Catching Up

I’m so behind I just don’t even know where to begin.

How about with pictures?

Other points of interest:

1) We’ve had colds again this week!  Bohoo!  Sadie missed three days of school and we’ve missed out on some fun times and had to cancel doctor’s appts because of the illness.  I think we’ve got it beat now, though.

2) I’m teaching the 7 and 8 year old Sunday School class at church now.  They’re a cute little bunch.  I miss working with the youth but this is good, too.

3) Yesterday officially marked the end of Ben’s busy season.  Although, it sounds like he’s still swimming in work so it probably won’t slow down too much too soon.  Tomorrow is Saturday and he still plans to work a full day, so not too much different yet.  He didn’t get home until past midnight three nights this past week.  It will be so, so, so nice for things to get back to normal around here.  We were really blessed, though, and this busy season didn’t seem so bad at all.  Also, we were very blessed because their renewal went great!  Like record-breaking great!  I guess all those prayers we offer for the success of his company are working.

4) Ben’s Grandma Johnson’s health is failing and it’s expected that she will pass sometime quite soon.

5) I’m convinced Gerson Therapy is the cure for cancer.  Well, not cure but a better alternative to chemo and radiation.  I’ve spent way too much time reading about it and watching the documentaries.  It’s very interesting!  I think I’m going to buy a juicer.  Ben thinks I”m weird.  He won’t admit that he thinks I’m weird, but I know I’m weird so I figure he must know by now, too.

6) Good books I’ve read lately: Carly’s Voice (unbelievable!!, related to autism), The Endurance: Shackelton’s Legendary Antartic Expedition (fascinating!!!), Heaven is Here (I just started it), Cleaning House: A Mom’s Twelve-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement.

7) I’ve been researching and planning our trip to Hawaii for Thanksgiving.  Michael figured out we could get a free ticket to Hawaii by flying from the Maldives to Paris to Florida (where we have a two month layover) to Hawaii.  We ended up with extra points from our India trip so we also have the airfare back from Hawaii covered, too.   Michael came up with this cockamamie scene and said, “We’ll watch your kids if you’ll watch ours!”  How could we say no to that?  We also have the hotels reservations covered so we’ll only have to pay for the food, entertainment, and taxes on the flights.  Mama didn’t raise no fool – when an offer like that comes along, I’m taking it!  It’s a little sad to leave the kids for Thanksgiving, but they’ll be in good hands.  We only plan to go for 4 nights.  I think we’re going to Maui.  The goal of this vacation is relaxation – lay by the pool, soak up the sun, read a book, take naps, focus on each other….oh wow, Thanksgiving can’t come soon enough!

8) I’m still awful at Zumba but I’ve been going every week.  So much fun!  I swear other people have more joints than I have or something, though.  I just can’t move my hips the way some of those people can.  I guess I’m becoming more secure in who I am because I really don’t get embarrassed by these types of things anymore.

9) My mom came up yesterday and was such a great help!  She took the kids to the park so I could pick up the house, let me take a nap, helped with dinner (soup since I was sick), and let me run to the grocery store.  I feel so grateful when people do such nice things for me.  I’m trying to be more proactive in finding nice things to do for other people.

10) Ben and I went on a date tonight.  A real date.  At night.  No kids!  Sadie’s preschool has a Friday night babysitting night once each semester.  We missed the first one last fall for some reason I can’t remember now.  Tonight I really debated whether to go or not due to the illness we had this week.  The kids were fever-free, runny nose-free, and almost cough-free; so, I decided to go for it.  It was Ben and mine’s celebration-for-surviving-busy-season night out.  It was great!  The kids had a great time.  The teachers said they were all good and several told me how smart the boys were.  Would you believe I’ve been told by 7 different people this week how smart McKay is?  Maybe he’ll end up being our brainy child?!?!  Wouldn’t that be something!!!  🙂  I will say, his language comprehension is outstanding!  He still doesn’t talk much, though.  Anyways, I’m off topic.  Since I’m off topic, though, my goal is not to raise the next Einstein or Beethoven – just happy, kind, church-going kids with a good head on their shoulders and enough intelligence to navigate this life successfully.  Is that disappointing?  Maybe I should try harder to make them develop their talents?  I plan for them to play instruments and sports; I just don’t want those things to dominate our lives.  Anyways, end of that off-topic point!

This is an awkward ending but I’m too tired to come up with something clever.

So……

The End.