Highs and Lows December 18, 2011

LOWS:

The water heater exploded and leaked through the walls and under the floors.  It was a painful 3 days of plumbers, restoration folk, floor people and others giving me these huge 5 hour windows during which they would show up and tell me to wait for the next stage.  We have heaters and blowers in 2 rooms downstairs, and they had to use the power from the laundry room as well, so I could only turn it off for an hour or two to do laundry, then switch it right back on in order to dry everything out and minimize the water damage. 

Also, no hot water during the winter, is no fun.  For 2 days I had to do give everyone sponge baths  I heated up my big pot with really hot water, then mixed it with the cold to make it warm, but it only created about 3" of water.  The kids got clean really, really quickly.  When they complained, I reminded them that this is only temporary, and imagine the Pioneers having to do this in a tent, during a blizzard (or something like that).  I grumbled mightily when it was my turn to take a bath in those limited conditions though.

Cole is still upset with school, but mainly because he is now bored at recess.  He hates kickball, tether ball, soccer and football.  I suggested tag, marbles, spy gear and the swings.  He suggested a book to read and I told him no way, he would get beat up, and he needs to get out of his comfort zone to make more friends and try new things.  5th grade honestly should not be this difficult.

Major, major meltdown on my part one morning--it was very ugly.  I spent the whole day crying and feeling bad.  Mornings should not be this difficult.  No day should be as ugly as that one.

This was to be my week of baking for teachers, neighbors, friends, Shawn's work, but what with the water being out, and other problems, not much got done.  The sugar cookies I did get to were great, but every time I turned around, the kids and Shawn were eating them--no matter where I hid them.

Shawn's facility went into Government Survey this week, which is kind of like a giant life or death pop quiz but for hospitals. You never know when they will show up, and their rating makes or breaks you.  The stress is killer, and if there is one tiny mistake--big trouble.  It continues this week.

HIGHS:

We got our car back from the shop and everything works like new!  It still smells like dirty children and old french fries with a sprinkling of urine, but it's mine, and it works and I am happy.

I love getting all of these beautiful Christmas cards!  They are taped up on my kitchen cupboards so we can  see them all the time.  I love seeing my friends' smiling faces and thinking of fun memories and good times.  But all the ones from my friends in Phoenix just make me bitter that we moved here to Gilbert.  I'm ready to go back to Phoenix any day. 

The Primary put on a nativity with the kids all dressed up and everyone sang songs and listened to the Bible story of Christ's birth.  It was a very nice program and the leaders went to a lot of work to put this together.  I loved every part, but my favorite was when Joseph and an Angel started fighting...and they weren't my children!  Bless their hearts.

Finally, finally a Relief Society Lesson that I could relate to.  I don't enjoy all the Millennium, Apocalypse, Judgement Day lessons and I just tune them out.  I'd rather watch paint dry, honestly.   But today was on our Individual Worth in a talk by Dieter F. Uchdorf.  It was perfect for the week before Christmas and just what I needed to hear.

I think I was the last person in America to either read the book or see the movie "The Help", but we finally saw it.  Naturally, it was as excellent as everyone said it was. 

I realize I have been a total Debbie Downer lately, so I am consciously trying to find the positive in things.  Some moments are harder than others, but I am working very hard at it so that hopefully soon, I wont have to work so hard and it will become a more natural habit.  I really, truly have so very  many things to be grateful for, and have been so blessed in life, that I need to stop getting stuck with the small, frustrating things, and be more aware of the larger, significant things that I do have, and be more at peace with my life.