Where to Begin?

To say we've been busy is to vastly understate it.

This is the last week of my Mondo Beyondo class. The first week was absolute heaven but life has interfered since then and I haven't devoted the time, energy and focus to it like I wanted to. It's okay because the lessons will still be there after the 5 weeks is over so I can do them when I can really spend time on them. At the same time it's a little disappointing because I had so hoped to have some sort of magnificent revelation about myself and my biggest dreams. No such revelation yet. Although, I found myself saying something out loud the other day that I've only really dreamt about so maybe it's working on the most subconscious of levels.

This Friday and Saturday I will be participating in an Inspired Work program with 5 other lucky people. Carolyn (my old boss) did this same program in October and came away from it completely energized, excited and focused. I'm hoping for the same. Then Saturday night we (my handsome spouse and I) will be attending the Princess and the Frog wrap party. Sunday is gloriously open on our calendar and I will be protecting that time with all the ferocity of a lioness protecting her cubs.

Yesterday I took the boys to the doctor to get their seasonal flu vaccines and the h1n1 vaccine. The waiting room was full of sickly looking children bundled up in blankets with bed head, sniffly noses and hacking coughs. I signed us in and then promptly asked to move to the infant area where the healthy people can wait for their turn. We moved to a room pretty quickly where Jack suddenly started complaining of a headache. I touched him and he felt warm. Glassy eyes were noted. The nurse took his temp and it was normal but he wasn't looking good to me. I waited until the last second and then decided not to give him the h1n1 (they were out of seasonal flu vaccs). Dean took his shot like a trooper - didn't even cry. He was so brave. We left there and headed to the school where I dropped off Dean. I checked Jack's temp when we got home and it was 100.2 degrees. So glad I went with my gut on that one. This came on so fast with him. He was fine when he woke up but when he complains of a headache, it usually means he has a fever coming on. It came down quickly with a dose of tylenol and we've been cycling through medication ever since. He's home again today and feels fine as long as he has the medicine in him. I hope this cycles through soon and he can go back to school tomorrow. Dean hasn't caught it so far.

I tested last Saturday for my next belt level and my friend Priscilla was in attendance to witness it. She took lots of pictures which she's going to put on a disk and she took video of my sparring. As soon as I get it I'll post the video here and maybe a few pictures too. I had a great test, despite my nervousness. I get so nerved up for the tests. I know all my technique but there's something about being there on the mat in front of the masters and grandmaster that gets my adrenaline pumping. I have to learn to control that before my black belt test because all that tension is exhausting and the black belt test is a two day test. I don't want to waste my energy on needless tension.

I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving. Studio is closed for 4 days so my email can't stack up. Four days of relaxing with my family and friends, eating good food, drinking good wine. We have plans on the day of and the Saturday after and I think I'm going to keep the other days open so we can just relax. I need time to breathe and think.

Work is going as fine as it can be, I guess. It's a little weird being in meetings discussing processes which once implemented will likely make my job obsolete but I'm doing my best to remain positive and helpful.

The boys are turning 7 in just a couple of weeks. How is that possible? I vacillate between being completely in love with them one moment and then wanting to throttle them the next. They are by turns loving, hateful, affectionate, pouty, excited, bored, maddening, intoxicating - sometimes within 5 minutes. Their reading comprehension is growing exponentially as is their spelling ability. Dean is struggling with math and Jack struggles with his printing. Jack just needs to take his time and one of these days I swear I'm going to hear a clicking sound when working with Dean on his math problems. Until then, I need to stay as patient as possible even when I have to explain how to reach the sum of 9 + 5 for the 100th time. I've managed to stay relatively organized despite the mountain of papers that come home each day. I like both of their teachers and think they are in the right classes.

That's enough for now, right?