Menu Plan Monday

Here we are again. Seems like the weeks are clicking by so quickly these days. But I suppose that’s another thought for another day.

I love the ease of summer, but I don’t so much love having to plan three meals a day. For this week, I’m leaving Mike and the kids with options for breakfast - biscuits and sausage, egg mcmuffins, cereal, yogurt - while I have yogurt and granola when I arrive at work. And they can have English muffin pizzas, quessadillas, macaroni and cheese, or hoagies for lunch.

Sunday - cereal so everyone can sleep late… chopped Chef Salad (Hungry Girl cookbook)… pizza

Monday - grilled chicken pasta salad, an old favorite of Mike’s (this will be my first day in my new section for my new job… eek!)

Tuesday - tortellini and marinara sauce (on my second day in my new section for my new job, I have to stay late because the manager ‘requests’ that everyone stay late to work on some project)

Wednesday - chicken pot pie (a testament to the fact that I do sometimes make things for Mike and the kids that I don’t like)

Thursday - Chinese chicken salad (again, thanks to the Hungry Girl cookbook)

Now, I know the week won’t be over on Thursday, but Friday is my first day off in forever, and I’m so excited about some fun time that I’m just not planning a thing. We’ll wing it Friday.

finding my morning…

As of this week, we’ve now been Florida residents for three years. In some ways, it seems like far less time has passed, and yet, in other ways, it feels like an eternity.

Three years. Griff’s attended two different schools, had three different homeroom teachers and one amazing gifted teacher, had surgery on both legs and learned that he’s stronger than he thought. Eliza’s gone from daycare to pre-k graduation, lost her first tooth and completely forgotten her life before Florida.

Mike has grown into this strong, capable, motivating professor. He has his own style and is comfortable in it. He’s serving on committees and hating it and missing his own faculty, but he’s so very good at what he does.

My three years were harder than Mike’s. Though now that I’m feeling better, stronger and more confident myself, I think that those first months, years, were just as hard on him as they were on me as he had to watch me struggle and suffer and flounder. And while we made the decision to move together, the move initially was far kinder to him than to me, and I was not too proud to mention that to him, more often than was necessary. He’s a kind man to have stayed with me when I was so miserable that I considered not staying with him.

But even then, all curled up in the bed, aching from the depression and homesickness, longing to go home, I couldn’t have possibly left him. He’s my anchor, and I’m deeply thankful for his kindness and compassion and patience.

Because today, I am happy here. Now, there are things we’re lacking - namely, a church home - but a lacking of our own making. But in general, I’m happy here now. Contented with my life.

A few months ago, I was driving home from work (I had already applied for the promotion but hadn’t been told that I had gotten it) and thinking that I was liking this life. It was really a lovely realization that we had come so far. And in that moment, I decided that if I got the promotion, I would do something permanent to remind myself that things will eventually even out, even after something so completely unsettling to me as the move.

I wanted something that would be a tangible reminder to me that the bad in life rarely lasts forever. For as long as I can remember, Psalm 30:5 has been one of my favorites.

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning. (New American Standard)

There’s something endlessly comforting to me about the notion that sorry and weeping and aching and longing and soul-searing unhappiness are only temporary. I understand that the time between night and morning can be a really long time. My Florida night seemed endless. But this morning, it is lovely.

One of my 101 Things in 1001 Days goals was to get a tattoo, and when I decided that I wanted something happy and permanent to be a reminder to me that joy will always come in the morning, I decided to get a tattoo.

So I asked my brother to design something for me, and he agreed. A couple of days later, he sent me the design. It was something I already had, something Aleece did for me years ago.

John told me, “I think I’ve got the right one for ya.  For years now, you’ve been chasing it.  Now, when we spoke the other day, it sounded like you’ve all essentially found it.

Happy Father’s Day!

We’re spending a completely lazy day with Mike today… doing a little golf on tv, a little grilling on the back porch. I’ll make his favorite Oreo ice cream dessert, and we’ll all be exceptionally nice to him. Because he is, without a doubt, a really stellar father. We are all blessed to have him.

So today, I am grateful to Mike but also to my dad… and to Mike’s dad… and to Josh… and to my brother and Mike’s brother… to all of the really good dads out there who are vested in their families. Thank you.

shhhh…

Mike and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary later this summer, and my sweet sister-in-law, Stacy, offered to keep the kids for FOUR nights so that Mike and I could take a trip together. We’ve booked the flights and hotel room, and we’re so looking forward to some time alone.

I’d like to make a little extra spending money for while we’re away, but I don’t much want to mention it to Mike. He’s a periodic but not often reader here (especially during the summer when he’s on Daddy Day Care duty), so I figure it’s safe to mention it here.

If you’ve been looking at my jewelry photos and have wanted to order something, now’s the time! Go look at my jewelry site and see if you like anything. All of my pieces are unique and made with each individual in mind. Leave me a comment if you’re interested, and I’ll email you to get started. Place an order before the end of the month & I’ll give you 15% off.

Order two or more pieces, and I’ll throw in free shipping.

Happy Birthday, Griffin!!!

It is hard to believe that my baby is turning 11 today. How did that happen? I wore his crocs around the house tonight… and they were too big. In another day or so, I’ll turn around and he’ll be 22. I’ve always said that Griff was kinda born an old man. But the qualities that will make him an amazing man make it really hard to be a kid sometimes. He’s this contradiction of little boy and kindly old soul.

It seems that at this point, I worry about him more than anything. He’s entering middle school next fall, and it’s even harder to be a short, kinda weak little smart boy in middle school than it is in elementary school. I’m spending my summer praying he hits a growth spurt before school starts in August.

He’s going to be going to his third new school in four years thanks to our move to Florida and some rezoning issues, and he’ll have to make new friends again. I hate that for him.

We got the notification in the mail this week that he was accepted into the Accelerated Track for academics in middle school, and I’m not completely sure it’s where I want him. But it’s where he wants to be, and I’m ready to support that choice (of course, Mike, all of Griff’s teachers, and the middle school selection group may not all be wrong here).

I am fearful for him in so many ways. Growing up now is so much more challenging than when I was a kid. And yet, I am hopeful for him is so many other ways. I can hardly wait to see what God has in store for Griff.

And so, happy birthday to my favorite boy. And to think, I wanted a new car. Mike’s the one who wanted a child. He’s always the one with the right idea.