Back in stride again

I have missed writing. It seems like the hole in the dam got plugged and I couldn’t get it unstuck. So many thoughts swirling around in my head but I was unable to put them down on paper. It has been a busy time for us with the kids at school, activities on the weekends and living life daily. Work has really picked up and even consumed my evenings for a while there but those projects have come to an end and things are getting back to normal just in time for school to start. For the most part we have all been healthy; a few colds, coughs, and ear infections but nothing of major proportion. The flu skipped us on its second go round and for that we are thankful. The girls are growing by leaps and bounds. Inches up and out almost like plants they are growing with the seasons. Sprouting up in the spring just like my tulips in the front yard. I love the weather minus all the pollen and what it does to my allergies but the beauty that surrounds us is unparalleled. Bright pinks, yellows and oranges dot the neighborhood and the trees are blossoming white, pink and green. Spring has sprung and the temperatures are rising daily; almost a little too quickly. I’d love to have several weeks of the 70s before we start edging our way up to the 80s and 90s. Spring break is next week and this year the kids are really excited about it although we have no concrete plans for the time they are out. I will take a day or two off of work and spend time with them doing things locally but for the most part we’ll stay within the general vicinity of the house. I would like to take a trip down to the beach to see my grandmother but I’m not sure how that will pan out. We’ll play that one by ear. Gas prices have definitely put a damper on straying too far away from home although a visit is way overdue by my standards. I hope this is the beginning of being able to write again although my time is about to be consumed even more after this weekend doing homework and reading to prepare for class but I am at peace with it all and will take it one day at a time.

Spring

Spring has sprung. If you can’t tell it by the buds on the trees or the flowers blooming, then you definitely know it by the yellow/green dust that is everywhere. Allergy sufferers like I have started out the season in earnest with red, itchy, watery eyes, noses running for days and headaches of monumental proportions due to the reproductive season of the plant world. There have been a lot of things going on these past few weeks with the kids, work, and home. Some good, some ok and other’s frustrating but I know that it’s all a part of life and where we are in the journey right now.

We had spring break last week, which was nice for all of us. Good Friday came and I was off enjoying my time and contemplating all the spiritual aspects of that day and the two following it. Easter we had a wonderful church service, and then a cookout and Easter egg hunt with family. The girls had a wonderful time. We all did. The weather was great and it’s always good when you can come together and fellowship without all the drama that can come with family and friends. I took two days off in the middle of the week to spend with the girls and we hit the road. Virginia Beach was crowded but nice. The water was ice cold but the sun and sand were hot. It was hard to believe everyone was out in their bathing suits trying to catch a tan that early in the year yet alone venturing forth into the water. They played in the sand; we soaked up the rays and then went to visit my grandmother. Klutz that I am took a spill, flipped over a fence, bumped my head on a bench, scrapped up my arm on the sidewalk and bruised my ankle. It would have been a money winner on America’s Funniest Videos for sure. To make matters worse the girls stood around looking at me splayed out for the world to see without thinking to assist me. Finally one of them ran to get Tony so he could help me untangle myself from the broken fence and up on my feet. Thursday we vegged around the house, in the yard and about the area taking care of errands and such. Friday I escaped back to work to recoup for the weekend. Overall it was a great week but I was glad for Monday when life could get back to normal.

We’ll struggle to keep them focused for the last two months of school as they dream of shorts sleeves, tank tops, swimsuits, the beach, Busch Gardens and days when they can sleep however late they want and do nothing but nag us about how bored they are. I will work diligently to find ways to occupy their minds and keep them relatively active and learning for the 100+ days of boredom known as summer vacation. Whatever happened to the days when you could farm them off to the grandparents?