Late Afternoon

Well, here it is, already mid-September and where has the time gone? I swore I was going to be better at this blog thing. I mean after all I spend most of my day and many nights parked in front of a computer. You would think that I would find the time, or at least MAKE the time to get my thoughts down. Instead I do everything but!

I can hardly believe it but another school year has started for the kids.  Matt is a sophmore this year and looking at getting his driver's license. We went to orientation for Driver's Ed this week! He is also enjoying the band again this year. He plays the Tenor Saxaphone and is really quite good if I do say so myself! He really doesn't want to join anything else and isn't playing football this year. I guess that's ok as the band stuff keeps him pretty busy! He is really excited too, as the Music Department has been invited to Norway next summer to play at our sister city's 150 Anniversary! My ex-husband said that Matt has his permission to go as long as I go with him. So we are attempting to save as much money as possible so we can go. Plane tickets will be around $1,200.00 per person. We may be staying with host families once we arrive, so lodging will hopefully be taken care of, along with some of the food.


My daughter, Hailey has started the 4th grade this year, and where her brother doesn't want to join anything, she wants to join EVERYTHING! She will be taking 3 dance classes a week again this year, tap, ballet and jazz, and we are looking at a specialty class with her cousin Becca. Becca is a senior and this will be her last year in dance, so a special dance just for the two of them would be very touching! She also volunteered for Safety Patrol, and is in Girl Scouts, along with the Library Club and the Jump Rope Club. And then on top of all of that, she works at the student tv station one morning a week and ran for Student Council (which she didn't make and was utterly disappointed!) She's only 9, what will she be like in High School?  I can barely keep up with her, but encourage her every step of the way! She loves to be a part of it all!

I have started the final semester of my Associate's Degree! I can't even believe how fast it has come! I wish college would have gone as fast 20 years ago when I started as it has now! This semester I have Statistics, which of course I am terribly worried about. I really don't want to blow my GPA, but I have a severe lack of understanding when it comes to probabilities and the like! I also have a dependency class and my capstone, neither of which I am too anxious about. I sent in my Application for Degree and found it amazing that in less than 6 months I will have a degree to hang on my wall! I will be starting my Bachelor's in January so I wasn't going to do Commencement, but Paul is really encouraging me to go. He said it is a marker of how far I've come and there are a lot of people who would love to celebrate with me. Maybe he is right! Not only will I graduate, but I graduate with Honors, which is something I am so incredibly proud of!

Well, I'd better head back to work here. I haven't slept well the last few nights and I am afraid if I slow down at all I will just lay my head down on my desk and fall asleep. I told the kids that I am coming home from class and going to bed tonight! Really hope I can accomplish that!

What I am Thankful for Today:
Sunshine (Its pouring and flooding today)
Bedtime
My kids
God
Massages

Who/What I am Praying for Today
My kids and our continued spectacular relationship
Paul for healing of his heart and mind
My Dad for his pending heart operation
My friend Kris in her losses over the last few weeks

Tuesday

Hi, come on in and sit a bit....its time to just relax, put up my feet and chat! Tuesday's mean dance night again. Of course I had to run off to Wal-Mart tonight and do some errands. I love just sitting at dance, chatting with the other mother's. It is like a special commraderie that forms as we all sit and wait for all our little prima ballerinas to finish class.

I am feeling a little sad tonight. Paul has been staying with me since 3 Jan and it is hard to see him go home. Having him around every night, helping with the little things reminds me of how much I miss being married. Don't get me wrong, I don't miss my ex husband at all, but I miss the partnership, I miss the day to day "life" things that married life contains. I know that I will see him again in just a few days, but it makes me sad to know that I have to wait so long for our forever to begin.

I am happy to report that my friends son is slowly recovering after falling through the ice last week. He is still in the hospital and on a ventilator, but he is making slow steady progress! Praise God!! Please keep little Reese in your prayers!

I am also happy to say that many of our friends are home from their deployment! More are on their way over the next few weeks! We are excited to see them! Hailey is about jumping up and down! She can't wait to see Shannon! It has been a long year without them!

Matt came home from pep band tonight and told me that his band director wants him to do a solo this year. He plays the tenor sax and I think he is good. Apparently his director does too. He told Matt that he has the potential to go to state (Matt is a freshman) and to be a leader in the band. I hope Matt takes him seriously and I pray for the words to encourage him and guide him!

Well, I think I will finish my tea and toddle off to bed for the night! I hope ya'll enjoyed our chat! I look forward to talking with you again!

What I am Thankful for Today:
- My kids are home and safe
- Paul successfully finished his training
- Short day at work
- Seeing friends arrive home from deployment
- Loving family and friends who lend a shoulder when needed
- Warmer weather

What and Who I am Praying for Today:
- My children
- Paul and his family
- My family as the first anniversary of my mother's death approaches
- Reese as he recovers from his fall through the ice
- Nicholas as he fights to recover from his injuries from the IED
- Nicholas' family as they help him through this
- Friends returning from deployment
- Me, for the words of wisdom and encouragement for my children
- Donna and her family during her father's illness
- LeRoy and Donna as they face the aftermath of the fire