The Good, The Bad and The Really Bad (Not Necessarily in That Order)

This week started off really crappily.  I was in a foul mood all day Saturday, for no good reason really.  I have a sneaking suspicion it was :ahem: hormone-related.  Whatever it was I just could not snap out of it.  I was grumpy and feeling bad and being short-tempered with the kids.  And that made me feel even worse.  Ugh.

Sunday morning I forced myself to have a better attitude.  I took Solomon and Miriam to Jennifer's house and left them there so I could spend some time with Samuel alone.  I've been aiming to do this for quite some time but it's hard to make time for stuff like that.

Samuel wanted to go to Downtown Aquarium so we went and spent a couple of hours looking at all sorts of sea creatures.  It's as pretty fantastic place.  We got to see a worker feed a tank of piranha.  We watched "mermaids" put on a show about cleaning up the oceans.  Then we ate lunch aquarium-side in the restaurant there.  We had a great time and it was a good way to start the week.

Monday and Tuesday were pretty crappy days mood-wise again.  I did get to meet with Miriam's teacher on Tuesday morning and have a conference with both of them.  It was nice to hear Miriam talk through her self-assessment in a grown up voice that I've only recently begun to hear from her. She's developing a confidence and a voice that I was unsure she ever would.  She's such an amazing kid.     

Wednesday morning Solomon and I missed his bus.  As a result, I missed the conference with Samuel's teacher and drove Solomon to school instead.  At lunch time things started looking up.  I finally got the snow tires put on my car after a couple of weeks of wrangling with the people at the tire place.  That's a whole other story.  Anyway, one of the guys there gave me a great deal on certificates for the tires and I got a discount just because of the company where I work.

I re-scheduled the conference with Samuel's teacher for that evening.  We talked about his struggles with focusing on work and with speech.  She showed me his work samples and how well he's doing when he can actually complete the work.  Fortunately in third grade they grade what's been completed so his report card looks great.  I still worry about later years when everything is graded regardless of completeness.  But we still have a couple of years before that.  For now I'm grateful that he's smart and that he tries so hard.  And I am eternally grateful that he was matched with this teacher.  She is a gift.  She works with Samuel so much and is so flexible and so understanding and truly appreciates the good in him.

Also on Wednesday I got a digital antenna for our TV.  I had been using Paul's rabbit ears to pick up local stations since the conversion to digital TV but they weren't getting ABC.  The kids and I watch Once Upon a Time on Sunday evening on ABC but we're missing more than we're seeing because the reception is so bad.  Anyway, Paul helped me get my antenna and set it up.

Thursday was a good day because the kids didn't have school on Friday which meant Thursday night we didn't have to do any homework.  Any night there is no homework is a fabulous night for that reason only.

Yesterday was a phenomenal day.  A co-worker agreed to give up two of her holiday days so I could have them.  I had put in a request for December 29 and 30 in hopes of going to Utah with Paul for New Year's Eve.  I knew it would be denied because I'm the lowest on the totem pole and everyone else put in their holiday requests months ago.  It was denied.  But then a friend gave up her two New Year's Eve days for me and now I get to be off work!  Woot!  She really did not have to do that but I am so grateful that she did.

Also yesterday, I got a call from the art teacher at the elementary school.  She told me that she's awarding Samuel a High Flyer Award for his work and his behavior in her class.  This is the highest award the kids can get at their school.  Solomon got one in third grade and Miriam got one in second grade.  I had been hoping Samuel would get one.  And now he is!

I was very worried that I wouldn't get to be at the award assembly for that because it's next Tuesday morning when I'm supposed to be at work.  I told my boss what a big deal it is and she said it that we'd work out something for me to be there.  Another co-worker agreed to trade shifts with me so that I'm the late person that day and my boss approved the use of 2 hours of flex time so I can come in late after the award assembly.  Best of all, Samuel has no idea that he's getting this award yet or that I'm going to be there.  I am so excited!

In addition to both of those wonderful things, I had to leave Solomon here all day while I was work and Samuel and Miriam went to day care.  He's done it before but I always worry.  Yesterday I laid out some plans for him like I always do -- a couple of chores to do, make up homework, food that he could eat, etc.  He made me so proud.  He planned out all of his homework and completed it!  And he not only did the chores I asked, but he did extra!  And he practiced his trombone for an hour.   He's such a fantastic kid.

Last night I had Jennifer, Caleb, Lance and Paul over for games and food.  We haven't done that in a long time because of new jobs and new schools and so much life craziness getting in the way.  We had a great time and I was reminded of just how fortunate I am.