Ah, May.

I'm feeling awfully content tonight. We just had the sun-shiniest day possible at 85 degrees with a light breeze to keep things comfortable and cooler feeling. Now, at dusk, it is starting to sprinkle and we are meant to have a nice thunderstorm tonight. Could it be a more perfect May Day? I think not. The birds are singing, the air smells like a barbecue and Caelan is fast asleep, drunk on fresh air. Life is sweet.

We spent the entire day outside... up and down the slide, washed both cars, took a wagon ride, a stroller ride, weeded the back patio, watered the garden, etc, etc. I love this time of year.

With just a little over a month until the school year ends, I can see the summer light at the end of the tunnel and it is bright and glorious. I cannot wait for our summer trips to Asheville and Hilton Head and I cannot wait for all of the time that we get to spend together. Marrying another teacher was the best decision ever. Hooray for family togetherness!

I think I'm going to 'unplug' now and enjoy the sounds of spring with my eyes closed for a moment. The windows are open and birds are desperate to sing to me. So needy.

Today I am thankful for my senses; for the ability to see, smell, taste, touch and hear all that nature has to offer this time of year.

It has been a long time since my last update; this time for good reason. I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth (fingers?) shut early on but now that I am out of the proverbial woods of the 1st trimester,I feel comfortable documenting in this family keepsake that our little family is growing. I am currently about 12 and a half weeks pregnant. I had my second OB appointment today and the new baby gave us a beautiful profile shot... everything looks great so far.

...More on this later, I guess. Caelan just woke up from his nap and doesn't sound happy about it.

Today I am thankful for the beautiful baby in my belly.

Blog Fail.

Clearly my new challenge isn't keeping my attention. Meh. I'll keep plugging away without it.

Not much is new in our lives at the moment. I wake up delighted to meet each new day and discover what challenges and triumphs it will bring. (Both are supplied readily with Caelan about to enter the so-called 'terrible two's') Life in general is wonderful and we're doing our best to soak it all up. Regular meditation has become a big part of our lives in recent months and this practice has made it SO easy to recognize the blessings in our life; which are innumerably abundant.

I have been thinking recently about all of the folks my age and older who spend their entire existence slaving away at their jobs and drinking their nights away at various bars in order to 'unwind' after the stress of their day. For me, this lifestyle is simply unthinkable. Just imagining myself in this scenario gives me a panic attack; yet I feel like it is the life being led by the majority of my generational peers. To each his own, of course, but all I can say is that I do not EVER regret the decisions I have made for myself and my family. I am living my dream job and it doesn't require bar hopping to feel good at the end of the day. I am doing what I love with people that I love and I am overpaid for doing it. If love were money, you could call me Bill Gates. It isn't the easiest job, but it is certainly the most rewarding, in every sense that matters.

So back to my original challenge, because I liked it more; Today I am thankful for such an amazing life and for all of the love in it.

Damn. Keep forgetting to do this.

Plugged Ears. Clogged nose. This sucks.

Saw Deepak Chopra yesterday. Amazing gifts.

Challenge

I think I may have come up with the challenge that I was looking for. I stumbled on a book entitled 'Not Quite What I was Planning', which is comprised of 6-word memoirs written by famous and obscure writers. I think it would be a fun challenge to come up with a daily six word memoir. Short and sweet, just a quick and (possibly) clever conveyance of how the day was in general. When I have time and energy I will write more than these 6 words, of course.

Today;
First Day With No Second Job.

For over a year I have been providing childcare for a friend and former Montessori parent. I have been feeling horribly unreliable recently due to Caelan's poor health and we decided to take a break so that she can use someone more dependable than I can be at the moment. (Also so that Caelan can have an opportunity to rest and get well without me dragging him out all day long twice a week.) It is going to be very difficult to pinch pennies and figure out a way to recoup the lost income but we'll get by. We always do.

Yes, dear boy, your health has been in the crapper this year. You had an exploratory procedure last week, an overnight stay in the hospital and now, an infection in your lungs to show for it. The doctor thinks it is the result of being intubated. You are miserable, haven't eaten in 4 days and were rocking a 104.6 fever until today. It seems like the antibiotics are finally kicking in and starting to do their job... THANK GOD. Hopefully, one day, we will look back on this posting and will have a hard time remembering how awful this situation has been. Ugh.

Ok. Enough. I am doing my best at the moment to pretend that I am not getting sick right now as well. I am not getting sick, I am not getting sick, I am not getting sick...

What? It's January? Of 2010?

Well, well, well. Here I am again. Stuck trying to come up with an excuse for not writing recently. I could say that the holidays were busy. I could say that we've been stressed at work. I could say that we've been feeling overwhelmed with worry over Caelan's surgery. I won't. There have been a hundred times when I've sat here with nothing better to do and just couldn't summon the energy or enthusiasm. I'll own it. Oh well. Better late than never, I guess.

The holidays of 2009 have now come and gone... during which we lost a beloved member of our family. Grammie (Your great-grandmother Gertrude Roberts, Caelan) passed away on December 26th and we all miss her dearly. She is now in heaven watching all of us work and play and enjoy our lives.

...And we are enjoying life. We took a wonderful Cropper family vacation to Disney World just after Christmas and had lots of fun. I will admit that the struggles ALMOST outweighed the fun, but, c'mon, we were at Disney. All in all, suffice it to say that I will never bring an 18 month old to Disney World at Christmastime again. The air travel, the crowds, the crying, the whining, the screaming. Caelan didn't hold up well either. (Ba dum chhh) It was, of course, all worth while to see the fam. I can't wait for February break to see them again.

So, dear Caelan, lets talk about you. You are 19 months old. You are adorable, affectionate, hilarious and fancy free. There isn't much to not like. You are ridiculously strong and athletically inclined. You can hold yourself up on a chin-up bar, climb up and down stairs with no help and run like a madman. Your laugh is infectious and your smile is to die for. I love you kiddo.

We've still been trying to make a baby brother or sister. No dice this month either. Next Friday I have my first acupuncture appointment. I hope they can help us.

I feel as though I need to brainstorm a new challenge for myself in order to increase my entries. We'll see what I can come up with.

Today I am grateful for my health. I have been taking very close care of what I eat lately and I am feeling better than I have in a long, long time as a result. I haven't had ANY sugar or dairy in almost 2 weeks. Never thought I'd see the day. It is paying off. We'll see how long I can hang in there.