I have a twin

No, really.  It's true.  And while my hair is a slightly different color today than it was when this picture was taken, I'm pretty sure it's still fairly obvious:

Granted, he looks like he needs to go to the bathroom (he did), but that's my mini.  He is so like me in so many ways, right down to the way he annoys the ever-loving crap out of me on a regular basis.  I find myself constantly yelling, "HULA HOOP!" which is code for "Get out of my personal space before I suffer from a total breakdown."

I'm thinking of getting a tattoo...on my forehead, no less.  Anyway, there's no doubt who this child belongs to...the blue eyes, the light-ish hair (granted my hair changes on a sporadic basis, based on season/mood/boredom level), and the cheeks.  Oh, the cheeks.  I just want to take a bite out of them!

Tonight, we met his teacher, and when he was standing next to me introducing himself, his sweet teacher said, "Well, there's no doubt who you belong to!  You look just like your mom!"  Have I mentioned that I really like her?

Well.  Then.  I was about to introduce his dad and stepmom to the teacher, when stepmom started talking over me, introducing B's dad, and do you know what she said?!  "This is B's dad, the one he REALLY looks like!  Those lips!" And his teacher was quick to reply, "Oh yes...I see that he does."

Aca-scuse me?!  Not only is my B my mini, but he's also my dad's clone.  It's RIDICULOUS how much they look alike, and their birthdays are (52 years and) a day apart, too.  I was dumbfounded.  And speechless.  BUT, I recovered and tried to introduce her, only to be cut off once again. 

I have no words.  I was telling my friend about it earlier this evening, in the presence of her sweet 6 year-old girl, and my C said, "Ms. Aubrey, she talked OVER you?  That's so rude!"

Because even a small kiddo knows you just don't.  Maybe it was the heat (the air conditioning didn't seem to be working very well, or at all) and she was cranky, but I still don't know how to respond to that, even hours later.

I also have a pretty fantastic bruise forming on my right knee.  I think it'll be epic in both size and color when it's at its peak.  See, I was walking through a store, a little on the fast side because N wouldn't stop talking to hear himself talk and it was pretty much making me wonder if I had any wine at home (Nope).  I stopped to look at something, but my shoe kept going and the next thing I know, I'm totally taking a knee. 

Good news?  I didn't flash anyone.  You know, since I was wearing a dress.  I also didn't break anything, bleed, or cause any damage...aside from the edge of my big toe on my right foot.  My poor pedicure is a little cracked now.

Call the Whambulance!  I think I need a checkup!

Aubs

I'm in a relationship with Geek Squad

It's true.  We're totally on again/off again, but last night?  It was SO on.

I linked up with them to fix a Java issue on my laptop.  Both colleges I attend use Java as part of their blackboard ecampus system thing-a-ma-jig, but one school prefers Internet Explorer while the other prefers Firefox.  The only problem is, the latest version of Java isn't compatible with either one of them.  It should've been an easy fix, but have you met me?  Rarely do the "easy" fixes work. 

A problem that Geek Squad rep Brian D. said would only take an hour or two when he passed me off to Johnny T. ended up taking six hours.  S. I. X. It's a good thing I started this at 10:30 last night.

He called me and woke me up out of a dead sleep at 3:32 a.m. to ask me to put in my blackboard information so he could check Java.  And guess what.  It still didn't work.  He finally ended up getting it to work on one browser, but the other one?  "Um, maybe you should contact your university and tell them you're having an issue..."

Thanks, Captain Obvious.

Needless to say, I totally overslept this morning, and that's okay because we had nothing planned at all.  As in, I literally sat around and read or caught up on episodes of "Who Do You Think You Are?" because, y'all? I love that show!  I cried right along with Lisa Kudrow when she found out that a relative her father thought had died years and years ago was actually alive and well.  Oh.  Spoiler alert.  Whoops!  Since the episode came out years ago, I doubt it's news, but it was precious hearing her tell her father that his relative was alive and watching the two old men Skype??  Waterworks!

I'm enjoying my last couple of days of "freedom" and reading for fun.  My textbooks for some of my classes should be here tomorrow, and then all the fun is sucked out of my life...at least until December.  Ha, right.  I'm so excited about school that I even find myself annoying.  The anticipation is always so much more fun than actuality.

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to break the news to my maintenance man that we aren't exclusive.  Sure, he fixes my air conditioner, but I only use that for half of the year...I use my laptop WAY more often, so my heart will always be loyal to the Geek Squad.  Sometimes the truth hurts, but you know what?

Our failed relationship will make the maintenance man THAT much stronger...and we'll always stay friends.

As long as he keeps fixing my ac!

Aubs

It's almost time!!!

Today, when I checked the mail, I found B's teacher assignment in my mailbox.  I did NOT, however, find the information I was looking for so I am able to claim the financial aid refund sitting in my UNT account. 

As soon as I opened the letter (after hesitating for about .42 seconds while contemplating waiting for B to be home to open it), I text my friend who also works at B's school to find out if her daughter would be in B's class again.  Sadly, it was not meant to be...

As soon as I had her name (let's call her Mrs. H.), I looked her up on the school website and discovered that this was her first year at our school, but she had been teaching for several years at another school in our district.  And then my friend set me straight when she told me the server was down and that was last year's information.

Thank God for yearbooks. 

I started asking around (we have several neighbors with kids B's age) to see if anyone was in his class.  Nobody.  Not one.  SO, I'm feeling a little anxious, although, finding out who isn't in the class is almost as good because you can cross a lot of names off the list.

And then I started thinking about little gifts we could take for "Meet the Teacher" night...not because I'm a suck-up (or because I want B to be one), but because I know she must be very patient to deal with 3rd graders.  Let's face it...this is kind of a BIG year.  Division, fractions, multiplication, STAAR testing...man, I hate that standardized testing.

I've been assured that she is a patient woman and tons of fun...the kind of teacher who will jump up on the desk to get attention or call for a mandatory dance party when the need to wiggle around is too powerful to ignore.

And, to be honest, I'm really excited to meet her.

Really.

N and I went to dinner at Applebees tonight, with the idea of having dinner "unplugged."  It didn't last long.  Not because we didn't have anything to say to each other, but because the table that ended up next to us was absolutely awful.

They had our server running all over, answering questions, making changes, sending the manager over to explain why things couldn't be substituted...and then, when it seemed calm and he'd just put in their order, they changed it. 

All.  Of.  It.

After we left, leaving him a note and a good tip to compensate for the fact that we knew the other table wouldn't, I called the store and spoke to the manager.  So many people complain to management, and very few compliment the service they receive unless there's something in it for them.  The manager knew exactly what table I was talking about, and he sighed heavily.  And then?  The bombshell!  "This is his first week on the floor...he's had some positive feedback, but nobody has taken the time and energy to call me to talk to me about a positive experience with any employee."

Y'all.  I felt so sorry for the whole situation.  That server went out of his way to be kind, patient, and accommodating, and all the table did was complain.  Not only that, but they were there setting a terrible example for their two small (impressionable) children...probably B's age.

After we got home, I did what I've been avoiding for a week or so...I ordered my textbooks for school.  I also *HAD* to order some more lotion from Bath & Body Works because they only have my smell online, and I hate when I run out.  I even took my stash from Houston this weekend when I was there visiting my dad.  PLUS, if I purchased today, I received a full-size apple soap and apple/rum/something magical lotion, too...which I will never use personally, but I bet a teacher would like it.  Soapbox: I love plain, old, regular Cherry Blossom from B&BW.  Not Japanese Cherry Blossom...the regular one.  And it's not in stores except for the soap is every once in a while during the rubber duck clearance sale.  And only sometimes.  And I love it...and if anyone purchases it for me, you're guaranteed BFF (aka "Biffle") status for life.

But, I digress...back to textbooks.  I've been holding out hope that my refund would magically appear, but there's been a snag.

Shocker.  No, really.  The reason for the delay?

(Wait for it...it's worth it, I promise!)

My address is too many characters.  Yes, seriously.  I mean...I have so much control over the length of my address, right?  I guess I could move, but that's taking it a little too far, I think.  After being on hold with multiple departments for almost an entire workday, I finally shortened my address and within 24 hours, my address had been "approved" (thank you, so much, for approving my address...I feel so validated) and my card was supposedly shipped.  So, now I'm deep in the throes of the waiting game, and I am not a patient person.

Just ask my kids.

Aubs

My legs! I can't feel my legs!

For several months, I haven't been able to work out on a regular basis.  Why?  Well, it's very technical.

I'm lazy.  After running like a crazy person for months and months, I decided to take it WAAAAAAAY easy and just let things be lazy.  The end result?  Well, it's not good.  And I refuse to buy bigger jeans or shorts, so I'm living in yoga pants and dresses until I get this back in check.

It's going to be a process.  I've been on a sporadic squat and crunch regimen with an even more sporadic planking and arms routine.  I always say I'm going to start on a Monday because it's already the crappiest day of the week, so I may as well go big or go home.

It's always next Monday.

Except for today.  N went to play dodgeball and I went to Target only to find out that the store suffered a power outage on Sunday during the storms that I missed because I was in Houston and it was NOT raining for once in my life, therefore they were unable to sell frozen items, produce or anything that needed to be refrigerated.  SO, I wouldn't let that rain on my parade (see what I did there?) and bought all of the non-cold-ish stuff on my list. 

When I was unloading my groceries, the head maintenance man drove up in his golf cart and scared the ever-loving crap out of me.  He asked how my ac unit was working, and I told him it was fine, but it wasn't Thursday yet.  Every single Thursday for the past month or so (usually after hours, obviously), my ac breaks and I call in an emergency maintenance request because an ac that doesn't work in the middle of the summer?!  Freakin' emergency.  As in...Danger, Will Robinson.

(Sidenote: I have heard that phrase a zillion times in my life, however I have never actually watched Star Trek.  I have, however, watched Reading Rainbow with great gusto.  (Does Lavar Burton even say that, or am I making it up?) And I know it means the you-know-what is about to hit the fan with a serious emergency...like no air conditioning in eleventy degree weather.)

Anyway, I told him it wasn't Thursday yet, and he laughed and said he'd come see me on Thursday, then.  And as I walked up the stairs, I realized that my maintenance man  pretty much said we have a date on Friday.  To look at the ac.  How romantic.  I always knew he broke it to come hang out with the cool kids.

Okay, so...back to working out.  After the grocery fiasco, I thought about working out.  Hardcore.  And then I thought about taking a nap.  And then this happened:

This means two things:
1. I acted on my instinct...yay for me!!
2. Someone knows the password for my phone...boo!

When I went to pick N up from Ben's house, he pitched a fit over Subway, and I didn't kill him.  I call that a productive day.  I sent him to his room while I went down to the gym to do a mile on the treadmill and a mile on the elliptical.  Let's not get too crazy, here...then I did a few rounds of stairs (in an attempt to drag my workout time out as long as possible), then 150 crunches, and THEN the Xbox power cord and I went back inside our apartment.

Oh, yes.  I'm THAT evil mom.  I held my diabolical laugh in, but it was really rough.

That probably burned 3,000 calories all by itself.

I wish you could lose weight simply by being diabolical.  I'd be soooooooo thin!

Not that I want to be thin.  Because I don't.  I'm mostly happy with the way I am.

I'd just like a little less jiggle. 

Who wouldn't?  I mean, besides someone who can stand sideways, stick out their tongue, and look like a zipper?

Aubs

Sometimes you gotta roll with the punches...

...because let's face it: It definitely beats being a punching bag.

To say our lives have been hectic throughout the last 11 months would be an understatement.  Between school and work and homework and room mom and team mom and baseball practices and baseball games and trying to maintain a minimal amount of sanity, well...let's just say it hasn't been easy.

BUT.

It's been so worth it.  My boys took a lot of "stressed out mom" moments and meltdowns, but the end result was a college degree and a decision (much to their dismay) to continue with my education at a local four year university.  In a dramatic turn of events, I jumped off the nursing school train (just temporarily) and jumped on the BAS Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Secondary Education train.  Say what?!  Yeah, that's exactly what my family said, too.

Long story short?  I want to be able to have summers with my boys while they still semi-like having me around.  I want to be able to not worry about what date I need to sign B up for summer camps before all of the slots fill up, and I don't want to have to worry about paying for full months of childcare when I'll only use half of it.

Just call the Whambulance.  I'm due for a check-up.

Anyway, as soon as I finished my 2-year degree in May, I applied and was accepted to UNT in 3.2 seconds since my Associates in Science was complete.  It's doubtful that everyone in my family was on board with my choice at the beginning (my boys are still firmly in the "Mom, don't keep going to school camp"), but it seems like they're all super supportive now.  Ish.

In an attempt to make a few dollars, I'm jumping into substitute teaching in the school district my boys attend, and at least one of them is horrified at the idea of having their mom as a substitute.  I could easily turn down the 3rd grade teaching opportunities at B's school, but I wouldn't necessarily know if I'd be teaching any one of N's 8 7th grade classes.  Sidenote: I think it's hilarious that he thought he was going to have 3 electives this year, only to find out that one elective is mandatory, thus not an elective, but still listed as one.

It's just one of those things that tickles my funny bone.  Also, I whacked mine on the door earlier today.  It was not funny.

The boys and I just got back from a weekend in Houston...our first one in a long time.  B hadn't been down there since last October, and N & I hadn't been there since Spring Break. It was great to just hang out at my dad's; he has TERRIBLE cell reception, so I'm mostly cut off from the world except when I squint just right, hold my phone "just so," and text diagonally.

You think I'm kidding, but I'm totally not.  It's THAT ridiculous.

SO, we have a week left until school starts for all of us: 3rd grade, 7th grade, and 18 hours of pure torture!

Who am I kidding?  I can't wait for the chaos! 

(I probably need to restock my K-Cups...)

Aubs

Brokenhearted

After sending N off to school this morning, I got dressed and went to run a couple of errands before heading to B's school to help with Super Friends Day.  I needed to get my tire pressure checked, so I hit Discount Tire before heading to Target to "make" 2 dozen cookies.

As I walked in, my phone started ringing, with a "+" then four digits, a sure sign that I'm getting a call from one of the schools.  I answered and a woman introduced herself, then said B was fine.  When someone from the school calls, especially B's school, my breath always catches in my chest because he's so asthmatic and allergic to everything.  I gave an audible sigh of relief, and then she said something that rocked me to my core.

"I'm calling to let you know that one of B's classmates passed away last night from an illness.  We have not told the students, but we will have counselors and staff onsite to help in whatever way possible.  More information will be sent out as soon as we know more."

What?  I know my voice broke as I asked for any other details, but she couldn't give me any.  I know all of these kids.  Half of them were in B's class last year, so we know each other really well.  And, since I'm room mom, I knew for a fact that, aside from allergies, nobody in the class had a terminal illness of any kind. 

I abandoned the cookies and took off for the school.  When I got into the building, I talked to my British pal at the front desk and asked if I could go to the classroom.  She initially said I couldn't, but then told me how upset B's teacher was and said I should go check on her.  I went into the classroom, and immediately started looking to see who wasn't there.  I hugged B's teacher and told her I was there to do anything I could to help.  We talked and she told me what she knew...that this student was fine on Wednesday, something I knew, because the student's father emailed me and said his child would bring cookies for our Super Friends Day, and then Thursday, the student wasn't feeling well...by Thursday night, they were gone.

My eye kept falling on one particular desk, which was odd because when the woman from the school called me, one of my first thoughts was of that student.  I asked B's teacher with a nod of my head, and she nodded.  And that's when I teared up...because this student?  This student had been in class with B last year, too, a kind, caring, sweet, and smart little learner.  When I gave the class the task of making a page for a book for their teacher last year, this student was one of four who actually took time to think of something unique to write about her.  "My favorite thing about Mrs. Wilkinson is she teaches us harder and harder and harder stuff to make us smart."

And now?  They're gone.  B's teacher is brand new this year.  She graduated from college this last spring, and I can't even begin to imagine how she is feeling.  She's a sweet young woman...and so strong.  We talked about things we could do to honor the student and their family, and I checked on her (and her class) throughout the day.  I threw my homework to the side and stayed.  All. Day.

Around 1:30, I decided I was going to head out, so I stuck my head in to make sure she didn't need anything.  B was sitting at his desk all by himself, and he looked awful.  He'd woken up with terrible allergies at his dad's this morning, and he looked like he'd been in a fight.  I told his teacher I was just going to take him home instead, and we left.  On the way out, I called B's stepmom to let her know we needed to meet/talk.

She met us at Chick Fil-A, and B played on the playground while I filled her in.  When he came out, we talked about the social at school that was meant to take place tonight, and I told him it had been postponed again (last week it was postponed due to rain).  He asked why, and I said, "You know...God has a plan for everything, right?  He knows when we're going to be born and when we're going to die before we even exist...and the reason they postponed the social is because one of your friends got really really sick."

He looked at me and asked if it was the student by name, and I said yes.  He looked at me, terrified and said, "Did they die?" and I nodded my head and said, "Yes."  And that's when my baby boy dissolved in my lap, tears running down his face and sobs wracking his little body.  His stepmom sat, seemingly unmoved, while I teared up and cuddled my precious boy.  He had a million questions about what he could do to help.  Could he make something for his friend's parents?  Do I know where they live?  Can we do it when they have a little time to be sad?  Why did it have to be his friend?  Should he tell the other kids in his class?

We sat there, the three of us, having a conversation about how it was okay to be sad, and not okay to tell other kids because that's what parents are for, and that we would absolutely do something for the family when it was appropriate.  This friend of B's has a younger sibling in Kindergarten, too, so we talked about how hard it would be for them, too.

And I just thought about how horrible this week has been and how I hope to God that it ends before anything else happens...because I honestly don't think I can take it.

Aubs

I guess being busy is better than not being busy

My mind has been reeling over the last few days, and I'm so glad I've been so busy.  It's given me less time to think.  That's probably for the best.

Today was gymnastics day for B, so his stepmom volunteered to pick him up after school, help him with his homework, take him to gymnastics, then bring him home.  So helpful.  N still wasn't finished with his art project, so the plan was to take him BACK to school at 4:45 so he could work on it for a little while.  Meanwhile, I had an event at work for an hour, so I went to do that while he worked. 

Long story, short?  He's still not finished.  The deadline was extended to Monday, but he still has one more part to complete, and I'm not sure when that will happen.

About half an hour before B was supposed to come home, his dad called to see if he could just sleep over instead.  B's gymnastics class is late; he finishes at 8:30, which is his absolute latest bedtime during the week.  I agreed, because when the boy doesn't get sleep, it's a nightmare for everyone involved.

Since B wasn't coming home, N decided this would be a fantastic time to have a breakdown.  He's notorious for leaving clothing at one house and needing it at the other.  At 8:15, he decided to call his dad to tell him he needed basketball shorts from his house, and that it was an emergency.  That mostly just caused a huge fight between the three of us on speakerphone, and I told N he'd just have to wear something else and be more responsible.  We went to his dad's on Tuesday to get baseball stuff for practice.  Why didn't he get it then?  There have been four other days this week where he could've asked to get it...why wait until Thursday night?

He's my child.

I have so much to do tomorrow...I'm volunteering at Super Friends Day at B's school (Grandparents Day to non-superheroes) and I have three homework assignments that need to be posted by 11:00 pm.  Should be a great time...Oh, and I have to make two dozen cookies.

Crap.

Aubs