Around Here: Week Twelve {2018}

Reading... The Immortalists and finishing Station Eleven.  Station Eleven was so good.  It was intriguing and I could not stop listening.  I had my head phones on constantly, just to listen for ten more minutes here, ten more minutes there.  The way the story was woven together, all the characters eventually linking to each other, was like magic.  The Immortalists is also really intriguing, although, I will warn you that I was surprised by the colorful descriptions of one of the characters sexual exploits in part one. Despite the very graphic nature of some parts of those chapters, the book is just so well written.  I am constantly highlighting beautiful lines that make me stop and take a deep breath.  I can't wait to keep reading and see what comes of these four siblings.

Feeling... really tense.  As I keep eating healthier, I am turning to food less as a means of dealing with my emotions.  But the negative side of that is that I am finding myself more tense in my body since my old way of dealing with stress is no longer working. (Goodbye cookies & ice cream.  Farewell stacks of Ritz crackers.)  I am making goals for April and they include working out each day, which I am hoping will help tackle the tension that is building in my body each day as I parent and deal with life's stresses.

Managing... four sick kids who were home on rotation, and one day all together (what the actual heck!?!) this week.  Runny noses and coughs, even a little vomiting from Wyatt who ended up with (another) ear infection.  He was a wreck!  Every time he sneezes, he just bursts into tears. It hurts so bad. I am praying the antibiotics start working quick so he can have some relief, poor buddy.  Even Carly got sick with a little runny nose, and she is just the cutest ever wiping her own nose with a kleenex.

Back to...  no yelling, with only two days this month where I've lost my temper. It feels good to be back on track.

Enjoying... Josh's parentings visiting this weekend.  They hung out Friday night and then took the three boys all day Saturday out to their land.  Josh and I enjoyed the break, Josh working in the garage and me in the house with Carly toddling around and me reading to my heart's content.  It was a blissful break and one I didn't realize I desperately needed.  (Thank you, Carol!)

Eating... all the crab I wanted at the crab feed Saturday night.  My girlfriends from book club (along with their significant others) went to a crab feed fundraiser here in town (one of them bought our tickets in kindness!) and oh my goodness did we have a good time!  So much laughter and good food.  Thanks for the laughs, as always, ladies.  I'm so glad you're in my life!

Grateful... my sister was willing to drive an hour and a half both ways to watch the kids so Josh and I could enjoy that date with my book club friends.  We don't get out often, so it was super special to go on a real date.  And it was a double bonus that he got to meet my friends!

Coaching... a few of my new friends as they navigate the interview the process with VIPkid.  It's a lengthy process (an application, followed by an interview followed by a Mock Class) with lots of questions, but I'm more than happy to help you along if you're struggling.  Click here if you'd like to apply, and please reach out if you have any questions about teaching with VIPkid. (Before, after or during the process!)

Helping... Wyatt process some emotions as he played "ambulance" with Carly's Paw Patrol firetruck, pretending the bunny on the "stretcher" couldn't breathe and needed to be taken to Spokane to a different hospital.  I just happened to be at the picnic table as he played, listening to the scenario play out.  Later we talked about how he felt when he was in the ER and then transferred to the PICU at the children's hospital an hour and a half away.  Funny enough, he says he had no fear. He felt excited to go in an ambulance and calm because he really liked the EMT's (so did I) and he thought it was a longer drive than I said it was because he slept so good.  It was nice to talk it through with him and hear that although the ordeal was, honestly, traumatizing for me, he was far less concerned.

Ordering... a new summer swimsuit while dreaming of days spent poolside with my kiddos!

Gearing up... for baseball season for our three boys.  Josh is helping coach the twins, while Carly and I will shuttle Wyatt back and forth to his practices and games.  Here's hoping it all goes smooth and that somehow we can still get family dinners on the table!

Eye appointments... for four of us this week (the three boys and me) and hearing good news for all three boys! The twins eyes in particular have improved from this time last year, but even Wyatt's are better than they were. (His prescription is the smallest, barely necessary.)  It was nice to hear that!  It was also nice to choose all new glasses, and to be able to find glasses that fit their growing faces.  We also opted to get transition lenses for the twins because they often take off their prescription lenses to wear sunglasses, and that's really not safe (especially for Logan, whose prescription is over 5.0) Plus they spend so much time outdoors!

Feeling... not quite like myself after an exhausting week worrying about my kids.  I thought maybe I was starting to get depressed, or that anxiety was digging her claws into me, but a good talk with my mom and a look back at the week I had and I realized I am just wiped out.  I think a relaxing weekend with some down time (I took Saturday night off from teaching) and some extra sleep will help get me back to feeling like myself.

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