On Public School, The House & Generosity

Thank you so much for your kind, encouraging feedback on my public school post.  I am scared to send the boys... but only selfishly.  I'm afraid I'll miss them; I'm afraid our time together will feel too limited; I'm afraid of it changing our family dynamic.

But for them, I only feel excitement. I'm excited for new friendships; fun learning and good challenges.  I'm excited for school supplies, new school clothes and their very first "first day of school".  I'm excited for Wyatt to shine and grow up a little (even if it pains me!) and I'm excited for Logan & Jack to be in their own classes (another decision that was tough to make!) and for them to be recognized for who they are individually, not what they are as a pair.

Some of your comments also got me excited about what my days could look like with just Carly at home.  I might have time to blog more regularly, cook real meals (cooking from scratch? what's that?) and keep house the way I want to. I've never had just one baby.  We started our family off with a bang bringing the twins home, so having Carly be my "only" will be a new experience for me!

We're getting closer to closing on the house, and thus far, everything is in order, although I still feel like I'm holding my breath.  I just can't believe we are going to get to buy a house. It's always been a dream of ours, and one that, on a teacher's salary, we knew was a bit of a stretch.  So for it be turning into a reality in as little as 2 weeks feels a bit surreal.

Lastly, I wanted to talk generosity... You guys.  YOU GUYS.  The outpouring of love both on the blog and on Facebook after I asked for help furnishing our house was incredible.

My parents are helping me pick up a high chair and stroller; my nephews' Grandma Aniko gifted us two storage shelves and a bedside table; Josh found a couch & loveseat on Craigslist for $200 and the guy even delivered it for us (!); my elementary school friend Marisa gave us her rocking chair & ottoman, plus to adorable bar stools; my teacher friend Jackie gave me oodles of storage stuff (even Lego ones, which the boys are using, making my organized-mama-self very happy!) as well as a lamp and some laundry baskets; my lifelong friend & ex-neighbor Kerry gave us an office chair, a desk and a crockpot; my grandma's friends' daughter Barb gifted us her basically brand new vacuum cleaner; my mom found an extra iron she had on hand and is giving it to us; my brother-in-laws' parents are giving us a screaming deal on a dishwasher, stove and microwave; my elementary bff Brittney's mom Linda is gifting us utensils & plate sets; my sister's best friends' sister Nicole gave us three brand new Ikea shelving units that will be awesome for our new living room; and my friends Peggy & John gifted us an Ikea high chair that we'll be using here at the in-laws since it's so small & convenient. It's like people came out of the woodwork to help us.  It's been overwhelming and humbling.  You all are amazing.

(Also, a shout out is required for both my sister and my parents who have let us commandeer their garages as storage for all these awesome pieces until we get keys to our new digs.  Thank you!!!)

In the midst of buying the house and acquiring things for the house, I got in a car accident, so every week I am going to the chiropractor at least three times, and I was also diagnosed last week with an ulcer. Ugh. How timely.  So while I've been suffering unbelievable abdominal pain as well as a stiff neck and a total lack of sleep (thanks a lot, Carly!), I've been even more grateful that everyone has been so willing to help us out.  It's been beautiful to witness.

Because of your gratitude, that huge list has been pared down to this:

2 kid desks

a recliner

area rugs 

Bookshelves

toaster

Laundry baskets & hampers

Blender

Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.

Your generosity has been a testament to your love for us.
And we're feeling it!

***

This Week

Finished reading Sister. It was so good, I couldn't put it down!  I am still working my way through One Thousand Gifts along with our bible study guide, and I am telling you, every.single.page has inspiration for seeing God in our days.

Working on my 1000 Gifts list.  I'm on 799 currently and I think I'll be sad when I hit 1,000.

Eating through all the food in our fridge & pantry that will expire over the summer.  This makes for some interesting food combinations in our days!  #wastenotwantnot

Missing blogging everyday.  I think I am going to try to get back to it.

Loving the kindness of the people in Marshall.  The boys and I ventured to the post office (about a half mile away) one afternoon and came back each carrying a fairly large box.  At least three different people stopped their vehicles on the dirt road as we headed back home, offering us a ride.  What they didn't know was that the boxes were filled with toilet paper, and light as air!  I filled them in, and gratefully declined their kind offers.  It warmed my heart though to be extended such kindness.

Dying for Screen Free Week to be over.  It has been the most challenging thing I've done in a long, long time.  I'm tired, I'm overwhelmed and I'm grouchy.  Can I be honest here?  TV time is the only break I get.  With no family or friends here to help out, screen time is my crutch.  Need a shower in the morning? Turn on Doc McStuffins.  Need to make an important phone call?  Hand out the tablets.  Want some quiet time to blog after lunch? Pop in a DVD & enjoy the serenity.  Going without has pushed my sanity to the brink.

Looking forward to a break from my beloved children.  Have I mentioned that I'm ready to be surrounded by family & friends who will gladly take them off my hands for a few hours?!?

Laughing at Wyatt's tongue sticking out when he's super focused.  He was cutting earlier this week and the whole time that little lizard tongue of his was hanging out of his mouth. It cracks me up!

Proud of those big brothers for reaching 160 Accelerated Reading (AR) Points this month, and excited that they got to be part of the end-of-the-month assembly at their Daddy's school.  In the whole school only two kids read more than them. #mombrag

Shining with my new cell phone case!  For months I've had Josh's old cell phone case, a lime green Seahawks case, and finally my new cover came. It is sparkly and girly and I love it!

Choosing to not overdo it this week.  I gave up my daily workouts to make room for quiet time in my day.  I wanted to make some time to delve into God's word without the children running about, and if we're being honest, I am too pooped at the end of the day to give Him my best.  So I have been getting up at 5:30 every morning in order to have 45 minutes to myself before the boys wake up.  I'm still deciding whether the alone time is worth the trade off of less sleep.

Feeling Guilty for not making "real" dinners these days.  We're trying to get outside and stay outside as much as possible, so dinner is often chicken nuggets or fried eggs on toast.  I feel bad about it, but I'm not sure it can be rectified.

Crying about my upcoming due date.  If my pregnancy had stuck in October, I would have had a baby May 25th.  Instead here I am, nine months later, still not pregnant and not sure if I should be.  Not knowing what the future holds is really hard for me, and knowing that a pregnancy could be challenging out here makes me hesitant to try again.  Not to mention I'm not sure my heart could stand a third miscarriage.  What set me off was sorting through the boys' closet in preparation for our trip home for summer.  Folding baby clothes into totes, choosing what to store, what to ship & what to give away, tore my very heart in two.  Sometimes I just wish I had a glass ball to look into.

Grateful that despite my sad emotions, my anxiety has not reared its ugly head lately.

And lastly,

Enjoying Jack reading his first chapter book.  (Junie B. Jones!) It makes my mama heart so proud!  If nothing else came of screen free week but that, I consider it a win!

Happy Weekend!

***