Category: life

life, reflections, work, work at home

tired of things….

criscollrj

I know it’s all part of being a mom…. at home.

But for some reason I just had this urge just now to find a job! I know I CAN’T! But I was perusing the legal secretary ads for some reason. I couldn’t stop. I worked for SO long at so many different things and I loved it. Over 1 year as a word processor in 87. 6 years from 88-94 and another 7 months in 2003 at a legal secretary job that I loved. And another 4-5 part time legal secretary jobs that were okay, just okay, through the years. Then one full time legal secretary job in 03 that I hated in many ways but loved the work. I really did have enough of working.

When i was done for good in Dec. of 03 I was OVERJOYED! Excited to be a stay at home mom, to be DONE with the rat-race. Ready to have my picture perfect house, work out many hours at the Y, volunteer, spent lots of quality time with my kids doing orderly crafts, teaching them perfect manners, and cooking lots of from scratch meals and having a garden. Oh, AND IMMEDIATELY starting my music therapy program at college.

HA HA HA HA HA.

Not to leave anything out, from 94-02 I also worked AT HOME – a lot. Typing at home for some attorneys. Typing at home for the word processing job I worked at in 87. Working at home for corporate transcription firms out of state. And finally (I LOVED THIS) legal transcripts for a court reporter. I just got ANOTHER offer to do this this summer doing criminal transcripts. I love doing those…. I wanted to say yes badly. But I said no. Because I know I can’t handle it.

I LOVE BEING HOME. But I need a break. I think school starting for my kids in 5 or 6 weeks will be good for me. I just need a break.

But I loved a lot about working – the finishing something feeling, the time alone, the breaks, the lunch hours, the MONEY! I liked dressing up. And the break wasn’t that bad.

But I also hated a lot of it – the driving, the rushing, the panicking if I wasn’t perfect, the fear over losing my job over my kids’ illnesses (which I did, twice), and missing my kids. And working at home isn’t perfect either — you do get more flexibility but you have to STILL DO YOUR WORK – all night if need be. I remember falling asleep at my desk many nights trying to do all nighters and still get up at 6 to get kids off to school.

So, I know I am blessed, I’m home, I don’t have to do this anymore.  We are making enough now to look for a bigger house. 

Well, just had to vent a little, though I think this is disjointed and doesn’t make much sense! I’ll write more later– dishes, cooking dinner, piles of papers I sorted, bills, laundry, and a little boy sitting in the stroller and an older son hungry for dinner await! (Colleen is having fun with grandma today!)….. I don’t usually just park Ryan in the stroller but he was really driving me nuts – he threw something and hit me in the head — OUCH – I had to put ice on it.

dori — wanting to change background soon as I always do.

 

eloping, hamsters, health, life

A little runaway

criscollrj

2020 – March of 2005 – Ryan was just over 3.  I hadn’t remembered when this happened but remember often that it DID happen.  Ryan had elopement as a severe symptom of Autism/ADHD, or whatever caused it, for many years.  He did not outgrow it until about Age 11.  Thank God he did outgrow it.  It was very very scary.

Good morning! I hope you all had a good Easter if you celebrate. We had a wonderful dinner, then had some interesting moments in the evening! I’ll describe them in a minute.

We made a delicious glazed ham with pineapple and brown sugar, scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, biscuits, and peach pie. Devilled eggs too. We also drank a whole bottle of sprite. And we ate plenty of candy!

We also had 3 fun easter egg hunts. Ryan even found an egg!

So we stayed home all day. About 6 I had Colleen go outside and play with Ryan for a while. He did have a cough still all day but seemed to be feeling all right. They were playing ball and stuff.

Next thing I knew, almost simultaneously, Rog said, look at that little kid running down the sidewalk – wait, it’s Ryan! And I heard Colleen shouting RYAN! So I went running out and down the street and as soon as he saw me he laughed and started running into the street! Luckily there were no cars coming and I got the little stinker. I went home and saw that the gate was open. Colleen swore she tied it after she put her bike away like 5 hours earlier. I also think it was locked because Chris had been outside walking around and I kept checking from the window. So my hypothesis is that she didn’t tie it tight enough, and he just pushed on it enough to loosen the rope and get out. But I’ll never know…. Thank God he wasn’t hit by a car – gives me chills.

Then I just held him and after a while he felt like he was running a fever again. He fell asleep on my lap at 7:30 and I put him to bed (tried to give him Motrin but he wouldn’t take it — his temp was 101.5 so not horrible). This morning at 5:15 he got up and seemed warm still – I didn’t take the temp but just gave him the Motrin and we got up and went in the living room 45 minutes later and the temp was about 101 or so. So obviously it was higher before but I don’t know how much. He’s still coughing a lot. I called the dr. and he’s going in at 10:20 today. No one else is sick at this point.

So the next interesting thing to happen is when we were playing with spice and I was attaching her old wheel back in the new cage (it’s bigger and more suited to a Syrian hamster) I noticed a loose wire from the cage at the bottom. So Colleen and I taped it and put toilet paper all along the tape on the inside, but I think we may have to replace it again or maybe if possible solder the wire back in place? I was so glad she didn’t escape last night – I think she was too excited about having her old big blue wheel back!

 

adhd, life

aggravated!

criscollrj

If anyone can see why I suddenly can’t post pics, let me know???

I’m trying again here…. Ryan on the bus! I copied this from successful picture posting from the past….

If this doesn’t work you may hear me screaming, and as my kids are running wild and loose (and healthier now, so more able to get into trouble) now I will have to give up and be very crabby until tomorrow’s quiet time!!

dori, perfectionist ADD type who has trouble giving up on things that bear no importance at 7:10 p.m. on a school night with her house a mess and screaming 3 year old next to her.

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Christmas, life, relocation North Carolina, sleep, work

Christmas!

criscollrj

 

Yes, I remember Thanksgiving is coming, and I’m ready – I LOVE Thanksgiving! But I just wanted to get my Christmas background done here before it’s almost Christmas and I have no time to do it!!!

We’re surviving okay – Chris is having a little trouble sleeping again which isn’t fun but it’s not as bad as it was. We have a problem with his ears being blocked up right now which we’re not sure how to deal with.

I’m trying to get Christmas shopping done early so I can just deal with all the school events, etc., in December! I already am starting Christmas card/newsletter prep. I hope to get them out by Dec 1!!!! We are overbooked with activities – here’s our schedule: (And remember our busy 2 3/4 year old is with -me ALL the time, doesn’t nap, and sleeps like 8-5 a.m. (I can’t go to bed at 8 because of other kids still being up until 10 or so).

Continue reading “Christmas!” →

life, work

money crapola

criscollrj

from my group….. I’m all stressed out about all this……

User: dori

Comments: kind of long financial vent, feel free to scroll, but prayers appreciated anyway!

Hi – not reading tonight yet, just posting. I just went through to do papers, did my filing, and went through bills (ugh!). I still would appreciate prayers for our financial situation — I thought we were actually doing okay at the moment but when I checked my checkbook online saw that we were under. I had to rush my unemployment check to the bank (thank God I got it early! today to keep lots of fees from happening. I just keep wondering if as soon as this unemployment is over (I have 3 more checks coming) I should really try and get a night job at McDonalds or KMart or something — the secretarial jobs just aren’t coming through, not even non-legal ones. Obviously my attendance problems are huge and the last place is probably saying terrible things about my skills, even though my typing skills are very good.

Continue reading “money crapola” →

children, health, life, work at home

RJ….

criscollrj

RJ had speech eval today and they want us to closely watch him and work with him a LOT as he may be a little behind. I was kind of thinking of doing some work at

home but now am reconsidering that. I think my hands might be full…. the kids are my priority!


This is a fearful area for us as Chris lost all his speech at 2 1/2. Ryan will be 2 on 2/22. But they said his play activity was great and that he didn’t seem in the least autistic. I’m just not sure I’m now going to send back him to day care at all right now – may just work with him at home intensely for awhile. The day care was able to take him on an as-needed basis so I could type at home. Well, at least I know that option is available if I need it!  Kiddoes – always something.

I have more to update but so busy….

One thing I did want to mention though is my grandma passed away on 12/30. We will sure miss her! She was 92 1/2.

life, work

quick update!

criscollrj

Changed the colors on the journal to a more Christmassy look…

I REALLY need to get here more often. I am still working as a legal secretary at the same place since July, full time. I feel squeezed and pressured, doing too much, but also know right now it is necessary for the family that I bring in this steady income at this time. DH has been trying to find a job on his days off his part time job BUT what always seems to happen is those are the days we have one or another sick kid, or he needs to go grocery shopping, or the house is so messy that he needs to take the whole day to clean it. Bless his heart he has pretty much became the sole at least part-time “Mr. Mom.” But I don’t really see how we can both work full time right now – I really think once he finds the job he really wants to go for, and gets it, that I will (at least eventually) have to quit working, or the balance will fail. So we shall see what happens – I believe in (and kind of have to!) taking one day at a time and am just trusting in the Lord to guide us.

A little less than a month ago after good old AF was over dh and I had time to get friendly (which is rare!) and here I had all these weird symptoms all month and thought perhaps I was pregnant! Boy was I nervous! But it was not, thankfully, as I have AF right now. Three children is enough!

So much more to write but no time… maybe I’ll try and come every few days…

Love, dori

children, interests, introduction autism deafness, life, strep, work at home

Finally the big intro

criscollrj

maybe, if nothing interrupts me?

Right this minute I’m up waiting for my oldest son to go to sleep. He is autistic and often stays up all night. It’s 1:50 a.m. now, and my dh stayed up with him until 12:30 while I napped. Now I am up with him as DH was feeling ill and I wanted him to get some sleep.

I’m usually up by 5-6 a.m. with my little son who is 1. So often I get little sleep…..

Our children went to the doctor again today — I feel like I live there. I went there last week on Wednesday, this past Sunday, then just this Tuesday, and then today. 4 times in 8 days. Today my daughter got a strep test but thankfully it was negative! She is just recovering from a stomach flu virus too. My oldest was re-diagnosed with a sinus infection. So he started back on antibiotics tonight.

Continue reading “Finally the big intro” →

life

First post from Live Journal in 2003

criscollrj

Welcome to my Journal! I am not good at keeping up with things like this but wanted to give it a shot as this journal style looks much easier to keep up with having the Semagic client to write in…..Well, I’m going to start off just with my intro — I’m Dori, wife to DH of almost 16 years, and my son just threw up LITERALLY — got to go — d