Bookmobile Winner

Justin was very relieved the funeral trip was uneventful and quite nice. He went prepared for drama, turns out I caused drama instead. I am grateful we went and made memories about a Grandma my kids knew nothing about. Monday was busy with grocery shopping, photo editing, and piano. Then came the strep reinfection gala, Amelia, Everett, and lastly Evelyn all got strep again. Dr Aldous said the strain going around the schools is a nasty one resistant to antibiotics. Amelia went to see him Monday right after school. We were in the room with Dr Aldous, I kept looking at him wondering if he shaved his mustache off. Then he casually asked, “how long have you been my patients?” We both realized that we’ve never seen each others lower faces, the mask mandate finally dropped last week at the clinic. This was the first time Dr Aldous has seen our full faces and vice versa. Indeed Mia had strep again, got a type of antibiotics that was expensive and out of stock at most pharmacies. I finally went to Walgreens where the Pharmacist was able to find a medication in stock and not costing $200. That was stressful. Mia had a visit with the OB because her period cramps are out of control again. Dr Kaspar suggested Mia skip the placebo pills and only have a period 2-4 times per year. That will be nice for the summer. 

Our health insurance is so expensive! Our individual deductible is $5k and our family is $10k. The urgent care visits actually costs quite a bit more than anticipated, $1300 for 4 visits because the pediatricians were booked out or the kids were sick on a weekend. Plus two office visits for Phillip and Mia added $150. THEN the cost of medication. We also got a bill for Evelyn’s psychiatric visits for $888. I saw the specialists for my hand on Wednesday. The 5 minute visit cost $300 just to tap my wrist a few times and tell me the surgery would last 5 minutes and recovery minimal. The surgery? $1,000 for just the DR, the hospital and anesthesiologist is another $1000. How are people supposed to afford medical care? It’s not care anymore it’s a business.  

Evelyn made Student of the Week for the second time this school year! She earned the most enthusiastic student this time! She came home beaming from ear to ear! Way to go sweet thing. Evelyn was selected as a winner to attend the grand opening of the new Nampa Bookmobile out of hundreds of children! I was busy with piano lessons, BUT wait! I have a new driver! Amelia took Evelyn over to the library for the event on Wednesday afternoon. Amelia was keen on the idea because treats were involved. Turns out the event was larger than I imagined! Evelyn made it in the local news and the newspaper. She got to stand up front with the librarians to represent the children. She helped remove the covering and got to see the inside of the mobile first. She won a book, water bottle, and some very cute stickers. She was a very happy camper. 

Mrs Sene had a required parent’s meeting for the students attending the choir trip. The kids are very excited to visit Idaho State for a clinical then down to Utah for the rest of the trip. In Utah they plan to go to the Da Vinci Museum, a play, another clinical (at UofU), then to Lagoon. We signed a bunch of paperwork and signed up to provide snacks. Amelia introduced me to one of her friends at the same time the friend introduced her mom. I suddenly earned some PRONOUNS! My new pronouns are “My/She,” I am relieved my pronouns are possessive and female. Apologies, I had to make fun of the entire pronoun movement. Everyone is defining themselves with pronouns that match their perception of themselves. Amelia tells me there are Furries at school (kids that act like cats) who even have litter boxes in the bathrooms. 

The girls and I worked to finish their Leprechaun traps on Tuesday evening. We finished the slime and glued everything down. Josie took her trap to school the next morning. I loved her expression of delight and excitement as she walked into school with a friend, she was vividly recounting how her trap would work. Evelyn set her trap up Wednesday night at home. She added Lucky Charms for a snack inside her trap. 

I signed up to be a concert lead for the 5 pm MCO concert this semester. My portfolio was not approved by the MCO committee last week. Ah well! Thursday Kami pulled me aside to let me know the photographer from Utah was not covering the concerts because his fees were too high. Kami convinced the committee to let me take a stab covering the performances! It will be pro bono this semester, a try out of sorts! Hooray! I am trading my ear piece and radio for my favorite necklace. I will get a list of required photos in the next few weeks. 

The Leprechaun did not have a chance if he got inside Evelyn’s trap! The slide had real money inside it and slime at the end with no way of escape. Turns out the Leprechaun was trapped for TWO hours! He usually does a lot of silly pranks but he ran out of time so only did crazy things in the area where the trap was laid. He left some chocolate coins as a respectful tribute for Evelyn’s trap. Josie woke up Friday morning with stomach flu, it was a nasty virus that soon swept through our entire family. Poor kid was unable to enjoy the fun events of St Patricks Day. I taught art in her class at 11, we painted Monet’s Waterlilies. Josie was so distraught that she had to stay home, but she was still barfing right before I left. I taught her the paint lesson after I got back home and before I headed back to teach Evelyn’s class. Josie painted a lovely piece of art! I also had a mini photo session of sweet Everly Overall in her blessing dress.  We learned about Kadinsky this month. Thankfully, his art was by far the easiest. Only one more art lesson before Da Vinci Night in April. 

Right around the time I was due to teach art I started to feel extra nauseous. My tummy was empty except for water so I did not eat much except a protein bar. By the time school was out I was not feeling well at all, suck a duck. Justin took one look at me and helped me make the decision to stay home. I was slated to run the Young Singers Grand Rehearsal at Skyview HS for MCO. Justin was quite insistent I allow him to help me, dang it’s hard to let someone else do my job, especially when I have so few “formal” jobs. I reviewed my duties and drew diagrams of how to organize the kids. Jenn Spackman texted me the next day saying that Justin went in like a boss and had everything under control. He even wore my black apron and badge! Ha ha ha. The kids helped Justin get the name tags and lines in order. I went to bed at 6 pm, gasp. I retched a few times, which is almost worse on an empty tummy. I did not wake up until 11 am the next day, thankfully with no nausea, just a slight fever and bowel issues. Everett’s strep reoccurred so Justin took him off to the Urgent clinic for me. I spent the rest of the day cleaning and organizing the doll area AND helping the boys clean their room. It was so bad there were only two bare spots. Phillip and I spent a good 3 hours sorting, trashing, and organizing their stuff. Everett did the best he could but was not feeling well at all. That felt good to get it all cleaned and stuff out of the house. Justin was too emotionally tired to attend the Ward’s Family history potluck. Amelia took the kids except Everett, Justin, and I. We were to bring a dish from our family history. The first thing I thought of was Sally Lunn bread. I called Grandma and Great-Aunt Mary about the history of the bread. Turns out the recipe is from Bath during the 1600’s, a lady named Sally Lunn made famously soft yeasted rolls. That recipe idea was turned into a quick bread (baking powder) once our family arrived in America. Mary said the bread is a family favorite for over 100 years now. While talking with Mary I learned that Jon and Raydean are getting a divorce. She joined the Julie Rowe “cult” essentially a faithful LDS woman who received revelation about end-of-times predictions, including a “call out” and extremist prepping. Jon is just a couple months away from retiring as a Seminary teacher. I hope he can keep his job. Mary said they are looking for new housing. Jon and Raydean were a solid couple, an example of what members need to do and how to act. How quickly the parallels of Satan can pull us away from the path. I hear President Nelson plead with us to continually weed sins from our souls, seek personal revelation, and choose love over anger. Break my heart. The divide is ever apparent between the wheat and tares in the church.