...And life goes on

After all, we have 7 beautiful kids who are so excited about life, we want the best for them. So, to give the a sense of independence, our big shopping day was yesterday....SCHOOL SHOPPING! The time where picking out designs on folders, pencil pouches and what color ruler is the number one concern. Heck, it makes or breaks the school year! I had to keep reminding myself that my oldest son and oldest daughter are in 7th and 6th grade! No more scented markers. No more "fun designs" on folders...PLAIN was the way to go this year for them. LOL. Five kids going to school this year...not including Kenny who will also be going to school. I just wanted to get the older kids taken care of first. We walked in, lists in hand and for the list that we couldn't find at home, thank God for the store for having most of the school lists on hand! We ended up this year buying in bulk of many things. Yes, we have become very smart with this whole school shopping thing. Crayons, glue, glue sticks (why do they need both types of glue...hmmmm?), pens (erasable AND non erasable), pencils, paper, notebooks...ahhh the list goes on and on. The kids were going up and down the isles like it was a candy store...too bad that excitement and energy for school dies out by the time December gets here. They still have homework that was given to them at the end of the year to do this summer. And, NO...they will not wait till the last week of summer break to do it...its crunch time...a few hours each day from here on out. Yeah right, who am I kidding. LOL.

So we were doing great until we had to push two shopping carts filled of these supplies to the checkout. Gina wanted to get out of her cart so one of the older kids took her out. She went right over to the gum section of the checkout isle. Little did I know, she was secretly unwrapping and trying to conceal a pack of gum...yep, little Gina "clepto" Tomecko. When I caught her doing this, I immediately grabbed it from her, she then proceeded to scream at the top of her lungs. Kenny, all the while, sitting there smiling at people walking bye...then staring at a woman that just dropped a large bottle of white wine, right in front of him. What a mess! Tony was trying empty the 50 thousand items from the carts onto the counter with Gina screaming in his ear. I ended up taking both babies out to the car, knowing that the whole shopping trip was stressful in itself, the scream of a tired baby is not what anyone needed. All in all, we got most of the supplies. We still have to get the paper towels, tissues, plastic bags and hand sanitizer...or as Kayleigh says "hanitizer". Also on the next shopping trip, book bags (the kind that wont rip after a week of having them), socks, shoes...10 pair to be exact. They all need a pair of school shoes and then also a pair of gym shoes....so that is 10 pair...God help us. LOL!

We wanted to get this done and also our food shopping for the next couple of weeks because we really don't want to take Kenny out of the house with his g-tube...at least for a while. Until we know that its healed, how to take care of it, know that it wont pop out at a store or something. Yeah...can you tell we are nervous about this whole thing. I am sure those that have the g-tube are probably rolling their eyes at us thinking, "its not THAT bad." But to us, not knowing people, not hanging out day in and day out with parents who's kid has a g-tube, we have no idea what to expect. So for now, we are planning on just being very nervous and cautious and not go or do anything with him...for a little while anyhow. So we have until this Thursday. The day Kenny has his surgery to get as much stuff done...shopping, cooking, cleaning, everything.

And on a completely different topic. I want to shout out to some of the greatest people in the world. I would never have met them if it wasn't for the internet. I have many friends that have helped me through thick and thin...but are facing battles themselves. One lost her husband 2 months ago to cancer, also fought cancer herself and is now raising 5 kids on her own (and doing an amazing job). Another is fighting breast cancer, and then I have my special needs kids mamas...Mito, one with another unknown diagnosis and her husband is getting deployed, micro preemie mamas that are facing what we are and some worse. Please keep them all in your prayers as I do every day. When you are thrown into a situation like ours or anyone of these very strong and courageous women have been through, you'd understand that its not about what you have materialistically, its what you have in your heart that is the most important part of life. I love these friends of mine and wish them the best life has to offer. They have taught me that God is in control and it is up to us to make it the best we can.