It's already November?

I can't believe how quickly time goes by.  One day, maybe, I'll stop being surprised when it's almost the middle of November and I haven't bought any Christmas presents yet, and Thanksgiving is only, like, two weeks away... Maybe someday...

We are firmly in to the school year, though, and that means craziness, because my first baby is a senior (!) this year. I think all my hair will be falling out by June. I'll have to wear a wig to graduation.  I am encouraged, though, because there is so much good in education! I homeschool my two girls, but my baby- my first baby- is a senior in public high school. His teachers are so good to us. He is on the autism spectrum, so I've been thinking hard (read: worrying, fussing, having anxiety) about next year. 

I always do that- I live with him in the five-years-from-now state. I pray about this, and try to be in the present, but I can't help it always... As in, the very human part of me goes to five years from now, even though the Holy Spirit is telling me to rest. Because I always wonder how this is going to work? I want him to launch, but I see him flapping, and pacing, and muttering to himself "Eye of the Tiger" lyrics... And. I. Just. Wonder. How?

So... True educators are out there. People that want our autistic children to succeed. People that have designed programs just for kids like mine, and who make it their mission to educate these special, challenging children. I met one this week, and I wanted to hug her! Plus she told me she just loves my kid! Maybe I won't have to get a wig after all.

This makes me so hopeful. And grateful. And a little less anxious... Because I think there are more people that want the future to be good for all of us. That's pretty cool, in my book:)

I just love him, too. And I love Him... I'm so thankful for all that I have.

Bonding

Pippin cleans Tommy's face:) nightly!

Sisters... Supposed to be doing school...

The best dog ever.

We missed each other, too!:)

Events...

It's been an interesting week...

Mark is training every waking moment with Pippin- which is good- we are all so on-board with this, so I'm not trying to whine, or sound like woe-to-me- because it's fine, it's what we knew we were signing up for- this means, though, that it's just me and the kids all day for several days at a time. Again, I'm on board, the kids are on board, and Mark and Pippin are doing fantastic! 

It's just that I have to handle every issue. Light bulbs, may I say, are one of those things... I hate changing light bulbs. I know it's weird... It's just that I hate doing it.  I can do clogged toilets, but I don't do spiders (I have a threshold- if it's bigger than my pinky nail then it's too big).  I can run kids to the doctor, practices, pharmacy, etc. no worries, but I can't stand it if there's a snake in the yard - and they always show up when Mark isn't home. What is that?!

So, it's not really a struggle, moment for moment, it's just that when a big moment, a big deal happens, I'm wondering if I'll be able to deal... Like a grown-up, you know. I'm thinking yes... But...

I had to deal with this on Wednesday: 

"Mom, em em em! I lost k8 it's terrible! Me & a animal sure I can watch but a small human child with a motor scoot!!!? What do u think i am? The flash? Rainbow dash? Sonic?!!! U think I can keep up with a pink motor scooter? She's prob @ Germany by now! SOS! O ps I'm starved what's 4 din?- " 

Then: " K I might have freaked out, the bike's n the garage, but what if some1 has taken her? If some1 has Hell hath no fury like a big bro scorned I'll keep u updated"

So, I've left Tommy and Katie alone (disclaimer: they are both independent and perfectly ok to be left alone, of age and all that) for 30 minutes to run their sister to guitar practice. I'm amazed, here, because Tommy is not social. At all. He's autistic (high functioning). How does he know how to text so well? Secondly, when I left, they were both in the kitchen listening to music. What on earth? Mind you, I'm not freaked out, I'm wondering at the complexity of Tommy's brain. He's kind of quoting Shakespeare, here, yet thinks his sister is riding a pink scooter to Germany... From the east coast of the USA.  Also, he's hungry. When the crisis is over, he expects food (I stopped at Little Ceasars- can't beat $5 pizza- especially in an "event"). Also, he is thinking I expect him to be a running- type of super hero. Um, not even.

So, of course, I text back "have you found her yet?"

He replies:: "Not yet!!! I looked around, & n the house, n the backyard & the front 1 2 also n the garage, n her room around the block, @ her closest hood friends houses & even @ the school playground! The only thing lft 2 do is post a nwa (hood wide alert) just n case u didn't know, she couldn't have gotten far!"

Ok, so reason is returning. Somewhat. She isn't in Germany anymore, but now I have a hand-flapping-seventeen-year-old getting ready to start knocking on doors. I'm impressed he's thought through where to look for her, actually. He's wanting to utilize community resources. She's 11, and little-miss-independent (unless it's cloudy, but that is another story), so I'm getting upset (between fits of laughter) because I'm fairly certain she's toying with him, and hiding.

So, I'm handling this right? I reply to him that we are 30 seconds out, don't worry the neighbors, I'm almost home.

Here's the resolution:  "Just found her!:) the lil bugger took a walk & listened 2 some music somewhere without my permission!!! She almost gave me a heart atak the lil stink!!! Just wait till u get home! "

Crisis averted, all is well, pizza is ready. It turns out she did tell him she was walking around our very safe little block, but was listening to music (Ariana Grande. On repeat, people), so she didn't hear him calling for her. He was also listening to music ("eye of the tiger" on repeat) when she told him, so he didn't hear her.

I love my crew!!! My sweet family drives me crazy sometimes! I struggle with making all the right choices, infusing responsibility, but not hovering!!! I need to give all my anxieties to God, and be peaceful... It is such a struggle, though, for someone who has anxiety (that would be me). I think in this little story, though, we are seeing a few victories: I wasn't scared, God showed a sense of humor, everyone rose to the occasion and showed responsibility and love (after the initial scare, of course,and the fight over which piece of pizza they were getting), and we all talked about the buddy system, and paying attention, and teachable moments like that. It's all good. For real.

Then we laughed, and laughed, and joked about how our family would make a great reality TV show. 

Bless it.

Last week in September!

My goodness... 

We have a lot of these moments...

So...

The weather has been so nice, here, in Virginia! I can't believe it:) we are usually SO over being hot, but it has been nice. It's been temperate.  The way, I think, Virginia is supposed to feel.  The way I want everything to feel (temperate, right? Life is so not temperate).  The weather, it turns out, affects me way more than I think it should.  Which is why I was surprised to wake up 'full of the cold' (as my Scottish friend says).  Again (like, every two weeks I'm sick! What is that?).

So, like everything else in my life that is unexpected (which is, like, everything), I rolled with it, took some airborne (not working so much for me anymore), some extra vitamins, too, and took some bubble baths.  My favorite thing in the world when I'm sick is a hot bubble bath. And chicken noodle soup. But now I have to be gluten free, so I don't have any gluten free chicken noodle soup in my house... So bubble baths it was.  I also like to read, so I'm reading Outlander- it's good:) I'm on the upswing I think, and the weather is still pretty nice.

We are loving having a dog!  Pippin is awesome, and totally sweet.  He is training to be a search and rescue dog, and is doing sooooooo good!!!  He is very smart, and cute, and sweet. So, we are totally becoming dog people.  I have to say, though, that lab hair is everywhere! When I tell my friends about this I get an eye roll and pretty much the same response: give it up. The hair is everywhere. All the time. Yes, even after you vacuum. Yes. All over. Even on the counters. Even after he goes to work (with Mark). Give. It. Up.

It's all good. I do love him:)

We are doing well with school, too. I think it's possible that I'm becoming more laid back, because if we don't do something or don't finish a lesson, or the girls just don't get something, I'm like... Alright. We'll try again later. Let's have some pretzels.  Let's go for a walk.  Let's read some Harry Potter. That will probably all change when it's test time... But I hope not. I like being less stressed. 

And that is the heart of it all, right? That thing I keep coming back to... God has it. I don't know when that will stop surprising me- you know, when at the last minute everything just works out, and it's okay. Things fall into place, the situation works itself out, pain becomes understandable, stress becomes less.  I have to remind myself that sometimes I just need to wait. Wait and be still. Wait to see the possibility in what seems like an impossible moment. 

It isn't easy. I know I don't have all the answers. I'm so not a having-it-all-together person.  I've come a long way, though:) God is so not finished, either.❤️

three weeks in:)

yes.... so.... week three of being back in a routine.

Can I repeat this? We need routine.  I need it, the kids need it, the husband needs it, and our new dog needs it.  We are routine people (and critters).

Next summer, I believe, will have to be more structured! That, or someone is going on a very long vacation (hint: me, me, me)!

We are busy, but not over-committed.  The meals are being more intentionally planned (which, can I add, makes a huge difference in the evening stress level).  We keep the house more tidy.  Even the kids are realizing that routine is 'more better'

I still need to figure out the exercise issue, though, for me.  I'm horribly out of shape, and I like to watch the Avengers, and then I feel worse because Black Widow would be able to save her children from attacking aliens, while I would not... Of course, Black Widow doesn't have children, so there might be something to that.  Plus, she's ex-Russian, and a spy, and in fabulous shape.  The point is, I need to exercise more than I do.

We are also on the up-curve of the whole gluten-free thing (yes, again... hopefully there will be no nervous breakdown this time).  It's not that it is SO HARD; it is, however, a drag for someone who loves pancakes and pizza- at IHOP and Pizza Hut, mind you.  There is no such thing as eating out gluten free at these establishments.  It is what it is, though.  I'm learning.  I also feel better when I'm eating better (I still can't kick any alien's backside, though, as I am not yet training with the Avengers). I guess we all need to start somewhere:)

Never Forget.

Please join me in prayer for our country, and all the survivors of 9-11-01.  Life will never be the same, yet we can rest in the hope that everything has purpose. I pray for all of us, that we would honor this day every year as a tribute to the many heros who answered the call to help, and to the every-day people that helped socially, medically, financially, and prayerfully since the attacks on our country.  Our work is not done, here. I believe we are all survivors and as such, the tragedy of 9-11 should not be in vain. Be vigilant. Pray hard. 

School time:)

Well, summer is officially done... Praise God (for real) we are back in a routine. We (I especially) do so much better when in a routine.  I love sleeping in, and not having to be anywhere for about two weeks. After that, we (I) tend to fall apart mentally, emotionally, well- you probably get the picture, right? It's a fine line to balance being too scheduled, and completely unscheduled. For me at least.

So- here are a few snapshots of our last few weeks:

The whole crew played in the waves

Father and son bonded some in the water

The girls, of course, looked adorable...

And then, just like that (!) I have a senior in Highschool!  (whaaaaaaattttt!???)

I homeschool the girly-goos... 10th-ish, and 6th-ish

So- it was a good first week! I feel good about it, at least. Everyone was smiling on Friday (a good indication), and we even watched The Avengers for movie night (who doesn't like that?)!

To every thing there is a season... Embrace the one you're in!