You guys. I am too old for this.
I remember liking algebra back in the day. As in the days of 1998.
Since that time, I have filled my brain with a multitude of other things of great importance. Like how to hold a crying baby while cooking dinner with a toddler attached to my leg. Or how to function throughout an entire day on 3 hours of sleep. Or figuring out how to get 4 children to 5 different places in the course of an evening. Valuable stuff.
All the algebra got pushed back. WAY BACK. To the distant corners of my brain and I have yet to retrieve them. It's fuzzy and dark back there and the voice in my head is telling me this is useless information that I will, in fact, toss away as soon as this semester is over. That makes it difficult to concentrate on things like rational and irrational numbers and graphing and solving for x and y and remembering formulas and that's just in chapter 1.
I'm certain a classroom course in algebra would be much better for me, but an online course works with life at the moment. I may resort to begging various friends to tutor me.
This is the final push before I can apply for the PTA program and I want to get there so badly. I know I can do it, but it's just finding the "want to" that is slowing me down.
I suppose I could stop blogging and actually try and accomplish some of the assignments in the time I have...
I suppose...
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
What generosity looks like
When I have traveled to Haiti in the past, people have always been exceedingly generous. Our most recent trip in April was no exception. If you remember I was able to give Josie a substantial amount of money for various things that needed done around the orphanage. They had 2 bathrooms that had sat unfinished for years and no closet or shelf space to keep the children's clothes. About a month ago, Josie sent me these!
That's what your generosity looks like now!
I wish I could wrap up all the thoughts and feelings I have towards everyone who gave money or medicines or anything over these past years and in some way articulate it well. I can't. They are too big to describe. You gave and gave and gave and now a houseful of children have seen their quality of life improving.
And that matters.
So thank you.
The last day
No turning back now. It's the last day before Caleb heads to Kindergarten. It's been a lazy morning. My favorite. He's still running around in his underwear, watching cartoons, playing Legos and asking questions about everything.
Tomorrow he'll get up, get dressed and be on his way.
I homeschooled the kids on and off for a lot of the past 8 years or so. I can't really explain THE reason I did, but there were many little reasons that had added up to why we did it that way. Mornings like this were one of the reasons. We push our kids out the door so young, it seems. They have to get up, get dressed and be somewhere in order to do something so they can learn something as soon as possible so they can learn the next thing.
I think we're all missing out on the early years of boredom and creativity and playing at home.
It's magical and it moves so quickly.
If I were a different person or Caleb was a different person, I'd hang on to him a few more years. I want so badly to hold tight to these last few years of childhood. He's running away with it though. He wants and needs to move and move quickly. His brain requires constant input and structure and activity and my brain is saying slow down, nap, quiet. It's not a good match.
I'm excited for his new adventure, but it's not without a deep feeling of nostalgia and probably some tears as I prepare my own heart to cross this milestone tomorrow.
I'll relish in the quiet sometimes and enjoy the hours of calm, but it will be with a hint of regret and sadness that the tiny years are gone. I'll always miss those babies who are now growing and wandering these days without me right next to them. I'll always wonder if the few hours in the afternoon and evening are enough for us to stay close. I'll always be thankful we kept them home those first few years.
Tomorrow he'll get up, get dressed and be on his way.
I homeschooled the kids on and off for a lot of the past 8 years or so. I can't really explain THE reason I did, but there were many little reasons that had added up to why we did it that way. Mornings like this were one of the reasons. We push our kids out the door so young, it seems. They have to get up, get dressed and be somewhere in order to do something so they can learn something as soon as possible so they can learn the next thing.
I think we're all missing out on the early years of boredom and creativity and playing at home.
It's magical and it moves so quickly.
If I were a different person or Caleb was a different person, I'd hang on to him a few more years. I want so badly to hold tight to these last few years of childhood. He's running away with it though. He wants and needs to move and move quickly. His brain requires constant input and structure and activity and my brain is saying slow down, nap, quiet. It's not a good match.
I'm excited for his new adventure, but it's not without a deep feeling of nostalgia and probably some tears as I prepare my own heart to cross this milestone tomorrow.
I'll relish in the quiet sometimes and enjoy the hours of calm, but it will be with a hint of regret and sadness that the tiny years are gone. I'll always miss those babies who are now growing and wandering these days without me right next to them. I'll always wonder if the few hours in the afternoon and evening are enough for us to stay close. I'll always be thankful we kept them home those first few years.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Entrepenuer
We have semi-joked on and off that Caleb will most likely be running his own business some day. He'll be the President or be running the show in prison, we'd joke. I doubt he'll play the middle of the field, professionally. Mostly because his temperament doesn't seem to like to be told what to do unless it was his idea in the first place. He's in charge, whether he actually is or not is irrelevant. He is stubborn and persistent.
Case in point...
On Saturday at the CrossFit competition, there was a table set up that had bottles of water for anyone to take throughout the day. Free bottles of water.
Caleb spent most of the day outside the gym, playing and getting impressively dirty. He also saw an opportunity. He took several bottles of free water and proceeded to spend the day trying to sell each bottle for $1 to the people milling around the gym. There was a decent group, but obviously, not too many takers on the selling the free water for a $1 thing.
I would tell him throughout the day that no one is going to buy the water from him for several reasons.
1. He was filthy. Like dirt all over his face and hands and arms and clothes. And he wasn't wearing any shoes. Just socks. With newly formed holes in the heels. I said later to a friend, I'm not sure exactly when I stopped caring if he looked like a ragamuffin, but it's become obvious that I have also stopped caring what people think about me in regards to him. He does his thing, people. Love him (and me) or not. I'm cool with it.
2. The water he was selling was not always a full, unopened bottle of water. Not sure if he poured some of it out or drank some of it or what, but it was clearly not fresh. Or cold, for that matter.
3. The obvious reason being, he was selling his water for $1 in close proximity to free water. Not always the best move.
He was not deterred by my observations.
Towards the end of the day, he came running up to me waving a $5 bill. "Mom! Someone paid me $5 for a bottle of water. Yes!! I knew it!"
Thanks, nice lady who gave my dirty, stubborn, persistent, adorable boy the $5 for reminding him that Mom is wrong and he can make money selling an inferior product.
And more importantly, thank you for looking past the dirt and sometimes annoying determination and seeing his sweet face and funny personality and helping him to believe in himself and his grand ideas.
Those things far outweigh any lessons I was trying to teach him.
There needs to be more people like you in the world.
Case in point...
On Saturday at the CrossFit competition, there was a table set up that had bottles of water for anyone to take throughout the day. Free bottles of water.
Caleb spent most of the day outside the gym, playing and getting impressively dirty. He also saw an opportunity. He took several bottles of free water and proceeded to spend the day trying to sell each bottle for $1 to the people milling around the gym. There was a decent group, but obviously, not too many takers on the selling the free water for a $1 thing.
I would tell him throughout the day that no one is going to buy the water from him for several reasons.
1. He was filthy. Like dirt all over his face and hands and arms and clothes. And he wasn't wearing any shoes. Just socks. With newly formed holes in the heels. I said later to a friend, I'm not sure exactly when I stopped caring if he looked like a ragamuffin, but it's become obvious that I have also stopped caring what people think about me in regards to him. He does his thing, people. Love him (and me) or not. I'm cool with it.
2. The water he was selling was not always a full, unopened bottle of water. Not sure if he poured some of it out or drank some of it or what, but it was clearly not fresh. Or cold, for that matter.
3. The obvious reason being, he was selling his water for $1 in close proximity to free water. Not always the best move.
He was not deterred by my observations.
Towards the end of the day, he came running up to me waving a $5 bill. "Mom! Someone paid me $5 for a bottle of water. Yes!! I knew it!"
Thanks, nice lady who gave my dirty, stubborn, persistent, adorable boy the $5 for reminding him that Mom is wrong and he can make money selling an inferior product.
And more importantly, thank you for looking past the dirt and sometimes annoying determination and seeing his sweet face and funny personality and helping him to believe in himself and his grand ideas.
There needs to be more people like you in the world.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Weekend whirlwind
It was our last weekend before school starts for the big three. I happened to actually look at a school calendar for the private school Caleb is going to and they don't start til the 27th! A few more weeks of summer with the little guy!
We said goodbye to summer with a pool party with our gym and then a CrossFit competition in Wichita. It was an exhausting, fun way to end a really, really good summer.
Jen and Jerry offered up their awesome house and pool for us to party in! And we always wod first, party second!
It was a great day. I told Chad later that night that I don't love individual competitions. They feel like childbirth.
Wait for it...
Prior to it, I'm nervous, anxious, and not really sure I want to do it, but mostly I just want to get it over with.
During it, I work and push myself and it hurts.
After, the adrenaline is running and it feels awesome to think about what you just accomplished. And there is some aspect of the short term memory loss cause I'll do another one and forget how hard they can be. SEE!?!? Just like childbirth!!
We said goodbye to summer with a pool party with our gym and then a CrossFit competition in Wichita. It was an exhausting, fun way to end a really, really good summer.
Jen and Jerry offered up their awesome house and pool for us to party in! And we always wod first, party second!
Swim with a slam ball, overhead tosses, walking lunges and ball slams.
I told you they were awesome! And this isn't even everyone :-)
The next morning 10 of us piled into cars in pouring rain and headed to Wichita for a Box Battle. It was a first time competition for a few of them and a return to competition after a hiatus for several of us. Super proud of how everyone did! 3 individual WODs guaranteed and our scores combined as a team score. Top 3 would take 6 athletes into the 4th WOD with a winner take all prize. We didn't know what the prize would be, but didn't really care either.
Ryen came down from KC to compete with us.
Dan, Dylan and Chad working on Wod 1.
Zach
Em
Breana.
She is 15, guys. 15 and has the best attitude and works so hard.
Cheyna
Snatch work on WOD 2.
Chad, post-wod 2.
Becky working hard on WOD 2.
WOD 3
Places and points were updated all day.
Everyone worked hard and we ended up 2nd place at the end of the 3 WODs.
Final WOD was announced and we knew we could do well. It was also announced that the winner would get a $500 to Garage Box Equipment, the sponsor for the event! We REALLY wanted to win now!
Strategizing
Our super strong secret weapon, Zach.
Em handling her lunges with NO problem!
Jumping pullups
Pullups
Bar Mucle ups
Last station was a whole bunch of Cleans.
High-fives all around for taking 1st!
(Yes that huge paw above the crowd is mine...anyone, anyone? High-five? ;-) )
Cheering on the other teams.
My favorite part of competitions.
My favorite part of competitions.
Final 6
Em got 2nd in scaled!!
I got 3rd in RX (out of 5, but I'll take it :-) ).
Dylan got 3rd!
Team Pathos took 1st!!
Wait for it...
Prior to it, I'm nervous, anxious, and not really sure I want to do it, but mostly I just want to get it over with.
During it, I work and push myself and it hurts.
After, the adrenaline is running and it feels awesome to think about what you just accomplished. And there is some aspect of the short term memory loss cause I'll do another one and forget how hard they can be. SEE!?!? Just like childbirth!!
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