We are two days into our fall transformations and now I am looking towards the rest of our tomorrows ...
My Youngest has had two out of two good days into the initiation process at his new high school. The bus ride no longer seems daunting to him, as he met up with a friend at the bus stop and immediately realized that he would not be alone in this. He had his first lunch hour at school "... and boy! Did it seem long!!..." He found a friend to eat with and tagged along with people that he knew afterwards to pass the time. Homework is in the air but the deadlines are in the future ... so far, so good in that respect. His official first day of classes went well.
In my daycare world, Day #2 went well ... but my kids are bored and I do hope that we find some friends for them very soon. It is all good and well to check out the new toys and get the lay of the land in your new day home ... but a day is quite enough of that. Now it is time to bring in some friends!
We made the transitions. The initial days are going well. All is as good as can be expected. But I seem to have my eye on the future now. What will it bring? How can grow through the process and make this the best it can be?
We are settling into our new lives with our eye on the future ...
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Serenity ...
I feel peaceful.
The past little while, I have woken up in the middle of the night and gone back to sleep without turning on the TV to quieten my mind. It has been a long time coming, but it has returned. Serenity.
Yesterday was My Youngest's registration day at high school. He did it. By himself. He came home walking a little taller and with a smile on his face. A great way to kick off the new school year.
Yesterday was a first day for me too. My daycare doors reopened. I am glad. It was a quiet day. It was a day that I simply went with the flow. It was a good day.
I can sleep again.
Unfortunately my ability to drop off to sleep the moment I sit still has also returned. I guess I'll have to keep moving. Forward.
The past little while, I have woken up in the middle of the night and gone back to sleep without turning on the TV to quieten my mind. It has been a long time coming, but it has returned. Serenity.
Yesterday was My Youngest's registration day at high school. He did it. By himself. He came home walking a little taller and with a smile on his face. A great way to kick off the new school year.
Yesterday was a first day for me too. My daycare doors reopened. I am glad. It was a quiet day. It was a day that I simply went with the flow. It was a good day.
I can sleep again.
Unfortunately my ability to drop off to sleep the moment I sit still has also returned. I guess I'll have to keep moving. Forward.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Time to Play
I have been busy the past few weeks. We had a busy holiday followed by the state of perpetual motion once we returned home, as we reorganized the house and got it daycare-ready.
My daycare doors open this morning. I am so ready for a day where I can sit down on the floor with the kids and just ... play.
I'm certain there will be separation anxiety amongst the parents and children as they drop off their little people for the first time, but I hope that when they return they will find that their kids are happy and having fun.
I plan to have a day with few expectations. I will simply be in the moment and take it minute by minute, hour by hour. I will relax with the idea of letting the day unfold naturally and hope that translates to a calmness that my new daycare family can relax with.
I am so pleased that I will be home when My Youngest sets off for school. I will be here when he gets back. This would not have happened if I was working outside of my home. I know he is capable and old enough to do this on his own ... but I just want to be accessible. That is all that I have ever wanted ...
I feel so completely and totally grounded today. It's been a long and winding road that has brought me back to where I started. I know that I needed to step away, learn and try new things ... but I feel that every step I took away, has brought me back to where I needed to be all along. I took the long way home.
My daycare doors open this morning. I am so ready for a day where I can sit down on the floor with the kids and just ... play.
I'm certain there will be separation anxiety amongst the parents and children as they drop off their little people for the first time, but I hope that when they return they will find that their kids are happy and having fun.
I plan to have a day with few expectations. I will simply be in the moment and take it minute by minute, hour by hour. I will relax with the idea of letting the day unfold naturally and hope that translates to a calmness that my new daycare family can relax with.
I am so pleased that I will be home when My Youngest sets off for school. I will be here when he gets back. This would not have happened if I was working outside of my home. I know he is capable and old enough to do this on his own ... but I just want to be accessible. That is all that I have ever wanted ...
I feel so completely and totally grounded today. It's been a long and winding road that has brought me back to where I started. I know that I needed to step away, learn and try new things ... but I feel that every step I took away, has brought me back to where I needed to be all along. I took the long way home.
Monday, September 3, 2012
It's Better Than Falling in Love!
"I forget to sleep and eat. This is almost as good as falling in love. In fact, I think it's better ... "
These are the words that fell out of my fingertips late last night as I wrote a long and windy response to a one-line email that I had received.
My fingers often get carried away and write what my subconscious mind is telling them. As I wrote that email, it reminded me of a post that I wrote about breaking up with myself. "I've been in a dysfunctional relationship with myself for the past year and I've had enough. I'm breaking it off and setting it free."
I talked about gutting my life, keeping what was good and solid, then building around what was left. "I don't know exactly what that means right now but sometimes my fingers know things that my head hasn't figured out yet." I predicted that I would reread those words in a year and figure out what my subconscious mind already knew.
Maybe a year will tell me more, but I am amazed at the difference that three months can make. This is what it feels like to make a decision that is right for yourself. Suddenly you are simply going with the current and everything feels easy ... again.
Life has a way of repeating itself. I went through this purging cycle about five years ago ... I had to remind myself how necessary it was that I 'let go' of certain aspects of my life at that time.
Letting go of what is bringing you down gives you the energy to focus on rebuilding that which is good in your life.
Once again, I was reminded of the article "66 Ways to Build Courage" by Christine Kane. "... there’s a deeper level of courage. It makes you stronger with each move you make. It makes you fall in love with yourself. It makes you fall in love with your life. That’s because, at its core, courage is about strengthening your relationship with yourself..."
I have fallen in love. With myself and my life. This is a very good place to start ... again.
These are the words that fell out of my fingertips late last night as I wrote a long and windy response to a one-line email that I had received.
My fingers often get carried away and write what my subconscious mind is telling them. As I wrote that email, it reminded me of a post that I wrote about breaking up with myself. "I've been in a dysfunctional relationship with myself for the past year and I've had enough. I'm breaking it off and setting it free."
I talked about gutting my life, keeping what was good and solid, then building around what was left. "I don't know exactly what that means right now but sometimes my fingers know things that my head hasn't figured out yet." I predicted that I would reread those words in a year and figure out what my subconscious mind already knew.
Maybe a year will tell me more, but I am amazed at the difference that three months can make. This is what it feels like to make a decision that is right for yourself. Suddenly you are simply going with the current and everything feels easy ... again.
Life has a way of repeating itself. I went through this purging cycle about five years ago ... I had to remind myself how necessary it was that I 'let go' of certain aspects of my life at that time.
Letting go of what is bringing you down gives you the energy to focus on rebuilding that which is good in your life.
Once again, I was reminded of the article "66 Ways to Build Courage" by Christine Kane. "... there’s a deeper level of courage. It makes you stronger with each move you make. It makes you fall in love with yourself. It makes you fall in love with your life. That’s because, at its core, courage is about strengthening your relationship with yourself..."
I have fallen in love. With myself and my life. This is a very good place to start ... again.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Lost Treasures
It's been a little bit like an Easter egg hunt around here lately as I go from room to room and do the Daycare Shuffle as each room takes on a new identity.
Our first find was a small flooding situation due to a blockage in our air conditioner's hose. While that was not a great find, I'm grateful that we found it when we did. I'm also grateful that it flooded the only two areas in the basement that are not done in laminate flooring. I hate to think what a backup of water would do to laminate floor ...
I finally found the booster seat that I could have sworn that I kept when I sold/gave away most of my daycare accumulations a few years ago. But when I went to locate it, it was nowhere to be found. I thought that I must have given it away after all. Who would have thought to look outside in the play house for that? Certainly not me ...
I found the baby gate that I assumed I must have sold. I thought if I had kept it, I would have stored it with or near the rest of the toys and that-which-I-have-saved-for-future-grandchildren. Nope. It wasn't there. It was in the laundry room beside the spare fridge. What was I thinking when I put it there? That is a spot that I wouldn't look for anything ...
Then there was the atlas that I was looking for one time when Mom was here. We were trying to find locations in and around Alaska. The only atlas that I could find was an old school atlas. We found what we were looking for but I knew that I had a good atlas. A big, thick atlas that would have had a better map. Where could it be? I looked high and low for it because I knew that was something I wouldn't give away. It was not to be found. Until last week. I had it safely stowed in and among our photo albums. Photo albums?!!? The only reason I can think that I would have filed it away there is because of its size. Yup ... makes sense. File big books together, despite their content ...
A have a few closets and a bedroom that have escaped the Great Daycare Shuffle. But I am now intrigued by what I may find if I dig through and reorganize those. They may get some attention today ...
I have reached a great stage in my life. I am at a place where I can now hide my own Easter eggs. Is it age or is it just too much in one's mind when you lose track of the 'little things'? I prefer to think of it as a little of both. By this age and stage of one's life you have so much information crammed into the recesses of your mind, that you have to file some of the less used and needed information into a deeper closet.
Oh! The treasures one could find if you could houseclean your brain the way you can go through the storage areas in your house ... I guess the next best thing is digging through your home and unearthing the memories along with what you find.
Our first find was a small flooding situation due to a blockage in our air conditioner's hose. While that was not a great find, I'm grateful that we found it when we did. I'm also grateful that it flooded the only two areas in the basement that are not done in laminate flooring. I hate to think what a backup of water would do to laminate floor ...
I finally found the booster seat that I could have sworn that I kept when I sold/gave away most of my daycare accumulations a few years ago. But when I went to locate it, it was nowhere to be found. I thought that I must have given it away after all. Who would have thought to look outside in the play house for that? Certainly not me ...
I found the baby gate that I assumed I must have sold. I thought if I had kept it, I would have stored it with or near the rest of the toys and that-which-I-have-saved-for-future-grandchildren. Nope. It wasn't there. It was in the laundry room beside the spare fridge. What was I thinking when I put it there? That is a spot that I wouldn't look for anything ...
Then there was the atlas that I was looking for one time when Mom was here. We were trying to find locations in and around Alaska. The only atlas that I could find was an old school atlas. We found what we were looking for but I knew that I had a good atlas. A big, thick atlas that would have had a better map. Where could it be? I looked high and low for it because I knew that was something I wouldn't give away. It was not to be found. Until last week. I had it safely stowed in and among our photo albums. Photo albums?!!? The only reason I can think that I would have filed it away there is because of its size. Yup ... makes sense. File big books together, despite their content ...
A have a few closets and a bedroom that have escaped the Great Daycare Shuffle. But I am now intrigued by what I may find if I dig through and reorganize those. They may get some attention today ...
I have reached a great stage in my life. I am at a place where I can now hide my own Easter eggs. Is it age or is it just too much in one's mind when you lose track of the 'little things'? I prefer to think of it as a little of both. By this age and stage of one's life you have so much information crammed into the recesses of your mind, that you have to file some of the less used and needed information into a deeper closet.
Oh! The treasures one could find if you could houseclean your brain the way you can go through the storage areas in your house ... I guess the next best thing is digging through your home and unearthing the memories along with what you find.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Hair of the Dog
My brain was still wide awake at 4:00 this morning, even though my body laid down at 3:30 a.m. and tried to get distracted enough by the dialogue on "The Gilmore Girls" to stop the caffeine-induced rush of thoughts that simply would not cease last night.
I woke up bright and alert (with a caffeine hangover) at 7:00 a.m. ... I thought I could and should get moving with the day. But then thought better of it. I put my eye make-up on and then thought I'd just crawl back into bed and watch T.V. for a little while.
I woke up once again at 10:00 a.m. ... now ready for the day (even more ready than I had initially been because my eye make-up was already applied and I looked more alert than I felt).
The-never-ending-to-do-list goes on. And on ...
I delivered flyers last night so that I would not have to face that task today. I knew that I would be grateful for that this morning. Now that I have written the words aloud, I feel giddy. I am beyond happy that job is done. A day where my knees are still feeling a little wobbly from the exhaustion that I've been delaying.
I finished up the flyers after 9:00 p.m. and had one final errand to run. Thankfully (I checked this before I did the flyers) the store I needed to go to was open until 10:00 p.m. ... so today, if I play my cards right, I will not have to leave the house. For anything!!
I feel like I have been on the go since we left for our holiday. It was a busy holiday. It has been even busier since we returned home. There is busy-ness in my future.
Maybe that explains my need for caffeine. After I woke up the second time this morning, I was ready for my morning coffee. Now that I am on my third cup, I am fueled up and ready to go (and I still have last night's spare iced coffee awaiting me for later in the day).
Wikipedia quote for 'a hair of the dog': "In Tanzania, the equally swahili phrase used is "kuzimua" which means 'assist to wake up after a coma'."
I needed a little assistance this morning.
I woke up bright and alert (with a caffeine hangover) at 7:00 a.m. ... I thought I could and should get moving with the day. But then thought better of it. I put my eye make-up on and then thought I'd just crawl back into bed and watch T.V. for a little while.
I woke up once again at 10:00 a.m. ... now ready for the day (even more ready than I had initially been because my eye make-up was already applied and I looked more alert than I felt).
The-never-ending-to-do-list goes on. And on ...
I delivered flyers last night so that I would not have to face that task today. I knew that I would be grateful for that this morning. Now that I have written the words aloud, I feel giddy. I am beyond happy that job is done. A day where my knees are still feeling a little wobbly from the exhaustion that I've been delaying.
I finished up the flyers after 9:00 p.m. and had one final errand to run. Thankfully (I checked this before I did the flyers) the store I needed to go to was open until 10:00 p.m. ... so today, if I play my cards right, I will not have to leave the house. For anything!!
I feel like I have been on the go since we left for our holiday. It was a busy holiday. It has been even busier since we returned home. There is busy-ness in my future.
Maybe that explains my need for caffeine. After I woke up the second time this morning, I was ready for my morning coffee. Now that I am on my third cup, I am fueled up and ready to go (and I still have last night's spare iced coffee awaiting me for later in the day).
Wikipedia quote for 'a hair of the dog': "In Tanzania, the equally swahili phrase used is "kuzimua" which means 'assist to wake up after a coma'."
I needed a little assistance this morning.
2:12 a.m. and All is Well ...
My Youngest decided to come along with me to run a quick errand and then pick up an ice cream & a drink at McDonald's (you've gotta love those $1.00 drinks!!) while we were out.
This was my order:
The girl handed us two ice cream cones (slightly melted already) and I said that we had asked for one of those in the dish. This is what we got:
My Youngest & I looked at each other in wonder but were distracted because we got double the drink order that we asked for. This was the girl's reply, "Well, that is what the receipt said!" I responded, "But that is not what we ordered". Her answer? "It says you did ..." Me: "I asked for only 2 drinks" Her: "Well do you want your money back then?"
I was so taken aback by her answers and the fact that the line-up at the drive thru was waiting behind us, that I thought to myself that it wasn't worth the argument. The drinks were cheap. So we left. My Youngest said, "I didn't even get a spoon for my ice cream ..."
The service was so bad that we simply laughed. And laughed some more as we looked at the ice cream cone that she plunked into a dish. What else could you do??
Then we got home, took these pictures for posterity (and good story telling props) then went on about our business.
A few minutes later, My Youngest wandered up to me and asked, "Did you ask for a Coke?? ... because this is either a Coke or a Diet Coke". Sure enough. It was. My Youngest doesn't like Coke. I do. But I already had double the iced coffee that I had ordered. But Coke goes flat ... so I drank it first.
Here it is .... now 2: 24 a.m. ... and I'm still wide awake.
Thanks McDonald's! I deserved a break today ... but a little sleep would be nice to go along with that.
This was my order:
- One medium ice cream cone
- One medium ice cream in a dish
- One medium iced tea
- One medium vanilla iced coffee
 |
| My ice cream cone was already devoured before we got home and took this photo |
I was so taken aback by her answers and the fact that the line-up at the drive thru was waiting behind us, that I thought to myself that it wasn't worth the argument. The drinks were cheap. So we left. My Youngest said, "I didn't even get a spoon for my ice cream ..."
The service was so bad that we simply laughed. And laughed some more as we looked at the ice cream cone that she plunked into a dish. What else could you do??
Then we got home, took these pictures for posterity (and good story telling props) then went on about our business.
A few minutes later, My Youngest wandered up to me and asked, "Did you ask for a Coke?? ... because this is either a Coke or a Diet Coke". Sure enough. It was. My Youngest doesn't like Coke. I do. But I already had double the iced coffee that I had ordered. But Coke goes flat ... so I drank it first.
Here it is .... now 2: 24 a.m. ... and I'm still wide awake.
Thanks McDonald's! I deserved a break today ... but a little sleep would be nice to go along with that.
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