I must have friends here, because instead of carrying my phone every where I go, and looking at it so forlorned every night wondering why I never get calls, I leave it downstairs, I leave it on the floor, I leave it my purse. I take a nap and think, hopefully that is far from where I am while I sleep, I don't want anything interrupting me. (I actually hardly ever take naps, but my daughter does.) At first I found this odd, then I realized I must be getting enough social interaction here.
That must also explain why I'm not annoyed at my husband for being quiet and sullen, in fact I've taken up the practice its quite nice to not talk. Sometimes I think he confused, he doesn't know if he should be relieved or play damage control for who knows what.
I go to two different playgroups/park days every week. It sort of makes me exhausted, to have two mornings a week absorbed in social interaction. I'm actually not exhausted at all, I just think I am when I contemplate my summer schedule. Its a fine line between too much and not enough conversation. My brain can never decided if its introvert or an extrovert. Whether it needs people around to be energized or whether I need my alone time to survive the world.
Its weird, I just spent 20 minutes talking on the phone to a friend.
My husband went a man-date, this friend cut our chair rail for the kitchen!
We went on a double date.
We have people over for dinner.
It takes a half an hour to get out of the church building because there is so many people to talk to.
Two playgroups.
All new experiences. I think the last time Brent and I went on a double date with a couple not related to us, was when we were engaged.
Not to mention we have sidewalks! We walk to parks all the time. Not to mention a yard and a driveway.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunbeam Update
Just in case I've mentioned my struggles with sunbeams to any of you out there, here is an update.
Yesterday went so much better, I totally changed around the classtime schedule, and made it more structured. I figured I've now been teaching these kids for two months, they know me now so they can handle the change. It worked so much better this sunday. There was less screaming, less cliques, less aimlessness, the structure was perfect, it kept everyone almost busy and gave me time to learn signs from my little deaf boy in class. Forty-five minutes with seven 3 and 4 year olds is a LONG time.
Have I told the blogosphere about that? I teach sunbeams, I have three girls and four boys, one is deaf, no one other than his family signs in our congregation. He is really a very smart sweet boy, he just needs a little attention/communication in a totally auditory church, which means I have to keep the other six kids occupied while he teaches me signs. Although I'll be honest he can throw some wicked tantrums since he struggles at communicating with most of the world. Luckily I have two years of practice in wicked fits with a child who didn't talk. There is a lot more drama in the sunbeam class, but maybe we'll save that for another day.
As an aside I will say, I now see one of the reasons my daughter was a late talker. Sure it is probably genetic, since myself and my son were also late talkers, but she followed a different pattern which concerned me. Everyone told me don't worry, my parents, my grandma, my husband, but yet something was off with her speech and I knew it. Which meant when her pediatrician asked how many words she said, I didn't lie when I said one, and I'm not even sure she knows ma-ma means mom. We watched her, tried to encourage speech, and I talked a lot with Danna-- my husband's sister who is a speech pathologist and has amazing gift for it. Last fall we started driving 50 minutes one way for two year old speech class with Aunt Danna. I will be honest the first few sessions I was mad at the world that my daughter wasn't talking. It was nothing anyone did or say that made me mad, I was just upset. In fact without me mentioning anything at all, Danna assured me it is nothing the parent does or doesn't do that makes their child a late talker. The late fall class was sporadic, and then in the new year we did a consistent 8 week (maybe?) class. Last fall what I didn't understand at the time was the Lord was preparing me to teach a deaf foster child in sunbeam class in a different state, that I had given up any plans of moving to. And I truly believe that. I mentioned to someone a few weeks ago, how I'm glad I did speech class with my daughter because it is helping me in sunbeams, and they asked how? Honestly I can't give a specific answer, but after watching Danna, who truly is gifted at what she does, I've learned by example how to teach and communicate with a child who doesn't talk. Sure the one I am communicating with also doesn't hear, but same principles apply. Not to mention he is starting a series of surgeries to regain his hearing, so in coming months he will hear although he will have no way to interpret what he is hearing until he is taught/learns. But based on my own impressions and conversation with the Primary President on how to best teach my class, I honestly believe one of the reasons my daughter need speech class is because the Lord cared about a little boy in a different state that my daughter lived.
Yesterday went so much better, I totally changed around the classtime schedule, and made it more structured. I figured I've now been teaching these kids for two months, they know me now so they can handle the change. It worked so much better this sunday. There was less screaming, less cliques, less aimlessness, the structure was perfect, it kept everyone almost busy and gave me time to learn signs from my little deaf boy in class. Forty-five minutes with seven 3 and 4 year olds is a LONG time.
Have I told the blogosphere about that? I teach sunbeams, I have three girls and four boys, one is deaf, no one other than his family signs in our congregation. He is really a very smart sweet boy, he just needs a little attention/communication in a totally auditory church, which means I have to keep the other six kids occupied while he teaches me signs. Although I'll be honest he can throw some wicked tantrums since he struggles at communicating with most of the world. Luckily I have two years of practice in wicked fits with a child who didn't talk. There is a lot more drama in the sunbeam class, but maybe we'll save that for another day.
As an aside I will say, I now see one of the reasons my daughter was a late talker. Sure it is probably genetic, since myself and my son were also late talkers, but she followed a different pattern which concerned me. Everyone told me don't worry, my parents, my grandma, my husband, but yet something was off with her speech and I knew it. Which meant when her pediatrician asked how many words she said, I didn't lie when I said one, and I'm not even sure she knows ma-ma means mom. We watched her, tried to encourage speech, and I talked a lot with Danna-- my husband's sister who is a speech pathologist and has amazing gift for it. Last fall we started driving 50 minutes one way for two year old speech class with Aunt Danna. I will be honest the first few sessions I was mad at the world that my daughter wasn't talking. It was nothing anyone did or say that made me mad, I was just upset. In fact without me mentioning anything at all, Danna assured me it is nothing the parent does or doesn't do that makes their child a late talker. The late fall class was sporadic, and then in the new year we did a consistent 8 week (maybe?) class. Last fall what I didn't understand at the time was the Lord was preparing me to teach a deaf foster child in sunbeam class in a different state, that I had given up any plans of moving to. And I truly believe that. I mentioned to someone a few weeks ago, how I'm glad I did speech class with my daughter because it is helping me in sunbeams, and they asked how? Honestly I can't give a specific answer, but after watching Danna, who truly is gifted at what she does, I've learned by example how to teach and communicate with a child who doesn't talk. Sure the one I am communicating with also doesn't hear, but same principles apply. Not to mention he is starting a series of surgeries to regain his hearing, so in coming months he will hear although he will have no way to interpret what he is hearing until he is taught/learns. But based on my own impressions and conversation with the Primary President on how to best teach my class, I honestly believe one of the reasons my daughter need speech class is because the Lord cared about a little boy in a different state that my daughter lived.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Back
My husband moved in with on Saturday. It was all very trilling. I went grocery shopping at 7:30 am we would have something to eat and so I wouldn't miss his probable early arrival. I figured after that I would clean the kitchen and vacuum the house. Imagine my surprise when at 9 am while I still unpacking groceries I heard a car in my garage. I found a tired look husband standing my doorway, he had started driving at 4. I was ecstatic. My daughter was equally excited to find have daddy get her from her crib. My son.. well I'm sure he was excited but he is pretty sullen, and you never can tell from his expressions. Needless to say, I was glad I cleaned my room at 11 pm instead of assuming I could get it done in the morning, I really wasn't expected him before noon.
So the children and I have lived here for two months, my husband spent three weeks getting us moved and situated before he returned to school, he was gone for 5 weeks minus the 6 days he flew in to see us. I now a lot of people here for only living here for two months, so now people keep asking is he home? Where is he what does he look like. I told someone the other day, here he is he isn't imaginary. Everyone here has been so helpful and supportive while he was gone. At first I thought why are the making a big deal out of me? This is military country people are use to spouses being gone for 6-12 months not, 5 weeks. Then I realized, oh that is why, they realize how difficult life can get.
I haven't blogged much, because well, it seemed weird to blog about life without a husband. The kids got to the point that my five year old wanted to talk on the phone with his dad, but yet didn't seem to notice if he didn't talk to him for three or four days. My daughter still daily asked "where daddy go" but she no longer seemed to expect an answer. She was just as happy to have fake conversations on her fake phone with dad as to have real conversations on my phone. In fact if she had a fake conversation that day she wouldn't talk that night. Life became normal, and I now understand how single parenthood works. I would hardly say 5 weeks is as hard, but always wondered how anyone could do it? But now I understand like anything else, you just wake up and do it, and each day repeat. Although I hardly think it was an ideal situation, I wasn't able to meet their needs like normal, and I also was being a poor substitute for a dad. Brent wasn't around much during school, it was it was amazing how much he was around in comparison to living in a different state. Anyway, we are all back together, the daily occurrences are maybe not so personal, so maybe I'll blog more.
Life is weird all together. Last night we were out to dinner, when my daughter decided to take a nap on the floor, my husband took care of it, it was like some out of body experience. I really don't think I could describe how weightless I felt to realize I didn't have to wrestle my children 24 hours a day anymore. But yet life is hardly a vacation, my husband goes to work every morning, and I still have to grocery shop with both kids. Its so miserable to shop with both of them. My daughter threw a wicked fit today, to the point that everyone, I mean everyone even from aisles away were looking at us, I finally wrestled her into the basket and strapped her in, surprisingly she calmed down within 5 or so minutes. I thought she was going to fight and scream the whole trip. Yes, I still wrestle, but its nice to know in the evenings I have back up. But honestly having back the second parent for my two parent household is really not the reasons I'm glad Brent is back. I missed my bestfriend more than I missed the other parent. If that makes sense.
So the children and I have lived here for two months, my husband spent three weeks getting us moved and situated before he returned to school, he was gone for 5 weeks minus the 6 days he flew in to see us. I now a lot of people here for only living here for two months, so now people keep asking is he home? Where is he what does he look like. I told someone the other day, here he is he isn't imaginary. Everyone here has been so helpful and supportive while he was gone. At first I thought why are the making a big deal out of me? This is military country people are use to spouses being gone for 6-12 months not, 5 weeks. Then I realized, oh that is why, they realize how difficult life can get.
I haven't blogged much, because well, it seemed weird to blog about life without a husband. The kids got to the point that my five year old wanted to talk on the phone with his dad, but yet didn't seem to notice if he didn't talk to him for three or four days. My daughter still daily asked "where daddy go" but she no longer seemed to expect an answer. She was just as happy to have fake conversations on her fake phone with dad as to have real conversations on my phone. In fact if she had a fake conversation that day she wouldn't talk that night. Life became normal, and I now understand how single parenthood works. I would hardly say 5 weeks is as hard, but always wondered how anyone could do it? But now I understand like anything else, you just wake up and do it, and each day repeat. Although I hardly think it was an ideal situation, I wasn't able to meet their needs like normal, and I also was being a poor substitute for a dad. Brent wasn't around much during school, it was it was amazing how much he was around in comparison to living in a different state. Anyway, we are all back together, the daily occurrences are maybe not so personal, so maybe I'll blog more.
Life is weird all together. Last night we were out to dinner, when my daughter decided to take a nap on the floor, my husband took care of it, it was like some out of body experience. I really don't think I could describe how weightless I felt to realize I didn't have to wrestle my children 24 hours a day anymore. But yet life is hardly a vacation, my husband goes to work every morning, and I still have to grocery shop with both kids. Its so miserable to shop with both of them. My daughter threw a wicked fit today, to the point that everyone, I mean everyone even from aisles away were looking at us, I finally wrestled her into the basket and strapped her in, surprisingly she calmed down within 5 or so minutes. I thought she was going to fight and scream the whole trip. Yes, I still wrestle, but its nice to know in the evenings I have back up. But honestly having back the second parent for my two parent household is really not the reasons I'm glad Brent is back. I missed my bestfriend more than I missed the other parent. If that makes sense.
Kids
Two stories:
My daughter was crying because she had spent about six hours in the car, with long breaks, and was sick of the last hour and half stay. We were five minutes away from our house when I noticed a pink sunset horizon. I said Nan, can you see the pink sky? She stopped and laughed and said, nooo, blue!
Before the six hours my son hid a secret message under my husband's pillow, when we went to bed, I said oh, what is under your pillow? He pulled out a very folded grocery store ad. The top in big printed letters read, "Celebrate Dad". My son can read, so he thought my husband would appreciate the Dad grocery store ad. My son loves to peruse the food ads.
My daughter was crying because she had spent about six hours in the car, with long breaks, and was sick of the last hour and half stay. We were five minutes away from our house when I noticed a pink sunset horizon. I said Nan, can you see the pink sky? She stopped and laughed and said, nooo, blue!
Before the six hours my son hid a secret message under my husband's pillow, when we went to bed, I said oh, what is under your pillow? He pulled out a very folded grocery store ad. The top in big printed letters read, "Celebrate Dad". My son can read, so he thought my husband would appreciate the Dad grocery store ad. My son loves to peruse the food ads.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Around the Globe
My daughter was spinning the globe today. I said where do you want to go? She pointed to Indonesia. I said good pick. Then she said, Hoshy and pointed again, picking Eastern Europe. Then she said Mama, and pointed to Latin America. I complained saying why does everyone want me to go to Latin America? I think she is ganging up with her daddy.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Stuff
Do you ever wish you had less stuff? Wish you bought less? Wish you careless about the things in your life? Wish you wanted less? Had less furniture? (thats not me right now, I really want a guest bed) But seriously less stuff? That would be nice, I guarantee that if we had less toys and less screen time my children would play more often with their toys.
This seems to be a recurring theme in my life... I don't know how many blog posts I've written and how many just sit in my head, but it is recurring.
Tonight I decided to blame it on my sister, she has written on envelopes for years, "Les is more" Subliminal I tell you, one day I might actually become a minimalism if she sends me enough birthday cards over the years. Although that is contradictory isn't it, enough birthday cards, les is more?!
Speaking of cards and my sister, I'm grateful we don't exchange mother's day cards. Les is more remember. I think a call from me a few days later in a panic saying I didn't send you a card, and her calm response of nor did I, is a much more lovely tradition.
Less stuff, think about that this weekend.
p.s. junk mail, coupons, all of the above is the bane of my existence
This seems to be a recurring theme in my life... I don't know how many blog posts I've written and how many just sit in my head, but it is recurring.
Tonight I decided to blame it on my sister, she has written on envelopes for years, "Les is more" Subliminal I tell you, one day I might actually become a minimalism if she sends me enough birthday cards over the years. Although that is contradictory isn't it, enough birthday cards, les is more?!
Speaking of cards and my sister, I'm grateful we don't exchange mother's day cards. Les is more remember. I think a call from me a few days later in a panic saying I didn't send you a card, and her calm response of nor did I, is a much more lovely tradition.
Less stuff, think about that this weekend.
p.s. junk mail, coupons, all of the above is the bane of my existence
Memorial Day Weekend
For memorial day weekend, Brent's oldest brother, sister in law and the four kids came to visit us. It was terribly exciting to have guests in our new house. I think all of you reading this should come visit. They really came to go to my sister in law's nephew's wedding, so other than running around at 10 oclock playing pokemon, there wasn't much time during the three days they were here. But we did get to go to Garden of the Gods together. We also went with my brother in law's friend, who knew my husband when he was about J's size.
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