Last weekend we went to see family since we missed Christmas with them. We all met at Majestic’s for lunch and then hung out together at a relative’s home. The kid’s opened Christmas gifts and played with their cousins. I was both surprised and delighted by a great big hug from a niece. Despite the opening of gifts and friendly hugs the visit felt sad. Maybe the February melancholy is just getting to me but I felt like something was ending.
Last month Middle Boy turned eleven. He had a quiet birthday at home. He requested a Star Wars birthday cake and dinner at a favorite restaurant. I was feeling very sick that day so I
missed the dinner out. I hate IBS. Some days I am just ill no matter how hard I try to avoid trigger foods and stress.
Our friend Cindy and her sweet mother came up to visit with us. I was happy to see them and so were the kids. They drove to see us and brought fried chicken and Blizzards! They had a hard Christmas and lost a loved one over the holiday season. For them Christmas never came; not this year.
So much sadness this year.
Life at home is busy. My days run by with work, home education and lackluster attempts at homekeeping. Littlest will finish up first grade next week. He already started his second grade math books. Oldest is mostly ready for high school. The only course holding him up at the moment is science. I plan to contact Hewitt Homeschooling this week to learn what we need to do to start preparing him for their program. I’ll need a little time to gather resources and make final course decisions for his freshman year.
We just finished up Revolution is not a Dinner Party. Though sad the book was excellent. I didn’t
know much about the Cultural Revolution in China. The story was emotionally engaging and suspenseful. The kids constantly begged me to read just one more chapter. The second book we finished reading aloud this week was Genevieve Foster’s Abraham Lincoln’s World. We were glad to close this book. Though our curriculum has a few more Civil War and anti-slavery books scheduled for us to read…we are so done with this subject and ready to just move on. For now we are going to pick up volume four of Story of the World and select some readalouds to enjoy together.
Currently, I am busy working on second grade and ninth grade long-term planning. Sparkles and Middle Boy are also going to finish up most of their subjects ahead of schedule (except math). So we may end our school year with a double portion of math for them and science for Oldest with lots of good books in-between.
Work is a little stressful these days. Our new manager arrived today. He seems nice enough but I could tell our department leader was upset. She is the calm and steady sort that doesn’t let her feathers get easily ruffled. So, to see her looking so strained had everyone on edge. I am always glad to leave work but today I was especially so.
in pursuit of wild things 
February 11, 2018 at 8:26 pm
Love pictures of your children, all beautiful. Hope you have got over the February blues.
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February 12, 2018 at 7:48 am
Once I see a crocus in bloom and a Robin all will be well with me. Woke up to sleet and snow today but at least I’m off work today!
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February 11, 2018 at 8:37 pm
Thinking of you! 💖
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March 15, 2018 at 9:55 pm
Hey Audria!
I’m glad you got another pass at Christmas – it really is dreadful when illness strikes!
Thank you for sharing your highlights and challenges. Keeping you in thought and wishing for you days which get lighter and brighter.
Sending you hugs!
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