The Fourth Day

The truth is, she usually gives me a thumbs up before going back that I can send her dad. This time, she flipped me off. She is over it. Of course she knows me pretty well by now, so she revised her stance to be more mom-friendly. 

I think we should be able to use the HSA card to pay for post-op brunch at this point.

I spent the weekend being spoiled, loved, pushed emotionally and spiritually recharged. It was quite worthwhile but I was ready get home. Hours later, I was back out the door for Erin's latest and God willing, final surgery. She spent the night with us recovering and being well fed. We have this routine down. 

After our three day Emmaus Walk, we are released into the world for what the community calls, the fourth day. We are encouraged to take our spiritual renewal and example of unconditional love into the world. And whereas I was not called into additional areas of ministry, I am refreshed to better serve where I am already planted. 

One of the aspects of the weekend involves large, handmade meals. Due to my grain free diet, I had a lady catering exclusively to me. It was humbling, to say the least. This saint made me a personal dessert and large casserole dish of food for every meal. I would have never made most of it for myself. As result, I am not going to be wearing pants with buttons anytime soon. On the second night of being waited on, discouraged from picking up a plate or helping with anything, I realized how it must feel to be someone else living in my house. I'm just going to leave that thought right here. 

After this lengthy nap, I took him to pick Ty up from school. Much to my shock and surprise, he jumped out the window of the moving car to greet a dog on a leash in a neighbor's yard a street over. I was pretty angry. He was not only unharmed, but also unconcerned with my frustration and embarrassment.

Our family speaks loving and gentle words to one another.  

I missed a few days of work caring for Erin but was thrown right back into full swing with an evening event for our students and their families and also another four hours of homework for next week's class. The Fourth Day requires naps, I've determined. 

Emmaus Walks and Life

Greg was gone from Thursday evening through Sunday evening for his Emmaus Walk. I spent the time pushing to work ahead in my class so I could be gone the same days this coming weekend. The juggling of all.the.things made for an interesting week and half. Greg was gone literally just hours when we learned Erin requires another corrective surgery, Kate discovered she could not move without intense hip pain requiring an orthopedic surgeon consult, and Lauren would be losing her sweet dog, Chong to a brain tumor. There is literally no rest for the weary but I realized in the hard, sleepless night that followed, I cannot control what the world throws at our family, just how much emotional energy I can delegate to each situation. I'm still learning. Always learning how to manage the job of mothering with just enough grace to maintain some level of sanity; theirs and mine. 

So I bought flowers for myself at Trader Joe's ($3.99!) and indulged in both simple meals and peanut M&M's while I studied and ran countless errands. It was an odd, unsettling weekend. 

And then I attempted sweet Grandma Miller's Harvest Loaf with a grain free pumpkin bread mix I also located at Trader Joe's and was more than a little annoyed to discover one of my offspring helped himself to the entire package of chocolate chips. Despite the heist, the bread was a delicious breakfast on a very quiet Sunday morning. PS. Trader Joe's any closer to me would be dangerous. Good. But very dangerous.

Greg and I attempted to screw new, not broken lamps into the end tables. Much to our surprise, the wooden lamps had a metal base. So now we have unsecured lamps and holes in a table. I laugh while Greg sighs and we go on somewhat loving this uphill battle we've created ourselves. 

This is stupid.

And this is ridiculous.

Students returned Monday with some sweet hugs and "I missed you!" proclamations. They redeemed the otherwise stressful day. One little guy, after hearing his friends talk about Disney trips explained he can't go to Disney because his mom doesn't think it's real. This mom wins. Well done, mom. Well done. This absolutely tops me convincing my children only cool moms get the secret code to Chuck E. Cheese and I'm sorry they didn't get a cool mom.  My poor kids believe they have been robbed of a childhood. I have no guilt.

Our sweet grandson did not accept his dog's death well. He declared through heartbreaking tears, "heaven is closed." He sleeps with the collar and is trying to teach Remi how to give gentle kisses like Chong because he misses them. Rest easy, Chong. You were definitely one of the best. 

The week was intense with urgent care visits, doctor's appointments, full time jobs, classes and family life squeezed into the only four days Greg and I were both available between Emmaus Walks. I'm honestly looking forward to the phone-free portion of my weekend away. Someone else is on call and it's a welcomed retreat. God likely knew I needed this break in order to fully exhale. 

Someone was up playing just before three o'clock in the morning and was then tired when the rest of us had to go to school. Needless to say the chasing of the tail on my bed in the middle of the night didn't send me into my day feeling well rested while Diesel slept comfortably in his room. He feels no remorse. Ever. 

Leaf Run and Life

I'm easily amused. Not the price point, just the sign. 

The month holds promises of overbooked days and lengthy weekends apart. It's in no way the kind of October I love. My camera may grow dusty as I am unable to accept gigs and have even passed the Senior picture baton to Kate's best friend for my own kiddo. So on our only date for the coming weeks, Greg and I slipped down quiet roads for glimpses of the first colors of fall. 

The dog's tail beats excitedly against the floor and the cat growls from outside the door. The kids quarrel and then giggle non-stop as dinner is rushed and dishes pile up. My online class needs focused attention, and as it turns out, everyone else does too. It's loud....but it's mine and it's mostly good. A daughter called from the emergency room, pain severe but ultimately resolved. Hours later, she sought respite in our home and remained for a few days. A daughter as a guest is still difficult to comprehend at times. This is the week we were given and one in which we more than survived because even in the chaos and noise, there is peace if you look closely enough.

Someone needed some attention. Someone ALWAYS needs attention.

Pip decided he likes the swing in the sunshine too. 

The sun shines brightly and my sweaters are cozy. I treasure brief moments on my swing and re-warmed tea. Kids retrieve it for me frequently, as it's often lost in the microwave. This is my October and I'm grateful for the mess of it all. 

I asked the waiter for vegetables and he could hardly believe his ears. They don't serve vegetables. And Erin quickly exclaimed, "I knew this was my favorite restaurant!"

I made reservations for a new Cuban restaurant in town and excitedly surprised my hubby who looked a little crestfallen by the news. The buckeyes were playing that evening, could we reschedule? Nope. My next available weekend won't arrive for several more weeks, so Erin joined me and we devoured the delicious meal. Adult kids make pretty sweet dinner companions, even if they no longer consume vegetables.

Singing "Band-aid on a Bullet Hole"

We knew we were in trouble with this one when she was two and belting the song lyrics, "whiskey makes her frisky." She takes her coffee black, sips her daddy's bourbon neat and out-laughs all of us with her ridiculous dad jokes. I love this rowdy girl; the so-called, "sweet one."

Greg left for his Emmaus Walk weekend last evening and his side of the bed was quickly consumed. It was a long night of poky paws, verbal complaints from the one with her own bed down the hall and little sleep on my end. I hope Greg faired better than I did in the quality sleep department.

Fall Things

If it weren't for the prison orange I always tell myself isn't my color when I'm ready to take out a mouthy kid, I would have purchased a birthday shirt this year. 

I gorged. He literally couldn't slice it fast enough as I inhaled his best brisket yet. It was a happy birthday indeed.

My boss slipped my annual oatmeal cookies into my classroom before work on Monday. What a sweet surprise. He spoils me.

Kate kicked off her two week fall break celebrating my birthday in Lexington with my parents. She always makes a great travel buddy. The rest of the week, she worked, lounged and ordered her graduation dress. It will be here before we know it. 

Ty and I wrapped up our first quarter on Thursday and are being rewarded with a week off. We survived. One of us faired much better than the other. Let's just say that at 13, he is underwhelmed by dedication to education. However, we are both ready to rest and relax in the coming days. 

We ordered wooden base lamps for the living room. We are literally going to screw them into the end tables in the living room so we can have light in the coming dark days of winter. Greg, almost giddy with power, suggested we also screw down all our furniture so Diesel's zoomies no longer rearrange the house. This is where we have landed just four months after adoption. In other words, we've lost our minds. The dog won. 

Our babies have been spotted lined up on the fence behind us and also on our neighbors's porch. I love catching glimpses of the quiet family still sticking together.

Historically, cheating on my grain free diet has involved either a gluten free baked cookie or a single bite of something like Bundt cake or crumbl. However, for reasons that are no longer clear to me, both Greg and I ate a slice of real pizza. It wasn't cauliflower or crust less; it was real, delicious pizza. Within minutes, we were passing the tums back and forth between us. He has recovered this morning. Me? Not so much. This grown up gig stinks.