Stressing like a MOFO....

So I'm mainly writing this blog hoping that your words may help me deal with what I'm about to do. I did something VERY VERY horrible. I didn't keep my mouth shut!!! I know what you're thinking... what else is new and well you're right but I'm about to tell you the magnitude of what it has caused.

Sierra has been wanting a pet for a LONG LONG time. First it was a turtle, then it was a bunny, then a hermit crab, and the latest... a puppy that she can hold. I am completely against bunnies;Ive had one and all I can say is they smell and good luck trying to really "play" with a bunny. Turtles and hermit crabs also rank amongst "worst pets ever", at least in my book. Thus leaving the puppy.

Why did I go online and look at all the puppies the shelter has? Why did I even show her the pictures? We saw the cutest puppy ever, a small breed dog. He is black and white and she said "can I get him because he's so cute and I wanna call him Oreo", very clever indeed. I MAY have said "yes, Sierra...hes so cute, we should get him"

At first I think it will be fun... then puppy reality sets in and I realize my life will be hell for at least 6 months. I try to back out, but it's too late. She has told everyone, she is getting Oreo tomorrow. *sigh*. I try to say let me give you a 100 bucks instead of the dog, the reply.."NO, i want the dog". I beg for her to get the bunny, the reply...NO, I want the dog. This child is not budging. I go to the store she buys the dog toys, I get the dog a crate.....

Then I decide to just tell her we cant get the dog, it is going to be TONS of work and I'm not sure I am up for it. Then she does what Sierra does, hits me where it hurts. Not literally hits me, but uses harsh words that went something like this..."you and dad told me I could get it, I told everyone, and now I look like a liar. You guys always tell me something and then you take it back" What i heard was...You are a horrible excuse for a mother. What she said hurts because its true. We talk her out of things we promise her ALL the time.

So now I'm sitting here fretting... What would a good mom do? A good mom would make good on her word and follow through no matter how painful it might be. So peeps, a puppy it is. Wish me lots of patience and luck, I know I am going to need it. On the bright side, Shaggy will have the friend we've been promising and the puppy stage doesn't last forever...RIGHT????

Can You Say STOKED!!!!

Four years ago, my husband and I ensued in a court battle with his (dare I say it), stepmother. Some of you reading this already know the story but for those who dont,  I will try to keep it brief. Jason's father passed away 4 years ago when we were stationed in Hawaii, he did not have a will. Under normal circumstances, the property would go to the wife for the rest of her life and then after she passed, it would then go to the children of the deceased.

Under normal circumstances, clearly not the case here. This evil woman knew that she would be unable to sell the property if this happened so what she did is forged a quick claim deed, leaving the property all to herself and none in the dads name. The day of my father in laws funeral, (actually 15 minutes before it was about to start), she filed this deed at the courthouse. Now if thats not the sign of a grieving widow, I dont know what is. LOL. This is where the fight ensued.

It really wasnt about the property, it was more about the principle. The night of his funeral the grieving widow told me she was gonna drink it up and puke bright colors because he was FINALLY gone. I have a friend who can attest to this. We both stood there baffled. She was selling all of his things to crackheads the very next day after his funeral; again,surely the sign of a grieving widow. She even took money towards the sale of the property, property she did not have the right to sell.  Did I  mention that she had not lived with my father in law in over a year?

As the lawsuit ensued, she alleged we stole money from her, stole items from her house, and maintained her defense that my father in law had no relationship with his sons. Allegation after allegation was like a kick in the stomach. I soon realized that this piece of trash would stoop to the lowest level and then dive below that.

She messed up though, you see, she did not expect a fight. In fact, I believe her exact words were "try to sue me, spend all your money, and I will still have this property". Well we did sue her, we did spend ALOT of money fighting her, but we also now have rights to that property. Sure she gets to live there for the rest of her life, but after that, the property goes to my husband and his brother. I am so very happy today for many reasons. There were times over the last 4 years that I did just want to throw in the towel, but then i remembered, my husband has lost both his parents by the age of 31. He was fighting for something he believed in. His dad although he never wrote it down, made his wishes very clear to my husband. He was fighting for what his dad wanted. He was fighting for something that meant everything to him, a piece of his parents. Im truly happy for my husband and I know that both of his parents looked down upon him today proudly!

P.S. I'm glad she got exactly what was coming to her. :)

Being a Working Parent is HARD!!!!

For years, stay at home moms and working moms have bantered about who really works harder. Is it the stay at home mom who is with her children every moment of the day or is it the mom who works 8 hrs and then comes home to work another 6 hours? I have been on both sides of the fence, although the staying at home part was only for a year. I can tell you that they are both difficult at times and tonight was one of those nights where I was harshly punished for being a working mother. How? As I tucked my six year old in, she was crying because she wants to spend more time with me. Ahhhh, the guilt of a working mother  never goes away. Its the guilt that just keeps giving.

I'm sure most working mothers would agree that we as parents find it difficult to say no at times, buy more toys than we should, and maybe even put up with a little more than the average mom. We do these things largely out  of guilt;we do it to compensate for the lack of hours we spend  with them. On the same note,we spend more quality time with our kids because we know that we only have a few hours before its bedtime. We let the laundry, the dishes, and the floors wait, until after bedtime. We listen intently, laugh alot, and play, because we know this little window of time is valuable.

I don't regret my decision to have a career. I know that I am teaching my daughter that there is nothing wrong with being a strong independent woman. There is nothing wrong with having a career and a family, after all men do it all the time. There are three qualities a working mom must have: Great time management skills, ability to multi task with ease, and a TOUGH heart for moments like today! Its always heartbreaking when your child tells you that you're not the supermom you think you are.

So tonight, I reassure her that I love her WAY MORE than my career,way more than anything really. I promise fun times this weekend with no bedtime. I give her a kiss and hope that we wont have this heartbreaking talk again anytime soon.