It's like this...

Today, as is our custom on the Sabbath, we loaded what children we could round up and headed to our chapel. I know some think we are odd and even deluded to participate in such activities. We don't. We try to go each and every Sunday, as well as participating in a few church-related activities during the week. No, the reason I cried today has nothing to do with the amount of time we spend at church. I like being there, with other people of faith and the fellowship and spirit that's always there bolsters me and carries me into the week feeling uplifted. But I digress. In the pew, we were sitting with Ashley on the end, then Lance, then Stephanie and Allison then me. Chris had to work so he wasn't with us today. No, the sitting arrangement in our pew didn't make me cry--though I wouldn't have minded sitting next to my husband. Alli and Steph have a sweet habit of cuddling...hugging and leaning on one another. At night we can hear them (they share the room off ...

Today was one of my busiest of the year... Hmm. I take that back. I got home before ten this evening so perhaps it just felt busy. Yesterday I taught class, did several interpreting sessions, went to Children's for Alli's MRI, then went across Lake Washington for another appointment, rushed home and then went back to Children's for another meeting with Ashley's swim team board of directors. I'm getting sucked in just as I did with Wonderland and to be honest it feels wonderful to be involved again in a non-profit that helps disabled youth. I took over the fundraising chair last night so I'm sure I won't lack for things to do. Not that I do. Lack I mean. But I enjoy being busy. After ten or eleven Interpreting appointments today, my brain was fairly well fried. I came home, made dinner then rushed out again to take the girls to Young Women's and Achievement Days at church. We picked up Steph from work on our way home and then I walked our dog. Th...

yes, that's what I've been. I've let a lot of time go past without writing anything here. In my defense, I have been busy and secondly, I've been busy. Did I mention the busy? Our basement has flooded. Flooded again. Then it kept raining so it kept flooding. We've been pumping it out for days. It fills up, we empty it out, lather, wash, flood, repeat. We've been searching online for plans for an Ark. I think that would make a splendid DIY project, don't you? I've been busy taking my Alli out of school and putting her into an online school that she can do from home. Now, before you tell me I'm insane and I'm going to socially stunt my third child thereby creating a defective human being, let me say this to you: And also, she asked to do this, we're not forcing her. In other words--this is HER choice. I think it's a good one for her at this point. Her school is not an environment conducive to kids that actually have values. It...

I gave birth to this child. Granted, 21 years ago she didn't look like that. No, she looked even better if you can believe it. Small, softer than anything I'd ever touched in my life, squirmy, cuddly and she smelled so good. I think I spent most of my time that first year with my face buried in her sweet smelling neck and kissing her face. The pain of a 21 hour labor was soon forgotten (sort of) as I brought this tiny squalling person home to our basement apartment. Sleep was no longer what it once was in my life---from that day forward it came in spurts and sometimes it didn't come at all. I'd lay awake just to listen to the gentle sound of air entering and exiting her tiny lungs. That sound was music to my heart and better than any soundtrack I'd ever listened to up to that time. From moment to moment I'd lean up and place my hand on her--just to be sure she was still there and still breathing. There was snow that year---and three days after her birth ...