February 15, 2014

Today was a happy day, but in a very quiet, understated way.  I was up early to run music at my daughter's ballet studio.  Her teacher was holding mock exams for her students who will be taking their real ballet exams next week.  That was fun, but...eh, I'm not sure it qualifies as today's happy moment.  My daughter and I ran a few low-key errands, came home, ate a salad for dinner standing at the kitchen island.  That was happy because it was easy and good enough, unlike what dinner is when the boys are home.  

And speaking of the boys not being home, that is a big part of what made the day happy.  I love my son and husband, but seriously, it is nice when they're gone too.  Tom is stressful.  I haven't yet put my finger on why, but he is.  Except that I keep trying to feed him, Robert isn't stressful -- but Tom is.

So today was happy because we girls were alone.  We re-watched Two Weeks Notice tonight, which was very fun, and something we could never have done if the boys were home.

But the most notable happy moment today was finally finishing Isabelle's audition videos for the summer ballet intensive she is applying for.  "Finishing" them only meant editing out a wee bit from the front and back of a handful of clips of her doing some center work in ballet class, and then getting them all into a folder on DropBox.  It was just a relief to get it done and sending the link off to the ballet school.  I'm not sure it was exactly what they wanted -- it was a handful of short clips rather than one.  But we are not savvy enough to know how to merge all the clips into one file.  But this way they can see each individual exercise as they choose, rather than having to wade through five minutes of stuff to see whatever part they might be interested in.  Eh -- they would rather have had one file, but this was the best I could do.  

Anyway, I got it done and she looked beautiful.  There was also included her Aurora variation that we recorded for another audition last December.  C'mon, they have to be impressed with that.  It is beautiful.  And even though I didn't need to because I had already sent them a hardcopy, I did include a picture of her first arabesque in the Dropbox folder.  Man, she is gorgeous -- it's an amazing arabesque.  

So, I guess that was my happiest moment today -- hitting that send button and knowing I could cross that off my to-do list.  Isn't it funny how the longer something stays on your to-do list, the bigger and harder and uglier it gets?  

But now I am about to have another happy moment -- I'm going to bed.  Yippee!  And good night!

Sunday, Apirl 1

Can a happy moment last six hours?  I say yes.  Yesterday my sister from Philly flew in for the day.  She and I and my other two sisters all had lunch together and then came back to my house for apple pie and more conversation.  It was wonderful!

My Cherokee is also fabulous, but I think T may want to take it in to bust some chops tomorrow.  They handed it over to us obviously not cleaned up and with the fuel tank on E.  There was dried mud on the steering wheel and grubby greasy finger marks on the console.  How does any steering wheel get mud on it, let alone a brand new one?  I am so thankful for a husband to take care of ugly things like that for me. 

I imagine he's happy to have me around when tears are flowing around here, but I'm telling you, that whole sales process is not for me!  Last night in bed he said to me, "That guy knew all the sales lines, and you bought them all!"  And he's right!  I did!  Actually, the only one I recognized after the fact was the "I'm in a hurry so let's get this process moving!" bit.  He was trying to rush us into the foo-foo car with all the amenities, which was also one and a half times what we had originally intended to pay!  Thank you, Lord, for T who would not be rushed or talked into anything he didn't want!

But today's happy  moment was the happy six hours with my sisters!

Saturday, March 31

I got a new Jeep Grand Cherokee today!  White.  Rather a stripped down version, which is exactly me.  I didn't feel comfortable with all the hoo-rah of the one we test drove, plus all that extra stuff would have cost us about $12,000 extra!  This one is still an amazing car, will get me through all kinds of weather safely, and has everything I need...  Well, the only thing I'll miss that it turns out this one doesn't have is the button to open the garage door.  My Caravan and T's Durango have that, and they're both pretty stripped down versions too.  Maybe we can look into getting that added.

L had three dance performances today.  They did a show for the residents of a local retirement community.  This beautiful facility has a full stage and auditorium, so they perform there a few times throughout the year.  They also did a "pre-show" performance for friends and family there.  And then she performed at church.

This, along with making the car purchase, and L had a friend spend the night and we all went out to see the movie, The Hunger Games, in the evening -- all this made for an exhausting day.  I'm so tired my head is swimming.

Then tomorrow we're up early again so the girls can perform for the Sunday services at church, but I have to hustle and get my house cleaned up in the morning because my sister from Philly is coming into town for my oldest sister's birthday.  We four sisters will meet at a restaurant, then come back here for dessert and more sisterly bonding.  Then get Philly sister (Becky) back on a plane.  Whew.  I'm too tired to think about it right now.

But I forgot, the purpose of this blog is not to reminisce about the day.  It is to choose the one happy moment.  Of course, it would have to be the first drive in my new, sparkling white Grand Cherokee!!!

Friday, March 30

Last night L was upset about something in a "break my heart" way.  Something she wouldn't tell me was making her sad.  She wasn't even crabby, just sad.  There was a lot of texting going on between her and her friends.

So of course, as any responsible mother would do, I waited until she wasn't looking this morning and read her texts. And I learned what she was so upset about.

It seems the boy she's had a crush on is exactly what T and I feared: a hormonally charged, unscrupulous flirt.  His sister read his text messages and learned that he had convinced another girl to send him pictures of herself.  Beyond that, the girl basically offered herself to him in some form, and it seems he accepted.  Ugh.

I am unhappy for the boy, who is not bad as much as normal and rejecting the parameters of the Christian faith he has been brought up in.  There is nothing to rejoice in in that.  However it is a very happy moment for me, a very relieving moment in that L's infatuation with this boy, who could have been a terribly dangerous influence, is over.


Then on the heels of this sobering revelation, a fun thing that happened -- hmmm, I don't know if this is good or bad, but it was fun -- another boy came onto the scene.  I know I shouldn't be wishing another boy into L's heart; she's way too young for any of that.  But he made eye contact with her from across the room, then made his way over to talk.  This new boy named TJ, L and her friend were standing together talking when I walked into Palaestra to pick her up.  I could tell immediately that 1) he liked L, and 2) he is a nice boy.

So as much as I don't want another boy occupying L's heart, this does two things for us right now.  First, it will keep L from talking herself back into the other boy, and second, it will prove to her what I've been telling her all along:  a lot of boys are going to be attracted to her over the next 10 years; she can definitely afford to be picky.

I am full of praise to God for His great and wondrous work on our behalf!!!!

Having said that, I am sad for the first boy and his family.  I know his parents are strong believers, and I can only imagine are soaking this kid in prayer just as I have been L.  For that reason I have every confidence he will turn himself around eventually and become a good man of strong moral character.

On a lighter note, two other happy moments stand out today.  T called me and announced that he intended to go buy me a brand new Jeep Liberty tomorrow.  Apparently there are some great incentives out there from Jeep, but they expire at the end of March so tomorrow is the last day. 

We need to do something about getting a vehicle for B for the summer, which for her is the end of April when her college term ends.  So we've been considering the possibility of giving her my Grand Caravan and buying a new Liberty for me.  It's an extravagant solution to the problem.  Really, the conservative course would be simply to buy her a good, used car.  But T likes the idea of getting me a new car and giving her the Caravan because it puts a lot more metal around our questionable little driver than if we just got her a used Fiesta or Geo.  Sooooo, why not get her a used something else with more metal?  I dunno.  T has just seemed stuck on this idea that I need a new car and we should give B the Caravan.  That's all I know.  Who am I to argue?

Then he called me from his dinner and said his friends (customers...and friends.) all thought we would be crazy to buy a Liberty when for $3000 more we could have a Grand Cherokee, which has won all these awards and has a "Mercedes suspension," whatever that means.  Just all in all, an amazing car. 

Okay.  I'm easy.  I think the Liberty is cute as a button, but I'm not going to argue with a new Grand Cherokee either! 

Really, if we end up with a new Grand Cherokee, as fun as that would be for me to drive, I'm going to argue that T drive it and I'll drive his Durango.  And before you go thinking I'm all that altruistic, I'll tell you that I'm just not a car buff by any means.  As long as the car can get me where I need to be with everyone I need to haul seat-belted, I'm happy.  I'm even happier if it never gets stuck in the snow.  The Durango is the most amazing snow car ever invented, and T's is a pretty deep red color.  Plus it would make me look tough.  =)   So I'd be happy as a clam driving it. 

And the last fun thing that happened is that my sister, Becky, texted me that she has decided to embark on a four-year program to study to become a registered homeopath.  Wow!  I am so happy for her!  She has spent her entire married life doing her own personal research in one form of alternative medicine or another.  It is truly her passion!  So I am thrilled for her that she is going "official!"

Thursday, March 29

The Candida Diet.  That was my happy moment today.  My CBS core leader has been battling a systemic yeast infection for the past several months and has been following this diet.  It comes up now and then, and every time she has talked about it I have known it would be good for me.  So with no premeditation, this morning I made the decision to begin.  I'm following the food restrictions outlined on the website www.thecandidadiet.com.  After only one day, I'm sold.  This will be good for me.

I made myself some chicken with tomatoes and onion for breakfast, and it was delicious!  I actually ate an entire tomato at lunch, and enjoyed it.  And I discovered that nonfat, plain yogurt is edible without gobs of fruit and sweetener added. 

I love, and I do mean LOVE carbs in every form...well, except in the form of vegetables, unless said vegetable is deep fried.  But I especially love sweets, breads and every other form of uber-refined carb.   And once I eat a little, all I want is more.  I have beaten myself up for years at my lack of self-control in this.  But really, I don't feel well when I eat refined carbs.  I love them, but they leave me feeling somehow just generally yucky inside and out.

When I abstain, I feel better and I stop craving them altogether.  So, I'm excited!  Wish me luck!

Wednesday, March 28

I am so happy in this very moment!  I was a magnificent day, and the best part of it, I'm tempted to say, is right now, just being home!  I love being home.

But the day was full of wonderful things.  I had my CBS Bible study this morning.  I love the women in our discussion group.  There are such varied levels of experience in the Word, varied personalities and varied levels of natural insight.  I've just come to look forward to what each of them has to say.  And the lecture this morning was also meaningful to me.  Maybe I'll touch on that in Small Dog.

Even as I was at my Bible study, however, poor R was texting me from school in a bit of a panic.  His classes for next year had to be finalized today, and he didn't know what to tell the counselor he wanted to take.  I had been planning to make an appointment and talk about next year once we got this medication a little more in hand.  I knew what he thought he wanted to take, but I wasn't sure if he should be repeating some classes to get some low grades replaced on his transcript, or if he should plan on some summer school.

I ended up going into the school about the time he had his appointment so I could be a part of the discussion, and I was really glad I did.  The counselor was very supportive, very informative and very respectful toward R, even though his current grades do not necessarily command much respect.  She seemed to respect his heart to do well and conveyed confidence that once the ADD was under control he would be able to find success.  She said she definitely recommended just letting this year go and move on to better things next year, rather than trying to repeat classes or do summer school.  While maybe the top notch school in the state would be out of reach, the school he would be more likely to apply to would not, and would also be willing to hear in a face-to-face interview his explanation for (what we hope is only) a glitch in his sophomore year grades.  Plus, she recommended a good book to help R understand more about ADD.  I ran out and bought it tonight!  All in all, I was so pleased with her help and advice.

After the Bible study and the school counselor, the day just got busier.  Ran out to get a book from the library that L needed, picked up the FedEx delivery we missed (D's birthday iPhone!), picked up the ADD book from the bookstore, dropped L off with a friend, and headed off the R's first JV baseball double-header.  Then back to pick up L from the friend's house, brought Taco Bell home for dinner, and WHEW!  We're home!  Just in time for the kids to have some time for homework and off to bed.  How nice for me that neither of them need the computer so I get a little alone time to blog.

So of all this, which would I consider my happy moment?  As much as I'm loving being home and warm right now (the baseball games were COLD!!!!), and as much as I loved my Bible study this morning, I have to go with the appointment with the counselor.  It is such a load off my heart to know that we will be able to put academic year behind us come June.  I hated the idea of R having to repeat a course or do summer school, and I am so thrilled that it's not too late for him, that a four-year university experience is still a possibility for him as long as he gets it together pronto.  And he does seem motivated to do just that.  So, thank you Ms High School Counselor!  You made my day!

Tuesday, March 27

Tomorrow R has to do a presentation in his English class about an older relative of his.  This relative is supposed to be alive, a requirement he skirted because he wanted to talk about my dad who died when I was 18, long before he was born.  Somehow R stumbled upon a photo of my dad's plane in WWII falling out of formation, full of bullet holes.  Apparently after the bombers dropped the bombs, they were required to take a picture, so that's what the picture was supposed to be of.  And indeed, you can see the bombs, but my dad's plane was also there.  I think my dad told me that their plane was badly enough damaged that they really should have ejected, but being over enemy territory they were too afraid, so they nursed the plane to safety.  Lucky for me!

I wonder if it was that picture that drew R to my dad.  Maybe that picture is a part of why R wants to be a pilot himself.  Anyway, R needed to ask me all the questions about him that he couldn't ask my dad himself.  That was my happy moment, remembering myself all the wonderful qualities about my dad, retelling the few stories he told me about his childhood and years in the war, how my mom and dad met, and life with him as a kid. 

I'm so sorry he never had a chance to meet my kids.  He would have loved to go to the boys' baseball and hockey games.  L's dance recitals maybe not so much, but he would have loved just knowing and being around all the kids.