Yikes...9, 10, 11, 12, I think!

What would life be if I weren't behind?  

Dull, I guess.    

Tonight's post comes straight from the Webster Groves Starbucks where I sit, praying I won't fall asleep while Eleanor is at dance a few shops down the way.  I'm pretty much a mess over here.   Before I left home Emma suggested I brush my hair.  I didn't.  I did however stop at the grocery store to buy something for tomorrow morning's teacher appreciation breakfast at Eleanor's school.  Twelve years of being a mom and I don't think I've ever purchased something for a school event, I've always donated a homemade goodie.  You know how I'm feeling about that?  Great!  Absolutely GREAT!

Today I'm grateful that I'm not judging myself on my ability to be perfect.  And really is baking homemade lemon loaf perfection?  I didn't think so either.

I'm also grateful for the line, that at 7:20 on a Thursday night stretches to the door at Starbucks. I'm noticing how many people are coming in by themselves and leaving with two red cups.  It's buy one get one free holiday beverage time at Starbucks.  My heart feels happy thinking about all of the kindness that's being shared!  And by the way, this "uproar" about red cups at Starbucks just makes me embarrassed.  As Christians we've gotta do better with our message.  LOVE is our work.

I'm a mess tonight  because my body hurts and I'm all out of steam.  And for that, I'M GRATEFUL!  I ran 20 miles today.  I did it!!  My body is strong and healthy and works.  It gets worn out and blistered and chapped and my shoulder, in the eloquent words of Brittany the awesome Massage Envy therapist,  is "all jacked up".  But it works!  

Sorry about all this marathon talk!  

I'm also grateful for my sweet friend Christy.  We were able to have lunch together yesterday and I was reminded of how lucky I am to have such an amazing person in my life.  We have been friends for 20 years!  More than just about anyone else I know Christy has impacted my faith.  I am in awe of the depth of her faith.  It is not stagnant though, it is a living faith in which she is always learning.  I have watched as she has faithfully walked, carefully thought and allowed her heart to constantly be formed.  She inspires me to be a better person. 

6, 7, 8

For Kevin

Yesterday Eleanor had her last soccer game of the season.  The team she has played on since kindergarten fell apart this year and they didn't have enough girls to make a team this fall.  A few girls from our elementary school had to join another elementary school's team.  It was a little scary  for the girls but they did great.  Kevin offered to help coach the new team and it turned out to be a great season of learning and growing and new friends.  For both Kevin and Eleanor.  I'm grateful for Kevin's commitment to our kids and his desire to connect with them.   

For Leah

My girls do not have actual  first cousins,  but they have do have Leah who they call their cousin.  She's the most amazing cousin I could've dreamed up for my kids.  She's the role model as a parent you pray you'll find for your kids.  She's patient, strong, hard working, enthusiastic, passionate and has such a wise way of looking at life.  She gives Kevin and me hope that all of this very exhausting parenting work will give our girls the same foundation on which Leah stands.  Leah has parents who rock!  Not saying Kevin and I rock but we're doing our best and shooting for the starts...aka Leah!  I am grateful for Leah and so happy that she has chosen to have such an important part in the girls' lives. 

For a baby

In May, the girls will have a cousin!  A baby boy is joining our family and we couldn't be more excited!  Meredith, who always has a little gift for the kids,  surprised us last week with a puzzle for the kids to put together.  The puzzle announced the arrival of a baby!!  Excitement ensued and technology helped to share the news across the miles between St. Louis and Dan and Beth in Kansas City and Blake in San Francisco.  I'm so grateful that I get to be an aunt!  

Day 5- A budget with a little breathing room

A fridge full of warm food means out to dinner!

On Wednesday morning when I opened the freezer to retrieve ice packs for lunch boxes, a sticky mess of melted popsicles greeted me.  I thought one of the kids had left the freezer door ajar overnight, causing the mess.   I cleaned it up and reminded everyone to CLOSE THE DOOR! That afternoon I realized the refrigerator wasn't really that cold and nothing in the freezer had refrozen.  So it seems it wasn't our careless kids after all.  To be clear, they have earned their reputations as meances.  I'm typing this post without my lamp as someone broke the lightbulb in my lamp.  Not just the glass but the little silver part that screws into the lamp-- it's stuck.  The person broke the lightbulb to such a degree that I cannot just replace the bulb I have to figure out how to get the old bulb out.  Anyway, I called a repairman for the refrigerator and thankfully he was able to come this afternoon.  $255 later and it might be fixed.  We had refrigerator problems in the apartment and I won't rest easy for awhile.   No big grocery purchases until I"m certain it's back on track.  Oh, I hope we don't have to replace it though!

And then there's this

A flat tire on top of a sick refrigerator.  And a couple of months ago Kevin had a flat tire which ended  in 4 new tires.  While I'm not thankful for ANY of this I am grateful that it just feels like money to me not like a disaster.  I'm grateful that while I really don't want to spend money on any of these things it's not going to cause us to have to make hard decisions about heat, or food, or insurance.  Tonight I'm praying for all those families who make hard decisions about those things every day.

Day 4- Christmas is Coming!

   I ran 12 miles this morning.  It was  a drop back week so it didn't really feel that long.  Even though I say that in all honestly, it still seems like crazy talk to me. This line of thinking signals the fact that I am nearly finished with my marathon training---I have fully entered into a period of insanity where running less than two and a half hours at a time seems "nice" and discussion of my many aches and pains causes my kids to shout "TMI mom, TMI!!".  

Lucy spent the afternoon with my mom and since I figured I'd earned a little rest from that run, I decided it was a great time to get a jump start on Christmas.  It was such a fun afternoon!  I made our family Advent calendar and organized myself for all of the fun ahead.  I turned on my Christmas Pandora station but it was too early even for me.  I'll try in another week or so!  

It's back to November tomorrow but Christmas is coming and I'm so thankful!

Day 3- Perspective

I took a picture at the game, just not of the girl in the game!  

Tonight was Emma's last soccer game of the season.  It's been a great season, Emma has become a much stronger player and has had such fun playing.  

As I watched the game I chatted with my friend Cabrina, whose daughter is also on the team.  We commiserated over how unbelievably forgetful our girls are.  Seriously, the old saying about forgetting their heads if they weren't attached is TRUE!  As half time was called Cabrina, who had hosted a team party a couple of weekends ago said that someone had forgotten their portable chairs at her house after the party and she needed to figure out who.  I looked over at where she'd laid the chairs and realized they belonged to ME!  Kevin and I had forgotten our chairs at the party!  Cabrina and I cried over this, it was such a hilarious reminder that the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree.  

I am grateful tonight for perspective.  I am happy to be able to laugh at myself and keep from becoming too certain that I have things figured out.   

Day 2- School

This morning I got to help make cookies in Eleanor's classroom.  They kids used cut out cookies shaped like Missouri to learn the geography of the state.  I loved it!  Not only was it an opportunity to spend some time with Eleanor but it was a reminder of what an awecome school system my kids are a part of.  I am so thankful for the exceptional facilities, the outstanding staff and the abundance of materials.  

 

This is Eleanor's chair.  Yep, it's a stool.  A stool that moves around, sort of like something you'd see on a playground.  The school realizes that kids weren't made to sit still.  So they not only let them move they encourage movement.  This not only decreases behavior issues but it increases learning.

I dream that some day every single child in our city will have their very own classroom like Eleanor's.  Full of movement, and hands on learning, with enough books and paper and love for everyone, fun of qualified, dedicated staff and a sense of safety.   Oh, how I wish I knew how to make my dream a reality.  I don't have a clue.  I'll keep dreaming though.

Thankful in November

November! 

 I'm so happy to welcome this wonderful month!  

I'm also excited to begin my somewhat annual November thankful posts!

Today, I'm thankful for a day to get things back on track around our house.   We spent nearly the whole day organizing and cleaning up.  It was very needed and felt great.  We had conversations throughout the day about other things that are in need of some cleaning up.  

Attitudes.  Time spent on technology.  Time management.  Sugar intake!  Keeping up with chores.  

Halloween was a success.  Lots and lots of fun was had.  Though I never got a photo of the girls together this year.  They were all going in different directions!   I am getting terrible about taking pictures.  I vow here and now to improve.