And sometimes it’s just me that stinks. I didn’t get to shower today. I can’t remember the last time (except for camping) when I didn’t shower. It was an odd, quirky day from the start. My normal routine is to awake and pump some caffeine into my veins and then start the blogging process. Kay arises and heads out the door to school. I shower, come back and finish the blogs if I’m not done, answer a few emails, make my “to do” list for the day and wake LuLu. Then we get started on school.

Today was nothing like that. Kay has a sinus infection. She woke early to ask if I could take her to school as the friend who usually drives her had to be at school very early. We had also decided that Kay needed to see the doctor today for some medicine. So, I threw on yesterday’s clothes to drive Kay to school, totally intending on finishing my blog and showering upon returning. On the way back from dropping her off, I noticed that I needed gas, so I stopped at the station and filled up, then got stuck in traffic behind a car accident. I arrived home just as the doctor’s office was opening and called for an appointment. The doctor’s office only had an appointment which was in less than an hour. So I had to feed LuLu breakfast, drive back over to the school, retrieve Kay and head to the doctor. Still no shower.

The rest of the day became a blur after that. First it was trying to get LuLu to do school work, then running some errands. Then a call from the special ed director of the virtual school, then another couple of phone calls, then a phone consult with LuLu’s doctor. Next thing I know, Super Dad springs through the door at 5:00 pm with roses and a card. Sigh…no shower yet and I hadn’t even signed my card to him.

I rushed to make dinner as Super Dad had a meeting at the church at 7:00 pm. LuLu was quite agitated, complaining of a stomach ache. She and I exchanged words and neither of us felt like eating dinner. Kay’s prescription had yet to be filled, so the second we had dinner cleaned up, we headed out to do that. Super Dad returned about 8:30 and suggested that we slip away to a coffee shop as an anniversary treat. Realizing I was in yesterday’s clothes, I covered my stinky body with some clean clothes and headed out the door. It rained on us. (An optimist would say I was finally getting my shower.)

Then, about halfway through my white chocolate cappuccino, my cell rang. LuLu with the upset stomach had abandoned Discovery Health and become LuLu with the upset temper and she was throwing possessions around the house and kicking the dog. Date over. Things were pretty testy at my house for the rest of the evening. While I know sinusitis isn’t contagious, LuLu is likely not feeling well. Not that illness excuses her challenging behaviors. But, the whole family had had our fill of it all tonight.

The blog is classified under “Daily Frustration”, but that doesn’t even begin to cover it! There’s a part of me that wants to throw up my arms in helplessness and scream ENOUGH! Yet, there’s another part of me that knows I will NOT give up. In Kay’s words, “as much as I love her, I am also wondering just how much more dangerous and crazy things will get.” No one can answer this…especially not LuLu herself.

It was a hard day all around. LuLu has since pulled it back together, cleaned up and apologized. She’s sincere; we know it; yet it often seems like too little, too late.

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