Twelve Summers

One week from right now, I will be in my classroom checking the clock for the last half-hour of open house to be over. Another school year will begin...my 13th to be exact. This also means I have had twelve summer "vacations". Each summer has been different in its own way. I got married the summer after my first year of teaching. That was a whirlwind summer which involved, among many other things, a lot of thank you writing. A few summers after that, we moved to our house...lots of packing, unpacking, painting, and calls to people who could install things like water softeners and heat pumps. That was the summer I also spent many hours taking classes towards my Masters. The following summer we hosted Troy's mother-in-law as she finished work at BSU for her teaching degree. I was also still taking classes, and Troy was working at BSU. We all had a lot of fun that summer. I think the next summer I hammered out my research paper and was happy to complete my Master's degree. The following summer will surely never be forgotten! It started on an exciting note as I was almost 20 weeks pregnant and ended on my red sofa on complete bedrest. To this day, lying on the red couch is a comforting place for me. The summers since then have entailed all the things that one does as a mom of an infant, toddler, and now a little boy. I try to soak it all in because I know how FAST it goes. I am so grateful, as a working mom, to have the opportunity to be home three months out of the year. And so each summer, as the warm days wind down and school bells beckon, I take a few deep breaths as the countdown to another summer begins.

Happy Homecoming Day!

So I was taking a little nap on my blue chair after being out on the deck removing screws from the boards because we are going to have a friend build us a bigger deck and I think I can save a little labor cost if some of the removal work is done. As Mateo said when he was helping me pick up the screws and put them in a bucket, "I think it's time to go in for a break." He had the right idea, so I finished what I could and went inside. It was close to supper time, but I had no idea what to make. My thought process was something of the following: if I fall asleep long enough, maybe Troy will make something. Wishful thinking! I woke up about 45 mintues later and he was still on the couch playing something on his iPod Touch which is what he had been doing when I drifted off. I then relayed to him what I had been thinking earlier, so he, being the kind husband he is (truly), got up and decided to make some mac and cheese and Polish sausages. While he was making supper, the phone rang. It was my dad calling from Alaska where my parents are vacationing. He wanted to tell me he was thinking of me and to wish me a Happy Homecoming Day--the day I arrived in the states when I was adopted. (I don't keep track of this date-I've heard of it but always forget.) It was 34 years ago today that I joined my family. I was nineteen months old and very ill. It was also the same day that my parents found out that they were expecting a baby! Can you even imagine?! I am always amazed at that part of the story. As an adult, I have pondered what that would have been like to be receiving this very sick child and then finding out another baby was on the way. My arrival was also during the time that my parents were being called to the mission field in Africa where my sister was born eight months later. My parents had amazing faith.

Even though my homecoming day was 34 years ago and now a somewhat distant memory for my parents, I guess it is worth a mention. And so I enjoyed my mac and cheese and Polish without feeling guilty that I hadn't made supper. Happy homecoming to me!

The Story of a Special Car and How God Provided in a Most Convenient Way

I'm not sure how many of you know how much Troy loves his PT Cruiser. He got a brand new Patriot Blue (that is the official name of the color) Cruiser eight years ago and has LOVED driving it. Towards the end of May, his much loved car got stuck in a ten minute hail storm and sustained enough damage that the insurance company said it was a total loss. The car still drove fine, but the hood and roof of the car looked like an attack of a thousand golf balls.

After much thought and discussion, we decided that it would be most prudent to take the insurance money and use it towards a new (used) vehicle. Preferably a PT Cruiser. I felt bad for Troy because I knew how much he loved his car and the color. I didn't think it would be possible to get the same color car within the price range we wanted to work with. Both of us did some Internet searches to see what was out there. There were a few in Fargo, no blue ones, but last Saturday we decided to go look.

We dropped Mateo off at Chae and Brian's and decided to stop at the car dealership down the road in Detroit Lakes which just happened to be the place Troy got his first Cruiser. There were a couple of used Cruisers in the lot. Neither one seemed right. Then the salesman said that he had just gotten a blue Cruiser in a couple days ago that wasn't even on the lot because it hadn't been detailed. He took us around the back and there was the twin to Troy's bruised Cruiser. It was identical from the outside (well, apart from the thousand dimples). We found out that it just happened to have 80,000 less miles, heated leather seats, a car starter, and was totally in our price range!! I started feeling giddy about it because I couldn't believe this was happening.

After taking it for a test drive, we decided to still go on to Fargo just to make sure we didn't miss anything there, but I had a feeling we would be coming back to buy the car. Of course we didn't even come close to finding anything comparable, but we did enjoy a nice lunch together.

We went back to DL and offered them $500 less than they were asking (just because you're supposed to) and they countered with a drop in price of $400. SOLD!! We could not believe our car miracle. I felt like God said, "I know the car you loved and wanted to keep driving was ruined, but here, I got you another one that is even better." It's a God thing.

p.s. The insurance company is taking the damaged PT Cruiser, but I couldn't help but snap a few photos of the "twins". Oh, and the little boy in the picture is Mateo's best buddy incase you were wondering.

Cajun Reunion

Our 4-H reunion was held in Crowley, Louisiana which is about two point five hours west of New Orleans. This year there were ten adults and ten children. The kids ranged in ages eight to almost two. We got to enjoy all kinds of Cajun cuisine including jumbalaya, gumbo, crawfish, etouffee, boudin (pronounced boo-dan, sausage mix with rice in a casing), cracklin, and beignets. When we get together, aside from spending quality time together, our other main concern is eating well! We didn't have to worry about that. Our hosts had thought of everything. Besides eating, we enjoyed visiting, swimming, and sightseeing in Crowley and New Orleans. All in all, it was a really fun vacation.

Summer so Far

Summer so far has been going really fast. I am in denial that next weekend is actually the 4th of July. It just can't be. The weather has been really rainy. This past week alone we have had over two inches of rain. Lots of green grass, mosquitoes, mushrooms in the yard, and slugs in my plants. Getting rid of the mushroom and slugs have become my new obsession. Actually, getting rid of the slugs has been on my mind more than the mushrooms. Aside from trying to pull out as many mushrooms as I can, I have postponed that battle. Right now, I have declared warfare on the slugs. Those ishy, tiny things can do a lot of damage. On the bright side, I am learning more about gardening which will help me for the future. Apparently there is more to it than just putting a plant in the ground and watering it once in a while. I'm kind of depressed about this discovery.

Speaking of discoveries, I have discovered Webkinz. I never knew what all the fuss was about, but Mateo got a Webkinz pet several months ago. I have to admit, I am kind of addicted to playing the games. So when I'm not hunched over my plants slaying slugs, you can find me hunched over my laptop playing some sort of game on Webkinz hoping to earn lots of Kinzcash. No wonder my chiropractor keeps telling me to schedule more visits!

Looking ahead: the forecast is supposed to be more summer-like with warmer temps and less rain. That should help the mushroom and, hopefully, the slug issues. This Thursday we are heading out on a road trip to Louisiana for our annual 4-H reunion. It is going to HOT and lots of fun!! I hope the hurricanes don't find us.

G.R.O.S.

Part of my summer to-do list is going to be cleaning closets and getting rid of stuff. Ever thought about that acronym? Getting Rid Of Stuff=G.R.O.S.

Summertime Blues

So I would never complain about having the summer off for many obvious reasons. I do sincerely love having the time off, but for some reason this year I am feeling overwhelmed by part of what "having the summer off" entails. I know, some of you are scratching your head right now and contemplating shutting this site down. Indulge me as I try to explain...

Having the summer off means that now I have to actually formulate my to-do list and complete the work. Last summer I took on too much at the beginning of the summer and felt as though I was going to have a breakdown the first week of break. (on the bright side, I did get a LOT done) This year, I decided I wasn't going to do that to myself. So I have approached the beginning of my vacation with thoughts of all the work I need to do swirling around in my head along with much anxiety about when and how it is going to get done.

During the school year, I can always use the excuse that I don't have the time or energy to do the bigger projects around the house. But once "vacation" comes around, no excuses. That is why I feel as though the summertime blues have hit me. No motivation and a long to-do list makes me uncomfortable. A part of me says I have all summer to do it, but let's be real people, I don't work that way. My Type A personality thinks all of this stuff should have been done yesterday. Are you getting to the source of my self-inflicted anxiety yet? Maybe next summer I will just do myself a favor and schedule some time with a therapist.