Around Here: Week 8 2023

 {February 19-25th}

Grandpa's Washington State Cougar sweatshirt

Grandpa wearing his Washington State University sweatshirt

Grandpa's University of Arkansas sweatshirt

Grandpa wearing his University of Arkansas sweatshirt.

Thumbs up Logan! The Hawaiian hat is where it's at!

Recieving... a priceless gift from my grandma in the form of my grandpa's sweatshirts and hats.  That night after I got them I got really emotional. Just cried and cried.  The sweatshirts smelled just like my grandpa and it made me miss him so much. I am just so sad for Grandma that she has to carry on without him, and so sad for all of us that he's gone. The kids all got to pick a hat or two from his enormous hat collection, and I had fun watching Wyatt try them on. I think of my Grandpa when I see birds around and this week and last week birds have been randomly landing on the roof in front of my bedroom window.  It makes me so happy. 

Counting... down. It's only four months until our trip. (The one Jack and I are going on with some people from his school to Rome, Italy and the Grecian islands. Oh man we are excited!)

Trading... kids with my sister and having Milo here to hang with Wyatt while Jack, Ainsley and Carly went to Wenatchee for the day. The boys hung with my parents, but Carly hung with her girl cousins. Lucky!! Then Josh went to Costco and picked them all up. 

Spending... a long weekend doing chores and homework Sunday, and then carrying on with more homework on Monday and Tuesday. 

Enjoying... having Josh home so much. That is one part of teaching that doesn't ever get old. When we have a snow day, or random days off, he almost always has them off as well and I'm so grateful. Like on Wednesday when we all had a snow day!

Watching... The Way Down. Wow. It was like a train wreck. I couldn't look away. Fascinating.  Churches and cults fascinate me because of my past experience in church. If they fascinate you, too, The Way Down is not one to miss. 

Grateful... for Josh doing the dishes while the dishwasher has been broken and I've been doing school.  He's the best. 

Laughing... as Carly stuck a balloon under her shirt and pretended to be pregnant. I remember doing the same when I was a little girl.  She's also been enjoying playing with my hair and she is SO impressed with her results. I am... less so. Haha! She's so cute!  Again, her motto is "More is more". It shows in her hairstyles.

Ecstatic... that I am almost done with two classes. I am so excited!  I can't believe I'm doing it!

Ordering... a four heart necklace to replace the one I broke and then lost from The Vintage Pearl.  I love it so much and had missed it. 

Enjoying... Saturday morning donuts courtesy of Josh. Thanks babe! Great way to start the weekend for sure. 

Doing... homework Saturday while my parents came to town to hang with the kids.  It ended up being a little chaotic, but I appreciated the effort nonetheless. Teenagers can just be... hard. And it seems that sometimes it's never enough. 

Getting... a new computer chair for my desk in our room and I'm so glad.  Our old one was making my back hurt something feirce considering how much time I spend there. Especially now that I'm taking two classes at a time. 

Giggling... at George's angry ears in that last picture.  He was not impressed when my parents showed up with their dog Bruno on Saturday.  Haha! 

Changing... weekend bedtimes per the request of our children.  Logan had a good point when Josh and I were trying to rush them to bed on Friday night. And that is that the weekends are their weekends, too. Normally (since 2011 when we moved to Alaska) we would put the kids to bed on Friday night and have date night at home with yummy food (often homemade pizza) and a movie.  But as our kids are getting older, it's harder to keep that time sacred. So I talked to Josh and we decided that we needed to pivot. It wasn't easy.  We've been stuck in our ways for over ten years now, but we want to be flexible and hear our kids when they talk. So about twice a month we go out on a date (to a real restaurant! just the two of us!) because while the kids growing up is hard... it also means that they can all be left home together. And that's kind of cool too.  

***

Hate how true this is!

Came across this pic of my grandpa from heart surgery day-
I was in Alaska so he sent me this message. 
He was the best.

Grandma & Logan
Papa, who the boys called Nepaw, and Jack

Around Here: Week 7 2023

 {February 12-18th}

Logan's post from the hospital. This boy. Haha

Pre Surgery Scar-Free

Waking... up to a phone call from Jack at the land where Logan had crashed his dirt bike and was injured.  Uncle Samuel, his girlfriend Makayla and Grandma Carol got him loaded in the car and met me at the hospital where we discovered he had a (very) broken collar bone.  They had to cut him out of his clothes as he couldn't move that arm, and I was very worried about him.  We thought maybe he also broke a finger, but thankfully the collar bone is the only lasting injury. 

Annoyed and saddened... that parents don't make their kids write their names on their class valentine's anymore.  One of my biggest memories from elementary school (other than writing stories every Friday in fourth grade) is choosing Valentine's and writing my classmates' names on them.  

Watching... Fire of Love. The saddest, sweetest love story that also made my rock-loving nerd heart sing. Also watching Hunger Games with Wyatt after we finished the book this week! It was fun to watch with him and makes me excited for the rest of the books and movies.

Interviewing... a school psychologist for my class.  Oof doing interviews is nerve wracking, but I'm so grateful that everyone has been so willing to help me out with what I need. 

Noticing... that I'm a much more relaxed mom than I used to be.  For instance, Carly asked to decorate her tablet case and I said sure. Old Shelly would not have the let the twins do that. I also let Carly dress herself a ton (like on Valentine's Day) and it makes me smile.  Her motto? "More is more!!"

Coming... home from the ER with Logan and using lot of ice, medicine and the sling the doctor gave him, to try and keep it immobile.  George is the best good kitty and kept Logan company while he was resting. 

Paying... Carly $5 for  her second lost tooth (she's now missing her two front teeth) and laughing when Josh flipped out.  Apparently that's too much.  Haha!

Visiting... the orthpedic surgeon with Logan and deciding that we will go ahead with surgery as it's the fastest way to get him healed up.  Keeping this kid down will NOT be easy, and healing without surgery could be months of keeping him down. No, thank you!

Loving... Carly's sweet notes.  Josh is putting her to bed right now while I'm reading Hunger Games to the boys, and while she's getting ready for bed, she always writes me a little sticky note to tell me she loves me or misses me or is grateful for me. The legitimately fill my heart up. 

Taking... Logan in for surgery Wednesday afternoon and feeling remarkably calm.  His surgeon's demeanor definitely contributed to that. He was incredibly professional and is very good at his job. Logan's calm demeanor was super helpful as well. He wasn't the least bit nervous, brave boy. And as they wheeled him out, I said, "You're gonna do great, kid." And he goes, "I know dis! I am himothy!" Haha.  I love that kid. 
When the surgery was over and I texted Jack to let him know all was well, Jack texted, "That is so relieving!" That melted my mama heart.  He'd been so good to his brother when he got hurt, and had been worried during surgery.  Just in general there was so much love and support from everyone while he underwent surgery.  I felt grateful. 

(Pssst... Can you keep a secret? This was the first surgery where our child, any of them, didn't want to bring their bubba (what we call their stuffed animals) with them. Even though Logan didn't ask for or want his, I snuck it into my purse just in case he seemed upset when he woke up from the anesthesia.  But alas, he was fine and never asked for it. Another step on the journey toward growing up I guess. It's all just so damn bittersweet.)

Reading... Damnation Creek (a lot of it during Logan's surgery) and listening to Empty on audio. Both are so, so good. Damnation is a little sad and dark, but I am still enjoying it. It has a climate/earth factor that I love.

Driving... Logan, post-surgery, directly to Taco Bell before driving him home. This kid, I'm telling you. He was only out of it/sleepy for maybe an hour post-surgery, and then it was like nothing had even happened. He is so incredibly tough.  We got home late, near midnight, but the nurses had been amazing and the surgeon said that all went well, and he was really relieved we had chosen surgery. Once he got in there he saw that Logan's bones were pushed up and away and down and away from each other, and he thinks it would have taken a really long time for them to heal on its own.  He got the plate attached and thinks Logan, because of his youth, will heal in no time.  We have a check up next week, and then another in six weeks and after that he might be able to engage in his normal physical activity.  

Helping... Logan bathe and washing his hair in the sink for him since he can't get his wound wet yet. It's weird to help him care for his body again like I did when he was little.  There's something special about it, and I feel grateful it's me who gets to do it. 

Remembering... that my grandpa graduated at 56 from college.  I'm an older student as well (I will graduate at 41), but if he could do it, I can do it. And I draw strength from that. We are never too old to chase our dreams. 

Recieving... our passports for Jack and I to go on our trip with EF Tours to Rome/Greece/Italy. I can't believe it's THIS summer!!!

Struggling... with panic attacks at night and just anxiety in general this week.  I was freaking out about Toxic Shock Syndrome and having lots of OCD symptoms, as well as binge eating.  Stress has a cumulative effect and it's starting to get to me. 

Keeping... Logan down all week as he recovered from surgery and it was a FULL TIME JOB, PEOPLE. Oh man, this kid! His energy level is unmatched and his desire to be physical is so strong!!!

Doing... homework, homework, homework this week and desperately needing a break by Saturday, so I took the day off.  It was much needed and so lovely to be "off" for a day. 

Eating... pizza and cookies with the boys and their best friend Ainsley who spent the night Saturday. I love those silly best friends, even if they are loud, hungry and often vulgar. (The jokes! The swears!)

Making... slime with Carly Saturday because spending special, focused time with her on the weekends helps me feel less guilty for ignoring her and doing homework the rest of the time.  

Teaching... you all some of the teenage slang/words I'm learning raising twin freshmen and a middle schooler.  The  boys use "on god!" to mean, "Yes!" or "That's the truth!" But it's pronounce more like, "On got".  Another one is "Himothy" as I shared when Logan went into surgery.  Like if I told Jack he did a good job at something he would say, "I am Himothy!" Like, "I'm the best!"

***

Grandma & Grandpa:

My dad went to see my grandpa and sent this cute pic. I love my grandma. I can't imagine how hard it is for her to live without my grandpa after 67 years together. 

Grandpa's best friend Chuck and him went back to college in their late 50's!

I am so proud of him for doing it.

My grandpa was the youngest of three boys.  He was named Gerald Henry. His dad was Awald Henry. So when I found out I was expecting twin boys, I decided to name our first born Logan Henry.  He is strong like them, and funny, and mischievious and charming. All the best qualities. 

***

Deep Thoughts:

Memories:

"Brothers don't shake hands;
Brothers gotta hug!"