To shave or not to shave? That is the question.....

     When should you allow your daughter to shave her legs?  Jaycee wants to start shaving, she is almost 11 yrs old.  Her hair is very light blonde so I want her to wait, beings this IS a life long commitment once you start.  "But mom my friends are shaving...", this is her argument.  Her other statement was, "I'm in double digits now, I'm old enough!"  I told her let's talk and assess this situation further.  This morning she came downstairs so excited, with her smile just beaming.  She said, "Mom, I still want to shave my legs, but for now I just stuck with shaving my arms".  "Why in the world would you shave your arms?", was my response.  She said, "Feel how smooth... I did have quite a bit of hair ya know mom".  I said, "It's okay to have hair on your arms, everyone does".  So now I'm not only dealing with shaving of the legs, now my dilemma includes arms too!

Good times old friend

      Friday was a great day.  I started out going to get my nails done, an hour of adult time is always good.  Then went and got a piercing I always wanted.  Laughing, smiling and just having a good time was what I needed before I went and had my treatment.  I was not looking forward to being sick and throwing up the rest of the weekend.  Jaycee having been sick all week with her kidney infection was a tad bit wearing.  On the way home I received a phone call to tell me with all the medication they were giving her, it was basically pissing off her liver.  If I haven't mentioned before, both my kids have a terminal liver disease and they are only to take medication of any kind only if it is necessary.  So at this point I'm losing my 'high' I've been feeling of my day starting off so great.  I finally got home and I sat down in my comfy recliner chair as my kids told me to go to bed and rest.  Before I took their advice I checked my phone messages.  I always turn off my phone while I'm at the hospital and had forgotten to turn it back on.  When I did there were 5 messages.  As I thought maybe it was Jerad being anxious to call and tell me he loves me as he often does from work. The first message was a customer calling to place a Scentsy order.  Maybe it'll end as a good day after all.  The next 3 messages were telling me that a great friend and a wonderful person had died a few hours prior.  I was devastated.  My kids excited asking, "Was that dad calling, is he on his way home?"  Sitting there not knowing how to react in front of the kids, beings they know this amazing person as well.   I calmly said, "Dad will be home soon, I'm going up to bed now". I tried to watch T.V. and couldn't.  I heard rain tapping at my window.  Rain is one of my favorite things in the world.  I lay there in the dark, pulled up the blinds, watching the rain and counting between the lightening strikes.  I cried and cried remembering the good times we had, from being the go to guy for every computer question and him knowing in my voice I was calling about this piece of shit square box that I hate with a passion when it doesn't cooperate.  Going camping many times, getting stuck in a rain storm... everyone covered in mud, running to get covers over their belongings, sitting in tents and cars, looking at each other from the windows.  Sitting around the campfire listening to good ole' country music, drinkin' a bit, smokin' a bit, you catching me and pulling me out of the fire as I fell in.  Good times old friend, knowing you for 16 years I can't believe your gone.  Always on my mind, forever in my heart.

     The last message I listened to was Jerad calling to tell me he was running late at work but he would be home soon and he loved me........

Sick in bed

 I haven't been able to post for a few days, it feels good to be home and back typing.  Jaycee has been in and out of the hospitals/doctors all week.  Monday night she ended up in the emergency room with a 103' fever and in severe pain.  I was so scared of all the possibilities.  That is the worst feeling for me to look at a hospital bed and have your child laying there sleeping, yet crying in pain.  They finally figured out she has a kidney infection.  It was bitter sweet though.  I was happy it wasn't something worse or contagious, I have an extremely low immune system myself.  But Jaycee had a kidney reimplant surgery when she was 2 yrs old, so her kidneys are damaged already, a kidney transplant lurks in the background.  She is home now and pretty much lays in bed all day.  I want my baby to get better soon! 

Bullying Needs to Stop!

     A prior post of mine included my son being bullied at school, with the most recent episode standing up for himself.  I know from personal experience how bullying can effect children...from my daughter coming home in the 1st grade crying that someone said she was fat.  My daughter was around one of the 5th smallest kids in the class.  To my son being bullied each year by some jerk.  In my personal situations I do put alot of blame on the parents.  I know you can parent your kids and hope for the best, and hope it was good enough, but some of these parents don't give two hoots in hell what's going on and it's sad.  I am a happily married heterosexual...that being said... It was MY business to be married to someone of the opposite sex.  If you are against gay marriage why can't you keep your opinions to yourself?  It's NONE of anyone's business what others are doing.  For a couple out to preach against the gay community I would really love to burst into one of their weddings and when the person asks, "Is there anyone here that doesn't agree with this marriage speak now"  I would LOVE to say, "Stop this fucking wedding her/his partner has a big nose, she has small boobs, he is too hairy! You get my point?"  I am going to post what Ellen Degeneres said yesterday on her show which sums it up...  Last point I'll make... I have enjoyed my readers very much, but if you disagree with me, my page is not the place to post it... I will delete any hateful comments.

Ellen Degeneres-

I am devastated by the death of 18-year-old Tyler Clementi. If you don't know, Tyler was a bright student at Rutgers University whose life was senselessly cut short. He was outed as being gay on the internet and he killed himself.

Something must be done. This month alone, there has been a shocking number of news stories about teens who have been teased and bullied and then committed suicide; like 13-year-old Seth Walsh in Tehachapi, California. Asher Brown, 13, of Cypress, Texas and 15-year-old Billy Lucas in Greensberg, Indiana. This needs to be a wake-up call to everyone: teenage bullying and teasing is an epidemic in this country, and the death rate is climbing.

One life lost in this senseless way is tragic. Four lives lost is a crisis. And these are just the stories we hear about. How many other teens have we lost? How many others are suffering in silence? Being a teenager and figuring out who you are is hard enough without someone attacking you.

My heart is breaking for their families, their friends and for a society that continues to let this happen. These kids needed us. We have an obligation to change this. There are messages everywhere that validate this kind of bullying and taunting and we have to make it stop. We can't let intolerance and ignorance take another kid's life.

I want anyone out there who feels different and alone to know that I know how you feel. There is help out there. You can find support in your community. If you need someone to talk to or if you want to get involved, here are some organizations doing great work:

The Trevor Project at 866 4U TREVOR. It's a 24-hour, national help line for gay and questioning teens. You can learn more about The Trevor Project at their website: thetrevorproject.org.

Read more: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2010/09/its_time_to_end_teenage_bullying_0930.php#ixzz11A7sL3Nt