November 3rd:   Today I was thankful for healthcare….dental care specifically. We have insurance and I can afford to take my kids, where they need to go and to have them and their precious little bodies taken care of.  They may not like the taste of the fluoride, but at least they know what it tastes like.

November 4th:  Today I’m thankful for the teachers who care for and teach my kids every day.  We have found the most dedicated group of teachers since we moved to VA. They may not be with me, but I know they are with people who are working hard to make their days great.

November 5th and 6th: On these days, I am thankful for healthy children.  While Jackie was swimming in the meet this weekend her sisters were in the kiddie pool having a good time too.  The fact that their little bodies are healthy and they can be active and enjoy life is a precious gift.

November 1st:  Well, today I was thankful for a husband with a good paying job and Excedrin Migraine. Apparently, even if a person does not feel stressed, she can be so busy that her body betrays her and acts like it is severely stressed.  Which is why I’m cracking dental crowns and waking up with aches in the back of my neck. Before you ask, yes, I already have a night guard. I crack those too. I’m clenching my jaws too hard when I sleep….because I’m stressed. But I don’t feel stressed. I feel busy, but not stressed.  Stressed is when there is illness or not enough money or unemployment…..I’m just busy. But back to my original focus of my gratitude.  After waking up with a serious headache and getting the kids on the bus and off to school, I was able to take two pills and lie down on the couch for a rest while they kicked in.

November 2nd: Today I am grateful I have a king sized bed. Rough day for the 7th grader in the friends department.  I don’t think the other girl was trying to be mean or hurtful but she told Jackie she didn’t want to be her best friend anymore. That they could be friends, but not best friends.  And to twist the knife, she doesn’t want Jackie to ask her about it.  Sigh…so I have a heartbroken 12-year-old.  But fortunately, I also have a bed big enough that when she needs a little more cuddling and closeness than usual, and a husband/dad who is out-of-town, she can crawl in bed with me and the world won’t seem so cold.

But today? Today she is more like this

and I’m finding it very hard to like her.  But I will keep my cool, and I will not yell at her AND I will be more stubborn than she ever thought possible.  Why?  ’Cause I love her.

So now that my life is crazy with nursing school, the girls, Jason the genetically defunct animals…I’m gonna try this again. Hopefully it won’t be another 10 months before I get back here.

I know..you guys are probably thinking 1 of several things….

1) You let her get the scissors AGAIN?

I know this is not the first time she has done this with the scissors but she is in that phase of enjoying cutting construction paper up in to a million tiny pieces. So scissors are usually out somewhere. I like to encourage her to do the scissor work….it makes her hand stronger and improves her fine motor skills.

2) Since when does a 4-year-old get to decide on her hair cut.

Well, since I decided there are other, more important battles to fight. Like treating her sisters with kindness or sharing what she has with those less fortunate.  I mean really, she goes to preschool….does it really matter if she has Maria Shriver looking hair?

3) Short hair on a little girl? It just doesn’t look right.

Well, my friends. I think you may need to take a closer look. I was concerned at first but she LOVES it and it fits her personality. She was amazed this morning when I combed her hair and it didn’t hurt. She likes the fact she could drink out of the water faucet and not hold her hair back.

When asked why she cut her hair, she will tell you that it’s because there was “one string….that got in my face and got in my mouth….and it annoyed me”. Well, alright then. She had a perfectly logical reason and now, that hair doesn’t get in her face and mouth anymore.  I think that makes us all feel a little giddy.

My greatest challenge is curiosity….or impatience, which ever you choose to call it.  Whenever I encounter a challenge or something that is weighing on my heart or mind, I pray for God to open my eyes to see whatever it might be He is trying to show me.

When I have a million errands to run and wake up to a sick child…..I learn I have to be patient and focus on what’s important.

When I go in to the gym on base and see the women changing from their uniforms…..I learn that I can miss something dearly and with all of my heart but know it was not the right choice for my children.

When I learn a friend has been hiding a secret from me….I learn that I can forgive but from that point on I will be more guarded and protective of my heart.

When a friend who caused hurt and pain years ago contacts me out of nowhere and apologizes for that hurt and pain….I learn that I can forgive and open my heart to a new friendship built on memories of wonderful times.

When I think about the life I have and wonder how in the heck I ended up here when this was SOOO not in my plan all those years ago…..I learn that when we are young, maybe we don’t know what our true gifts are and we are certainly not wise enough to know where to use those gifts.  So thank goodness things don’t always work out according to our own plans and not His.

When I do something I know is not a smart decision and it lingers with me long after….I learn that I need to practice more self-control and think through things more carefully before I move forward.

But then there are times He puts something or someone right in front of me.  It’s there and I can’t avoid it.I try…to look away, to ignore, to put away and step around….but there is a pulling at my heart and it just won’t go away.  The pull on my heart tells me that He is trying to speak to me.  But what is he trying to tell me?  What is he trying to teach me about myself or others? Oh, how I wish I knew….how I wish I knew.

Most of the time I figure these things out on a run with some very inappropriate song blaring from my iPod in to my feet and pushing them forward.  Eminem has NOTHING to do with God helping me follow His plan for me. LOL I have not been able to run much for the last couple of months. School and familial responsibilities have pulled me away.  I think the fact that I have this invisible challenge blocking my path, is my signal I need to get back on it. I need to plug the iPod in and go for a run….I can’t literally run around whatever I choose to call this weight. But what I can do is go run and work out the static and the fuzz…so I can more clearly see what He is trying to tell me.  Or at least get rid of some of my energy so I am less anxious about waiting for Him to show me in his own time.

The real reason for this post is because many of my Republican friends are really out of control. Yesterday, the Democrats got a rude awakening. There was a clear statement made by the American people.  We can argue over what that message was, but I don’t want to get in to it here.

So, I check Facebook today. And I am shocked. And it’s SO ridiculous that it’s funny.  I figured I would see some of my Democrat friends commenting on the elections. But no, it’s the Republicans who are still bitching and whining about the elections.  PEOPLE! Give me a break! You won! You complained and whined and excused and all that until you won. And now that you won, you are still whining.  Good Grief!  Stop complaining and do something positive with your time and energy.

I copied this idea from a friend. Now we can leave our pumpkin on the front doorstep a while longer.

Oh…this was a funny and entertaining holiday this year. I don’t really care for those cheesy store made costumes. I would prefer to come up with something creative and make it ourselves. That’s part of the fun of the holiday for us.  But this year, we had an especially hard time finding the requisite parts for a variety of costumes. No white sweat pants for Katey, no Gryffindor tie for Jackie….it got to be a pain. So, one day while I needed to study, it was up to Daddy to take the girls and take care of the costume bit.  After looking at a few stores for the parts we needed, he decided to scrap the homemade plan and take the shortest route to solve the problem. Typical engineer, no?  Off to the Disney store he went.  Girls in tow. And I am pretty certain they did not try to stop him.  He solved the problem at hand and came home an hour later.  Box checked as far as he was concerned.  And I can’t give him a very hard time. He did ensure the girls chose costumes that provided appropriate coverage in all the right places.  Does it really matter to me that the costumes were not created at home? Not really.  We can do more of that in years to come. It’s not like this is the last Halloween EVER.

Jessie- The Yodeling Cowgirl

First, we had Izzy as Jessie from Toy Story.  She got the outfit back in July, for her birthday and all she needed were the red, glittery boots to finish the look.  I think it’s funny that I have a blonde who is dressed up like a character who has red hair. She doesn’t care.  Heck, I don’t care. Be who you wanna be, kid.

Then I had Katey as Princess Tiana. Does it surprise anyone who knows her that Katey dressed up as the African American Princess?

"Princess Tiana"

And, last but not least was Jackie as Alice in Wonderland. Again with the girls stepping out of the box.  The kid I have with the darkest hair dressing up as the blonde-headed girl.  Of course, she had to have leggings underneath hers. What is the deal with all of the costumes her age barely covering the hooha? Sigh….we cover that up in this house. Sorry boys.

"Alice in Wonderland"

The girls were cold and Izzy had to take a potty break, so they came home around 8. They got in to their jammies and sorted through the loot.  Apparently they had to “pay” Daddy an additional escort fee.  Katey started looking for her red hots and in the course of a small, internal investigation we discovered that was the candy Izzy had given Jason.  Katey: “Izzzzyyyyyyy, you can just take my candy and give it to someone else”  Izzy: “But I didn’t want it.” Katey was not happy but I thought it was funny.  All in all, it was a great Halloween. Not many trick or treaters and we have WAY too much candy left in this house.  Guess I am heading to the gym today.

And then classes started.  And after that, it has all been a blur…………

And after they get what they want, they are gone. In a flash.  With no looking back. So if I ever need to pull on anyone, I am pretty much on my own.  Because, after all, why would I need to pull on someone for support or help?  I’m always expected to take care of them.

Yeah…I feel that way sometimes.  Ok…a lotta times.  Especially lately.