First day of school!

I promise I'll get back to last week, but I thought I would start with today, since I actually have a spare moment (but only one) and internet access.

Today was the first day of school. LM is in 7th, MB is in 4th, MM is in 2nd and LD is in 1st. We started the day in the Topaz Lake, NV area. My parents own a house near Topaz Lake, which makes a convenient place to stop and stay while enjoying the beauty of the surrounding area, including Lake Tahoe.

Back to school...today we focused on math and writing. I didn't want to overwhelm the kids going straight from lazy summer days to structured school days all in one fell swoop. So we're easing in. Math and writing today, math and reading tomorrow, math, reading, writing and science the day after. Soon we'll be into our full school routine and everything will be chipping right along. The beauty of homeschooling on the road is that I have few distractions. No piano lessons, no karate, no classes, no religious ed. Just school. Just nature. Just us on an adventure. I can deal with that.

Currently, we're in Diamond Springs, CA at my parents' other house, my childhood home. We're home overnight to let my parents take care of bills and the garden and sundry other things. Then tomorrow, we'll head back to Topaz Lake by way of David Walley's Hot Springs for a dip in the pool and various hottubs. Wednesday we'll head out to Lassen National Park for a week of hiking and learning about what makes Lassen so special.

Life is good. I thankful to be able to provide this kind of an experience to our kids, and thankful for those around me who make it possible...especially my husband.

Catching up!

Ok, I finally learned how to tether my phone to my computer...or vice versa. Now it's time to catch you all up on events!

Sunday, 15 August 2010

Today was the big day…time to leave home for a long time. I woke up extra early…well before the alarm went off. Then I packed. And packed. And remembered a few more things I needed to do, pack, print, send…oh my, the list was endless! I knew I had an 11 hour drive ahead of me. But I also knew I needed to get everything done.

By noon, I was beginning to see the end of packing and organizing. We grabbed a quick lunch and then headed out. I was hoping for a smooth trip…unfortunately that wasn’t the case. As we started the drive (meaning we were still on our street), I noticed my speedometer wasn’t working. I pulled over and turned off the truck to see if that would reset it. No such luck. I drove up and over the hill, then turned around and went home.

I wasn’t sure if I should unpack and stay home until I got the speedometer fixed, or just wing it. I decided to wing it. Today was my parents’ 40^th wedding anniversary and I really wanted to just get out of town and on my way. I went inside and got my GPS…the one I knew provided a speed indicator. Armed with my trusty GPS and a healthy sense of adventure, we got on the road once again. This time, it was a bit better. Although my speedometer eventually started working again, it was reading 5 mph off. Well, better than nothing, I suppose.

The trip wasn’t too eventful, thankfully. There was one momentary slow down for a roadside car-b-q. We drove through the desert…it was 104* at one point…hot! We drove, and drove and drove. The kids wanted to watch a movie while we were driving. I agreed, as long as I got to choose. I chose Tom and Jerry. The kids laughed and laughed and rewatched their favorite episodes. It was fun to listen to!

Eventually we passed Mammoth. The change in altitude was quite noticeable, as was the change in smell. If you’ve never stopped to smell a Jefferson pine, then you have no idea what I’m talking about. If you have, then you know how pleasing it was to smell the fresh woody vanilla aroma as we entered the higher elevations. It was intoxicating and rejuvenating. I knew I was close to my destination. We continued on past Mono Lake, and finally into Nevada.

At 11:15, we finally pulled into David Walley's Hot Springs Resort and collapsed into bed. What a way to start off a vacation!

Better late than never...

Well, instead of stressing myself out about how much I needed to get done, I just decided to leave when I leave. Looks like it will be noon instead of 7am. Oh well! So, an 11 hour drive...I'll pack some caffeine. :o)

Let the fun begin!

Too busy to blog!

Crazy busy just touches the tip of the iceberg of my busyness. Holy moly! Needless to say, I'm packing and organizing and running around like a mad woman. The frustrating thing, is I keep sending boxes overseas, only to discover that I forgot yet another vital part of the package. So I send another one. And tomorrow, I'll send a third. Darn it, those customs forms are a pain in the neck...I need to get a hold of myself and think before I seal and send!

We now have 4 swimmers in the family...two of which passed the official swim test to be able to go in the deep end of the pool on their own. A third may pass it tomorrow. And the fourth...well, he's just a wee widdle guy. I don't expect him to pass the grueling test anytime this summer. But he can dive, and that's awfully adorable as well. I posted a video of his diving on Flickr...just don't ask me to link, that would be the last straw!

Life is good, and moving fast!

The beauty of having nothing planned

Today was unusual in that I had nothing planned. No obligations, no errands to run, no commitments to keep. It was a much needed break and a very low key day.

I think all four kids were exhausted from their respective weeks of activities. LM and MB came back from camp happy, excited, exhausted and just a little bit sick. Thankfully, it was nothing like last year, when LM came home with H1N1 and MB came home with pneumonia. This seems to be your run-of-the-mill common cold. Unfortunately, LD also seems to have his own version from VBS this week. So today was a day of lazing around in jammies, watching cartoons, playing with Legos and then playing on the Wii.

Meanwhile, I spent the morning and part of the afternoon cleaning out the trailer, organizing what we're taking, and packing some non-perishables. I feel pretty good about what I got accomplished today. It takes me one huge step closer to being ready to leave. There are still many things I need to get done, some big, some small, but I'm confident I'll be ready when the time comes.

Today also marked the last little bit of yard work/construction I wanted to have complete before I left...the last 3 feet of fence. Our dear friend, John came over and finished building it. The fence looks amazing. After 3 months of hard work (mostly on John's part), phase one of our yard demolition/redesign/landscaping project is complete.

The next thing on my list is to get ready to take school on the road. There are books to check through, supplies to organize, paper to be packed, lessons to be planned. I think we're going to learn a lot this year and I can hardly wait to get started!

Thoughts on Thursday...

It seems my life revolves around one thing...the kids. I suppose that is true, and quite possibly how it's supposed to go. My husband and I brought them into this world, and it is our responsibility to see to it that they are raised to be self sufficient, capable, competent young adults. That's what our parents did for us. That's our duty to our own children.

I guess when I was a kid, I saw all sorts of possibilities for the future. The door was wide open, and I got to choose to do whatever my heart desired. My heart lead me to the Naval Academy. From there, my heart lead me down many paths, some good, some less than desirable. My head lead me through and enabled me to earn my BS in Political Science. I had dreams and aspirations, most of which have not been realized, and probably never will. And somehow, in all of that, I found the Lizard, and fell in love. Life certainly hasn't turned out the way I planned, and that's okay. I kind of like how it has turned out.

We've been through a lot together in our nearly 15 years of marriage. However, I wouldn't trade a moment of it for something different. Everything happens for a reason. I may not immediately know the reason, and I assume sometimes the reason will never come clearly to me...but everything does happen for a reason.

There's a quote by Erma Bombeck that I particularly enjoy. I've always thought she had a fresh, down to earth, realistic take on life, and this case is no different.

"Maybe all I could do was mother.... And yet, why did I feel so fulfilled when I bedded down three kids between clean sheets? What if raising and instilling values in three children and turning them into worthwhile human beings would be the most important contribution I ever made in my lifetime?" ~Erma Bombeck

I think that sums up today rather nicely. I mothered. I took the kids to VBS, then to swim lessons, then to karate. Little Dude is still under the weather, so he skipped karate and opted for some extra snuggle time. The three of us said our prayers snuggled together, holding each other for comfort and warmth. I rocked our youngest until he was nearly asleep, then gently tucked him between clean sheets, tucked a well loved Chip under his arm, and then kissed him good night. It doesn't get any better than that.

This time God has given me is so precious. I'm so thankful to be the guiding beacon in our children's lives. I'm so thankful to have a husband who is willing to stand up for what he believes in, and who provides for our family, come what may. I've been richly blessed with four healthy and happy children, and one loving and devoted husband. This is the wealth I have stored up. The love of our family is what will sustain me when nothing else can.

A new day, a new adventure.

Today was unique, different in every imaginable way. It started before my alarm woke up, when Little Dude crept into my room, and asked, "Mommy, please can I snuggle with you?" Poor thing has a stuffy nose and couldn't sleep. So we snuggled until it was time to get up and head out to VBS. On our way to pick up some friends, he told me, "I brought I headache with me this morning. I wish I didn't." His comments are so endearing and so very precious.

Later today after swim lessons, he told me, "Mommy, I don't feel like 100%. Only about 1%." He really is feeling fairly miserable today. I think tomorrow will be a day of rest for him. He's just so sad and pitiful when he's sick. I hope getting him in bed early tonight will help him kick whatever it is he's got.

I managed to get to karate tonight, expecting to be tested for my next belt. This has to be the most drawn out karate testing I've ever known. I found out I was on the list over a month ago...and still haven't tested! I'm glad for the reprieve, and hope I can catch a bit of practice in the next week. Tonight was the first time in nearly two years that I've practiced self defense in class. I'm still a bit leery of involving my wrist in risky activity. In fact, I braced up before we got too far into class. It's a good reminder for me, and those around me...it's still tender, and if I break my wrist again, there's no guarantee it will be fixable. I think I'll exercise a bit of caution. Maybe someday, it will feel normal again and not twinge at the slightest provocation.

Ah, life. It's never dull!

Honey-do list update...

Earlier I posted the start of my honey-do list. It's changed, so I figured I should let the world know. Because the world cares...or something. :o)

• reinstall the downspouts in the back yard done
  
• reinstall the Bose surround sound in the living room
• get a few things down from the attic done
  
• put a few things back up in the attic done
  
• give me a back massage

Since I'm about to leave, we can skip the surround sound. But I really need the back massage. Kitty happy paws just aren't cutting it.

A busy day.

Today was both a good day, and a rough day, all wrapped into one. The good:

• My morning walks...always refreshing and re-energizing
  
• Littlest two monkeys are enjoying VBS, and I'm enjoying a bit of time to get things done
• I got the chest freezer cleaned off...and can actually get to it and get things out
• Swim lessons are fabulous: Little Dude put all the pieces together today and really started swimming! Mighty Man has discovered he can swim completely across the pool...and back. I'm so proud!
• I made it to open workout at the karate dojo this morning...I do remember some of this stuff. Maybe there's hope for my test after all?
• As of this morning, I'm down 6 pounds of the nearly 15 that I gained just before The Lizard left. That feels pretty good!
• Our life is full, we're busy. LM and MB are off to camp, and MM & LD are busy, busy! VBS 9-12, swim lessons 2:30-3:10, other swim lessons 3:50-4:20, karate 4:30-5:30. And busy keeps us out of trouble, for the most part.
  

The not-so-good:

• Saying goodbye as The Lizard left the country. Cell phones with iffy coverage just don't let you say goodbye properly.
  
• The tears.

I know I need to just let go and have a good cry, but I feel conflicted. I'm trying to portray a strong, competent woman. I think I'm doing a pretty good job. But I know I can't hide and suppress all my feelings indefinitely. I'm learning that it's easier to just let go and cry, then pull myself together and move on. The catch is, I don't want the little guys to be concerned. I want them to know that their mama will always be here, a beacon of strength and a tender-hearted shelter when they need to have their own come-apart.

While we do talk about how mommy feels, I rarely let down my guard until I'm alone. And then I feel terribly alone. It's usually late, after the kids are tucked securely into bed, and much too late for a phone call (my father was adamant that phone calls were not to be placed after 8pm. Period.). Thankfully, even in my most lonely hours, I feel the love and support of those around me. I feel the prayers holding me up. I know I have friends who would welcome a phone call, no matter what the hour. I know that I have only to ask, and nearly anything under the sun will be done for me. And I sincerely thank all of you who are there for me: spiritually, emotionally, physically, electronically...you mean the world to me. ♥

In other news...here's the quote of the day:
"That's ok, mommy. I put my kazoo in that pocket in my underwear."

Excuses, excuses...

I feel obliged to tell you that I did not unexpectedly fall off the face of the earth. I just got a new phone, that's all. :o) Since I got my new phone last Tuesday, I haven't turned on my computer. Unfortunately, blogging isn't all that easy on a touch-pad keyboard...one letter painfully pecked out at a time just isn't my thing. So as a result of getting a new phone, my blogging suffered.

Such is life! So...what happened last week? I'm not sure I remember...stuff, mostly. I did go to karate, and bared my soul about self defense...or a certain willful lack thereof. And Little Miss had a birthday. And I missed the Lizard something fierce. We had swim lessons, and karate, I had my morning walks...in general, life has been running along fairly smoothly. I have a good solid routine. Dishes done every night, cooking done every night, laundry done according to plan with folding and putting away getting done the same day as wash...miracles do happen!

Sunday, Little Miss served at the early mass. After we got home, we (LM, Monkey Boy and I) packed for camp. The oldest two are at church camp all week. It's a little bizarre "only" having two kids to feed, mind, put to bed and otherwise wrangle. It's definitely a different dynamic here at home. And way fewer dishes.

Today, the littlest two monkeys started off with VBS from 9 until noon. Then we had lunch and packed up for a few errands and swim lessons. We dropped off some boogie boards for a friend, returned a pile of books to the library, did swim lessons, shopped at the exchange, shopped at the commissary, returned a pile of granite and marble tile samples, shopped at REI. Then came home, had grilled chicken for dinner and headed out for our Mission Trails hike. It was definitely a fun-filled day.

Unfortunately, the day ended on a sad note for me. The Lizard leaves the states tomorrow for an unknown amount of time. He should be back in a year, and we hope he'll be back for a visit sometime during that year. I've decided that an IA (Individual Augmentee) deployment is much harder than a regular deployment. A shipboard deployment, you leave (for example) on 6 December and return 6 June the next year. Six months to the day, nearly guaranteed. Takes an act of congress to change that. IA he just goes. No hard and fast day he'll leave, no written in stone day he'll return. Throw a dart at a calendar...that's as good a method as any to determine his return date.

So tomorrow, he leaves the states. He'll be in transit for a few days...and then...? Who knows. It's just a gaping expanse of blackness...the uncertainty, the unknown.