Hi

I'm not sure when I'm going to get caught up here, but hopefully it will be soon!

I just wanted to write this down.

Every year our ward does a Christmas Angels thing where the Relief Society president puts gift tags on the door with a gift that a child in the ward might want for Christmas. Every year we agree to participate because they need us to. Anyway, this year I was in a hurry to get the list to the president, and when I came to Joshua I remembered that he had computer glasses before, but they broke. I thought with as much as he works at the computer maybe he'd like new ones. Its all done anonymously usually, but this time it didn't end up that way. It just so happens that our eye doctor is in our ward, and he picked up that tag. He offered to give a free eye exam and a free pair of glasses! I figured just non-prescription lenses that are polarized for using at the computer.

Anyway, we got to the eye doctor yesterday, and he gave him the free exam, and it turned out that he is a little bit near-sighted! Ha! The eye doctor didn't think Joshua needed computer glasses because of the near-sightedness. I'm not sure why he doesn't take into account eye strain from the glare of the screen. I suffer from that! I have some fancy yellow glasses for the computer. Anyway, Joshua wasn't happy about needing glasses. Over and over he insisted that he won't wear them very often. Dr. Sellers said over and over, "No, and you don't have to. Just when they'd help you see street signs and things." And then Joshua took at least a half hour choosing frames for his new glasses, and came home still unsure that he picked the right ones. (I think he looks gewgrin them, but my opinion doesn't matter. ;) )

Anyway, what a funny, unexpected thing to have happen. The whole thing makes me laugh. But I really appreciate that they did that for him. It was so nice.

Just to have at least one post in November!

We're doing good. We're on pins and needles waiting for Hyrum's mission call to come. It kills me. But it's exciting. And that's about where we are right now. Hyrum's trying to pass his classes so he can graduate, and Joshua's working hard getting ready for the GED. They're both doing well at it and it's thrilling to watch. Benji almost has his lines memorized for his play, and Michael is still doing great at school, getting straight A's. Jill's getting better at spelling. It's coming along. Timmy's struggling with going to school in the morning, but he comes home happy. I'm befuddled. Bubby needs some schoolwork or something so he can feel like he accomplished something. Maybe? I don't know, but he's had growing pains as in a need to stretch. And Henry is getting to be a great talker. It's so fun!

Just a Few Things

I've put off thinking about Hyrum actually leaving as much as possible, but now it's actually sinking in, and I don't like it. It's a lot to ask of me to give up my son. Two years is such a lot of life. And once he leaves they'll all start leaving me. And when they come back it won't be permanent. It hurts. I'm proud, but I don't like it.

 We have some pretty spectacular sunsets here. We all went out to look at this one, and it turned our faces orange. It was quite beautiful.

Benji had EAC Band Day on Saturday. His group performed 3 songs. They did well. They got a Superior. This is actually the first time we've been able to go watch him, but I'm so glad we could!  Yay, Biggee!  (That's what Henry calls him.)

Also, I asked Geoff DeSpain, the EAC band director (who was in band with me in college and married my roommate) if marching band would go away with football if they decide not to keep football.  He said, no, there will still be marching band. They can perform for high schools. Plus, if he got rid of Band Day he'd be run out of town on a rail, he says. 😅 Well, I'm glad to hear they'll keep it. Hearing the band across the street every morning is another one of the best things about living here. Makes my day.

Also, our Prophet, President Nelson, is definitely inspired. I've been working on his challenges, and it's been so good. I've actually been trying to finish The Book of Mormon in a month because I don't know if I've ever done that before. It's a lot of reading and a lot of marking, but it's been good. I also finally officially started my social media fast. I needed to pray about what to fast from, and I also wanted to wait until my MTE orders were in since I use Facebook for it. I had already been staying off Facebook as much as I could, but now I'm also now I'm going to stay off other people's blogs (but not mine because it's productive to work on mine), and all my game apps. I actually took those and Facebook off my phone's home screen to make it easier to remember . It's been different. All I can do on my phone is check my email. 😅 Well, and I can use my browser to look up good things. I've been more conscious about staying away from the News because it's all bad news and not uplifting.

So far it's been nice. It's different, but it's a good different. After my fast ends (next Saturday) I'll just be staying off Facebook for the most part. Facebook is useful, but maybe I don't need to know about other people's drama, even if it's people I care about. I mean, I don't need to get wrapped up in my old high school friends' hard times. It's not beneficial, and there are other people who will do that. Plus, endlessly scrolling through Facebook is depressing. Also, just last night I realized I could be working on the hints I have piling up on Family Search in my spare moments (if I ever actually have any). That's a much better use of my time! I'm happy about all this, and it was easier to let go than I thought it'd be.

Just stuff

I really meant to wrote more this month, but it's been non-stop busy. We got Hyrum's mission papers to the Bishop. He'll be getting ordained on Sunday. I rented the Rug Doctor (all day process for one room). I covered 2 computer chairs. (Just slip covers, but still!) I've done a lot of laundry. We've had Conference and family pictures. We went to Anne and Rob's boy Helaman's baptism and stayed at Susie and Rachel's new house. IIgot orders for Model Team Express done again, though it was such a painful experience I'm thinking again of quitting. I'll have to talk about that later. And just last weekend we finally met another member of our guild. (Game name: Verdes. Age: 47. Raised in Oklahoma and has a fun accent. Current residence: Fayetteville, NC.  Religion: Christian and proud of it, but not really interested in our church, just happy that we're Christian too because she likes to talk about being Christian. She paints, and she's quite active in serving in her church however she can, despite having MS.) That was interesting.

Anyway, it's just been a lot. Oh, that and helped Hyrum petition for graduation. Turns out he was one class short. It kind of worked out because he had a class that ended at the beginning of the month and he was able to add one that started around then. So he's on track to graduate as long as he can keep his grades up. He's been working hard. He was so worried about becoming an adult, but just watching him you know he's going to be just fine.

Anyway, yeah, a lot going on. I feel like my to-do list gets longer and longer every day. But I'm plugging away still. We'll get through it.  I'm feeling butterflies in my stomach every day about those mission papers and they aren't even off to Salt Lake yet. I'm happy and proud but anxious. I feel like it's all going to snowball once my first child leaves me and before I know it they'll all be gone and I'll be sad. But I'm so proud of them too, and I'm excited to watch them, you know?! It's complicated.

Anyway, mostly I just want to say that today my favorite moment was when I was cutting out fabric for costumes. I had a long skinny piece, so I tied it on Henry like a karate headband. He was so thrilled. He kept running around the house either hsi fists closed and his arms out behind him, and then he'd stop and pose with his eyes half closed, trying to look tough. It was so darn cute. What would I do without him?! Every day I appreciate the things that make me laugh. I should start writing them down. I love laughing. And I love my cute boy!

Nie Nie

You guys, I just have to say - after all these years, I still read Nie Nie's blog. I kind of skim some parts. I don't really care much for the every day a new dress part of it, but her love of life jumps off the page and inspires me. It boggles my mind how they can afford the things they do, but I love her honesty and her simple gratitude. Always an uplift read.
Also, it's about the only blog I read anymore. 😅

Band

I know I've said it before, but I LOVE having the band practicing across the street! Makes my day!  What's going to happen if they do decide this is the last year for Gila Monster football?! :(

Henry

Just now I was laying bybhenry in his bed waiting for him to go to sleep, and maybe it was Buby that was saying, "Happy boy."  I can't remember. Either way, next thing I knew, Henry said, "Happy Hammy." I said, "Hammy? Whos Hammy? Is it Timmy?" He said, "No. Me." He seemed all pleased with himself. Cute boy!! I've heard him try to say Harry before, but not Henry. :)