So today is one of those days where I really wish I was single somewhere drinking Mai tais on a beach with a cute cabana boy refilling my drinks.

Erin called me this weekend sad about her upcoming surgery. She called me Saturday morning and said, "Mom, I cried last night about my surgery....I was really drunk though." I said, " oh that's nice honey." just kidding, I actually said, "umm Erin, last I checked you were 20 not 21." ah college life, what happens in Alabama stays in Alabama. Why can't you at east act like you are a rule abiding kid like Sam and Lauren used to do?


Shannon made the honor roll for the first time in her high school career. I'm not sure what happened there but I was very excited. Shannon hung up the honor roll list on the fridge as soon as it came. Seniors are listed on one side of the paper and sophomores on the other. Kelsey and Shannon battle every day on what side is showing on the fridge.
Shannon got accepted into Mo State she is happy. She is working on finding a room mate. Good luck with that. Psychotic red head searching for a room mate. I will have an empty bedroom for the first time in years.

I checked Maggie's grades today online. I'm not sure what she is doing at school once I drop,her off? From the looks of her grades it appears as if she walks in the school building and immediately walks out. This is not the first time we have had issues with her grades. The first thing to go was her Itouch and next was basketball and soccer. When I talked to her she was really upset. She is always my happy go lucky kid who rarely needs correcting. It broke my heart to have to come down so hard on her. When I was done with my lecture, she asked between sobs if she could take the gate down so the dog could come with her in her room so they could hug? I think I need a hug. I have a large case of working mothers guilt.

Kelsey turns 16 tomorrow. Dave and I went to a parking lot to give a quick lesson on parallel parking. Dave brought home cones from work. While he set up the cones I figured I would show Kelsey the proper way to parallel park. When I backed over the cone I told her to pretend that didn't happen. She actually did really well and mastered parallel parking with ease......it's the actual driving part that scares me. Murphy girls tend to flunk the driving test on the first go round so I wish her luck tomorrow. I have a mint chip ice cream cake ordered to celebrate her passing or to cheer her up for flunking.

I was looking for Kelsey's birth certificate to bring along to the DMV tomorrow. I came across the first letter Dave had ever written me. We had been dating for just two weeks. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was so sweet, In the letter he told me that after 2 weeks he already felt like I was his best friend and that it was so strange that it seemed impossible. He also said that he had a great feeling that if I stuck with him that great things would happen. The paper was old and tattered....not sure why because we are so young. It's funny looking back we had hopes and dreams and a vision of what we thought our future might look like. We never Invisioned seven kids. Thank God someone up above had great plans for us. I am so happy I met and fell in love with the Hanley Hills village idiot. All those crazy little quirks wouldn't be near as cute on someone else.

I think I really needed to find that letter tonight to realize just how lucky I am. Even though I have one kid with a pretty serious medical issue (and a drinking problem) and another kid giving absolutely no effort to fifth grade and my car insurance rates are on the verge of tripling....I am incredibly lucky. I love my husband so much more now than i did back then, I amido blessed to have him in my life, I can say that because I know he will never see this. He claims that he reads my blog on a regular basis but i know that he doesn't.

Erin flies home late Wednesday night and has surgery at 9:40 am on Thursday, the nurse asked me this morning if I had any questions.....unfortunately I do not. This is Erin's 10th reconstructive surgery. I think I am an expert. We are hoping and praying that this will be it. If you read this before Thursday the 26th...please say a little prayer for my little Kooks. Oh and stay off the roads for a while....another Murphy driver will soon be on the loose.