December

 We had an awesome family trip to Florida

Family

Seaworld

St Augustine

Family Fun

 In November we have gone on hikes, practiced for performances, written music, taken tests, given tests, and started a new ward.

L is doing a spelling bee for school so we've been having family spelling bees to help him practice.

Thanksgiving was fun.  We had a lot of good food but not too much.

We took this lettuce picture for M so she wouldn't miss us while she is traveling with friends.

G is visiting and we've been able to get a lot of important medical appointments taken care of while he is here.  The 3 peas are enjoying having him around and playing video games with him.

L and B love to read.  We love it when they want to stay up all night reading and don't remember to eat.

We have a lot of instruments and sometimes the kids want to try something new.  lP and B were fighting over the clarinet and then lP said "Don't we have 2?" Why, yes.  We do.

This was our hike on Saturday when we took lP to a birthday party out of town.  This is called Spring Cave.  It was very cool.

We enjoyed this walk along the river.  There were tons of molusks and bivalves on the shore.  I think the water is low because they release the dam waters in October.

Our stake was re-organized from wards shaped like strips of bacon, to wards shaped like hash-browns.  I was asked to be the primary president which has been a huge challenge.  Things are starting to settle down but it is still a lot.  The kids are great and the teachers are wonderful. 

We're looking forward to visiting family in December and plan to go big with a trip to seaworld.

October flies by

 lP was in cross country and Band.  We had the primary program, then conference, then the ward was re-organized, then there was stake conference.  I was called back to primary and it has been a lot of stress trying to call so many teachers.  We almost have all the teachers which is nice.

I have been doing well in my classes.  The children are doing well, though they all stayed home today with minor cold symptoms.  We have been very healthy in October.  Yay!

So here we are half way through November. G will be visiting soon and I'm excited about that.

September fun

lP plays in the front ensemble in the marching band.  She also runs cross country!

The boys have discovered reading for recreation.

B plays in the middle school pep band.  They have 6 games this year.  

The funny quote book is a source of amusement and a treasure.

A neighbor was discarding this chair so we brought it home and cleaned it thoroughly.  Now lP sleeps on it.  She has long wished for a chair like grandma L has and now she finally has something like it.

I went to a conference in Atlanta and enjoyed hiking Stone Mountain.  It was steep!

On Labor Day we kayaked a nice river that was shady and slow moving.  We hiked up to this spring and it was really pleasant.

 

Busy as all get out

L has one of his cough cycles going.  It's so frustrating that he gets sick and stays sick.  

lP is so busy with cross country, band and competition band.  She's constantly missing one for the other.  Serving 2 masters is hard.

I have class Monday night, and Wednesday night.  I have work Thursday night.  Friday is football games.  Tuesday is my only night home during the week.  It is rough.

There are several classmate/co-workers who want rides and it isn't a big deal to give rides but it is extra time and stress to accomodate them.  They don't have kids or cars so they don't see how waiting for them makes me late.  

I got to go mountain biking with my friend A on Friday.  I started an "Active ladies" group last year and it has been a source of joy to be able to have a group of women who like being active.  We have gone caving, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, walking, swimming.  I love that connection.

We're planning the primary program right now and it is a bit tricky trying to figure out how to fit 65 children + teachers into 50 seats.  My expectations are at ground level.  I think it's going to be great.

This weekend I'll go to Atlanta for a conference about sign language and hopefully connect with other people that share my dreams.  But part of me thinks I may end up doing medical SLP work because I'm good at anatomy.  Nobody seems to want total communication for deaf children so maybe I'll just go do something else.

M is at college.  G is in Gtowne figuring things out.  His medical withdrawals have put a snag in his financial aid.  I've made some suggestions and offered help, but he has to decide to do the work.

Parenting adult kids is tricky.  I miss them so much but am also glad they are out trying their best.

First week of school and work

 The children (3 peas) started school on Monday.  I started a job as a Graduate Assistant the same day.  Sadly, I was not there when they came home from school because my orientation meeting was 2:30 to 5pm.

At the orientation meeting our supervisor invited us to work out a schedule between the 8 of us.  5 people wanted the AM shift, and only 2 can get it.  Another mom J has the most seniority and was hired with the understanding that she could only work during school hours.  She is from Nigeria, studying materials engineering, and she has 2 children in school.

Over the past week I have made it a priority to be early/ontime each day to show the supervisor that she can count on me to be reliable.  My default is to be eagerly working, rather than just present.  But with the hope of securing that AM slot, I have made sure to get L off to school, dress professionally, and show up!  One day L forgot his medicine and I was so torn about what to do.  I would be late if I went to school as I had in the past when he forgot his medicine.  So I went to work.  As soon as I was done I went to L's school to give him some medicine.  He reported that he hadn't had any trouble.  

The graduate assistant position is with the freshman academy.  We'll man a desk for students to see their advisor, and in the tutoring lab.  We won't be tutoring, but will be supervising, and sometimes evaluating the tutors.  I originally approached the supervisor because I wanted to become a tutor for the CSD department.  Last year my classes were during the day and I wasn't ready to miss family time for work.  This year my classes are at 1-2 (Tuesday/Thursday), and 5-8 (Monday/Wednesday).  So I have most of the school hours to work. When she interviewed me this year she said I could offer a weekly session to CSD as part of my work schedule.

With M at college I'm working on switching the children's rooms.  lP is really not liking this.  She'll have her own room for 4 years though.  There will never be a good time, and there will be worse times.  So, now it is.

flights and adulting

G had an opportunity to travel to Utah as an FSY counselor.  He missed his flight because he was asleep when his grandparents came to pick him up.  It's so frustrating that being deaf and having sleep difficulties create such a terrible dynamic.  His grandparents were so helpful, taking him to tampa in the middle of the night to catch another flight to get there on time.  My brother picked him up and helped him get to the meeting.

M was working in Maryland this summer and we had a tight plan that involved her flying in the day before she was to move into her dorm.  Unfortunately there were bad storms at BWI and she was stranded for 22 hours with delayed flights, canceled flights, everything!  She was on a flight at midnight when they canceled it.  She called P who was already driving to pick her up.  Some moms heard her conversation with dad and adopted her.  They took her to the front of the line where a man gave up his seat on a 9am flight.  I was able to pack up her things and pick her up in Nashville, drive straight to Auburn and get her to the mandatory 4pm meeting.  What a day.

I'm grateful for the good things they are involved in and the kind people who helped them get there this summer.