Flight

Grace fell in love with this dog.
He's just her size.

Thursday, March 14, I traveled alone.  I went through security at the airport.  I waited at the gate until it was my turn to board.  It was loud and quiet for me all at the same time.  I ordered a very large cup of coffee and sipped it while I read a book. I was uninterrupted for the first time in a very long time.  I started to clear my thoughts.  I was able to pull them all the way from point A to point B.

On the plane, the people that sat around me spoke Spanish and an Indian language, so while I heard them talking, I didn't know what they were saying.  It felt like white noise. I had a window seat for my 7:25 PM flight.  I felt like I was riding into the sunset for three hours before it got completely dark outside.

I loved flying above the clouds. It was a new perspective on how small we really are.  All the towns, small or large, looked relatively the same from the airplane window.  For a long time, I could pick out the ball fields, the neighborhoods, the ponds.  It was all very patchwork.  Different yet cohesive.  Separate yet connected somehow.

We had a lot of rough air.  It wasn't a smooth flight at all.  The captain came over the PA system several times apologizing for the flight attendants being unable to serve beverages and snacks to the passengers. Eventually, they served everyone, but it was a long flight.

I am absolutely crazy about my kids, and I love that they like to tell me what’s on their minds.  They talk to me all the time. All. the. time.  A part of me wanted to rush back and bring them all with me when I thought about all the things we could see and do in California.  Not that I could do that but talk about a hands-on experience.  Then, I thought to myself what a good experience they were having back home with their cousins.  What great memories they were making.

It’s not every day Deron has to travel for work, and now that the kids are a little older, we can let them visit with cousins while I accompany him for some time together alone. 

We went to Amelia Island last year for our tenth anniversary, and it was revitalizing.  We talked and walked and dreamed and planned and ate amazing food.  We just enjoyed being together, just the two of us.  It was something we hoped would become a tradition for us.  So when we found out he had to be in California for two weeks, we decided that I could meet him out there for the weekend. What a blessing it was!

We, originally, planned for me to go out to California with him for a few days and for me to go with him to his conference for five nights this summer.  I still want to go, but I'm starting to chicken out a little in terms of leaving the kids again.  Although, they've already asked when they can go back and stay with their cousins again because it was "awesome!" They told me they had a lot more fun than we did! So we'll see.

Spring Break 2013

The kids are pretty sure they had a better time than Deron and I did!

Right now...

Right now, three out of four children are sleeping on the living room floor.  They started out in beds, but when Deron's out of town, they all end up in my room.  Two or three end up in the bed with me, and the others make a blanket mound on the floor.  I don't mind.  I kinda like having them all within seeing distance.  I never sleep as well when Deron's out of town, and the three hour time difference is a little annoying.  By the time he gets off work out there, it's time for the kids to get to bed.  This week is a good week for travel since we're keeping our schoolwork to a minimum, and we can actually talk on the phone in the mid morning.  I don't normally answer the phone during school hours.

We're semi-spring-breaking yesterday and today, reading, math, read aloud time, and a couple of science experiments.  I have some great audio books to listen to during our long car rides. Thursday of this week through Tuesday of next week is the official spring break.

I'm flying out Thursday night to be with Deron for our 11th anniversary coming up on the 23rd.  I'll only be there for a few days, but since he was already having to go to California for two weeks, we thought my flying out there would be a lot of fun.  He never sight sees when he travels.  He says it's no fun by himself.

The kids are very excited to get to spend time with family for a few days, and they want to go ahead and leave. I was nervous about flying alone, and I had a friend assure me that I will be relaxed.  She said the flight attendants will probably have to drag me out of my deep sleep and force me to get off the plane.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself while Deron's at work on Friday, but I'm sure I'll think of something.

My Little Chippet

"Did you know God is in your heart? You know, He's invisible. I can't see him, but I can feel him in my heart.  He makes me want to do nice things."

So this little darlin' dances around the living room all the time.  She sings all the time especially while she does her school work.  She's a night owl, morning grouch, sensitive, comedian. 

She's my sweetheart, my Grace.

Superkid

I love my kids in a fierce mother bear sort of way.  I really do.  Even on the hard days when I completely blow it as a mom.  I would like to wear a cape and be supermom.  Really.  That would be great.

There was a time, a few short years ago, that my oldest wanted to wear his Superman cape everywhere. And I do mean everywhere.  I think he did wear it anytime he could, and he had spares that he would encourage me to wear.  Or well, he insisted I wear.  I remember him thinking it was great. Now, he creates fictional super hero stories that would be great books if I could get him to write them down.  The days of wearing capes are over.  It feels like just yesterday we had to lay down the law about wearing that cape to church.  We made him start putting it in the van to be retrieved after the service was over.  I had to insist upon washing it...sanitizing it rather. Now, it lays in a "memory" box as a tribute to his little years.

 He thought he could be superboy, and I could be his supermom.  Sounds about right to his three year old little mind.  How I wish I could fit into the box of hero status.  He'll be ten years old soon.  Double digits.  I feel pretty old, and I still wish I could be a supermom.  But I'll settle for trying every day.  I'll settle for doing my best.

Right now, he's sitting across from me, reading a book, eating a snack, looking way too grown up.  My years with him at home are growing few.  I don't want the next few years to just happen to us.  I want to be intentional.  I want to make them count.

Desperately Seeking Order

It's that time again.  Time to purge our cabinets, drawers, closets, and all the other little nooks and crannies that have accumulated an embarrassingly large amount of stuff.  Time to deep clean and organize what we have left. Deep down, I'd like to have a yard sale, but I'm not sure that would be a good idea.  I have mixed emotions concerning yard sales.  The kids are all for it.  They're ready to go through their stuff and make a little money.  Me?  My thoughts? I'm trying to get rid of the stuff I don't want.  It's hard to imagine anyone else wanting any of it.  I've always just donated heaps of stuff, but the kids really want a yard sale.  We'll see.

                                                                            We'll see.