temporary insanity

Dearest Readers,
Please forgive the insane nature of my previous post. Let's put it under the category of "Mothering Guilt" (raise your hand if you've ever suffered under its effects). Nate and I will be heading to the east coast in a few weeks. While he is discussing the interiors of other people's heads, necks, ears, throats, nasal glands and sinus features - I will be sight-seeing, reading whatever I want, and sleeping in. I will be partaking of room-service, I will find the nearest spa, and I will not cut my trip short.

Your Most Repentant,
me

choices

I'm interested in your opinion. I have a chance to get out of town with Nate - with NO children. I'm excited about this and I think the kids are too (they will have lots of attention from some grandparents during that time). However, by skipping town I will also be missing out on the kids' Primary program (this is the children's service that the kids 3-11 do once a year - it involves speaking parts and lots of songs). This will be Jimmy's first one (although he has sung with the kids at other times during the year - Mother's Day being one). If you had a chance to be in my shoes would you
a: buy new shoes and skip town and let the grandparents revel in the kids' glory
b: buy a new plane ticket, cut your trip short, and be there for the event
c: cancel everything with Nate, see the kids perform, and then buy lots of new shoes with your "saved" dough

geographic theology

Today Jimmy said that Jesus lives in a town called Heaven. I thought you should know.

the center

You may know a little about this gal and if you know just a little, you know she LIVES for the spotlight, for drama, for fun, and for all of this with an amazing amount of enthusiasm. I figured when we moved here I'd see if there was a little community theater she could be somewhat involved in. Well, there is. And it isn't so little.

By the time we got here (and then got back from all of our traveling) we had missed all the summer camps and things, but were just in time for auditions for The Wiz. We've never auditioned for anything! We have no head shots, no resume, no dance experience (outside of our living room or of course Rachel's wedding). That's okay, they say. We love to find new talent, they say. Just have her prepare 32 bars of an upbeat song and come prepared to sing. Okay, we say.

Grace is so very excited, and knows that she's up against kids that have been doing these sorts of things for years. But this is a chance to sing her guts out in front of other people! What could be better than that?!!?!

Nate and Jimmy take her to the audition (Jimmy was most insistent he went). While the boys waited in the hall, Grace marched into the room, handed them her music, and performed. It lasted a whole two minutes. How did it go? "It was AWESOME!" she says. The theater coordinator of auditions (not quite sure what her job is called) said, "well, that's what the directors really like - confidence!" Well, we've got that, sister.

The next day she called us back for Call Backs.
That was last night. We'll see...

In the meantime we'll say "Break a Leg, Girl!"

where is our mother?

I'm right here. But you don't notice me as much because I am sick. Strep this time. Seems that 2010 is not my most excellent year of health. At least it is one of those things that drugs work wonders on.

I came down with it on our weekend away with Nate's extended family. Usually I am the one not as enthusiastic about all of our outdoor adventuring. This time I thought I was especially grumpy about it. 12 hours later a high fever confirmed that at least I had a right to feeling grumpy about traversing over slippery, hard rocks submerged under freezing cold water in 100 degree temps.

The next day I had a free "I Pass On This Adventure" ticket, fevers are good for that. I missed a long hike (long by my standards and the kids' standards, coupled with the high heat). Jimmy came back all sweaty and said he had been on a long, long hunt. I wondered if it was a/c he had been hunting for?

Monday began a busy week. Grace headed to school, Nate was home long enough to see her off (what?!!? yes, I love his new job). Jimmy and I tried to find our way to the insta-care clinic (yes, we so need real doctors). But we couldn't go. The car wouldn't start. Seriously. Nate called AAA (I was basically unable to because by that point if I spoke it resulted in tears and that's not the best way to communicate with mechanics). They came, changed the battery, and all has been fine.

We ventured forth to the clinic. One look inside my throat and she says, "oh my!" Instant strep test confirms our suspicions. Rx is written. Oh, and my fever finally broke on the way over to the clinic.

My cute German neighbor invites both kids to come over and play for the afternoon. I sleep for three hours. Nate comes home. His evening meeting was cancelled. He takes the kids to Grace's audition (I'll tell you more about that later).

Life is good and will continue to be so.

my girl

She was most insistent on taking the bus her first day. She was most insistent on wearing her brand new shoes to school (who could blame her? They were sparkly rainbow sneakers with an under-current of cheetah print. They were awesome). She was most insistent on bringing her lunch in her new lunch box in her new backpack.

Well forty minutes after I expected her home, her bus shows up without her on it. One minute later an unexpected bus shows up behind it with one tough cookie on it. The school put her on the wrong bus and she had quite a tour of Scottsdale. The driver told me she must be brave. She told them she was okay and somehow managed to fight back the tears.

Once parked in front of our house, she leaped out of the bus to me and wouldn't let go. We said goodbye to the bus and the tears started to flow.
"They put me on the wrong bus!"
"My new shoes hurt my feet!"
"I couldn't find my lunch in my backpack!"
"I was so scared."

Do you know what this girl of mine did? She prayed on that bus that they would find her home. She ate her lunch for a snack at home (which was in her bag the entire time ("Well, my backpack smelled like lunch - I just couldn't find it. I thought someone must have taken it!"). She did her homework ("Can you believe we have homework on the first day?!").

Then this morning she woke up and told Jimmy, "I don't have time to play, Buv. I've got to catch my bus."
I said, "Grace, are you sure you want to take the bus today? I'll be happy to drive you."
Grace, "No problem, Mom. I can do it. I'll be on the right one for sure today! But how about I buy lunch again today, it was so good yesterday!"

My, oh my. What an awesome girl I have!

bonding

We just love Grandma Shirly!

ps Bonus Points if you can tell me what her husband name was!

shhhhh, Nate makes me laugh

Jimmy seemed to sleep a lot more than usual in the car this past month.

He often would be in strange positions and look hilarious.

However, it was only when Nate decided to impersonate him did the true hilarity ensue.

I'm such a lucky woman!

family fun

While in Utah we had a fabulous family reunion. This of course took place on the only rainy night we had. The kids didn't seem to mind, they played on the playground all soaked to the bone. The adults didn't seem to mind, we just chatted, renewed friendships, and enjoyed dinner. The only time anyone seemed to mind anything was Jimmy...





Good thing he's such a good sport about things.
Hmph!