got his permit, so he drove us to the park. I’m having a hard time getting used to my baby boy becoming a responsible adult who happens to be a 6’ 3”, 205 pound, green-eyed gentle giant. He fills out the driver’s seat of my Volvo with barely enough room to move his newly trained limbs. If he continues to grow I think he’ll need a larger vehicle.

I listened to my son and daughter share the bathroom this morning. It was an amusingly friendly exchange. My daughter threw a wet washcloth over the shower curtain and onto her brother’s unsuspecting head, while she was brushing her teeth. She lovingly told him that he was ugly. He replied, “So are your eyelids.” She said, “You’re so weird. He said, “So are your earlobes.”

On another note, we didn’t get the house. We put a bid in for asking price, but we would have had to sell our home first. The sellers chose someone who didn’t have a contingency. We were a little bummed about losing the deal, but we’re also content to stay in our adorable home.

We spent our first afternoon at the local public pool yesterday. The splashing and sunning sparked my daughter’s interest in joining the swim team, so I’m glad that we went even though it was hot, humid and crowded.

My jaw seems to mostly healed. The swelling is almost gone. Unfortunately, I still have some discomfort in my gums. I really hope that I still don't have an active infection and that I don't get another one! I have a check up with my oral surgeon on Thursday afternoon.

I’m heading out to my grandparent’s house to let them watch our new Dane Cook DVD, Harmful If Swallowed. My son likes the idea of having them watch it, since they are Lutherans who rarely miss church--and donate a great deal of their money and time to their church. Dane refers to communion as ingesting a crouton of Christ or a Jeesit or Christchex.

I’m going to stop and pick up some coffee for them. I can’t wait to see their reaction to Dane’s religious humor. As my son says, “I love those old heads.”

Wizard Challenge

I have read all of the Harry Potter books along with my children, as they have been released. We have also seen all of the movies. We have become enamored with J.K. Rowling’s clever and magical tales. I am looking forward to reading the seventh and final book in the series.

I came across this cute Wiz Quiz today. It was a fun reminder of her enchanting world.

Vacillation

My husband and I took our kids to the June Fete on Saturday morning. I had a golf ball sized left cheek. I stood watching their smiling faces on every ride, since I was too sick to climb on with them. My daughter was especially thrilled by all of the rides, although she made herself a little nauseous by repeating rides that all seemed to go in a circle for three hours. My son stayed the whole day with his buddies.

We went to an extended family brunch on Sunday. It was pleasant despite my inability to eat.

We also attended an open house to scope out a lovely in ground pool. We put a in a bid for the home the same evening.

We are weighing the pros and cons of making the move. It is in the same township as our current residence, so it wouldn’t change much for the kids in that regard. We just have to decide if we want to take on more debt for new digs. We have 48 more hours to decide before we let the other family who bid on the home make their move instead.

It’s such a big decision. The split level home isn’t much bigger square footage wise than our current cape cod, but the big & beautiful pool is quite alluring. It also happens to be situated next door to my grandparent’s house/above ground pool and deck—and my dad and sister and her fiancé are in the colonial I grew up in next to them. We’d be three in a row. The block is very family oriented and busy. There are lots of gigantic additions with in-law suites attached to them. It’s multigenerational, which is very European.

The thing is I adore my humble cottage with all of its carefully planted gardens. My house is appealingly curb friendly and cozy. I would miss it if I moved.

My husband is willing to stay or go. He said that he just wants me to be happy.

My kids would be content with either living arrangement. They both said that they would like living near so many relatives, but they would miss the friends that are scattered around the neighboring streets and being so close to their schools.

The two mile difference seems to make more difference to me than anyone else in my family. I’m feeling indecisive--and my mouth is still swollen and sore.

'80s Flashbacks

If you played any of the following arcade games...

• Pac-Man
• Space Invaders
• Ms. Pac-Man
• Galaga
• Frogger
• Centipede
• Dig-Dug
• Galaxian
• Q-bert
• Pengo
• Donkey Kong
• Asteroids
• TronTapper
• BreakoutTetris

...you might like these '80s Music and Nostaligia Links.

Gimme a Break!

I’ve been sick with an infection for over a month. I had surgery this morning to clean out my gums where my lower left wisdom tooth was extracted last August. This is the second infection since my surgery ten months ago. I had a chronic problem with infection in the area off and on for more than a year prior to having it extracted. I waited because I read that pericoronitis is often a problem with erupting wisdom teeth, which can be resolved with antibiotics. Due to recurrent infections, the oral surgeon recommended that I have my upper and lower left wisdom teeth removed, so that I could heal and move on with my life. I waited a while to have it removed due to the fact that my mom was hospitalized with leukemia.

My oral surgeon can’t figure out why I have another infection in the area, since my gums looked like they healed well. Two panoramic X-rays revealed that there were no bone fragments or pieces of tooth left behind. I’m not sure why my neck under the site is swollen, as well as the lymph nodes on the entire left side of my neck, after being on antibiotics for a month. My regular physician sent me to the ER for a CT scan two days ago, which revealed that I didn’t have a visible abscess. It doesn’t explain why the infection became so uncomfortable in my jaw, throat, neck and chest or why it just won’t seem to go away.

I take the antibiotic every eight hours as directed. I’ve been eating well and exercising. I also take daily multivitamins and get plenty of sleep. I have very good oral hygiene. I brush thoroughly 3xs per day and use mouthwash. I have even been rinsing my mouth out with warm salt water, but the infection has persisted.

Despite not having an abscess, my oral surgeon decided to make an incision in my gums down to the bone and clean and drain them. I was terrified and the procedure was stressful to put it mildly. Fortunately, I’m still numb. Thankfully, he found no sign of infection in the area and said that the jawbone healed beautifully.

He gave me one loose stitch, so that it can continue to drain while it heals and told me to rinse with warm water and continue the antibiotics that my doc prescribed. He said to come back next Tuesday for a check up.

He is questioning whether I have a problem with the infection getting trapped in my parotid or mandibular arteries or if there is an infection in the bone. However, we are hoping that this procedure will clear the infection and that it won’t recur or I’ll have to have further testing to figure out what is going on with my body.

It has been very frustrating and scary and painful. The antibiotics have some nasty side effects when taken for long periods of time, but for now the benefits outweigh the risks. I want to be completely healthy again more than anything. I’m really tired of functioning despite being ill. It takes the joy and relaxation out of life. I want to be able to do things without feeling the aching, stinging and itching pressure in my jaw--and without having a sore throat, sinuses, neck, head and chest.

Prior to dealing with wisdom tooth issues, I never had any major health problems. I had seen my physician about three times in the past decade. I had never been admitted to the hospital other than to give birth to my two gorgeous and healthy babies and was discharged the next day. I never appreciated being healthy, but now I am desperate for restoration. I want to be a healthy and happy mommy, so that I can do fun things with my family.

Lovely Friday Random Ten

1) “Mas Que Nada” Sergio Mendes featuring Black Eyed Peas
2) “Stars are Blind” Paris Hilton
3) “Come Sail Away” Styx
4) “Isn’t She Lovely” Stevie Wonder
5) “Looks That Kill” Motley Crue
6) “Just Like Paradise” David Lee Roth
7) “Simple Kind of Lovely” Maroon 5
8) “Underneath It All” No Doubt
9) “Legs” ZZ Top
10) “Lovely Day” Bill Withers

Alfresco Ideas

The summer solstice is approaching, which is my favorite time of year. I think I will have a Malibu Bay Breeze to celebrate the sunlight. I hope that June, July and August will be a period of fruition, fulfillment, happiness and beauty!

I plan to go on a romantic picnic with my family this weekend. I want to drink a glass of summer Chardonnay, eat cold fried chicken, cheese and fresh peaches--then play Frisbee and softball in a field.

Lick and Swallow

In the mood for the distinctly tart and sweet flavor of a Lemon Drop Martini? I am!

Luminescent

Craving that gorgeous, sun-kissed summer glow?

I’m slightly sun-kissed from walking four miles per day. My skin is also glowing from a bottled bronzer and sweat. I decided to read about how sunless tanning products work, while I cool down and drink some water.