One-liner updates

I am determined not to quit on this thing. I like blogging for the form of journaling it is. Here's some one-liner family updates from the last six months. Sorry for the grainy-ness of the pics...my computer is being stubborn about that right now and I don't have time to figure it out this second. I'll work on that later. For now...

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- Dane had his tonsil out in the spring to help with sleep/breathing issues. It's making a huge difference for him. I suspect Kai is in the same boat and will likely need his out too.

Ready to go back. This was right before they gave him Versed and he looked at me and said slowly and happily, "Mom. I feel smooooooth."

Waking up afterwards. He was pretty miserable. Watching your kid hurt is a terrible feeling.

Sleeping after more pain meds. Thankfully, he was a little better after waking up the second time.

- We bought a house! It's a great house. It's one we hope to be in through the kids' high school years. It's just a mile from where our rental house was, but has meant another school change for the kids. They've done marvelously so far and transitioned very smoothly. We love our house. 

Bad pic, I know, but it's all I've got. 

- I was asked to be our church congregation's youth leader for the teenage girls. It's a super time-consuming but rewarding calling. I have great women helping me. I need all the help I can get.

- I turned 33. I still think my 30's are kicking the pants off my 20's. These past couple of years have been super hard ones for us, but still...my perspective gets better with age, and I'm grateful for it. I wouldn't go back. Not even for the pre-baby body or sleep. :)

- Dane turned 6. Man, we love that kid.

- We had to put down our boxer, Apollo. Long story, super sad. Short version: he started snapping at me. No explanation obvious, even after talking with a dog trainer and two vets. I miss him still and feel sad about it still. So do the kids.

- We spent a lot of time in Oregon this summer because David can work from home. We caught all the best weather and spent time with ALL immediate family members of BOTH of our families. It was the best trip ever, ever, ever for all of us.

- Kai turned 4. Man, we love that kid too.

- We swam. A LOT. Almost every day. What better way to pass the Texas summer heat? We get pool-weary by the end of the summer, but...what an awesome problem to have. Our kids swim like fish. I love to see it. (My memories of begging friends to let us tag along with them to their community pools in SC are still too fresh to take our two community pools for granted now.)

- The kids started school. They are in grades 5, 3, 1, and pre-K. Because of Kai's schooling, for the first time in ten years I have regular time to myself every week. Twelve hours of it, to be specific. It's bittersweet, but right now, because it's so new, it feels a little bitter and a lot sweet.

- I started a master's program (thus using up all twelve hours to myself each week, and then some). It's making me feel like I'm constantly at the tipping point of crazy, but...so far, so good. If all goes well, I'll have my MBA in two years. I've waited a decade for a master's degree. This isn't the area of study I thought I'd be pursuing (I expected a clinical nursing degree, like nurse anesthetist or nurse midwife), but this is right for now. Maybe the clinical degree will come later.

- We got a kitten. Dave is a cat person, I'm a dog person. His turn. She's the scrawniest thing ever, but seems to have a sweet disposition. We named her Cleopatra ("Cleo" for short), and she's a super snuggler.

Apparently Cleo likes watching PBS. 

- I read "Great Expectations" by Dickens, with my Dad. Love it and enjoyed reading it with him. It's our first simultaneous read. Hopefully there will be many more.

- Just finished "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. One of the best I've ever read. It changed me. I highly recommend it.
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What filled your summer? 

Happy Autumn!