365.4: WEEK 34

Another week of surviving. I don't always do well with a change of pace, so this week felt extra difficult as I am STILL trying to adjust to remote learning. Picking up band instruments from the school. Dealing with depression. Getting braces. Enjoying popsicles. Spending afternoons swimming. Dinking around on Brown Mountain with my best friend. Paddling the Salt with my girls (and 73 horses!).

August 17th - August 23rd

365.4: WEEK 33

Another week down. Passing out after a long day of learning. Getting use to remote learning. Cutting hair for the first time in months. Playing with a kitty. Adventuring near Oak Creek in Sedona. Running a virtual half marathon with nine of the greatest ladies ever. Returning to church for the first time after five months. 

 August 10th - August 16th

BACK TO SCHOOL

6th grade. 5th grade. 4th grade. 3rd grade. 1st grade. Kindergarten. 6 more months of work-from-home. And who knows how long of six kids at home (btw, it was supposed to be zero).

365.4: WEEK 32

Slacking again as a direct result of the kids being back "in" school. It's been a learning curve and we are still trying to work out the kinks in our schedules on our third week in. Because SIX kids in elementary school. But here's the thing: you will never hear me complain about it. Period. No one went into the school year imagining or wanting this. Five months ago, we assumed we'd be back in person with things relatively back to normal. And that's obviously not the case. So, despite any frustrations or difficulties we might face, I refuse to complain. I will err on the side of positivity and support our teachers and educators to the fullest extent. Goodness knows they're facing all sorts of hell for something beyond their control. Teachers - WE LOVE YOU! Meet-the-teacher over WeBex. Traditional first day of school photo. Meeting with the orthodontist. Eye exam for me. Painting pretty pictures. Regular teeth cleanings. Paddling/kayaking the Salt on a Sunday.

August 3rd - August 9th

MARKING ONE YEAR

On July 11th, 2019, my mother broke her ankle at Seal Beach when a wave and an undertow simultanesouly pulled her body in different directions, thus snapping her fibula clean through. The break required surgery, which, unbeknownst to anyone, led to the development of a clot that ran from her ankle to her thigh. On August 1st, 2019, my mother informed my dad (who was shopping at Costco at the time) that she was having difficulty breathing. Having had a double pulminary embolism before AND being a retired nurse, she knew. They both knew. Without even leaving the store, my dad called 911 and had an ambulance sent to their house. She was brought to the hospital, where it was determined that she had a saddle embolism and was at the beginning stages of heart failure. Having arrived at the hospital when she did, she had a 50% chance of survival. If my dad had hesitated in calling 911, she would have likely died; saddle embolisms are generally diagnosed post-portum during an autopsy. Intravenous catheters were inserted into my mom's body, which administered paralytics and anticoagulants. She was semiconscious, but unable to move for 24 hours while doctors tried to break apart the clot that was blocking blood in my mom's lungs from reaching the right side of her heart. At any given point during the EKOS procedure, her heart was at risk of just giving out and stopping. Even with the best of care, there was no guarantee. It was the longest 24 hours in my life. But she pulled through and once she was able to communicate again, she sent a text that she was finally ready to talk about getting a tattoo (her first!) to cover the "ugly ass" scar that her surgery had left her with and which had - ultimately - almost led to her death. So we waited from clearnace from her doctor to be sure the ankle was fully recovered and could be tattooed with no issue. And, despite the fact that she will be on blood thinners for the rest of her life, she was able to get that tattoo yesterday. August 1st, 2020. Exactly one year to the day when she almost died. Her design? A seal in a wave - as a nod to the wave at Seal Beach that set so many things into motion and nearly took her life. And mine? A floral map of the world done up with some of my favorite flowers. I'm so grateful for Ryan Hazzard at Next Level Tattoo for making these designs come to life; his skill with a pen is phenomenal.

365.4: WEEK 31

Our weeks are beginning to get busy now that school is around the corner. Picking up laptops from the school for remote learning. Afternoon paddle boarding trip with the oldest two. Prepping for advanced math by completing this year's math curriculum. Spontaneous trip to Sedona (where big sis got heat exhustion). Lovely Lumos. Getting a tattoo with my mom in honor of her ankle break/saddle embolism survival. Nox learning to tolerate the kids.

July 27th - August 2nd

TUZIGOOT

I have been on the hunt for IKEA table legs (which are generally $4 each) for months now. Of course, they are out of stock at IKEA. And retailing for $50 for a pair on Amazon. So I hit up Facebook marketplace and found a set of 4 for $25. Good enough for me. Except, they were in Cottonwood... I did what any normal person with OCD would do and decided to drive 100 miles to get the table legs. Since Cottonwood is so close to Tuzigoot National Monument, I decided to make a mini trip of it with the kids and drag them along. We were there for maybe an hour, which was just long enough to take in the sights before completely baking in the hot sun. All in all, worth the quick visit. Plus, downtown Cottonwood is absolutely adorable.