365-74: Love

I'm really thankful that I have a husband who gets me and my sense of humor, and not only still loves me but thinks I'm really funny.



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Brief crafting update...

Brief because really? I got nuthin'. I've just not been in the mood. I've had this wicked cold/sinus infection that's knocked for a loop and I've been watching some Olympics (has NBC managed to piss of every single person in the USA with its coverage, I wonder?), and I've been doing a lot of music. I want to be sewing but I'm waiting on patterns. I am not in a knitting space right now, though my son told me he thought that a robot lovey would be AWESOME. I could also crochet him a space shuttle. How cool is that?? I've gotten some cross stitching done but even that I'm just not feelin' the love right now. I don't know what it is. I just feel like I don't have much time or space for ME right now and until I recharge a bit, I don't know. I'm sure I'll get back into it all, it's essential for me, but I think it's okay to allow a break.

365-73: I love my town.

Today I was scheduled to be in my oldest son's Kindergarten classroom for "table time", where you go in, read a story, help some kids with an art project. I like getting into the classroom - I didn't manage it at all in the Fall, so it's nice I can do it. However, what with vacation and all, it had slipped my mind that I had to go in, and I hadn't arranged childcare for the other two, both of whom I have home on Tuesdays. I put a plea up on Facebook and within an hour I had two offers of childcare.

I love it when it works out. I took DS2 and DD over to my friend N's house. Her oldest is in school with DS2, and she has a daughter a few months younger than mine. We parent pretty similarly, I love her kids, and it was just great. We went over, I hung out for a bit and then left them all perfectly happily. I did my classroom thing which was fun - it's funny, I think DS1 is so *big* until I see him in Kindergarten and I'm reminded he's really still little. Even though he's the oldest in the class due to a Sept. birthday. I *love* that I didn't have to make the call to send him or not. Academically he was totally ready but socially, he was a bit young. Also, I'm just thankful that when 12 or 13 rolls around, he won't be the absolute youngest. Obviously somebody has to be, and given his birthday and our cut-offs, he'd be one or the other, so I'm glad he'll be older. But anyway, when I got back to N's, it turn out our other friend M was on her way too, with N's middle son who is in preschool with her two boys (we all go to the same school), so there was an impromptu hangout and playdate.

I just feel really lucky that we landed in a community with people with really similar parenting and other values. Most the moms expect the kids to be polite, share nicely, and have similar values to me about electronics, tv, that sort of thing. (I can still remember a woman telling me that because her son was an only child and didn't have to share at home, she wasn't going to make him share when on a playdate. My eyes just about fell out of my head at that one!) It's such a gift to know we've got back up, and that we can provide that for our friends as well.

365-72: How is it almost March??

I'm pulling together all of our tax stuff, trying to get *something* done today, and just feeling bowled over at how quickly time goes by. This week flew! Of course, we were away for part of it, DH had jury duty on Thursday and ended up home early, and we had friends over on Friday, so it was a good week. We're still trying to figure out why DD is randomly spiking fevers of 103 (armpit). She woke up from her nap SOAKED so I'm hoping that means her fever broke and she's on the mend. She's been sleeping like CRAP and it's just, well, tiring.

I feel like I have so many thoughts going through my mind these days, and yet I can't quite articulate them. I'm moving through thoughts on career, going back to work (or not), struggling to finish something I started years ago (a certificate program, the certifying organization has basically fallen apart and I need to decided what, if anything, to do), faith, religion, family, parenting, community, life, blah blah blah. I think it's the hazard of being a philosophic psychologist, my brain doesn't turn off!!!

I have all the usual things I'm grateful for, but I'm also grateful for a funny moment with my daughter today. It's been gorgeous the last couple of days, and I'm *so*grateful we've been able to get outside. Well, my daughter today decided that she MUST wear her sunglasses. I took some cute pictures of her in her silly hat and pink sunglasses while listening to the boys running around with one of their friends, and had one of those "all's right in my world" moments.

365-71: Let It Snow!!

Today I'm grateful for the snow. It was beautiful, for once not an inconvenience as we had nowhere to be, and we had some awesome sledding!!!


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365-70: Vacation, all I ever wanted...

It's school vacation week here in MA. I decided to be a kind and loving wife, so I packed up the kids and left DH at home while we traipsed off to visit my ILs. I am truly grateful for them, I won the in-law lottery, for sure!! They're so loving and welcoming. Today we went sledding and ate pie! Not at the same time, of course. That'd be a bit messy, don't you think?

Remember how I was grateful for the antibiotics? Turns out I'm less grateful for the cefprozil than I thought. So, approx. 10% of kids on amoxicillin get a rash. For most kids, it's harmless. It's a reaction, not an allergy. For some it is a true allergy, but it's really hard to tell the difference. We were told that DD's response was not an allergy by one doctor, but our Ped is treating it like it is. So, she got a Z-pack for her pneumonia and tolerated it fine. They prescribed cefprozil for this ear infection. It's given her wicked diarrhea and today she broke out in a rash. Approximately 20% of people who are allergic to the penicillin drugs are also allergic to this one. So, looks like it is a true allergy. Poor boo is running a fever again, so tomorrow we take her to urgent care and see what's going on in the ear.


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365-69: No crass jokes here...

...I'm too tired. We've all had a massive cold which turned into an ear infection for the baby, so no one is sleeping much. I'm hoping we've turned the corner. I don't like myself so much when I'm this tired. Or rather, I don't like that the aspects of myself that are areas for growth (aka "flaws") come out in force. I'm just impatient, more crabby. My oldest is a very spirited child and we clash. He can push my buttons and it's hard to remember sometimes that I'm the grownup here. Today I bought myself a reminder. It's a bracelet with a freshwater pearl and a small silver charm. On one side is a dove, on the other, the word "faith". For some reason, it *called* to me. Even though the cord is blue, and I'm a purple/green kind of woman. I'm not quite sure why it resonated for me but it did. I want to use it as a reminder: to be the person I want to be, I must choose to act the way that person would act, especially in the hardest moments. I already have. I want to believe that when I need it, and ask for it, help will be offered. Is that faith?Faith in what?

Today I am grateful for the chance to ask the questions.


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365-68: ugh

I had hopes for 2010 that so far haven't materialized. I feel like all around me I'm hearing of tragedies and people I care about are hurting. I'm sure part of my gloom is that I'm tired of winter, and part is that I, along with the rest of the family, am sick and exhausted. So, where's the gratitude? Does it count to say it, even if I'm not feeling it deep down? I do appreciate all my blessings, I'm thrilled that there are antibiotics to treat my daughter's ear infection (she's allergic to Amox so it gets more complicated)...I guess today I am choosing to be grateful that I can take today at home with 2 of my kids to just be quiet and rest, because we need it!!


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365-67: Cake

Today I'm grateful for the delicious cake the kids and I made, and for the recovery that allows me to eat a piece with joy and appreciation, and without fear or guilt.




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