Busy, misc notes

If you have a teenager, you will understand the importance of this conversation: "Mom. Are you going to be going into the The City or anything?" "Why? Do you need something?" "No. I just want to get out of the house. If you were going to run errands or anything I would go with you."

That is cause for celebration. That means tossing aside all the work that you were going to do and coming up with a list of errands to run so that you can spend several hours with your son. If that means that you will be frantic the next day trying to prepare between classes and hoping that no students drop by, so be it.

---
If people are going to criticize the blog, which they are welcome to do, I wish they would read a little of it first. If they are concerned about my keeping confidentiality (which I understand, I worry all the time about where to draw the line, how to give a complete picture to people and deal with my own struggles without sharing too much), they should a least read the post, clearly linked on the side-bar, on confidentiality.

Don't you find it remarkable that all my children have come to me named in alphabetical order?

Sigh. I am capable of letting such uninformed criticism roll off my back. Well, after I get a little snarky about it first.

---
Brian has decided that the youth group is not "worth it." Apparently having boys and girls study Bible verses in the same room can lead to dancing, pregnancy, or at least inattention to scripture. Since the point of going was to be with the girl, he's decided there's no point in going. He is hoping that once all the parents get together they will be allowed to visit at each other's homes, but I think he is aware of the difficulties that presents. He may be letting go slowly of this relationship. He is 12 after all.

---
Miss E is still doing well. I am increasingly noticing how little she is complaining about the family. I am glad.

Hubby teases me -- without a kid with real problems to obsess about, what will I do? It is difficult to change gears. I am nervous that changing them, really settling into a different pattern will make it difficult to start up again. But I am also beginning to think that I should. I can't stay in a state of waiting. I need to refocus. I'm trying. That might mean writing on the blog a lot less.

---
We put in a dog door, which might help. Eventually. The puppy still always wants to be with people and though he will stay outside for a while without someone, he still wants someone to go out with him. The Cattle Dog, who is a Very Good Dog, learned to use it right away. She also still seems to need permission to come inside. She sits outside her dog door and barks until someone comes to the back door to tell her she may come inside. I suppose there are worse problems to have.

--
My afternoon with Andrew was fun. No big news or drama. He told me about the book he is reading in English (The Great Gatsby) I told him about the audio book I am listening to (The Plain Truth). We bought a new remote, ate lunch out, went to a bookstore, and picked up tea at the co-op. Lovely.

Now I have to try to do four hours work in two hours.