around here: week 31 2020

{July 26-August 1}

{reading to Molly}

 

{Phoenix & Mrs. Cunningham}

{my boy}

{Carly's porcupine drawing}

Sending... the boys off with Josh to go shooting while Carly had a playdate with Liesel and Andrea.  They had so much fun and I really enjoyed the house to myself. (Time alone is my love language.)

Spending... time with cousins, swimming, talking, laughing, and making memories in the last few days Josh's sister was in town with her kids before they left.  I am so grateful for these days we had together (after our talk-which I shared last week), for us and for our kids.  So much magic.

Learning... that Josh's district has changed from in-person to online.  I'm glad this decision was made because I think it's safe based on the number of cases their county is still seeing, but I am disappointed for Josh who would (in a perfect world) rather teach in person.  It's such a different experience trying to reach kids through a screen.

Surviving... with Josh off in meetings all day Tuesday, starting with a consultation with a urologist for a vasectomy (we are so done having kids- quarantine confirmed this. hah!) and followed by a meeting with his fourth grade teaching team while the twins were off at the land with Grandma, Papa & Alvin.

Attending... book club to choose our next six months of books.  We ended up deciding on Prairie Lotus, The Giver of Stars, The Princess Bride, Lila, Mindset and Grace Where You Are.  I'm especially excited for Lila, which is part of a trilogy (Gilead, Home & Lila) I ordered used from Powell's and have heard about from multiple people I follow on Bookstagram & in the blogging world.  I can't wait to dive in!

Grateful... that Josh took Molly to the vet for me after his meeting with his student teacher so I could stay & play with Shana and her kids.  She is good on shots and appointments until she is old enough to get spayed. It's nice to have that done.

Enjoying... a pool playdate with  my bestie & her kids on Wednesday.  She brought pizza for lunch and then we let the kids swim.  They had a lot of fun together, and I love her kids.  They're so cute!

Doing... laundry like a madwoman while Carly & Wyatt were at the land Thursday.  Between loads I also managed to get a nap and some downtime, which was lovely.

Feeling... proud of Carly as she worked through her emotions about a dead porcupine she saw in the parking lot at Dollar Tree with Grandma Carol this week.  When she saw it she asked, "Why is it out of nature?" She's so smart and curious.  When I chatted with her about it, she was adamant that it was not dead, just seemed dead, so we concluded that the woman "helping" it was taking it to the vet.  She's so tenderhearted.

Hearing... the devastating news that one of my students from my days as a staff assistant (pre-kids) has passed away.  Phoenix was my boy.  He was the one who made me come in on days when I didn't want to.  He is the one who made me want to do a better job, be a better person, make the world a better place.  I truly cannot believe he is dead. I feel awful for his mom and his brothers.
His loss has hit me harder than I could have ever imagined.  I am so grateful his mom thought to reach out and find me (thank you, Facebook) to let me know that he's gone, and to let me know the impact I had on him.  Because he certainly had an impact on me.

Packing... for our trip to Vancouver Friday amidst reading journals of my time with Phoenix back in 2006.  My favorite was finding an entry about him (in first grade) informing the teacher that George Washington had wooden teeth during his presidency... you know, back when the dinosaurs were alive. Haha! He was such a joy. Always making me laugh or think deep thoughts.

Quietly... enjoying chicken bacon pizza Josh made with tomatoes and onion from our garden while we watched The Martian, a lovely reprieve from my thoughts and sadness about Phoenix.

Leaving... for Vancouver and looking forward to a lovely visit with my parents.

Starting... an Instagram reading account and feeling so happy about it. I feel like such a nerd for the amount of joy it brings me. Please check it out if you enjoy reading or want recommendations. I'd love to talk books there with you! @shellyreadsbooks

Contemplating... getting a tattoo in honor of Phoenix.  I currently have no tattoos, and am the only one in my family of origin who doesn't have one.  My parents both have them, my sister and brother have them, and my youngest brother is actually a tattoo artist. It's funny... but not having a tattoo (in my family)  makes me the black sheep. Hah!
I was telling Josh that I just feel like I want to do something permanent to show that Phoenix had an impact on me.  I'm not sure if I will go through with it. And I don't know what I would get it, but it's something I'm considering. I am thinking of either a black phoenix like I have posted above (below the pictures of him) or his name in tiny cursive somewhere.

(His family has a gofundme to help with funeral costs & getting his body from Florida, where he died from complications of heat stroke, back home to Washington. If you want to donate, I've included the link.)

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2006 Baby Name List

While reading through my old journals to find nuggets of time with Phoenix I had recorded, I found this list of names.  I didn't know or remember that Carly was a name I liked before I was pregnant with her.  That made me smile.

When I was pregnant with the twins, their names would have been Bailey Renee (or Bailey Kate) and Claire Ariella if they had been girls. And Logan would have been Landon, but I knew of a girl whose baby Landon had died traumatically, so that name made me think of him, and I switched to Logan, after Mary Ann's boyfriend in The Baby-Sitter's Club.  And Josh said he didn't want a "junior" so we just named Jack Jack, no junior.  But I did use Sawyer and Henry as middle names for the twins.

So fun to look at.

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