What to write about ...

Well, having a blog set up makes me feel the need to write something ... hmmm, but what?

I have been having insomnia again the past few nights, not being able to go to sleep until about 3am (and even then I don't feel tired and have trouble actually falling asleep) ... I sleep best around 6am, right before the kids are due to be waking up.  I should probably do something productive with my sleepless nights but mostly I just sit, and enjoy the quiet, and find mindless things to occupy the time (like facebook) and before I know it, it's the early morning.  I just don't have any energy to do anything once the kids are finally asleep and I'm in quite a bit of pain nearly constantly ... partly from dealing with the kids antics all day and partly from just not feeling well in general from this lupus (or whatever it is) thing along with the medication.  I had to apologize to Brandon today for being so on edge, but the lack of sleep with the combination of medical issues and weaning off the medication are not a good combination for me.  I can't even fully explain how I feel other than I just don't feel right, so I am sure it's hard for him to understand when I can't even fully explain how I am feeling ... I will be really happy when I am fully off the steroids as I really think that is a big part of the problem.

At least we have some activities to keep the kids busy ... yesterday Ellianna had her tap/ballet class in the morning, Brady had preschool and then both kids had a hip hop dance class in the evening.  Plus, Brandon had a doctor appoint and I had a dentist appointment yesterday so we were busy!  Today Brady had preschool and Brandon was able to go to the gym, leaving Ellie and I home to relax (or in Ellie's case, to eat and eat and eat).  Tonight the kids go to Awana's which means Brandon and I get a mini-date night (an hour and a half to eat in peace without cutting up someone else's food)!

Brandon got released to go back to work in 2 weeks so things will be changing a bit as we don't know what his new schedule will be ... income-wise we are hoping he will at least be able to go back 4 days a week, hopefully 5, but it we will have to see if he is physically able to handle that much.  The good news is we won't have to pay Cobra for our health insurance anymore!  Once we know Brandon's work schedule we'll need to figure out what I am going to do as far as a job ... there's not much out there.  I also need to find some time to study for my licensing exam which I have to take before mid-March ... although I am highly anticipating that I will have to re-take it.  If I don't take it before the deadline, then I have to start the whole process of earning 3,000 experience hours again, but if I take the exam and don't pass, then I will automatically be granted a one-year extension to take the exam again ... so my plan is to take it whether I am ready for it or not and if by some miracle I pass, then I will begin studying for the second exam and be closer to being licensed which will give me more job options.  I had just begun regularly studying for the exam last year before Brandon's incident and haven't given much thought or studytime to it since then ... not sure I retained any information!

One thing that I completely love doing is taking pictures ... and anyone who knows me, knows that I most often have a camera in hand and probably have nothing short of about 20,000 photos or so of my kids.  I am exploring starting a photography business to at least be able to earn some income while being able to have some flexibility around Brandon's schedule at Trader Joe's.  I have no idea what, if anything, it might blossom into, but it is something I have tossed around for awhile and can't think of a better time to explore that option.  So working on that plan has kept me somewhat occupied the last few evenings of insomnia (working on a website, blog, etc.) ... stay tuned for more info. on the photography biz!

Well, for starting out saying I didn't know what to write about, I sure found plenty to say to fill up the space!  I am now on the countdown until the kids wake from naps and round 2 begins ... only a few more moments of quietness!