The Saturday 7
1. We signed up for the library's new program last Thursday. It's called "1KB4K" and the idea is to read 1,000 books to your kids before they start kindergarten. I'm pretty sure we've already done that multiple times, but now we can get rewarded for it! After every 100 books you read, you get your name on a banner at the library. And after 1,000 you get a tote bag or something equally ridiculous. Lucy is gung-ho about it. We started last Thursday (like 9 days ago, not 2 days ago), and she only has 14 books to go to reach 100. Lena hit 100 a few days ago, but her books are so much shorter than the ones I read to Lucy. I'm sure the novelty (ha, pun) will wear off soon, but I'm loving all the reading while it lasts!
2. Speaking of reading . . . it's pretty much all I do anymore. I've become a binge reader. I've read 9 books in the past 10 days. I honestly have to stop. It consumes soooo much of my time. And while I try to read while the girls are in bed so I don't totally ignore them, I end up totally ignoring Justin. I've been reading a series by Dani Pettrey (Alaskan Courage). I have 1.5 more books to go, and once it's done, I'm cutting myself off. Reading hiatus. It's not like I'm getting rewarded for my reading. I don't have an awesome tote bag waiting for me at the end of it all . . .
3. One day this week, Lucy was pretending to read a book and kept saying, "Shut up!" Justin finally told her we don't say those words and she got furious, running up to her room crying. A few minutes later, she came downstairs and handed Justin this:
He said, "Is it a monster?" She responded. "It's me. I'm very mad at you." Lol. Yay for artistic self-expression?
4. We finally had some warmer weather this week. Yesterday, we hit the high 50s, which is practically tropical! I took the girls outside, we tromped through the mud, Lena went down the slide 6,000 times, Lucy collected sticks and rocks. I sat in the sunshine like a fat cat. It was glorious.
We went to Rockford for dinner when Justin got home, and the whole town was walking around downtown. It's hilarious how we all pour out of our homes like ants from a hill the second the temperatures become bearable. That's what being cooped up for 6 months of soul-crushing cold does to people!! One of my friends posted this picture on facebook, though. It's sadly so true:
5. Lucy and I did a little Kindergarten testing prep this week. I had her draw a picture of our family. (Is it worrisome that she never gives any of us arms? Haha.) Then I had her draw a triangle, square, rectangle, circle, and oval. She wrote her alphabet (all caps - she can identify lowercase letters, but never writes them), wrote the numbers 1-10, then counted as high as she could (50 - although I know she could do more if she tried). And I made her read me one of her little phonics books. The big test is Tuesday. Hopefully she cooperates. I'm really not as terrified of her failing as all my talk about it implies. It's just big and new and on my mind. Since all I ever do these days is read, I'm really reaching to come up with 7 points . . .
6. My depression was really bad this week. Especially Thursday. It's so frustrating when there's no reason for it. I can't blame it on hormones, the weather finally turned warmer and the sun was shining pretty much every day, my car is running, we have money in our bank account, Justin is a peach, we even got out of the house a ton this week. Playdates and errands and library runs. There was no reason for the depression to come clawing at me again. I woke up with it Thursday morning. Sick of waking up so early with Lena. Sick of the girls whining at me to play with them. Sick of cleaning and cooking and being responsible. I just wanted to sleep and eat and read all day. By myself. I started to panic about the sameness of my life. Every day I wake up at the crack of dawn with Lena, every day I battle with myself about how much screen time I let the girls have and how few vegetables they eat and how much of a failure I am. Every day I do a measly amount of cleaning to keep the house in a bearable condition, make something for dinner, try to figure out how to fill the day. Every day I berate myself for my apathy toward God, my inability to "choose joy," my inability to "snap out of it." I read all evening, then force myself to go to bed so I can wake up and do it all again tomorrow. On Thursday, I begged and pleaded with God to take the depression away, to make me whole again, to fill me with joy. And I braced myself for Friday. Justin usually has Fridays off, but he didn't this week, and I knew that could be a major trigger for me. But I woke up Friday without Thursday's desperation. Lucy woke up asking to do a science experiment, so that gave me something to focus on. We did science experiments via Pinterest, then Lucy wanted to do my hair and make-up. So we gave each other makeovers. Then she wanted to read books, which I never turn down. Her suggestions filled up our morning and the warm weather invited us to fill our afternoon playing outside. Justin came home and said, "Let's go to Rockford for dinner." so I didn't have time to wallow that evening. God totally answered my prayer. He filled my day and stabilized my emotions.
7. I hate ending on a [literally] depressing note, but don't have much else to share. So instead, enjoy this picture that has already been on facebook and seen by most of you:
My brother and sister-in-law finally posted their wedding pictures on facebook. I was so happy with how this one turned out!! How cute are we? ;-)
2. Speaking of reading . . . it's pretty much all I do anymore. I've become a binge reader. I've read 9 books in the past 10 days. I honestly have to stop. It consumes soooo much of my time. And while I try to read while the girls are in bed so I don't totally ignore them, I end up totally ignoring Justin. I've been reading a series by Dani Pettrey (Alaskan Courage). I have 1.5 more books to go, and once it's done, I'm cutting myself off. Reading hiatus. It's not like I'm getting rewarded for my reading. I don't have an awesome tote bag waiting for me at the end of it all . . .
3. One day this week, Lucy was pretending to read a book and kept saying, "Shut up!" Justin finally told her we don't say those words and she got furious, running up to her room crying. A few minutes later, she came downstairs and handed Justin this:
4. We finally had some warmer weather this week. Yesterday, we hit the high 50s, which is practically tropical! I took the girls outside, we tromped through the mud, Lena went down the slide 6,000 times, Lucy collected sticks and rocks. I sat in the sunshine like a fat cat. It was glorious.
We went to Rockford for dinner when Justin got home, and the whole town was walking around downtown. It's hilarious how we all pour out of our homes like ants from a hill the second the temperatures become bearable. That's what being cooped up for 6 months of soul-crushing cold does to people!! One of my friends posted this picture on facebook, though. It's sadly so true:
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| Oh, Michigan . . . |
6. My depression was really bad this week. Especially Thursday. It's so frustrating when there's no reason for it. I can't blame it on hormones, the weather finally turned warmer and the sun was shining pretty much every day, my car is running, we have money in our bank account, Justin is a peach, we even got out of the house a ton this week. Playdates and errands and library runs. There was no reason for the depression to come clawing at me again. I woke up with it Thursday morning. Sick of waking up so early with Lena. Sick of the girls whining at me to play with them. Sick of cleaning and cooking and being responsible. I just wanted to sleep and eat and read all day. By myself. I started to panic about the sameness of my life. Every day I wake up at the crack of dawn with Lena, every day I battle with myself about how much screen time I let the girls have and how few vegetables they eat and how much of a failure I am. Every day I do a measly amount of cleaning to keep the house in a bearable condition, make something for dinner, try to figure out how to fill the day. Every day I berate myself for my apathy toward God, my inability to "choose joy," my inability to "snap out of it." I read all evening, then force myself to go to bed so I can wake up and do it all again tomorrow. On Thursday, I begged and pleaded with God to take the depression away, to make me whole again, to fill me with joy. And I braced myself for Friday. Justin usually has Fridays off, but he didn't this week, and I knew that could be a major trigger for me. But I woke up Friday without Thursday's desperation. Lucy woke up asking to do a science experiment, so that gave me something to focus on. We did science experiments via Pinterest, then Lucy wanted to do my hair and make-up. So we gave each other makeovers. Then she wanted to read books, which I never turn down. Her suggestions filled up our morning and the warm weather invited us to fill our afternoon playing outside. Justin came home and said, "Let's go to Rockford for dinner." so I didn't have time to wallow that evening. God totally answered my prayer. He filled my day and stabilized my emotions.
7. I hate ending on a [literally] depressing note, but don't have much else to share. So instead, enjoy this picture that has already been on facebook and seen by most of you:
Reading hiatus notwithstanding, you might enjoy "Found", by Micha Boyett. I haven't read it myself (I'd like to!), but I love this author's blog and have heard good things from friends about her book. :)
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