a b-day, &falling on deaf ears: edited down

Because life continues while I try to catch you up on the adoption journey, I must share this before I proceed: 

Inside the flap it reads: 
 Now Lad has a brother.
Hello, let's not gloss
over the cute photo.

In my former life, I made cards. This was
 before the internet offered
 cards cheap and fast.
 

Note:  I drew the pumpkin and fence on each card before mailing it out. There's a lift the flap here . . .see 2nd photo. I cut everything out with an exacto knife. Let's not talk about how long it took me to get the words on the back of that flap to line up on the cards before I printed them.

1. Today, 10/18th Eddie turns 21. 

This kid is a gem. He's incredibly responsible. He owns his mistakes. (I can barely do that now, let alone when I was in college). He works his butt off. He's the risk manager for his fraternity, because as a freshman they all recognized his 'dad' like quality. He says it like it is and isn't afraid to say what needs to be said. He's a loyal friend and amazing brother. And mostly, he's always in my corner and enjoys spending time with me (assuming none of his buddies are available). We are all going to his school on the 23rd (Lolo's wedding day - Woot woot! Suz's daughter) to tailgate for a game. *Lad just said he might not be able to get off work. Grr. 

Inside the card . . . my photos
are off topic a tad,
 feeling nostalgic here with
 the homemade
birth announcement.

2. Mini makes too much ear wax. 

PRESENT DAY:  I'd never even heard of such a thing, but now I wonder if it's a trait from Coach's side and if this might explain why he sometimes doesn't hear me.

Anyway, she has to get her ear wax vacuumed out four times a year. Her last appointment was in the summer, I told her to put a reminder in her phone so we weren't trying to score an appointment in the 11th hour when she'd suddenly become deaf. That's what happens. The wax gets so bad that she essentially becomes deaf. 

Shocker:  she never put a reminder in her phone. 

Last week, she came home from school and said that her wax had gotten bad. I stood in my kitchen and tried to remember what month it was, how long ago our last appointment had been, etc. 

Thank you, hectic life of late for allowing me to lose track of EVERYTHING. Can't even blame covid. 

Mini (speaking really LOUDLY):  I rubbed at the side of my ear and I guess I made it all get stuck together because now I can't hear. 

Me (shaking my head):  I told you to keep track.

Mini: WHAT?

Me: (eye roll - reaching for the phone to see when we could get her in).

Over the next few days, Coach and I would be in the middle of some pretty deep conversations about some adoption related issue. How should we handle this? How would this play out?

Enter Mini, unaware of a conversation, let alone a heavy conversation, speaking loudly about something like:  OH MY GOSH, TODAY IN CLASS  . . . IT WAS SO FUNNY. or HEY, CAN SOMEONE DRIVE REG IN THE MORNING BECAUSE I WAS SORT OF HOPING . . . 

Me:  MINI, WE WERE TALKING.

Mini:  OH SORRY. I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING.

Nothing like a little comic relief while we were stressed out. 

+++++++++++++++

I woke up this morning and decided that I'd made this post INSANELY long . . . Nicole was a brave soul and still read it and commented, but I've edited it to put the next half up for tomorrow. Trying to think of the people who might not want to come back here if they don't have time for crazy-ass-long posts. And I don't blame them.