A New Title in Life

Stay-at-home-mom. This will be my new position in life for the foreseeable future. Obviously, it hasn't completely sunk in yet, but I am looking forward to opening this new chapter in life.

I handed the reigns completely over to the new preschool teacher this week. I said good bye to "my kids" at the end of last week. There was only one in tears (and it wasn't me) so that was a good thing. Over the past week the preschoolers have already bonded with their new teacher and it makes me feel good knowing that they are in capable hands. I was even able to prolong the good byes by saying that I would try to make it back for graduation. (I don't do final good byes very well. This is my way of coping.)

This is one of the gifts that I received on my last day. It makes me smile every time that I see it.


And now the waiting can truly begin.

A Great New Snack

I have recently discovered a really good snack. It seems to cure my craving for sweet baked goods and I really don't think that it is too bad for a person. Would you like to know what it is?

Huh?

Huh?

Wouldya?

I take a Hunts Snack Pack. Any flavor will do.

And scoop out the pudding with Nilla Wafers. (And you had better believe that I have the giant two-pack from Sams.)

A Different Life

This past week I feel as if someone has taken me out of my life and transported me into another life. Many of the details of my life remain the same, but so many others are surreal substitutes. Here is a taste of what we have been experiencing lately:

-Helicopters (including coast guard helicopters) flying over our house and some landing in the school three blocks behind our home

-National Guard vehicles parked and driving all over town

-Seeing state, local, and national media in and around our town, as well as government agencies

-Having levees built on the off and on ramps closest to our home and on the main road to our home

-Having life come to a virtual stand still (no work, no school, no garbage collection, only essential businesses open, travel restrictions being advised)

-Trying to conserve water so as not to overwhelm the city's sanitary sewer

-Tuning in to the daily city press conference

-Having the Coast Guard airboat parked in the school parking lot near our home

-Living with everything up on our main level and a virtually empty lower level

-Learning that friends have been evacuated from their homes

-Hearing that friends need help protecting their homes from the rising water

Throughout this all, I can't tell you how thankful I am that I know of the one thing that never changes, the love my Lord has for me. Though he mountains may crumble to the sea, my Lord will stand forever! What a joy it was yesterday to go to our church and worship this Lord with our friends. To drink up his Word and promises. To let the cares of this world fall away and the joys of the world to come wash over my soul.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

The Other Side

When M and I watch a movie, it is ussually rented. If we do go to a theater, it is the cheap theater which is convienently located a few blocks from our home. The cheap theater is . . . cheap. The chairs are all a bit broken. The floor is always sticky. The heat is always turned down. It is however . . . cheap. I can't see spending more than two times the amount of money to see the same thing. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Just this month, however, we went to a "real" theater two times. (It was even an UltraScreen!!) We had coupons to get $4 tickets the first time and then free ticket vouchers the second time. You should have seen us as we walked in. It was like being in New York City for the first time. The carpet was vacuumed. There were digital signs naming the movie playing outside of each theater and how long until show time. Once we entered our theater, we walked to our seats without having to peel our shoes from the floor. Oh and our seats, they were so comfy!! Even better, I didn't need the extra coat I always carry to movies as they seemed to have the heat turned up to a comfortable temperature.
Now this doesn't mean that we won't be going right back to our cheap theater ways now that the coupons have been redeemed, but it was nice to see how the other side lives--even for a few hours.

Just Over the Bridge

Unfortunately this summer, a bridge near our home was hit by a garbage truck and caused some damage. At the time, the bridge was closed until it could be inspected and once deemed safe, opened again. They are now working on fixing the damage. In the beginning they were doing their work at night and it didn't effect us at all. The other day, however, that all changed. I had a meeting at work at 6 p.m. It usually take 15 minutes commute time for me. I left at 5:30 and planned on getting some work done before the meeting. As it turned out, I used all of my extra time sitting on the road in stopped traffic. I don't do well in stop and go traffic and quickly grew impatient. I figured out an alternate route and made it just in time for the meeting. I am just hoping that they finish the bridge soon and my commute isn't doubled for long.

ID Please

So, remember that M and I had to get new driver's licenses? After our second trip to the DMV we both passed the written exam. (I scored higher than M. :o) And applied for our licenses. Unfortunately, our state is one of the few that still take 4 - 6 weeks to make your hard copy and mail it to you. A few weeks ago, we received our awaited mail from the DMV. At first glance I thought all was good. On closer inspection, however, I realized that mine had my maiden name. I checked out the copy of the paper work that I had and to my relief, found that the mistake wasn't mine. I called the 800 number on the paper work and after getting a busy signal for 15 minutes, and being put on hold when I finally got through, I spoke with a representative. She had to pull up my records which took another chunk of time. Once back on, she admit that it was their fault and she apologized for the mistake. Now I am waiting another 4 - 6 weeks for my driver's license with my married name. I am just hoping that this doesn't pose any problems when I go to vote next Tuesday.

Wonderfully Lazy Saturdays

Despite good intentions of having a productive weekend at home, we ended up having a lazy Saturday. It was cold and rainy and that was enough of an excuse to stay home and enjoy doing nothing. M had just gotten a new Popular Machanics in the mail and happily spent the morning reading it cover to cover. I had just purchased a new book last weekend and decided to finish it off.
You know what? The soapscum, dust, and dirt are still there to take care of. They didn't go anywhere without me. :o) Maybe I should make it a productive Tuesday afternoon. Or maybe not . . .

A Wonderful Day

Yesterday evening I decided to transfer my normal walk around the neighborhood to a park about a mile from our house. After parking the car and hooking up my soundtrack to life, my MP3 player, I headed off onto the paths and grassy fields along the river in the park. I knew it would be a good walking day when I set off, but I didn't yet know how good. It was one of those perfectly fall days where everything just seems right in the world. The sun was glinting off the freshly yellowing leaves. The sky was blue dotted with the occasional puffy white cloud. The temperature was just warm enough to leave the air feeling crisp, but not too cold. The park was buzzing with activity. There were children playing soccer, dads playing with their kids, and even runners in a race.

I so wish that I had my camera with me as I walked. I just didn't know how the day would inspire me. I thought I was going for a simple walk. (I have included some pictures taken last year around this time from the same park. The other peeps in the first pic are M's sister and my sister.) You will just have to try and recreate my day in your own mind's eye.

I truly hope that each and everyone of you can revel your own wonderful fall day.

My Summer Vacation

Well, it is back to school for me today. It was a great summer filled with lots and family and fun. As with all great things, it is done all too quickly and leaves me wanting more. Here is a quick recap of this summer's greatest hits.




1. We started out with a wonderful weekend of camping at Lake Bemidji State Park where we put on lots of trail miles on our bikes. (Some of those miles involved getting rained and hailed on.)


2. In mid June we headed out for M's brother's wedding. It was the first time all of M's family had been together in over a year and we made the most of it. There was eating, dancing, picnicking, bonfiring and lots of talking. Here is a picture of M and his brothers at the wedding.





3. It was then off to school for me. I stayed with my parents for 8 days as I took an 3 credit course. It was the first time I took a for-credit course since I graduated 7 years ago. It went well and left me thinking I wouldn't mind going back for more. (Here is our family's traditional first day of school shot on the front steps.)

4. While home I got to welcome back my younger sister from over a month in South America. I made her this monkey cake on the day she flew in. (Aren't they cute?)

5. Next on the calendar was my older sister's wedding. Another great reunion with family reunion and celebration of God's gift of marriage. Even though the day was rather warm and sticky, we partied it up in true style. In this picture you can tell that M and I are a little worn out and a little sweaty, but still having fun.

6. When we returned, it was time to paint the house. We spent many hot hours painting five rooms, but it is worth it. I love the colors that we picked and I loved painting without having to worry about the trim and the floors.

7. Before we knew it, it was moving time. We started out moving a van load of boxes at a time and then my parents came and helped us finish it off. We even epoxied the garage floor before we drove on it.

8. The final joy of the summer is the visitors that we have been able to have now that we have a house. My parents have made it twice, M's sister came, my older sister and her hubby were just here, and some college friends who were in town for a family wedding stayed over night. (And there are more scheduled for this fall. YEAH!!)

The DMV . . . What's Not to Love?

Why is it that no matter where you are, the Department of Motor Vehicles is never a fun place to be. Is it the long lines? Is it that no one really wants to take time out of their day to be there? Is it the rubbing of elbows with the Creme de la Creme of society?

We were privileged to spend a good chunk of our afternoon at our local DMV recently. We needed to get new plates for the cars and new driver's licences for ourselves. (This is what happens when you buy a home in a different state than the one you rented in.)

Before leaving, we gathered up almost all of the important documents that we would need. We almost cleared out the entire fire-proof safe. We would need to prove who we were, where we lived, that we owned our cars, that our cars are insured, that I am indeed married, and that we aren't martians. (Okay, we didn't have to prove the last one, but they may want to look into that one.) Of course we couldn't find our up-to-date insurance cards which meant a stop on the way to pick up new ones. Grrr.

We got to the DMV which is located in a part of town that I didn't even know existed and there was a line out the door. It got better once we got inside and realized there were two lines, one for plates and one for driver's licenses. We tackled the plates first as our old tabs expire at the end of the month.

Once we got through that line we learned that we would have to take a written test to get our licenses. (Never mind the fact that we both took driver's ed and got our first licenses in this state.) But wait--the written exam portion of the office closed at 3 and it is now 3:15. Sorry, you will have to come back and repeat the process. (Oh, and we only allow for that Wednesday through Friday from 12 noon until 3 p.m.)

No worries, though, I will have some good reading material in the mean time--the good old driver's manual.