The hits just keep coming

This week will just not end!! Can I call a "do over"...sans all the bad stuff? The one bright spot was visiting the Iowa State Fair w/my hubby and daughter on Monday. We all enjoyed ourselves primarily because Ray was so well-behaved. Wow, that didn't last! This is a kid who is, hands down, better than most kids her age, but the last few days have been more than difficult. Every six weeks or so, she really tests us, and we do our best to remind her who is in charge. Last night, she fought getting into the car seat, and it turned into a pseudo-WWF wrestling match. I finally snatched her out of the car, stared her dead in the eyes and said, "Hey...you...stop...it...right...now." AND THE KID TRIED TO STARE ME DOWN! I don't claim to be a child-rearing expert, but I don't think I'm that far off in my initial assessment...that it's a lot like raising a puppy. You have to teach the dog who's boss not through violence but by reminding them that they are not the leader of the pack. Dr. Phil says never to get into a confrontation with your child, but if you do, you better darn well make sure you win. I second that!! No way was I going to let that little girl stare me down; she looked away after about 20 seconds. In the dog world, that's a sign of submission. I assume that it worked cuz she immediately complied with what I demanded of her.

In addition to Ray's attitude, my in-law's situation with their adoption, and our leaky faucet....

1. The coffee pot broke.
2. We had a trying time at the portrait studio. Jordi didn't crack a smile at all, which isn't unusual. She rarely smiles for the camera at home. Ray lasted about 5 minutes before turning into "Monster Ray".
3. I didn't get in all my hours at work, which means less money in the bank account.
4. I'm behind on everything at home and work.
5. Oh yeah, my dog has cancer.

Well, the last one we don't know for sure. We can't afford to have the additional testing. But the vet suggests that her labs indicate some kind of cancer. The xrays revealed no tumors, so she thinks possibly a bone cancer or leukemia. Even if money was no object and the docs confirmed the diagnosis, we would not put her through treatment. So for now, we're treating symptoms in an effort to give her more time with us...obviously without causing her a great deal of pain. She's starting to eat better thanks to meds from the doc, so we'll just take it day by day. The thought of loosing her absolutely breaks my heart. My hubby was so upset last night that he said "no more dogs"...ever. Even though I adore my kitty, I cannot promise him "no more dogs" for the rest of my life...maybe for a few years until the girls get older. I've always had a special connection with my dogs; they are like my kids. And even though I wasn't present when they were born, I'm always there at the end. My hubby was with me when my last dog was euthanized. He was really uneasy about it at first; afterward, he was glad to be there. It's not easy to watch as your baby dies, but I could never let her die alone - only a stranger with her in the end. If it is Maya's time to go, I will be right by her side....sobbing deeply and stroking her fur, kissing her head and whispering words of love and thanks in her ear as she slowly falls asleep.

That's it....DO OVER!