Survived Week One

That's week one back to homeschooling, back to dance classes, and Steven back to flying across the country. He was gone Monday through Thursday, in four different states, and we made it through. The weather was frigid (not as frigid as the below-zero temperatures where Daddy was), wet, and miserable except for one glorious day that we spent outdoors.  My lap and my bed always seem to be filled with these little humans. The two on the left may drive me crazy, but I love them so much.  I just need to figure out a way to have a little more of my own space and time, especially when Steven is gone.  I survived partly due to many, many episodes of "White Collar." Whatever it takes!

Somehow we had a week filled with friends, too. It made me feel loved in the midst of an otherwise lonely kind of week. It also made me so glad to be where we live, right in the middle of everywhere our friends need to be, convenient for us and for them to come visit! On Monday we had two sets of friends over for short visits, and another kind friend gave the girls a ride to and from ballet. On Tuesday (the sunny day), my Maria came to clean the house, so I took the kids out for Chickfila, the library, and a park for a few hours. When we were almost home, our neighbor asked if the boys wanted to play outside, so we ended up spending the afternoon with them. Then we had their Godmother and some of her kids over again in the evening between their wrestling classes. On Wednesday another set of friends came over so that Mary Clare could have a little cake with her buddies who had been traveling over Christmas and New Years.  Thursday was dance class and Daddy's late night arrival, and Friday was a rest day.  What a full week!

Back to all that fun school-y stuff like learning to read. 

This weekend we'll be regrouping, and hopefully we'll have some time to set some yearly goals and start some commitments to things like exercise, better diet, prayer, and frequenting the sacraments. I had hoped to attend a family retreat this weekend, but it just didn't pan out.  But we did enjoy some Chinese takeout tonight and I was struck once again by the fact that we are not just visiting here; we are HOME! I am so thankful.. So we'll enjoy this weekend together and start looking forward to all the great things that 2015 has to offer us!  Hope your new year has been filled with fun things like reading girls, cute puppies, and crawling babies :)