7 Quick Takes Friday.

Posted on November 14, 2008 by elizabeth

A brief behind-the-scenes snapshot of my life this week, per Jennifer's Quick Take Challenge.

1. Went to the doctor this week to find out why I'm feeling so sluggish, down, exhausted. Do I have cancer? Am I dying? Am I depressed? No. Apparently, I'm just tired. Rats. The one thing I don't have time for is rest.

2. Decided that chivalry is officially dead. I splurged and went to Starbucks this week where the barista threw a cup tray at me when I asked for one. He didn't look at me, just chucked it at me like: here ya go, lady, now get outta my way.  I know I'm just a bedraggled mom of 5, but DUDE, does that mean I'm not worth common courtesy? I could say this to the guy who stole my spot at the gas pump, too. Just zipped in with his spiffy little sports car and cut me off—after I'd been waiting there for several minutes. WHAT-to-the-EVAH!

Did I respond, you ask? To the guy in the sports car–no. He wasn't worth my time. To the barista who was actually being PAID to provide service? Yeah. I smiled very nicely and said very slowly (and loudly–so everyone else could hear)–"THANKS FOR THE TRAY!" I also didn't leave a tip.

3. My baby-sitter almost took a better paying job this week. I don't blame her. The new job paid more for less work.  I swallowed my panic and told her she should take it, that I couldn't match it and that I totally understood. But, thanks be to God, she said she would stay on for 6 more months. Disaster averted. Sanity maintained. Barely.

4. Have delayed getting flu shots. Last time we got flu shots I got horribly sick. The kids did, too. But this year I might try again. What do you think?

5. Boys in fourth grade are getting worse each year. Jewel comes home with horror stories. Since when did "sexy" become an acceptable adjective, part of the daily vernacular, and NOT considered harrassment?

6. Bought three pairs of deeply discounted jeans this week. For myself. I'm still wearing maternity clothes even though I've lost most of the weight (except for that last pesky 10 lbs.). It's amazing what a new pair of jeans and some lipstick does for a woman. Who knows? I might even start blow drying my hair again.

7. Watched the Bill Ayers interview on Good Morning America today. Please, President Obama, please don't appoint Mr. Ayers as Secretary of Education. If that happens, I'm absolutely pulling all my kids out of PS and at long last, becoming a homeschool mom. No questions asked.

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  • Mary Brooke

    Hello, it’s Mary Brooke in Atlanta with 5 little ones (twins are 6 weeks). How did you find time to get to the Doctor for yourself? How did you get 5 children into a Starbucks…unless you were already in another close store?

    Just rhetorical questions…

    You’re writing is SO funny. I’m wondering what YOU’RE educational background it. Really funny. Although I’m gonna stick up for the Duggars..the one time I saw the show it really encouraged me when I was worried about having 3 children.
    Warmly, Mary Brooke

  • Jasmin

    The one time and *only* time I got a flu shot, I ended up like you: really really sick. I don’t really believe in getting one anymore for that reason. I think it’s beneficial for the eldery and those working in health fields, but for us average Joes, I think it’s best to let the body fight everything naturally. Just my thoughts. :) Have a wonderful weekend!

  • http://terrysoapbox.blogspot.com terry, ornament of His Grace

    You think 4th grade is bad? Wait until they start middle school. It was my panic at their seemingly endless assault on their innocence that started me looking into homeschool and turned me on to the land of blogs. They big ones are still in P.S., but the littles will probably never cross the threshold of a P.S.

    Bill Ayers? I saw the interview. Don’t get me started!

    You lost all your post baby weight except for 10 pounds? Good for you! I’ve lost 21, got 39 to go. That’s what back to back pregnancies means to me;-)

  • http://www.elizabethesther.com Elizabeth Esther

    Mary Brooke: ooops! I should have written just “bedraggled mother of 5″ because I didn’t have the kids in tow when I went to Starbucks. My oversight–I wrote that really quick. Sorry! And I had my sitter for the doctor’s appt. I took care of my older 3 kids with no daycare or nanny. But having the twins just broke me. I am unashamed to admit I needed help. I was only using the Duggar comparison b/c she has 17 kids and so far as i can tell, no nanny. *sigh*

    Education: I have a BA in English from a university here in Southern California. I just love to write humorously, but as you can see from my above mistake—I’m pretty bad at it! :-) LOL!

    Thank you for the kind words. And welcome!

  • http://www.elizabethesther.com Elizabeth Esther

    update: fixed my mistakes, took out Duggar comparison. Everyone already knows I’m not Michelle Duggar, I really don’t need to repeat it. :-)

    Terry: yeah, I’m totally freaking out over middle school. I’m *this close* to homeschooling next year. I’m just sick of the cr*p that goes on in PS. But don’t hold me to it, OK? the weight: at least you’re doing something about the weight. I’m sitting on my butt eating oreos and spaghetti going: Who cares about the last 10 lbs? :-)

    You rock! I’m glad you still read here, Terry!

  • http://www.conversiondiary.com Jennifer (Et Tu?)

    I was so excited to see your name on the list — so glad you participated!!

    #2 – Have you noticed the rule of the universe that the rudeness of the service at coffee shops is directly proportional to the likeliness of there being a clearly-labeled tip jar?

    #7 – I am glad I missed that one.

    Have a wonderful weekend!

  • http://restoringtheyears.blogspot.com Grafted Branch@Restoring the Years

    #1. Yes, I concur with your doctor. You have twins and other kiddos for cryin’ out loud!

    #2. Poor Starbucks guy probably found out their closing his store after a 97% drop in profits report.

    #3. You clearly are entertaining an angel unawares.

    #4. I can’t give you advice here, but I haven’t gotten one either…yet. ?

    #5. When I was in 3rd grade so many, many…many…ahem…years ago, a 6th grader called me “foxy” and I spent the next 2 years looking it up in the dictionary to no avail because I was too embarrassed to ask my parents. (At least your kids are talking to you.)

    #6. I hate jeans. They make my stomach hurt and feel restrictive. Maybe if I wore them enough to “break them in?” It’s a vicious cycle.

    #7. Don’t wait. You know you want to be one of us. One of us. One of us. lol. Homeschooling: It’s the best of times and the worst of times. (A Dickens quote I gathered from…homeschooling!)

  • hope t.

    Here’s another mother of 5 (no twins, though) who has been enjoying your writng.

    #1 – Five kids under 10 including twin babies sounds exhausting. Some women can have throid problems that don’t show up on a blood test, though. Taking basal body temp first thing in the a.m. gives a better idea of what the thyroid is doing.
    #2- You are brave; I probalby would have cried (silently).
    #3- Whew, close one. Good sitters are hard (impossible?) to find. I’ve just waited 16 years until my oldest is old enough to watch the others.
    #4- I also know someone who got extremely sick last year from the shot. Sick as in almost bedridden for a month. The flu itself is nowhere near this bad especially if you take oscillicoccinum.
    #5 and #7 – Scholarship to Christian school?

    Thanks for the fun snippets.

  • http://www.heidijowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com Heidi Jo

    so proud of you for being proactive about your health!

    get out of the maternity clothes babe! geesh, only ten pounds to go—buy yourself a bikini for goodness sake!

    flu shots…got a strong opinion here, but i’ll spare you the soap box:0) no, we don’t get them, although being pregnant my doc will insist.

  • Whitney

    #7: I can’t believe it. Seriously. All my siblings and I were homeschooled, but I know my mother is considering putting my (the last two) twin brothers in something else. I think this might change her mind. She has plenty of experience. If you choose to do it, go for it! There’s lots of help along the way and even though it may not be perfect, it’ll be better. :-)

  • http://www.thepipers.wordpress.com Molly

    I’ve been noticing this drastic lack of chivalrous behavior, too. I’ve come home aghast multiples times recently and shared with Abraham. It’s really discouraging to me. I guess feminism has its price, eh?

  • GrammaMack

    We were told that it is impossible to get sick from a flu shot because it contains no live virus. We’ve been getting them the last few years and we haven’t gotten sick from them yet, but we always hear of people who do get sick…

  • Stacey

    The one time I had a flu shot I got so sick I missed a week of work. That was eight years ago and I’ve never had one since. Brock thinks flu shots are some government conspiracy to inject citizens w/ tracking devices. LOL. (He’s kidding, I think.) My kids have never had them, and I don’t know that they ever will. I say let your body fight off the sickness…and wear your new jeans and look GOOOD doing it, girl!

  • http://www.usborneconnection.com Tressa

    Flu Shots – I didn’t give them a second thought, until the year my husband was hopitalized with influenza. He usually healthier than a horse. Never sick a day in his life. So, now we all get our shots.

    Haven’t gotten sick from them, yet…

  • http://churchyear.blogspot.com Jessica Snell

    of course you’re tired; you have twins! (cheerfully says another mom of twins . . . ;) )

    and I say yes on the flu shots. No need to be more miserable than you have to be.

  • http://flourishingmother.blogspot.com Andrea

    had to LOL at the Starbucks scene: classic passive agressive behavior? I’m in NY so it’s pretty common, but I get mean and give ‘em my 2 cents if I feel I’m treated unfairly. xxoo andrea