And More Changes

I've always wondered what it would be like to have my kids at school all day.

I'm a homeschooler.  I have always had my kids at home with me.

There are some days when I wished they were at school.  Days when all they did was fight all day.  Days when the table was piled high with books and paper and pens and pencils and art supplies.  Days when the floor was piled high with clothes and shoes and the ever present Lego's that I inevitably stepped on with my bare feet.  Days when the house was a mess because we were doing school all day.  Or days when the house was clean because we didn't do school that day.

I could never seem to do both.


But today they are gone.  Today they started school in a place that was not home.  It's been a gut-wrenching decision to send them, but it was what was right for us right now.  It may not be right next year, or even next semester, or even next week.  But it was right today.

And today I sent them off to school.

And I have been crying ever since I drove away from the school.


And now I know what it's like to have them in school all day.


It is lonely.

Ch Ch Ch Changes

My son is in the MTC and my daughter is in China.  We are dwindling here.

It's Happy/Sad.   

Happy because there is more room at the dinner table.  

Sad because there is more room at the dinner table.  

Happy because there is more dessert for all of us.  

Sad because there are two less people to share dessert with. 

Happy because we can use the smaller car to go places rather than the gas hog.  

Sad because less of us are going places together.

Happy because the three drivers left each get their own car.  

Sad because....actually not sad about that one!  

Happy because 2 less kids to work my schedule around. 

Sad because I don't know what they are doing each day.

Happy because they are off having awesome experiences. 

Sad because there are a couple of holes in my heart.

Hola

Me llamo Mindy.

Am I really old enough to be the mother of a missionary?!

So, yesterday was the longest day of the year.  The mail came at 11:00 am and with it came

The Envelope

with a return address from Salt Lake City!  But we had to wait until 5:15 to open it because that's the earliest we could all get together.

We will be learning as much as we can about...

Santiago, Chile!

I have mucho to do...

Adios!

I Ran 5 Miles Today!!!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Anticipation....

is making me crazy!

It's been 10 days since my son submitted his papers for a mission and now we are in the Check The Mail Every Day mode.

Exciting!!!

I Really AM a Runner!

Saturday I ran 5K!

Yes I did.  It was hard and I thought I was going to die, but I did it, thanks to some very good friends and Ragnar teammates! 

I Am A Runner...

...or at least I am trying to be. I can run two miles now. I am training to run in the Ragnar with a team of ladies from my area who are almost all very good, very fast runners.

On New Years Day I met a group of them for a run. We were supposed to run a 5K. My friend, who is just a little more advanced than me was supposed to come, but at the last minute couldn't. So that left me...and 3 very fast runners.

I told them to go ahead of me.  I was going to try to run the whole thing, but wasn't sure I'd be able to.  I had brought my iPod and would be very happy to just listen to it as I pushed myself along.  They ignored me and stopped when I stopped.  Which was very often.  It was a little lot mortifying.  But they were very generous and sweet and patient...except I know they were dying to run!

I thought it would be helpful to run with a group, to help distract my mind, but I found that it was very difficult to run with a bunch of people...distracting in a way I wasn't anticipating.  Running is such a mental thing for me.  When I run I have to focus on a benchmark, be it the next stop sign, bush, shadow, or whatever and talk myself into getting there and then I pick another and keep on going. But with the group around me I lost that focus, and also found myself trying to keep up with them.  Not out of pride or anything, I would just suddenly realize that I was going faster than I was used to and so I tired out faster.  It scared me in some ways, wondering if I can really get to the point they are and be able to sustain myself long enough to finish the relay. 

But everyone started at the beginning at some point, right?

I have a ways to go. 

But I am a runner, and I will persevere.

Happy New Year!

I just spent the last hour reading some of my old posts.  And I must say there is some good stuff in there!  And I can't believe that I actually wrote some of it.  And I might even start writing on here again....but don't hold your breath!

I have to have a Root Canal...

and I am terrified.

I've made two appointments.

The first one was before Christmas.

I sat in the chair for about 5 minutes, then all but ran out of the office.

But not before they made me another appointment for after Christmas.

The appointment was for Monday at 8:00 am.

Sunday night I couldn't sleep.

I searched the internet for facts about Root Canals.

I scared myself so bad that at midnight I canceled my appointment.

I called my dentist the next day and apologized...

He was nice and talked me through it.

He told me to call when I was ready,

but not to wait too long because the tooth will only get worse.

I know I have to do this, but....

I am terrified.

The Sun Came Up Anyway

Even though I willed it not to.

I even skipped seminary this morning in the hopes that the sun would not show it's face.

But, alas, it did and with it came the drying of the tears,

And the Lord, GOD, will wipe away tears from off all faces.

(Isaiah 25:8)

and with that came hope.

It's a good day when...

...you are getting out of your car with your three daughters and the new 9 year old neighbor kid who's coming to play with your son asks, "Now, which one of you is the mom?"

And please go see "You Again".  Best chick-flick ever!

This is how Things Really Are

So at around 10:00 pm this evening I got on my computer so that I could just quickly print off this talk for my daughter to read because I think she spends too much time on her computer.  But before I went to that talk I checked my email and then some of my blogs.  Then I started to get off only to remember that I hadn't printed off the talk for her.

It is now 11:34.  Maybe I need to read the talk again myself.......

Zzzzz......

My phone is slowing way down...it's so slow that it's almost dead.

My computer is slowing way down...it's almost dead too.

I wish my life would slow down...

But not to where I am dead.

Just to where I can handle it again...

SIX PACK ABS.....GUARANTEED!!!!

I have found a new form of exercise...guaranteed to give you six-pack abs or your money back!!!!

All you have to do is catch a cold, or the flu, or pneumonia...which ever floats your boat.

Then when your lungs are filled up with fluid, just start coughing....and coughing.....and coughing.

Try to take a deep breath (that is if you can get past the sharp pain in your lungs).

Repeat for as many sets necessary for desired effect, believe me...you won't be able to stop yourself.

Your sides will begin to feel the effects after 4 continuous days of this.

(I want my money back.)

So Very Blessed

Today while running errands I listened to Dennis Prager.  A caller was telling a story about a friend of his who is a quadriplegic.  To sum up, his friend was wheeled into a room with a young man who was also a quadriplegic.  The friend tried to initiate a conversation with the young man only to discover that the young man was paralyzed from the mouth down, so could not speak.  The friend kept track of this young man.  Eventually the young man was given an optical device where he could use his eyes to look at letters to spell what he wanted to say.  Those who provided it for him asked him if he could do anything, what would it be?  

Would he like to go to Disneyland? 

No

Would he like to go to Disney World?

No

They really wanted to do something for him so they told him they would do anything or take him anywhere he wanted to go.

What would he like to do most in the world?

He typed....

S M I L E

Wow.  

I smiled all the way home.

I smiled at my children when I got home.

I am smiling right now.

Still Rowing

Last night as I knelt in prayer and reflected with the Lord upon the day (being Easter) my mind reviewed the many references to the Saviors Atonement given in General Conference.    As I proffered my deep gratitude this post came to my mind. 

To recap, I had been going through a horrific struggle in my life.  A struggle that had taken a few precious years away from me.  I clearly remember the hopeless feeling I felt while on my knees and then crying myself to sleep.  I clearly remember the dream.  I clearly remember the feeling the next day as I was driving in my car and suddenly understood how the Atonement works. 

It’s been over three years since I’ve had that experience and as I contemplated it I realized that I still struggle against the things I struggled with then.  I still get that panicky feeling.  But I am still rowing. 

Only, I am not rowing alone; if so, I wouldn’t have made it this far. 

My little craft is like an acorn cap bobbing in the current of the Mighty Mississippi.  My oars are like toothpicks with which I am frantically paddling to navigate the currents and whitewater that constantly threatens to capsize me.  And I have been capsized.

But still, I have made progress.

Because each time I have been capsized, I have been scooped up, dried off and set back on course.  I have been guided on my way, pushed from behind, and in the worst of times, I have been picked up and carried in the palm of His hand.

I love Easter and the opportunity it affords to contemplate the great, eternal sacrifice of our Savior.  But I love even more that every day I can avail myself of that sacrifice.  Every day the Atonement is alive and working in my life. 

Every day is a new beginning.

Legal Eagle

 He's legal today!


Here he is working on his Eagle Project...

 for which he finished turning in the last of his paperwork today....  :O

All's I have to say is this:

You know that Mother's pin they give you when your son earns his Eagle?

Well...I earned it!

Happy Birthday Bug!

In Which I Discover "New Editor"...

Wow...look what I can do!  I've always wanted to do that!

It's been so long since I've really messed around with my blog that I didn't even know about "new editor".

And then there are so many things that I hadn't really paid attention to before...like quotes, how nifty that you can just hit that little quotation mark and they automatically indent...

Luck O' the Irish?

Today I was in a rushto get out the door. After a quick shower and hastily applied make-up I quickly perused my closet for something suitable to wear. I threw on a little used shirt and a hoodie and sprinted to the car so that I could make it to class on time.

When I got to class everyone was talking about the color of their clothes and all of a sudden it dawned on me that today was St. Patty's day. I had completely forgotten!

And then I looked down at the shirt I was wearing and burst out laughing in amazement...it was BRIGHT GREEN!!!

I never wear this shirt!

And to wear it by accident today of all days...Well I can only say it's the Luck O' the Irish!

And just FYI...
never iron a four-leaf clover,




because you don't want to press your luck! :)

Dia duit!

That rock don't roll...

Some kids are like marbles rolling down the sidewalk;
you can barely keep up with them.

Others are more like: