A Meeting of the Minds...NOT

Me: Oh my gosh, we're having a shower here this weekend. I need to clean the house, make the food and get the decor in order.

Nelson: Oh my gosh, we're having a shower here this weekend. I need to rewire the surround sound, install the new hook up for the cable and drill some holes in the support beams of the family room to run some lights in there for the first time since we've moved in.

I Finished!

My official chip time was 2:22:23 which is almost 10 minutes faster than last year. More to come.

Nervous Energy

Well tomorrow is the BIG day. Last year at this time I was a nervous wreck. I didn't expect the same this year - after all, I've done the training and I did it last year. I actually thought I was doing much better this go around.

That is...until...this evening when I was folding laundry and Nelson came in, sat down and was chomping on his gum so loud that I finally blurted, "You're chomping worse than the kids!"

Looking at me just a little surprised he noted, "You've been a little agitated today."

To which I promptly responded, "The race is tomorrow. Back off!"

My response even caught me off guard. Seems I may be a tad nervous after all. Hopefully all this nervous energy will pay off when 7 AM rolls around tomorrow. Pray for me!

Paper Prayers

The race is Sunday and I am already out of breath.

I am currently drowning in a sea of research paper rough drafts and I can't keep my head above water. Not only that but I also have a shower for some friends here next weekend. We happily offered to do this for them since the groom-to-be has lived in our apartment the past year. Little did we know that our little invitation would be answered with a guest list including 75 couples!

Funny, when we (actually my husband) offered to give the shower, I didn’t know I would be teaching. When I signed up for the race, I didn't know that either. Consequently, I had no foggy idea that these events would be in the same week....which also just happens to include the grading of a huge stack of 10 page papers.

I shouldn't even be typing this, but I HAD to get away from the papers for a moment. I need a break. I need a maid. I need to hydrate and prepare for the race. I need rest. I need prayers. I need God to multiply my time, my patience, my speed, my sleep.

Ok. Maybe getting this all out will help me feel better and get motivated to grade one more paper before I collapse into bed. Wish me luck...but really, REALLY pray for me!

Happy Birthday Dawson!

Dawson, I can't believe you are FIVE! You are such a joy. You're brilliant smile and deep dimples have already made you quite the ladies man. I can only imagine what the future holds.

I know that being home with me and Max this extra year is not exactly what you had in mind (as evidenced in your comments yesterday) but I'm considering it a real gift. I love having this time with you. It's an opportunity to hold on to you for just a little longer.

You have a tender heart and are always concerned about others. You accept difficult situations, like not going to school yet and being too little to ride the big rides at the fair, with a maturity beyond your years.

You are super smart and so willing to learn and eager to participate in all things school related (you memorize those monthly scriptures right along with your brother and sister). I'm sure that if you went to Kindergarten tomorrow, you'd do just fine.

However, God knew what he was doing when you were born right when you were. His timing is perfect and I know that in the end, you will be glad you ended up right where you are. I know I am.

I consider myself lucky to know you and privileged to raise you. I love you very, very much.

Mama

Uh-Oh

It's birthday time again around here. Dawson is turning five tomorrow and there's been some big birthday talk lately.

Today, as he was on his back spinning around in the middle of the kitchen floor, he said to me, "Tomorrow I will be turning five and that means that Wednesday will be my last day at school before I start Kindergarten."

"What?" I asked him. Having two older kids with summer birthdays, I was hoping I was not about to dash his dreams.

"Well," he reasoned, "tomorrow I turn five and you go to Kindergarten when you turn five."

A Boy After His Daddy's Heart

Nelson has been stuck in front of the TV today with his back out. Consequently, the rest of us have been subjected to his viewing choices while we try to go on with life.

As Dawson and I were eating lunch, he said to me, "Daddy sure likes to watch a lot of poker doesn't he."

Wondering how many days of the World Series of Poker he had actually recorded, I responded, "He sure does."

"So mama, who has the pocket aces and who has the pocket queens?"

Don't Worry That It's Not Goo Enough...

Dawson came into my room singing this afternoon. "Sing. Sing a song. Sing out LOUD. Sing out STRONG. La, la, la..." he sang drifting off. "Mama, how do you 'la' again?"