--One day a couple of weeks ago, little Harry got so sick. It was bad enough to make me gag...and with one kid and one dog, I have so far never done so. It was bad. His stomach of steal betrayed us. (He ate six very rich chocolates one time without any problems...no puke, nothin'!) The illness episode left my carpet in shambles, so I had a carpet cleaner come the next day. These days I often comfort myself by chanting the mantra, "Things are cleanable and we can still have nice stuff."
So spending 70 bucks on a carpet cleaner didn't upset me one bit. (And it really should, considering the budget.) But I wanted my nice carpet cleaned, and cleaned well. That said, this week when I went on my weekly outing to WSU to read essays, I came across an essay that recounted an experience that for no mysterious reason really stuck out to me. The writer stated how as a child, she was often surprised when her mom would get excited by receiving something "not fun" like a carpet cleaner for her birthday. But then the writer went on to say that just the other day she herself got a blender for a gift, and she found herself just as excited as her mom used to get. That was the moment she knew she had become responsible. And she's right, ya know...It's not about getting pleasure from all the selfish little things anymore. It's about finding joy in the maintenance of a happy life for you and your fam.
So now I revel in the sight of my sparkly clean carpet. ...And forget about that new shirt I wanted.
--I cut my finger a couple of weeks ago when I was using my dad's hedger. I borrowed it to trim up a little bush on our rental property. I was almost done with the dang bush when I got a little too cocky and I let the blade come up and bite me. Got seven stitches. It made me pretty mad. I haven't had stitches since I was eight, so it was kind of like a new experience.
--Andi is getting so good at her sign language. It's not like I teach her--It's those "Signing Time" videos that she loves. She now knows please, thank you, more, all done, drink, eat, bird, shoes, socks, dog, fish, milk, banana, cracker, etc.
It's kinda' fun watching her gather all this information on her own and use it so often in daily life. It's actually been really helpful for us in communicating with her. She's the smartest.
--Some more Andi firsts: She pointed at the night sky and said "moon" the other night. Didn't even know we taught her that. She also said "no" very clearly yesterday for the first time. She's been nodding "yes" and "no" for a long time, she's just never said them before.
--Andi sure does love her cousins and grandparents. She played at Leslie's house yesterday while Michael and I went to lunch with the family for Jesse's graduation. Andi had a blast with Carter, Luke, and Chloe. We had to pull her away from them when it was time to go home.
I also can't believe how comfortable she is with her grandma and grandpa. She loves 'em like they're her own parents.
--A week or two ago Michael tore down a tree on our property. Big job. We had a bonfire that night to burn some of the lumber. It was great.
--"You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." I read that this week and thought, "I swear I've thought this before." But whoever said it captured better than I could have. I like it. It's so so true.
The end
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