will look like this in less than 2 weeks. the short sale saga ended with us holding the keys!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Saturday, June 16, 2012
be not afraid...
was a betty boehmer (our talented resident cantor/musician) favorite at St. Mary's Catholic Church for most of my childhood. i'm gonna guess we sang it at least every other sunday. for 18 years. it's a lovely song. you can listen to it here.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeTpISSA5x8
i don't think i've heard it sung once at our church here in the bubble.
it played at the church in castle rock, co the sunday we attended. it was kind of a big deal.
why, you ask? well, we were in denver, looking at towns, looking for a house, trying to figure out where in the world (or maybe just the greater denver area) to raise our family. we decided to go to church in castle rock, because that town was high on our list...analytically there are lots boxes checked there. so anyway, i was not feelin the move. which is more of a common occurrence than i'd like it to be. so i wrote my crazy out in an email to my college bff holly (or schmol, as i like to call her) and concluded with:
"okay. so, tomorrow we are going to church in Castle Rock where we have the offer in on the short sale house. i'm going to pray for answers and the open-ness and faith to receive said answers. if you have time & are so inclined i could use a prayer or two.
i don't think i've heard it sung once at our church here in the bubble.
it played at the church in castle rock, co the sunday we attended. it was kind of a big deal.
why, you ask? well, we were in denver, looking at towns, looking for a house, trying to figure out where in the world (or maybe just the greater denver area) to raise our family. we decided to go to church in castle rock, because that town was high on our list...analytically there are lots boxes checked there. so anyway, i was not feelin the move. which is more of a common occurrence than i'd like it to be. so i wrote my crazy out in an email to my college bff holly (or schmol, as i like to call her) and concluded with:
"okay. so, tomorrow we are going to church in Castle Rock where we have the offer in on the short sale house. i'm going to pray for answers and the open-ness and faith to receive said answers. if you have time & are so inclined i could use a prayer or two.
agh. thanks for listening (reading). feeling a little better already about looking for a sign at the church tomorrow. so guess i should try to sleep now!"
see, schmol & i are the same kind of crazy, so i can write this stuff to her without having to explain it all, or put the crazy disclaimer out there (love ya, schmol.) i really needed some reassurance that clay & i were doing the right thing for our family by moving. cause the bubble FEELS like HOME. it has been for 6 years. my babies were born here. we have family like friends & tons of support here. i love my house, doctors, our schools, my grocery stores, blah blah blah. the bubble = HOME. no place in the greater denver area was feeling like home, no matter how many boxes on the list were checked.
so anyway, back to church in CR. i was sooo not feelin it. like the opposite of feelin it. like i wanted to cry & just go home to the bubble & never come back. and then, i think it was after communion, a very well done rendition of be not afraid started. and i'm pretty sure i burst into tears. cause i asked for a sign. and i still wasn't feelin it, but here was my sign...all i could think of was, literally, home. what more of a sign could i have asked for than something that literally screamed of HOME?
and then, as if that wasn't enough, He decided to hit me over the head with HOME.
when we pulled into the church i parked in some random empty far away spot cause i needed to nurse hugh. and then i was promptly annoyed with myself because i was in the sun & it was bright & hugh didn't like it. ugh. so whatever, i nurse him & we go into church (see above). afterwards we were getting back in the rental van & the woman getting into the car next to us asks her companion (who happened to be her sister) what time it was. then she said something about 'oh, guess i'm still on iowa time.' and i, of course (being my mother's daughter), said, 'oh! are you from iowa? i'm from iowa!"
sisters: yes! where are you from?
me: a small town in the northeast corner called new hampton
sisters: what?!?! we are from new hampton!!
turns out they were older cousins of a girl i grew up at St. Mary's with. there were only three of us girls that walked to religion class every wednesday. the cousin of these women, my little religion class wednesday walking friend, was killed during the summer between our junior & senior years of high school. the very mention of her last name, again, screamed HOME to me.
and feeling at home at that church was a big deal for me. my babies are most likely going to receive their first communion there, their first reconciliations & confirmations there. and faith is kind of a big deal to us, so i really wanted to feel like i could raise my babies in this church. i needed to feel at home there. and while i still didn't really feel it, i was pickin up what He was puttin out. message received.
and now?
the short sale deal / contract on the house we want in CR is falling apart. and the packers are still coming on july 12th. and taking our stuff to who knows where. and ya know what, i'm mad. super mad. and more than a little bit afraid. i'm so not the mama i'd like to be with all of this chaos, change & uncertainty going on. i'm short tempered. i'm yelling. a lot. i don't even know where luci will be starting school in 6 weeks. and that is a BIG deal in the mind of her mama. nothing is feeling right. and i'm not excited about any of the other houses on the market in our price range. i feel like throwing a tantrum, 2 year old style...stomping of feet, flailing of limbs, screams, screeches, throwing things, tears & all.
so i'm writing this now to remind myself, in a big, public way, that He's got this. and i'm SO tryin to be not afraid. we have each other, we have our health, we have our faith...we really do have everything we need. and He's got this. it's gonna work out. i need not be afraid...
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
today's gus quotes
Mama: Gus - you have to wear socks with those boots, buddy.
G: I wanna wear pretend socks.
Mama: Gus - please come here & brush your teeth.
G: I'd love to mama, but I just don't want to!!
Mama: It's very important to stay in your bed tonight. Do you hear my words?
G: But I don't like sleeping. I like wake up-ing.
G: I wanna wear pretend socks.
Mama: Gus - please come here & brush your teeth.
G: I'd love to mama, but I just don't want to!!
Mama: It's very important to stay in your bed tonight. Do you hear my words?
G: But I don't like sleeping. I like wake up-ing.
Monday, June 04, 2012
my gus
 |
| my sweet boy |
 |
| sweet, sweet boy...but yet |
 |
| somehow, he's turned into a little man. or super gus.... |
 |
| it happened sometime between his 2nd birthday & now. his chest is puffed out a bit, no? |
he's not yet 2 1/2. but somehow in the last 5 months or so he's gone from my sweet little boy to quite the little man.
seriously. i couldn't teach this stuff if i tried.
he loves super heroes. to 'fight the bad guys' and 'save you sissy' as he puffs out his chest & puts his hands on his hips.
today he was super gus...
sg: you need help, mama?
mama: yes! yes super gus, i do!
sg: what you need, mama?
mama: i need a hug. i need a hug from my super gus!
sg: (gives me a quick hug). that's enough mama. now what you REALLY need? i fight da bad guys. (then runs off, chest puffed, arms & hands out in front of him superman style).
he loves to dig in the dirt & rocks....taking truck loads to & fro. to smash bugs between his fingers (even rolly pollys, much to his sissy's horror). to throw things. and bang them. and take pretty much everything he touches apart, leaving it broken. clay calls him captain destructo these days.
he also loves airplanes. he's been flying a little blue airplane that myrtle & harold the great gave luci years ago for Christmas for hours a day for over a week now. in fact, he played with it for 2 hours in bed tonight before finally falling asleep. via the baby monitor...
[airplane vrooooomming noise]
"hi daddy. hi daddy. you want strawberry or vanilla daddy? okay, strawberry? i'll ask my mama, daddy. i miss you dad. i miss you daddy. good bye daddy. gunight daddy. sweet dreams daddy. dat was delicious, mama."
he's fancy like that, flying his airplane to his daddy to share ice cream. then coming back home & telling mama thanks. he's got good manners, that sweet boy of mine :)
Friday, June 01, 2012
june
wow. so 3 whole posts in may. and it's now june.
honestly i have lots to say, but i'm usually so spent by the time the kids are in bed, the house chores are complete & admin is done that i just don't have the energy for it. these seem like important notes though, so for tonight it's the executive summary version.
-hugh is still not sleeping through the night. he's up 2-3x during a good night. i suspect it is because he doesn't eat much during the day...he's always too distracted trying to see what his big sister & brother are doing to bother with eating. i have no doubt he's waking cause he's legitimately hungry. that said, mama is feeling ready to institute some really, really tough love. he currently has his second virus & i'm seeing every hour on the clock. he's been crying for the last 24 minutes. my last nerve was shot earlier this week. it's SO not pretty. so once the virus is gone, so are the night feedings. even if i have to sleep in the closet with 2 fans & noise & a pillow over my head. cause i need to un-shoot that last nerve.
-gus is becoming insecure/more attached to his paci & blankie. he's in a big boy bed now and is getting less sleep as a result. i'm sure his little emotional state is hinged on mine, unfortunately.
-my lu is such a big girl. she is sleeping without 'handles' on her bed now (safety rails), and is quite helpful with both hugh & gus most of the time. she definitely has her moments, but i'm very proud of the girl she's become. she finished pre-k like a rockstar...she's quite a lil smarty.
-we said good-bye to our wonderful preschool, which was incredibly difficult for me. i feel like i was part of a team i spent years building & i just dismissed all of the other players to go it alone. good shepherd was a bit of a safety blanket for me. i trusted those teachers, the director. i knew they took good care of my kiddos. i knew my kids were happy & safe there. it took years for that relationship to build, and the idea of not having a safety net for quite some time is weighing on me.
-i'm having a hard time with friends. it does feel like once you put the fact that you are moving out there that people stop investing in the friendship. which i guess is only human nature when we are all busy with our own families, but it still makes me sad.
-clay is working a lot. moving isn't free, in case you wondered. even when the company picks up the actual movers & transporting of belongings. he doesn't get much time off for the actual move, and that second job with the navy doesn't seem to understand that we really need him with us.
-we put an offer in on a short sale house in castle rock. we are still waiting on approval from the second lien. we were told by the realtors that it was 'just like re-sale' because everything had already been approved. um, yeah. turns out not so much. so everything hinges on closing the transaction on june 22nd, and we aren't even officially under contract yet. we do know, for certain though, that things are on schedule to close on our TX home june 15th. we leaseback until july 15th. so it sure would be nice to know where we are going with our 3 kids under 5 and 2 cats come july 12th when the packers arrive. grandparents & aunts & uncles have all been very kind & suggested we just come visit, which is lovely in theory, but seems like a monumental logistical nightmare when the emotional & physical needs of 3 kids & 2 cats really depend on you alone. getting from a to b isn't simple or easy, not to mention the fact that you need to get some sleep once you get to point b.
-if we do get the aforementioned house, luci will be starting kindergarten on august 6th. which makes me sick to my stomach. it's only 1/2 day, which makes it easier, but the fact that i don't personally know another mom whose child has attended the school makes me uneasy, to say the least.
as clay likes to say, right now it feels like we are 'trying to put 10 lbs of *stuff* in a 5 lb bag.' or something like that. maybe there is a sock invlolved? i don't know. he says it so often the actual words are lost on me i guess. but i bet you get the gist.
so i'm praying often. i prayed for peace & a bit of reassurance that we were doing the right thing in the right spot at the church in castle rock. and i received two more personal signs than i would ever have even been able to ask for. two very, very loud & clear messages of home. so i continue to thank Him for the reassurance, and to help me have faith & a peaceful heart.
and now hugh has been crying for 70 minutes. i went in after 30 minutes & he calmed down & talked to me while biting on his paci. i'm guessing he's teething on top of the virus. but if i go back in, it'll take another 30 minutes for him to calm down once i leave. so instead i just listen, my body flooded with anxiety. ugh.
this has become one of those posts i hate to publish as it sounds so 'woe is me'. truth be told i'm incredibly grateful for the many blessings in my life, and my mind does a tremendous job of staying balanced. but there is only so much one can do without the bare minimum of sleep. and that's where i'm at tonight.
***wrote this on friday night, and debating publishing. but alas, here i go...hitting publish! it's our journey!
honestly i have lots to say, but i'm usually so spent by the time the kids are in bed, the house chores are complete & admin is done that i just don't have the energy for it. these seem like important notes though, so for tonight it's the executive summary version.
-hugh is still not sleeping through the night. he's up 2-3x during a good night. i suspect it is because he doesn't eat much during the day...he's always too distracted trying to see what his big sister & brother are doing to bother with eating. i have no doubt he's waking cause he's legitimately hungry. that said, mama is feeling ready to institute some really, really tough love. he currently has his second virus & i'm seeing every hour on the clock. he's been crying for the last 24 minutes. my last nerve was shot earlier this week. it's SO not pretty. so once the virus is gone, so are the night feedings. even if i have to sleep in the closet with 2 fans & noise & a pillow over my head. cause i need to un-shoot that last nerve.
-gus is becoming insecure/more attached to his paci & blankie. he's in a big boy bed now and is getting less sleep as a result. i'm sure his little emotional state is hinged on mine, unfortunately.
-my lu is such a big girl. she is sleeping without 'handles' on her bed now (safety rails), and is quite helpful with both hugh & gus most of the time. she definitely has her moments, but i'm very proud of the girl she's become. she finished pre-k like a rockstar...she's quite a lil smarty.
-we said good-bye to our wonderful preschool, which was incredibly difficult for me. i feel like i was part of a team i spent years building & i just dismissed all of the other players to go it alone. good shepherd was a bit of a safety blanket for me. i trusted those teachers, the director. i knew they took good care of my kiddos. i knew my kids were happy & safe there. it took years for that relationship to build, and the idea of not having a safety net for quite some time is weighing on me.
-i'm having a hard time with friends. it does feel like once you put the fact that you are moving out there that people stop investing in the friendship. which i guess is only human nature when we are all busy with our own families, but it still makes me sad.
-clay is working a lot. moving isn't free, in case you wondered. even when the company picks up the actual movers & transporting of belongings. he doesn't get much time off for the actual move, and that second job with the navy doesn't seem to understand that we really need him with us.
-we put an offer in on a short sale house in castle rock. we are still waiting on approval from the second lien. we were told by the realtors that it was 'just like re-sale' because everything had already been approved. um, yeah. turns out not so much. so everything hinges on closing the transaction on june 22nd, and we aren't even officially under contract yet. we do know, for certain though, that things are on schedule to close on our TX home june 15th. we leaseback until july 15th. so it sure would be nice to know where we are going with our 3 kids under 5 and 2 cats come july 12th when the packers arrive. grandparents & aunts & uncles have all been very kind & suggested we just come visit, which is lovely in theory, but seems like a monumental logistical nightmare when the emotional & physical needs of 3 kids & 2 cats really depend on you alone. getting from a to b isn't simple or easy, not to mention the fact that you need to get some sleep once you get to point b.
-if we do get the aforementioned house, luci will be starting kindergarten on august 6th. which makes me sick to my stomach. it's only 1/2 day, which makes it easier, but the fact that i don't personally know another mom whose child has attended the school makes me uneasy, to say the least.
as clay likes to say, right now it feels like we are 'trying to put 10 lbs of *stuff* in a 5 lb bag.' or something like that. maybe there is a sock invlolved? i don't know. he says it so often the actual words are lost on me i guess. but i bet you get the gist.
so i'm praying often. i prayed for peace & a bit of reassurance that we were doing the right thing in the right spot at the church in castle rock. and i received two more personal signs than i would ever have even been able to ask for. two very, very loud & clear messages of home. so i continue to thank Him for the reassurance, and to help me have faith & a peaceful heart.
and now hugh has been crying for 70 minutes. i went in after 30 minutes & he calmed down & talked to me while biting on his paci. i'm guessing he's teething on top of the virus. but if i go back in, it'll take another 30 minutes for him to calm down once i leave. so instead i just listen, my body flooded with anxiety. ugh.
this has become one of those posts i hate to publish as it sounds so 'woe is me'. truth be told i'm incredibly grateful for the many blessings in my life, and my mind does a tremendous job of staying balanced. but there is only so much one can do without the bare minimum of sleep. and that's where i'm at tonight.
***wrote this on friday night, and debating publishing. but alas, here i go...hitting publish! it's our journey!
Friday, May 25, 2012
how they spend their days as of late
the big one is VERY into Angry Birds...
the middle one is VERY into vvroooooming trucks...
and the little one is anxious to get moving!
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
marketing
so the sign went up...
but the lu decided to do her part, too...
see her sign? it says for sale. see her jar of change? that is so when she sells the house she can make change, if necessary. somehow she made a dollar off the of teenager next door who was walking her dog.
'it takes a long time to sell a house, mom'
an up close of the sign...
crazy enough, it sold just a day later. maybe it was her sign.
i like to think it was my welcome wreath that only took a day to make.
i think i need to learn to 'edit'...aka, know when to stop.
but whatev, the house sold!
thank you God for making our last 2 months here good ones, instead of filled with crazy showings. the inspection is friday afternoon.
after that i'm looking forward to just living & enjoying my family & friends.
some firsts to report...
-first solids for hugh...thursday, may 3rd. bananas. big hit. followed by sweet potatoes...another big hit. the boy was ready to eat & i couldn't deny him any longer.
-first concert for luci & gus...the fresh beat band, on saturday the 5th. luci LOVED it. gus loved the first 45 minutes...then he was a bit overstimulated by it all. also first adventure with chopsticks & sushi...our pre concert dinner (impromptu, as the spaghetti warehouse had a 30 minute wait at 5p?!?!)
-first day of house being listed for sale (4p) first showing of the house (7:15p)...followed by the first offer (8:15p)...at full price...on monday, may 7th.
-first night in a big boy bed for my gus. tonight. so far all is well. we'll see how the first nap in the big boy bed goes tomorrow!
-first concert for luci & gus...the fresh beat band, on saturday the 5th. luci LOVED it. gus loved the first 45 minutes...then he was a bit overstimulated by it all. also first adventure with chopsticks & sushi...our pre concert dinner (impromptu, as the spaghetti warehouse had a 30 minute wait at 5p?!?!)
-first day of house being listed for sale (4p) first showing of the house (7:15p)...followed by the first offer (8:15p)...at full price...on monday, may 7th.
-first night in a big boy bed for my gus. tonight. so far all is well. we'll see how the first nap in the big boy bed goes tomorrow!
edamame
chopsticks for 'chicken nuggets'...aka rock shrimp tempura :)
she did great!
this photo freaks me out a bit. she looks like she could be 14, no?
good thing my lil gus is just hanging out, looking 2, enjoying a pretzel.
fresh beat band! fresh beat band!
sorry the video is sideways. notice gus flailing his arms. and looking down admiringly at his batman shirt. the boy is batman CRAZY.
sorry the video is sideways. notice gus flailing his arms. and looking down admiringly at his batman shirt. the boy is batman CRAZY.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
and we are off...
all five of us, to my hometown. my grandpa rosonke passed away on saturday afternoon...so instead of 3 of us heading to colorado to find a new town all 5 of us are heading to iowa. wish us luck. pretty much only the love of family could get me to attempt such an undertaking. hour to the aiport, 2.5 hour flight, followed by another 3 hour drive. if you are so inclined say a prayer or two for us all.
and a special thanks, and no coincidence, i'm sure, that grandma & grandpa pierse were here to help us get ready for the family trek. and give us a bit of time to get things done for the house photographer who comes a week from today. and to distract my kiddos while i go through little fits and tantrums. they are so helpful that i have time to post an hour before we leave for the airport!
for now colorado will have to wait...my heart is in iowa this week. or as grandpa liked to call it with that twinkle in his eye, iowaaay. :)
and a special thanks, and no coincidence, i'm sure, that grandma & grandpa pierse were here to help us get ready for the family trek. and give us a bit of time to get things done for the house photographer who comes a week from today. and to distract my kiddos while i go through little fits and tantrums. they are so helpful that i have time to post an hour before we leave for the airport!
for now colorado will have to wait...my heart is in iowa this week. or as grandpa liked to call it with that twinkle in his eye, iowaaay. :)
Harold B. Rosonke, age 85, of New Hampton, died Saturday, April 21, 2012 surrounded by his family at his home.Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in New Hampton with Fr. Mark Osterhaus celebrating the mass. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery at New Hampton. Military honors will be provided by New Hampton American Legion Post 38 and New Hampton VFW Post 5238.Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. with a 5:30 p.m. scriptural wake service on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at Conway-Markham Funeral Home in New Hampton. Visitation will continue at the funeral home one hour prior to the service on Thursday. Memorials may be directed to the family. Online condolences for Harold’s family may be left at www.conway-markhamfh.com.
Harold Rosonke was born on March 6, 1927 to Bernard and Clara (Schwickerath) Rosonke in New Hampton. He attended and graduated from New Hampton High School. Upon graduation, Harold enlisted in the United States Army serving during the Korean War. He received his honorable discharge and returned to Iowa where he was employed at Rath of Waterloo. On September 1, 1954 Harold was united in marriage to Myrtle Marvin at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Alta Vista. After their marriage the couple began farming in the New Hampton area. In 1958, Harold and Myrtle made their home on the family farm west of New Hampton where they’ve lived ever since. Harold was active with the farm until January 2012. Harold enjoyed farming, playing cards and especially enjoyed his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a member of Holy Family Parish ~ St. Mary’s Center, the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Order of Foresters.
Harold is survived by his loving wife, Myrtle Rosonke of New Hampton; his three sons, Michael (Lori) Rosonke, Patrick (Linda Stejskal) Rosonke, James (Donna) Rosonke all of New Hampton; his grandchildren, Brittnee (Clayton) Pierse, Dr. Brooke (Sunidh Jani) Rosonke, Ben (Chelsi) Rosonke, Baylee (Andrew Reicks) Rosonke, Jeremy Rosonke, Brian (Becky) Rosonke, Tina Rosonke, Melissa (Ben) Holt, Joshua (Sarah) Rosonke, Lucas Rosonke, Noelle Rosonke; his 12 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Mildred Brus of Alta Vista, Leona Herold of Cresco, Lorna Gorman of New Hampton; one brother, Jerry (Malee) Rosonke of Mansfield, SD and one sister-in-law, Mary Rosonke of New Hampton.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his granddaughter, Kaitlin Rosonke; two brothers, Donald and Glen Rosonke and one sister, Florence Rosonke.
Harold Rosonke was born on March 6, 1927 to Bernard and Clara (Schwickerath) Rosonke in New Hampton. He attended and graduated from New Hampton High School. Upon graduation, Harold enlisted in the United States Army serving during the Korean War. He received his honorable discharge and returned to Iowa where he was employed at Rath of Waterloo. On September 1, 1954 Harold was united in marriage to Myrtle Marvin at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Alta Vista. After their marriage the couple began farming in the New Hampton area. In 1958, Harold and Myrtle made their home on the family farm west of New Hampton where they’ve lived ever since. Harold was active with the farm until January 2012. Harold enjoyed farming, playing cards and especially enjoyed his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a member of Holy Family Parish ~ St. Mary’s Center, the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Order of Foresters. Harold is survived by his loving wife, Myrtle Rosonke of New Hampton; his three sons, Michael (Lori) Rosonke, Patrick (Linda Stejskal) Rosonke, James (Donna) Rosonke all of New Hampton; his grandchildren, Brittnee (Clayton) Pierse, Dr. Brooke (Sunidh Jani) Rosonke, Ben (Chelsi) Rosonke, Baylee (Andrew Reicks) Rosonke, Jeremy Rosonke, Brian (Becky) Rosonke, Tina Rosonke, Melissa (Ben) Holt, Joshua (Sarah) Rosonke, Lucas Rosonke, Noelle Rosonke; his 12 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Mildred Brus of Alta Vista, Leona Herold of Cresco, Lorna Gorman of New Hampton; one brother, Jerry (Malee) Rosonke of Mansfield, SD and one sister-in-law, Mary Rosonke of New Hampton.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his granddaughter, Kaitlin Rosonke; two brothers, Donald and Glen Rosonke and one sister, Florence Rosonke.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
-2
my girl was a mess today when she arrived home from school. like total meltdown. i tried to ask about her day...the usual questions. "who was line leader? did they do a good job? what did you have for a snack? what letter did you talk about? who did you play with on the playground?"
she wouldn't tell me anything. clay told me lu was the line leader. usually she'd be VERY excited about this. but nope, just melting. all she would say was that she was tired, but she didn't want to nap (shocking).
we put the boys down for a nap & decided to snuggle on the chair with some wow wow wubsy. clearly she was feeling very insecure about something. with all that we have going on i thought maybe it was just upsetting that she came home to find her favorite room in the house (the craft room) completely dismanted.
after an hour of snuggling...
lu: mom. do you want to know what happened at school today?
mom: of course, yes! i do!
lu: i got something wrong.
mom: what do you mean? (genuinely confused...we've never had this conversation before)
lu: on a worksheet. i got something wrong.
so i went digging through the 15 papers she brings home daily. i look at them but have never, not ever, seen anything other than right answers & stars. i assumed (incorrectly, apparently) that they sort of the did the worksheets together...otherwise how could EVERY worksheet ALWAYS have ALL the right answers??!?!?
ah. but not today. today i found a sheet with a -2 on the bottom. they are learning the difference between long & short vowel sounds & she circled the bug instead of tube for the long u sound. she told me she thought the tube was a cap, so the answer must have been bug. but she was wrong & so ms. s put a -2 on her page.
oh my.
i'm still processing. i'm alarmed that:
a-she's gotten everything right this year up until today
b-that prek 4s get points (for lack of a better term) on stuff i was doing in 1st & 2nd grade
c-it really had a negative effect on her & shook her up
i'm grateful that:
a-she's a smarty pants, works hard & cares
b-that she is learning a ton & has built a lot of confidence
c-she had a learning moment (for lack of a better word) in the 'safe zone' of pre k when she comes home at noon.
and i could write more, but like i said, i'm still processing. and it's 10:40 and i need to go to bed.
she wouldn't tell me anything. clay told me lu was the line leader. usually she'd be VERY excited about this. but nope, just melting. all she would say was that she was tired, but she didn't want to nap (shocking).
we put the boys down for a nap & decided to snuggle on the chair with some wow wow wubsy. clearly she was feeling very insecure about something. with all that we have going on i thought maybe it was just upsetting that she came home to find her favorite room in the house (the craft room) completely dismanted.
after an hour of snuggling...
lu: mom. do you want to know what happened at school today?
mom: of course, yes! i do!
lu: i got something wrong.
mom: what do you mean? (genuinely confused...we've never had this conversation before)
lu: on a worksheet. i got something wrong.
so i went digging through the 15 papers she brings home daily. i look at them but have never, not ever, seen anything other than right answers & stars. i assumed (incorrectly, apparently) that they sort of the did the worksheets together...otherwise how could EVERY worksheet ALWAYS have ALL the right answers??!?!?
ah. but not today. today i found a sheet with a -2 on the bottom. they are learning the difference between long & short vowel sounds & she circled the bug instead of tube for the long u sound. she told me she thought the tube was a cap, so the answer must have been bug. but she was wrong & so ms. s put a -2 on her page.
oh my.
i'm still processing. i'm alarmed that:
a-she's gotten everything right this year up until today
b-that prek 4s get points (for lack of a better term) on stuff i was doing in 1st & 2nd grade
c-it really had a negative effect on her & shook her up
i'm grateful that:
a-she's a smarty pants, works hard & cares
b-that she is learning a ton & has built a lot of confidence
c-she had a learning moment (for lack of a better word) in the 'safe zone' of pre k when she comes home at noon.
and i could write more, but like i said, i'm still processing. and it's 10:40 and i need to go to bed.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
thumper says
so i had started a state of the union this evening. then i heard the wise words of thumper (and his father) echo in my head...
"if you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all."
so i'm keeping my crazy to myself tonight with still fingers.
in the meantime take a look at my loves.
if could have figured out how to crop out the maternal fat stores i would have. but i couldn't. and i haven't worn makeup regularly in many months.
i'm all about being authentic. it's key for the health of my emotional state. i should probably be more gracious but there seems to be a fine line between graciousness & pretense to me.
i'm working on it. that AND my maternal fat stores. k, so not so much the maternal fat stores. but i'd like to. with all that free time i have. whatev.
y'all should be looking at my sweetpeas with my sweet parents anyway.
playing on the 'kindleone' (gus speak)
you'd never know it was an introduction ;)
Sunday, April 15, 2012
rolly polly
who needs to dig for worms when there are rolly pollies to be had! roly poly...rolly polly...i have no idea how to spell it. when you touch them they roll up into a ball...oh the appeal! this little bug has seriously occupied my big two for countless hours over the last year. this morning there were what seemed like hundreds in our backyard and my girl was on a mission...
this is about 1/4 of the total she ended up with. GROSS!!!
all of that collecting tired her out & it when it was time to play in the kai lan sprinkler she set them all free :)
this is about 1/4 of the total she ended up with. GROSS!!!
all of that collecting tired her out & it when it was time to play in the kai lan sprinkler she set them all free :)Friday, April 06, 2012
my girl the fashionista
the girl has developed her own sense of fashion in the last few months (year or so, really). my days of selecting pieces of clothing out of clothes i purchased for her to make outfits has long been over...and now i've lost sole purchasing privileges as well. my guess is that we will now shop together for her clothes until she's a....tween (gulp)...at which time i will retain veto power.
she's sportin her first belt here. see those colors? they hurt my eyes....but not hers! she digs her belt, her new jean skirt, and anything with lots of color. two different patterns of stripes + polka dots? you bet. lately she's been really into a dress, pants/leggings underneath, & a long sleeve shirt OVER the dress. I think to create that skirt/shirt/leggings illusion? i had no idea how much she had been coveting a skirt until a trip to Target...then it all sort of made sense...
oh. and she also only wears gus' socks. not a matching pair, but say one red, one green. we call that particular 'pair' our 'christmas socks'*. usually gus wears one pair (1 red, 1 green) and she wears the other.
and she lives for these boots. she wears them with pretty much everything. i'm often reminded of the stork from disney's robin hood...
really though i couldn't be prouder of her individualism & confidence. i'm taking it as a good sign! :)
really though i couldn't be prouder of her individualism & confidence. i'm taking it as a good sign! :)*see those eggs up there on the fireplace? we also call those our 'christmas eggs'...
Saturday, March 24, 2012
my peas
i'm seriously neglecting you dear blog. most of my time is spent obsessing over where we'll land in Colorado...but i think i'm making some progress! we'll find out when i head out there later this week with hugh & my sweet mama. hopefully i'll drive into some little neighborhood & have the cottage green (our old neighborhood) just knowing this is it feeling...
i'm also just a very busy mama of 3 sweet lil peas. one of whom (& if i'm lucky it's only one) is always needing something.
not sure why, but this one won't upload correctly...so you'll have to turn your head. and i know it's not a good shot, but it is all 3 of my peas!
i'm also just a very busy mama of 3 sweet lil peas. one of whom (& if i'm lucky it's only one) is always needing something.
not sure why, but this one won't upload correctly...so you'll have to turn your head. and i know it's not a good shot, but it is all 3 of my peas!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
iah -> den
For you infrequent travellers out there, that means Houston to Denver. Yep. We are finally making the move out of the Houston area. To Colorado.
What's that? But we just moved you say?
Ah yes. I think that's what I said to my husband when he told me he was ready to go for it.
Since the announcement of the Continental/United merger we've been excited about the possibility of moving to Denver. Colorado is as close to the Holy Grail as it gets for Clay. And since I love the man, I was excited for him that his dream residence was an actual possibility for us. And it's no secret that I'm not in love with the 9 month summer & bugs here.
Then last year we found out baby Hugh was coming...we realized 3 kids plus visitors were going to be a very, very tight squeeze in our little house. It seemed as though the possibility of Denver as a base (like Houston is for us now) was at best a 2-5 year plan. So we found the perfect big house in the bubble and went with it.
Since February there has been talk of Denver opening to Continental pilots (the pilot groups are far from merged)...first it was, then it wasn't, then it was. We discussed it & decided it made the most sense to wait a few years for our house to appreciate, for life to settle down, and for there to be a bit more certainty with the merger.
Then Clay was gone for a week with the Navy & his wonderful mother came down to help me with the kiddos. Clay's dad came down when Clay got back, and I suggested Clay take them both out to breakfast. That was Tuesday, March 6th. He came home from said breakfast ready to move. We talked about it & decided to see if he could get one of the 35 slots open to him in Denver. I didn't think he would be able to.
He was. And just like that we were moving. He got the final news on Friday the 16th. Hugh had his first virus & it had been a rough few nights. I woke up & promptly got a migraine. I was in Hugh's room rocking him...trying to keep him from screaming in my ear...trying to meditate my way out of the migraine when Clay came in. He said, "don't want to interrupt your peace" (as if), "but we got it." I may or may not have burst into tears as soon as he shut the door.
So...here we go again. I'm still processing. 10 days is not a lot of time to get comfortable with basically re-building a life somewhere else. Not to mention selling a house & moving again. This time with 3 kids. One of whom is an infant. Physically & logistically it is going to be awful. I haven't slept through the night in over 4 months. Our house is functioning but far from staged on any given day. It is going to require a tremendous amount of effort.
That said, the biggest challenge I think is going to be the emotional one. I've never been a mama anywhere else. I've barely been married anywhere else. We've never been a family anywhere else. The Lu starts school in August...and I have no idea where. My last few months as the mother of a sweet infant are going to be spent in a moving frenzy instead of in that sweet baby bliss. I'm not sure how to make this okay for the kids when I'm not okay with it all the time.
I'm excited about seasons, snow for Christmas, having a bit of family in the area (my aunt & uncle live north of Denver), a happier hiking husband, and fewer mosquito bites. It's not that I don't want to go, just that the timing is extremely less than ideal for me. The last year has been an *sskicker. And now the next year will be too. That said I'm aware there probably is no ideal time.
Logically there are a few reasons to go now. The move will be paid for now, and wouldn't have been in the future. Interest rates are ridiculously low. And while our house here would appreciate over the next few years, our next house would be most likely be appreciating as well. And it would be nice for Luci to start school in the place where we intend to stay. Which is why I agreed to it despite having 3 kids 4 & under, one of them being my last sweet baby.
A successful marriage requires compromise. We've both made compromises. And as my wise mama reminded me, it's my turn...even if it requires pulling myself up by my bootstraps in order to carry on.
Now if I could just turn off the anxiety regarding the move that wakes up every time Hugh does in the middle of the night maybe I could get a bit more sleep. Staying awake for an hour or more after each of his wakings isn't helping. Nor is the migraine. I'm praying for the faith to know this is what we need. Sure easier to believe He's giving you what you need when it's something you wholeheartedly know you want & are ready for. I just pray that six years from now I've grown to appreciate CO as much as I have TX in these last six...
What's that? But we just moved you say?
Ah yes. I think that's what I said to my husband when he told me he was ready to go for it.
Since the announcement of the Continental/United merger we've been excited about the possibility of moving to Denver. Colorado is as close to the Holy Grail as it gets for Clay. And since I love the man, I was excited for him that his dream residence was an actual possibility for us. And it's no secret that I'm not in love with the 9 month summer & bugs here.
Then last year we found out baby Hugh was coming...we realized 3 kids plus visitors were going to be a very, very tight squeeze in our little house. It seemed as though the possibility of Denver as a base (like Houston is for us now) was at best a 2-5 year plan. So we found the perfect big house in the bubble and went with it.
Since February there has been talk of Denver opening to Continental pilots (the pilot groups are far from merged)...first it was, then it wasn't, then it was. We discussed it & decided it made the most sense to wait a few years for our house to appreciate, for life to settle down, and for there to be a bit more certainty with the merger.
Then Clay was gone for a week with the Navy & his wonderful mother came down to help me with the kiddos. Clay's dad came down when Clay got back, and I suggested Clay take them both out to breakfast. That was Tuesday, March 6th. He came home from said breakfast ready to move. We talked about it & decided to see if he could get one of the 35 slots open to him in Denver. I didn't think he would be able to.
He was. And just like that we were moving. He got the final news on Friday the 16th. Hugh had his first virus & it had been a rough few nights. I woke up & promptly got a migraine. I was in Hugh's room rocking him...trying to keep him from screaming in my ear...trying to meditate my way out of the migraine when Clay came in. He said, "don't want to interrupt your peace" (as if), "but we got it." I may or may not have burst into tears as soon as he shut the door.
So...here we go again. I'm still processing. 10 days is not a lot of time to get comfortable with basically re-building a life somewhere else. Not to mention selling a house & moving again. This time with 3 kids. One of whom is an infant. Physically & logistically it is going to be awful. I haven't slept through the night in over 4 months. Our house is functioning but far from staged on any given day. It is going to require a tremendous amount of effort.
That said, the biggest challenge I think is going to be the emotional one. I've never been a mama anywhere else. I've barely been married anywhere else. We've never been a family anywhere else. The Lu starts school in August...and I have no idea where. My last few months as the mother of a sweet infant are going to be spent in a moving frenzy instead of in that sweet baby bliss. I'm not sure how to make this okay for the kids when I'm not okay with it all the time.
I'm excited about seasons, snow for Christmas, having a bit of family in the area (my aunt & uncle live north of Denver), a happier hiking husband, and fewer mosquito bites. It's not that I don't want to go, just that the timing is extremely less than ideal for me. The last year has been an *sskicker. And now the next year will be too. That said I'm aware there probably is no ideal time.
Logically there are a few reasons to go now. The move will be paid for now, and wouldn't have been in the future. Interest rates are ridiculously low. And while our house here would appreciate over the next few years, our next house would be most likely be appreciating as well. And it would be nice for Luci to start school in the place where we intend to stay. Which is why I agreed to it despite having 3 kids 4 & under, one of them being my last sweet baby.
A successful marriage requires compromise. We've both made compromises. And as my wise mama reminded me, it's my turn...even if it requires pulling myself up by my bootstraps in order to carry on.
Now if I could just turn off the anxiety regarding the move that wakes up every time Hugh does in the middle of the night maybe I could get a bit more sleep. Staying awake for an hour or more after each of his wakings isn't helping. Nor is the migraine. I'm praying for the faith to know this is what we need. Sure easier to believe He's giving you what you need when it's something you wholeheartedly know you want & are ready for. I just pray that six years from now I've grown to appreciate CO as much as I have TX in these last six...
Friday, March 02, 2012
m'bigboy & his blankie
this is how he soothes himself these days - by smelling his blankie. which i have to admit, usually doesn't have a nice fresh clean scent. he seems to prefer it that way...
he also still has his paci for nap & bed time. he doesn't sleep with it all night, but when he's sick or upset or tired he really wants it. this day he was all three...upset, tired & sick. we've been fighting a bug for a few weeks now. i also suspect his molars are bothering him..he rarely sleeps more than 45 minutes unless i give him tylenol first. so i do. hopefully his teeth will come in soon & we'll be done with teething...he's not done well with any of them!
if i remember correctly, he woke up sobbing 45 minutes into his nap this day only to find dad & luci were out doing something special. without him. he wasn't happy. so i tried to get him to hangout with me on the bed thinking maybe he'd go back to sleep. yeah right!
he also still has his paci for nap & bed time. he doesn't sleep with it all night, but when he's sick or upset or tired he really wants it. this day he was all three...upset, tired & sick. we've been fighting a bug for a few weeks now. i also suspect his molars are bothering him..he rarely sleeps more than 45 minutes unless i give him tylenol first. so i do. hopefully his teeth will come in soon & we'll be done with teething...he's not done well with any of them!
if i remember correctly, he woke up sobbing 45 minutes into his nap this day only to find dad & luci were out doing something special. without him. he wasn't happy. so i tried to get him to hangout with me on the bed thinking maybe he'd go back to sleep. yeah right!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)