I was feeling just fine yesterday, until about 4 PM. Then my throat was getting sore and raw, but as lots of things are blooming and our pollen count was 9 out of 12, I figured it was just allergies. Hubby took me to the movies (Sherlock Holmes) and about 1/2 way through, I knew I was getting sick. By the time we got home, I was officially miserable. I've had absolutely no energy today. Getting up and getting my laptop almost did me in. I think I'll be taking another nap after I finish here.
I hate being sick. Or I hate being so sick that you really can't do anything, but well enough so that you are still cognisant and all you're not getting down swirls in your head.
Fortunately, I have no where I have to be today.
Hubby got the Imp home. They're both napping. So a nice quiet afternoon.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Another Saturday
I'm not sure where the week went, but here it is Saturday again. Hubby is at work until noon, the Imp is facilitating a weekend retreat, so here I am pushing laundry through and trying to figure out what I did last week, since my 'to do' list seems longer than ever.
Last night I got to go see David Haas at our church. The Singer thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. She got to spend a week with him each summer at Music Ministry Alive for 3 years. He is a renowned Christian worship music composer, and while he is Catholic, his songs are in many Christian hymnals. The evening was relaxing for the mind and body, yet rejuvenating for the soul. I was really tired before the concert and debated about staying home. I'm so glad I didn't.
My history class is going well. The kids are just neat. I wish class was more than once a week, but am enjoying what I have.
I hate evening meetings. The Imp doesn't get home until 6:30 or 7:00 each night, if I have a meeting, it starts at 6:30 or 7:00. Which translates into non-family dinners. Yuk. I feel the difference in the air after a week of missed dinners. Now the Imp's gone for the weekend. I feel like I never see her. Thank goodness for Wednesdays when I pick her up from school and take her to voice lessons. Hubby is at the church on Wednesday nights, so it's still not family time, but at least I can catch up with the Imp. I can't believe that in 2 1/2 years, I'll be an empty-nester.
When I first got married, I figured I'd be raising children for years and years. Hubby and I wanted to have 4-6 children. (Having come from families of 8 and 10 kids it seemed like a very moderate amount.) Obviously, God had different plans for us and while pregnancy wasn't easily achieved, I'm grateful that I did not suffer any miscarriages. But I just didn't see myself being 49 and having no children at home. I mean, 49 is pretty young, relatively speaking. So I've been thinking/praying about what I'm to do then. The public school classroom has so many political aspects to it now. I'm not sure I'm up for that. But I LOVE teaching. I know it is literally 'in my blood'. So some form of teaching is in my future. Not being a patient person and a die-hard planner, leaving things open-ended isn't fun.
This past week, a good friend of Hubby's had a stroke. She's a woman who lived in his neighborhood. Hubby and his friends used to go to her house. She'd feed them good 'guy' food...Twinkies, Ho Hos, Coke...and be a cross between a much older sister/surrogate mother/mentor to them. It's been a tough week. She was in a drug-induced coma for a few days, continued to have brain swelling and had to have surgery to remove part of her skull, but was moving her legs and one arm as of Thursday night. And, it appeared she smiled when someone mentioned chocolate. I told Hubby, that would be the thing to get me out of a coma. But I told him, I'd want more then to hear about it! We haven't heard anything yesterday or today and are praying that is good news. We know that the best case senario will still entail incredible amount of recovery.
Our electric bill for the bitter 10 days we had [well, to us Floridians, 10 days of below freezing temps IS bitter-cold...we don't do well with single digit temps...it's why we live in Florida] came today. It's not as bad as I thought it might be...still much larger than normal, but it kept us warm, so I'm not complaining.
I should already have seeds started for my spring garden, but don't. I'm trying to figure out the whole crop rotation thing. And with 2-3 growing seasons, it's hard and I'm thinking if I use enough compost, maybe it won't matter so much. My onions and garlic are looking good. I can't wait to eat them...maybe March.
Last night I got to go see David Haas at our church. The Singer thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. She got to spend a week with him each summer at Music Ministry Alive for 3 years. He is a renowned Christian worship music composer, and while he is Catholic, his songs are in many Christian hymnals. The evening was relaxing for the mind and body, yet rejuvenating for the soul. I was really tired before the concert and debated about staying home. I'm so glad I didn't.
My history class is going well. The kids are just neat. I wish class was more than once a week, but am enjoying what I have.
I hate evening meetings. The Imp doesn't get home until 6:30 or 7:00 each night, if I have a meeting, it starts at 6:30 or 7:00. Which translates into non-family dinners. Yuk. I feel the difference in the air after a week of missed dinners. Now the Imp's gone for the weekend. I feel like I never see her. Thank goodness for Wednesdays when I pick her up from school and take her to voice lessons. Hubby is at the church on Wednesday nights, so it's still not family time, but at least I can catch up with the Imp. I can't believe that in 2 1/2 years, I'll be an empty-nester.
When I first got married, I figured I'd be raising children for years and years. Hubby and I wanted to have 4-6 children. (Having come from families of 8 and 10 kids it seemed like a very moderate amount.) Obviously, God had different plans for us and while pregnancy wasn't easily achieved, I'm grateful that I did not suffer any miscarriages. But I just didn't see myself being 49 and having no children at home. I mean, 49 is pretty young, relatively speaking. So I've been thinking/praying about what I'm to do then. The public school classroom has so many political aspects to it now. I'm not sure I'm up for that. But I LOVE teaching. I know it is literally 'in my blood'. So some form of teaching is in my future. Not being a patient person and a die-hard planner, leaving things open-ended isn't fun.
This past week, a good friend of Hubby's had a stroke. She's a woman who lived in his neighborhood. Hubby and his friends used to go to her house. She'd feed them good 'guy' food...Twinkies, Ho Hos, Coke...and be a cross between a much older sister/surrogate mother/mentor to them. It's been a tough week. She was in a drug-induced coma for a few days, continued to have brain swelling and had to have surgery to remove part of her skull, but was moving her legs and one arm as of Thursday night. And, it appeared she smiled when someone mentioned chocolate. I told Hubby, that would be the thing to get me out of a coma. But I told him, I'd want more then to hear about it! We haven't heard anything yesterday or today and are praying that is good news. We know that the best case senario will still entail incredible amount of recovery.
Our electric bill for the bitter 10 days we had [well, to us Floridians, 10 days of below freezing temps IS bitter-cold...we don't do well with single digit temps...it's why we live in Florida] came today. It's not as bad as I thought it might be...still much larger than normal, but it kept us warm, so I'm not complaining.
I should already have seeds started for my spring garden, but don't. I'm trying to figure out the whole crop rotation thing. And with 2-3 growing seasons, it's hard and I'm thinking if I use enough compost, maybe it won't matter so much. My onions and garlic are looking good. I can't wait to eat them...maybe March.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Generous
It's hard not to brag when I've got such an amazing family. A few years ago, I wrote about my niece (then in high school) who requested donations to World Vision instead of gifts for Christmas (something she's continued). Pretty amazing. [Not necessarily as unusual as one might suspect based on new coverage of teens.] Then, right before Christmas, my nephew
saw The Dog Who Saved Christmas.
When his mom was talking to him about his birthday party (he turned 7), he said he wanted to help dogs at the pound, instead of getting presents. So...that's what he did. His friend was going to go with him to the Humane Society to deliver the things he got. Now, how can you not have hope for the future.
It's easy to sit back and complain about the younger generation, (I am guilty of this too often) but there are many kids who are exceptionally well-grounded and generous.
saw The Dog Who Saved Christmas.
When his mom was talking to him about his birthday party (he turned 7), he said he wanted to help dogs at the pound, instead of getting presents. So...that's what he did. His friend was going to go with him to the Humane Society to deliver the things he got. Now, how can you not have hope for the future.
It's easy to sit back and complain about the younger generation, (I am guilty of this too often) but there are many kids who are exceptionally well-grounded and generous.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
You're So Lucky
I'm going to try and type this entry out quickly as Hubby doesn't always appreciate the time I spend at the computer and I still have some teacher work to do on the computer, but this idea has been simmering in my mind and I want to write about it before it takes up permanent residence on the back burner of my mind.
I am tired of having people telling me how lucky I am that we can "afford" for me to be a stay-at-home mom. First, I am very appreciative of my blessings and the great job with awesome benefits Hubby has. I'm forever grateful for Hubby and his support of this joint decision. But just to get the record straight...It's not that we can afford this lifestyle, it's that we decided we wanted this lifestyle and MAKE it work. We bought our house with the idea of living on one income. The real estate agent kept trying to get us to buy more house. "You can get approved for so much more." Yea, we've seen where that leads. Our house is a beautiful house and plenty big at 1500 sq ft...as long as I don't compare it to others' with 3000+ sq ft. Our lives and the lives of our kids are fulfilled. We've taken vacations, gone to museums, etc., but we don't take exotic vacations every year, we don't have the latest electronic gadgets, we don't have closets overflowing with clothes (although we do have quite a lot). So when someone (usually a woman) who works a professional job equal to Hubby's and has a husband with a similar job, tells me how lucky I am and how she so wishes she could stay home, but just can't, I want to scream. Now, I'm not silent on the matter, but try not to be too rude. I answer with something along my first statement, "we decided long ago I'd stay home and we've figured out how to make it work. We've had to give up some material things, but think it's worth it." But when the person telling me this has just gotten back from Hawaii (again) and is wearing an expensive matching outfit and has a perfect manicure and pedicure which is kept that way weekly, well, it's hard to not say...Ever heard, put your money where your mouth is? If it's important, you'll make it work. Obviously, I'm not talking about families where both parents work hourly jobs or whose compensation is low.
What brought this latest frustration on? Hubby's office-mate (cube-mate?), who is a few years younger than we are, was telly Hubby how lucky we are that we can afford for me to be at home. Now this man has 2 young children. His wife is a comptroller at a large company in town and they have a LIVE IN NANNY! Well, lets see. If we cut out the nanny alone you could save quite a bit. They had a professional decorator help them furnish their house and they vacationed in the Caribbean last year. Gosh, how do Hubby and I do it on one salary? We live our lives so we can.
On a more positive note, Hubby is out building my new raised bed just for my blueberries. I'm so happy. The weather this week has been gorgeous after a record-setting 10 days under 50 and 10 nights under 32! We had above average temps this week and return to more 'normal' temps next week. Hey, I love normal Jan temps in Tampa...lows in the 50s and highs in the upper 60s. I'm beginning to seriously plan my spring gardens. Need to start the seeds soon since I'll be able to plant outside come March.
I am tired of having people telling me how lucky I am that we can "afford" for me to be a stay-at-home mom. First, I am very appreciative of my blessings and the great job with awesome benefits Hubby has. I'm forever grateful for Hubby and his support of this joint decision. But just to get the record straight...It's not that we can afford this lifestyle, it's that we decided we wanted this lifestyle and MAKE it work. We bought our house with the idea of living on one income. The real estate agent kept trying to get us to buy more house. "You can get approved for so much more." Yea, we've seen where that leads. Our house is a beautiful house and plenty big at 1500 sq ft...as long as I don't compare it to others' with 3000+ sq ft. Our lives and the lives of our kids are fulfilled. We've taken vacations, gone to museums, etc., but we don't take exotic vacations every year, we don't have the latest electronic gadgets, we don't have closets overflowing with clothes (although we do have quite a lot). So when someone (usually a woman) who works a professional job equal to Hubby's and has a husband with a similar job, tells me how lucky I am and how she so wishes she could stay home, but just can't, I want to scream. Now, I'm not silent on the matter, but try not to be too rude. I answer with something along my first statement, "we decided long ago I'd stay home and we've figured out how to make it work. We've had to give up some material things, but think it's worth it." But when the person telling me this has just gotten back from Hawaii (again) and is wearing an expensive matching outfit and has a perfect manicure and pedicure which is kept that way weekly, well, it's hard to not say...Ever heard, put your money where your mouth is? If it's important, you'll make it work. Obviously, I'm not talking about families where both parents work hourly jobs or whose compensation is low.
What brought this latest frustration on? Hubby's office-mate (cube-mate?), who is a few years younger than we are, was telly Hubby how lucky we are that we can afford for me to be at home. Now this man has 2 young children. His wife is a comptroller at a large company in town and they have a LIVE IN NANNY! Well, lets see. If we cut out the nanny alone you could save quite a bit. They had a professional decorator help them furnish their house and they vacationed in the Caribbean last year. Gosh, how do Hubby and I do it on one salary? We live our lives so we can.
On a more positive note, Hubby is out building my new raised bed just for my blueberries. I'm so happy. The weather this week has been gorgeous after a record-setting 10 days under 50 and 10 nights under 32! We had above average temps this week and return to more 'normal' temps next week. Hey, I love normal Jan temps in Tampa...lows in the 50s and highs in the upper 60s. I'm beginning to seriously plan my spring gardens. Need to start the seeds soon since I'll be able to plant outside come March.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Teaching Again...It Feels Good
I spent most of today preparing for my single class tomorrow. I reviewed Harry Wong's "The First Days of School", the Bible for any new teacher and every teacher as they begin a new school year. Harry Wong is my hero. To hear him on his videos or on tape is invigorating. Makes you want to teach, and do it well. Then I spent time reviewing pertinent information about the Middle Ages so I could lead the class discussion. Finally, I've spent the last hour searching through TrackStar. Trackstar is an awesome website, for teachers and for students. Teachers post lessons (primarily web-based) so you can benefit from the research others have done. As Hubby says, I'm just a geeky history teacher, through and through.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
A Great New Year
The last few weeks have been hectic but wonderful. Christmas was awesome. I got stuff for my Cricut, a digital camera (YEA!) and 2 blueberry bushes. The down side: I haven't planted them yet as we are going below 32 at night. By Monday, the weather is suppose to warm a bit. As a die-hard Floridian now, 32 is way too cold.
A few weeks before Christmas, I was asked to take over a World History class for a homeschool co-op. So this Friday I start a new adventure in teaching a small group of high schoolers (about 10 kids). It will be different than anything I've done before, as much of the work is done by the students before class. The class is primarily for discussion and analysis of information. It should be lots of fun and keep me off the streets.
On December 29, Hubby and I celebrated 25 incredible years of marriage. As I was only 21 when I got married (and Hubby only 20), we are a statistical anomaly. That's A-Okay by me. I definitely hit the jackpot with my hubby. He is the best. We make an absolutely phenomenal match. We grew up together and fortunately grew together. Without being too preachy, I also give much credit to our shared faith and the power of the Holy Spirit. Being involved in marriage ministries like Engaged Encounter has kept our focus on the bigger picture. The best things in my life stem from my decision to marry Hubby. I am one lucky gal. That night the girls went with us to the Melting Pot for a great fondue dinner.
The whole evening was fun. I really enjoy spending time with my girls. They are neat people and even if I weren't related to them, I would want to spend time with them. The Imp didn't really like the whole cooking her own food at the table thing at the Melting Pot and after cooking 4 pieces of meat said, "Can't we just dump all the meat in the pot at once?" I don't think she'll be going back to the Melting Pot, although she did think the food was delectable and she may go back just for the chocolate fondue dessert. To top off a great day, our waitress was extremely fabulous. 
On the 30th we drove to SC and then on Jan 2 we got to renew our wedding vows with my dad officiating. 2 of my brothers (and their families) were there as well. I really teared up during the recitation of our vows. "In good times and in bad.." has a whole different meaning after 25 years of good and bad. To have Hubby look me in the eye and tell me he still loves me was sensational and powerful. It's not something I will soon forget. I'm so glad we did it.
And the pictures were taken with my new digital camera!
I continue to be content with my life and think 2010 is going to be a great year.
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