Spin Cycle: Mind Your Manners

This week’s Spin Cycle assignment is all about manners. Want to know more about the Spin Cycle? Visit Jen at www.spriteskeeper.com.

Living in the South, manners have taken on a whole new meaning. My friend, Ginger, once blogged about the fact that Southern women don’t get mad. I believe this is in a large part due to the fact that everyone is so polite down here. Even when they insult somebody, it’s done politely: “Bless her heart, she has the face like a horse’s butt.” Who can get mad at that?

I remember the minute I realized I was in a different world down here. My husband and I had stopped at a gas station just inside the Georgia border. I had to use the restroom, so I went insde. A man had walked out the door a several seconds before I got to the door. When he saw me approach the door, he stopped, walked 3 steps back to the door, and opened it for me. I was in shock! Especially since I’d just moved from an area where holding a door open was almost unheard of.

I think the biggest thing that sets Southerners apart from anyone else in the country are the ma’ams and sirs. I grew up in the midwest. Ma’am and sir were just not words that were used often. And depending on who you said them to, could even be taken as an insult (“I’m not OLD enough to be called ma’am!”). Getting used to being called “ma’am” all the time, took some time. I’ve finally gotten to the point where I’m not shocked every time I hear it. And I’ve long since stopped being insulted by it (or could it be that I reall AM old enough to be called ma’am now?). Teaching my kids to use ma’am and sir is a whole other ballgame though. I just hadn’t done it.

Alyssa picked it up a bit when she started school. Her first grade teacher was a bit of a stickler for it, but I’ve noticed over the last couple of years her usage has declined a bit. Angelina, on the other hand, has just picked it up. Every time we ask her to do something, we’re answered with “Yes, ma’am!” (Doesn’t matter if she’s talking to me or Tony, the answer is ALWAYS “yes, ma’am!” We’re working on correcting that one!). I find myself hoping this is something she keeps up after we move. It just sounds right and will be a great legacy from our time here.

So many emotions, so little time

I got a phone call from the personnel office today. It went something like this:

Her: Hi, Sgt Rios! I’ve got your assignment RIP right here!
Me: My what????
Her: Your assignment RIP.
Me: Excuse me???
Her: You didn’t know?
Me: No! Where to?
Her: I’m sorry! I thought you knew! You’re going to Aviano! (For those that don’t know, Aviano is in Italy.)

And that’s how I found out the next 2-3 years of my life will be drastically different than what I originally thought! One issue we still need to get straight: they didn’t give Tony an assignment (normally the Air Force tries to keep military couples together. Generally, when one gets an assignment, the other will get one at the same time. Not sure what happened here!). I need to make some phone calls tomorrow to find out what we need to do.

Meanwhile, I have so many emotions I’m feeling. For one: I HAVE TO SELL MY HOUSE!!!! YIKES!! Luckily, the housing market here isn’t as bad as in some areas, so we shouldn’t have our asses handed to us while trying to sell it. However, this house is nowhere near “For Sale” condition and we don’t have long to get it there!

Also, this really couldn’t come at a worse time for us. Ashley and Amanda will both graduate while we’re over there. Air fare is expensive. Air far for 5 people is something I don’t even want to think about. Missing either of their graduations isn’t particularly appealing either.

It’ll be my first “real” job in my current career field. And I’ll be in charge (well, there’s a Captain that’ll be “in charge”). I’ll be way out of my comfort zone. And chances are highly likely that I’ll “get” to deploy while I’m there.

And then there’s the one emotion I wasn’t really expecting: I don’t want to leave here. Never in a million years did I think I’d say that, but this place has grown on me. We’ve built a good life for ourselves here. We’ve got good friends, a great church family, love the schools/daycare. I’m not ready to leave.

We haven’t broken the news to the kids yet. I don’t know what we’re going to tell them. Angelina and Amber won’t care. Alyssa is going to have issues…especially since it means moving further away from her best friend who moved to San Antonio two years ago.

*SIGH*

I was just over at www.spriteskeeper.com and noticed that this week’s Spin Cycle is about adventures. And if moving half way across the world to a country I’ve never been and who’s language I don’t speak with 3 kids, a dog, and a husband doesn’t qualify as an adventure, I don’t know what does! So, I’m making this my Spin Cycle post too…which will hopefully get me back on the Spin Cylce wagon!).

You know you’re a mom when…

I frequently read the “New Moms” message board at www.weightwatchers.com.  The “New Moms” is a bit of a misnomer though.  The board was originally called “Calling All Moms” but WW changed the name a few years ago.  Many of the “oldbies” stuck around despite the new name, so there are moms of all sorts on the board.  Every couple of months, somebody will start a thread titled “You know  you’re a mom when…” and then expect the thread to be filled with things that moms endure (attending a business meeting with spit-up on your suit, cleaning up puke at 2 am, etc).  We had one of those threads just a couple of days ago actually.  By the way, these posts are almost always started by a relatively “young” mom.  And by “young,” I mean they still have fairly young children not that the mom herself is young and many of the people who post to it also still have fairly young children.  Nothing wrong with that, except the threads often end up turning into who has endured the worst event to earn their “Mom” badge.  One mom posted the best ever response on the thread the other day though: “I knew a was a mom when the baby came flying out of my who-haa.”

So what brings this to mind?  I had one of those moments today.

Amber turned 2 last week.  Today was her 2-year well baby check up.  I picked her up from daycare right as they were getting up from their nap.  She was rather quiet on the ride over, but I figured it was because she’d just woken up from her nap.  We get signed in at the doctor’s office and sit in the waiting area.  I’m texting my husband because I want to know why he’s not there yet.  I thought she had to get shots today and I’ve had to hold her down for shots EVERY time she’s gotten them in her young life and I think it’s only fair that HE gets to hold her down at least once!  Well, that’s when it happened.  Out of nowhere, she spews peaches all over the waiting room floor and couch.  Luckily, I have those quick mom relfexes and was able to direct most of it away from me.  I was pretty proud of the fact that none had gotten on me (I was in my blue uniform today, not BDUs, so this was important).  Of course, I had nothing to clean it up, so the angels behind the desk came out and cleaned it all up.

We get back to the exam room and the nurse informs me Amber needs to have blood drawn today (just a finger prick).  Of course, my husband isn’t there yet.  So, I get to hold my poor, sick baby while the nurse pricks her finger and then squeezes it until she gets enough blood to do whatever test they need to do.  This whole time, I’m praying that she doesn’t throw up again while simultaneously holding her in such a position that if she DOES it won’t be on me and cursing my husband for not being there (funny story: he went to the wrong clinic.  Didn’t even realize it until he went inside and they told him Amber wasn’t a patient there (Alyssa and Angelina are patients there though.).  FINALLY, my husband shows up and I pass her off to him (he didn’t wear blues today).  I turned around to grab something and he says, “What’s that on your skirt?”  Yep, that’s right, spewed peaches.  All over the back of my skirt.  Lovely.

And the best part?  Turns out she didn’t need shots today.

Calgon take me away!

Please!!!

Ugh. I woke up with a stuffy head this morning. Great. A cold. And of course it happens today. I mean, my husband is out of town and I had a TON of stuff I needed to get done around the house today.

And did I mention that I’m the world’s biggest baby when I get sick? Yeah, I think I can rival any man in that respect. All I want to do is lay in bed, drink tea, and eat chicken noodle soup. Asking me to function is basically useless.

So, I’ve spent most of today either laying in bed or curled up on the couch feeling sorry for myself and cursing my husband (why? Because obviously it’s his fault that I’m sick. I mean if he hadn’t deployed to Africa, I wouldn’t be sick, now would I? Yes, I realize this is ridiculous, but I’m sick and being a big baby). I did manage to get the girls to clean their rooms. Only because we were trying to find the cat’s collar. Oh and I did manage to actually feed them today (so what if it was Lunchable for lunch and pizza for dinner…I had to make the effort to get off the couch to get them).

And the cat’s collar? We never did find it. If anyone has any ideas where my four year old could manage to hide it, please let me know. I’m fresh out of ideas and she denies any knowledge of the existence of a collar.

Great. Now she tells me Amber threw it in the trash. It’s probably not true, but I’ll still be wading through the garbage later…just to make sure.

My night in heck…

My evening started out normal enough.  I left work around 2:30 so I could get to my 3 pm class at the gym.  Had a good workout (today was ab lab…I’m hoping to finally get rid of this baby-belly, though I’m thinking surgery may be the only cure), got ready for my Weight Watchers meeting, and then headed out to pick up the girls from daycare.

Arrived at daycare to find Angelina in the “office.”  Her second trip of the day.  Earlier, she was hitting and pushing her friends.  She was there this time for hitting her teacher.  She only does stuff like this when either her father or I are out of town.  Last time Tony got to deal with it, this time I get to.  Blah.  So, I take care of Angelina and walk back to get Alyssa…who throws a fit because I’m there to pick her up and I’m too early.  Grrr!  Off to get Amber next…at least ONE of my children was happy to see me at pick up!

Finally, I get my brood herded out the door and we’re on our way to my meeting.  Now, let me explain, my Monday night meeting is in Butler.  About 45 minutes away from my house.  It’s a small town with a population of approximately 1,800 people (though there may be even less by now).  The people there are great and are 100% what keeps me going out there every Monday night.  Anyway, I swing by Burger King on my way out of town (kids gotta eat, right?) and we’re off.

The drive out is mostly smooth.   Right up until we get about 5 minutes away from the church my meeting is held in.  That’s when Amber starts crying.  She’s hungry and she wants out of the car. Now.  I speed down the road, arriving at the church in about 3 minutes.  By this time, Amber has worked herself into quite a frenzy.  I stop in front of the church and Amber throws up.  This is when I realize I forgot the diaper bag at home.  Luckily, I had a shirt to change her into and she didn’t get anything on her pants.  So, I hop out of the car, clean Amber up as best I can, change her shirt, gather my brood and the 10 million things I need to take inside, lock the car doors, and herd everyone inside.

I get Amber situated with her food (which makes her a VERY happy camper!) and start to set up for my meeting.  That’s when I realize I forgot my flipcharts in the car.  So, I go grab my keys.  Crap! I locked my keys in the car!

And this brings me to what I love about small towns: everyone knows everyone.  My receptionist, Ginger, called David, who called someone else, who sent Steve to unlock my doors (turns out Steve works for the Butler Police).  Steve can’t get it unlocked, so he calls someone else (who works for the sheriff and I should mention the sheriff’s office said they wouldn’t unlock the door).  He can’t get it done, so a THIRD guy comes over and they FINALLY get it unlocked! YAHOOOOOO!!!  Luckily, we had a plan B: one of my members is married to a guy who OWNS a body shop.  Good thing to keep in mind if this ever happens again!

Thank goodness the rest of the night went smoothly.  I might have had a nervous breakdown on the side of the road had something else gone wrong!