Quiet

It's been quiet.  I know that.  I look at my blog almost every work day to remind myself to say what I have to say.  The thing is, I don't have much to say lately.  Since November, we had Christmas (don't want to talk about it) and New Year's (don't want to talk about it either) and even the entire month of January (too busy to talk about it).  The holiday really did come and go, and I had days off and enjoyed them with my family.  Too bad we were going to drive to Virginia and surprise my entire family when we stayed for two WHOLE weeks.  Too bad even though I was feeling lively, the other three members of the family had the following during the last seven weeks: acute bronchitis (x2), the flu (x3), upper respiratory infections (x2), strep throat (x2), stomach bugs, regular colds, etc.  I think Arlin may even still have walking pneumonia.  He's at the doctor now, even as I type.  I think I took someone or someones to the ER or doctor about 15 times in the months of Dec/Jan and the pharmacy knows me by name.  And we had Arlin's family staying with us out of default even though we had planned to be out of town.  Like I said, I don't want to talk about it.  Needless to say we never made it to Virginia for the holidays.  Bummer.

What I do want to do is show you a little slice of heaven:

Lindsay 3 days ago while at the Pediatric eye doctor

This girl is a hoot.  She does a pretty good job of keeping these new glasses on her face, or at least around her neck.  When we went in for her check up, we found out we don't have to have eye surgery for her crossing eyes (at least not yet).  So we are wearing glasses still and Lindsay is deliberately crossing her eyes at anyone who will watch because she now thinks it's a funny trick at which others will laugh (thanks dad-she does your little straight eye, crooked eye trick).  Lately she has told me she wants to beat up the UFC fighters on television and her finger has super powers that will turn her into a monster (so she can fight other monsters).  Can you tell she has a little spit and vinegar in her?

Laney is doing stellar, brought home Honor Roll on her report card again.  Two of those grades barely made it, but we'll take it AND be happy about it.  It's a long long way from third grade, and I'm so proud of her for working hard.  And here's to say carefully control medicine really helps when all other options have failed.  I'm grateful she has options when twenty years ago there weren't any, and I'm grateful we can afford those options.  She's really enjoying her Activity Day Girls (a twice a month group where girls her age meet to talk about life, make goals, and do fun crafts) and she has lately discovered talking on the telephone and listening to an MP3 player of music.  She is growing up, and I can't believe it (Arlin refuses to think about it).  haha!

Arlin's business is beginning to take off and grow like the dickens.  He is about half way through a big job on a local campus and they are so far really pleased with his installers.  He is also moving into the realm of window sales and I'm so happy because it's way less stress and does not have as many possible negatives as installation jobs.  It's also faster to get paid, less time on a job, and less work for him in the long run.  Not to mention, no relying on others to be on point for months at a time.

Me?  I am still doing all the same things.  Except I was released as YW Secretary and now I'm an Activity Day girl co-leader and a co-teacher in the 3 year old class (Sunbeams).  Apparently my church leaders think adding grad school on to my already busy schedule still leaves plenty of time for two jobs.  They could be way worse, so I will take them I suppose.  School is going fairly well so far.  Homework is manageable and I'm already beginning my big projects so they won't overwhelm me right before they are due.  I have to write a series of biographies, tutor someone, volunteer at a school and complete a few other projects.  I'm a little worried about how I'm going to get the school hours in while I work, but I'll figure something out I'm sure.  I'm happy I'm in school, and I don't feel under water quite yet.  It's taking a lot of self discipline to do homework on weekends and in the evening when I'd rather be watching television while folding laundry or something, but it's getting done and that's all that matters in the long run, right?

Days 22 - 30

22-30. Recently, one of my old high school friends has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.  They are not sure how good/bad it is, what her future will be and all that.  They have scheduled surgery in the next few weeks.  She has young children, and her youngest has heart health problems, and has had a very complicated medical life in four short years.  She has older children, ready to embark upon their middle school and high school years.  She has a husband who loves her.  She has brothers and sisters who love her.  She has so much to miss if the tumor changes who she is or becomes terminal.

When I think about things I'm grateful for, my list just kinda halts when I think about my friend.  It reminds me of Lindsay, and when she was in the NICU for so many weeks.  AND just how precious this gift of life is.  What a great gift, what great experiences for learning, growth, enjoyment.  Things to see, hear, do smell, taste, touch.  People to love, hate, treasure, miss, long for.  Knowledge to gain and to lose.  It's amazing.  I'm just grateful to have this gift of life and health.  To have my husband and my children.  And even to have the gift of Taylor, though she is not here now.  She helps me appreciate, to reflect, and to still live a life full of wonder.  For that, I am grateful.

Days 17 - 21

17. I'm so relieved my kids like vegetables.  You don't even know!  Last night I made baked fish, steamed carrots and broccoli and oven roasted potatoes.  My kids ate it all up.  I was amazed and so happy we didn't have a dinner fight over food.  Lindsay of course kept saying, "I don't like fish." This right as she shoved it into her mouth.  That girl!

18. I'm so happy to have friends who have the energy to do stuff!  This is because I don't!  At least I don't have energy to put it all together, so it's nice to have friends who have the energy to organize an event and I just get to bring a dish and show up!  :)  Super yay!

19. Texas winters rock!  I hate snow, shoveling snow, scraping snow off windshields, warming up the car, etc.  Here in Texas, I don't worry about any of those things.  I usually don't even worry about having a coat or a jacket, and I have to remind myself that the girls cannot wear flip flops to church in February.  I just love the warm weather!

20. I love colored string lights.  This year we are stringing lights around our house for all the holidays.  Christmas, New Years, Halloween, Thanksgiving.  It just makes the house feel festive and different and peaceful.  I love them!

21. I appreciate the gift of sight.  I've had dreams since I was a kid that one day I would go blind.  That hasn't happened yet, but I do have terrible eye sight.  I'm not even eligible for corrective laser surgery!  My last visit my doctor told me I have focusing issues of a 40-something.  :/  So, in case that dream comes true (not in a good way!) I'm going to appreciate seeing my cute kids, sunrises, blue skies, my love's eyes, and all those other glorious things we see every day and don't even realize are so lovely.

Days 13-16

13. I'm so super grateful for our shop manager, Jessica.  In the almost 3 years (3 weeks short of 3 years) our salon has been open, we've had 6 managers I think.  Or 6 managers I can immediately think of.  Some were okay, some were bad, and one was great.  Jessica is a great manager.  She gets the point of having a business is to service customers and to make sure they are happy.  She understands you want your employees to be happy, but you don't want them to take advantage of you, she just gets it.  I'm so happy to have her running our salon!

14. I'm grateful for a dependable co-owner who lives near our salon, and is willing to go in and help wherever needed.  I can't even tell you the number of times I call him for random items.  He's awesome!

15. I in LOVE with the commandment to cleave unto your wife and leave your parents.  I could go into this, but I'm being grateful and positive today.

16. I appreciate diapers, but I over-the-moon that Lindsay is potty trained.  No more poop smeared all over her bedroom, no more diapers to change, no more dirty clothes that you just throw away.  No pee on anything.  (Accidents are few thank goodness!)  Hooray!

Days 9 - 12

9. I'm grateful to not be crazy.  Seriously, that's a loose word to mean any sort of mental incapacity.  I know several people who are pathological liars, self absorbed, multiple personalities, etc.  It's so nice to be in a correct state of mind and to know my mind and to know reality for what it is.  Of course it makes me crazy dealing with those who have no grasp on reality.

10. I'm grateful for automobiles.  While I'm totally in love with horses, I'm happy to be able to get from point A to point B quickly and safely.  I don't have to worry about the time it takes me to get somewhere in terms of months or years as compared to hours or days (limited that to the US of course).

11. I'm grateful to be a world of variety.  Can you imagine growing up and knowing nothing about the other cuisines of the world?  No Italian food, or Mexican food or delicious mango smoothies?  No other traditions or beliefs to consider?  I think it's amazing people are so similar yet so different.  Hoorah!

12. I love the computer age.  The ability to hit backspace and not have to begin anew with a clean white sheet of paper.  Cause I took typing folks, and nothing stinks worse than typing an entire page or letter and realizing you made a typo in it, and having to start all over.  Yay for delete!

Time

I'm grateful to have time.  It heals wounds, it dulls pain, it lets you make memories, and allows others around you to grow up or become more mature.  I'm happy to have each and every day here, as they are all precious and none, absolutely none are guaranteed.  I appreciated my memories of my times, both good and bad, as they help me retain lessons learned and cherish moments lost.

Day 7

Today I'm extra grateful for my little Laney.  She has been working so hard and getting settled into her new medication, her new classes, her new teachers.  All this and roommates leaving suddenly, in-laws staying over for the night and turning into a 30+ day stay, and just normal bumps of life.  Well, last night she got her first report card and she had all B's and one A.  Not not be a good grade for many of you with children, but for my little girl, who has STRUGGLED with school and her focusing, it was A-mazing! We haven't started a year off this great since kinder!  Yay for Laney!!!