Yeah, I've Got Cancer, But at Least it's Not AP Chemisty!

I just woke up from my second nap of the day and I'm a little disoriented. Let's hope this makes sense!
One of the challenges of cancer treatment for me, as I've alluded to before, is being a mom and caring for five kids while taking the time for all these appointments, dealing with sickness and energy loss, and not giving in to the discouragement caused by all the changes to my former feeling of overall wellness. The past few days I've been put a little to the test with concerns about my kids.
Yesterday, I spent a good part of the day contacting schools Parker might possibly attend next fall. He's had a hard time at Lowell Scott this year with all the adjustments that come with middle school, so we (Greg and I, as well as Parker) have decided we'll make some sort of a change for next year. We're considering 2 charter schools in the Meridian School District and one alternative middle school. All of this requires phone calls and filling out paperwork and making school visits, stuff that would regularly be no big deal, but now seems kind of exhausting. The effort will be well worth making if we manage to get Parker into a school where he's happier so he can get his focus back on learning instead of surviving. We've completed paperwork for 2 of the schools and Parker and I will be making a visit to the third this Friday.
Another challenge I'm facing this week seems like a small enough problem, but man is it weighing heavily on my mind. Kate, in second grade, has a major project and presentation in the works and it's due next Monday. When did second graders start doing big projects anyway? She's decided to do her report on horses, and all the work needs to be done at home. That means we've been to the library, searched the Internet, researched facts, decided on visual aids for the presentation, written drafts, and we're still not done. Am I the only one that finds this crazy? Didn't we just finger paint and add and subtract in the second grade? Maybe have story time? We have a poster to make and a final draft to type, and then we'll start hammering on the presentation. Unfortunately poor Kate has to wake me up in the afternoons to get me to help her. If it gets done it will be because Kate willed it to get done!
Next on the kid agenda is a preschool for Tadman. He won't be going until fall 2010, but he won't be getting in anywhere then unless we get him on some sort of a waiting list now. My beloved preschool, My Friends Preschool, where Hunter, Parker, and Kate went, is no longer available, and the best preschool teacher in the world, Teacher Merrily, has retired. So today Tadman and I made a little visit to Hillview Preschool on Ustick, a little east of Cole Valley Christian School. It's a cute little preschool in a cute little church and the ladies there were very kind and welcoming, but you know how it is when you've been to the mountaintop and really loved the view--everything else just seems like a little hill. If any of you have preschools you're as passionate about as I am about My Friends Preschool, let me know, but Hillview may just have to do!
Even Hunter who's usually pretty self contained had a bad situation at school this week. Those darn sports teams can really bring you down sometimes, can't they? Well this week they announced a basketball meeting at Centennial so Hunter and a group of his friends who play basketball for Centennial showed up for the meeting. When they got there, the coaches told them they weren't supposed to be at the meeting--it was just for players who were projected to be on the JV and varsity teams next year, and those kids were being invited to go to a camp at Gonzaga. So in front of all those guys Hunter and the four guys he came with were invited to leave, and of course some of the guys who stayed are playing with Hunter on an AAU team right now, and so of course that gets rubbed in the face of Hunter and the other guys who weren't invited, and then Hunter's like, "Why's this kid invited and I'm not invited?" Doesn't it seem like this situation could have been avoided? I'm finding high school sports, and particularly basketball, a bit frustrating. Good news--one less summer camp we have to plan for.
And today poor Rachel, a fabulous student, came home exhausted with frustration. She has been struggling all semester in her AP Chemistry class and hadn't let us know how bad it had gotten. She's not relating well with her teacher and not doing well on weekly quizzes and because of this she's not doing as well as she'd like and is feeling a lot of stress. When you're a perfectionist like Rachel is and you aren't doing well in one class, it seems like the end of the world. All of a sudden everything seems to be overwhelming and insurmountable. I have a nephew at Boise State who's bound for medical school at San Diego next school year, and I'm hoping he'll be able to help her catch up and make sense of what she's not learning in the class. Okay, this week Centennial has gone from being my favorite school my kids are at to my biggest frustration. Rachel is just an excellent student! There's definitely something amiss in that chemistry class or she'd be getting it. I know all of you are praying for me. Please add Rachel to your prayers the next few days. Ahhh, high school! I'll take cancer treatment any day!
On a far less frustrating note, Kate and Tadman and I got in a lovely walk with Alaine Buckley last evening. The company was great, the weather beautiful, and maybe if I walk a whole lot I'll be as adorable as Alaine someday! Alaine and Karla also brought a fabulous mexican food feast to our house earlier in the evening. Thank you Alaine and Karla.
Today I was able to get out in the yard with Tadman for a couple of hours and dig dandelions out of the lawn and sweep up the front walk. Those of you who know me well know that's my favorite kind of work and it felt great to get my hands dirty and watch Tadman play on his trike. I even worked up a couple little thumb blisters. I just have to take the opportunity to spend some time outside when the weather is this spectacular. It can't last forever!
I've had a lot of things to keep me busy and occupy my mind so far this week. That means I've had very little time to think of sick stomachs and tiredness, although I have taken several naps, I must admit. But for the most part I feel pretty good so far this week. Now if I can just help Kate get that dreaded horse report done!
Thanks to Dixie and Brenda for the great meal we had tonight--very much comfort food, and thanks to my mom and sister Heather for continuing to conquer my family's dirty laundry and messy bedrooms. Thanks for phone calls, comments on my blog, and visits. I appreciate all of you and everything you do for me. This would be much harder, if not impossible, without the support and kindness of my army of friends!