January

The first week back went swimmingly. I have cleared my head with the Christmas break. I have calmed down. Put everything into perspective. Swallowed all of the goofy child drama that was thrown around last semester with those students that I can’t stand. I feel fresh and energized. For one thing, my photojournalism class started over. I feel confident in what I’m doing with the new kids. They seem a little…? They’re ok. Maybe a few leaders in there, but some other kids… not too sure. It will be fine. I’ve done it before, I can do it again and tidy up all of the loose ends that were a part of semester 1.

As long as I don’t look at Charlotte or Sage, I’m good. I literally have blinders on like a horse pulling a carriage. I amaze myself by looking past them. I don’t know if I attribute it to the exercise that I’m doing, the book that I read over the break to calm me down, or the fact that I know that half of this year is over. But something in me told me to calm down and do take one day at a time. I’ve left early the first 2 days, but need to again. We have a deadline this Friday and I know that we will stay after a lot this week. One of the tech gurus is coming to visit me tomorrow and I’m thrilled. I really need his help with one thing I can’t seem to figure out. I’m usually really good with computers but this I need help on.

I go to New Orleans with my friend my Indy on the 24th. I’m so flippin’ excited. New Orleans is my place. It has my live music, my food, my weirdness, my ghostly entertainment, my art and history. I find myself venturing there almost every year. The last time I went with Christine was when she had her Bachelorette party there. All of those chicks from Indy had a hell of a time understanding what all of the cajun food was. I enjoyed translating for them and explaining how things paired up with each other well. Christine is my friend who can get kinda crazy at times and lure me into doing stuff that I wouldn’t normally do. I bet she’s calmed down after having 2 boys, or maybe she hasn’t? She already convinced me we needed a balcony room in the French Quarter, which I barely hesitated on. Bucket list item for me for sure. But I told her that we needed to be careful there. My recovery time from drinks has diminished over time and not like it used to be. Stay away from the hurricanes and the Jester drinks! Stick to expensive liquor first, then maybe, only maybe a beer at the end of the night. Water for days. Keep a jug of Ozarka in the room and have food and snacks on hand, no matter what!

My girls have been fighting with each other this weekend. Getting aggressive on the trampoline and just doing weird things. A few time outs and being sent to the room. A weird phase but it’ll pass.

My mom got some test results back from the hospital. Her nodules on her lungs and one in her abdomen has stopped growing! It is not shrinking, but at least it’s stopped growing!! 4 months of a reprieve now. She’s had a horrible cough for 2 months now. Not sure what is going on there, but she’s been on rounds of antibiotics and nothing is kicking it, although it’s not walking pneumonia.We thought it had to do with the ion therapy. I hope she feels better. Her skin is paper thin at the moment and she’s constantly itching, and creating these big scabs on her. I don’t like seeing it and she doesn’t even know she’s scratching. So sad to see her in that state, but– at least nothing is growing at the moment on her lungs and she is good spirits, as always. I have always admired how optimistic she is. I think my dad and I are optimistic but we have to work on it.

Matt seems to be enjoying his new job. The work time is working out fine and he gets home early on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is so nice to have the kiddos be a little bit older and have him relax around them more. I feel that he didn’t really know much about kids in the old days (me neither), but that it stressed him out. It was noticeable. Now, he is sailing smoother around our kids. I do and don’t want them to grow up. I love them so much.

I made Paige’s invitation today in InDesign. It’s a unicorn party at a trampoline park. I found a great deal on Groupon. Can’t wait to see her happy face on her big day. 🙂 Eliza is doing well in school. We had a play date with a friend of hers in her class that lives in our neighborhood. It was nice to meet another mom that *I think* is normal.

I’m gonna go. Going to get into bed and read a little. Just started Crazy Rich Asians. Good book so far.