KIERRY AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY

All that worrying and a sleepless night for nothing. OK so it was more than nothing, but the day went well overall. I ended up getting up at 5AM. I had a total of 2 hours of sleep. I have a good friend that has been a great support for me through these kinds of days. Last semester she wrote me an essay. I'd like to share it with you. You may recognize the theme from a popular achildrens book. When I have my own classroom, I will have this framed and a copy of the book available for students that have days like these!

KIERRY AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY

Last night after I went to sleep, Cale went into the kitchen and grabbed some oreos, this morning when I went in to wake him up, he had oreo drool running down his cheek with a pool of oreo drool on his pillow. On my way to wake up Tori, I tripped over her Heely’s. Both children decided they didn’t want to wear the clothes we had picked out for them last night. I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
At breakfast Tori wasn’t paying attention and Max snuck up behind her and ate her whole egg sandwich in one gulp. Cale kept playing and was running out of time to eat breakfast. I could already tell as I was fixing Tori breakfast #2, the kids would be late for school again…which means I will be late also.
When we were half way to school, we realized the children forgot to take their medicine. So, we turned around to go back home, which made us even later. As we pulled up in the carpool line, we realized that the doors had been locked and I had to take the kids to the office, where of course the office staff gave me their dirty looks because they are the type of people who always have a perfect morning. As I sped off to Lenoir Rhyne, I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
As I arrived at school, all the parking places in front were taken. I had to park at least 5 miles from my class. To top it all off, the second I turned off the engine, it began to rain. We are not talking a little rain either. The sky opened up and it started to pour with lightening hitting the ground all around me. Oh, wait guess where my books are? They are in the trunk. I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
I was twenty minutes late to class. I was soaked because even though I had an umbrella, it rained sideways and I don’t think a single inch of me was dry. Then, the teacher gave me the timed quiz, that the rest of the class started 15 minutes ago. He just gave me that look because he always has a perfect morning. Do you think they have schools that start at 12 noon?
At lunch today, I had to study for the test in my next class instead of eating lunch. I don’t know if you are keeping track, but it is 12 o’clock and I still haven’t eaten breakfast.
It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. That’s what it was because after the test I had to drive all the way to Granite Falls, pick up my children 30 minutes early from school (I won’t mention the looks from the office staff) and go to the dentist. I hate the dentist and the sound of their stupid drill. It sends chills right up my spine and makes me want to run away. Next week, I am going to Australia.
As I walked into the waiting room, after paying the dentist to torture me for an hour, there were Tori and Cale, fighting in the midst of strewn around magazines and toys. Apparently, Cale had torn Tori’s magazine. He did that because Tori wouldn’t stop talking to him while he was playing Game boy. As I looked at the chaos, I knew I was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I told both the children on the way home, but neither of them answered as they pouted in the back seat.
So, we rushed home and grabbed our gymnastics gear and rushed to gymnastics. We were 15 minutes late to gymnastics, and both kids had to run extra laps because they were late. By the way, it is now 4:45 and I still haven’t had breakfast and I have a ton of homework to do. So, I grabbed a bag of chips and a diet soda out of the vending machine and sat down to do homework. One time when I looked up, I realized Tori was crying. After practice when I asked the coach about it, he gave me a hard time. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
After practice, we went out to dinner. The restaurant we always go to, started giving smaller portions of fries, but still charged the same amount. I hate that. I wanted more fries. Remember, all I’ve eaten all day was a bag of chips and a diet soda.
We finally got home at 9:00. I sent Tori in to take a shower and she got water all over the floor, so when I went in to get her out, I slipped and fell. That really made me mad. So, I yelled at Tori and then she started crying. I sent Cale to take a shower and he spent 30 minutes on the toilet playing his Game boy. When I went in to check on him, he was bone dry. So, by the time he got out of the shower it was 10:00. I sent him to bed. That’s when the bed time ritual of seeing how many times they can get out of bed before I blow my gasket started. At 11:00, I blew my gasket and by 11:08, both kids were passed out cold. I think I will blow my gasket a lot earlier tomorrow if it means they will be asleep in 8 minutes.
I finally started my homework at 11:09 and I didn’t finish it until 2:00 am. When I got to bed, Charlie and Max were asleep on my pillow. Aaron was snoring like a freight train. The only thing that made me happy was…this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day had finally come to an end.
Tomorrow has definitely got to be a better day.

Laura, thanks for understanding me and supporting me through days like this. I guess you really do listen when I call you and I am all stressed out. Thanks for being a great friend!

Racing Thoughts and A Sleepless Night

Racing thoughts is what it is called. I have not done much research on the subject, but the phenomenon occurs when random thoughts spin through your head, seemingly important thoughts, but as soon as you focus on one, another races in and crowds the other out. The process continues and leaves me in sheer frustration. Rather than lie in bed, tossing and turning, I decided to get it on paper this morning. 4 A.M., Yikes!

I am an adult diagnosed with ADHD. I believe that ADHD is real. Others disagree, but I live with it, every day, every minute of every day. I am a mom of two children diagnosed with ADHD. In the beginning I fought it, I refused testing, medication, or the belief that anything could be wrong with my children. My son was diagnosed first, then my daughter, and finally myself; after several counseling sessions supposedly for my children. I am learning to cope with it. Each day brings a new challenge.



But back to my thoughts...

It may be anxiety. I am starting summer classes tomorrow and while I am excited to be almost finished, I will graduate in May 2009, I am not looking forward to spending this summer in classes. It may be caffeine, but my last was at 4:00 P.M. I think it has to do with ADHD. I have allot going on in my life right now. My husband is an active duty Marine Recruiter, I have two very active children, I am trying to finish my degree in Elementary Education, I have a household to keep up, and all the duties of a mom. But, I can't seem to get a handle on all of those things at once. I do good for a while, but then it seems to go spinning out of control and I get behind in one of those areas. Right now that area is my house specifically the clutter. I would love to be organized, I just don't know where to start. In the morning, I will start again, first with the laundry, then the school papers my children bring home, then the little piles of stuff that get left on random flat surfaces throughout the house. I won't beat my self up, that is a regular occurrence. You see, with ADHD comes frustration. I feel like I cannot measure up. Sometimes I feel like a failure. I get so engrossed in one activity, I forget everything around me, including laundry, and I get behind. So this week I will start over again. I will make my lists, try to get back on a schedule, and not beat myself up for being behind because don't most of us moms feel that way anyway?

Tomorrow, well later this morning, I will make some coffee and start my week. I'll be tired, because I have been up all night with my thoughts, but it is a new day and maybe, I can pluck one of those thoughts out and lay it to rest.

What Else Can Happen?

I was going to get up at 6:00, get showered, get the kids off to school, then head to court. Yes, that's right, I was summoned for jury duty. Problem is, it starts the second week of summer school, and if I miss summer school, I don't graduate next year. Well, I hit snooze until 7:00. UUGGHH! Kids start school at 7:30, we can do this. I get the kids to school, oh no, T left her lunch box on the counter. I will deal with that later, after I find the court house. Back home, to get changed and look presentable before a judge. Out the door at 8:20. Remember I have to be there before 9:00. I get to the city where the courthouse is and proceed to drive in circles for about 10 minutes. Finally I find the Clerk of Court Office and ask to see someone. After waiting another 5 minutes, an assistant comes out, looks over my paper work, hands me a number and asks me to call this afternoon for the decision. What? I din't even get to explain why I need jury duty delayed! I left in tears, frustrated, angry, and worried that I will be sitting in a courtroom in two weeks instead of Economics. Hey, I didn't say I didn't want to go to jury duty, but I need to graduate!