6 Months Of Hell

Today, while waiting for court for a speeding ticket, I had a chance to do nothing but sit and think for roughly 3 hours.

I had planned to explain to the judge how severely sleep deprived I was at the time I got pulled over. Yep, that was the sole premise of my stellar defense: I was on the way to my friend L's house so my girlfriends could help wrangle the monkeys for a few hours.

As I thought back over the last 6 months, I realized what a crazy, crazy year it has been.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with my blog, let me do a recap.

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10/11 - We decided to sell our house. We knew it was a stretch, but between the two of us, we felt it was doable. Began preparing the house to list it.

Mid 11/11- John's firm pulled him off of a local contract that he had been committed to for the next 3 years, and sent him to Ohio indefinitely to rescue a failing project there. I was suddenly a hugely pregnant single mom.

11/28/11 - A week later, Bennett was born via C-section.

12/11 - I was diagnosed with postpartum Preeclampsia. Yep, evidently this is a thing. Blood pressure was going through the roof and I was put on bed rest for 6 weeks. Funny joke.

Mid 12/11 - Dodge our rescue dog came home, still severely ill. Several rounds of expensive drugs and vet visits ensued.

12/12 - John officially went on the road full time, leaving me home with S the wonder tot and B, who mysteriously did nothing but eat and scream.

1/12 - Spent the month organizing house painters, tile replacement and other projects to get the house ready for sale.

2/12 - Got pulled over and was given my first ticket in years, as my infant screamed and my toddler repeatedly said "uh-oh, oh no".

Late 2/12 - Dodge's MRSA resurfaced. After days of calls and trying to find a solution, the American Bulldog rescue recommended that we put him down because of the risk to children and those with compromised immune systems. Our amazing nephew adopted Dodge hours before he was to be put to sleep.

3/12 - B FINALLY diagnosed with Acid Reflux, slept over 3 hours for the first time since birth.

3/12 - We all got the stomach flu the same weekend we moved in with my parents so we could finish staging our house.

Late 3/12 - John rushed to the ER with kidney and gall stones.

4/12 - Officially listed the house, two weeks later accepted an offer on the house.

4/12 - Grandfather enters hospice.

5/15 - Sister married. LOTS of drama.

Mid 5/15 - Grandfather passes away.

Late 5/15 - Finished moving out of the house.

Next week - Close on the sale of our house.

6/5 - John will have surgery to remove his gall bladder.

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So you see my friends, it has been a little busy already this year.

And amidst all of this, Sterling has continued to create as much mayhem as physically possible.

So is it any surprise that when I got up to explain the circumstances surrounding my urgency to get to my friend L's the day I got my ticket, I completely lost it?

And I don't mean a few tasteful, well placed tears. I am talking full-body wracking, snot streaming, sobbing. I was a mess on par with Courtney Love doing a Twitter rant. And just as coherent.

After the third time I tried to stutter out "my grandpa died, my baby was sick and I was alone", I think I kind of lost my audience.

In fact, it was so bad that after the judge dismissed my ticket, he not so kindly recommended I look into a bereavement support group.

This, this is why I blog. And drink. But mostly blog.