The struggles we've dragged ourselves through this week have been truly creative in the extreme. I started out the week with a sore throat that has evolved into a horrendous cold. I've managed to get myself out of bed each morning before 6 a.m. to get lunches, do devotional, and hustle the kids out the door at their appointed time sneezing and sniffling the whole while. Hopefully I don't spread this far and wide!
On Tuesday, our washer stopped working. Of course Ladd has had an extra busy week, and hasn't done more than pull the washer into the middle of the laundry room so we can't access anything else in there. I spent two days with dirty wet clothes spread all over my kitchen dripping onto my floor creating puddles to avoid. Cecilia finally piled them high onto one chair so we could eat properly. I hope that act hasn't doomed the clothes in question.
Wednesday and Thursday were filled with our normally busy schedule with parent teacher conferences for both high school and middle school stuffed into the cracks. Needless to say, Cecilia is starting to think she's the mom, not me (I'm guessing here). All the teachers were very complimentary of all four of my oldest children, and we also got some kinks in the grades worked out (I HOPE!!!).
Garrett turned 16 on Monday which was full of school and marching band -- not much celebrating I'm afraid. As a result, he has asked a girl to homecoming for next week, and she said yes yesterday. Not sure how he plans on paying for it, and they'll just be able to go to the dance (probably even late) because of a marching band competition. This will certainly be the beginning of a new era in my life!!!! As well as his. :)
Tuesday Garrett and Cali spent from 6:30 or 7:30 a.m. respectively until 11 p.m. at school and then at a marching band competition. It's complicated the whole getting up early thing we currently have going in our house. That includes getting Cecilia to her early morning dance practices on time as well for some reason!
Cecilia was trying desperately to squeeze in 4 hours of photography or drawing outside of class this week. So, now my phone has lots of random pictures I would have never taken. Cecilia's defense was, "Well, he told us we had to be creative!"
Attending Jarom's parent teacher conferences dragged up about 10 assignments that are either already late or due today. He had a late night last night trying to get most of it done. That meant I was sitting next to him coaxing him through it all. His weekend looks like it will be full of homework as well. Those 10 assignments didn't include the 6 or 7 math pages he's behind on and needed to have done last week! He's going through "I want to play!" withdrawals!
On Tuesday, I went in for my 13 week check up and the doctor couldn't hear the babies heartbeat. He finally said he heard it for a second (I think he was confounded for that "second") and he said he saw it on the ultrasound. All in all, I thought he was in a hurry and imagining things, and then trying desperately to reassure me which didn't work in the least. So I guess I hope, have faith, and wait? Boy does that have me in a mental tizzy!!!
Yesterday, the only day Ladd had a few extra minutes, we had to go return the truck Ladd's been borrowing from his brother, and go pick up a rental car since our car still isn't finished. I'm not sure they've even finished shipping us the motor all the way from Japan yet.
So, my laundry has grown exponentially, and I'm imagining all the quarters and the trip to the laundromat just to get us caught up. Fun, huh! Everyday, the kids come upstairs, look around, then ask me if there's any more laundry that's actually clean. Everyday, I say no. I wonder how long we can go? :)
All the days blend into one, but I remember on one of them Jarom left the house without his needed drumsticks for percussion. He told me to find them and bring them to me. Disheartened, I decided to lay down on the couch instead. What do I happen to discover in the cracks of the couch right where I laid down? His drumsticks! I can now say I've been blessed to lay down on the job!
James started going 45 minutes earlier to school so he can do his reading remediation before school instead of during his math instruction. He seems to be doing okay with it! (WHEW!) He's now made it through a whole week of it like this!
On Tuesday, one of my visiting teachers called me and asked if her activity day girls could come weed our yard for their service project. I was so grateful to get our front yard weeded! It looks so nice! Now I just have my mental thoughts competing for domination. Do I just be grateful, and try to overlook the fact that we're sufficiently behind and overwhelmed to hit the service project list! I'm not sure who it was this week that told Ladd and I that we are the ones they know that are the busiest and most overwelmed people they know. It's kind of like the comment I was told back when I just had my three oldest in a one bedroom apartment by a lady in my ward who told me that any time she starts to get feeling sorry for herself, she just thinks of me and realizes it could be much worse! I guess either way, my front yard is now weeded thanks to the hard work of two activity leaders and their girls! A huge thank you to them!
Last week, I was tired of all the contention in my home. I asked Heavenly Father what I should do, and this is what He told me to do. Get a jar of treats. Everytime the kids fight, annoy each other, ignore me, or disrespect others, I take candy out of the jar. What's left in the jar after a week is what I divide up between all of them to share. I saw an immediate change. Now, I just need to be consistent, and hopefully, after a couple of weeks, they'll get it and start being nice again. Maybe our family really can be a heaven on earth! (It helps when I'm home to actually act when they act!)
Wednesday, after I was done with parent teacher conferences for Garrett and Cali, I went to collect them from marching band. I found Cali sitting on the floor talking to some other people. After a few moments, I asked her where Garrett was. A deep Garrett-like voice answered from right next to her (at my feet), "I'm right here, mom!!!" How observant am I! I don't even notice my own child sitting next to my other child! I must be more tired than I thought!!!
Well, I definitely get the feeling Heavenly Father is pulling us through the refiner's fire. I know there's plenty here to still refine, but it's painful all the while. "All these things shall be for our experience and shall be for our good," right?! And, it shall all come to pass!
Nice way to handle contention!
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