I've Seen Better Days...

While I cannot rival Mrs. Fuzz's recent bout with kidney stones and craziness, this last week has not been the best.  I suppose I could write my list and say "this went wrong" or "that was bad" but it would mostly be whining and complaining and, well... pointless.

It's been a week that cannot be categorized. Between lack of sleep, illnesses, worries, conflict, and weather that has sprung from spring to winter, and autumn and summer in between, well, who can categorize it!?!?  So while trudging through life with the weight of too many things on my heart, I've come away with two helpful thoughts.  Not totally original ones, but they are getting me through the days.  Of course, with three small people in tow at all times, the most basic saving grace is: "The days are long but the years are short."

I find it easier to live until bedtime when I realize that I most absolutely must live in this moment. I will never have this moment back again.  I had a friend in college who listed the number of seconds on the back of her front door with a catchy phrase that you will never have another one of those seconds back -- ever -- and to make every one of them count today.  It's the same idea.  I may be wishing for sun while it storms outside.  I'll get my sun.  Not today, perhaps, but it will come.  And when it does come, I will wish for rain because the water bill is too high.  Instead, I choose to cherish this very moment because it will never come back to me and I want to remember it most sweetly.

As I lay on the floor of my children's room last night, willing the snuffling baby to sleep by shear force of my will, my daughter reached out with her tiny hand to stroke my cheek and search for my hand.  She would shift a bit and then rearrange herself so that she could still reach a few of my fingers and hold on to them.  I always race out of their room as quickly as possible after lights out so I can throw myself on my bed, count the many hours since I awoke and the seemingly-too-few until I must wake again tomorrow.  But last night I didn't.  I cherished their tiny room, crammed with my desk and their clothes and my grandpa's law enforcement cast offs from the 1950s.   That moment will never come back, and some day my daughter may not reach for my hand like that.

But I was there, for that moment, and I will never wish to go back and "re-do" it because I screwed it up so badly.  Other moments, yes.  Last night? Not a chance.

More questions for you

CA Cop Wife recently asked about your opinion on significant other ridealongs at work. Go chime in!

Now, my question for you: do you have a scanner? Do you listen while your significant other is on duty? If you're a cop, how do you feel about your S.O. listening in while you're on duty? I have been forbidden from getting a scanner or listening or any of that. Boo hoo. I did download a scanner app for my phone and listen to some neighboring agencies. I think it's just interesting to get more accustomed to the radio, codes, etc. And I like knowing what's going on. :)

I've mentioned a few times that I have several relatives in law enforcement. I have good memories of hanging out at my grandparent's house, laying on the bed and listening to the scanner with my grandma. Every once in a while she would say, "Oh, that's your uncle." I think she listened more out of fear for his safety, not because she was truly interested in what was going on. Well ~ she was interested out of fear. You know what I mean.

What about you?

What's on the menu?

Thanks to the crockpot (and Stephanie O'Dea), we had "Easy Taco Night" last night. I was so grateful that our house didn't burn down while the crockpot was on and I was out in the afternoon. We didn't finish it all, so tonight? Easy Burrito Night. LOL. The kids were entranced, and really they were just eating the same thing, but inside soft flour tortillas instead of crispy corn tortillas.

Next on the menu is Chicken and Rice Soup (the "gluten free" version of chicken noodle soup, says Ms. O'Dea).

I've asked before, but it's been a while so I'll ask again: What's your easy, go-to meal you are in love with right now?

Hot Times In The Town Tonight

How do you find out what's happening while your LEO is on shift?  Over time I've read enough of y'all's blogs to know that sometimes our well-meaning LEO will quickly text and say "going to the hospital, be home late" and then ....... nothing........ for far too long, leaving you concerned that he's in the hospital with who-knows-what wrong and who-knows-what-will-happen while he's there.  Maybe he's taking a suspect, or it's for someone else..... My point is, when something's going down, sometimes you find out from your LEO, you watch the news, or (my new favorite) twitter.

Some time ago there was a big protest during one of DH's shifts, and I was combing twitter for updates.  It was nice to know what was going on.  I figured out the hashtag the protesters were using and got lots of lovely updates.  The news had some info, and of course, DH was completely out of touch so I heard details from him after the fact.  I really appreciated knowing what was going on via twitter -- from the protester's side of things.  Kinda humorous that I was keeping tabs on DH via the "enemy". 

So, when your LEO is long overdue home for some high-profile reason, what do you do?  Do you bury your head in the sand and wait for the details until he gets home so you don't worry yourself into an ulcer?  Do you flip through every news channel to get the news from every outlet possible?  Do you comb twitter, facebook, or your town's gossip blogs? 

New Shift Review ~ Mids

It's been a few months now that my husband has been on mids.  It's OK.  It's the closest to days I'll ever get (which are of course my most favorite and his least favorite) so I'm happy to have a chance to test them out.

He still gets up after us (our day feels half over sometimes, especially when I've been up since 3 AM but that's another post in itself), and he is gone for most of the day while the kids are awake.  The nice thing is that it feels like a more flexible shift.  Since he is overlapping for most of his shift, he can sometimes sneak out a little early if he has extra time to burn (which he often does, since he mostly takes his OT as time off, not pay) and be home for a late dinner or family movie night.

Probably my number one, favorite thing about this shift?  On his days off, he is not a werewolf and he actually gets up at a reasonable time, and goes to bed around the same time we do!!  I love it!!  Thank you, so much, husband, for gifting me with this shift this time around.  After six years of every schedule imaginable (except for five or six months on your dreaded day shift!) I really appreciate you coming back to a daytime schedule.  :)  thanks :)