FYI or TMI

My Dearest Husband,

I try very hard to be the kind of wife you can be proud of, but this week, I don't think that's going to happen.
It's very cold outside, and our hot water heater isn't doing the job that it should be. When I take a shower, by the time I get to my legs, it is just too cold to even attempt anything.
So, until we get a new hot water heater, or until it's not so cold outside anymore, you can just forget about seeing my legs bare of hair, and instead be thankful that I at least used the razor for my underarms.

Lovingly yours,

Michelle :)

Emotional

Know how when you stay busy, you don't really pay attention to how you feel or think about what events lie ahead of you? Ever notice how when you don't want to think about it, that's the only thing on your mind?
All day Friday, I worried about getting my house clean and ready for my parents to come over. Saturday morning I worried about feeding people and getting everyone ready to leave the house on time. Then, I worried about making sure that my child didn't get loud enough to disrupt anyone else while watching their child or sister or other family member walk across a stage and receive the diploma they've been working so hard to get. Then, I worried about getting home and getting food ready for my family and all of my sister's friends. And it turned out well.
And then it was time for everyone to leave. Including my sister.
I hugged everyone, leaving her for last. The second I put my arms around her little neck, I couldn't breathe. My world stopped, and I realized that this was the last time I would hug my sister and not see her the next day. She tried to make me feel better by saying she'd see me in a couple days, but we both laughed because we knew it was just a joke. We've always been able to go at least a couple days without seeing each other, but I don't know how long these "couple days" will be. As they pulled away, we both had tears in our eyes, so I came back inside and just let them flow.
Ever notice how a really good cry seems to take away all your energy and momentum for the rest of the day?
And then the other side of the family came over for dinner and Christmas presents. Whoa... what a weekend.

To My Sister

Tomorrow, my sister will get the two degrees that she has been working towards for the past five years. I am so proud of her, and at the same time, am so heart-sick about it because I don't know what it's going to be like without her here. So, I wrote this for her, and thought I would share it with you.

To My Sister,
You are my family, you are my sister, you are my best friend.
You have yelled at me, cried with me, and laughed together afterward.
You understand my frustrations, and I don’t test your boundaries.
You support me, and I support you, even when we don’t necessarily agree.
As you step into the next chapter of your life, I thank you for sharing this chapter with me, and I want to remind you that no matter where you go, no matter what we do, no matter how far apart or close together we are,
You are my family, my sister, and my best friend.
Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow…


I love you!

Along with it, I gave her a ring that is three rings intertwined together to make one ring. Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow...

So, go to her site and congratulate her on a job well done! She deserves it!

"Easy"

Webster's dictionary defines easy as

1 a : causing or involving little difficulty or discomfort b : requiring or indicating little effort, thought, or reflection

I don't think that's true. I think the word "easy" is a relative term.

This is the main reason why I don't allow my students to say the word in my math classes. Certain aspects of mathematics are not as easy for some people as they are for others. So, if they insist on using that word, I make them amend it and say the phrase "easy for me."

This year, a group of teachers decided to repeat a fun thing from last year, and we're doing a cookie exchange. It's fun because you bring a certain amount of cookies, and then you go around and get some of everyone else's cookies, too, and you end up going home with the same amount of cookies you brought, but of all different varieties. The only non-easy part of this cookie exchange is that they said you couldn't bring the same cookies this year that you brought last year. Ugh.

Anyway, I remembered that one of my master's ladies had brought some cookies once that were to die for, so I asked her for the recipe. She started the description with how "easy" they were because there were only three ingredients that you needed. Oreos, cream cheese, and white almond bark. So far, so good, in my mind. Then she told me all I had to do was crush the Oreos, mix in the cream cheese, and dip in the melted bark. Sounds "easy" enough, but boy, was it NOT!

First, Kroger didn't have any regular Oreos, there were only Reduced Fat Oreos... weird. Then, there was only one package of the bark, even though she had told me that if I needed anything extra it would be the bark. Ugh. So, I started these "easy" cookies Tuesday night, so that if I needed more stuff, I could run and get it Wednesday afternoon, since we were exchanging our cookies today. Not only did I not have enough bark to dip them twice, it was barely enough to dip them once! And when we say "dip" that's not exactly the easiest way to do that. Oreo balls like to come apart if they haven't been in the refrigerator until the exact moment before you "dip" them. Argh.

So, two more packages of bark later, I finally have four dozen little Dirty Snowballs. They are really good, though, so I guess I'll just have to forget how "easy" they were for next year.

And then, my husband of few pieces of advice, tells me not to forget that the first time you try anything it's always hard. I guess that's his vote for me to make another batch.

Heavy Hearts Abound

My bestest friend is upset about her baby's tiny flaw... which I understand...

My husband is upset because he lost his pistol while hunting with his dad, and our child has a cough that won't go away, and our checkbook has a leak and doesn't hold all the money that goes into it.

My sister is upset because someone is stupid and immature, and she's worried it will affect the difficulty of her final exam, therein preventing her from making the B in the class that she so painstakingly worked for. If she doesn't make the B, she can't graduate on Saturday.

All of these people I care so deeply for, and I can't stand to see them hurting, but right now, no words I say can make any of their pains go away, and so all I can do, and what I'm asking you to do, is pray that God takes care of each of their needs in the ways that He sees fit, and that in a few days, all will be back to the joyous spirit of Christmas again, because that's the fun part.