Back to School

I've been watching my kids lately, wondering how they got so big without me noticing. I think I was in semi-hibernation while I was pregnant and then woke up to bigger children. They're growing up so fast; and I don't know how to stop of the busy-ness of my life and just enjoy them. We didn't get our fare share of fun in over the summer, but my kids did get more than their summer quota of fighting (probably due to the lack of fun). I started looking forward to school starting. Now that school's started Kate's bored. I constantly hear "Mom, now what can I do?". She's also a little tornado, going from one box of toys to the next. Lesson learned: enjoy the positive in every moment. Yes, they fought during the summer, but they also played together. Now, I'm choosing to enjoy the moments that Kate helps me with projects just so she can be with me. She's such a pleasant person to be around. Last week I thoroughly enjoyed having her help me dry apricots and can peaches. And for a four year old, Kate's really good at window-washing. It's her chore of choice.

Amber was more excited about school starting than I was. I'll admit, it made me a little sad, but I reassured myself that it's wonderful that she loves school. and age appropriate that she's ready to branch out. Now I feel like she's gone all day. I've always enjoyed teaching piano lessons, but now I'm heart-broken that I miss out on that much more time with Amber. Looking at the situation from a more grateful perspective: I've been able to move 10 of my students to morning lessons. Middle school here doesn't start until 9:00, so I'm able to teach for an hour each morning, after Amber gets on the bus. Rich gets to spend that quality time with Jessica & Kate. Morning lessons are working out great. I only have to teach 3 afternoons a week, and I'm done by 5:00. One of those afternoons each week they'll spend at Grandma's house (more quality time with someone who loves them). So, even though I would do just about anything to be "just a mom", I'm really grateful I'm able to work from home, doing something I love, knowing my children aren't being to scarred by it.

Does that look like $3,000 worth of damage?

Yeah, I did that.

My dad is just like me. We love to play. When we don't get to, we feel caged in. My Dad has a boat and loves to waterski. I enjoy it too. Rich and my kids are cometimes indifferent about going boating and sometimes they just flat don't want to go (I dont' get it). It takes 3 adults to water-ski: a driver, a skiier, and a flag holder. I was really nervous to drive my Dad's boat for a long time. This summer I finally decided to put my fears aside and learn to drive the boat and pull a water-skiier, so I could drive when Rich didn't come along. Really, I was trying to be nice to my dad by learning to drive his boat. I insisted on driving each time so I could become more experienced and more comfortable driving it.

I was just getting comfortable driving the boat. I could even go pick up a skier after they crashed, without fearing I was going to run them over. After our last outing we were headed back to the dock and I unknowingly drove across an island that's not presently an island because of the high water level. Uh, whoops. My dad claims it's his fault because he was standing right next to me and assures me he could have done it just as easily. Right. He's such a nice dad. He played it very calmly & assured me he had insurance and he's just get it fixed. Actually, the insurance wasn't active. I think it was the insurance agent's mistake of something, because in the end, they are going to cover it. So, should I drive it again? When a horse bucks you off, do you get right back in the saddle?