Yoo Hoo. Over Here.

Well, I think my absence has been a record length. It is really for no other reason than it's been a very busy month for me. I've been working on a big trial transcript that kept me at business, and not so much pleasure, on the computer. It seems I still found glimmers of time to read blogs and e-mail, but not much else.

And last night I caught "The Office." Andy is single again? What's up with that? I didn't even see Angela on the show. I need to check out some past episodes. Apparently, I've missed much. I'm saying that presuming you all watch "The Office." If you don't, check it out.

I don't want to give any boring play-by-plays. I feel like I do a very boring job of those. Even I don't want to really read them when I write them.

One highlight is we finally got Gertie's hair cut. My girl has bangs now--looks just like Grace. Oh my goodness--and she doesn't cry or scream or yell at me when I try to kick that rat party out of her hair. They are small little baby rats, and I am happier with that. She can see better, and things are good for her all around. I have to say, it was a very bittersweet moment for me. Even though I knew it was for the best, there went my sweet baby's first little hairs from her cute little head. We waited a long time for those hairs. A very long time. But the curls seem to be hanging on, at least so far.

I'm almost tearing up over baby hair, so it must be time to move on. I'm at work today, covering for a gal that is visiting her daughter in Africa for a week and a half. I am so happy for her to be able to go there and see her. As a parent, I bet that would be so hard. Like my Dad and Judy for our Abby. (We miss you way over there, Abby.) So anyway, it has been a bit slow here and I've brought plenty to do during the lulls. I caught up on Bible study, which I was way behind in. Still in Genesis, and still loving it. We are up to Jacob now, and his marrying Leah and Rachel. He's already deceived Isaac into giving him Esau's blessing. It all seems so unfair, but also a good reminder that God blesses us and loves us not based on how we act, but just because he chooses us. And I am glad for that. I am on a mission to be more patient and kind, especially with my family, who bears the brunt of my opposite behavior.

Being at work, like I say, I've caught up on Bible study, updated my calendar, completed several phone errands and balanced my checkbook (which I hadn't done since August, I see) Yikes! I do check on it, but as tax time is approaching, I need to write it all down. I must have set some record there, too, as far as neglect. That is bad, and I resolve that won't happen again.

The furniture movers are probably already finished replacing our old and ugly couch with a new one that John and I picked out together. I am so excited to get home and sit on it and stare at it. Although, at this point, while sitting on it, I'll be staring at the old oneuntil we figure out what we're going to do with the eyesore. It was too cold to move it, and we have no idea what to do with it, so it will crowd the living the room until we do something about it. We have temperatures at freezing now, so I think we can move it out of the house without suffering frostbite. But I'm wondering if my muscles and my tender heart can survive hauling a heavy hide-a-bed couch out of the house with my husband. Sometimes our tempers seem to flare when we don't think exactly alike about which way to lean and push and pull. And my muscles are small. Oops. Refer to prior paragraph about patience and kindness. I can do it!

Grace is just out of gymnastics and into the next school play, Grease. She was disappointed that her part is nothing special. She is just in the chorus group, I think, but she still needs to be at all but two practices. That seems substantial to me. I really wish for a stretch of no activities at all. I want to enjoy the evenings with my family all at home, and not racing here to there, but I'm sure that wouldn't go as well as I imagine in my mind. I know a few things are good for them. John told me that Ethan's coach asked him to be on a smaller wrestling team. I think the coach hopes to take a handful of kids and really work on improving their skills for the team. I think Ethan is a wrestler at heart, but one busy kid. I'm not sure what the decision is on that yet.

Two weeks ago I would have said basketball isn't going to stick (Maybe I actually did say that.), but lately the kid has been shooting nonstop baskets in his room. It brings back such memories. He's picked out two uniforms (home and away), and he runs through all the plays, makes me watch as he misses, then says "One more," three more times until he sinks it. I love it. I'm sure it's the pasttime of boys all over the place, but it's my Ethan. I like that kid. Maybe he'll have to chose between pro football and basketball and baseball afterall.

He was supposed to be in the talent show at his school last night. We had no idea when he was supposed to appear, and each time Grace was in it, we had a schedule. I told him I didn't think that was right. When we got there and found the teacher, she said EJ did try out--he was going to play a piece on the piano--and she invited him to be a part, but he was supposed to turn in the sheet accepting that invitation so she'd know he'd be there. He didn't do that, so no performance for Ethan. That was disappointing. For me, not so much for him, it seemed.

It is just that he doesn't seem to be interested in so many school activities, and I was so glad he took the initiative to go for this one. And I was excited to see him up there, but then to find out that it's just one more little organizational piece that he didn't complete. It's been a hard week for Ethan. Earlier this week he didn't get his homework done, and part of it was that we took him to Grace's last gymnastics meet, and he didn't have time, but then the next day, he was messing around instead of getting his homework done. John and I came down pretty hard on him, and it really seemed to hit home this time. He felt bad about the choices he'd made. He told me that the teacher was going to let him off the hook the next morning, and he had to fight for the "strike" he gets for not completing an assignment. I was very proud of him for taking responsibility for that choice, and telling her he really deserved the strike. He doesn't always take responsibility. Could this be a point of maturity? Can he be getting it? I think it's a start. The Spirit's at work in that kid's heart. He's cleaning house! Wa-hoo.

So, I'm missing my family, loving them, and wishing I was with them now. But truly, I guess if I was there, I'd probably not be finally getting around to this post. I was thinking about that on my third day of eating lunch out by myself, that I've had these peaceful moments to just sit quietly and think. I do miss those, too. Just dead air. People watching. Aaahh. But I need to start packing a lunch. I think I'm going to the grocery store (gasp) and buying some freezer meals or something to bring to work next week. It seems I have the best intentions, but I don't get around to making myself a lunch in the mornings before work. I'll put shopping on the list--or ask my sweet husband to pick them up while he's there.

I think John is going to see his mom this weekend. Suddenly I realize that is like today! Maybe tomorrow. It is so strange to me how little time we have to talk sometimes. I'm not even sure if he's going for sure, and if he does, it's likely to be right away. Poof. He'll be gone.

Oh, I hope you've stuck with me for such a droning on. It's been so long since I've done that, and it did feel good. I promise to get pictures up soon of my Gertie. And whatever else.