Ahhhh.DONE!

I remember when my kids were small, and they couldn't pronounce words correctly yet. When they were done eating at the table they would say "Ah done!". Well....I'm AH-DONE with school for this term! YAY! Babe and I will be taking a year off from school to ferociously save for a down-payment. Ready? Set! GO!

Fall 2006. Es-7, Sam-6 and the Twins-4

one down.three.to.go.

I've completed one of my four classes. To say I'm pleased would be right on. YAY!

This term came with an unexpected surgery and shifts in our goals. I have been exposed to works of writing that have caused me to ponder about society. I have questioned myself, my government, our consumer culture and my place in it. I have learned that I can learn much of myself through what I write. Sometimes I wasn't sure the words on the page were mine, it was so unlike the me I knew. Woah. This has been a good term indeed!

Society by Eddie Vedder

It's a mystery to me, we have agreed with which we have agreed. You think you have to want more than you need. Until you have it all you won't be free.

Society, you're a crazy breed. I hope you're not lonely without me.

When you want more than you have, you think you need. And when you think more than you want your thoughts begin to bleed. I think I need to find a bigger place, 'cause when you have more than you think, you need more space.

Society, you're a crazy breed. I hope you're not lonely without me. Society, crazy and deep. I hope you're not lonely without me.

There's those thinking that more is less, less is more. But if less is more, how you're keeping score? Means for every point you make your level drops. Kind'a like it's starting from the top, you can't do that.

The words alone do not do this song justice. I would suggest a listen on youtube or playlist to get the full effect.

Free-write

Okay. I'm just gonna put myself on a limb here. I'm posting part of my class work. In my current writing class our instructor requires us to complete a free-writing session. This is basically our brains exploding on our paper for about 15 min. Most times he gives us a prompt but sometimes not. The prompt for Thursday 2/24/2011 as "Cheap Thrills". This is what exploded from my brain that day.

Summer. Fresh spring grass. Waterfalls. Laughter. Sunshine and flowers. Hot cereal on cold days. All the "little things" that come together to form a life-span. Tea. Blanket forts at thirty. Dreaming. Changing. Hoping and striving for better. A soft pillow. A strong shoulder. A goofy nine-year-old's jokes. A mature eleven-year-old's compassion. Questions answered. Singing. In reality these are not really cheap - these are priceless. At least to me they are.

I have learned much of myself during this term. I am planning it to continue!

**everything changes**

I love school. I actually believe I'm addicted to learning and the people that come with it. ADDICTED.PEOPLE. Here in lies the issue. I am taking some time off from school. I'm sad. More sad than I though I would be.

In my writing class this term our instructor has us "free-write". This is the time we can just explode our thoughts on the page. He usually give us a prompt. This is interesting for me. One was, "The Table" another, "Cheap Thrills". We are not required to use the prompt and Tuesday I decided not to. I wrote about our future plans and dreams. I wrote how I would miss school and wondering if, even if I was near earning a degree, I'd miss it. Then this mind game threw me for a loop. I wondered if I was addicted to school and its diversity. Then it morphed into maybe that being the reason I love the idea of teaching. Newness. I would get a new class every fall. Just as I would get a new instructor and class mates every term. Hmmmm. I think I just love learning. I hope I just love learning and I won't miss this interaction as much as I'm feeling I will right now. I'm thinking I will cry. These fellow students have helped change me to who I am right now. I love myself and them.

Why don't I just continue? Weeell. Our first financial goal was home ownership in 7 years. This would be the year Esther would be entering COLLEGE. Yes. You read right. If I take a one year pause (and work the hours they want me to)we would have more than the bank requires for a down payment. One.Year. Then I can go back OR I can pause another year and have enough saved for a little perk. That perk? Nip and tuck. =D

Who knows? God. I daily put my hopes, dreams, mistakes and desires at the feel of His Grace. Only he knows what will really transpire. I have had so many different plans that have changed. He is the one constant. He will faithfully direct our future.

So, beyond this this term's end; I.have.no.idea. I'm learning that not knowing is okay. It even can be fun. I'm waiting for the fun part to start....tomorrow maybe? Kidding. =D We will be patient. We will rest. We will accept. We will create. We will grow. We will believe. This is our quest.

When life throws you down, have surgery and get back up!

Oh, where to begin? Weeeell. We were all doing fine, great really. Ben has been going to class every Monday and Wednesday night. The kids are involved with church and, of course, school. I have been attending college full-time this term. We are also looking to purchase a new car and sell our old Honda (I use the term "we" very loosely here as Babe is the one who is accomplishing this for us).

I have class every Tuesday and Thursday and I work Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I woke up Thursday feeling under the weather and that feeling just continued to worsen as the day wore on. I checked on the kids and was on my way back upstairs when it "clicked". I was having a hard time pulling my right leg up to the next stair. Huuuh. It's almost like I had overworked my abs on just the right side. But I only had run 4 miles the previous day so I knew that wasn't it. The only other thing I could think of was.....appendicitis. But I was supposed to vomit with that right? Or at least be nauseous. I wasn't. I laid on the bed and pushed my lower, right abdomen. Wowzers. Yup, that hurt. When Ben got home he didn't even ask, he just helped me down the stairs and took me to the Immediate Care up the street. After 20min there they urgently requested that we go to the ER for an appendectomy.

By 12.30pm that next day (Friday 2/11/11) I was in recovery from surgery and by 6pm HOME! YAY! Modern medicine has it's perks. My entire operation was only 28min. Katie, my recovery nurse, said the speed was due to my "small body" and the enlarged organ. Nice.
Today is Monday and I am dressed and wearing a little make-up. I have been off pain meds since Saturday afternoon and I almost feel myself again! Now, back to life!....and homework!

Hopefully minus anymore surgeries.....

"I think I'll scooch my chair back and lay a little."

This is what Sam (10y.o.) declared after stuffing himself on our family date last night. It was a night of celebrations. We had been planning this night for over a week. At first it was going to be an outing to a local video store, but it soon morphed into much more.

When the kids work hard and complete tasks above the normal duties they earn a payday. As I was paying them and helping them divide their money (tithe, spending and saving) I realized they all needed to deposit their savings in the bank. This was plan change #1. Now that we are all going to the bank the kids excitement was elevated a notch. They were already excited to go to VGW, but now they are going to their bank. The kids love their bank. I think it has much to do with how mature and older they feel during the transaction.

Once Ben is done with his bit of homework he gets into the truck and the kids cheer. We are ready to go. The music is loud and the voices are charged. Ben and I look at each other and smile. It was one of "those" moments. We are blessed. As we walked into the bank and wait in line I can feel the three tellers assumptions. "This is going to take a while" I can almost hear them think. But it didn't and we gather together to look at our receipts after all our transactions are finished. Another customer walks in and pauses. Due to our blob of humanity he looks confused and wonders if there is a problem. "We're just having a meeting" I say. When I refocus to what I heard the kids saying I realize we are in for plan change #2. "Joey gets a party!"

We have a tradition that the kids get to have a party when they reach increments of a hundred dollars in their savings. I couldn't believe that my just-turned-nine-year-old had reached this goal. I congratulate him and suggest the party commence that very minute at the restaurant across the street.

We ordered. We ate. We laughed. That was not unusual but the location was. We don't often go out to eat and run errands as a family. As we were finishing dinner we were talking about when Zach would accomplish his savings goal. He only needed two dollars to do so. He decided to accomplish it that very night! He and Ben walked back to the bank to check if they were still open. As we didn't see them for several minutes we knew they had been successful. Another party was needed, but we were too stuffed to party anymore that night. The plans were made for the following day, and we left for the video store.

No, this was not a typical night. It also wasn't the night we had planned; it was so much more. My kids are growing in maturity and wisdom. I was impressed by them. I was humbled by them. They truly are my best treasures. I would live all the hard days all over again just to live last night once more. Yes, it was that good! If only I had taken a snap shot. Oh wait, I did! Its memory is laying in the folds of my heart, never to be forgotten.

...bliss...

This vacation has been just that. Oh, it was wonderful! This kids were off from school for 10 days and Ben and I were off work for two-4 day week-ends in a row. As far as I can remember this has been the most restfull and low-key Christmas and New Years.


Christmas was beautiful. We told the kids they could wake us up at 7. No.earlier. Due to how excited WE were....we woke early but still let the kids think they woke us up. We took our time opened stockings, ate (though the kids were too excited and couldn't eat =) and opened gifts and played with them.


The Twins entered their last single digit year, for forever, last Friday. As is tradition they were able to nearly do anything they wanted the day previous....the last day of 8. As I was tucking them in that night I asked what it meant to be nine. Joe responded "It's like eight is gone. It went into a forest and got lost. No, actually it's like a dog catcher catches 8 then turns it into 9." Yup, it happens just that way.

Now we're back to the old routine. Blah. A class of mine was cancelled and I had to rearrange my schedule. I'm taking full credits this term, which is a new. I work M & W and go to school all day T & Th. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm tired. Don't worry, the tea is brewing and I'll get my caffeine. =D

The next post will include exclusive photos....not even the paparazzi have 'em yet.

I picked up the kids early from school....

....and we shopped. We ate. We rode. We listened. We bought. We sang. We lived. I am a blessed woman indeed. This is the life I always dreamed of. "For in him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28

P.S. My school term is DONE. I am baking cookies and planning ahead! I learned that I will need a MA in order to get my teaching licence. This is something unexpected. God knew. =) This is good! Still running....lost weight....running a 1/2 in May. Christmas is AROUND THE CORNER!

just one day

This all we have left until THANKSGIVING break!!! My heart is flipping! I'm working Friday, then later Friday we have Ben's fam. over. YAY!!!!! Then taking my WR final and a MTH test Monday.....then.....DONE for the WEEK!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited? =D

We Aren't Jack-o-lanterns

Kooky kids.

Zach-the wounded, yet victorious, Ninja.

Joe-the Silly Clown.

Sis- the Black & White TV show. (She thought

of this on her own. =)


Sam-the I-know-Zombies-aren't-real Zombie.