L'aventure américaine

Today I changed an in-person coffee date to a walk after listening to a news story about how covid is as bad as ever, but Americans are tired of dealing with it, so we just ignore it. After reading a story that IU health has more covid patients than ever.  Ugh.  Mask up. Get vaccinated. It works. 

Randal and I said that there were about five minutes of stress-free relaxation during the day of Christmas decorating.  But, it’s worth it. 

A cold and gray day to get a Christmas tree, but we went a friendly Xmas tree farm where the trees were free (if irregular) and the host served us hot chocolate when we were done.  It’s beginning to look like Christmas!

This kid is FULLY VACCINATED! Yahoooooo!!!

I just felt like I was failing today. I can’t stay ahead of my work or school and I’m tired and no, Milo, I don’t want to play on the playground. I want to lay on the couch.  And then I got this message, out of the blue, from a Grad school friend who I rarely talk to. Sometimes the universe kicks you in the stomach and sometimes… this time… it really comes through.  Many moments of gratitude today, but especially my spouse who let me vent. And Milo- when he heard me venting, he brought his bucket of Halloween candy over to offer me some so I felt better.  So, all in all… it’s pretty damn good. 

I’m not sure how it’s Sunday night. Quarantine life can be fun, but it goes by in a blur.  Milo’s rapid test was negative, but it’s not official until the PCR is negative, so we’re still home. Yesterday we went on a lovely hike and today randal let me escape for a bit. (Randal has worked all weekend.) This week will be the hardest of the semester, but I’m getting so close I can almost taste it. It tastes like wine and chocolate. 

As I was making Milo’s lunch this morning, I got the dreaded contact tracer call. Milo was exposed to covid on the bus. One day before he was to get his second covid dose.  So, we’re home together until he gets a negative test….  But, we went on a good run/wild Kratt adventure today and it was a good excuse to get next to nothing done.  Happy quarantine weekend!

I have about an hour before a paper is due and I am fading. It has been a long day.  But, one perk of packing too much into a day and having a table full of Star Wars projects is that you have a family picnic in the living room.  We can’t do it every night. But, it sure was great tonight. 

It’s been a year. It’s been a week.  But, I’m also so lucky. So, I’ll try to focus on that this month. The kids are so excited to open their advent calendars (Marian threw a tantrum when she couldn’t open more than one) and I’m thrilled to be closer to the holidays. So, 25 days of happy moments and gratitude… starting now.  Milo got a book of Star Wars diy adventures from the library. My project with Milo (making Kyber crystals) is failing. Randal’s, not surprisingly, is successful.  Here are the light saber fights occurring in our dining room. The kids really enjoyed it. (For about 150 seconds.)