White Knuckled

Yesterday as I was driving home I got a phone call from the girl. She was home from school and wanted me to take her driving when I got there. For some strange reason I agreed. Without hesitation. What was I thinking?

I hadn't driven with her in a really long time. Our first try at driving she freaked me out so bad I had her pull over. She swerved to the edge of the road without slowing down. Later she very matter of factly said, "That's how Juno does it."

The second time I let her drive she got so mad at me that when I had her pull into my parents' driveway she jumped out of the car with out putting it in park and stormed off leaving the driver door open and the car rolling forward.

So you can see why it surprises me that I readily agreed. What was I thinking?

She has been driving with Mark twice now. To a parking lot. She has also had her first official driving lesson with the paid instructor. So, I guess I thought she had improved. What was I thinking?

Anyway, we got into the car and she pulled the seat up as far as it will go so her short little legs can reach the pedals. Then she adjusted her mirror and looked over her shoulder. Then she waited a few minutes before pulling out.... without looking over her shoulder again. Luckily no one was coming. We drove around a little in our neighborhood before heading out onto the real road. We have really wide streets in out neighborhood, and she did pretty well. She didn't really slow down before turning the car, however. She does all of her braking in the middle of the turn. I mentioned that, and on we went.

Unfortunately, we were out right around 5:00, so the traffic was pretty thick. She was going well below the speed limit and had trouble keeping the car in her lane. I am sure some of those impatient drivers backed off because they thought they were traveling behind a drunk. Maybe I should make a "Student Driver" sign to put in the back window.

We drove through town on some not too busy roads and out onto a country road. I hung in there for 30 minutes. I tried to keep my voice steady and my hands from clutching the door for safety. She almost veered off the road several times while looking into her rear view mirror. At one point she said, "You really make me nervous." I just sighed and didn't answer.

On the way back she was more steady. She kept the car in a somewhat straight line and only veered out of her lane twice. She even did a perfect parking job by the curb in front of our house.

When I walked into the house, Mark said, "You look haggard." I guess my face was somewhat tensed up and crinkly from the stress. Again, What was I thinking?

The next few times it's his job to take her out. He's supposed to be the one teaching her anyway. I did the boy's driving lessons. And since he's always making fun of me for being a bad driver, he shouldn't be relying on me to teach both of our kids to drive!!

A Saturday...

reading: Watership Down

feeling: very low on energy

cooking: steaks, broccoli au gratin, rice pilaf, & rolls for dinner... with brownies for dessert!

completing: laudry, shopping, paper correcting and recording

watching: Inception on DVD from Netflix ( I liked it)

worth thinking about: I have looked down the long days of our lives together, she said & in all directions, there is no future without love. -Brian Andreas

Thankful Thursday

The exhausted edition....

1. Thankful that I got home at a decent hour today and already have all my papers corrected and entered into the computer gradebook except the American Revolution Narratives.

2. Thankful for friendly coworkers who pop into my classroom and chat.

3. Thankful Kyla had her first driving lesson with the paid instructor today and arrived home safely. She said that he said she "did a good job, but neede to practice".

4. Thankful we had one day this week with some sun shining down on us.

5. Thankful I have almost all of the laundry completed before the weekend. (I didn't start last weekend's laundry until Tuesday, so I just kept on washing everything, and I should get by doing only one load this weekend.) Yeeeee!

6. Thankful I bid on a Family Portrait Package at the Luau for Learning (a school fundraiser), and I won it!!

7. Thankful the Luau for Learning earned around $15,000. Nice job ladies!!

8. Thankful my kiddos have been coming to church with me on Sundays since I re-offered the "If you come to church, I will take you out for lunch after" deal. Last Sunday they both came along, and we had a terrific discussion about God's path for each person's life over chips and salsa at Rita's.

9. Thankful the engine light on my car has been off for 2 days straight. I keep looking down there thinking something's wrong since there is no light shining up at me.

10. Super, duper Thankful that Mark booked our airfare to Cabo this week. My soul is thirsting for some relaxation and my body is yearning for some sun. I just keep closing my eyes and imagining I am here:

(This picture was actually taken in La Paz, but you know what I mean!)
Happy Thursday!
Love, Nancy

Missing him

Mark is out of town for the week. I just don't function well without him. It is like I am missing my anchor. I just need him here to hug me when I am feeling needy. To chat about other things and take my mind off my worries. To help me put things in perspective. And he makes me laugh.
Seriously, if you can look at this and not laugh, you have a heart of stone. Miss you babe.

Monday

working: It's parent teacher conference week. I have 25 conferences to do. Today I had them scheduled from 1:30-5:30 back to back. The first cancelled and two others didn't show. It was nice to have the break, but now I have to reschedule.


reading: Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. You know, she wrote The Girl with a Pearl Earring. This one is about a pair of women during the 1800's who discover fossils along England's coastline. Friendship, scientific discovery, God. It's all in there.

feeling: A little lonely since Mark is in Redding for the week getting his Crane Certification.

cooking: Pancakes for dinner tonight

worth thinking about: If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals. J.K. Rowling

Wish

I go through phases of feeling greedy. Times when I want, want, want.... no matter what I have. It's a dream of a different life. Don't get me wrong, I love this life, but sometimes I just can't stop wanting...

1. A weekly manicure/pedicure
2. 10 hours of sleep each night
3. Close friends nearby who I can call up at a moment's notice or drop in on for a visit.
4. A flat stomach and tiny waist
5. A housekeeper
6. A private jet to take me away on vacation
7. More time to read
8. A weekly girls' night out
9. A pair of really fabulous comfortable boots
10. Walls covered with glorious pictures I have taken

I could go on and on, but that's not really the point. Whenever I find myself in this greedy place, I try to stop and take note of all the wonderful things I have in my life. I try to stop and make a list of all the things I am thankful for. I try to stop and revel in the beauty of this very moment.

So why does this greedy me keep coming back?

Thankful Thursdays

1. I am so thankful that my 4th graders' have completed their STAR Writing Test. I was almost positive it was going to be a summary (since they haven't tested summary in a long time) and I was right!! We had been working on summaries for AGES! If it would have a been a Response to Literature with poetry I would have cried.

2. Thankful that the week is almost over and the weather is giving us a break with one day of NOT RAIN tomorrow. Can't wait to sit outside (in my wool coat) and soak up some sun!

3. A big SHOUT OUT to Cindyanna for taking time out of her busy day of mothering 2 babies to read my 5th graders' summaries. A fresh perspective is always good! Thank you!!

4. Always thankful for the cozy little weiner dog hanging out on my lap.

5. And the big one for today.... So thankful that the mechanic has finally found the time to install my new fuel pump. The Volvo is back in my garage. I haven't driven it yet, but Mark says it's running great. I am gonna feel 30 feet tall driving to work tomorrow!