It was definitely not how I planned to spend my Sunday

Today we headed north to have lunch with my grandmother, mother, and sister.  We originally had planned to do this last weekend, but with sick kids we rescheduled.  We were all bringing food, and Abby was even going along with us.  I was looking forward to the afternoon.

Unfortunately, we developed van trouble on the way up to Grandma's house.  By the time we got there, there was a hot smell coming from the vehicle and I was afraid to drive it the 60 miles back to our house.  Both my mom and sister, who have extra vehicles, had a car in the shop so we couldn't borrow a vehicle from them.  My grandmother very graciously offered us the use of her car, but I hated to leave her without a vehicle.  However, Andrew pointed out that he had his lesson planning finished for the week, and it would be easy to get it back to her this evening.  So, that's what we did.  I certainly didn't plan to be in the car for 240 miles today (nearly a trip to my in-laws!), but I am grateful that for the most part things have worked out.  Now, we just wait to hear the verdict on a diagnosis and cost!

We've been watching the Olympics

As we always do, our family has been spending a lot of time watching the Olympics.  I regretted that we weren't able to share the Opening Ceremonies together, but we've been spending lots of time watching since then.  I love that Thomas is even following the Olympics on his phone and getting alerts (although he is currently grounded from his phone).  When Robert was home yesterday he was sitting and watching it with me.  It isn't nearly as exciting as the summer Olympics for the Americans, but we are enjoying it none-the-less!

My morning made me a little grumpy

I'll be honest, I started my morning on a bit of a grumpy note.  It actually started last night when I was trying to go to sleep.  I went to bed early, but couldn't sleep.  I was freezing because the temps have dropped again, but as soon as Andrew came to bed (about 45 minutes later) I was so hot in bed I was sweating.  I am having trouble regulating my temperature these days.  Anyway, about 45 minutes after Andrew came to bed, I think I had started to doze off when we heard our dog barking.  Andrew had taken her out right before he came to bed so he decided it must've been because Catherine's night light was burnt out.  I found another one, we plugged it in, and tried going back to bed.  About ten minutes later, more barking.  By this point we were both pretty annoyed.  We got up and opened Catherine's door, and Abby ran into the family room.  She really just wanted to be with Andrew it seemed, so we brought her into our bed.  She settled down shortly and slept there all night.  I didn't really notice her there during the night, but she slept predominantly on Andrew's side of the bed.  Catherine wasn't pleased that Abby didn't want to sleep with her, and Andrew and I were not thrilled either.  Hopefully it was a one time thing.

This morning, I woke up before 4:00 having had a bad dream.  In the dream, I was young and not yet married.  I had gone to Andrew's place and had let myself in with the key he had given me.  When he returned, it was evident he was cheating on me (with the woman who was with him), and accused me of breaking in because he would never have given me a key.  I was so upset by the dream that I couldn't go back to sleep (just a note...there are absolutely NO problems in our marriage...just a strange and unpleasant dream).  I had about 4-1/2 hours of sleep, which isn't really what I am going for.

Andrew also decided he wasn't really in the mood to stick to his time schedule this morning, which would've been okay, except that my getting ready and being on time is dependent on him being out of the bathroom at a certain time.  He keeps pointing out that on days he doesn't have to walk Abby he doesn't need to be in the shower at that time.  I point out that on the days he doesn't have to walk Abby, I don't have to work so it doesn't matter when I take a shower.  I was running behind and doing some scrambling, and I still needed to feed the outdoor cats.  I wasn't going to make them wait all day for their food!  It was dark so I couldn't really see what I was doing, and our back yard is an absolute swamp (we are in a heavy rain pattern where we are forecasted to receive nearly 4" of rain by Sunday morning).  I have no idea how I managed to get here without the bottom half of me covered in mud.

Overall though, it is a good day.  We have all made it to school safely, and there is only one more day left in this week.  We don't have a terribly busy weekend happening, and next week should be fairly uneventful as well.  And just in case you didn't know, today is National Margarita Day!  Ours are frozen in our freezer! 😁😁

A sick kid at home

Yesterday afternoon Robert texted me that he was running a fever.  It was nearly the end of his school day so I told him to just gut it out...there was less than an hour left and since I was working, it was probably going to take me an hour to get there.  The nurse called 45 minutes later to tell me it had spiked.  We think that was a mistake because by the time he got off the bus it was back down to the first number, and shortly after dinner it was completely normal.  However, he was coughing a great deal and I decided I wouldn't take any jobs today until this morning, if he didn't go to school.   I told Andrew I really thought it was a good idea that he stay home no matter what, because I am already working tomorrow, and Friday I have to spend the day driving Thomas around for his job shadowing requirement.  When my alarm went off this morning, Robert agreed it was a good idea to stay home.  We both acknowledge he probably could've gone today, but given everything I truly think it is best that he stayed home today.

I missed out on taking a job I like, but it meant I was able to get a little bit of extra sleep, and I've been able to get a lot done around the house right now.  It is early release day so Catherine and Thomas will be home early, and I need to run to the church office and take care of some band errands.  I am so grateful for the flexibility of my job, and the support of my husband who completely agrees with these choices!

Having a foot in two different worlds

As a parent who has children with 4-1/2 years between the oldest and the youngest, I often felt as though we sometimes lived in different worlds.  It isn't quite so bad right now with all of them being teens, but the year Robert was in high school and Thomas was still in elementary it was very tough.  When they were very little I often felt Robert didn't always get to do things some of his peers might have been doing because we still had a little one around, and with Thomas I often felt he was exposed to things sooner than I would've liked since he was the youngest.  It is a fact of life with parenting though.

Right now though, I am watching Thomas live with feet in both worlds.  It suddenly dawned on me the other day how long it had been since any of his stuffed dogs had come off his bed and out into our living room to "visit" with us.  It wasn't that long ago that the first question he used to ask when getting in the door at the end of the day was "How are the puppies?"  When I realized this the other day, my eyes began to tear up.  I know that some of is has to do with the fact that we now have our sweet Abby, and a real dog is so much better than one that isn't.  I also know though, that he is growing up and those just aren't going to be the part of his life that they used to be.  I know that is a good thing, but oh it breaks my heart a little.

I mentioned it to him this weekend that I hadn't seen the dogs lately.  It was so cute because when he got up Sunday morning, he decided he needed to bring one out to me.  Thomas had a friend spend the night Sunday evening and there was a lot of "boy" things they did, but they aren't little boys anymore...they are definitely teens on their way to becoming young men.  I am so grateful for the people my kids are becoming, and I'm grateful to get to experience each phase, but I sure do miss my chubby cheek little boy, and his young siblings!

It turned out to be a very relaxing weekend

Our four day weekend turned out to be full of much relaxation.  I don't love having sick kids, but I did appreciate how it freed our weekend.  The only morning we had to set an alarm was Sunday, and even that was extremely reasonable.  It was so fabulous to feel so rested, and I enjoyed spending time together as a family.  We mostly just hung out and watched the Olympics.  Our family loves sports!

Four such fabulous days does make today's "back to reality" a bit of a slap in the face though.  I was so well rested I had some troubles falling asleep, and the extremely warm temps (today is in the 70's) we are currently experiencing don't help either.  It was too warm to sleep on our fleece sheets, but I am not changing them for just two nights.  By Thursday morning it could be snowing again.  And of course my husband sure can snore.  It was especially loud last evening.  He made the comment to me this morning that he hadn't slept well, and I kind of wanted to punch him!

This week is a rather light week though, and I'm grateful for that.  I am especially looking forward to family dinners!

It just hits too close to home

I really just can't stop thinking about this week's school shooting.  Fourteen teenagers, all between the ages of 14 (same age as Thomas) and 18 (same age as Robert) lost their lives.  Honestly, just typing that sentence makes me want to vomit.

And three adults were also killed.  One was a football coach, just like Andrew.  One was a a social studies teacher (just like Andrew) and he was also the cross country coach.  He died because he unlocked his door to let some students in who had been stranded in the hallway.  I know with absolutely no doubt that Andrew would have done exactly the same thing.  Again, sick to my stomach.

While I love the students at our school, I am not so naive as to think it can't happen here.  Two years ago, it happened at a school in our county, although gratefully no one was killed.  I know that the chances are so very slim, but they aren't zero.

I just don't even know how to put all of my thoughts into words.  I have so many things to write about this, but that will have to happen another time.

We don't have anywhere we have to be

This is day one of our four day weekend...and we have no where that we have to be.  I mean no one has to leave the house if we don't want to.  The last time we had a day even close to this was January 1, but even on that day I had to pick up the kids from my mom's house.  This day, on the other hand, has absolutely no specific schedule.  I plan to get some things done around the house, but I also hope to enjoy some family time.  Catherine is still feeling the effects of bronchitis, so she isn't up to doing much, but it's only day one of four days together!

The beginning of a four day weekend

We have arrived at the beginning of a four day weekend.  While I am always grateful for some extra time off, I wasn't sure how relaxing this weekend was actually going to be.  As it turns out, our scheduled has cleared rather dramatically.  Unfortunately, that is due in part to the fact that Catherine has bronchitis which pretty much eliminates almost everything she was going to be doing this weekend.  Some other schedules have changed and it just really frees us up for the weekend.  Given the sadness (and fear) I'm feeling about children these days, I am especially grateful to have this time together as a family.  I plan to treasure my family and hug my kiddos extra tight.

Such horrific sadness

The news from Florida is horrific.  Most days, every single member of my immediate family spends their days in a school building.  There aren't words for any of it.  Horrific doesn't cover it.  I can't imagine what those children have been though, and I can't imagine what the parents have been through.  I can't imagine any of it...and none of us would want to.

It was one year ago yesterday that I was on lockdown here at the high school, along with Catherine and Andrew.  Thomas got word at his middle school, and realized three of his family members were involved.  It turned out to be nothing, but obviously it doesn't always turn out that way.

Today, Catherine is home sick and Andrew is with her.  While I hate having sick kids, I take comfort in knowing that two of my family members are home, theoretically safe and sound (at least once they return from the doctor).  I am just so sickened at the evil in Florida, and feel lost on how to make things better.  Praying, but it doesn't seem to be enough.

This year's Valentine's Day

I have never been a romantic on Valentine's Day, especially when our anniversary was just six days ago.  Our evening will consist of family dinner of spaghetti and then Ash Wednesday services at church.  We do have a small gift for the kids along with some candy, and I have a card for Andrew.

However, I never lose sight of how lucky I am to be married to Andrew.  He is the best father I could ever ask for for my kids, and he is an amazing husband.  There are times his goofiness and lack of attention to detail make me a little crazy (like my previous post, where I have to ask him if he did certain things when he comes to bed...every night.  Or the fact that he forgot to pick up our child from basketball practice last evening), but I know that I couldn't ask for anyone more devoted or loving with whom to share my life.  I can't even put into words all of the things I love about him.  I love that we still make each other laugh, and we still love to spend our time together...even after all these years.  I love that he sometimes stops in to see me during the day when I am subbing, and that he enjoys when I stop to see him.  I don't need Valentine's Day to remind me how much I love my husband, or to feel loved by him.  I know it everyday!

I need to sleep better

Right now I am in a tough sleep pattern.  I am going to bed earlier than I ever have regularly in my life.  We are getting up every day at 5:00.  It is only about five minutes a day earlier than last year, but I feel much more tired.  I'm sure part of it is my age, part of it is the time of year (serious lack of sunlight), and part of it is probably the general stress level of having three teenagers.  I've never fallen asleep well, although it used to be when I was exhausted, I could fall asleep easily.  Not so right now.  In addition, when Andrew comes to bed, I wake myself up to interrogate him...did you lock the front door (the dog goes out after I go to bed)...did you bring in Robert's phone and the vehicle keys...did this or that happen?  In spite of the fact that I remind him when I got to bed, the answer from Andrew is often no and out he goes again.  I am generally sleeping solidly from 10:30 until about 1:30...so three "good" hours.  At that point, I begin to wake up every hour, and generally I am awake at 4:30 and can't go back to sleep.  This is not at all conducive to feeling rested.  I've tried drinking tea before bed, I'm not usually on my computer before bed...I'm just not sure what to do.  Hopefully this is a phase, and I can begin to sleep at least seven hours soon!

I woke up with a migraine

Last night when I went to bed, I could tell I was getting a headache and it had some traits that led me to believe it could become a migraine.  However, unlike last Tuesday night when it was so bad it kept me from sleeping well, I was able to sleep for the most part.  On the downside, I still woke up with and also unlike last week, there was no snow day to allow me to take something and go back to sleep.  I got up and immediately took something this morning, but it was getting worse and not better.  At one point my husband asked if I was going to be able to work today and my answer was that I would try.  Wednesdays are short days, so I was cautiously optimistic I could do it.

I am happy to report that it has been subsiding.  I haven't been able to totally get rid of it, but my eyes no longer hurt and I am no longer nauseated.  I still have over five hours left in my work day, but I did bring along some more medication if I need it.  I have a couple of things I need to do after work today, but some of them can be canceled or postponed if I can't get to feeling better.  Hopefully I am able to get a little bit of sleep all will be well!  Just one more school day this week after today!

This week isn't quite the same as last year

Last year, this week off between swim and track was wonderful.  Just like this year, it was a four day week leading to a four day weekend, and we had very few (in fact almost none) other commitments.  It was just fabulous.

This year it isn't quite the same.  Yesterday, Andrew had two meetings after school and it was nearly 6:00 before he got home.  Robert also had a Navy commitment and we were gone over an hour for that.  This evening Andrew had parent conferences, and I have two meetings to attend myself.  Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and our family is attending the service (and Thomas is acolyting).  Thursday evening Catherine has a club activity to attend, and Andrew may have a meeting as well.  It is not nearly as relaxing as last year, but it is what it is.  We still have next week which isn't too bad at this point.  It is still only a four day school week, and Robert only has track conditioning once.  And while I know I shouldn't wish away life, school is out in only 14 weeks!  I know that is not the right attitude, but I am just so very tired these days!

Six weeks into 2018

We have been into 2018 for six entire weeks now.  Time is flying by...again (or maybe still?).  Today is another Monday...but we only have four school days this week!  I suspect I might be working all four of them though...but I am not going to complain about that!

Our family a whole was feeling a little icky this weekend.  Catherine is definitely battling a cold, and Andrew had a slight one as well.  Robert was staying off his leg, and I didn't feel 100% either.  Thomas had confirmation class as part of his Sunday School yesterday and I was the adult volunteer during Sunday School, but then we came home and just spent the rest of the day laying low.  I felt badly that I didn't get more things finished, but then I realized I need to cut myself some slack.  I washed three loads of laundry, folded those and another three loads, finished our taxes, hand washed some dishes, emptied the dishwasher, made potato soup for dinner, and spent a great deal of time working on band stuff.  I understand that there are still so many more things I need to do, and yes, I probably had the time to get some of them finished, but it's not like I sat around all day and did nothing!

Someday I won't have so many dishes or clothes to wash, and I have no idea what I will do with all of my time.  Maybe I will live close enough that I can help with grandkids.  That would be a tremendous blessing!

Dislocated kneecap

This morning I was able to sleep in.  I stayed up waiting for Robert to get home from his swim meet last night, so he got up this morning to get Catherine to the bus for her meet, and for Robert to get off to his Navy event.  I hadn't slept well all week, so I really allowed myself to sleep.  By the time I got up, Robert had already returned from his Navy commitment.  He was in our living room as I was walking out of our bedroom hall, and as I saw him beginning to sit down on the couch, I heard a "pop".  Robert instantly grabbed his leg, and then said, "My knee is gone".  Sure enough, even through denim jeans, I could tell his knee cap had moved.  I yelled for Andrew, and by this point Robert was in tears.  He has a really high pain tolerance, so I knew he was in a lot of pain.  I also knew that he was thinking this could hurt his Navy career and was scared.  Robert couldn't walk and Andrew wanted to call an ambulance.  I didn't think that was necessary, but we did need help.  Andrew first called our doctor, who of course was not in on a Saturday morning.  He then called our school's athletic trainer.  Greg was wonderfully helpful.  Not only was he able to talk Andrew through relocating it, he spoke to Robert and told him that he needed to trust his dad and try to relax.  Fortunately, the pain and swelling have been minimal.  He had no where he needed to be today so he has been able to stay off of it for the most part.  It was so odd...all he did was try to sit down on the couch (although he did kind of plop onto our nice piece of furniture...maybe it was karma?) and the knee went out.  Certainly an interesting beginning to our day!

Dinner for our anniversary

Thursday we celebrated our anniversary, and for the first time in years, we actually went out to dinner that evening.  There is a tiny little Italian restaurant in town, and while I don't love the food, I enjoy the coziness of the place.  I especially loved the fact that Andrew and I got to go out on the actual date!  I am so grateful for my husband and our marriage every day, but I am especially happy to have the opportunity to celebrate our happiness!

Wearing my Dad's shirt

When I was a teenager in the late 80's and early 90's, baggy clothes that were too big and didn't really fit were the fashion style.  My dad was happy to give me sweaters and sweatshirts he no longer wanted, and I appreciated the extra wardrobe.  In the 30 years since I had donated most of them as Dad didn't want them back, but I did keep one sweater I had purchased for him at Christmas one year.  After he passed away, Robert received a few of his clothes, some were given to other family members, and most were donated.  However, his last Christmas, dad had asked for a flannel shirt, and we had given him one.  After he passed away, I brought that flannel shirt home, but hadn't worn it since just a few weeks after he died.  I remember putting it on that day and feeling like my dad was hugging me.

Last evening Andrew, Robert, and I attended the funeral visitation for our church member John.  We spent some minutes visiting with his daughters, and then spoke with his wife.  She mentioned how he had suffered so at the end and at 99, he'd had a good life.  She would miss him, but she wasn't sad he was no longer suffering.

I completely understand what she meant, even though Dad was 40 years younger when he passed away.  It is so hard to watch loved ones suffering, regardless of the age.  I understood the peace that comes with the passing of one who has suffered.  When I got home from the funeral home and wanted to change clothes, I put on my dad's shirt.  It was so soft and comfortable, and in many way, comforting.  I'm grateful for my memories, both tangible and those in my head.

Not enough sleep, and it kind of makes me want to cry

Tuesday night while I got a good amount of sleep, the quality lacked.  Last night was even worse, and the quantity wasn't even there.  Abby woke up in the middle of the night and wanted out, so I got up with her.  Of course then I couldn't fall back to sleep.  I am grateful that I am not working today.

Looking ahead though, I kind of want to cry.  Saturday morning Robert has to be leaving the house no later than 7:30, which means I have to be up no later than 7.  Sunday is my turn to be the extra adult volunteer at Sunday School so I have to be there early...another 7:30 wake up time.  I know for some people that is sleeping in and it is for us as well, but part of the way I can function with a 5AM wake up time during the week is getting lots of extra sleep on the weekends...and it doesn't happen by getting up with a "7" on the clock.  Next weekend is a four day weekend which should mean extra sleep...right?  Nope.  Catherine needs to be picked up from a school lock-in at 7AM that Friday which will mean getting up shortly after 6.  Saturday is one final day of swim, and I expect that we will have to be up no later than 7.  Andrew will be teaching Sunday School that Sunday, but I will get to sleep in until almost 8 unless something else comes up.  That Monday Robert has a Navy commitment that will involve leaving the house no later than 5:30AM.  Andrew is certainly willing to handle some of these responsibility, but I wake up when anyone else in the house is moving.  Andrew can sleep through things, so it often makes more sense to let him sleep and I'll handle it since I'll be up anyway.  The only reason it makes me want to cry right now is that I'm already exhausted, and I just don't know how I can catch up on the sleep, and work, and get things done around the house.  We'll get through though, and Andrew and I make a great team to get it done.

Another snow day at home

Based on the weather forecast, I was pretty sure today wasn't going to be any school today.  We were expected to get 1-3" of snow (they suspected the higher end was more probable) and it was going to begin around 1:00 and last through the morning commute.  About 6:00 last night we went on a 90 minute delay, which did at least allow us to set the alarms for a little later, but I expected to be home for the day.  Even with the delay, Robert would have to be on the bus at 7:00 and the other buses would be out on the roads shortly after 7:30.  Since it didn't sound as though the roads would clear up until mid-morning I was pretty sure it meant a day off.

I was right!  Shortly after 6:00 the text (and then subsequent phone calls) came that we were going to be home for the day!  Although I was scheduled to work and it meant losing that money, I'm not sure I could've made it through the day anyway.  I went to bed last night not feeling well, and fighting the beginning of a migraine.  All night I could feel that the migraine hadn't gone away, and strangely enough I was in significantly more pain when sleeping on my right side instead of my left.  Because I tend to be a sleeper that turns a lot during the night, the fact that I couldn't sleep on my right side was complicating my sleep.  I hadn't slept well at all, so I was grateful to be able to sleep later.  And the migraine went away after medicating when the phone calls came in, so I was especially grateful!

Everyone should be in school tomorrow and Friday, and I don't see any more snow days on the horizon.  I can't complain though.  Today was our 4th one of the year and that is twice as many as we had the last two years combined!

John will be missed

This past Sunday at church it was announced that a church member, John, had passed away.  I knew this was coming, and to be honest, I was dreading it.  This past fall he turned 99, and I knew he had been failing.  His daughter and I had emailed just this past week and she mentioned he was in pretty bad shape and her sisters were here.  Hearing the news Sunday morning made me so sad.  John was one of the gentlest people I'd ever met.  He was a WWII veteran, and Andrew especially loved hearing all of his stories.  I so sincerely regret that we never recorded them.  The man was always smiling when he spoke.  He was married for 63 years.  I know John's faith was strong and he was probably ready to go, but he will definitely be missed.

I loved our Saturday evening of laughter

Saturday Thomas had a double header for rec basketball...and it felt even longer than usual.  With two players unable to be there the team had no subs so everyone was gong to play ALL of BOTH games.  And to make it worse, the two missing players are the best on the team.  It made for some ugly moments, although it afforded Thomas the ability to get plenty of playing time, and he had some decent shots (one even went in!).  I was ready for a quiet evening, but Robert's choices were making it look like that wasn't going to happen.  Overall though, I thought Andrew and I handled it well, and things didn't spiral downhill as they often do when dealing with him. 

Our family decided to sit and watch a movie since none of us had anywhere to be that evening.  We chose one of my favorites, and there is nothing more I love than watching my kids laugh.  We were all curled up in our family room, and while I love my favorite scenes, I love watching the kids react to those scenes as well.  We are down to about six months of having all three kids living under our roof.  While there have been more challenging moments then I ever imagined, there have been so many incredibly fabulous ones as well.  I'm grateful for all of them!

We serve in other ways

At the end of January, our church served a pot luck lunch that was to be a prelude to learning how to serve the church.  It is specifically for jobs that are related to during the service.  I've often felt selfish, but I've just never been thrilled to serve our church in those ways.  My husband is on church council, and we are both part of the Christian Ed committee, but we generally speaking do not volunteer in roles during the service itself.  Yesterday, I realized we are still doing our part, and we are doing okay.

Andrew went early during Sunday School in order to be the Sunday School volunteer.  I did it twice in January, and will do it again next weekend.  All three kids were in the basement putting together submarine sandwiches as a youth group fundraiser.  Thomas was going to work the powerpoint, but Andrew agreed to do it for him since he was needed for the sub assembly.  I was the adult nursery volunteer, but both teen girls were there so I just needed to check in and relieve them briefly so they could partake in Communion.  It's a good thing I was sitting near Andrew at power point because Pastor decided to install this year's church council members so I needed to keep the power point going in his absence.

I was laughing to Andrew later.  I try to be very good about not judging others, but sometimes I need to show that same patience and understanding with myself.  We may not be serving front and center at the altar, but we serve in other ways!

SIx weeks since Christmas

It seems hard to believe that Christmas was six weeks ago already.  The time is flying by.  I know that I should lament this and not be grateful, but honestly, I want Robert to finish high school and graduate, and get himself into the Navy.  That is what needs to happen.  So far, so good, but I hold my breath and do lots of praying each day.

I also think this is just the rough part of winter.  It's cold, and the days of sunshine are so very short.  We had a delay this morning (a bit of a surprise) and it was so nice to be heading into school and not have it be pitch black outside.  We have a real shot for a snow day on Wednesday, and I'm cautiously optimistic we will get to sleep in.  I am scheduled to work that day, but if I don't get paid I would get to sleep in...win/win!

I love being off on a Friday

I am off today.  There were no high school jobs available, and I was thrilled to be home today.  I had a migraine this morning, so it worked out very well that I was home.  I was able to close my eyes and get a little more sleep.  I love that this leads right into the weekend.  I'll be honest, we have several things happening, but we should also be able to have some time together as a family.  The hard part of a Friday off is that because it leads right into the weekend, it's hard to find motivation.  I did get some dishes done though, and I'm grateful for a little down time!

This day is moving very slowly

All week I've been working in a math class.  I felt that the days moved quickly, although I couldn't specifically say why.  I just know that I don't remember feeling as though the days were dragging.

Today, however, is an entirely different story.  We still have two hours left in this day, and it feels as though it has really, really crawled today.  I usually really enjoy being in this class, but it has had some minor challenges today.  I'm also really tired from a busy week, and I'm sure that doesn't help.

I've also been doing a lot of praying for my kids today.  Thomas mentioned that he isn't sure who he is going to be able to room with on his D.C. trip coming up in May because no one wants to room with him.  He seemed okay with it at the time, but it absolutely broke my heart.  I try to remember to pray for each of my kids in what he/she might need each day, but that added to it.

And then I came to school today and have overheard so many conversations.  As a parent, they kind of scare me to my core.  Some of the things I'm overhearing about teens seem so dramatic, and some of the things just seem so mean.  More and more prayers.

I am hoping to be able to take a nap...and maybe even be off tomorrow!

The little things make me happy

A couple of years ago, some very dear friends got married.  They were both around 40, and they found combining their households to be challenging initially.  They began to realize they just had too much stuff, and decided they needed to do some decluttering.  I remember being told that they were using the method that if something didn't make them happy to see it or touch it, then it was gone.

I thought it sounded wonderful!  I quickly began to realize though, that I'm different.  I'm not entirely sure why, but little things do make me very happy.  Just after the holidays, I purchased two little wooden blocks.  One reads "We are do blessed", and one reads "Faith, hope, love".  It might sound ridiculous, but seeing them truly brings me joy.  Just as do the many pictures that are displayed throughout my home.  It may seem odd that these things have meaning to me, but they truly do.  They absolutely bring me joy.

At the same time, I have been able to get rid of things that don't bring me joy.  My kids were really impressed that I was throwing things away.  I am hoping to live something of a simpler life, but I'll be honest, that does require motivation that I don't really have right now!

Already the beginning of February

I really feel like January went by pretty quickly.  I think a lot of that is because by the middle of January, we had only had four school days, so it took us to the middle of the month before we were really in a routine.  Now we are at February, which is usually one of my least favorite months.  I am always grateful that it is a short one!  This year though, we have the Olympics, and our family absolutely loves watching the Olympics!  This year is going quickly!