Motivation

I am having a slight "motivation" problem.

Something along the lines of "They have already taken my job away, so why exactly should I show up for the rest of the year if they don't even WANT me?!?!?!?!?" (with a slight amount of eye-rolling and head-nodding thrown in there, along with just a smidge of attitude...)

And then one of my students says something funny, or smiles at me, and I remember why I have to show up every day.

True story.

The Birthday Girl!

Yesterday was a very special day... My little Abby turned 9!

It was also a CRAZY BUSY kind of day... After school, we rushed home and opened gifts for Abby. Then, we hopped in the car and rushed off to Goldthwaite for a basketball game for Katie's 6th grade team. Yesterday was ALSO the birthday of one of Kate's BFF's, Miss Emma! Here is a pic of both the birthday girls.
When we got home (finally), we got to eat Abby's DELICIOUS cake. She loves Science and the Solar System, so she wanted a cake with the Solar System on it. One call to Mrs. LeeAnn at Cake and Cookie Creations (our fabulous new bakery here in H-town), and WHA-LA!!! Solar System cake!
Here is a pic of the big 9 year old birthday girl, with the candles lit on her cake.
Happy Birthday to my sweet angel, Abby. I love you SO much, and I hope your day was as special as you are!!

Changes....

Just in case you didn't know this about me, I'm NOT so big on CHANGES.

I'm a "wee bit" of a planner. I like things the way I like them, thank you very much, and usually, I am able to make my handy little life work out the way I want it to work out. And I like it that way. It's like my own personal little Burger King.

But sometimes, life throws me a curve ball of sorts.

Like this week, for instance.

You see, last year I made the MONUMENTAL, LIFE-CHANGING decision to go back to work. It wasn't a decision I made lightly, but it's where I felt I needed to be. My children would all be in school this year, and I want to be where they are. (That was sort of the whole reason I was a stay-at-home mom in the first place.)

But, now the state of Texas is having money issues, and our schools are having budget issues. So this week I was informed that my services would no longer be needed next year. As in, "You no longer have a job here."

*SIGH*

I know I am so blessed, because I don't have to work. My not working won't change my family's life financially. I wasn't doing it for the money, though... I was doing it because I love it, and because I love being near my children. And my children love me being there. I know that won't always be true, and I hate to miss the few years when it IS true.

I'm not sure where I am supposed to go from here, but I'm trying to just be still and BE. God will show me, if I just allow him.

Back to Reality

I will say, this whole "going back to work after being off for Spring Break after the Spring forward time change" thing might be kicking my butt. Just a little bit.

We never "adjusted" to the time change, because we didn't have to get up and go anywhere last week! We slept late EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. And loved every minute of it.

This week, we might be dragging JUST A WEE BIT, and it's only Tuesday!!

Lord, help us!!

Spring Break 2011...

... is in full swing at Casa de Killian, and we are loving every minute of doing NOTHING. We have taken several little day trips, but nothing too exciting. Today we dropped my car off to be serviced in Waco and got a "loaner" vehicle for the day, and had big plans to go to the zoo. When we drove up to the parking lot, not only was the ENTIRE parking lot marked "FULL", but the overflow parking lot was also marked "FULL". I bribed the girls with ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WHOLE WORLD YOU CAN THINK OF THAT YOU HAVE EVER WANTED TO DO. ANYTHING ELSE. NAME IT. IT'S YOURS. JUST PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME GO IN THERE WITH THAT MASS OF HUMANITY , INCLUDING 75,000 OTHER SNOTTY NOSED CHILDREN THAT BELONG TO OTHER PEOPLE. (or something like that...)

So, they chose to go and paint pottery. It was nice and rather therapeutic. We enjoyed it. Now would be an EXCELLENT time for a picture, if I had taken one, but.... you know me. I did not.:-) Kate made a picture frame for one of her friends for her birthday, Grace painted a garden gnome (strange choice, I know, but we just saw Gnomio and Juliet yesterday...), and Abby painted a spotted kitty cat. I painted a basketball that Kate REALLY wanted (but she was painting the picture frame...).

After pottery, we went to Lion's Park. It is an old-fashioned park that has a carousel and a train and go carts and mini-golf and all sorts of kiddie-rides. The girls had a blast.

By then, I was pretty much ready to bolt for home, but they still hadn't finished with my car, so we went for ice cream...

Then off for a little shopping....

Then we just gave up and went and tracked down my car. They STILL weren't done, and the guy confessed that they probably were not going to finish today. ARGGGGHHH!!!!! He said to just take the loaner home and come back tomorrow.

This guy obviously does not REALIZE that we've already had all the fun that we can have in Waco!!!!

The Results are In...

... and my little Kate is now a Junior High Cheerleader.

I'm proud of her for going after what she wanted and doing a good job.

I went and watched her today during the try-outs in front of the student body, and she was really good. She didn't look nervous AT ALL. It did her mama's heart good!

So... I'm a cheer mom. Pray for me, internets, 'cause I've got a feeling I'm going to need it!!!!!

Cheer Mom...

It's that time already.

My daughter is in Jr. High, and she has decided that she would like to try out for cheerleader.

Now, if you know me AT ALL, you know that I was a BIG cheerleader in my school girl days. Big. As in "loved it with my whole heart, didn't care about much else, practiced in my bedroom all the time" kind of big. I thought it was GREAT.

But now I'm a mom, and I'm not sure what I think about it anymore. I don't really WANT her to wear a cute skirt and yell for young boys playing sports... I want her to want to go and play her OWN sports. I want her to be strong and confident and independent. And I don't know if cheering teaches that. I guess it COULD - in the right situations, but ...UGH.

I have resigned myself to the fact that she wants to do this, and I will let her, because I remember how I loved it. BUT... at the same time, I'll be preaching about self-importance and independence and growing up to be a strong woman who can take care of herself.

Kinda like her mama...

March, you say?!?!?!

What?!?!

You say it's March 1st?!?!?!

I feel certain that cannot be true.

Why, it was just New Year's Day yesterday, after all, wasn't it?

There is no way possible it could be March ALREADY!

I must check this out...