Happy Christmas to All

I haven't been motivated to figure out how to get my pictures to work on this new computer, so haven't posted much in the last month or so. Well, tonight is Christmas Eve and we just got back from the candlelight service at church. The kids agreed to pose in front of the tree for me. So I definitely wanted to share this. Peace to you all.

Unimaginable

One of my sweet girls

I am struggling to comprehend the situation in Connecticut. I feel such an ache in my heart over all those poor babies. There are times when grief is so overwhelming that I can't even find the words to pray. I found a wonderful prayer at smacksy. You can click here to read it.

Thankful

I can't believe that a week ago we were just getting to Indiana. We had a whirlwind visit and then headed back on Saturday. It was an emotional visit, but a good time as well. Mostly it was good. I can't believe that all the grandchildren were able to make it at the same time. Maybe everyone else had already made plans to come for Thanksgiving. For us it was a last minute decision. But one I'm glad we made.

We got to visit with everyone. Played games. Ate. Regular Thanksgiving stuff. We also got a chance to visit with Grandma M. with just our family for about an hour. It is hard to believe that she is so sick, when she is still so much herself. We talked about education (in a broad sense) and she questioned each of the kids about their plans for the future. E went over the specifics of her illness with us and she was very matter-of-fact about it all.

I think a sign of a life well lived is that the person isn't afraid to die. There aren't any (or many) regrets. There aren't things to put right. It is comforting to see this in Grandma M. There were a lot of issues in my life that she helped to put into perspective and correct as much as they could be. She has also been a role model in various aspects of my life. As a wife, mother, and teacher. She has shared quite a bit of helpful advice over the years.

Just one of the many blessings I am thankful for this year.

Good News

I found out today that the teacher I am filling in for is not coming back next semester. So I have a job for the rest of the year! Since she has already sat out for a year she now has given up this position so it will be open next year. Also the 1st grade teacher across the hall is retiring, so there is another opening.
This has several repercussions. First, we don't have to rent the AL house, so hopefully it will sell quicker as a vacant house. Secondly, I can go to England this summer with my sister and aunt! Yay!
No pictures. Just the mental image of me skipping down the K-1 hall at school letting all the teachers know I'm staying. General excitement here!

Practicing Optimism

Sometimes life can really get you down if you let it. I purposely look to the positive side of things when I feel like I could just start drowning in misery.

M has a problem with her right shoulder. Went in for an X-ray today and nothing was showing up. She will have an MRI next Wednesday. She could have irritations or a tear in some of the lining? of the shoulder joint. I can easily let my imagination run away and get upset about all the money. But I choose to just be thankful she is such a great girl. And there was life before rowing and there will be life if rowing is taken away. Just look at that picture above; it makes my heart happy.

We found out a few days ago that Grandma M. has pancreatic cancer. When I still had four grandparents in 2001, I thought they would all live forever. But in the past ten years I have lost three of them, and realize that no one can live forever. No one truly wants too though. Grandma M. told me that it is the ones who go first who are lucky. It's hard to be the one left. I remember Grandpa J. said every time he went out of town, one of his friends died and he always had to come back for a funeral. It was really hard on him. So I'm thankful for the amount of time and the quality of time that each of my grandparents had and that I had with them. (Boy, that's a confusing sentence!) They were each unique and important in who I am and how I view the world. I am a better person for knowing each of them and am blessed to have a part of them in me.

Our tenants moved out of our AL house and now the mortgage is all us. With my job ending in December and no idea if I'll find anything else I worry about finances. I don't know why. God has always taken care of us. Time have been tight before and we are not extravagant people, so we will be okay.

S is doing better. I won't put any details on here because I don't know who will read this. Just know that she has changed her major and when we saw her last weekend she seemed very happy. She says she is happy.

Try as hard as I can, I just can't find anything positive about all the time Mr. C spends on the computer.

Ninth Place, Personal Best Time!

If you are a regular follower of this blog then you know that this weekend was the BIG regatta we've been waiting for: the Head of the Hooch. M wanted to get in the top 10 and they finished 9th, out of 39 boats. Great weather, great time. It continues tomorrow, but she only had the one race. Enjoy the pictures and captions. Too tired to touch them up in Lightroom, so you're seeing them straight out of the camera.

The venue: Ross's Landing

Smarty, KitKat, and Mr. Creativity having a great time

Notice the obvious lean to the left, not a good sign

They are closest to the camera heading toward the finish line; remember the race is a stagger start

Coach R holds M up as she tries to get her oar. By this time she was shaking pretty bad.

Coaches and the crew; happy with a job well done

Not a pretty shot, but the only one I have of her after she had her arm iced. We have to find a doctor to take a look at it. Hopefully it isn't too bad.

All in all it was a good day for rowing. At least for the girls. Our novice boys broke an oar at the start of their race. They finished 23 out of 25. And we heard that one of the boys' boats got caught up in the buoy at the finish line. But I was very proud of M and you would have been too!

The Third Race

Great news!!! They got 4th out of 19. They passed 3 boats. They were 2 seconds behind 3rd place and 5 seconds behind 2nd place. Well done!

Green boat in the middle

In case I haven't explained it before, I'll share a little about the fall racing season. They race 5K. They actually put in at the finish line and then row up to the start. So there is 5K of rowing and then 5K of racing. The races are stagger starts. Each crew starts 10 seconds after the one in front. So you are trying to overtake the boats in front of you and not get passed. If you pass a boat you have gained 10 seconds on them. If you get passed, then you know the other boat is at least 10 seconds in front of you. Hopefully I haven't confused anyone. In the spring they race 2K and they all start and finish together. It is an all-out sprint.

I am just going to put some of the photos M has exported to put on her facebook page instead of editing them myself.

Staying warm and sleeping during the wait

My computer is about ready to die (I hope it can wait until I get done with this semester!) so I need to stop messing with the pictures. Next weekend is the Hooch!! They will be competing against 39 other boats. They are hoping to get at least 10th.