Did you ever see the movie Apollo 13? There's a bit where the astronauts - who are in a precarious position - have to orbit around the moon in order to use its gravitational pull to "slingshot" them back to earth. Right before they go behind the moon, and out of radio contact with earth, one of the astronauts says to Houston, "See you on the other side."
Kind of how I feel when we have Naomi here for a few days. We love it, but I do feel disconnected from my "normal". I know if we had a toddler around full time, we'd adapt to a new normal, but since she's only here for a visit, we put a lot on hold.
because he is so helpful with Naomi.
Actually he's great with kids in general, but the two of them have a special bond.
... because somebody could swing all day long.
... and what a happy reunion that was!
So now we're sliding back into our normal groove.
Well, as normal as things ever get around here.
I just had an entire (short) conversation with Tate about his schoolwork right before he went to bed. He had some questions about his reading and when he needed to finish certain things. We cleared it up.
As we finished, I looked more closely at him and realized - no CI. He'd already taken it off for bed.
He was lip-reading the whole time.
The week is flying by.
1. I had my interview-that-was-more-like-an-audition on Tuesday evening - teaching a sample class for adults. We'll have to see what pans out.
In our county we have LOTS of homeschoolers. Some families want to continue homeschooling, but as their kids get older, they have one or two subjects they either don't fell confident in, or don't enjoy teaching, or (?) For whatever reason, they want to "sub out" that subject to someone else.
Enter ZLO - Zaccheus Learning Opportunities.
Technically, that's tutoring. But if you group a few tutors together, with a few students each, it's a sort-of-kind-of-almost-but-not-exactly a school. Usually four to ten students per teacher. Group tutoring. Not accredited. Not under the control or supervision of the government, so free to teach from a Biblical perspective.
Some of my friends' kids attend ZLO and I've always heard great things, but we've never taken any classes there. But they're looking for more teachers, so I've offered to teach the science that I'll be doing with Gunnar next year. Hence, the sample lesson.
If they approve me, well... then we'll just have to see if any students sign up. I'm kind of ambivalent. It's very comfortable to just stay home, work though Apologia's General Science with Gunnar, and stay in my comfort zone. But Gunnar would really enjoy the interaction with the other kids and it would probably be a good challenge for me.
Whether my style of teaching is a good fit for other homeschool families remains to be seen!
2. Our neighbors continue their quest to kill their lawn. No, I"m not joking.
I'm thrilled at the way they've attacked the ivy - it really opens things up!
of rocks, gravel, bark, and dirt over the grass.
But on the other hand, it irks me that my tax dollars are paying for their yard work.
Yah. The environmental-overkill liberals in our town are using our tax money to PAY homeowners to kill their lawns.
I get that too much phosphorus getting in the lake is a bad thing.
But guess how many times I've fertilized my lawn.
You don't have to make sense to make legislation.
3. With our cloudy spring skies we've had some dramatic sunsets.
but I took these just last Saturday.
4. Gunnar requested I take photos of this bumblebee.
You can actually eat the flowers of this Oregon Grape if you like tart flavors!
5. Speaking of Gunnar... someone didn't want to get up yesterday morning.
CAP nights are kind of late.
6. My boys - who call these things "dumb cars" - found this hilarious.
7. Gunnar is entering his Disneyland countdown. Less than two months until his big trip!
is coming for a visit.
Also, anticipating that my free time will be severely reduced.
Blogging will resume when life gets back to normal.
For today, Monday, April 21, 2014.
Outside my window... cool, but not raining :D We'll be able to see snow in the hills for weeks yet, but spring is trying mightily to break through. The one (and only) tulip the deer haven't eaten is blooming over by the garage.
Hearing... Tate coughing. He's fighting off a cold. I told him the good news is it surely will have run its course before surgery.
Pondering... what a lovely, lovely weekend we had.
Praying... the usual... work for Kerry (he has some, just praying it keeps coming!), encouragement and comfort and healing for our friend from church, looking ahead to Tate's surgery and recovery, and to finish the school year strong.
On Maundy Thursday we gather for a soup and bread potluck - so simple, and so delicious - and a time of fellowship. We sing a few songs. Pastor Bert speaks for a few minutes. And we have communion - like the first communion at the last supper.
And we sang this song - Oh How Good It Is, which just summed things up perfectly.
Dwells together in spirit, in faith, and unity.
Are the fruits of His presence here among us.
And with one heart we'll live out His Word.
To rejoice with the happy and weep with those who mourn.
When we offer the blessing of belonging.
To prefer one another, forgive as He forgives.
Of the Son with the Father and the Spirit.
Wearing... jeans, t-shirt, blue sweater, blue crocs (slippers). Ooo! Faaancy.
Creating... a lesson plan. I have to teach a lesson tomorrow night to "audition" for potentially teaching a science class next year.
Reading... still working my way through Age of Opportunity but not having much free time!
Learning... I'm about to have less free time - we'll be watching Naomi for a few days over the weekend.
Looking forward to... spending calm time with her. Our family Easter gathering was a great time, but "calm" does not describe it.
In the kitchen... ummm... maybe sloppy joes.
Around the house... time to take a look at things through toddler eyes... I'm thinking a few things need to head for higher ground.
The Mother Load... about to be put completely on hold.
Something fun to share... Gunnar is loving CAP, but has been "on hold" for promoting, the obstacle being the PT test. He just could NOT pass the running portion. And last week he did it! We're so happy for him! He'll have no trouble with the written exams, and should be able to pass the drill test soon. Woo-hoo!
One of my favorite things... walks with Gunnar.
A peek into my world... Naomi's first Easter egg hunt.
The eggs weren't so much hidden as scattered.
She was quite concerned about the dirt stuck to the first egg and wanted to clean it off before proceeding with the hunt.
Gunnar shows Naomi the little M&M's inside the eggs. Aha!
Naomi was intrigued by the bubbles Grandma was blowing.
Yesterday was a Big Day for the adult Grasshoppers... I had a chance to meet a bloggy friend (or, as Tate says "a computer generated friend") IN REAL LIFE. The fabulous Rebecca, who blogs at High Maintenance Aspirations, flew all the way across the country with her husband Paul for vacation.
Could wild horses drag me away?
Welcome to Seattle - it's raining. And I decided to bring my good camera. Therefore pics are somewhat random. And by random, I mean, I didn't want to get my camera wet, so I didn't take very many. Except inside. Like at Starbucks. And since there's a Starbucks on nearly every block in Seattle (It's possible I'm exaggerating, but not much) we ducked into one down in Pioneer Square.
... you could watch the artists working in the back. We'll have to bring the boys by sometime.
But hey... the Chihuly exhibit probably runs about twenty bucks, and here you can look all you want for free :D They were really friendly, didn't mind us taking pictures, and when Rebecca chose some pieces to buy and they were all made by the same guy who was ringing her up I think it worked to both of their advantage!
But we had to decide where to go. We'd thought of eating at their hotel, because the smells wafting out of the restaurant were oh-so-enticing (nobody was actually drooling but it was close). Bad luck, they were booked until eight. And I confess, I'm so not a night owl, especially with the drive home afterwards. So we asked the concierge to point us somewhere nearby.
Well, good grief, Rebecca and I were having a great time, joking, batting ideas around, and the concierge wasn't exactly icy, yet not entering into the fun. Y'know? But we made our choice and he called and booked us a reservation. Great. Thank you. He very cautiously described the place as "offbeat" and "funky". Okay, granted he seemed a bit formal (stodgy?) but this being Seattle we both kind of wondered if by "funky" he meant "disturbing".
Not so. We had a great time at Icon Grill.
And the concierge may have liked us better than he let on, because he apparently called and added an extra appetizer to our dinner.
Then when it got added to the bill we wondered if we had been right the first time ;D But our waiter sorted it out. Out waiter, Edward.
If you ever find yourself in Seattle with an overwhelming desire to eat somewhere a concierge would describe as "offbeat and funky", get yourself down to the Icon Grill and make sure you ask for Edward.
Edward was very personable. He sat right down and visited awhile. Rebecca asked if he minded us taking his photo. And apparently he gets that a lot - he told us - because he looks like Zachary Quinto. So there you go.
When she said she'd put his photo on her blog he brought her a card with his email, so she could send him a link.
It occurred to me later that he might have thought maybe we were really foodies, with fancy food blogs and even fancier photography, and with heaps of readers hanging on our every word.
I hope he's not disappointed.
Meanwhile, while the minions are old enough (and trustworthy enough to leave home alone, Grandpa and Grandma Grasshopper took them out to dinner while we were gone. And Grandma even brought them a movie to watch. So a good time was had by all.
Outside my window... frost on the ground, clear skies, birds chirping, and the sun just peeking over the hills - looks like a gorgeous day! Which means Wyatt rides his bike to school (and I don't have to go get him) and I'll feel guilty if I don't work in the yard. Especially since rain is forecast for the rest of the week.
Hearing... Wyatt and Gunnar in the kitchen, Tate in the shower, robins and chickadees.
Pondering... a former pastor took his life over the weekend, leaving a wife and two little kids. While I wasn't particularly close to them, I can't get it out of my mind. Of course I'm praying for her and the kids, but I'm SO MAD at him. For doing that to them.
And I know, tender, gentler hearts than mine will say that we need to be compassionate and gracious, and that we can't imagine how much he must have been suffering.
But I can't help thinking that if we focused more on the shock, horror, misery and grief suicide leaves behind and less on the woe of the one who caused it... if we treated that person less like a victim... it might remove just a little piece of what attracts people to suicide.
and friendly neighbors to sit and visit with.
Wearing... capri jeans, a short-sleeve t-shirt, and a blue sweater... cold now, warm later - I hope.
Reading... Age of Opportunity, by Paul David Tripp.
In the learning rooms... juggling the master schedule to accommodate boys who are jumping ahead in some areas and boys who have fallen behind in others. And maybe arranging for some chemistry tutoring. It's a tough subject!
* figure out what to do with the kitchen floor.
I love my kitchen floor. It's real linoleum - not vinyl. It's durable. It doesn't crack, like vinyl will, if you drop a can (guilty) on it. And it can be quickly mopped. But every so often - at least once a year - it should be stripped and waxed. We used to have a guy who would come and do it for eighty bucks, but he got out of the business. So I've been limping along with good ol' Mop N Glo, which gives a "soft" shine, like this.
When I paid "the guy" to come do it, my floor looked like this, with a hard glassy finish.
But I have to find a new Floor Guy. And the first one I called just gave me his bid - $475.
Well THAT stopped the music in a hurry.
I'll keep looking, but meanwhile, I think I'm stuck with Mop N Glo.
Noticing that... Hey! Total lunar eclipse tonight! Your google is as good as mine as far as finding out the actual time for your area. I think it will be about 11-midnight out here on the west coast, but I'm double checking.
1. Easter, because his cousin will be there and have her first Easter egg hunt.
2. The few days his cousin will be staying with us in the following week.
3. His upcoming (13-year-old) trip to Disneyland.
And the details of his favorite rides.
Then something new occurred to him.
"Mom, what will you do while I'm gone?"
fun times at the Grasshopper house!
A few plans for the rest of the week... Holy Week is a busy week - GOOD busy.
Sunday - sunrise service, Easter service, Easter brunch potluck, Easter at my parents with the whole family.