Oh, I know Jon has 2 more official weeks of fitness camp, but between him gone, these projects at work, my house, kid's school work, winter upon us, and so forth, I've felt a bit buried. However, I can now see a beaming light at the end of this tunnel. I see that my work deadline to release the guide is this coming Friday, it's starting to show signs of spring, Jon will be home before I know it, and hopefully with Jon home we can make a better offensive and defensive team on getting kid's chores and projects done. It's so refreshing to see the pressure lightening up.
So, what have I learned from this experience?
Well, I have many more people behind me than I thought. Family has called to check on me not to mention help me out with the kids and house. Even people at church check in on us. There probably hasn't been a week at church where at least 2 to 3 people haven't asked about Jon and those of us at home. I'm stronger than I think, and yet not as strong as I thought (figure that one out). I learned I couldn't do it all without anyone's help. I've been humbled and left grateful that I didn't have to. I've continued to learned that some things just don't matter, no matter how embarrassing they might be. I've gained a strong belief that taking some time off is valuable to sanity, even if it's a walk around the block. I've also realized that I can still eat and live healthy BUT I have to schedule it. Letting each day take me on unprepared was never good. But if I took a few minutes to decide what I was going to eat and when I was going to exercise, I did pretty good.
I'd like to say that I've learned it can't get much worse, but I won't tempt fate by saying so, because I'm sure it could. I look at my visiting teacher and this last year she's had to do her daughter's wedding, send her son on a mission, get her son through his final eagle scout requirements, found out her 15 year old son has cancer and get through that, and then her husband lost his job of 20 years. That's a lot coming at ya in just a year. Talked to her today and she said it's made her a grateful person and she wouldn't trade it for anything. She was blessed through each step of it and each challenge/trial prepared her for the next one ahead. She said she never had to say, "why me?"
I've also learned that we need to make good choices from the beginning to avoid some of the harder challenges and choices later on. Sometimes the best and smartest path to take isn't nearly as easy or fun. The path of least resistance is paved with pleasure and indulgences that always require a large toll at the end. You can't back out easily without paying that toll, and how far you do down that path increases that toll. I just hope I can be smart enough and wise enough to recognize the right path each day when it's presented to me, and strong enough to choose that path. I know better, but the other path seems so much easier and fun....at least at the time it does, never at the end Regrets are heavy to carry. It's time to stop being stupid.
So, am I in the final stretch? Oh, probably not. But, I know I get to make a pit stop here soon, refuel and start back out for another adventure. But hopefully I've gained a greater respect for obstacles life sends me and don't shrug them off.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
6 Week and 6 days (2/27): Saturday is a special day
I know Saturday isn't Sunday, and usually Saturday is "the day you get ready for Sunday" but after the weeks I've been having, it almost felt like a day of rest. First off, I got to sleep in. I didn't have to get up until 7:00, and that only because Ben had a merit badge clinic he was suppose to be at at 7:30. That gave me 3 more hours of sleep. Sweet.
After he left, I went back to my room and leasurely read for a while. I then got Jacob and tried to tackle the boy's room. Ben supposedly cleaned his half the other day, but it still needed some work, and I knew if I wasn't there nothing more was going to happen. We got the closet cleaned out and got stuff out from under Ben's dresser. Found a book that I've been looking for. The bar in their closed came down the other day, so Jacob and I hung that back up and hung up all their church clothes that had been so neatly spilled in a wad on the floor. We then fixed their hamper, which had a bar come unscrewed. Thank goodness grandma B gave Jacob a tool box for his birthday.
I then tried to get the kids to straighten up before Shawn and Nichole came for over for piano lessons. They got the main floor presentable at best, still needing work to be realistic. I called mom while I was waiting and found out the neighbors (the Weiders) lost their house. John, who lives there now, got it from his mom probably close to 15 years ago after she lost it, and his parent had been there since my preteen years. Sad to think that someone could still lose a house that probably only originally cost $30,000 to 40,000 to begin with. Apparently mom is letting them stay there for a while until the kids get out of school in June. Yikes. I hope she doesn't go crazy(ier) in the mean time.
Nichole showed up with one of her school counselor tests (the one's school psychologists and counselors adminiter to kids to see their intellegence or learning abilities compared to kids their age.) This is part of her masters program. She started testing Dani and they're not quite down, but I learned that Dani is running on a Sr in high school/college freshman level. The lowest she scored was at a 13 year old level. Good, now maybe I can put her in charge and get some rest. It will be fun to see how the others score and in which areas.
I worked in my room for a while, but didn't make much progress. My goal is to actually have all the laundry put away this week and have more than a walking path through the room. Still have the Christmas wrapping box in my room and 2 baskets of laundry that only got half folded, not to mention the laundry I did today. I'll get there. It's amazing how getting one monkey off your back is just so freeing, even though you still have like 6 more there.
After he left, I went back to my room and leasurely read for a while. I then got Jacob and tried to tackle the boy's room. Ben supposedly cleaned his half the other day, but it still needed some work, and I knew if I wasn't there nothing more was going to happen. We got the closet cleaned out and got stuff out from under Ben's dresser. Found a book that I've been looking for. The bar in their closed came down the other day, so Jacob and I hung that back up and hung up all their church clothes that had been so neatly spilled in a wad on the floor. We then fixed their hamper, which had a bar come unscrewed. Thank goodness grandma B gave Jacob a tool box for his birthday.
I then tried to get the kids to straighten up before Shawn and Nichole came for over for piano lessons. They got the main floor presentable at best, still needing work to be realistic. I called mom while I was waiting and found out the neighbors (the Weiders) lost their house. John, who lives there now, got it from his mom probably close to 15 years ago after she lost it, and his parent had been there since my preteen years. Sad to think that someone could still lose a house that probably only originally cost $30,000 to 40,000 to begin with. Apparently mom is letting them stay there for a while until the kids get out of school in June. Yikes. I hope she doesn't go crazy(ier) in the mean time.
Nichole showed up with one of her school counselor tests (the one's school psychologists and counselors adminiter to kids to see their intellegence or learning abilities compared to kids their age.) This is part of her masters program. She started testing Dani and they're not quite down, but I learned that Dani is running on a Sr in high school/college freshman level. The lowest she scored was at a 13 year old level. Good, now maybe I can put her in charge and get some rest. It will be fun to see how the others score and in which areas.
I worked in my room for a while, but didn't make much progress. My goal is to actually have all the laundry put away this week and have more than a walking path through the room. Still have the Christmas wrapping box in my room and 2 baskets of laundry that only got half folded, not to mention the laundry I did today. I'll get there. It's amazing how getting one monkey off your back is just so freeing, even though you still have like 6 more there.
Friday, February 26, 2010
6 Weeks and 5 Days: I made it!!!
Holy shmollies. I finally got the last of my final draft out for review. The guide goes to production next week and even though I could probably nit pick it for another month, it's at a point that if I died over the weekend, the guide is pretty much ready to go. YEAH!!!!!!!!! It makes me so happy. It's like a load has been taken off my shoulders (although it's not really officially over. Still lots to do to get it ready for production).
My poor kids probably think I don't exist anymore. I'm going to go spend some time with them. Jillian was in with me a good part of the day, talking my ear off. Whew, that girl can talk. and talk. and talk. How can someone bring you so much joy and so much headache at the same time.
Well, I just got off the phone with Jon. I'm nagging him to start posting again. Hopefully he will tonight.
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So funny story. I didn't post it because I thought Jon would but he stopped posting about this time.
Last week Jon called to say that he's finally starting to notice a difference for himself. He said he was at the pool, working out, when his thumb caught the side of his suit and it split down the side, top to bottom. Fortunately the seams held it on him until he could get out (carefully). He then tried on a suit he didn't like because it was hard to put on but realized it wasn't hard to put on anymore.
I had to laugh because what he was telling me is that something fits now that didn't used to, but what I was hearing was "yeah, I had to split my pants out to realize I was losing weight".
Okay, maybe you had to be there, but I thought it was funny.
My poor kids probably think I don't exist anymore. I'm going to go spend some time with them. Jillian was in with me a good part of the day, talking my ear off. Whew, that girl can talk. and talk. and talk. How can someone bring you so much joy and so much headache at the same time.
Well, I just got off the phone with Jon. I'm nagging him to start posting again. Hopefully he will tonight.
--------
So funny story. I didn't post it because I thought Jon would but he stopped posting about this time.
Last week Jon called to say that he's finally starting to notice a difference for himself. He said he was at the pool, working out, when his thumb caught the side of his suit and it split down the side, top to bottom. Fortunately the seams held it on him until he could get out (carefully). He then tried on a suit he didn't like because it was hard to put on but realized it wasn't hard to put on anymore.
I had to laugh because what he was telling me is that something fits now that didn't used to, but what I was hearing was "yeah, I had to split my pants out to realize I was losing weight".
Okay, maybe you had to be there, but I thought it was funny.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
6 Weeks and 4 Days: Really?
I can't believe it's been almost 7 weeks now. Before we know it Jon will be home and hopefully there will be less of him.
Quiet today. Jillian was at grandma's, the others at school, Kristin had work. My visiting teachers stopped by briefly this morning, but other than that, I've been up to work.
My work deadline is approaching and I have very mixed emotions about that. I still have 3 more lessons to go, and I'm behind the schedule I had set for myself, but I feel pretty good that it will get done, and that excites me.
Had to pick up Sam at 3:00 for an orthodontist appointment. She was there longer than usual. Guess she's lopsided. One side was doing really well, the other developed a crossbite. Then we picked up Jillian and headed home. So I didn't get home until 5:00. Then it was back to work. I really need to get my last three lessons out tomorrow, early would be best, so the instructors have time to review the lessons.
Getting the kids to do some cleaning. Ben has a good motivator so he can play his new games.
By the way, I have heard from Jon, so he is alive. Maybe barely.
Quiet today. Jillian was at grandma's, the others at school, Kristin had work. My visiting teachers stopped by briefly this morning, but other than that, I've been up to work.
My work deadline is approaching and I have very mixed emotions about that. I still have 3 more lessons to go, and I'm behind the schedule I had set for myself, but I feel pretty good that it will get done, and that excites me.
Had to pick up Sam at 3:00 for an orthodontist appointment. She was there longer than usual. Guess she's lopsided. One side was doing really well, the other developed a crossbite. Then we picked up Jillian and headed home. So I didn't get home until 5:00. Then it was back to work. I really need to get my last three lessons out tomorrow, early would be best, so the instructors have time to review the lessons.
Getting the kids to do some cleaning. Ben has a good motivator so he can play his new games.
By the way, I have heard from Jon, so he is alive. Maybe barely.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
6 Weeks and 3 Days: The day after
So Ben's birthday ended up covering 2 days. Jon was able to get the evening off to take Ben out for his birthday and Ben ended up staying the night there. He got back at 6:00 this morning. I must say, he came back a motivated individual. He got home, got all the kids up, took out all the garbage, and was ready to go before 7:00. That gave us time to open the presents he didnt' get to open last night. So I don't know if he was motivated by the stack of gifts, from Jon's talking to, or from his parent/teacher conference results from yesterday (which could use some improvement).
The rest of the day was work, work, work. Grandma B invited Jillian over but I didn't want to take the time to run over there, so she stayed here. I actually put her on Nickjr.com and I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with how well she navigates the computer. I was noticing that "hand/eye coordination" is different than when I was a kid. It used to be you'd go out to throw or hit a ball around to get that, now it's move the mouse to click the button.
The rest of the day was work, work, work. Grandma B invited Jillian over but I didn't want to take the time to run over there, so she stayed here. I actually put her on Nickjr.com and I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with how well she navigates the computer. I was noticing that "hand/eye coordination" is different than when I was a kid. It used to be you'd go out to throw or hit a ball around to get that, now it's move the mouse to click the button.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
6 Weeks and 2 Days: Happy Birthday Ben and International Pancake Day
Back to early days. Sammy had temple this morning at 4:00 so I just stayed up and started working. Probably a good thing too because it seems like I've had to cut off early lately and I really need to get this project done for work. I'm on the home stretch now, so I'm seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel. Still way behind, but I'm feeling better that I'll get there.
Did a little decorating for Ben's birthday and wrapped up a candy bar for him so he had something to open this morning. If I'd thought this threw, I should have let him open all his presents this morning because it's been crazy and I don't know if we'll get to do it tonight. He and Sam have play practice stuff after school, then I had to run to the bank, Sam had to take some books to the library, and I still hadn't done a cake. By the time I got home we had parent/teacher conferences for Ben and Sam at 4:30 until almost 6:00. Jon got the evening off to take Ben out for his birthday and he picked him up from the school. So, here we sit with a cake, cheese cake (cause that's what he asked for), and presents, but no birthday boy. The home teacher also dropped off a tub of ice cream and brownies for him. Fat galore.
It's free pancake day at IHOP, so I took those that wanted to go: Dani, Jacob, and Jillian (Ben was gone and Sam and Deanna didn't want pancakes). Plus, we took one of the neighbor girls. Jillian apparently loves strawberry syrup.
Did a little decorating for Ben's birthday and wrapped up a candy bar for him so he had something to open this morning. If I'd thought this threw, I should have let him open all his presents this morning because it's been crazy and I don't know if we'll get to do it tonight. He and Sam have play practice stuff after school, then I had to run to the bank, Sam had to take some books to the library, and I still hadn't done a cake. By the time I got home we had parent/teacher conferences for Ben and Sam at 4:30 until almost 6:00. Jon got the evening off to take Ben out for his birthday and he picked him up from the school. So, here we sit with a cake, cheese cake (cause that's what he asked for), and presents, but no birthday boy. The home teacher also dropped off a tub of ice cream and brownies for him. Fat galore.
It's free pancake day at IHOP, so I took those that wanted to go: Dani, Jacob, and Jillian (Ben was gone and Sam and Deanna didn't want pancakes). Plus, we took one of the neighbor girls. Jillian apparently loves strawberry syrup.
Monday, February 22, 2010
6 Weeks and 1 Day: Much better
I had a tough weekend. I was getting really frustrated with work come Friday and I think I let the stress boil over into the weekend. I was really dreading working this week, but after finally dragging myself out of bed, I'me feeling pretty good. Still lots to do, but my mind feels a lot clearer today that it has in days.
It will be busy this afternoon. Tomorrow is Ben's birthday so I still need to do shopping. Plus, I promised the kids something like a movie for family night tonight. And, I haven't been shopping in a while, so I guess it's time to replenish the TP, eggs, and who knows what other staples. How does one fit it all in to one day.
It will be busy this afternoon. Tomorrow is Ben's birthday so I still need to do shopping. Plus, I promised the kids something like a movie for family night tonight. And, I haven't been shopping in a while, so I guess it's time to replenish the TP, eggs, and who knows what other staples. How does one fit it all in to one day.
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