one of those days

On the plus side, I am healthy and my family is healthy and, just to make sure that everyone realizes this: that is about the most important thing and I'm grateful.
With that said, today has been One of Those Days. I feel like I should be springing and doing and getting stuff done-ing because Spring is in the air. But no, I feel like napping and even when I get a minute to nap, rather that being refreshed, I am ready for more nap.
We are getting a new appraisal on the house next week and there's plenty to do to get ready but I am not getting it done. Also, there's one student I've got that is totally pushing my buttons and I'm just so done with it. We have had the final confrontation over it - I hope - and I'm really hoping tomorrow is different...better different. It just sucks the life out of me.
My blogging friend Ryan, of the angrygardner.com is back on after a few months absence and it's great seeing what he's up to again but, he's like putting me to shame. He's cooking this gourmet meal and that gourmet item and blah, blah. Me? It's lentils tonight baby. Seriously, I just feel so lackluster.

The weekend with Something For Everyone

We all went to Honey's volleyball tournament this weekend - it was a two-dayer (Fri. & Sat.) so we got a motel room and stayed in Salt Lake. I was a little surprised that Mr. Charming went because his back has really been bothering him and he really doesn't like sitting for a long time anyway. I think we're both realizing that the kids won't be kids forever and we are enjoying "being in the moment" with them. We went shopping at the mall for a bit afterwards and while Honey looked for volleyball shoes with her dad, I took Sugar to some of the stores she likes. She'd had a pretty long time of hanging out watching her sister for two days and I wanted to give her a little fun too. We ended up going to Build a Bear because I had some credit at the store. I hadn't planned on letting her get a new animal but I didn't want the credit to expire and the look in her eye was too hard to say no to. There is something quite magical about the experience. Part of the magic is just that I know it won't be much longer that we'll have kids who want to get a new stuffed teddy bear. Got to enjoy it while it lasts! The tournament went well, the shopping was fun, and we got home late Sat. night.
In church, Mr. Charming and I are in the marriage relations Sunday school class and it has been a really nice thing. The teachers are quite interesting and good. Today they had us do an assignment (not to turn in but to share privately with our spouses later) in which we wrote the strengths that we felt our spouses have and that we, ourselves, have. We shared our lists later at home with each other and it was a really neat experience. Mr. Charming said some things that I didn't know he thought or noticed and it really touched me. I'm grateful to be married to someone that values our family so much and is so supportive of me and our kids.

jody can play today

My shoulder hurts and it looks pretty gnarly...Sugar has asked to see it a couple of times and then nearly comes undone each time. I think she has to verify that it actually looks as gross as it seemed like it looked the last time she saw it. It does.
The doc thought everything looked good though. He removed the lump and is sending it to a pathologist (as a matter of routine and just to err on the side of caution). All in all, I feel pretty good about everything.
One of the really good parts of today was going for a walk with my friend Kris. Good friends are hard to come by and I'm really glad to have someone that I can share my worries and ideas and thoughts with. The weather was warm but a little crazy windy - I didn't even mind the wind though because it was just so nice to get out!

nothin' but a case o' nerves

I read a book over the weekend (I read it all on Saturday - even managed to help hubby with some chores), went to the movie with my family tonight, am going walking with a friend tomorrow...I feel like I got off the treadmill of constantly hustling but getting nowhere to really doing some things. It's been a treat.
Today felt like a long day and I'm still working on getting everything done that I need to. Dance photo day for Sugar. I should've gotten Honey out for volleyball fundraising but that was one thing that didn't get done. Family Home Evening night at the movies so I had to get dinner done at a respectable time. Totally out of food so, you know, I had to get life-sustaining items. But I think the thing that's weighed on me the most is that I have to go to the Dr. tomorrow to get a little lump removed from my shoulder. I noticed it around Christmas and I finally had it looked at a week ago. The Doc said that it looks like just a normal little cyst and it's no biggie. And I'm sure he's right - it's just that whenever you have a lump - just the word itself hangs heavy in the air. And I'm a worrier. Anyway, I have to get things ready for a substitute to take care of my classes and I wanted to get dinner fixed in case I didn't feel like cooking tomorrow.
I've been screaming inside my head all day because I've got so many things to do, it's rush here - rush there, and I'm nervous about it all.
It'll all be fine.
Next week I have to go to the Dentist and get a broken tooth fixed.
I'm pretty excited about that too.

the backburner

I've let so many things that I used to love doing sit on the backburner. Things like reading and knitting and walking. I think that school and house projects have made my mind feel too full to invest in any of that. But I've noticed a change lately. Even thinking of those things is a change. The approach of spring seems to be awakening my desire to get back to some of those hobbies. I keep getting yarn out of "the stash" and just touching it...thinking of projects. I want to select a project that is not too complicated and not too bulky. Something soft and useful and for me. I do have some sock yarn and I do enjoy me some handknit socks...

Reprieve

It's Friday - in all it's beautiful glory. This week has been a treat; everything at school just seemed to work and I didn't have a panic attack about what I would be doing with any of my classes even once. An idea for a child care unit game that I've been toying with for a year and a half finally came together in my head and it was easy to put together and the students loved it. In fact, they've asked every day since if we could play it again. I know that I've mentioned this before, but I have to say it again - I am just so grateful for the Lord taking me by the hand and helping me do what I need to do. Lately I've been praying that I can be a blessing in the lives of others. I think that we do receive what we ask for because I feel like my mind has been opened and my patience has been increased.
Friday evening just feels like such a reprieve. After a long week of getting up early, running errands, hoping I don't forget to take my kids where they need to go (and then return when I'm supposed to - guess who was 10 minutes late picking up from dance and felt like crap even when Sugar said it was OK? yep. I know, there's worse things, but still it's hard not to feel like the moms that have it together don't do stuff like that). Honey's kicked back in the recliner reading and Sugar has her cousin over for a sleepover (they're watching Tinkerbell right now). Mr. Charming is sanding the door on the room we're overhauling and I'm listening to the dryer and enjoying some free time now that dinner is over. It's just regular life, nothing extraordinary but I can't help but feel that this life is sweet.

Viva le difference!

There are many times during marriage that I've thought Mr. Charming and I are definately a case of "opposites attract." We are oh-so-different in lots and lots of ways. I'll admit that there've been plenty of times, especially early in our marriage, when I wished he was more like me. Skip a few years and time has made me wiser. I genuinely appreciate his attention to detail and his methodical determination in seeing a project through to the end. His persnickety-ness has created a more beautiful, secure, efficient home for our family and, while I've certainly contributed, I know that the bulk of credit goes to him. We're beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel on yet-another-home-improvement-project (that's the way it is when you live in an old house, kids) and it's really incredible. I truly admire that he can come home from a long day at work and put on his painting clothes and go to work for the better part of the evening. One more coat of paint on the walls, moulding, re-paint trim, sand & re-paint door, and get carpet laid (come on - that's not bad!) and we can make one more check mark on the perpetual to-do list around here! I also love that he seems like he's no longer aggravated with me for not being like him. Just this past weekend, Mr. Charming thanked me for being a mom that puts her children first and for being the kind of mom that I am. It meant a lot - it was a huge validation of the time that it takes to run kids around and listen and guide and support and fix hair and find shoes and check homework and encourage and all those things that I love doing but at the end of the day, there's not a lot to show for what you've been doing all day. In short, I'm so glad for what makes me, me and for what makes him, him. I wouldn't have it any other way. Viva le difference!