Child Dilemma

I am having a small problem with Annee. I don't know for sure how to handle it. She has missed a lot of school this year from being "sick". I want to be able to trust her, and let her stay home if she is sick. It is just so often lately.

She is so much like me it is scary! In grade school, I would constantly call mom to have her pick me up. I was "sick" a lot. Mine was headaches. Annee's is her stomach. I was thinking this morning, after she told me she was throwing up again, that maybe I need to ask her to prove it. I know, gross, and I don't want to think that she is lying about it. I just don't know what to do.

I took her to the doctor a few months ago for this problem, and he thought she may have reflux. She has been on medication for it, and it seemed to be working well. Now all of a sudden this week, she is sick again. I am already taking her to the doctor tomorrow for a nervous tick she has, so I will ask him about that also.

I don't want to think she is being dishonest. It is just hard when I know what I did growing up. Maybe I'll just approach her that way. Or maybe, I'll just start taking her to grandma's when she is sick and not let her stay home alone. That might work. Although I have to say that it is actually good this week because mom is so sick right now (a nasty cold, not the same as Annee). When mom is feeling better though, maybe that will be the new policy, to have any sick child stay with her. I know Annee loves to stay home alone, so that may fix the problem right there.

Snowing in mid April...

I am sitting alone here in the office at work, completely bored again, when I look behind me out the windows. It is snowing on the new tulips outside. And not just a few tiny flakes either. It is almost white-out conditions! Winter is really hanging on this year. I don't ever remember it snowing like this in mid April. I know we get fluke snowstorms through June sometimes, but it is usually little light stuff, mostly slushy. These are huge flakes that it looks like is starting to stick a little.

Of course, it won't stay around long. The ground has been too warm. In fact, on Monday it was almost 70 degrees outside. Utah weather is so bizarre! (Edit, this is a picture taken in Magna on 4/15/09...weird huh?!)

Stupid, stupid, stupid

I have made a huge mistake. I can't believe I didn't think about it first. Sheesh.

Sandie has been asking me for awhile now if Dessa could spend the night. I have just ignored her calls for awhile, not wanting to tell her no but not wanting Dessa to go. So this last time, I emailed her letting her know that I don't want Dessa spending the night with Guilee anymore. I mentioned how atrocious her behavior was at Leatherby's, how I don't like the example Dessa gets with her.

She replied back how hurt she was by that and how I have been slowly cutting them (the Smith's) out of the kids' lives. She said it wasn't fair if I didn't get along with Randy to take it out on them.

I replied back that actually, Randy and I have been getting along pretty well lately. I told her that he knows I won't be attending any more Smith get together's, but if he wants to take the kids, he is more than welcome to. I asked for her understanding that I just wanted what was best for my kids.

Oops. Wrong thing to say. Now that I think of it, it does sound like a huge insult to all the Smiths. So she replied back: "I am more than hurt. I am angry. What are you trying to protect your kids from? Their family? The people who have loved and cared for them since the moment they were born? The people who have always been there for YOU? It isn't fair Jenn. I know Guilee is a spoiled brat at times but her life hasn't been any easier than any of your children. She not only has had her parents divorce but lost a baby brother very recently. It has been a difficult year for all of us and now she just lost her favorite cousin, her best friend. What is all this about???? If you and Randy are getting along, what did we do? The Smiths? What did I do? What did Guilee do besides be a kid? A lost, hurt kid?"

All right, so I shouldn't have said anything more than I didn't want Dessa to spend the night with Guilee. Now I have opened a whole can of worms I wasn't meaning to. But really, I have a beef with some of what she said. (I will not be responding to her, as obviously it can only lead to more bad feelings.) When she says Guilee lost a baby brother, he died in utero at about 7 months. Guilee never knew him. I know, it is still a hard thing, but really. Get over it all ready. She has a brand new baby brother that was just born last month! And she says Guilee's life hasn't been any easier than any of my children's? That is exactly the point!! I am trying to make my kids' lives better! They have gone through a whole ton and don't need any more drama than is necessary. I wish I could tell her the number of times I have had to calm down a sobbing Annee right after seeing their family. Maybe she would understand.

I know anything else I say will only make it worse now, so I will refrain. But I can not see how she can say they have always been there for me. Yes, they have included me in family functions. However, I have not felt like one of the family for many years. She lives with her ex-husband for heavens sake. How can she possibly understand how it might feel to someone with a more moral, stable life to associate with the drama that the Smith's bring?

Ok, now I am really riled up. I shouldn't have said anything. Hind sight you know. UGH!! I just feel like screaming. (Unfortunately I am at work and can't.)

On a lighter note; long story, but a resident came in today bringing applications for new occupants in the house she leases from us. One of them was declined because of felony charges. Andrew told her, and she said, "what is a felony?" ?! When he showed her our company policy on criminal charges, she asks, "so where do all the criminals live?"

That made Andrew and I laugh for a good long time. She thought murder was the only felony! Andrew had to explain what other types of felony's there were, without disclosing what the applicant failed for. It was way funny that he had to explain this to a girl in college.

Can we say foot in mouth?

Oh my gosh. I am dying here. In our office, we have two desks in the main office and then the manager (Cindy) has her office to the side through double doors. She can see one of the desks from her desk, but not if a prospective resident, or resident for that matter, is sitting in front of the desk.

So here's the story. My co-worker, DJ, has spent the last hour or so showing a prospective resident everything we have available. She kept coming back in the office to see check things because he didn't like what she was showing him. One time, he was asking her if she knew anywhere nearby that had studios available. When she came back from showing him the last apartment, she sat at the desk and he across from the desk. Neither one said anything and she just started typing on the computer.

This is when Cindy says from her office "So, DJ, you just wasted all that time with the guy and he only wants a studio?" ??!!

I almost lost it right there. He just kind of glanced in the direction of the office, and when I looked at DJ, she said "I think she is talking to you." I had no idea what to do!!! The guy obviously knew who DJ was.

DJ kept her cool and finished with the guy. (She spent another 20 minutes printing out floor plans and giving him prices to see if he liked anything.) As soon as he walked out, she looked at me and we both just gave each other a look like "OH MY GOSH!"

I thought we had lost the guy right there. Luckily, he lives at another property Zions manages in Ogden, so he let it slide. If I were him, I would have said something and just walked out.

Amazing what some people say...