Some recent pictures of the rugrats

Miscellany 3.17.09

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  There.  That's my St. Patrick's Day spirit.  I think I forgot to even tell the kids.  Which brings me to the first of my many completely non-related thoughts...

Homeschooling is going great.  Nathan is blending, doing simple addition, proficient in lots of household tasks... however.  I'm feeling a little adrift right now.  Each day is simply a continuation of the lessons from the day before, but there is no connecting theme at all.  For instance, the Spring holidays?  Haven't even mentioned them.   I have grand intentions, then I realize CRAP.  It's St. Patrick's Day and I forgot to tell my kids.  Oh well, I suppose it's a learning experience for me too.  And it's not like we won't have another chance to wear green next year.

This week has been particularly strange.  Saturday, we found out that Brian's grandmother, whom I adored, had passed away.  We're trying to figure out if we can make it home for the services, but flights are outrageous right now.

Also on Saturday, I ran into Blake Lively, the star of the show Gossip Girl, in Whole Foods.  She was squatting in the aisle, and I said "excuse me" to get by her, and when she looked up at me, I instantly became useless for the rest of the trip.  I had no idea what I needed, and I would stand there staring at a shelf thinking Blake Lively is in this store right now.  I admit that I am way more interested in celebrity culture than I want to be, but I really thought if I ever ran into one, I wouldn't become a moron.  I clearly think too highly of myself.

We're considering moving across the river.  Between our very loud neighbors who leave radios and televisions on all night and the lack of a yard, we think it might be a good time to go somewhere else.  Also, there is a possibility of shortening Brian's commute and paying less rent.  But we are still totally guessing at how long we'll be here (Brian mentioned last week that they are so behind that we should plan on just closing out the job, which has a contractual end-by date of June 2011).

We've actually had several social engagements over that last couple weeks, a few of them with boys from Nathan's Sunday school class.  It's been awesome, and has served to remind me that I am, in fact, an introvert.  I just want to hole up in my house and not talk to anybody for a while.  It has also made me really, really miss friends who know me.  Ladies who will not think I am a nutter when I stick my foot in my mouth twelve times in the next two and a half minutes.  Because I will, that's a given!

Okay, I feel better now.  Thank you!

Much Loved

Dorothy May Stewart

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Give her the reward she has earned, 

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31:18

I don't think this is how it was supposed to go...

Tonight my big boy disobeyed just before bed and got sent to the bathroom for a little come-to-Jesus talk. I asked him if he knew why he was going to be disciplined; he did. I informed him he would have a swat. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth commenced.

I delivered the swat... on top of two inches of cloth diaper (nighttime is still a challenge) and the wailing and gnashing of teeth continued. I knew that it couldn't possibly have hurt him, but there was no way he was going to give up his edge.

I waited for a moment, trying to figure out if I needed to address the DRAMA. What the heck. I went for it. I told him, "I know it didn't hurt you. So why are you crying?"

"I don't know."

"Nathan, why are you crying when your bottom doesn't hurt?"

He looked at me with those huge blue eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks...

"Because it's fun."

Um.... "What?"

"It's kind of like a game."

I almost bit my tongue off. Don't laugh. Do not laugh. DO NOT LAUGH! I totally laughed.

I guess I have his number now.