I need more daylight and sunshine

We are reaching the time of year where I'm really starting to need more daylight and definitely needing sunshine.  My motivation in the evenings has completely tanked.  I feel like I just come home and do absolutely nothing.  It doesn't help that our work is exploding again.  I'm so tired of parents who are being so incredibly difficult.  They are being completely unreasonable, but our enrollment is down, and we need the students.  I know I'm taking it more personally than I should, because my head just needs a pick-me-up.  In a couple of weeks, our time change will have happened and I'm hoping that helps my mood. 

In 85 days it will be the last day of school.  This year, more than any other, it is much needed!

It's almost jelly bean season

As we are six weeks away from Easter, I have realized that it is almost time for jelly bean season.  Yum!  I love jelly beans.  Totally not healthy, but I love jelly beans!

Another sign that the end of winter is nearing is the fact that the Reds spring training game was on TV yesterday.  I didn't get to watch much, but it was on!  We have already purchased our season package so we'll have access to watch the games.  Yes, spring is just around the corner!

Today was a busy day with lots of family.  I spent most of the day at my mom's as we continue to try to get her house together.  I brought home a bunch of photos from my childhood and can't wait to get them digitized.  Most of them I don't recall seeing before.  It's been fun looking through them.  When I got home, Thomas and Lyndi had come by.  Thomas hadn't met our sweet Janey girl yet, and they were thrilled to meet each other.  Andrew had decided to make meatloaf for dinner and they decided to stay.  It was lovely having them here for a while.  I enjoy being an empty-nester, but I miss my kiddos.

Six days left in February!  It will be a busy week and an incredibly busy weekend next weekend, but then it's March!

This week has felt heavy

Earlier this week, there was a murder in my hometown.  It appeared to be a random home invasion.  To be honest, things seemed odd from the start, and I mentioned to Andrew that I couldn't remember the last time there was a killing in my hometown that didn't involve the deceased knowing their killer.  And sadly, this is no exception.  Her husband has been charged with the murder.  There are now two little girls who have lost both parents.  It is truly tragic.

There is also a local young woman whose story I follow.  She has a chronic autoimmune disease, but has accomplished amazing things, but right now she needs to fight again.  So many prayers for all of these situations.

I've been taking our pup over to our neighbor's house so she can run around her yard.  Our neighbor passed away right after Christmas, and her daughter is my co-worker and friend.  I miss her so much.  I've realized that I haven't allowed myself to be sad because it is really her daughter's grief.  But that doesn't mean I'm not sad about it.  And Lent started this week, which is not meant to be a celebratory time, so there's that.  And if I'm being honest, there are emotions about being empty nesters, somewhat unexpectedly.  But I don't really have time to think about that because Andrew and I are swamped.

Truly things, are fine.  I know that, and as the days get longer it helps to alleviate sadness.  But I have to be honest, things have felt heavy.  It will feel better soon, I'm sure.

Another long weekend comes to an end

Monday evening and time to go back to work tomorrow.  I'm ready.  As longer days come around, it's easier not to feel as though my day is over as soon as I get home.  I might have also counted and realized that we have 60 school days remaining this year. 😁

Our weekend was fun overall.  On Friday, I slept in and spent the day picking up the house.  We had frozen pizza for dinner and watched Olympics.  Andrew had to work most of the day Saturday, and I spent the day working at my mom's house.  My sister and I were able to get some furniture cleaned and moved around.  I also made a visit over to my grandmother.  I'll be honest, it's a little heartbreaking to see her like she is.  She just lies in bed all day.  She doesn't really know what day, or even what month or what season it is.  When they brought dinner, she wasn't sure what meal it was.  Grandma was "with it" for about 92 years, and it's hard to see how much it has changed.  Andrew and I spent the evening with soup for dinner and watching a movie.  Not a very exciting Valentine's Day, but not our least exciting either!

Yesterday was our day to celebrate our love...a combined anniversary and Valentine's day.  I slept in much later than I even thought possible.  We left early afternoon as I wanted to do some antiquing before our incredible dinner.  It was kind of disappointing that only one of the shops we wanted to visit was open, and we had hoped to hit a wine store after, but it closed early.  Our dinner was delicious, but holy moly, the prices!  I'm accustomed to paying for fine dining, but this was a lot more than I expected to pay, and that was before we added the tip.  Yikes!  Andrew had wondered why we don't eat there more often because we love it so much, and I pointed out that would be why!

Today was a productive day of working in the garage and accomplishing a few other things.  Life with children around is certainly uneventful.  I read back over my years of posting and there was often something funny to write about or at least a lot happening, but now it's just about Andrew and I and the boring lives we lead.  That's okay though.  Boring is better than dramatic!

The beginning of our four day weekend

It is always a treat to be at the very beginning of a long weekend!  Woohoo!!

I have to be honest, this has been a heavy week.  I've been incredibly emotional.  I was watching figure skating the other day, and the American man who lost both parents in the big plane crash was skating.  After watching, my emotions were so out of whack and I felt inconsolable.  I recognize I have some grief I've been holding onto.  And the emotions about our world are even heavier.  I've become more involved in our community with serving meals, and Andrew has been at the homeless shelter a few times.  I don't really understand how this is all okay.

And James Van Der Beek passed away yesterday.  I was truly so sad to see that.  He had six young kids, and was so young himself.  Although I was in my 20's when Dawson's Creek was on TV, it was so impactful.  You can't grow up in a small town with the same set of people and not have drama.  That is the way it works.

Andrew is at a meeting this evening and I'm enjoying some quiet.  And I hope to relax and take in every second of this amazing long weekend!

Another wedding anniversary

Today is another wedding anniversary for Andrew and me.  I'm ALWAYS grateful for the man I married and the life we created together, but it is fun to have a day where we can say it over and over again!  Since today is the Super Bowl, we decided we would go out next Sunday.  With Saturday being Valentine's, we decided to try for Sunday since we'll have that Monday off work.  Today consisted of church commitments, watching the Olympics all day, exchanging cards, and then watching the game we absolutely don't care about, but eating fun "game" foods for dinner.

This week's temps might actually be normal, and no school Friday.  It's always awesome to have a four day weekend.  Life feels so very blessed.

Our fourth full day of parenting

Twenty years ago today, I woke up feeling absolutely miserable.  My in-laws were leaving, and since it was Super Bowl weekend (and the Steelers were playing), extending their stay wasn't an option.  As a sports fan, I get it.  I was able to get into the doctor before they left, and he confirmed I was definitely sick.  When I got home, I started my antibiotics, and then I called my mom and told her she was going to need to come down to help with dinner because I was sick and needed to be in bed.  There was no way Andrew could handle dinner by himself when it had taken the four adults in the house to accomplish it up to that point.  My mom agreed to come and help, and I told her to bring Aunt Cathy with her.  Dad was already sick, and I couldn't take the chance to expose him to my germs.  It was bad enough my mom could possibly carry germs home, but we were desperate!  I know that Aunt Cathy was thrilled to come down and be helpful, because that is exactly who she was.  She loved her family deeply, and was especially happy to spend time with the youngest family members.

This is the end of the really crazy beginning, but I'll probably tell several more "Twenty years ago" stories throughout the year.  It's why I was asked to teach at our adoption agency for many years talking about our first year!