Thursday, June 17, 1993 12:45 a.m. (actually June 18, sigh)
Has it really been a year since I've written in this journal?
Just minutes ago I laid baby Lark (9 months old now) into her crib and tucked Trina (now 3 1/2) in. Then (as long as I was up) I put the last load of laundry into the dryer so as not to have to re-wash it in the morning. Then I thought I may as well take out the diaper garbage, only to find the dumpster was still out in the circle needing to be brought back up into the driveway. That done, I thought I'd finish up the dishes before turning in. And while doing that I thought I'd look for this journal.
Steve and I have been trading turns being ill. It was my turn yesterday (flu). Goodness, I threw up twice which was more than I'd done in all five pregnancies combined!. Today was Steve's turn (cold and sore throat). That's how he was last year on our anniversary! Does marriage make us sick? (That's a joke).
Laura (age nine) wanted us to have a "romantic" day. She brought us breakfast in bed on a cookie tray. The menu was fruit salad, 7-up (a treat reserved for sick days), and hot chocolate. She was wearing red shorts, her "Teachers Have Class" t-shirt, and a red bow in her hair. She wanted to fix all our meals today but I assured her I could manage lunch (mashed potatoes and gravy which we call "volcanoes" and fresh vegetables). Margret (age six) helped make supper (hot dogs and leftover macaroni-tuna salad which Steve made yesterday, and cookies).
The girls felt bad that Steve and I weren't doing anything "special". I insisted it was okay and that we would when we both felt better.
Here is what being ill relieved us of at work:
The magician that was scheduled to perform at the library as a summer reading program feature cancelled due to illness so...
Bob and Laurie managed the crowd of 270 children with the "sidewalk petroglyph" chalk art program I had planned.
Luckily this was the first week since May that I didn't have any Creative Memories classes scheduled, so I didn't have to cancel any.
Luckily Steve only missed one massage client appointment.
Luckily were were ill on different days so we could cover for each other.
Time wishes I would make:
Time to read the mountain of books I have checked out (over 100 today, 1/3rd of which are overdue in the past three days). I "test drive" picture books and readers on my own children.
Time to catch up on photograph album scrapbooks.
Time to catch up on mending and sewing projects and make dolls and dollclothes for my girls' enjoyment.
Time to learn how to use my new serger (have my third lesson tomorrow and am supposed to have a t-shirt pattern cut out and ready to assemble).
So, what can I say about today other than having accomplished four loads of laundry, bathing and washing hair of four of my five daughters and making two simple meals with minimal clean up? Not much.
Laura had her second art class at the Visual Art Institute. Steve left with her at 9:30 a.m. and returned at noon, during which time he wrote out invoices. I was at home waiting for Lark to go down for a nap so I could shower. She finally slept at 1:00 p.m. at which time the girls were at peril of death if they woke her before I finished my shower. (I had indulged in sleeping in because Lark had slept with us all last night which means I didn't sleep well).
We have begun our ambitious venture of summer "home-schooling" which we are calling The Family Learning Connection. If we're successful this summer I am considering keeping Laura and Jasmine home in the fall. At this point I feel only 50% successful which is not enough. It has been eye-opening though to see how fully we've shrugged off the responsibility of teaching to both the public school and the Sunday school.
Steve and I agree that this ten years has gone by so much faster than the twenty preceeding years and how happy we are. We are still struggling financially and I suppose that is a blessing too.
As for the girls -- today they mostly watched television and played out in the yard--fairly typical. Lark ate a cookie today (I know, "shame on me") but she seems to be okay.
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