I Wasted $35 on Flowers and Then I Cried

At least I can show you my lovely flowers.

We were scheduled to have a professional photographer come to the house today to get pictures to put on our realtors' website. I went home at lunch and got everything ready. I turned on lights, opened blinds, vacuumed, hid everything in cupboards, even dragged a huge ottoman to the garage.

When I got in the car to go back to school, there was a message from our realtor that the photographer had cancelled all appointments for today because of rain. So I went around and turned off all of the lights and pouted. If only I had brought my phone in the house, I could have spared myself all of that work!

Selling a house is HARD. Especially when you are doing all of this really fantastic work and there are no actual home buyers to see it. None.

Sigh.

I am staying as optimistic as possible. I believe that God has a plan and that it includes some tests, some lessons, some bumps, in order to get to a finish line that includes us moving into a home in our new town that is just right for us. How could we appreciate any of it at all if it were all smooth sailing and super easy?!

The Hubs and I have been talking about moving back to this town, the one we are moving to, since we left it. It's the town where we met. The town where we both attended the small university, where we earned our Bacholor's degrees. It's the town where our kids will attend school. Where I hope we will grow old together.

I'm excited. Sad. Happy. Nervous. Stressed. Everything all at once. Leaving a job that I love. Taking on a job that I've always wanted (full time mom for a year). Trying to stay sane. And tidy.

For a tidy house will sell. At least that's what I keep telling myself!

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Attack of the School-Ager

Since I picked her up, 40 minutes ago, my B has used the following phrases with the perfect amount of sarcasm.

"C'mon!" (Not as in hurry up, but as in c'mon, are you kidding me?!?!)

"Seriously?!"

"I know, right?" (Said to her four-year old brother, so he's sure to pick up these neat little gems as well.)

Help me now.


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Speaking of Wiggly Teeth

My B is nearing the end of 1st grade and STILL has all of her baby teeth. This has bothered her the entire school year, I think she's just given up on it by now.

She's got two loose teeth, her bottom front two. We were talking about them at dinner, she gently wiggled them while we spoke.

Me: "Do you think the tooth fairy will even find us when you finally lose one?!"

B nods her head.

Me: "How do you think the tooth fairy even finds our house?"

B: (fluttering her pretend fairy wings) "She just FLUTTERS around....with her tiny GPS."

Kids these days and their newfangled ideas.

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This Mother's Day

I'm so thankful for my own mother. My mother-in-law. And my two grandmothers. I'm a lucky woman to have so many strong, wonderful moms to look up to.

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This Mother's Day, I will remember as the one where our house was full of boxes and we were preparing to sell our house.

I've resigned from the job I love and am preparing to move my family half way across our state. Back to the town where I met my husband. The first town I lived in away from home.

This mama won't be an Omaha one for much longer.

I'm going to live in a much smaller town and my husband is going to be the principal of its one public high school. 

There will be a lot of decisions to make. A LOT.

But for today, I'm going to sip my coffee, head to church, and then spend the rest of the day in a cleaning frenzy. I am decidedly grateful for all of the opportunities that lay ahead of us and am trying really hard not to get stuck in the stress of the rest!

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Four for Now

Four!

It was one of those perfect days. We had family over to celebrate M's 4th birthday. The first cook-out of the season. Hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, veggies, fruits...all of the perfect food that we love this time of year.

If the day had a theme, it would be LEGO'S. He's four now and LOVES LEGO'S! He's also got a set of golf clubs (he's actually hitting balls at me as I type) that he's very excited about and some moon sand that he's itching to open.

The kids played outside and no one had to yell to shut the door because of hot or cold, in fact, no one really even noticed one way or the other. There were as many kids at the party as grown ups...we may have even been out-numbered by one or two.

I can't remember more perfect weather, the sun was shining and the wind being mercifully still for once.

Right now, he's begging me to come and help him make ONE MORE Lego house. Just one more. Yeah right.

Last night I tried to convince him that maybe he could turn two today. And one next year. And we'd keep going up to four and back again forever. Because four is so big. And the beginning of everything.

I'm just so grateful that we've had these four beautiful years with this wonderful boy. My M.
Can't wait for whatever's next!

Spring Break

I listen to them playing, this being their first day of spring break. The first three, for me, were a day of staff development, a day of spring cleaning, and a day of running errands with J.

B is getting so big, so smart. On Monday, she didn't question the fact that she'd had to go to church (our daycare) because I'd been in eight hours of training that day. Tuesday and Wednesday though, she asked me, "Why'd we have to go to school?!" She knew I'd taken some time to get things done without their HELP.

Things have changed so much since they were babies. I'd take every minute of a break to be at home with them, to make sure I didn't miss a single laugh, a single meal, a single milestone. It's different now. They have fun with their friends. They take day trips with their class. They enjoy their time away from home.

Don't get me wrong, we are all still very happy to be home together today, but I can see how we are also becoming separate entities. They have their own interests, their own friends.

It's hard not to fast forward ten years and imagine the time then. When they get up at noon and are out the door to their own activities during breaks.

For now, I'll just enjoy listening to the sound of them playing. To the sound of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the t.v. To the sight of them making a city of Lego's and littlest pet shop animals.

I know it can't last forever, probably not much past this year. I'm just so glad to be here now.
So glad.
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Almost Four

Just about birthday time.

He still calls them kajamas when it's time to get dressed for bed. I want to remember that FOREVER.

Ka-jamas.

He can say pajamas. But really, it's not nearly as fun.