Yea for Work!

Today was a rare day when I actually wanted to go to work and get out of the house and I didn't feel guilty about it one bit.  I really was more excited about going to pilates today but work was right up there too.  I missed pilates last week so I jumped at the chance to have a babysitter during the day.  Camren has been fussier than normal due to teething and I really can't complain about that but it's sure nice to be out of the house for today!  I prefer to work and exercise earlier in the day when I am still fresh but my current schedule allows for me to do these things from about 3pm -6pm after Caitlin gets out of school and is wonderful enough to come babysit for us.  Of course by that time of day my energy and brain cells are virtually gone so today was refreshing.

We had a very busy week and a half and I have so much to catch up on.  In summary:

• Last Thursday night Andy presided over the TPCA Region 3 meeting (of which he is president) and we had an especially good meeting with great speakers.  
• Last Friday night was spent at the Malham's playing Wii, Scene It and Outburst until about midnight.  Again, super fun time but been paying for it all week by the time we got home and got the kids in bed it was after 1 am.  It's taken me some time to recover...
• Saturday the boys helped daddy install a part to fix our ever problematic kitchen sink.
  
  
• Saturday night we hosted a group meeting of our church friends at our house so that involved lots of cleaning and cooking and then entertaining about 25 people.  
• Sunday night was an awesome night as we had a skate party at a real skating rink.  Conner was very attached to mommy (daddy and Camren went home) except when all the other people had gotten off the rink when it was time to go and Conner finally felt safe to be on his own.  And, yes, those are elbow, knee pads and wrist guards on my child.  Believe me, I got made fun of plenty. 

• The rest of my week has involved all the usual stuff in addition to planning (very last minute) a 50th Anniversary party for my in-laws on January 30th.  I am sort of the unofficial party planner and since I've been busy getting my life back on track I let this slip up on me.  Anyway, planning is well underway and other than being incredibly embarrassed for giving hardly more than a week's notice to the guests it is going well.  
• I was also very much into reading about and watching the inaugural events this week and tried to explain as best you can to an almost 4 year old the significance of what we were watching.  Conner thought the coolest part was the music (Aretha Franklin and Yo Yo Ma) and said "Mommy please don't turn it!"
• Oh and Andy has been sick this week so we hope that he is feeling better very soon!

Being new to blogging I've felt bad for being behind on my posts and will try not to have such a long one next time!  One final thing, this weather today is fabulous but tomorrow back to the 30s.  Can't wait for spring! 

Rink in the Garage

Santa got Conner some roller skates for Christmas that didn't fit too well. So since Santa has an arrangement with Toys R Us I was able to return them and buy Conner a pair of roller blades instead.  I made time to do that this week and was so glad I finally got around to it.

Last night we turned my bay in the garage into a roller rink.  Conner was quite impressive for his first time on skates much to Andy's chagrin.  He really thought he was going to fall and hurt something and I'm sure he will eventually but that's the risk you take as you watch your children grow.  I say chagrin not because he wants him to get hurt but because he thinks I get him involved with things that are not age appropriate when in fact it's just time for him to take the next step or skate, as it may be.  Or now that I think about it maybe it's because he doesn't want to lace up the roller blades for him everyday!  Anyway, I am just thrilled with his pure joy over such simple things like skating in the garage. He is a boy after my own heart because as we were skating (I needed roller blades too, thank you Santa) he said "Mommy we need some music!"  I turned on Andy's garage boom box and it took me back to 5th grade and my days at the Hickory Hollow (or sometimes Brentwood) skating rink.  I really enjoyed going to "skate parties" after school and now I can share that with Conner.

Quiet Grief

Before my grandmother passed away, I had visions of what my reaction and life would be like.  Thankfully they have not come to fruition.  I pictured myself so grief stricken that I couldn't function.  I pictured feeling like my insides were being ripped apart and that my world would be so empty.  Now that I am on the other side of this I think back to those thoughts and wonder why I'm not feeling more like that.  Of course, I have my moments and always will.  My heart aches daily.  The practical matter is I have these two beautiful children and a loving, adoring husband that require something more than a shell of a person in their daily lives.  But I think it goes deeper than that and it goes back to the example that my grandmother lived in her life everyday.  She was such a positive person although she endured many heartaches throughout her life, too many to recount now.  But she always brought such light and joy to others and she wanted us to be happy and live life to the fullest.  Also, my grandmother was so strong and she gave me such a strong sense of self that I know I can get through this.  I thank God that He has filled my heart with her spirit and is letting me experience this quiet grief.