Regrets

This evening, Sadie was showing me all her mosquito bites. Odd to think that last year, we didn't have to worry about mosquitoes because we had no rain. But that is not what this post is about. So, on with the story...

After showing off her bites, she looked at me and said "hey mom, could there ever be a mosquito bite this big?" and she made a circle by putting her thumbs and index fingers together.  To this, I told her that I had seen a mosquito bite that big before, and she asked me who it was. When I told her it was her, she didn't believe me. Luckily, I have photographic proof. I tried to check our pictures on the computer, but the older pictures aren't on our new computer, so instead I came to this blog, thinking I may have posted it here.

I was wrong. I couldn't find it, and I think that is because it happened before I started blogging. But, I ended up reading several of the posts from my 1st year of blogging. What a treasure! There were so many things I had forgotten about, especially the funny things the kids said. One story involved Sadie wanting to be able to lick her best friend, and another involve Aaron wearing 2 pairs of underwear. I re-read about Christmas that year, the days leading up to my Grandma's death, and Aaron starting guitar lessons, and Sadie as she first began to love ballet.

None of my blog posts are very profound, or insightful, or even funny to other people, I'm sure. But it was so neat to go back and read through those posts and be reminded of how blessed I am, and how great it is having kids and looking at the world through their eyes.

And now, I am having some regrets. It seems that ever since joining Facebook, I blog so much less. Instead of taking the time to write a blog post that explains a conversation with my kids, or a busy day, or exciting news, I quickly (and briefly) put it as a status update. And now, those moments are on Facebook, and who knows how long that info will be there. I wish I had kept blogging, and I am hoping that I will have a renewed resolve to blog more frequently.

Now, I am going to go read through more old posts :)

Kidsick

I am kidsick right now. I stole this phrase from a friend of mine, and it perfectly suits how I feel right now. Aaron has been gone for a week to a Catholic church camp, and even though I am fairly certain that he isn't one bit homesick, I am very much kidsick. He should get home tonight, and I am counting down the hours!

The camp he went to sounds amazing, and I hope that when he gets home, I get more details about everything he did. So far, here's what I know: His cabin's A/C stopped working, but they got it fixed after a few hours. His cabin was also infested with daddy long-leg spiders, and I hoping there are no stow-aways in his trunk. He played some game called GaGa and loved it, and also "hit the black circle" in archery (I'm assuming he meant a bullseye). And it was hot. And they got to swim a lot.

I also got to see pictures that the camp posted everyday, and also got to watch 3 videos that they posted throughout the week. It gave me something to look forward to (in fact, I am waiting for yesterday's photos to be posted so I can look for my boy)!

He went with lots of kids he knows from school. In his cabin, there were 4 kids from his class, plus 2 girls from his class also went. And there were also at least 6 kids from the class above him. So that made me feel better about things. I am just wishing that I had been the one who went to go pick them up because I can't wait to see him!!!

On the Brink of Summer

This time of year is so frustrating, for me and my kids. You can feel it...you can see it...you can taste it. Summer is right there, just out of our reach. The weather is warming up. The days are getting longer. You can get a snowcone on almost every corner. But, sadly, it really isn't quite summer yet. The kids still have school every weekday. I still have work...some weekdays. The pool isn't open. The lake isn't warm enough to go to. It just isn't summer.

But it is hard to still go to school and work because it seems so much like summer. Ever since spring break it just hasn't felt like spring anymore. So it is hard to get the kids to bed on time. We just want to play outside all evening. And it is hard to get them to do their homework. Come on summer! Get here!!!

Luckily for me, I only have 3 more weeks of school (although really, I have a lot to do the weeks after the semester ends, but that doesn't count). And the kids only have a little over 6 weeks left.

And we just can't wait!!!

The Evolution of a Coffee Drinker

Mmmm...Good coffee. That is a phrase that gets uttered here in this house often. There is nothing I want more first thing in the morning that a good cup of Joe. And it is always better when Toby makes it :)

But I haven't always like coffee. In fact, I initially thought it was disgusting. I have evolved, however, into a coffee drinker, so much so that I usually have many cups a day.

My evolution began when I was a freshman in college and some friends invited me to the coffee house their right off campus. At first, I told them no because I am not a coffee drinker, but someone assured me that there would be something there for me. And he was right...I ordered a mocha, and that was my first step as a coffee drinker...my gateway drug into the Java world.

For many years, mocha is the only coffee I would drink. Toby would always try to convince me to drink regular coffee, but I refused. Fast forward ten years, when I was a night-shift nurse. Coffee became a necessity, and even though the hospital where I worked had a coffee bar, it wasn't open at 3am, so I began drinking regular coffee. Of course, I had to doctor it up. Big time. Lots of cream and sugar.

Then, I began teaching nursing, and was no longer working nights. But clinical mornings meant getting up around 5:30. And Starbuck's was right on my way to the hospital, so I began drinking mochas again. However, 2-4 frilly drinks from Starbuck's began adding up, and sometimes, I just didn't have time to wait in that horribly slow line. So, I began drinking regular coffee that Toby would make for me.

And now, I drink 2-3 cups almost every morning. And if Toby isn't here, I even make it myself. I do still have to add cream and sugar, but hardly ever go to Starbuck's anymore (although a Starbuck's mocha remains my absolute favorite coffee drink...a mocha anywhere else isn't nearly as good). Perhaps one of these days, we'll be out of cream or sugar, and I'll be jonesing for that java-fix and may just be desperate enough to drink it without cream, or without sugar. And maybe, just maybe, my evolution will be complete and I will drink my coffee like my dad...black...no cream, no sugar. Maybe...

Private School

We send our kids to a private school. Yes, that means that we pay for our kids' education, plus we pay our taxes to pay for public schools too. Yes, I know we could save money by sending our kids to public school, and I know that the school our kids would go to is a good school. So we get asked sometimes...why? And even when people don't actually ASK, I know some of them wonder.

And yes, there have been times when I have thought about that same "why". But every single time I have even begun to think about it, I have always felt that I have received a clear sign that our kids are at the right school. Last night, even though I wasn't even thinking about that "why," I was given a reminder of why we love our school, and why we send our kids there.

Last night, we went to confession. Our church is offering the sacrament 4 nights this week, and last night worked out with our schedule. It started at 7:00, but we got there a little early. While we were waiting for "our turn," Aaron's teacher came into the chapel and knelt next to us. What a powerful and wonderful example for him! I love that our kids go to mass with their teachers every Friday. And I love that we see most of their teachers at mass on Sunday. They get to see their teachers worship, and praise, and seek forgiveness. And this is not only present when they go to school mass, or go to confession, or go to Adoration or religion class. They see this example throughout their school day...in their math and science lesson. In music and P.E., and in reading and social studies and lunch and recess and everything else. I know that I so often fail to include Jesus in all the activities of the day, but my kids are learning that He is a part of everything. Not just the important, major events, but even in the mundane, everyday events. And then to see it outside of school, too...to see their teachers living their faith...that is a priceless example!

Probably the Last Time...

Last night, Aaron requested that I cut his hair. He told me that his head gets hot at night, plus he really liked one of his classmate's hairstyle yesterday, so he asked me to cut it like that. I informed him that all I am capable of doing is a buzz cut, of varying lengths. But he insisted. I suppose he still has a little bit of that "my mom is awesome and can do anything" attitude. I know we are just a few years away from the "my mom is a total idiot and couldn't possibly know/understand anything" attitude, so I am enjoying things while I can.

So, he asked me last night. Like at 9:00. When there is no light outside, which is where I usually cut (buzz) his hair. So, I set some trash sacks out to cover the bathroom sink and floor, and dove it. Here's a picture from this weekend...the "before" shot because I didn't think to take a picture before I started cutting...

On a side note, this picture was taken at the regional science fair in Lubbock, where he won a 1st place ribbon & medal for his project "Name That Tune" comparing nylon guitar strings to guitar guitar strings.

So, I started cutting, first with scissors because his hair was too long and thick to go straight to the razor. I cut, and cut, and cut. Then I switched to the razor, with the next to biggest blade (a 7 blade) for the back and sides of his hair, and the biggest blade (8 blade...supposed to leave the hair 1" long) for the top. This was the end result...

He was not impressed after the haircut...it didn't look like his friend's hair, and it was too short and he was embarrassed to go to school. So I'm thinking this was probably the last time he'll ever ask me to cut his hair, unless he really is just wanting a true buzz cut. And, I think just maybe, we may be even closer to that "my mom is an idiot" stage. Oh well...luckily it's just hair and it will grow back. And I kind of like the curls with his longer hair anyways...

When Will They Come For You?

I am sure that most of you have heard or read the quote by Martin Niemoller. It is quoted in different ways/orders, but it goes something like this:

"First they came for the Communist, and I did not speak out because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Trade Unionist, and I did not speak out because I wasn't a Trade Unionist. Then they came after the Jews, and I did not speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came after the Catholics and I did not speak out because I was a Protestant. And then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me."

I can't help but think of this with the current HHS mandate being forced on all Americans, which violates the beliefs of many people. I say it that way, because a lot of people think that only Catholics are against contraceptives and sterilization, but it isn't just a Catholic teaching. There are many other groups who have teachings/beliefs similar to the Catholic church. I know that the above quote was in regard to the atrocities performed by Nazi Germany, especially against the Jews during the Holocaust. And I do not mean to make light of the suffering and horror that Jews were made to endure during that time. But I do wonder what sort of slippery slope we are on. If the government is allowed to force citizens and private businesses, churches, and colleges to do something that goes against their conscience, where will we end up?

Perhaps we begin by forcing the Catholics to contracept. Then, the government decides to mandate that all people drink 1 glass of red wine every day because it is good for your heart and it will possibly help cut health care costs by decreasing heart disease. How would the Baptists and many other Protestant denominations feel about that? And then, the government begins mandating that all high school take a dance class to learn about different cultures and for a phys ed credit. Again, many Protestants would be upset about such a mandate. And what if then, the government, in their regulation of health care, decides that all patients have to accepts blood when it is needed, regardless of how the patient feels about it. That goes against the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.

I realize that these mandates seem ridiculous right now. But 50 years ago, no one would ever have thought that the government would be able to force the Catholic church to offer contraception.

What beliefs do you hold most dear? Even if you're a Catholic who doesn't agree with teachings of the Catholic church about contraception/sterilization, you should still be very alarmed about this. Even if you're not Catholic and you have no problems with contraception, you should still be very alarmed about this. Because if the government can force the Catholic church to do things that go against it's teaching, what is going to stop the government from forcing you to do something that goes against your beliefs?

Slippery slope indeed...