I blink and another week has passed.
I feel that way every summer. But usually once school starts, I have a good month or more where there is a nice rhythmic flow to life before the Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas flurry. Not this year! Sheesh.
It has been a combination of fun, general busy-ness, and stress that is making it zoom. Let's start with the stress, so I can end on a fun note.
STRESS
I am a laid back kinda girl and have a comfortable lifestyle where I truly don't stress out about much. But today was a terrible day at church. I mean a had-me-in-tears kinda day. Mostly because I was feeling bad about my mothering shortcomings and how visible they are in the middle of sacrament meeting. It was SO not fun. And then I feel bad because I know when I'm stressed out that Andrew worries about me and he had his own set of troubles that he just put on the back burner to make me feel better. I needed that. After a nice afternoon nap and a good cry on his shoulder, I felt ready to face the world(or at least my kids) again.
The other major pain in my neck right now is the BYU class that I started a year ago and have made very little progress in. I was supposed to finish by Sept 17th. Nope. Not gonna happen. I can pay a small fee for a three-month extension and that's it. If I don't complete it in 3 months, I have completely wasted all the time and money I've invested in this class. No! Can't let that happen. So almost all of my free time during C's naps and after the kids are in bed has been spent on English 312--Persuasive writing. I can write blogs, but I stink at writing college-level papers. I think I just need to aim low and get this thing done. How's that for ambition?
FUN
We had the best day yesterday. We went to the water park with our cousins from Asheville and some friends. It was perfect weather, the big kids were great, the babies took naps, there were short lines for the rides...we couldn't have asked for a better fun-in-the-sun day. LOVED it.
Whit slidin'
B jumpin'
Mason playin'
Avery and Whit huggin'
Care Bear and Drew lunch breakin'And for date night, Andrew and I went to a friend's home to watch the BYU-Oklahoma game and BYU WON! Are you kidding me? It was a nail-biter, too. It was great to watch with other BYU fans. The perfect finish to the night.
Also, I am having the best time with
Caroline during the day when the big kids are at school.
We especially love playing in the backyard.
She throws a fit when it's time to come inside.She even started joy school once a week.
She is in a very clingy phase right now,but still had fun with her little friends.
She is a good shopping buddy and
likes carrying this little purse around--a hand-me-down from Whit.
Unfortunately, she has expensive tastes.
15 comments:
Andi, sorry you had a tough day. I think if I was the bishop's wife and had to deal with the kids all by myself every Sunday I'd break down at least bi-weekly, so your courage and fortitude is to be APPLAUDED! And I'm glad you had a good shoulder to cry on, too. Sometimes everybody needs a good cry.
We missed you during the BYU game. When we were driving home from Mom and Dad's Forrest and I were talking about Drew: "I bet Drew was LOVING that game!!!" So glad you could hop over to a friend's house with cable and see it.
Moms are entitled to the occasional meltdown too, ya know! But I know what you mean about feeling bad about it, too.
this is what happens when i'm late to sacrament meeting and oblivious to everything around me. i had no idea you were having a hard time. and then i called you about MY stress. sorry! but you seriously helped me out. thanks for being such a good friend, even in the midst of your own struggles.
Shelley--you were a great distraction. I think I needed it. Please call again on Sunday afternoon in a month or two. :)
Andrea - You are so low maintenance that I almost don't know how to react when you need help. Was my advice of eating a box of Ding Dongs helpful in any way?
Oh, yeah, as far as "aiming low" on your homework? Sounds like somebody needs to listen to Pres. Obama tomorrow...
I am sorry you had a rough day! You always seem like you have it completely together if it makes you feel any better. And how cute is that picture of Caroline in the grass posing?
I hear you on the Sundays...we've had some rough ones over the past few years, too! That last picture of Caroline is hilarious - a little diva in the making? She sure is cute!
"I just need to aim low and get this thing done."- I'm pretty sure that is how most of us got through most of our college classes. You definitly don't need to feel bad about that!
P.S. I love that photo of Caroline going into Sur la table with her purse. I love that store...maybe Caroline and I can go shopping together, sometime?
So Andrea, if this makes you feel any better: at the end of Sacrament meeting I was looking up at your husband on the stand and thought "Andrea must've gone out of town with the kids and left Andrew here by himself again" 'cause I totally didn't see you there or hear anything, and lo and behold you were in YW's. So your kids really aren't as bad as you think they are (or mine is just bad enough to drown out anyone else). I think as moms we are hyper sensitive to how loud and obnoxious our own children are, when everyone else doesn't even pay any attention.
And if you need anyone to proof-read your papers, send them my way. English was one class I could ace without trying (as for math, that's a whole 'nother story...). I think the only way Rob was able to pass his English classes was because of me, and I'm sure you're a much better writer than he is (no offense dear).
And that last picture of Caroline cracks me up! It's like she doesn't realize she's not one of the ladies.
It's good to know you're human. I was pretty sure you didn't have bad days. I mean, you drove across the country! Twice!
Great pictures. I love the little curls in C's hair.
Andrea - I have been holding a grudge against my 3 North Carolina grandchildren ever since I read your post - thanks for sharing the ups and the downs with us though - loved the pictures of Caroline. Grandpa Hiatt thinks the picture of her with the caption about loving to play in the back yard looks just like Andrew when he was a little boy. I think she looks kinda like Amy!!
Love you - thanks for all the great pictures.
Grandma Sweat
A fine old preacher was once asked for the secret to his success as a persuasive speaker. His reply:
"First, I tells 'em what I'm gonna tell 'em.
Then I tells 'em.
Then I tells 'em what I told 'em."
Good luck on your persuasive writing.
You're awesome, Andrea. A fabulous mom, terrific writer, and somebody I look up to as leading a wonderfully balanced life. Here's to non-stressy days.
I'm behind in my blog reading (again)... sorry to hear about your day, and hope things have been better. And for whatever it's worth, you kids always make me smile when I see them at church (and I kinda love Caroline's scream Ü)
sometimes if it's just ambition enough to pass the class, it's enough - good luck!
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