Time for Me!

I have taken time for ME this week :)
--Got a pedicure with my new (and great) neighbor
--cleaned MY room (not b/c I had to but because I wanted to)
--reading a good historical book on immigrants and their journeys to Ellis Island because it interests ME
--ate a bowl of ice cream two days in a row
--talked on the phone with Tracy, even though Jack wanted to play barn, and did NOT feel guilty about it!
The best treat of all for ME is that I am going shopping Saturday for the ENTIRE day with my mom in law and sister in law :)

Three

"Three it's the magic number" (Jack Johnson)

Three is a very hard number for me. For one reason, I tend to think that things really do happen in threes. For instance, driving to the post office today, I saw a dead possum on the side of the road, and a kitty, and immediately wondered where the third animal would be...sure enough a minute later, I see another dead animal. Then my complicated brain went into the following thought process...."Well does that mean I will see a 3rd dead animal or is the 2nd dead animal really the 3rd animal so my set of 3 is completed". See how complicated my thoughts can be?!? A second reason that three is a hard number is because now that Jack is 3 (okay in 15 days but seriously close), he can be so happy and then 3 seconds later spiral into a complete meltdown. Yesterday and today followed that pattern. I also tend to notice that these meltdown prone days tend to be in threes...or is that I find three of them in a row and then because I am convinced things go in threes I don't recognized day four as part of the pattern! I think it is probably the latter of my two hypothesis that is correct. I think that I just tend to look for things that happen in threes and if number four comes along, it must be the beginning of a new set!

Love

I love my husband! We had such an enjoyable morning with the boys at a small lake nearby. I am such a lucky woman!

Family.....part 2

Family....not just the people related to you by blood, they are the people who surround you--emotionally, spiritually and mentally (and sometimes are in close proximity...but not always). It is amazing that friends can become so close that they too become family. I got to talk to Melissa tonight for 2 hours after not visiting with her for at least 2 months and it was great. We were able to pick up right where we left off and caught up on all the moves, changes and life in general. She became a friend the first day she knocked on my college door and introduced herself. She became family when she loved me unconditionally for who I am. She lives too many miles away (New Mexico) and I miss her.

Family

I met a lovely lady last night while visiting my parents--I cousin that I did not know I had until just last year! She was so nice and it was a great visit! I fell in love with her children--all three of them were fun, well behaved and so good to Jack, Luke and Ben.

On a side note, it was awesome to see Jack and Ben interact! They played chase for quite a while in grandma's living room!

Flea Market Finds

the flea market has such good junk....makes me wonder how long it will be before i am there weekly selling the junk that i bought :) The boys got a great two sided easel--with a chalkboard and a white board! We also got them a tool bench for the basement. Now I just need to find some screws and nails to use with it. Every week I search for a covered butter dish with no success--who knew it would be SO HARD to find a stinkin' covered butter dish!

Family Love

I love my cousin Heather :) She is sincere, thoughtful and best of all, full of spunk! I like that she accepts me for who I am!

Newness can be Good

I met my mentor today. She is so nice and kind (even if she graduated from Calvin...). I appreciated her driving over to meet me and visiting while our kids had a play date. She has already done so much to help me out. After talking with her, I am very excited to start the school year!

Garden of Love

Gardening fills a part of my soul. I love pulling weeds--helps me clear my thoughts and my garden. I love to see the flowers bloom from my nourishment and love. My tomatoes are just as beautiful as my blooms. Gardening creates such beauty.

Less Lonely...figured out my stress root

Sometimes I think my brain tries to compensate for itself...what I mean by that is this. I felt lonely today; I missed my friends even when I had my awesome husband and kids with me having fun. I had my mom on the phone, sharing my life from VERY near by. I had my mom-in law stop by to drop off chips (greatly appreciated) just because we needed them and she was shopping! I got a ton of facebook messages from friends who were concerned about my stress. I don't think I was really lonely today. I think that I was not sure how I felt and my brain had it come across as loneliness. I have processed more and think I figured out my "issue" today. I am worried about finding the right daycare provider. This is a HUGE concern for us because we had the BEST and now compare every single other provider with her. We have met a few these past couple weeks, and while they are probably both fine, I am able to dissect them and find flaws--all because I compare them with the best of the best. Daycare is so important; it allows me to have a career I love, Josh to follow his passion and our children to grow and love another adult in a wonderful, special way. It also allows them to have friends :) They get kids to grow and love as well! I am hoping, and praying and wishing that the daycare that we think is right for our kids, really is truly right for our kids. Thanks for working through my stress with me today :)

Life is Precious

Life is so very precious. A family I know through work lost their young boy to cancer last year and just yesterday, lost the dad (they think to a heart attack). The mom of the family has now lost her middle child and her husband all within a year. The mom now has four boys to raise on her own. The thought of the situation brings tears to my eyes. I can't imagine life without my husband, much less life without one of my children and my husband. I can't imagine losing two of my loved ones within a year. I can't imagine the strength it will take this family to move on. My prayers are with this family.

Life in Michigan is good but today feels lonely, even with my children and husband, I miss the companionship of girlfriends. I have a fantastic extended family who are loads of fun but it does not fill that void of the friends I made in MN. I miss my scrappers, my teacher-friends, my neighbors. I miss the children who my kids played with often.

Motherhood

being a mom:
hard
rewarding
emotional
love filled
loving
self-fulfilling
guilt ridden
scary

Roller Coaster

Do you ever feel like you are on a roller coaster? Life is up then down and definitely back up at times. These past few weeks have been like that for me. Last week was down--boys were difficult, I was tired and also very sick of boxes/unpacking and we had a million places we had to be. The weekend was up--parades were fun, family was enjoyable and kids were kids. Yesterday (and Sunday) were down--Luke had a fever, Jack was SO TIRED and very CRABBY, I missed my friends in MN and the house leaked... Today was up again--signed up for Graduate classes. Just when I think I am heading back up, it seems like something tries to pull be back down. I am trying so hard to find a way to keep my head above the rest and smile :) I am trying so hard to take the curve balls and go with the flow. I find prayer is helping.

Fell off the face of the Earth?

I don't think anyone reads this...but if there is one or two adventurous souls out there who actually follow me, you might think I have fallen of the face of the Earth! This is NOT true...contrary to popular belief. I am BUSY BUSY BUSY. Being a mom to two toddlers and moving into a new area has all but exhausted me!