Another week in April

Andrew has left to take his mother back to her house.  I'll be honest, I was really looking forward to the quiet time in the house.  My MIL is truly a lovely person, but it's just hard when she's here and I feel like I don't have any time to myself.  She laughed quite a bit at all of the craziness that happens with the pets here, and she laughed quite a bit as we continued to show her our shows.  Catherine came for another night during the week, and Thomas was here again for the weekend.  In less than two weeks, Thomas will have completed his freshman year of college and be home for the summer.  I'll be honest, I'm not sad about that.

We had fabulous weather all week, and we spent Thursday evening at Andrew's baseball game.  They played a local powerhouse, and lost big.  On the upside, it was a quick game that way.  It was Andrew's third game of the week, which also adds to the challenge of having his mom here.  I was swamped with work during the week, and this week is going to be even crazier.

I'm hoping I can being to write a little more frequently, although I'm not altogether sure I know what to write about.  The kids are grown and living their own lives.  I'm so grateful to be their mother!

Catching up on our lives

I didn't mean to have a two-week gap without writing!  Life has been busy, but mostly a good busy.

Right after I last wrote, Andrew and I made a trip to Tennessee to visit family.  Although we see them at least once a year, and usually more often, we hadn't been down to their place on Norris Lake in nearly nine years.  We had never been there this time of year either.  We noticed how it was definitely more spring down there then it was here at the time.  The hard part was that we had no cell connection, and I didn't love that my kids couldn't get a hold of me.  We ended up coming home that Friday evening instead of Saturday morning, and honestly, that was the best decision for a variety of reasons.  It gave us a lovely weekend at home, and we didn't have to travel in tough weather.

Baseball is in full force around here with Andrew's team.  I haven't been to any regular season games yet, but I'm sure I will this week.

Today is Easter.  It's been a very lovely day.  We were able to attend our church this morning as Andrew took his mom to a very early service.  My mom and her friend joined us here this afternoon for dinner.  Catherine had come home yesterday and Thomas was home since Thursday night and Andrew took him back this evening.  I loved that they were her together, even if only for 24-hours!  My heart feels full in so many ways.

A fabulous end to this week off

This week has been wonderful.  I am so grateful I had this week and that it went as it did.  Monday was spectacular.  I never left the house.  Tuesday was similar, but I did go to Andrew's baseball scrimmage that evening.  We grabbed Mexican out afterward.  Wednesday I went to the office to get some things done and also worked at church for a bit.  Andrew's game for that evening was cancelled, and it was so nice to be able to hang out together for the evening.  Thursday, I had to take my grandmother to an appointment, and then I did some shopping in my hometown.  Friday I ran a few errands and also did some more shopping.  I picked Thomas up from work, and he was off almost two hours early.  It was awesome to be home so early that evening.  Andrew had no practice or anything, and he had dinner waiting for us (re-heating pork I had made the night before).  We enjoyed having Thomas around and watching basketball.

The weekend was the perfect ending to the break.  We made a trip east yesterday in order to visit friends.  It is always a wonderful evening spent with them.  Catherine had arrived home while we were gone, and it was lovely to be able to spend some time with both of our kids before we went to bed.  I also loved knowing that the kids had spent the evening together.  Today we gathered with my mother, sister, and dear family friend to celebrate the friend's 50th birthday.  We grew up together, and his parents are both gone.  He never married and his brother and family live in South Carolina.  It was important to me that he be celebrated.  We had such fun together.  Andrew took Thomas back to school, and Catherine is spending the night with us again.  This weekend has made my heart so very full.

Andrew told me this morning that he was sorry I had spent so much time alone during my break.  It was exactly what I needed though.  This week, Andrew has his break, and we've been invited to spend time visiting family at Norris Lake.  I am very much looking forward to this.  I told Andrew I feel a little badly for imposing on his break, but we know we will enjoy this.

My cup runneth over, and I'm very grateful!

This might be my favorite day of the year

I am on spring break.  It is a break that could not be more needed.  Work has been crazy, and as my boss put it, logistically challenging on nearly a daily basis.  Last week I was standing in a classroom trying to determine whether or not we were going to be able to have school in that classroom because there was no water in the building due to plumbing issue.  One of the teachers said to me that she was sorry I was dealing with that, and my response was that I was sorry it wasn't the worst thing we were dealing with that day.  That would've been the long-time student who needed to be suspended.  Yep, lots of stress.

But now, we are off on an entire week.  It was a fun weekend with all basketball, all the time.  There were some good upsets, and I enjoyed the fact that I really had nowhere to be all weekend, except for taking Thomas back to college yesterday.

I had trouble sleeping last night, and I allowed myself to really sleep in this morning.  I've had nowhere to be today.  It really felt like a perfect day, and a day just entirely for me.  The sun is shining, and it's just been an amazing day.  Andrew has a baseball scrimmage, so he won't be home until about 7:00.  I needed this day that was just 100% for me.  I need to get to the office for some payroll later this week, and I need to take my grandmother to a doctor appointment, but today is absolutely nothing.  I can't even describe how relaxing my day has been.  And it's just the beginning of the break! 

It's been three years since things shut down

Three years ago today the governor ordered all schools to close, and that was our last day for the year.  I think, three years later, we are finally feeling the "end" of the crisis.  While it was scary, I still remember how simple life seemed then without other things to worry about, and I loved all of the time we spent together as a family.

We lost an hour of sleep this weekend.  That is never fun.  It's always nice to have that extra hour of daylight though.

Things have continued to be a little crazy, but it is getting better.  My grandmother was in the emergency room again on Friday, and work was stable enough that I was actually able to leave and go be with her.  My poor sister.  She is really taking the brunt of caring for her, and Grandma is being challenging and not following directions.  I can't imagine all she has to deal with.

One more week and then I have spring break.  Let's get 'er done!

Sunday afternoon drives

I just took Thomas back to school.  He was home for spring break this past week, which was ridiculously early.  But I always love having time with him, and enjoyed having him around.

He's been home every weekend this semester except one.  With his cat not being there and the one friend he had ending communication (not entirely sure why), he is lonely.  It is heartbreaking for a mom, but I can't change it.

I also don't judge.  I went home every weekend (almost) my freshman year, and so I am not about to tell my son I won't do for him what was done for me.  I handle the Friday evening pickups, usually, and I've also handled about half of the Sunday afternoon returns as well.  And I really don't mind.  Today was a lovely day and I truly enjoyed the drive home completely by myself.  It's a nice opportunity to just have some quiet and sing along with the radio.  I remember my dad, who took me back to school nearly every Sunday, tell me he never minded those Sunday afternoon drives, and I get it.  Missing him today, but always feeling he is with us.  I'm blessed to have my family.

Our lives right now - it's been a lot

I didn't write much in February.  It wasn't necessarily that I didn't want to write, it was just that there was A LOT going on, and I spent most of the month being absolutely exhausted.  The good news is that it was mostly only work related, and for that I am grateful.

Our February at work was absolutely insane.  We have one employee who was hospitalized and has yet to recover.  We had one employee who had COVID, along with three family members, and her family is still fighting strep and other things, and her father is entering Hospice care.  We have one employee whose son needed to be hospitalized for suicidal ideations, and of course that is an ongoing concern.  We have one employee who had surgery two weeks ago, and the doctors did not handle some things well.  We have one employee who had surgery three weeks ago, and also developed strep this past week herself.  We have one employee who had COVID, and her daughter was hospitalized with illness as well.  We have one employee whose daughter was diagnosed with a chronic illness last fall and needed to be hospitalized again for a few days. We have one employee who lost her grandmother three weeks ago, her husband had surgery this week, and her step-father passed away Wednesday.  All of this was just in the last month!  I mention this because it means I worked extra hours to help clean, I covered classes as needed, and I worked to put pieces together so we had enough people working where they needed to work.

At home, it's been less crazy, but I can't call it peaceful.  The biggest challenge has been having Thomas's cat here.  She jumps on everything, and we've had to put away all of the picture frames, which I don't appreciate.  Additionally, she and one of our cats are constantly fighting, and the howling/hissing/running into things sounds are not remotely peaceful.  Our sweet pup has had her slipped disc issues again, although we caught it early and she's on the mend.  My grandmother was in the emergency room on Monday due to some reactions, and it's hard on her.  My mother was in the emergency room Thursday after taking a serious fall and doing a face-plant.  Thank goodness my kids were able to stay with her overnight Thursday so I didn't have to miss work.  I can deal with all of these relatively minor things, but it's hard after coming home from work which was challenging all day.

This past week we had a lady from church who was going to be evicted if she didn't get her apartment cleaned.  We were able to do some cleaning ourselves and get a company hired, and many generous members helped to fund that.  That was a blessing.

And we were thrilled that Catherine passed her state STNA exam.  She is looking for a job locally, and we are thrilled for her and proud of her.  It's a step in the right direction.

I'm hoping this week is much calmer, although I laugh because I thought that last week as well.  Monday brought a tornado warning where the students and staff all had to take cover, and Friday I had to clean up vomit at school.  So who knows what this week will bring??

I'm especially grateful that we have no students tomorrow, and that March and some lovely weather have arrived.  Looking forward to calmer times!