Grace

That's what I wish my middle name was right now (not really Yaya, wink, wink). I'm not at 100% yet but that's okay. We are SLOWLY getting there. I keep thinking that if I had been working full time, this is the week that I would be back at work and and wow that was fast. Know what I love about today? No more choir practice for Matalley. That may be sacrilegious but it gives me an extra 45 minutes and I need any extra minutes I can get.

Some more scattered observations from a mom in need of Grace:

Writing that there are just 4 weeks left of school means my babies are growing up too fast. But it also means that we only have 4 more weeks of drum practice for Grayson and then I'll get another 50 minutes back every week. Woohoo! Honestly, who can tell me if Grayson is a better drummer after a year of drum practice anyway? He's not in a band, there are no drum recitals and his drums are far far away where I can't hear them. Even if I could hear him though, I don't know that I would be able to assert his level of awesomeness. And, as he told me when I asked him if he wanted to play in the church band, it's not his dream. So my extra 50 minutes will be much appreciated.

Millie is grabbing for toys and talking to them. She needs to be in a size 2 diaper but I am finishing the entire box of 1s first. We'd get through them a lot faster if I actually changed her diaper more than 3 times a day but she's always asleep when I think about it. She spends most of her day in the carseat so if she ends up with a curved spine, it's my fault. It's just one of the many ways I save time these days, ha, ha.

I obviously am making a few mistakes each day, like not ingraining my Colorado native ties into my children. Matalley's note below says, "My Mom got born in Amarillo and Texas and my dad was born in Plainview. That's why I am proud of my Dad and Mom." I'm not sure what is worse, that my only redeeming quality of being born in Amarillo is a falsehood or that she forgot the Centennial state. Blaspheme!!

At the women's retreat I attended this past weekend, some Moms were laughing about not having control over Sunday morning outfits while they were away. I thought it was funny because Matt dresses the kids all the time without my help (I can't do everything people!!) and yes he makes mistakes too. Millie wore this a couple weeks ago to church. It's a 9 month blouse that was mine when I was a baby...Millie wore it at 2 months as a dress and then maybe again at 9 months as a shirt. I thought it was cute!

So when I say things are getting back to normal, it means I'm actually doing some extra activities that are not on our schedule (like the library, gym, park, etc.). I took Lola to the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum for week of the young child with her friends. We learned a lot about string instruments and saw some artwork of settlers and hung out in the pioneer village.The girls played school and were wonderful students and teachers. Lola is a much nicer teacher than Matalley. Matalley likes to send Lola to the principal's office. (Just now as I'm writing, Matalley sent Lola away for not putting her books in the right cubby. Lola is in tears explaining that you shouldn't have to put a book away if you haven't read it yet.)

They also played with a pump and water.

And then we had a picnic (it was a pretty day, not a dust storm day like we've had the past 2 days...blech).

I was inspired by the pioneer town so I tried my hand at a pioneer woman recipe for Osso Busco. I thought the presentation was beautiful but the kids were not so impressed. Matalley mashed it all together but at least it was eaten. I'm back to cooking dinner and so far so good. It's not always on time but it is on the table before bedtime.

I feel very blessed despite my scatterbrain tendencies. This morning Lola was coloring and said, "Woohoo, look what I can do! I didn't think I could do it and I did!" She was so excited to make an outline of her hand and decided to practice some more. She was tickled with herself after each print. I just love her spirit and honesty. She cracks me up every day. Sometimes she'll cross her arms in distaste over something. Once, during her frustration, I told her to spill the beans already and she said, "No, I didn't!"

I think as long as I have grace for myself and my family, we will make it through my absentmindedness. It's good that they are so smart...they can overcompensate for my mistakes. I can learn a lot from them, too. For instance Easter Sunday, we were talking about the empty tomb and explained that Mary Magdalene and Mary went to anoint Jesus and Grayson brought up Salome being at the tomb. Both Matt and I said, "Who?" Crazy that for as many times as I read through Mark, I've never taken notice of Salome. But sure enough, she was at the tomb as well and Grayson remembered her name. Want to know what Salome means in Hebrew? It's derived from the rood word meaning "peace." With grace, I am at peace.