February, 2023

February was a tough month because, during the first week, we discovered a slab leak and had to start staying in a hotel. At the close of the month, we were still staying in a hotel with no real end in sight. But before you feel too bad for us, the hotel we are staying in is the Great Wolf Lodge, so the kids are in heaven. Even so, it is tough being away from our pets as well as our regular routine. At the beginning of the month, we were treating it as being on vacation, with ice cream for dessert and appetizers at most meals. By the end of the month, we were trying to order the healthiest option from a list of unhealthy choices and trying to skip dessert in order to stave off any weight gain. Not noticeable on the kids, but visible on me. I miss coming home and not putting away my clean laundry or having Aut spontaneously hit the trails with her mountain bike. But it is an experience, and I cannot complain too much about this first-world problem. We were able to get into a new routine with our non-routine like me using my 10-pound weights to do a 30-minute workout video while they fall asleep since I cannot watch Netflix while they're still up. I am getting a ton of reading in, which is nice. We have had a lot of friends come visit us: Royden, Jacob, Alyna, Aubrey, Reagan and Robby, Mara, Makenna, and Michael, and anyone else we could talk into coming! 

We celebrated my father's 78th birthday before our trip to Oregon. Sadly, his important surgery was delayed. While we continue to be concerned about his weight loss, he remains in good spirits and always retains his ever-present and amazing sense of humor.

Oregon was so relaxing and peaceful. And we had snow! As in huge, hefty flakes falling down. I never want to forget that walk around the lake with my hubby, both of us in awe of God's beauty. Daddy drove, so the pack was back! All four dogs came. I had a lovely time with my MIL at the local winery, and the kids loved the jump place and indoor golf. Cha was very excited to get his very own hammer, which he did with Dad and Grandpa. He has such a strong work ethic and a desire to do good. Grandma wrote him a special letter to him for the future and laminated it for him.

When we returned from Oregon, the kids became confused between home and the hotel, which was our home. Cha found a solution and said, "home" is home where the dogs are, "home, home" is the wolf hotel, and "home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home is OregonGlen because it's important." Sure is, buddy...sure is.

After a decade of being the only middle school counselor, my school hired another counselor on a .8 contract, and my working life improved dramatically! While he is green, he is a much more seasoned counselor than I was when I started, probably due to the fact that he coached trach at our school for a decade. I also moved into a new office, about 3 times the size. The best part is that it is right near a shared patio and when I'm at my desk now, I can hear birds chirping, which I didn't even realize that I missed. There is also a piano class one period every other day behind my shared wall. The other day I could faintly hear hallelujah playing.

What we're reading:

The Power of Fun

Fairy Tale

Finished: The Mountain Between Us

Moments I don't want to Forget:

Actual quote, while I was driving: “Raise your hand if you’re the best mom and the best cooker and the best teacher. Raise your hand if you’re that girl. You should be the cooker at my school because I would get to see you. You should be my teacher -you should’ve picked that job because then I would get to hug you. My love for you is never going to end even when I die.” ~ Charles