Around Here: Week 33 2021

 {August 8-August 14th}

Hitting... eighteen years on August eighth.  Our wedding anniversary had very little fanfare this year as I was sick, but we enjoyed a mellow day at home, the kids doing their weekly chores and us looking forward to a getaway later this week. 

Worrying... over Wyatt when he could not stop coughing and clearing his throat one night. We blew his nose (and blew his nose, and blew his nose) and then finally he was able to fall asleep.  But I stayed in his room after he'd fallen asleep for probably an hour just to keep an eye on his breathing.  His asthma keeps me on my toes, that's for sure. 

Grateful... that ServPro was able to get the house all dried out from our furnace leak, and they didn't have to remove any of the wall between Carly's room and the upstairs hallway. Now we have to find a contractor who can repair the ceiling in the dining room, hallway and Carly's bedroom closet. (Wish us luck!)

Loving... doing Carly's hair.  I knew I would enjoy a daughter, but I guess I didn't imagine doing her hair specifically would bring me such joy.  It does.  I love how she goes from looking like a ragamuffin to so cute just from a hairbrush and hairtie.  I would like to learn how to french braid and how to do fish braids.  We'll see if I actually do!

Sorting... through ALL of Carly and Wyatt's clothes before going school clothes shopping.  I wanted to have a clear inventory of what they had and what they needed.  I don't think I have ever done so in the past, but it felt really good to do it this year. 

Shopping... for back to school clothes (and toys!) with my mom and the littles in Wenatchee.  We had a fantastic time, lots of laughter, cute clothes, yummy food and even a little time with cousins at the end of the day.  My parents spoiled us and I am so grateful for their help with the back to school clothes.  We are so lucky. 

Wishing... Josh well as he went back to work this week.  He had some time in his classroom (he's teaching fourth grade for the sixth year in a row) and some required meetings.  We missed him here at home, but Wyatt was invited to go to the waterpark with a friend, and the other kiddos and I were able to swim. 

Attending... our Mine To Tell meeting on Tuesday and trying really hard to make it a priority each week.  I put it on the calendar downstairs and in the calendar on my phone so it pops up when I am making plans.  It's one hour, but it means so much to me that I make myself a priority for that one hour.

Heading... out to The Anderson School in Bothel with Josh for a work retreat.  Because he had his own room, I was able to sneak along, meet some of his coworkers, and enjoy a few quiet days to myself. We were so excited looking forward to this time away together, and so grateful for Josh's mom for watching the kids while we were gone.  

Eating... some of the yummiest food at The Anderson School.  It's a McMenamin's location that has a pool, movie theater, multiple restaurants and gorgeous rooms on a sprawling plot of land just outside Seattle. I had pizza one night that might have been the best pizza of my life.  I also had amazing fish & chips, a Caesar salad bowl that I completely emptied and even tried beignets for the first time.

Luxuriating... in the quiet of a hotel room all to myself while Josh was at work during our getaway.  I slept in, took a long shower, watched the last episode of Grey's Anatomy (I started it during the pandemic, Season One, for the first time- I had never watched it before- and just finished the last episode of Season Seventeen.  I am going to miss it so much!) and worked on my elephant diamond dot.  I thought I might blog or read, but my head was not cooperating, giving me a migraine, so I just diamond dotted while listening to an audio book.

Listening... to The Good House on audio and really enjoying Leary's storytelling. So much detail. The characters felt super real. 

Suffering... a migraine on the way home.  Luckily my meds work, but first they make me feel super yucky for a while. Thankfully Josh is really understanding about my migraines.

Grateful... that while we were gone the kids looked out for each other. Jack made sure Wyatt stayed home during the smoke, and Logan volunteered as tribute to help Grandma at the land with the chores (they have pigs, chickens and a garden that needs watering) so that Wyatt could stay home with Jack. Jack and Wyatt put Carly to bed at night, reading her stories and singing her songs, and were just super good kids, grandma said. It made me so proud of them. 

Rethinking... how I frame workouts.  I listened to half of the book Burnout by Emily Nagoski on audio before it returned to the library, and I loved how she described working out as "finishing the stress cycle".  If I am thinking of working out in terms of changing my body or "because I should" I get a) frustrated my body doesn't change after ONE workout (hah!) and b) oppositional because I don't want to be told what to do. (Also hah! Grow up Shelly!) 
But if I think of it as finishing the stress cycle, I am WAY more likely to do it because I know it's good for my mental health and will reduce anxiety and improve sleep.  Win/win. What do you tell yourself so that you'll workout? 

Sending... the boys to Wenatchee for some cousin + movie time with Nanny & Papa.  They had a great time and I was grateful for a quiet day here with just Carly.  I can't believe she starts school in a month.  I also can't believe we missed out on our last year together. I can't change it, so I haven't dwelled on it too much, but COVID took a lot away from us the last year and a half, and if I think about it for any length of time, I can get real sad. 

***

Good Bones

by Maggie Smith

Life is short, though I keep this from my children.

Life is short, and I've shortened mine

in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways

I'll keep from my children.  The world is at least

fifty percent terrible, and that's a conservative

estimate, though I keep this from my children.

For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird.

For every loved child, a child broken, begged,

sunk in a lake.  Life is short and the world

is at least half terrible, and for every kind

stranger, there is one who would break you, 

though I keep this from my children.  I am trying

to sell them the world.  Any decent realtor,

walking you through a real shithole, chirps on

about good bones: This place could be beautiful,

right? You could make this place beautiful. 

*

Super inspired by this idea Jordan Page brought up-
that we shouldn't do for our kids what they can do for themselves.
Brilliant.