This is my 99th post. Wow. I'll have to start thinking about that 100th post soon. But today I'm writing to inform you that the boys and I are heading to Oklahoma on Wednesday to see my family. On Friday I'm leaving Zach and Alec with my dad and driving to Tennessee to begin househunting. I've got a realtor and we've got about 30 houses to see over the weekend. I'm nervous but excited. I covet your prayers that we'll find a great house in great location at a price we can afford! Mike is on tour in northern California right now. I'm missing him and I really wish he could go with us!
I also ask for your prayers for my dad as he watches the boys AND my mom for an entire weekend. She's really harder to keep under control than they are. I worry about him, but he INSISTS that I MUST leave them with him. He'd kill me if I came all the way to Oklahoma and then took the boys with me to Tennessee. He lives for our visits.
Speaking of my mom, I've been doing some research on Alzeimers and am pretty convinced that my mom is in the 6th of seven stages of the disease. I think she's quickly on her way to that seventh stage; the seventh is the stage when speech is lost and when the patient becomes completely incapable of self-care (toilet, feeding, dressing). I'm so scared about this and ask for your prayers for my mom and dad, but also for me as I try to deal with everything. It's very discouraging and disheartening.
Okay, so basically, PRAY FOR ME! Thanks so much.
Good F Words: Family
Monday, March 23, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
First Finals
Yesterday was the last day of my classes at Olympic College and the last day for Alec to go to Ms. Renee's house. They were the first of many "lasts" that will occur in the next few months.
Alec has been going to Ms. Renee's since he was 18 months old. My first job -- post-children -- was here, working for OC. I was a nervous wreck, thinking about leaving my babies, even though it was literally for about two hours a day. Ms. Renee was my gift from God. She loves my boys and has doted on both of them since that very first day. I am sad that we'll be leaving Renee and her daughter Rachel. The two have been the greatest tag-team babysitters in the universe for our family.
I'm also going to miss teaching at OC. I know I've said it before, but I absolutely love teaching English at the college level. And I've realized in the past three years that I have a calling to the community college setting. I love the diversity. I love the fact that I can shine a bright light into a small corner of my own world. I love seeing my students learn. I know -- I trust -- that God will give me another teaching opportunity in the near future, but I'm sad to say goodbye to Olympic College.
There will be many more final moments in the next couple of months. I know Mike is extremely ready for his final commute to work (40 minutes). And I'll be ecstatic to HANDWASH my final set of dishes (no dishwasher in this house). But I'm dreading that final goodbye to friends. I'm especially dreading Zach's goodbyes to his buddies. That is going to be difficult.
Alec has been going to Ms. Renee's since he was 18 months old. My first job -- post-children -- was here, working for OC. I was a nervous wreck, thinking about leaving my babies, even though it was literally for about two hours a day. Ms. Renee was my gift from God. She loves my boys and has doted on both of them since that very first day. I am sad that we'll be leaving Renee and her daughter Rachel. The two have been the greatest tag-team babysitters in the universe for our family.
I'm also going to miss teaching at OC. I know I've said it before, but I absolutely love teaching English at the college level. And I've realized in the past three years that I have a calling to the community college setting. I love the diversity. I love the fact that I can shine a bright light into a small corner of my own world. I love seeing my students learn. I know -- I trust -- that God will give me another teaching opportunity in the near future, but I'm sad to say goodbye to Olympic College.
There will be many more final moments in the next couple of months. I know Mike is extremely ready for his final commute to work (40 minutes). And I'll be ecstatic to HANDWASH my final set of dishes (no dishwasher in this house). But I'm dreading that final goodbye to friends. I'm especially dreading Zach's goodbyes to his buddies. That is going to be difficult.
Monday, March 16, 2009
From Alec comes fun and insight
Alec and I just did an "interview." Cara and Sara gave me this idea. Thanks girls!
1.What is something Mommy always says to you? “You say, 'Go to your room,' when I’m being ugly. And when toys are broken you say you’ll fix it.”
2. What makes mom happy? “Not peeing on the toilet and floor.” (We just had issues with his 'aim' this morning.)
3. What makes Mommy sad? “Not giving you hugs and kisses.”
4. How does your mom make you laugh? “Silly Mommy tricks, like the jokes you tell.”
5. What was your mom like as a child? “You were like a little girl. You looked like an alien (giggle, giggle).”
6. How old is your mom? “I think. . . 20.” (Sigh. If only.)
7. How tall is your mom? “Like taller than a space alien.”
8. What is her favorite thing to do? “Playing blocks, cooking.”
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? “Do your work: grading papers and doing e-mail.”
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? He laughed as though that were hysterically funny and then said, “You can’t be famous if you have kids!”
11. What is your mom really good at? “Grading papers and ‘innertaining’ kids.”
12. What is your mom not very good at? “Cooking.” (ouch.)
13. What does your mom do for a job? “I don’t know. You teached a class.”
14.What is your mom's favorite food? “Enchilada, green beans, cake.” (He made me hungry!)
15.What makes you proud of your mom? “Just of being silly with Zachary and me.”
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? “Uniqua.” (Backyardigans)
17. What do you and your mom do together? “We play blocks. We read.”
18. How are you and your mom the same? “We have dimples. Our eyes are blue.”
19. How are you and your mom different? “You don’t like video games.”
20. How do you know your mom loves you? “Oh, a’cause you just do love me.”
21. What does your mom like most about your dad? “A’cause he takes the trash out.”
22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? “To Safeway, a’cause it has all the good food.”
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Fantastic Seuss
My boy Zachary won the Dr. Seuss Birthday Poster Contest for the second year in a row! Last week we headed up to the school to see his poster on display and to join in the Dr. Seuss day festivities. I know I'm a BIT partial to my own child, but I thought his poster was AWESOME! He wanted to do something three dimensional and chose Hop on Pop for his inspiration. It is kind of hard to see in the pictures, but the children hopping on their pop are actually springing off of the page. It turned out to be VERY cute. Yay Zach!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Fingers strumming
My boys were strumming tonight and I was able to grab this on the camera right before the battery died! It's kind of fuzzy, but still sweet.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Finding sanity in a life of CRAZINESS
Well, the navy is moving us. July 31 is the last day we'll be here in the beautiful, yet rainy, state of Washington. Mike was given his transfer orders this past week. We'll be heading back to Tennessee, which is actually what we were hoping and praying would happen.
Of course, nothing is ever simple or straightforward. The home we are renting is being put on the market in the very near future. We are in an uncomfortable position of wanting the best for the homeowners and hoping the home will sell quickly, but also hoping that we'll be able to stay here in this house until we are ready to pack up for Tennessee. I don't even want to think about what we'll have to do if the house sells quickly. Basically? We'll have to find a temporary residence for a few months to allow Zach to finish 2nd grade. It gives me a headache thinking about it.
My heart aches when I start to think about how hard this move it going to be for Zachary. He loves his school and his friends and he's going to miss his buddies so very much. He's already asking about visiting and about how he's going to stay in touch with buddies like Nate, Easton, Luke, and Grace.
I'm not as worried about Alec, but I know he'll miss his wonderful babysitters who have been like family to us.
Of course, the blessing about this move is that the market is really great for home BUYERS, which is what we'll be. I'm actually going to do a quick househunting trip to Tennessee in about three weeks. Please be in prayer for us about that and about this whole thing.
Oh, by the way, I need your suggestions on househunting! What kinds of things do I need to look for/ be aware of?
Of course, nothing is ever simple or straightforward. The home we are renting is being put on the market in the very near future. We are in an uncomfortable position of wanting the best for the homeowners and hoping the home will sell quickly, but also hoping that we'll be able to stay here in this house until we are ready to pack up for Tennessee. I don't even want to think about what we'll have to do if the house sells quickly. Basically? We'll have to find a temporary residence for a few months to allow Zach to finish 2nd grade. It gives me a headache thinking about it.
My heart aches when I start to think about how hard this move it going to be for Zachary. He loves his school and his friends and he's going to miss his buddies so very much. He's already asking about visiting and about how he's going to stay in touch with buddies like Nate, Easton, Luke, and Grace.
I'm not as worried about Alec, but I know he'll miss his wonderful babysitters who have been like family to us.
Of course, the blessing about this move is that the market is really great for home BUYERS, which is what we'll be. I'm actually going to do a quick househunting trip to Tennessee in about three weeks. Please be in prayer for us about that and about this whole thing.
Oh, by the way, I need your suggestions on househunting! What kinds of things do I need to look for/ be aware of?
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