Some new things

There have been a few changes in our house.  When Andrew's chair arrived, we decided to move his old chair into our front room.  It was in decent shape, and the furniture store couldn't take it, so we decided to hold on to it.  Adding a chair into our front room required rearranging, and ultimately there will be a table headed to storage.

Additionally, we didn't like how the recliner looked, so we ended up completely rearranging our family room.  As it turns out, I really love the arrangement.  It actually really opens up the space.  I love that we can look out the windows, and I love that our fireplace is now "part" of our room.  We decided though, that the table the TV was sitting on wouldn't work, so we ended up changing out a table in the dining room, and we also moved the wine fridge into the dining room.  There were also a lot of decorations and pictures that needed to be moved.  Lots and lots of changes occurred.  

As much as I hated change, I'm enjoying it right now.  It makes things feel a little fresh, and there are many things I appreciate it about the new arrangement.  It feels peaceful.

Another change...Thomas is officially employed and in the system at the university.  He'll start his new job in two weeks.  We are very proud of him!

So grateful for an afternoon off

 I am so incredibly grateful that I had this afternoon off.  We had purchased a new recliner, and delivery was scheduled for this afternoon.  Work had told me I could leave, and since I'm not overly busy, I decided I would just go ahead and take the entire afternoon off.  It was so nice to be able to do this.  Thomas's tennis match was down in Cinci, so I wasn't going there.  Andrew had a baseball game and then needed to run an errand.  I've had five solid hours of quiet, and I was able to work on things around the house.  It's been truly, truly lovely, and the weather has also been ideal.  I needed this!

Hands down, my least favorite date each year

Today is my dad's birthday.  It is hands down, my least favorite date each year, because he isn't here to celebrate.  Even Father's Day is okay.  I can still celebrate Andrew and my father-in-law.  Same with Christmas and other holidays.  I miss him, but there is still much to celebrate.  Today though, today there is nothing else to celebrate except his birthday.  It is the eighth birthday without him, and it still hurts.  He sure would have enjoyed seeing my kids become adults, and especially Thomas, who would've loved sharing so many hobbies with him.  I'm so grateful Dad is no longer suffering, and I wish him a very happy heavenly birthday!

I really needed this weekend

I really, truly needed this weekend.  I had not one single thing on the calendar.  In fact, none of us had anything, although Andrew ended up having an hour of baseball practice yesterday.  He also had to run out to my aunt & uncle's house, but generally speaking, we had a completely unscheduled weekend.  I needed this expanse of downtime.  I was able to get significant amounts of laundry finished, I was able to get things picked up, I was able to get organized, and I was able to do some relaxing.  It was a blissful weekend in that regard, and I'm so very grateful.

The weather has significantly improved around here, and I'm hoping to have the opportunity to make the house ready for spring.  Thomas got out our hammock and our swing and our patio furniture.  It's going to be a really warm week, and on Tuesday we are even supposed to be in the low 80's...quite a change from the middle of last week!

We also had exciting new for Thomas...he has a job!  He was hired at the pool at the university.  I was very excited because that is a job that he can have year-round.  He's going to have a busy summer.  I am so proud of him!

We are down to 23 days of school left.  Even though I have to work this summer, it will be so nice to have this school year behind us!

Double shots

I am happy to report that as of today, both of the kids have received both of their COVID vaccination shots.  Thomas has had no reactions.  Catherine just received her second shot today, and I know she was fine as of this afternoon.  I suspect she won't have any serious reactions either.  I know that we have two weeks until they are considered fully vaccinated, but I'm definitely grateful they are on that path!

A weather day for record books

Today was a bizarre weather day.  We received record-setting snow this morning that was measurable in inches.  It was crazy!  Then things melted like crazy as the sun came out.  It was a lovely afternoon, until about 3:00.  It started flurrying again, and by 3:30 it was an all out snow burst.  Thankfully, Thomas's tennis match was cancelled because I was not excited about that.

I had a meeting at church this evening.  I was driving home, and couldn't understand why I couldn't see the road ahead of me.  I suddenly realized it was snowing/sleeting/raining, and then all of a sudden there was lightning.  The wind picked up and it was a crazy five minutes.  It had been fine in town, then as I drove east it just kept getting worse.  It was the strangest weather day I have experienced in quite some time...maybe ever!

Not to worry though, the forecast for Tuesday is 80 degrees.  Gotta love Ohio in April!!!!

A tennis victory

Today, Thomas's tennis match was against the parochial school in the neighboring town.  Because the match starts just as I get off work, I don't usually go the away meets because by the time I get there, the match would be over.  Unfortunately, I missed Thomas's first tennis win!  I am so excited for him.  He's not yet even an average tennis player, but everyone deserves to feel victory, even if not frequent.  I am so excited for him, and I love his enthusiasm about it all!

Also, Andrew's team had a come-from-behind-walk-off victory in their baseball game.  That was exciting as well.  So happy for everyone!

It isn't supposed to happen this way

Yesterday, Andrew's team had the fifth game of the week, and it rained during the game.  The boys were tired, and the weather was unpleasant.  And then there were the emotions that had nothing to do with the game.  The father of one of the young men had been fighting COVID for quite some time.  Things were not good, and he had been on life support.  Andrew had received an email late Friday that the family had decided to discontinue life support.  The young man had let it be known that he still wanted to play in yesterday's game.  The boys knew what had happened, and it made emotions difficult.

Sadly, the young man is not the only player on the team who has lost his father.  Another player lost his father a couple of years ago, and things like this just aren't supposed to happen.  It makes me so sad that these boys have to deal with this, and it breaks my heart for the wives/mothers who have to navigate life in this unexpected manner.  Of course that makes me think of our friend who lost her husband just weeks ago.  This was not how she expected these years to go.  Even though the boys are grown men, they are still young and it just isn't supposed to be this way.

It's been a time of much prayer.  Prayers have been sent for peace and comfort, and of course prayers of gratitude have been sent as well.

Prom dress shopping

Our school has decided that a prom will be held this year, and they are inviting back the class of 2020.  Since Catherine didn't go to her junior prom, she really wants to go to this.  It's not really a prom as we would normally know it, as it will be outdoors, and only our students in the classes of '20, '21, & '22 are allowed to go.  I doubt that many students from '20 will want to attend, but Catherine does, and we went shopping.  

I don't love shopping, but honestly, we had a really nice time.  She enjoyed trying on so many different dresses, and we even found some lovely dresses on the clearance rack at less than $20 so she came home with more than one.  Normally prom dresses are long gowns, but Catherine is so short, and with only two weeks remaining we opted for a shorter, yet still very fancy dress.  Today we will spend some time shopping for shoes.

I'm grateful to get to share these moments with my kiddos.  I try to never take for granted all of our blessings!

I have amazing kids

Yesterday, when I got home, I could tell Thomas was upset.  It turns out his grades aren't very good at the moment.  He wrote us an amazing email about how he understands this isn't okay, that he had already placed his phone in the basket, told his friends he wouldn't be able to communicate, and understood if we took away his driving privileges.  I was so impressed at the way he owned the problem and reacted.  While this is what I would always hope for my children, I'm still living with the memories of the oldest.  We could be standing there with the proof in our hands, and not only would he deny it had happened, he would then change the subject and make himself the victim.  The fact that Thomas "got ahead" of the issue made me proud.  

Catherine has also been amazing.  Her grades are much better this semester, and she is pleased with her efforts, as she should be.  She has been awesome around the house with helping, but also enjoys her time at her place.  

I am so, so grateful for my kids.  More so than I can even put into words!

It feels like we've hit the brakes

For some reason, I feel like the brakes have been put on time.  This week feels like it is taking forever.  Each minute feels like it drags on, each hour feels like it is more than 60 minutes, and I have no idea how it is only Wednesday.  It is seriously dragging.

I've also had a bit of a band crisis...something happened on my computer, and I lost the last two years of financial information.  I have a significant amount of paper trail, but ugh.  It is taking a tremendous amount of time to recreate, and not all information is specific so it requires additional digging.  This is not fun.

We are looking into taking some trips this summer.  Andrew and I are hoping to take a couple of days just for the two of us, and then later do a family trip.  No clue as to how or when, but we are hoping to make some things happen.  Maybe it is the anticipation that is making the week feel like it has screeched to a halt.

Catherine comes home tomorrow.  I am looking forward to a weekend of family time!

A working Friday

I have been off the last two Fridays with Spring Break and Good Friday.  The Friday before, I worked but we had not students.  In fact, I've only worked that Friday and another Friday in the last six weeks due to traveling for the funeral and our vaccinations, so only one with students.

I can't complain about today though.  It was a really lovely day.  The Head of School was gone for the day, and I had plenty to do, but it wasn't chaotic.  I was able to call cars, which I really enjoyed.  

I had thought that I would come home and really be productive.  Andrew is coaching a game and Thomas has an away tennis match.  Instead, I came home and took a nap.  I have A LOT to do this weekend, but I'm not going to feel guilty for enjoying my Friday afternoon!

Great news for Thomas

Thomas has had a great week!  Today was the best.  He received news he had been waiting for.  He has been selected to be a delegate to the American Legion Boys' State convention this summer.  We are so excited for him.  My sister was a delegate to girls' state 28 years ago.  This is going to be a great experience for him, and we are so very excited.  History/Government/Social Studies has been his favorite subject, so this is awesome for him.  We are so, so very excited, and very proud.

Tennis is also going really well.  In his second match last week, he played singles, and he played better even then earlier in the week.  In this past week, Monday he played singles again, but I missed most of it by working.  Yesterday's match had him playing doubles again, and they played really well together!  In fact, they won the first set.  Unfortunately, they lost the match overall, but they played really, really well.  There were good serves and lots of volleys.  It's been a great week for him!

Easter weekend

It's been a very quiet weekend.  Andrew and the kids went to his parents.  I opted to stay home because my job doesn't really want me to travel.  I also thought my grandmother might want to get together since my aunt & uncle were going to be at her house, but it didn't work out that way.  I had dinner with my mother last evening, and I've enjoyed the quiet while cleaning pretty much the entire house today.  Tomorrow, our dear friends invited me to dinner, so I'll head over there mid-afternoon.  While I don't look forward to it being this quiet regularly, I've appreciated it for the weekend.

Our week was definitely not quiet, but I enjoyed it.  Catherine was home all week, and honestly that always makes life better.  I so truly love watching Catherine and Thomas interact.  I am so grateful they are as close as they are.

Thomas had two tennis matches this week.  The second one was better than the first.  He played singles in the second match, which required that he move around more.  Andrew had a baseball game that was an exciting walk off win, but we weren't at the game.  I was able to get the kids scheduled for their first COVID shots and that was the evening for Thomas.

The weather on Thursday was definitely an April Fool's joke as we woke up to snow.  It got colder as the day progressed, and I was grateful that the sporting events for the evening were cancelled.  It meant that we got an evening together with all four of us.  We didn't do anything exciting, but I always appreciate the evenings we have together, especially since they were all taking off for the weekend.

I am so grateful for the blessings in life, and I'm especially grateful for my faith this Easter weekend!