The Highs and Lows of My Weekend

This weekend was full of highs and lows.

I will start with the highs:

• Tianna's birthday was Saturday, and Matt came home from Ithaca to be at her party. Chris also came, and it was just fun to see them all together.
• We had a fun birthday party for Tianna attended by 28 sixth graders at our house (don't worry, it appears on the low list too).
• Today's message in church was another powerful one from the book of James, on being a peacemaker. Our pastor spoke about peace making and peace taking relationships and how difficult it is to really walk in the posture of a peacemaker. Characteristics of Peacemaking relationships are that they are pure, peaceful, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and secures. Contrast this with peace taking relationships which are characterized by bitterness, envy, selfish ambition, evil and disorder. It was another one of those messages that I felt was "just for me".
• I had a car load of twelve year old girls tell me I rocked and they sang a song of gratitude for me at the top of their lungs.
• I caught glimpses of the sun rays peeking out from behind clouds.

Now the lows:

• Eleven of the sixth graders, most of the girls, stayed over for a sleep over. We had one high drama incident which made me want to pull my hair out, but we got through it. Yes, of course I know that is way too many hormonal sixth grade crazed girls to have for a sleepover, but how that happened is a story for another day when I am not quite so shot.
• I spent time reflecting on Tianna's birth mother, and that is always an emotional place for me to go. I appreciate her selfless gift of her daughter more than I can express. But my heart is full of compassion for her. I know in Vietnam poverty often drives the decision to abandon a baby for adoption, but I think of her birth mom and wonder what her thoughts are about her daughter, especially on her birthday.
• For other reasons, November 15th is also a very sad, difficult day for me, but that is also a story for another day.

That really is just the overview. I was astonished at how many of the kids had cell phones and had them at the party. That is worth a post in and of itself...

And in terms of my sadness, I will close with words my friend and blog reader Pam wrote and passed to me in church today: "As hard as it is, Jesus want us (I think) to get to the point where if our spouse (or whoever) never connected emotionally with us again, we would find our fill and satisfaction in Jesus." I know that is true, but I also know it is hard; very hard.

Getting Ready to Leave...

Let me warn you; this post is liable to have "TMI" so read at your own risk!

This is the scene at my house this morning...those are bags on the floor that area going to Honduras with me, each packed to the 50 lb. limit. Notice the bathroom scale front right. All four bags contain donations for health and children's programs. I kicked myself two trips ago when I didn't pack to the limit and take donations with me. So my mom and I have packed everything for our trip in carry ons. We need a lesson or two (or many more) in how little we actually need to not only get by, but live well. That is one of the other things I love about going to Honduras; I come back with that renewed appreciation.

The other photo is of four girls...my two and two friends sprawled on the couch and on the floor. Last night was deemed the last sleepover at home for the summer night. Howie (my husband) thus decreed. Well, (and it's OK) he wasn't even home last night, and here I am getting ready to run away for ten days (no wonder, right?) and I have luggage and pre-teen girls all over my floor. What am I, nuts?

OK. So back to my day, getting ready to leave. My Internet worked at home for about seventeen minutes this morning then went out again...that was after cable guy came two days ago to fix it. I have now relocated from Dunkin Donuts to Brews 'N Bytes, a much nicer, yummier place to be, but the problem is I know too many people and like to talk too much, so that is why I need to flee. I get nothing, NADA, done. (I highly recommend the blueberry muffin with lemon icing. I decided not to eat the healthy option because I have too much to do and needed comfort food).

But before I came here, I decided I had better take a shower. Think I forgot for a couple of days, but hey, I have been to the pool...if my girls use that reasoning, if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me. Well, half way through the shower I realized it was trash day and the trash never went out. We just all forgot it was Tuesday going into Wednesday...well, with that many kids underfoot, who wouldn't? But it didn't go out last week while we were away either, so it HAD to go. I just hoped they hadn't come yet. Then I heard a rather loud truck noise as I was just stepping out of the shower and sure enough it was the JAWS truck pulling up at the end of my street. So I threw a large towel around myself and hoped I would drag all the barrels up to the top of the driveway before they got there, but I didn't quite make it. SO yes, I hauled my trash barrels up my driveway in a towel. In a neighborhood where people just don't do that kind of thing. Come to think of it, there probably isn't any neighborhood where that would be considered acceptable. But I was more covered than I am in a bathing suit if that is any consolation...

The rest of the afternoon goes something like this: Matt and Carolyn will be arriving hopefully in time for his 2 pm optho appointment. He would like to try extended wear contacts. Those are the only kind that will probably work for him...followed by 3 at ortho, followed by 4 at Internal Medicine. See what happens when you start paying for health insurance? He went off as of 7/31 and now we have the great joy of paying for his insurance through COBRA $415 and change a month. But he may need surgery on his wrist...his brother has been without health insurance for awhile and no problemo. Just the thought of Matt being without health insurance gives me indigestion...(He has broken his arm five times).

We will leave for NYC after I drop Nicole off at cheer leading practice and our plane takes off at 5:50 tomorrow am from LaGuardia.

I am running away to write, I have a contract with Regal for a book on Moms of the Bible, and am hoping that I can get lots done while I am there. It worked for me last summer, so I am sticking with a good thing. I will be staying at Blue Bahia (www.bluebahiaresort.com) and drink lots of coffee situated overlooking the ocean within close proximity of a bathroom.

I will be posting observations, wisdom gleaned from the simple life, and photos while away.

Peace, Kathy