I haven't felt much like being funny lately. Erin has to have more surgery for a problem that stemmed from surgeries that she had when she was little. She has had 10 reconstuctive surgeries on her scalp to correct a birth defect and her body has generatd extra bone growth on her skull as a result of the trauma.

She had surgery to correct this in 2008 and almost immediately the bone started to grow back. The surgeon thought it would be best to just keep an eye on it. Unfortunately for Erin the bone came through her scalp on the last day of her Christmas break.

She came in my room late Friday night crying and woke me up. I was thinking OK, my 20 year old daughter is waking me up in the middle of the night to tell me something tragic....Oh God, I'm going to be a grandma. To my delight...horror...fear....terror....depression that was not the case. I tossed and turned the rest of the night with mothers guilt. I sure wish I could trade places with her. She went back to school as planned and I told her I would contact her surgeon first thing Monday morning.

She is a tough kid and I admire her so so much. Her doctor was on vacation this week so we took pictures of the hole in her scalp and emailed them to her doctor. He seems to think it will be a simple procedure just like last time. I checked out flights and the cheapest flight round trip was 1,000. After a few calls to the right people,Southwest airlines donated her flight. Thank You Southwest!!!

I am trying to keep a sense of normalcy in the house even though my mind is on my little Kooks AKA Erin. I spent last Saturday in the fetal position, I gave myself one day to have a pity party and then I had to pull it together, there are a lot more Murphy's that need a mom who isn't in bed with the covers over her head.

Although I have warned Shannon before she goes out on the weekends, "God help you if I get a call from the police tonight and find you in a leopard print dress. I am not my normal cheery self....don't do anything stupid until AFTER your sister has surgery." Then go ahead and be an idiot teenager all you want.

Dave and I are taking Shannon to go look at Mo State for a campus tour in the morning. It is good timing actually because the jeep is having engine trouble so we can have the car worked on tomorrow while we are in Springfield. I'm so excited that we can use the money we saved on the plane ticket to fix the car. See how my glass is half full!!!

We still haven't repaired the damage from Shannon's little fender bender she had in December. Kelsey turns 16 in 9 days....maybe we should wait on repairing the front bumper for at least 6 months?

When I called my insurance company to report Shannon's accident I asked my agent to send me the Steer Clear packet for Kelsey to fill out so we can get the discount on our auto insurance. Kelsey went over the booklet and said "Mom, I need to find 12 different licensed drivers to ride along with me." I thought, "That can't be right. I feel like I need a blindfold and a stiff drink every time I ride with her how will I find 12 people dumb enough to get in a car with her?"
I read the section that she was referring to and it clearly stated; If you already have your license, log at least 12 trips with a licensed driver in the car with you. Not 12 different licensed drivers. Details!!


Lauren is doing great in New York, she seems to be having the time of her life. Now that she is a New Yorker she walks everywhere. She called me yesterday and told me that she tried on new clothes and the size 2's were falling off of her. Yeah well good for her....I never really liked her much anyway!!