Traveling with boys

Greg and I took Ryan and 3 friends to Laser Quest as part of Ryan's birthday plan. Perhaps it is with small groups of young kids, or maybe it's just boys--I'll let you know after I travel with a group of girls. But they were just hysterical. They would finish each other's sentences, jump in wherever and say the funniest stuff! I also learned very quickly (before reaching Indian Ripple at least) that the adult's job was not to contribute in ANY way to the conversation--they just stop and look at you. Our job is to be nearby if needed and listening is really just a huge perk!

What's in a name?

I've known for awhile that Sarai is a variation of my name. Just learned it means "quarrelsome" which actually seems more fitting than "princess". Hmmm.

Busy reading

Of all the things I have taught my children, using reading as a tool to keep busy has been one of the most valuable. It was a concept introduced to me by my friend Charlotte. Until then, I thought the kids had to be entertained on long trips with videos. Lucklily, I met her while the kids were still young enough to be weaned from in car videos pretty quickly. Now books go everywhere. Here Ryan sits reading a comic while wating for AAA to replace a flat on the van. He is engaged and the time is passing without complaint. I am so thankful that they love to read and that we didn't gave in to electronic gizmos to keep them busy!

Mama bear

Have discovered nothing causes more stress than having your kid out in the world and the world sucker punches her. Over the course of the last 2 months, there have been two instances where Charlotte has felt threatened/afraid at school and it's because of one other child. 2 months ago this child told Charlotte it was the there was man waiting in the sewer killing little girls and telling Charlotte she was next. A barrage of meetings with teachers and counselors to discover he had gotten it from a movie. This time it was the same child telling Charlotte he was going to kill one of her friends because that friend "cheated on him." Keep in mind this child is 6 or 7. And I have no idea what he watches or sees at home. All I know is my child has started complaining that her stomach hurts before school and that we are having conversations about having a clear line of communication with her teacher when she feels uncomfortable. The counselor told us that she had told Charlotte that there are people in the world who say bad things and we just have to do our best to get through it. That's when I got angry. Just deal with it. That was the message given to her. Just found out from her teacher that this child was suspended for three days because of this and his mother was mad at the school. Three weeks of school left this year. Am seriously considering pulling her out now. Debating homeschooling (again) and if we can afford me to be part-time. What a headache.

She is a butterfly

So Charlotte is 6 (7 this summer) and experience has taught us not to fret, that the game will eventually click. It took Ryan until last fall (age 8) so for now we can enjoy Charlotte's playing of the game. Where Ryan runs to get the ball, Charlotte kind of flits and flutters--we call it her "butterfly thing". While Ryan is kicking goals, we are delighted and so proud when Charlotte kicks the ball. Just touches it with her foot. She runs fast because she knows she is supposed to, though she may not really know why. Or if she knows why, she may not care. And really, her run is kind of a gallop...Which is okay. She still likes to go and she likes to practice.

Love watching him run

Last season it finally clicked. Ryan started understanding the nuances of the game and became more aggressive and eager to learn the game of soccer. It was a treat to watch him in the fall and again this spring. There is talk of letting him try out for select in the fall...we'll see. We will likely put him in soccer camp this summer. He is fast and those long legs carry him far! He is more agile on his feet and moves the ball better. He's improving. I love watching him run!

Spring is here..along with some reality

Today is one of those beautiful days! A hammock day! And I'm typing a blog. Walked Charlie to the park and back and am mentally revving up for the girl scout meeting tonight (I touch on camping) and the cub scouts--we are doing art. I am bring a cobbler to make in the dutch oven over the open fire at girl scouts:) Our first camporee is coming up Mother's day weekend--I wonder how many have been camping before and I wonder how I will manage my first girl scout trip as an adult--and in a lodge no less:( I'll touch on those thoughts another time.

I felt I should share a dramatic shift in thinking that has taken hold in the last weeks. Whether it's the economy, the results of an abysmal job search and humiliating HR experience, more friendships and ties here or a combination of all of the above--I have come to a place where I am ready to make a life...here. Not Cincinnati. Not Centerville or Kettering, or Yellow Springs. Here. This last year has been very hard. I didn't expect finding another job to be so frustrating and difficult. It makes me thankful that I have a job now to pay the bills! The kids are in soccer and scouts are making more ties in school. The realization came that even if I was GIVEN a job in Cinci tomorrow--I couldn't take it. We can't move, I am unwilling to commute 2 hours a day. Our house and day to day running of events is crazy. One of us needs to be home more. We have put everything on hold with the hope that we could leave. And I am tired of putting everything on hold. We need to find a church to go to. I want to build a playhouse for the kids. The house isn't bad and we will be in a place fairly soon to make it better. We'll be in a place where i can work part-time and keep up with our living space! Greg agrees (though still wants out of the house). But he agrees. And I have found a measure of peace. A couple of my work friends say I am giving up. Maybe. But working part time and having more time to do life sounds really appealing. Hopefully Murphy's law will STAY AWAY and I will not be offered a great job full-time. I have made peace with a different path. All it took was time and some harsh realities. I still have my degree, no one can take that away. The allure of a better job remains. But not here. At some point we may go. I hope then it won't be such a fight or seem so insurmountable.