Around Here: Week 45 {2018}

Spending... the weekend at the beach with my friends from small group (bible study).  We met every Monday from seventh grade through high school graduation and have stayed in contact all these years later.  Together we have 13 kids, but somehow we managed to get away together.  I love those girls so much!  We were bummed that Emily couldn't make it this time (love you, girl!) but the three of us made the most of it, talking, walking on the beach, enjoying dinner out, and savoring each other's company.  I even squeezed in a little reading and journaling while we were there.

Driving... home from the beach, which took forever!  There were two huge car accidents and traffic in general was just terrible.  It took me almost ten hours to get home! Blah!  The good thing about that much time in the car is that I got to finish Marilla of Green Gables on audio, and I got to start A Spark of Light. 

Relishing... being reunited with my kids after a weekend away.  All four kids ran out to the driveway when I pulled in, hugging me and welcoming me home. It was so sweet!  I was so happy to be home, and they were so happy to see me.  It was really tender. 

Creating... our family Christmas cards with the pictures my sister and I took of my kids a few weekends ago.  Josh and I opted out of our family pictures because my hair was falling out and Josh had Bell's Palsy at the time... so this year's Christmas card will star the children. ;)  The cards turned out *adorable* and I cannot wait to get my hands on them. I always use Shutterfly and have never been disappointed.  I will probably get started on addressing them after Thanksgiving.

Taking... Halloween decorations down, finally.  The last two weeks have kind of flown by, and with my being out of town, November sort of snuck up on me.  It felt good to tuck Halloween away.

Putting... Thanksgiving decorations up.  The kids' favorite part of each new holiday decor is, hands down, the books that come out.  So they were thrilled to wake up to all the Thanksgiving books on their shelf.  I love their enthusiasm so much!!

Suffering... some random anxiety symptoms on Tuesday & Wednesday this week.  I'm not sure why I was feeling so shaky and scared, but I felt miserable.  Thankfully, Josh was home Wednesday, so he was able to take Wyatt to Spokane for his Pulmonology appointment for me, so I could stay home, take a nap and engage in some self care.  Self care this week looked like a lot of sleep, and a lot of time on the couch watching TV.  Josh was really understanding, and between the sleep and the rest, I was able to start feeling better by Thursday, and by Friday I was back to my old self. Phew!
Josh thinks that maybe I was having anxious feelings about taking Wyatt to see the Pulmonologist, and he may be on to something.  His Pulmonologist is at the hospital where he was in the PICU back in December, where he almost died, so going there with him is always a bit emotional for me. I didn't put two and two together, but after he got back from taking Wyatt for me, he told me he figured that was why I was having a hard day.  Such an insightful guy.

Reading... and finishing Not That I Could Tell.  It was a good read, but I felt like the ending was weak.  That was a bummer.  I have since started The Patron St. of Liars by Ann Patchett.  It's good so far.

Taking... the kids to school in the car on Friday after the weather suddenly got very cold!  I am so grateful we got to walk/ride bikes to school for so long this year!  Making it this far into November has got to be some kind of record!  Now I will start waking up before the kids and working out with Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home videos.  In addition to that, I will be meditating in the morning.  I'm praying those two things will keep my mental health in place the way that walking the kids to school used to do!

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