Relationships

Thursday was a lovely day. I met up with the Women of Light crew (minus Chantelle) at the temple and we had a beautiful session and shared beautiful insights in the celestial room. 

These girls, I swear. I was reflecting on our journey together and the ups and downs. There were times as we served together that I could have gotten discouraged and put up walls or quit. They are all from DC South (Virginia) and I’m just a little country mouse down here, and that actually makes quite a difference with the women we serve with and their needs. There were times I was the lone disagreer and times I felt like my offering wasn’t good enough. And I bet they had times like that too. But we pushed through the hard and have found lifelong friendships on the other end. 

The kind of friends that start talking and bop around a million subjects because there’s so much we want to know and share. We went to the cutest little cafe for lunch and it was just wonderful. And as we were prepping for a group selfie a cute lady walked past us, then turned around and offered to take a picture. And then she did a good job! 🎉 

I got home to a hug from my Matt! Nate dropped him off on their way home from the airport at noon. Since I didn’t get home till 4, we had all the evening running around, so I just got snippets from his trip, but didn’t get all the details until today. 

Unrelated from Matt’s trip, but related to the picture, I have a lot of aches and pains. I thought everyone did, but when I talked to Amy she said that she, in fact, did not. She said she was a zero on the pain scale that day. I usually hang out around a 1 or 2, sometimes 3 or 4 on a pain scale to 10, so that surprised me. I guess that’s why I’m always looking for things to help with the achies, like this early Mother’s Day gift. It’s an acupressure mat with magical little spikes.

One morning I had a terrible headache. I had taken 3 ibuprofens, drank a ton of water, and a coke, and it still was terrible. So I had Matt rub out a few knots in my back and then laid down with bare skin for the first time on my mat (you first lay on it in a thin shirt to prepare your skin) and after 10 minutes my headache was gone. Could be a placebo, but I’m a believer. 

Bubba sent this little ditty. 😳

And then fessed up that it was just AI. 🤣🤣🤣

This morning Matt and I went for a long walk between his meetings and he told me all about his Warrior Heart man camp. About a month ago Nate texted and asked if he’d like to go to Arizona with him to a men’s retreat. Matt is a big poopoo’er of lots of things and he was like, yeah no. I told him he should go! I’ve heard about those from a podcaster I used to listen to a lot and I love encouraging vulnerability for men and women. Anyway, he decided to go for it and he loved it! I’m so so so happy. He has so many stories and we had the best conversation and I’m so proud of him.

At noon I met up with 3 pta helpers to decorate the staff room and this is what we walked into. 🤣 I had let Ms. Marschall know we’d be there at 12 and she brought a gaggle of little helpers for us. It was great because I gave them all the supplies and was able to go organize all my donations for each day and see better what I still need and they got a lot done. 

Was everything done exactly how I would have done it? No. Did some of it look a little wonky? Yes. Is it fine? Also yes. 

Even with all our little helpers it still took 3 hours. But it’s all good because this is my last time. 🎉🎉🎉

And it does look really cute!

I wasn’t sure how much decor to get, so I made my best guess and parents bought all of this as donations and I love it. 

Tonight Frankie finished drivers ed (hallelujah!), I made Henrichsons and us enchiladas, Adi and I watched movies and addressed her graduation cards, Matt mowed his grass (Nate Evans complimented Matt and asked for lawn help because our yard is so nice and Matt’s been walking on air and loving his grass even more than usual) and Delaney danced her little heart out. And Ruby found the camera in her room and hammed.it.up. ❤️❤️❤️

 

No rain clouds here

It was a lovely cloudy day. I wish it had rained more, but there were several bouts of  sprinkles. I did all the regulars, including sorting out an ez pay toll that they sent me that was not a car we own. That fun task took 2 calls to EZ Pass and one to the MVA but supposedly it’s been handled. 

We FaceTimed the crew and I just saw this cute screenshot Adi grabbed. Two lazy cousins who refuse to walk.🤣

Also in the mail today. #rude

Frankie is 80% done with drivers ed and we have less than 30 days of school and I finally got some Pta helpers for Friday and Matt comes home tomorrow. Going to bed feeling good. 

A new gal

Alecia came over this this morning and we worked on planning the girls graduation party. Then we went to Inklings which is always wonderful. Love love love talking spiritual truths with sister saints. Then Alecia and I walked and caught up. Then ministering with Kathy at Carols. The post office and home. I made pork chops and potato’s and got thumbs up from everyone, then Frankie to drivers ed (70% done!) then Delaney to get a haircut.

It’s so cute and fresh and ready for summer!

The mall

Last night I loaded all my teacher appreciation supplies into the space car. I meant to leave at this morning at 9:00, but gave myself a 30 minute window. So after my run I checked the time and was like, sweet I’m doing great. And then when I went to leave it was 10:15. I lost an hour somewhere. 🤦‍♀️ 

I was supposed to meet Ehlyvia in Annapolis at noon, but I wasn’t about to unload 10 cases of drinks or drive to Annapolis with all that extra weight. So I had to push back Ehlyvia an hour so I could drop my load. Whoops.

E and I grabbed lunch at the food court at the mall and found a cute graduation dress and belt for her and we made good choices at The Container Store and didn’t buy anything we didn’t need. 

I made it home just as D was heading out to ballet and finished laundry just in time to go pick her up. 

Senior Prom

Matt and I found coconut cream Dr Pepper which is my fav version! I sent this pic to the marrieds.

Jeanne sent me this one back.  🩵🥥🩵 

We had our Disney lunch Saturday at 12 sharp. We’ve been each pulled different directions lately, so it was very scheduled this week.. 

We watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and I gotta say, probably my least favorite so far. I think the business of the day contributed to that, but that movie dragged on and on. 

The Brie bites were surprisingly good, but the apple juice mocktail was v meh, and so were the apple hand pies. Some weeks be that way. 

I got my most generous pta donation in all my many years of pta’ing Saturday afternoon. This is over $200! I was so impressed and I’m always so grateful for every donation - small or large. 

Delaney has been complaining of not feeling well. She missed school Friday and tried to miss church today. She is congested, but really? I don’t know. She dances a lot and wakes up early, and I know she stays up reading sometimes. We had a little chat today about better health choices. Anyways, she mostly relaxed all day Saturday. I kind of love finding my kids in cozy little nests reading, but within reason. 

Saturday was Adi’s senior prom. Ahhhh!

So glad the rain held off so we could take pictures. 

Lily found this cute park that we had to ourselves and also had some poses ready. 

We loved that they each had different vibrant dress colors. 

They were such easy models, just went along with all our suggestions. 

Even when I made them prance to look like they were walking. 

I mean, sort of. 🤷‍♀️

This girl. ❤️

Too cool.

They went to Cracker Barrel for dinner and then stayed till prom ended, even though they played a ton of rap. 

They petitioned for a sleepover and really they are such good girls that we let them. 

So this morning we met up at Darrow’s at 10:30 for a brunch. 

She’s making fun of me here because I asked her to be a little more straight and just less… curvy?

Back to brunch - Alecia made waffles and stuffed French toast and i made a sausage egg bake and fruit and it was a nice little gathering. 

I checked in with my nursery friends and primary looked covered, so I went to RS for the first time since I got released in February. Amber was called as the new RSP (called it!) and Brenda was there, so it was a lovely time. 

#crazies 👇🏻 

Matt and Nate left for the airport right after church. Nate invited Matt to a men’s retreat called A Warriors Heart in Arizona and I encouraged him to say yes, so that is his birthday present. Amber and I are so excited for them and I keep teasing him that he’s going to come home with a warriors heart, but for reals I hope this is a learning and bonding and healing experience for them. 

The girls and I played some jackbox and read and had a really good Come Follow Me sesh. We love Matt but also girl time is so fun too. 

Good news for the just minded

Woke up to an email from our credit card insurance that they’ve approved our $2000 car rental claim. Phew, that is such a relief, and also, I wish they’d stand up to the lying liars at the rental company and not pay them. 

To that end, Matt and I spent a few hours making calls. We escalated our complaint with Hopper (after they denied any further action) and they’ll be escalating with Maxx Rentals and we also filed a complaint with Routes. I just don’t understand how you can rent with someone, pay up front, and then have a total bait and switch upon arrival. 

Anyway, Hopper refunded us $115 - 1/2 the cost of our rental, so that’s another win. And I did a little more digging into filing an official Better Business Bureau type complaint within Europe. We love Croatia and it’s such a bummer some people are so dishonest. And I know it’s not only there, it really feels like car rental companies are full of land mines for fraudsters.

It was senior skip day, and Adi asked, but we just missed 4 days around Spring Break. And she’s got so few days left of school. We compromised and they skipped seminary. 🤷‍♀️ They haven’t missed much. 

After all that, Delaney ended up staying home. She dances 4 days a week and she complains frequently about achey knees and back and etc. Today it was a sore throat, which is hopefully just due to allergies. 

I dropped Frankie at drivers ed, picked up Delaney, Matt, and Olivia, dropped the girls at dance, and then Matt and I ran all the errands. We had to hustle to get back to Leonardtown in time to pick Frankie up at 8:30. We got some good deals, some teacher appreciation supplies, and some things matt’ll need for his upcoming trip. 

We also did our Japanese yum box which was no one’s favorite, but I would really still love to go to Japan someday.

Nothing really

Some people talk about not being able to stay home because they’re bored, and for the life of me I don’t understand. Not even that I’m super busy, but I can always always find things to do.

Delaney wore her “I love my grandson” shirt from the thrift store to school today, though I don’t know if she took her sweatshirt off at all.

I drove a full 2 hours split into 30’ish minute increments from the high school to drivers ed to dance. 40% done with drivers ed. 🙌🏼 

Coming home, again

Sweet Henners had his ear tag removal Monday morning, so I was on Mimi duty to get the boys to school. We had some time to color before we left and Carter was being weird with pictures again. 

See, everyone’s happy. 

Carter got dropped off first. We listened to Disney songs on YouTube and had fun seeing which song would come up next. These boys are so smart and loving, I’m so happy we get to see them again next month for Adi’s graduation. 

As soon as we dropped Carter off Emmett said “so sometimes when we drop Carter off, mommy and I get hashbrowns at McDonald’s. So what do you think?” 🤣 So then I asked him how many he usually gets and he said “ usually 1, but I could probably eat 2,” amd I said “could you?” and he very seriously answered “I am almost seven years old.” 🤣 And he was right, he ate those two right up. 

They brought home a very happy very sleepy baby boy right around 10. I had big plans for the morning, but ended up only making dinner (and brownies) and not going for a run or showering. I gave kisses when they got home and headed out when Henry went down for his 4 hour nap. Sweet baby. First stop, buccees, but only for gas and not goodies.

I hit traffic once and it happened to be while I was chatting with chris, so he looked it up for me and saw that it would only last 10 minutes. So it was a very easy drive. I’m just over driving for awhile. 28 hours solo driving spread over 8 days. I love road trips, I just need a lil break. 

I got home, got my shower, and got in bed. At like, 7. 🤣 It all caught up to me. I had planned to go to inklings Tuesday, but then Matt headed into work and I got busy with my teacher appreciation signup genius and unpacking so I stayed home. I resumed my driving duties both yesterday and today. Frankie has a friend that lives with her sister so we’ve been helping get her to drivers ed, which is such a pain. Drivers ed, not helping Frankie’s friend. 30% done today. 

I’ve been wanting to take apart my can organizer and clean it and reorganize the cans and today was the day. It’s been over 10 years, so I think it was time. 

Other tasks done today. Closer to ordering Adi’s grad announcements, Damian’s birthday present, and being prepared for teacher appreciation week. Bought airline tickets for Frankie and I to go to Portland for Educators Rising. Made crunchwraps for dinner. Dropped ballet carpool, picked up Airabella, and dropped the drivers ed girlies. Listened to some church communications calling stuff. General housework. And a nap because I’m still feeling pretty travel tired. The graduation announcement picture 👇🏻 

May is gonna start with a bang and I’m trying hard to be ready for it.