Around Here: Week 37 2020

Logan & Jack at the Cow Belle

All ready to go to Grandma's!

Heading... from my parents house to my grandparents house at the coast where we went out to eat the Cow Belle (where we've been going since the twins were babies!), and where we played on the beach, and visited with my grandparents. It was a great day and I'm so glad we went. A highlight for me was when Carly reached over to hold Grandpa's hand downtown and said, "I haven't held your hand yet today!"

Driving... home Monday after a weekend packed full of fun.  We left early, thank God, because Josh didn't want to spend the whole day traveling.  Thank goodness he had that inspiration to leave early because we ended up driving through some of the craziest weather we have ever been in, narrowly beating multiple road closures.
 Between smoke and horrific wind, we ended up stuck in a dust storm about an hour from home, with traffic completely stopped and visibility at zero or near zero for about twenty minutes. It was incredibly scary. There was a motorcyclist in front of us when we first stopped, though, and he gave me some much needed perspective.  Boy, instead of our car feeling claustrophobic, it felt like the greatest shelter ever. (He ended up turning around and going back out of the dirt storm somehow.) 

Worrying... about Jack's headache Sunday night, but feeling better when my mom said it sounded like a dehydration headache. We are going to be working on making sure the boys get enough sleep and drink enough water in this week leading up to school. 

Grateful... that my brother-in-law Blake, who is a fish & wild life officer, also made it home safely after a crazy day for him.  He was out in the smoke and dust storms as well, but was helping people evacuate active fires to a safe place and I couldn't believe the pictures my sister sent of his vehicle and him when he finally got home. I told the kids we all had angels watching out for us, for sure. 

Looking... over our backyard in disbelief after we got home from our trip.  The pool cover had blown completely off; the pool itself was full of ash and soot from the fires; and our sunflowers had been blown over despite the thickest stems!  Crazy!

Unpacking... everything after we got home and feeling SO grateful for our big, beautiful, protective  house during this crazy weather. (Especially grateful for our HVAC system that keeps the air in our home clean & safe for Wyatt to breathe despite the heavy smoke we have from all the fires.)

Getting... life together on Tuesday running errands, taking Carly to Grandma Carol's and doing laundry.  Josh had his first day with his students (online) and we worked on settling into a new routine as we anticipate school starting next week. 

Loving... when Carly dresses herself to go to Grandma's on Tuesdays.  She layers, uses lots of colors, and always tells me how much Grandma is going to LOVE her outfit. I admire her confidence! 

Meeting... Wyatt's teacher and the twins' teacher (via Zoom) for their online learning this semester and trying to get ready for fourth & seventh grade. I am feeling optimistic about it, which feels good. 

Organizing... the house and my bookshelves in my bedroom. I love playing with my books (#booknerd) and remembering books I own that I am excited to read. I made a "to read" list for fall and pulled off the books that I've read and don't plan on re-reading that I need to get rid of. 
{How cute is the "To Be Read" book end my brother-in-law Samuel made me with his 3D printer?! I love it so much!}

Planting... bulbs for spring and feeling excited for when they pop up after winter's end!

Watching... fires pop up everywhere, sending smoke all over Washington and Oregon state, and worrying about Wyatt's lungs.  It feels just awful & outside my control. 

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around here: week 36 2020

"It is a serious thing 

just to be alive

on this fresh morning

in this broken world."

-Mary Oliver

Giving up... Grey's Anatomy as I found myself pondering whether it's a good show for me to watch given my health anxiety.  I love the show... but I love my sanity more. So for now, I am shelving it. I am going to rewatch all of When Calls the Heart so that I can watch Seasons 6 & 7, which are new to me!

Reading... Gifts of Imperfect Parenting, The Perfect Couple and Forget Me Not.  The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting was a good read, but the Power of Vulnerability was better.  The Perfect Couple has been a great Hilderbrand summer read (of course!) and Forget Me Not I read in one day! It was a super good YA that I enjoyed. 

Cultivating... art in the kids, per Brene Brown's advice.  Trying to let them paint and draw (despite the mess!) to their little heart's content! 

Loving... the boys playing Brawlhalla together on the PS4. There was so much laughter coming from that room. Mama heart full. 

Suffering... bad anxiety.  Thankfully my sister helped me through, encouraging me to call my doctor to increase my Prozac and get a refill of my as-needed meds. (I take Ativan) The doctor approved both (thank goodness!) and I was able to start them right away. I am proud of how quickly I respond to my mental health needs now. Years ago (when we lived in Alaska) it would take me a long time to acknowledge how bad things were or that I needed help.  Now I am much more likely to reach out and to try things to get better faster. 

Scheduling... Josh's vasectomy for the beginning of November. My IUD will hit Year #5 in February and need to come out, so we are going for the permanence of a vasectomy. In some ways it's hard to believe my baby-bearing days are over, but in other ways, I am loving this stage of life so much, I can't imagine it any other way. So I feel confident that we are done and that this is the right choice. Thanks for taking one for the team, Josh!

Picking... flowers from our yard with Carly and feeling blown away by the variety of color and beauty we have grown in this yard in only one year. I can't wait to see what next year holds!!

Doing... load after load of laundry.  Whooo! Getting the boys to do their own laundry is definitely up next on the list of things to teach them. They throw their own loads in occasionally, but rarely switch it and don't know exactly how to put in soap and start it up. I think that will be one of my fall goals. 

Packing... for Vancouver and feeling blown away by how much the kids are able to help now compared to years past. Even Carly can go run little errands and grab things for me as I'm packing. It's basically awesome. 

Grateful... that Samuel showed up to help load the car and drive us to Othello to meet Josh after work, and that our subsequent drive to Vancouver was so smooth and fast.  We only stopped once for dinner and to use the bathroom (the same stop!) and we were back on the road so quick!! We did, however notice lots of smoke throughout the gorge from fires in and around Washington and Oregon. Made the sun look super orange.

Enjoying... a day to myself while Josh took the kids to play with their cousins at his sister's house. I spent some time visiting with my parents; journaling and reading.  It was really good to take some time to write, spilling all my feelings onto those pages and catching up.  The quiet time does wonders for my anxiety.  I also made some lists of how I want the fall to look, for both myself and the kids, and I feel a lot more prepared for what's to come. 

Thankful... that my mom took Logan for some one on one time to the Nike Outlet and out for dinner at Red Lobster (and even bought me shoes!!) and that the rest of us had fun while they were gone. Dallas and Bri stopped by, spoiling us with art supplies for the boys and a new sequin stuffed animal for Carly; and Isaiah stopped by with a surprise gift for Wyatt- he gave him his old xbox! Wyatt was literally speechless! It was so sweet!

Comforting... Carly as she was sad that I'm still reading the boys their chapter book. (Josh and I take turns putting Carly to bed and putting the boys to bed.  Right now he is putting Carly to bed and I am putting the boys to bed after I read to them from our readaloud chapter book- The Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus) We are really enjoying the book, but I will be glad when it's my turn to sing Carly to sleep again. She's such a sweetheart. 

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"She was powerful,

not because she wasn't scared,

but because she went on so strongly

despite the fear."

-Harper Lee

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