Today my son was off school for Veteran's Day. While I appreciate all that our veteran's have done and continue to do for our freedom, I don't feel it's necessary to have kids out of school. Obviously, today was a day from Hell.

He had a friend stay the night last night since there was no school today. He's always great when she stays the night, so I don't mind at all. He even goes to bed early when she's here, which is a miracle in itself! Anyway, they let me sleep til about 10:30, and it was soooo nice. After I got up and bummed around the house, drinking coffee, I finally got in the shower and started getting ready to face the day. At this point, my anxiety was pretty high. I don't enjoy being out among people. It makes me remember the day my son died and there were people all around me. I felt as though I was suffocating, and I just remember taking off running so I could breathe. But, I have to leave my house for my son's sake, so it was off to Circuit City for us.

On the way there, my son asked to go to Toys 'R Us. I told him no way, I was not going to Toys 'R Us this close to Christmas. He just doesn't get it. I started to feel panicky because I knew he would keep begging and begging until I couldn't take it anymore and would gve in. I continued telling him no. It finally stopped.

We got to Circuit City and got what we needed and then went bowling. I could see my son's attitude changing during the first game. He was losing and began cussing again. I told him I would not listen to him and sat up above their lane. He would turn around if I'd say something to him and mouth, "Would you shut the hell up?" I wish I could understand why he's so angry with me. I don't speak to him like that ever. He is so verbally abusive to me.

When we got home, the kids played a bit, and then it was time for Hayden to do his homework. There was a note attached saying he needed to finish work from Friday because he didn't stay on task. So, I told him he had a lot of work to do and to get started. He said he wasn't doing all of it...only two pages. He did his two pages and got back on the laptop. I went right out there, unplugged and shut the laptop off and turned the television off. I told him he had to finish his work before he could have anything back.

He complained as usual, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. I just kept saying, "Do your work. Do your work." A few minutes later, I heard him clipping his nails instead of doing his work. I decided to let him do it because he was going to sit there until his work was done. If he had to stay longer because he decided to cut his nails, so be it. Eventually, he did finish and I felt victorious! I accomplished my mission of making him complete his homework! YAY MOM!!!