Courageous Joy

FRIDAY -

OK some of you may be wondering why you're getting so many pictures of every little detail of our life....and why so many "daily blah" posts...well....Mike really likes to read the blog first thing in the a.m. when he gets to work...and so I try to update. It's cool for him to be able to see and know what we are up to and the children enjoy knowing that he knows what we are doing.

So - though it is nearing mid-night I will give a quick update.

Some weeks are good and some aren't. This was probably a good week...but underlying it all was the fact that Zander is having a bad week. I really can't figure it out. I think that a part of it is that he wants Nolan and Arielle to interact with - which is an ANSWER TO PRAYER for him to WANT to interact with us...but we've started school. I'm going to try to include him more next week. Stacia can't really play yet. He gets frustrated waiting for them...he acts up to get our attention...I'm not sure really and need more time praying about this.

He had a colossal meltdown tonight when it was time to leave the Redwall Feast. I shared on SHS that I was fresh out of duct tape and had no choice but to bundle him up and put him in the van. I stood beside the van, took a deep breath, looked at the lights and finally decided, "Yes, I will get in with the children and go home after all". ::snort:: They had played Play Station the whole time we were there and he was really having fun.....so we need to work on this leave taking thing some more.

Stacia still has a strange rash...I'm going between wondering if it is Roseola or an allergic reaction. It is getting better.

Today began speech. Tell me - am I being petty to be bugged that our therapist ALWAYS starts late? This is a pattern from last year. Our appt. was directly after her lunch and she was always at least 5 minutes late. I chose 8:30 a.m. this time. She was THERE. She was sitting and talking to the receptionist up front. I signed in, we said hello. It was 8:27....it was 8:38 before she called Nolan back. I know, I know....some think I'm anal about time....I may be....but really I am rushing to get somewhere at a time SHE set and then she makes me wait each week. It seems rude to me. It also seems like inefficient. I'm not sure what to do. Would it be petty to track it a month and then talk to her? Would it just make things hard for Nolan? What do you all think? She didn't have exercises or worksheets for us. I'm not worried about the worksheets but would like the exercises. I still have books that AK bought me when our therapist recommended them. I'm going to see if I can find anything there to use. He is needing to work on "r" that is in the back of his throat and low muscle tone in his tongue and jaw.....We've continued all the ones that our therapist in AK gave us....

We didn't get a lot of book work done today. We did work on our hands on projects. I think I'll plan from now on to have Fridays free for this.

I had to buy turnips and beets to make the dish for tonight. I'd never bought these items OFF A SHELF! It was a hoot. I decided to ask the produce guy at HEB if what I had was a turnip. It wasn't. It was UGLY - a rutabaga. He directed me to the turnips, he must have seen my list because he told me the beets were right next to them. ::gasp:: OK - it's late but this memory is really cracking me up. When I began making the dish, I realized that it had NO spices at all....so I called Melody and asked if I could add spices. She agreed. I mashed the potatoes and turnips together with cream cheese, garlic and Italian spices. I sauteed onions. Mixed them with the thinly sliced beets.....all in all it turned out well. "Deeper than ever tater & turnip beet root pie". OH - I added carrots and used twice the cheese it called for. I think most thought it was too strange to try...so I have an extra pie left that I will give to Adrienne's family. I thought of their vegetarian daughter. I have 1/2 a pie we'll eat. Once you get past the bright red beets, it tastes good. LOL

Basically, I was running from 7:30 this a.m. until 10:45, when I set down to check emails and update this.

I discovered I LOVE dressing up. I just love it. I need more opportunities to wear fun clothes like tonight. Strictly speaking, I was told at the rental shop, that what I picked was a bar maid's costume.

The very high point of my day was a comment from my 15 yo son. I was told years ago (when he was 4) that he would bless my heart beyond belief because I'd had to fight so many battles for him....long story. I was all dressed and ready to leave tonight (the 3 older boys stayed home)...he came up to me and said, "Mom, you're really great, you know that?" KNOCK ME OVER!!!! I said, "Why - what did I do?" - ok I'm not above fishing for compliments when Mike isn't here to keep me supplied!!! He was simply impressed that I'd not sat down all day...oh THAT. LOL You know - isn't it funny that I'd immediately think I must have DONE something if someone thinks I'm great. Hmmm...

Oh, the big rumor today is that the Air Force is extending all assignments to be 4 year assignments...which means we'll be here longer than expected. They are also going to begin seperating folks in January. That won't affect us directly, but of course it will affect many of our friends. The 4 year thing affects us. We would have gotten a bigger house if we knew we'd be here 4 years. LOL The boys are not happy at the prospect of staying here.....still praying about this for them too. They simply don't have the friends and youth group support they had in AK.