Only time for a short post right now (maybe more to come later)…

I’m off to CU for the day.  Again, having a schedule makes getting out of bed so much easier!  I’ll be doing a “work” day in Comp class, taking my students to the library website and showing them how to do real research with their research paper topics.  I always like this “lecture.”  I have to stop at the store on my way home today, and I have a bit of cleaning to do when I get home.  I’m hosting a girls night for my small group this evening.  I still have no idea who/how many girls are coming.  Should be a good time, though.

EDIT (10:49 am)  As for the rest of my weekend…I’ll be back in C-ville hanging out with the family on Saturday.  Karen & Erik will be around with Jason and Maggie (the dog), and Deb will probably bring the nieces over since my brother is out of town at a NASCAR race.  So we’re just going to have a big party at my parents’ house!

And most exciting…sometime after midnight on Saturday night, Eric is going to get home!!   I can hardly wait. END EDIT

Okay, need to get going.  Happy Friday!

Random Thoughts

Most importantly: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM!!!

In other news:
Ps. 34:4 – “I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”  The night is always the most difficult time for me; I seem to have insufficient defenses between midnight and 6 am to combat the mental attacks that I struggle with the most.  In the dark, I can only see my own darkness, and it is difficult to see God’s light.  But even in the darkest moments of the night (literally and spiritually), this verse rings true.  Amen!

I got an email from a friend of mine last night.  I’m sure I’ve blogged about her and her family before.  They have 5 children under the age of 5 (the oldest turns 6 this month, I think), and two of the kids have cystic fibrosis.  She emailed me last night to tell me she’s expecting again, due in October, so if you think of it, pray that God would protect this little one from having the disease.

It was nice to have a schedule yesterday again.  My students were very attentive and responsive, overall, so that was very nice. I also realized that for the next three weeks (this one and the two following) I only have to work 2 of the 3 normal work days!  It’ll be April before I have to work a full week again!

I spent some time at Chris & Deb’s after classes yesterday.  It was fun to hang out with them, and Kelly invited me to stay for dinner.  Since she (at 5) would not be cooking dinner, I made her ask her mom.   Those two girls are pretty darn cute, I have to say. 

A happy thing: Eric called me briefly while I was at Chris & Deb’s, which was unexpected and so lovely!  They had left the park for gas and were getting ready to take a rougher road to see where it lead them.  But as they had cell phone service, he took the opportunity to call me.  We only talked for about 5 minutes (the service drops off very quickly out there), but it was so nice to hear his voice.  And he sounded like he was enjoying himself immensely, driving the Hummer for the first time!

Oh, and one funny story from the visit:  Holly, the younger niece, was playing with a letter game.  She pushed the “i” button.  The game said “I is for igloo” and showed a picture of an igloo.  I asked her, “What’s an igloo made of?”  Without hesitation, she piped up, “Penguins!”

Anyway, they had church last night, so we all left about 6:30.  They also let me borrow Ratatouille since I hadn’t seen it yet.  So I watched that when I got home, after chatting with Karen on the phone for a while.  I went to bed a little after 10.  Three more days until Eric comes home…I don’t know how BE made it for 3 whole weeks (and longer)!

Yesterday was pretty full.  I tidied up my house and graded a few papers in the morning, and after lunch, I went over to a friend’s house for a few hours to chat.  Karen called while I was there and invited me to have dinner with them, so I went home, washed up the dishes at my house, and then headed to Karen & Erik’s.  I hung out with them until about 9:00, put gas in my car, and headed home to go to bed.  Overall, a nice day!

Oh, and I watched the first hour of AI at Karen & Erik’s…now I feel like a real Xanga person!

Today is the hump day for sure this week.  But it was nice to have a schedule again and a productive day ahead of myself.  I’m currently in my office, so I’ll need to get to actual work shortly (mostly grading).  I have classes like a normal day, and then I’ll head over to Deb’s house for a bit.  I promised the nieces that I’d come see them today, so I will! 

I almost began this post with another “I have nothing of value to say” comment, but then I remembered that I do have something of value to talk about…praising God!  So may I just say that God is incredibly good.  It’s been a long, hard couple of weeks, but He has totally met we where I am.  We are so blessed to serve such an awesome and intimate Savior!

Happy Wednesday, my Xanga friends!

Family Days

It’s Tuesday morning.  I want this week to go faster than it is.  I am not a patient person.

Eric called me yesterday.  They arrived safely at their hotel on Sunday night (11-ish CA time); Eric had trouble sleeping because his brother, Ryan, snores loudly (makes sleeping in a tent with him fun, too).  But he survived, and they were almost to Joshua Tree National Park when he called.  He told me about the oddly camouflaged cell phone towers that Californians thought were a good idea.  They really aren’t. We chatted briefly before his phone cut out, so he called me back to say goodbye.  It’s not likely that I’ll hear from him again until Friday or Saturday.   But he sounded like they were having a good time, driving their rented red Hummer (H3, I think) around in the CA deserts.  

Anyway, to fill my time, I spent most of yesterday hanging out with my family.  I needed to get out of my house, for sure.  So after lunch, I went over to Karen’s for a bit.  I held Jason and played with Maggie and talked to Karen and Erik.  After a while, Erik went to the grocery store, and as he left, we had the following exchange.

Me:  Have fun.  Buy whatever you want.
Erik: Do I have your permission?
Me: Of course!
Erik:  Can I have your money, too?

He’s a funny guy.  Quiet, but funny.  Then I collected a few things Mom had left at Karen’s house and headed to C-ville for the rest of the day.  My parents weren’t home from work yet, so I went over to Chris & Deb’s.  Chris hadn’t had to work yesterday, so they were all there.  I didn’t call before I came; I just knocked on the door and waited.  After a few seconds, I saw the curtains move and Kelly’s face appeared.  She saw me, turned around, and hollered (I heard her through the door), “Mom! Dad!  It’s…Shannah!”  There was much joy from the nieces.  So I played with the girls and talked to Deb (and a little to Chris) and then headed back to my parents.

Funny comments from my brief visit there:

Holly started pretending to drop her wand down behind a bed.  Deb told her not to to a couple of times.  She did it again.
Me: Are you being a stinker?
Holly:  Not me! (said with an emphasis on “me”)

Later, Kelly was stalling so that I didn’t leave.
Kelly: Hey, Shannah!
Me: What?
Kelly: We have lots of curtains (running her hands along the living room drapes).

I went over to Mom and Dad’s and had dinner with them.  Chris and Deb brought the girls over, and they played while we chatted.  I talked to my mom before heading home and collapsed into bed.

Today, I have some grading that I now must do.  And I could stand to do some cleaning around my house.  And I’m planning to visit a friend of mine this afternoon.  That should be fun!  And if I need to not be alone, I’m sure my sister will let me bother her for a while again, too!

Okay, I think that’s it for now…happy Tuesday!

What a…

Crazy computer:  I just “lost” my entire post when Firefox shut down.  But thankfully, the restore my previous session option even had my post still intact!  Shwew!

Weekend:  I’ve been cooped up in my house since last Friday about 3:00 pm.  I hung out with my husband, did laundry, and generally tried to occupy my time.  I was planning to go to small group last night, but it was canceled.  So I watched a 2-hour special of television bloopers which was VERY funny.  I went to bed about 9:30.

Goodbye:  Eric left for his brother’s house around 1 pm yesterday afternoon.  He was definitely as sad to go as I was to see him leave.  I can’t imagine how my friends handle it whose husbands work at Honda and have to go to Japan for 2 weeks at a time (sometimes twice a year!).  And, hard as it was to see him go, I did get an email today from him, letting me know that they arrived in CA safely.  So now I’ll just count days until he’s home…

Response:  First of all, you guys are the best.  Terri’s “reminder” not to wallow was particularly helpful, but the prayers and such have been so great.  Thanks for caring.  Yesterday, I also talked to my sister and mom in the afternoon.  Then my mom called back in the evening to see how I was doing.  I love how moms just know when they need to check on their kids.  We had a long chat, and I really needed her perspective on a lot of things. 

God:  I cannot even begin to tell you how great a God we serve.  I realized last night that my tension and stress (bordering on panic at moments) was not the only option I had.  I could, instead, live in peace and rest.  So I began to pray and practice some of my favorite verses: Phil. 4:6-7 and 1 Pet 5;7-10.  I talked to my mom and to God, and He has most definitely met me where I am.  It’s still going to be a long, lonely week.  But God is good.  God is able.  God is right here with me.  God is…well, you fill in the blank.  Today, how would you finish this sentence:  God is ____________________. 

Happy Monday!

Eric just left… 

So now I’m on my own for a whole week.  It’s going to be a long week.

The snow is lovely.  We didn’t go out in it.  We skipped church (they only canceled early service, and it would’ve gotten out too late for Eric’s trip).  Eric shoveled the driveway to make sure I could get out.  Love that man!

I may get some ironing done.  I will probably go to small group tonight. 

It’s the last day of my Spring Break (*sigh*), and it’s supposed to snow.  Of course, the ground is perfectly clear on this overcast morning.  But they’re calling for it to really get going after Noon.  I guess we shall see…

Yesterday, I spent the morning on the computer, as well as cleaning bathrooms and starting the laundry.  I went with Karen and Mom (and Jason, of course) to Babies R Us in the afternoon.  They forgot to take along the list they’d made, but then remembered everything on it (I can never do that!).  Jason slept pretty much the whole time we were out, so that made things pretty easy, too.  In the evening, Eric and I did some running around together before heading to bed. 

Have I mentioned lately how utterly fantastic my husband is?  ‘Cause he’s really just great.

Anyway, today, I’ll spend more time on laundry, I think.  I have to make dinner for some friends tonight, and I may also make a WalMart run to buy batteries for my husband’s trip next week.  He has a lot of gadgets to take with him.  In case I haven’t mentioned this trip, Eric is flying to CA with his brothers on Sunday for a week-long camping trip in Death Valley.  He won’t come back until next Saturday.  I will miss him lots.

This evening, we are tentatively planning a family party at Karen’s house for my mom.  But if it snows too bad, we’ll postpone. That will be really sad because my dad won’t be able to come up with Chris and Deb, and he’s really missing my mom this week!  They are one of those cute couples who, after 35+ years of marriage, still would rather hang out together than do almost anything else.  And my poor dad has been at home while Mom stayed with Karen and Erik this week.  Of course, Chris & Deb made sure he was doing okay,  so he wasn’t completely on his own all week!  But still…that’s a long time for them to spend apart.

Anyway, I think that’s all I’ve got for this morning.  I hope you all have a lovely Friday!

I have lots of thoughts in my head, swirling around, but I don’t really know how or whether to put them down today.

Yesterday, I was not productive.  I did go to the bookstore, but apparently wasn’t in the mood to buy anything because I left without spending my $25 gift card.  I need some good book suggestions (fiction or otherwise) from anyone who’s got them.  What have you read, say in the last year, that was really worth your time?

I spent most of the afternoon at my sister’s house, hanging out with the gang over there.  I got to hold Jason while he was awake in the afternoon, his little blue eyes moving slowly back and forth.  We walked and sang and talked and then I gave him back to his mom when he got hungry.  That’s the best part of being the aunt!  Anyway, I may end up back over there today sometime, but I do need to get a few things done at my own house today. 

The evening wasn’t eventful.  Eric was very late again (7:30!), so I waited as long as I could, but ate dinner without him.  I watched some television, then cleaned up the kitchen and did some bible study.  Eric came down to chat for a while, too.  We goofed off at the computers for a while, and then we headed to bed. 

I think that’s all I’ve got for now…happy Thursday!

I feel like I don’t have much to say today, so this might be short.

I was pretty busy all day yesterday.  I voted, went to the post office, and stopped at Kroger on my way home.  I met a friend for lunch (Applebee’s for soup/salad combo), and then spent the rest of the afternoon at my sister’s house keeping her (and Jason) company.  I didn’t get home until 6:00, and Eric didn’t get home until almost 7:00.  We had dinner and then just crashed on the couch for the evening.  I read for a while before turning out my light at 9:30. 

EDIT: Karen is doing pretty well.  She’s getting enough sleep to stay “just-this-side” of exhaustion.  The baby is (mostly) eating well, but he’s a little lazy she said.  If it’s “too hard” to get the nipple in his mouth, he just gets mad. He also does NOT like a messy diaper.  He won’t even eat until he’s changed.  They’re working on getting him to stay away for “play time” between feedings and naps, and she said he sleeps pretty well between 8 pm and 2 am, but after that, it’s hit or miss.  Her stitches are still hurting her some, but Advil is a new mom’s best friend, and we tried to keep the giggling, coughing or other motions to a minimum.  End EDIT

Today, I have few plans.  I should clean my bathrooms.  I could vacuum.  I might go spend my gift card to Barnes & Noble.  Maybe I’ll just sit on the couch and knit.  This evening, I have to take dinner to a couple that just had a baby, but other than that, we shall see…

Happy Wednesday!

Yesterday was a be-a-u-ti-ful day.  Loved, loved, loved the sunshine and warm wind.  Of course it’s rainy today, and the temperature/weather are supposed to worsen gradually all week.  But it is only March, and the warm days will come more regularly (and closer together) all the time.  I think I can wait a few more weeks for spring…

I swept and mopped my kitchen and bathroom floors yesterday.  That was my “productive” task.  I also finished a pair of slippers which I will be mailing to a certain Xanga friend this morning sometime.  I read some, wrote some, goofed off some.  I went to the post office and put gas in my car.  Eric and I watched Evan Almighty last night and then a couple episodes of Good Eats before heading to bed. 

Today will be pretty full.  I have a number of errands to run (post office, voting, groceries) and things to do (lunch with a friend, hang out at Karen’s for a while).  Maybe the rain will wash all the dirt off my car…it’s getting really disgusting!

Okay, I can’t think of anything else exciting to say right now…happy Tuesday!