Layla Grace

I never met Layla Grace or anyone in her family, but I learned about her story just a few weeks ago and was really touched by it as was I am sure everyone that had the opportunity to hear about this little girl’s struggle. She was born 11/26/2007, just one day before Jackson, and in her little life has taught so many so much.
A little over a year ago this tiny girl was complaining that her stomach hurt and stopped eating. Her parents thought that she was just a picky eater with a tummy ache. They took her to the doctor for what they thought was constipation and the doctors came back with the leveling diagnosis of stage 4 neuroblastoma. Basically, she had a large tumor in her stomach. The family began chronicling their fight with this cancer in a blog where I began familiarizing myself with her story.
Yesterday morning little Layla lost her fight and went to be in heaven.
I didn’t really mean to write about something so depressing, but it was on my mind because if you see pictures of this little girl she truly is just a angel sent from heaven.
The thing that struck me the most was the family’s courage to write about something so real and close to home and not holding anything back. They were always honest about how they were feeling; they truly had strength. I admire them.
Layla’s mom wrote one day about how quiet her house was because Layla was too weak to be under foot asking her a billion questions or “helping” her with the dishes. The same things that Jack does now. How those things used to annoy her and how she would give anything to be annoyed like that now.
I just kept thinking about how frustrated I get with my own son when I am tired and don’t want to be bothered. Layla and her family have touched my life profoundly because now all I can think about when I am annoyed is how I am so blessed to have a healthy, happy little boy that is so full of life and laughter.
Like I said I am sorry for the bummer, but I wanted to get a link out to Layla’s blog it is truly inspiring.
If you have some time please go to http://www.laylagrace.org/.

Also, the family is taking donations for Layla’s past medical expenses and funeral costs and every little bit helps.
God bless little Layla and her family she is truly a little angel from heaven. May she rest in peace.

Bitches and moldy cheese

So isn’t it always the case when you decide to bite off more than you can chew that everything goes wonky? Yesterday my aunt was quarantined in her house with the stomach flu and asked if I could pick up dinner for her and her equally quarantined husband. Of course I agreed because it really would be my pleasure to do them a solid.
I was on my way to pick up Jack from school and then headed to the grocery store and since I have the time management skills of a five year old I was on a mental loop. Jack….store….home. Jack…..store….home. Jack…..store…..home.
This new task changed my mental rhythm. Jack…..food….store….home. Jack…..food…..store…..home. It took me a minute to find the beat, but still manageable.
Then I remember that I had to return a stepladder that I borrowed to a lady down the street and I told her that I would drop it off after work…SHIT!
Jack….food….store….stepladder……home.
Then my aunt calls to tell me that she needs Lysol to disinfect her house and would I mind getting some on while I was at the store?
Jack…..food …..store….Julie…..stepladder…..home.
Then my uncle calls and asks if I would like to go to the rodeo.
Jack…..RODEO!!! ….home
Starting to sound like a viable option, but I press on to my appointed task.
So I get to Jack’s school and this C U next Tuesday is waiting for her son and or daughter to get out of practice she decides that instead of parking in a parking spot that she will park diagonal to the end of two spots. The parking lot isn’t all together that big and without drawing you a diagram I will just say that it’s an extremely bitchy thing to do and limits where I can park and increases the distance that I have to walk. So I pulled up behind her and gave a polite little honk “getoutofmywaypleasebitch” But what does she do? She ignores me. I am so pissed at this moment, but decide it’s still not worth it to get out of my car and deck her in the face so I park at a spot further away.
I pick up Jack and when I get back to my car the idiot has a following. Another woman has parked behind her and LEFT her car. Almost completely blocking me into my spot. So I have to perform an 18 ½ point turn to get out of this spot still trying to keep my composure because afterall Jack will be going to this school for many years and I don't want to be THAT mom. I am still boiling mad on the inside and giving disapproving looks to this woman so what do I do? I back into a dumpster.
So now on top of everything else I look like a complete angry moron. I get out to inspect the damage which not only did anyone watching just see me make my 18 ½ point turn narrowly miss hitting this other car. They have seen me with plenty of room to pull forward, STILL hit the dumpster. Oh and I’m still mad. So I get out of my car and instead of saying anything I stare at the woman who I have decided is responsible for me not knowing how to put my car in drive and get this… I shake my head….That’ll show her.
So my car was fine, but I as I sit here writing am reminded why my back hurts.
I get out the parking lot as fast as humanly possible without looking any more like an idiot than I already do and pick up the food, drop it off, head to the grocery store.
By the way, I am an absolute SUCKER for pre-packaged specialty items. If it’s a little snacky gourmet treat you better believe I putting it in my belly. So as I am heading to check out I see this container of garlic and dill cheese cubes. Yum yum get ya some. So what they are $6 I love dill!
By the time I get finished and wrap up my errands it was a little late to get the stepladder delivered, so I blew it off. Well, all I gotta say is karma is a bitch. I don’t know if it was the stepladder or my unrequited anger at soccer mom, but I got mine.
I FINALLY sit down at about 8:30 last night and I tear into my package of cheese. I start mindlessly eating and I look down about half way through and it’s COVERED with green fuzzy mold. So NASTY! How much of it did I eat before I noticed. Egh I am still grossed out at the thought of it. So today my back hurts, my stomach definitely hurts, and you best believe I am taking that $6 cheese back to Kroger.
So what did I learn from all this? I should've just decked the bitch.

Bacon

I remember the carefree and careless days of youth when I could eat and drink whatever I wanted and stay up until the early hours of the morning howling at the moon. Now the only thing I howl at is my alarm clock when it goes off the time I used to go to bed or when I eat too much bacon. Really? Bacon? Didn’t see that one coming. When you here old folks warble on about their ailments… “my _____hurts” Or “my ______is acting up again” You never hear them say “ I really shouldn’t of eaten that bacon.”
Well, maybe, but I can assure it wouldn’t be with the consistent occurrence that I get to experience when I decide that I am invincible against bacon’s ugly power. To which bacon replies, “oh yeah? Take this!!” and for added effect “bi-otch” Really bacon? Was that necessary?
Which is sad because it’s so tasty, but it is like eating tiny diamonds or miniature razor blades. There are a few exceptions: One, if it served wrapped around a cream cheese filled jalapeno I am in the clear. I know what you’re thinking. “I don’t know Sadie jalapeno’s seem like they might be trouble…” I know right? But surprisingly it’s a green light. I have no idea why.
Last Monday I ordered a sandwich from Quizno’s and the sneaky bastard had bacon hidden inside of it. I had to leave work early. Which all together was not a bad thing, but the pain associated with it was so excruciating that I cannot even describe it for fear that you might lose your lunch. Hopefully, it’s was bacon free.
So as I venture into my third decade I bid a fond farewell to my dear friend bacon. I will be forced to hang out with his less fun cousin turkey bacon. I try to convince myself that it’s a good thing because it’s healthier, but who am I kidding? We had some good times, bacon. I will miss you. ::tear::