I've been sleeping with my bedroom window open just a little bit these last few nights so the peepers outside can lull me to sleep. It's one of my favorite sounds - that springtime lullaby of frogs in the marshy areas around our house. I relish it on nights like tonight after a hectic evening full of kids and dogs and dinner and homework and wrapping up the tasks of the day. It's still relatively early as I write, but it rained hard and made us all tired ... so the kids are in bed, the animals are settled in, and I'm sitting here in one of my favorite places in the house: at my desk, with Pandora Radio playing quietly on my laptop (tonight's selection: my Phillip Phillips station). Most of the house is dark and I can hear the clocks ticking.
I do really love quiet mornings too, but I am a night owl at heart. Always have been. Tonight the quiet makes me long for warm summer nights sitting on the patio, sipping a cocktail, letting the breeze rustle my hair. We are in the "ugly" phase of spring when everything is still pretty grey and it's too wet to really get any work done outside. We're between seasons - in limbo. I don't do well in limbo.
On a positive note, I've been busy making calls and writing for the newspaper. It's been interesting developing a schedule and figuring out how to make this working from home thing work for me. How quickly I remembered what a drag it is to wait for calls back. But how cool to be able to fold a load of laundry while I'm waiting.
Steve - the real moneymaker of the family - is getting settled in at a new location. He finished up in Colorado and came home at the end of March, was home while the kids were on spring break, and then left late last week to head to W. Virginia. Good news on that front, too: his schedule is working 10 days, then four days off. He'll be home this weekend. He probably won't come home every break ('cause duh, that would be pretty spendy) but it's nice to know that when the kids and I visit we can have a few days of family time. I seriously cannot wait for summer when we'll be able to be together as a family more often. And I'm looking forward to some different scenery and the opportunity to explore a bit.
If only the rain would stop and the sun would shine, the puddles dry up and the flowers bloom. We're waiting ... but my patience is wearing thin.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Fake it 'til you make it.
There was this time during my college days that for some reason Steve was on campus with me ... probably a weekend when we went to see a play or something, as I was the editor of the entertainment section of the college newspaper and covered a lot of productions and visiting artists. As we worked our way around campus, he would hang back while I approached people for interviews, and at some point Steve commented to me that he didn't know how I could just walk up to people and start talking to them and asking questions.
I took it as an amazing compliment from my boyfriend-at-the-time, this guy who had already gone out into the world and begun to make a living for himself. Someone I looked up to.
I've remembered that moment all these years, and while that feather in my cap is a little dusty these days I still think of how I felt that day - how proud I was - at times when I need a little boost in morale. I was a confident gal and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. Through four-plus years of college I never once wavered in my choice of majors - it was journalism all the way, baby.
Fast forward a few (or several) years through graduating college, getting married and having a baby, landing that job as a reporter - not the dream job with National Geographic, but the dream job at the hometown daily - and then buying a house and having another baby. Life happened in all kinds of ways and after just a few years in my dream career I felt called to be at home with those babies. So in my head and in my heart I made a plan, and I prayed that God would open doors for our family and allow it to happen.
You know what having children does to you? It humbles you. It reminds you that you are a very small player in this Great Big World and oh, by the way, you're probably doing it all wrong.
It also messes with your hormones. Looking back, I'm pretty sure a smidge of post-partum depression kept its gnarly fingers wrapped around my brain and blocking my face from the sunshine for months after Rachel was born. But that's a whole series of posts for another time.
My point here is ... somewhere along the way I lost my mojo. I still loved writing, but I didn't like being a reporter anymore. So after many sleepless nights, countless conversations with Steve about it, lots of analyzing and re-analyzing, I jumped ship. I continued to (and still do) write a column for the newspaper a couple times a month, but I left my desk in the newsroom for a job where I could still use my communications skills without being so "out there" anymore. Then after three years at that job, I finally made the leap to being a full-time mom and homemaker.
My last day at work was April 2, 2008.
Last week, five years to the day later - and more than eight years after leaving the ol' newspaper biz - I picked up my reporter's notebook again.
It was not without much consternation.
It's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. The gig, I mean. It's part-time (read: whenever they call). I can take assignments or pass on them depending on my schedule or ... I dunno, whether I really feel like doing it. And it's certainly not going to make me rich. But I swear I stopped breathing for a second when I got that e-mail asking if I was interested. Because somewhere along the way that confident college gal began to wonder if she was really good enough. All the compliments and kudos in the world weren't enough to counter the few silly mistakes I'd made that only I remember and the biting criticisms that stuck with me and chipped away at that armor I had surrounded myself with ... that thick skin every budding journalist is told they'll need to develop. I hated admitting that I had burned out on my career before I had even hit the age of 30. Sticking my toes in the water again made me feel vulnerable. Just the thought of starting over again, albeit on a very limited basis, was daunting.
Steve jokes that when I have a problem it becomes everyone's problem. What can I say? My mama taught me to share. I am anxious and an over-analyzer by nature, but over the years I have developed my own coping mechanisms, one of which is to hash it out either with a loved one (or three) or on paper (or keyboard). Fortunately I am blessed with a handful of amazing friends who collectively understand what it feels like to live with anxiety like I do, the sometimes crushing responsibility of telling other people's stories to the world (and getting them right) day after day, and the energy it takes to ignore that inner voice that loves nothing more than to fuel the flames of self doubt.
And man, I love to write. And I love to listen to people. This is my God-given talent; there is no doubt in my mind about that. So the nerves and the juggling things at home to create my own work space and time ... they are worth it. Because as much as I try to calm the chaos of our everyday lives - the kind of chaos that comes with daddy working on the road, me virtually single-parenting, and a house full of kids and animals - there is a special kind of rush that comes from taking a pile of scribbled notes from half a dozen interviews and weaving those words together into a cohesive and relate-able story, on a deadline. That never gets old.
So ... this will be an adventure for me. For my whole family, probably, because ... ya' know ... I'm so good at sharing.
*ahem*
But I'm doing it for me. And I will be just fine.
I took it as an amazing compliment from my boyfriend-at-the-time, this guy who had already gone out into the world and begun to make a living for himself. Someone I looked up to.
I've remembered that moment all these years, and while that feather in my cap is a little dusty these days I still think of how I felt that day - how proud I was - at times when I need a little boost in morale. I was a confident gal and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. Through four-plus years of college I never once wavered in my choice of majors - it was journalism all the way, baby.
Fast forward a few (or several) years through graduating college, getting married and having a baby, landing that job as a reporter - not the dream job with National Geographic, but the dream job at the hometown daily - and then buying a house and having another baby. Life happened in all kinds of ways and after just a few years in my dream career I felt called to be at home with those babies. So in my head and in my heart I made a plan, and I prayed that God would open doors for our family and allow it to happen.
You know what having children does to you? It humbles you. It reminds you that you are a very small player in this Great Big World and oh, by the way, you're probably doing it all wrong.
It also messes with your hormones. Looking back, I'm pretty sure a smidge of post-partum depression kept its gnarly fingers wrapped around my brain and blocking my face from the sunshine for months after Rachel was born. But that's a whole series of posts for another time.
My point here is ... somewhere along the way I lost my mojo. I still loved writing, but I didn't like being a reporter anymore. So after many sleepless nights, countless conversations with Steve about it, lots of analyzing and re-analyzing, I jumped ship. I continued to (and still do) write a column for the newspaper a couple times a month, but I left my desk in the newsroom for a job where I could still use my communications skills without being so "out there" anymore. Then after three years at that job, I finally made the leap to being a full-time mom and homemaker.
My last day at work was April 2, 2008.
Last week, five years to the day later - and more than eight years after leaving the ol' newspaper biz - I picked up my reporter's notebook again.
It was not without much consternation.
It's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. The gig, I mean. It's part-time (read: whenever they call). I can take assignments or pass on them depending on my schedule or ... I dunno, whether I really feel like doing it. And it's certainly not going to make me rich. But I swear I stopped breathing for a second when I got that e-mail asking if I was interested. Because somewhere along the way that confident college gal began to wonder if she was really good enough. All the compliments and kudos in the world weren't enough to counter the few silly mistakes I'd made that only I remember and the biting criticisms that stuck with me and chipped away at that armor I had surrounded myself with ... that thick skin every budding journalist is told they'll need to develop. I hated admitting that I had burned out on my career before I had even hit the age of 30. Sticking my toes in the water again made me feel vulnerable. Just the thought of starting over again, albeit on a very limited basis, was daunting.
Steve jokes that when I have a problem it becomes everyone's problem. What can I say? My mama taught me to share. I am anxious and an over-analyzer by nature, but over the years I have developed my own coping mechanisms, one of which is to hash it out either with a loved one (or three) or on paper (or keyboard). Fortunately I am blessed with a handful of amazing friends who collectively understand what it feels like to live with anxiety like I do, the sometimes crushing responsibility of telling other people's stories to the world (and getting them right) day after day, and the energy it takes to ignore that inner voice that loves nothing more than to fuel the flames of self doubt.
And man, I love to write. And I love to listen to people. This is my God-given talent; there is no doubt in my mind about that. So the nerves and the juggling things at home to create my own work space and time ... they are worth it. Because as much as I try to calm the chaos of our everyday lives - the kind of chaos that comes with daddy working on the road, me virtually single-parenting, and a house full of kids and animals - there is a special kind of rush that comes from taking a pile of scribbled notes from half a dozen interviews and weaving those words together into a cohesive and relate-able story, on a deadline. That never gets old.
So ... this will be an adventure for me. For my whole family, probably, because ... ya' know ... I'm so good at sharing.
*ahem*
But I'm doing it for me. And I will be just fine.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Oh, hello there!
I haven't written in a while. Not for lack of things going on around here, that's for sure. But at the end of the day when I seem to have the most time and inspiration, my energy wanes and my pillow wins over my keyboard.
This winter is dragging on and it's pissing me off. No really. I took the dogs out this morning and ran face first into a biting wind and I wanted to take a swing at it and beat it into submission. Enough already!
And these dogs? And children? Mercy. I've diagnosed all of us with Spring Fever. Though Rachel had a for-real fever yesterday, complete with pitiful, sad face and messy hair. Apparently she slept it off because she woke up fever-free and spunky as ever this morning. So with both kids off to school for the day, I am left to deal with this:
There is a front coming through. More snow. And Ladybug The Canine Meteorologist can feel it. She would be in my lap if I let her. As it is she won't leave my side. So much for my plan to get all kinds of stuff done around the house today.
Is it nap time yet?
This winter is dragging on and it's pissing me off. No really. I took the dogs out this morning and ran face first into a biting wind and I wanted to take a swing at it and beat it into submission. Enough already!
And these dogs? And children? Mercy. I've diagnosed all of us with Spring Fever. Though Rachel had a for-real fever yesterday, complete with pitiful, sad face and messy hair. Apparently she slept it off because she woke up fever-free and spunky as ever this morning. So with both kids off to school for the day, I am left to deal with this:
There is a front coming through. More snow. And Ladybug The Canine Meteorologist can feel it. She would be in my lap if I let her. As it is she won't leave my side. So much for my plan to get all kinds of stuff done around the house today.
Is it nap time yet?
Friday, March 1, 2013
Happy Friday! It's birthday sleepover weekend.
Yesterday was Rachel's 11th birthday.
Are you ready for the cliché? Yeah? Time flies, people. It does.
As Rach was helping me prepare our taco buffet for the family get-together last night, she asked me how I was feeling 11 years ago at that time. I told her that at about 4:30 the afternoon of the day she was born I was excited, scared, probably in a little bit of pain, and sad that my mama would miss the birth of my second baby because she was in Florida.
We had not found out the sex of either of our children before they were born, so I had no idea we were having a girl. And frankly, I had somehow convinced myself I was having another boy, so that's what I was prepared for. I was astounded - pleasantly surprised - when Rachel was born and the doctor told us our baby was a girl. A girl! A baby sister for Sammy! Even when I called my parents in Florida and told my mom the baby had arrived and we were both fine (praise Jesus, because that girl put me through the wringer before she made her appearance and I, in turn, put Steve and everyone else who was there through the wringer), I heard mom breathe that sigh of relief, and then ... "Mom, it's a girl" ... and I think my mom danced a jig right there on the other end of the line.
Ahhhh. I think we must never get tired of telling our "birth day" stories, do we? I remember some of the silliest details about the days my kids were born, but half the time I can't tell you what I had for breakfast this morning. Whether they realize it or not, much of my world revolves around the two of them. I wouldn't have it any other way.
And so, this afternoon I will pick Rachel and three of her friends up from school (Sam, poor dear, will ride the bus home and hang out with Grandpa), I will take this gaggle of girls to have manicures, we will eat pizza, and celebrate Rachel's Year of Eleven. Said celebration also involves a sleepover, so please pray for me!
Are you ready for the cliché? Yeah? Time flies, people. It does.
Rachel, age 6.
Age 11.
As Rach was helping me prepare our taco buffet for the family get-together last night, she asked me how I was feeling 11 years ago at that time. I told her that at about 4:30 the afternoon of the day she was born I was excited, scared, probably in a little bit of pain, and sad that my mama would miss the birth of my second baby because she was in Florida.
We had not found out the sex of either of our children before they were born, so I had no idea we were having a girl. And frankly, I had somehow convinced myself I was having another boy, so that's what I was prepared for. I was astounded - pleasantly surprised - when Rachel was born and the doctor told us our baby was a girl. A girl! A baby sister for Sammy! Even when I called my parents in Florida and told my mom the baby had arrived and we were both fine (praise Jesus, because that girl put me through the wringer before she made her appearance and I, in turn, put Steve and everyone else who was there through the wringer), I heard mom breathe that sigh of relief, and then ... "Mom, it's a girl" ... and I think my mom danced a jig right there on the other end of the line.
Ahhhh. I think we must never get tired of telling our "birth day" stories, do we? I remember some of the silliest details about the days my kids were born, but half the time I can't tell you what I had for breakfast this morning. Whether they realize it or not, much of my world revolves around the two of them. I wouldn't have it any other way.
And so, this afternoon I will pick Rachel and three of her friends up from school (Sam, poor dear, will ride the bus home and hang out with Grandpa), I will take this gaggle of girls to have manicures, we will eat pizza, and celebrate Rachel's Year of Eleven. Said celebration also involves a sleepover, so please pray for me!
Happy Friday.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Mourning cheese.
Seriously. Cheese is a big deal in this house. We love it.
But I no longer eat it because I am allergic to cow's milk.
Sad, sad panda.
It's been long enough since my allergy tests that I had come full circle from "thank God I now know what's bothering me and I can avoid those things" to "maybe it's not that serious and I will be fine if I just have a dab of sour cream on my tacos ... or three slices of cheesy pizza ... or a bowl of cereal with milk." Would that be the "bargaining" stage of grief?
Now I am back to square one, having convinced myself that yes, this is a real issue I need to deal with, and by gosh I'll be a better person and probably a more fit person if I do. I spent the tail end of last week paying little mind to what I was eating, and then paying the price for it. It's time to get serious. So I reached out to a friend who recently discovered she has some major food allergies and asked her for some guidance and encouragement. God bless her, she validated my feelings of grief and pointed me toward some great resources for dairy-free living.
Call me dramatic, but dangit this hurts. Think of all those comfort foods and their creamy goodness that I can no longer eat. Like mac-n-cheese. Biscuits and gravy. Cream of mushroom soup. Breads, cookies, pastries. What's a caprese salad without mozzarella?? Or an egg sandwich without a slice of cheddar? It's shocking, really, how many foods have some sort of milk product in their ingredients lists. Over the weekend I stopped at the grocery store to pick up just a few things and I spent almost an hour looking over the labels of every single thing I put in my cart. This is a lifestyle change, and lifestyle changes take no small amount of effort.
The good news is there are folks out there who have done a lot of the work for people like me who are new to this. Web sites about living with allergies abound. And there are some great alternative foods on the market, too. So rather than look at my allergies as limiting, little by little I am seeing them as a catalyst to broadening my palate. Instead of focusing on what I can't have (oh, I have allergies to pork and white potatoes, too), I am doing my level best to turn my focus to all the things I still can have.
Today I think I'm having a bit of withdrawal ... a fabulous reminder of why I'm making these changes. I look forward to feeling much better in a few days. I'll keep you posted.
But I no longer eat it because I am allergic to cow's milk.
Sad, sad panda.
It's been long enough since my allergy tests that I had come full circle from "thank God I now know what's bothering me and I can avoid those things" to "maybe it's not that serious and I will be fine if I just have a dab of sour cream on my tacos ... or three slices of cheesy pizza ... or a bowl of cereal with milk." Would that be the "bargaining" stage of grief?
Now I am back to square one, having convinced myself that yes, this is a real issue I need to deal with, and by gosh I'll be a better person and probably a more fit person if I do. I spent the tail end of last week paying little mind to what I was eating, and then paying the price for it. It's time to get serious. So I reached out to a friend who recently discovered she has some major food allergies and asked her for some guidance and encouragement. God bless her, she validated my feelings of grief and pointed me toward some great resources for dairy-free living.
Call me dramatic, but dangit this hurts. Think of all those comfort foods and their creamy goodness that I can no longer eat. Like mac-n-cheese. Biscuits and gravy. Cream of mushroom soup. Breads, cookies, pastries. What's a caprese salad without mozzarella?? Or an egg sandwich without a slice of cheddar? It's shocking, really, how many foods have some sort of milk product in their ingredients lists. Over the weekend I stopped at the grocery store to pick up just a few things and I spent almost an hour looking over the labels of every single thing I put in my cart. This is a lifestyle change, and lifestyle changes take no small amount of effort.
The good news is there are folks out there who have done a lot of the work for people like me who are new to this. Web sites about living with allergies abound. And there are some great alternative foods on the market, too. So rather than look at my allergies as limiting, little by little I am seeing them as a catalyst to broadening my palate. Instead of focusing on what I can't have (oh, I have allergies to pork and white potatoes, too), I am doing my level best to turn my focus to all the things I still can have.
Today I think I'm having a bit of withdrawal ... a fabulous reminder of why I'm making these changes. I look forward to feeling much better in a few days. I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
The only thing we can really count on ... is change.
Forget death and taxes. "Change" is forever the word of the day for the Pipe Lifers. What's that they say? "A rolling stone gathers no moss?" I suppose back in the day being a "rolling stone" was not such a great thing. Always moving around, never sticking in one place or with one task for very long doesn't give a person (or family) time to grow roots ... hence, not much stability.
But I look at it differently. My life never lacks excitement; I'm always on my toes. There's no risk of monotony here (with the exception of the weather, but that's par for the course during Michigan winters). And I wouldn't know how to live any other way. Except that my life is all about being adaptable, so if I ever had a stretch of all-the-same-all-the-time I'd figure that out, too.
Here's the thing, though: I'm a girl who loves a plan. I have a need to know what's ahead. Good, bad or ugly, just let me know so I can be prepared ... that's what I'm always telling Steve. I am forever running through scenarios and what-ifs in my mind, and that's not always a bad thing. It's not worry, per se (though I've done my share of that, too), just a need to be one step ahead. No surprises. Even if we're taking the road less traveled, please just give me some notice so I can pack a bag, ya' know?
And so it is, and has been with us lately.
Not more than a week ago Steve was telling me he'd be working in Colorado longer than expected. I was making plans to fly out there with the kids for spring break at the end of March. I was also slightly cranky that our income taxes were still sitting on the accountant's desk, not done yet. I was counting on that refund to buy some plane tickets.
Well. God has His own timing, doesn't He? Steve may be leaving Colorado in the next couple weeks, taking a short-term job closer to home to get us by until the next big project - the one we've been waiting on - starts around the first of May.
And that would be a good thing, because having Steve within a day's drive from home would make it much easier for us to visit. I haven't seen my sweetheart since December 30th and that's just too long.
I'm sure glad I didn't have a chance to buy those plane tickets to CO. Hmph.
Of course nothing is ever "official" until it actually happens, so I try not to get too excited. The key for me is staying busy here at home, and I've certainly been doing that lately. Aside from the usual shuttling kids around and keeping the household running smoothly, there's always plenty of organizing and decluttering to do, and I've gotten some painting done in the kitchen and the hall bath. This week Sam and I tore up the nasty old carpet in the living room. I don't have anything to replace it with yet, but I'm not scared to walk around on sub-floors for a while. (Helloooo, summer project.) My allergy-prone body is already thanking me for getting that carpet out of here. Steve's not gonna' recognize the place by the time he gets home again.
And the dogs, of course, keep me busy while the kids are at school during the day. I'm looking forward to warmer weather when I can enjoy being outside with them as much as they enjoy being out there.
That's about all I've got as far as updates on us. Not a whole lot of news ... and that's not all bad.
But I look at it differently. My life never lacks excitement; I'm always on my toes. There's no risk of monotony here (with the exception of the weather, but that's par for the course during Michigan winters). And I wouldn't know how to live any other way. Except that my life is all about being adaptable, so if I ever had a stretch of all-the-same-all-the-time I'd figure that out, too.
Here's the thing, though: I'm a girl who loves a plan. I have a need to know what's ahead. Good, bad or ugly, just let me know so I can be prepared ... that's what I'm always telling Steve. I am forever running through scenarios and what-ifs in my mind, and that's not always a bad thing. It's not worry, per se (though I've done my share of that, too), just a need to be one step ahead. No surprises. Even if we're taking the road less traveled, please just give me some notice so I can pack a bag, ya' know?
And so it is, and has been with us lately.
Not more than a week ago Steve was telling me he'd be working in Colorado longer than expected. I was making plans to fly out there with the kids for spring break at the end of March. I was also slightly cranky that our income taxes were still sitting on the accountant's desk, not done yet. I was counting on that refund to buy some plane tickets.
Well. God has His own timing, doesn't He? Steve may be leaving Colorado in the next couple weeks, taking a short-term job closer to home to get us by until the next big project - the one we've been waiting on - starts around the first of May.
And that would be a good thing, because having Steve within a day's drive from home would make it much easier for us to visit. I haven't seen my sweetheart since December 30th and that's just too long.
I'm sure glad I didn't have a chance to buy those plane tickets to CO. Hmph.
Of course nothing is ever "official" until it actually happens, so I try not to get too excited. The key for me is staying busy here at home, and I've certainly been doing that lately. Aside from the usual shuttling kids around and keeping the household running smoothly, there's always plenty of organizing and decluttering to do, and I've gotten some painting done in the kitchen and the hall bath. This week Sam and I tore up the nasty old carpet in the living room. I don't have anything to replace it with yet, but I'm not scared to walk around on sub-floors for a while. (Helloooo, summer project.) My allergy-prone body is already thanking me for getting that carpet out of here. Steve's not gonna' recognize the place by the time he gets home again.
And the dogs, of course, keep me busy while the kids are at school during the day. I'm looking forward to warmer weather when I can enjoy being outside with them as much as they enjoy being out there.
That's about all I've got as far as updates on us. Not a whole lot of news ... and that's not all bad.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Catching up. And ... the Globetrotters!
Dang. It's been two weeks since I last posted. (I always feel like I'm going to confession when I say that. And I'm not even Catholic.) Anywho, life has been moving along at a swift pace and the big story of the day - whether it be health, job, weather, or child-related - just depends on the day.
Today I am thankful it's Friday. Kinda' wishing it was payday Friday, but nonetheless thankful that the weekend is more or less upon us. Because, frankly? I am tired of little people being angry at me just for doing my job and sending them off to school every day. Well. Every day that they have school, anyway, and they're not too sick to go. Between illness and crazy weather it's a crapshoot lately.
Aside from the occasional crankiness from the offspring, and some dreary-weather-induced sleepiness, things are good these days. I feel like I'm in a groove ... not to be confused with a rut, which I am also quite familiar with. No, this is definitely a groove - a good one - and I am thankful for God's eternal grace. Because I can get a little cranky sometimes, too. *ahem*
So let's see.
Kids. At parent/teacher conferences I heard glowing reports from Rachel's teachers. She is a straight-A student, is "just the right amount" of competitive, is a joy to have in the classroom, is helpful to others and meticulous in her work. Sam? Has a lot of potential. His grades do not reflect his natural ability to soak up information like a sponge. He doesn't need notes to ace open-note tests (and it's a good thing because he never takes any notes). Sam is the kind of kid who adults who have had to work so hard for everything get incredibly frustrated with, and some tell him so. But telling a 14-yr-old boy that if he doesn't apply himself today he'll regret it in 10 years is not a great source of motivation. Alas, we continue to search for the ultimate motivator. It's a moving target.
Steve is still in Colorado, and will be there a bit longer than originally planned. He knows where he is headed next - Kentucky - but that job keeps getting pushed back to a later start date. I am really trying to look at this in a positive light, even though it means I don't really know when I'll see him again. It's definitely a good thing that he has been working all winter. And the longer he stays in CO the better chance the rest of us have at making a trip out there and seeing a place we've never seen before. He's renting a cozy little apartment there, which I think makes it a little easier to be away from home. And the weather's not half bad where he is. But I sure do miss him.
As for me, I've been keeping busy around the house, checking things off my to-do list and generally holding things together. Much to the dismay of my children I have been keeping pretty good tabs on the housekeeping (and those who know me know this is quite an accomplishment). Keeping things picked up makes it much easier to vacuum and dust on a regular basis, which keeps my wicked allergies at bay. And speaking of those allergies, I am currently doing some food "challenges" to test my body's reaction to foods I am sensitive to. I pick one (this week it's white potatoes) and eliminate it from my diet for four days, then eat a bunch of it on the fifth day. I have to take note of everything I eat, how I feel all day long, yada yada. Fun times.
I've also been working with the dogs several times each day. Teaching an old dog new habits (forget the tricks) is proving much harder than teaching the ginormous puppy. I try to reserve judgment about Ladybug's intellect and hope my persistence pays off. I just want to be able to greet guests without having to apologize for my dogs' obnoxiousness. Is that too much to ask?
Other than that, it's been more of the same ... budget and pay bills, taxi kids here and there, laundry, cooking and cleaning, wash, rinse, repeat.
Oh! I got a seed catalog in the mail the other day. *happy sigh* My garden beds might be covered in snow now, but it won't be long ...
And finally, the kids and I and their Aunt Sue went to see the Harlem Globetrotters last weekend. My brother-in-law and Sue had received the tickets as a gift at his company's Christmas party and he wasn't interested in going, so Sue and I took the kids. It was a total blast. We were able to go in early and hang out on the court with some of the team members, take pictures, and then stay for the game. It was a great experience and we made some lasting memories.
Here are a few pictures:
Today I am thankful it's Friday. Kinda' wishing it was payday Friday, but nonetheless thankful that the weekend is more or less upon us. Because, frankly? I am tired of little people being angry at me just for doing my job and sending them off to school every day. Well. Every day that they have school, anyway, and they're not too sick to go. Between illness and crazy weather it's a crapshoot lately.
Aside from the occasional crankiness from the offspring, and some dreary-weather-induced sleepiness, things are good these days. I feel like I'm in a groove ... not to be confused with a rut, which I am also quite familiar with. No, this is definitely a groove - a good one - and I am thankful for God's eternal grace. Because I can get a little cranky sometimes, too. *ahem*
So let's see.
Kids. At parent/teacher conferences I heard glowing reports from Rachel's teachers. She is a straight-A student, is "just the right amount" of competitive, is a joy to have in the classroom, is helpful to others and meticulous in her work. Sam? Has a lot of potential. His grades do not reflect his natural ability to soak up information like a sponge. He doesn't need notes to ace open-note tests (and it's a good thing because he never takes any notes). Sam is the kind of kid who adults who have had to work so hard for everything get incredibly frustrated with, and some tell him so. But telling a 14-yr-old boy that if he doesn't apply himself today he'll regret it in 10 years is not a great source of motivation. Alas, we continue to search for the ultimate motivator. It's a moving target.
Steve is still in Colorado, and will be there a bit longer than originally planned. He knows where he is headed next - Kentucky - but that job keeps getting pushed back to a later start date. I am really trying to look at this in a positive light, even though it means I don't really know when I'll see him again. It's definitely a good thing that he has been working all winter. And the longer he stays in CO the better chance the rest of us have at making a trip out there and seeing a place we've never seen before. He's renting a cozy little apartment there, which I think makes it a little easier to be away from home. And the weather's not half bad where he is. But I sure do miss him.
As for me, I've been keeping busy around the house, checking things off my to-do list and generally holding things together. Much to the dismay of my children I have been keeping pretty good tabs on the housekeeping (and those who know me know this is quite an accomplishment). Keeping things picked up makes it much easier to vacuum and dust on a regular basis, which keeps my wicked allergies at bay. And speaking of those allergies, I am currently doing some food "challenges" to test my body's reaction to foods I am sensitive to. I pick one (this week it's white potatoes) and eliminate it from my diet for four days, then eat a bunch of it on the fifth day. I have to take note of everything I eat, how I feel all day long, yada yada. Fun times.
I've also been working with the dogs several times each day. Teaching an old dog new habits (forget the tricks) is proving much harder than teaching the ginormous puppy. I try to reserve judgment about Ladybug's intellect and hope my persistence pays off. I just want to be able to greet guests without having to apologize for my dogs' obnoxiousness. Is that too much to ask?
Other than that, it's been more of the same ... budget and pay bills, taxi kids here and there, laundry, cooking and cleaning, wash, rinse, repeat.
Oh! I got a seed catalog in the mail the other day. *happy sigh* My garden beds might be covered in snow now, but it won't be long ...
And finally, the kids and I and their Aunt Sue went to see the Harlem Globetrotters last weekend. My brother-in-law and Sue had received the tickets as a gift at his company's Christmas party and he wasn't interested in going, so Sue and I took the kids. It was a total blast. We were able to go in early and hang out on the court with some of the team members, take pictures, and then stay for the game. It was a great experience and we made some lasting memories.
Here are a few pictures:
Teenage boy would not smile to save his life.
Pre-game fun on the court. That really tall guy? That's Stretch. He's 7'4".
Courtside, baby!
"Mom. Would you stop taking pictures?"
Handles helped us spin the ball on our fingers. This guy was hilarious throughout the game.
MC with Globie the mascot.
Check out Bull up there on the basket. He was actually dancing up there.
And ... autographs after the game.
Good times.
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