To Be ADHD or not to be?? What is the diagnosis......

Anyone who knows me and knows me well - has heard the drama stories and tales of my children's antics, arguments, and milestones as well as my sometimes ridiculous and sarcastic responses, retaliations, and meltdowns.

I have two children, ages 6 and 9. My husband and I adopted our children at the ages of 2 and 4 coming from a neglectful and possibly, highly likely abusive home. After years of trying to have children biologically and not succeeding we decided to pursue adoption through foster care and were blessed to be matched with A & B.

Now imagine being at work one day, life as normal as it always is and you receive a call letting you know that two children, ages 2 and 4 have become available and will be at your house in three hours. Now continue to imagine that although you knew that this day could possibly come there is no way to prepare because you never know what you will get as far as age, gender, clothes sizes, likes/dislikes, or physical/mental condition. Stretch that imagination a little further.....oh just forget it- it is unimaginable. To this day I still cannot tell you exactly how I reacted - my co-workers probably could but myself I was numb. I do remember going shopping and aimlessly picking things off the shelves and walking out of Kmart spending an ungodly amount of money on god knows what, I do remember calling my dad, mother in law, mother, brothers and sisters enlisting their help to be at my house when they arrived because what the hell was I going to do....And I definitely remember them arriving - this beautiful, little, girl with the biggest brown eyes you ever did see; and her brother who was shy, handsome and had piercing crystal blue eyes that I was immediately jealous of.

So what does any of this have to do with the title??? Well - although it has been the best of times since they have come into our lives it has also been the worst of times. I feel awful saying that - knock it up to inexperience, overly sensitive parents, poor parenting skills, lack of patience, lack of discipline - whatever makes you feel better about me saying that. Fact of the matter is it has been a hard road.

SO - flash forward four years of ineffective discipline, arguments, school years filled with constant nagging about homework, disrespectful and inappropriate behavior, schools calling regarding lack of participation, stubbornness, noise making, constant interruptions and the famous last words -"I forgot".

Today both B & A had their annual well child physicals and much to my dismay my pediatrician refers me to a psychologist to have not one, but both of my children tested for ADHD. My reaction is one of relief and horror.

Relief - Well, maybe it isn't all our poor parenting! And what drug can I give my kid to fix it?????

Horror - What the hell is going on?? And I am not medicating my kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then to top it off when mentioned to a couple people their reactions were not very supportive - I mean seriously these people know me - do they really think I am not going to question the psychologist to death before I even consider giving my child medication - I mean for god sake, their chicken pox vaccines today were researched to the hilt before I ok'd the injection!!!!!

Regardless - tomorrow I will make the appointments and we will go from there. Keep your fingers crossed for good news - right now I am not sure what that even is!!!!!

30 Day Shred - I Dread

SO - if you haven't already heard, the new it workout video is "30 Day Shred", compliments of Jillian Micheals - of Biggest Loser Fame! I heard about it from my friend Ashley (more to follow on that) and proceeded to go out and by it. That was about two weeks ago and it sits in my cupboard with the rest of my abandoned ambitions for a leaner, toned and healthier me. Now Ashley has bought it and as of yesterday began her 30 day countdown.

A little background on Ashley and I. Her and I became friends about 4 years ago when she hired me (along with the rest of the board - you know who you are - it was a very estrogen filled interview room), anyway I digress. Her life and mine are so similar it is eerie! From our kids, to our husbands, to our personalities. Which leads me to my new dilemma - Ashley and I are extremely competitive - and while my competitive streak carries through to everything I do - with Ashley it is intensified ten fold!!! Which essentially means I have to get my ass up at 5:30AM to work out and somehow hope she skips a couple days in the next 30 so I can say I did it and she didn't!!! Ahhhh - sweet, painful, miserable, backbreaking, muscle aching VICTORY!!!!!

Stay posted - I am sure I will have lots to discuss tomorrow if I can even type after Jillian kicks my ass!!!!!

A New Day

So I am up and running - not literally. Actually I am lying in bed - the furthest from running - but my blog is up and running. My goals for this new adventure - and those that know me well know I love new adventures - is to use this as a journal, a safety net, a stress reliever!! My second goal is to keep up with the first goal - I am great at starting things, not so great at continuing when it looses its appeal or shock value.........

Another hot topic of the day - SNOW!!! Not much there but enough to make its mark - the mark of cold, blistery months to come. Today is the day every year when I question why exactly we live here??? Why do I endure the treacherous roads, slushy sidewalks, screaming matches with my children as to why they must wear hats and gloves??? It is not that we are outdoor adventurers, (scratch that - I am not an outdoor adventurer) we do not own snowmobiles, skis or even skates for goodness sake. What we own are a couple old shanties and some tip-ups and fishing poles. And boing - a lighbulb goes off - that is right, I fell in love with grizzly adams, redneck of all rednecks, my husband - Jeremy!!!! That is why I put up with it - because life would not be the same if we didn't live in Northern Michigan - the four seasons; mushroom season, bird season, deer season and ice fishing season!

But in all seriousness - as much as I complain, there is something about the first freshly fallen snow - how clean it all is, how fresh it all looks, how beautiful and perfect everything looks; so perfect I decided to stay home from work, lazy in bed and start a blog....................