There's a palpable aura of stress surrounding Andrew.
He has to turn in his comprehensive exam on Tuesday. He's also been busy teaching microeconomics, TAing for another class, participating in committee meetings, and attending his own class. For some reason I thought this semester would be more laid back. I'm starting to think that I may have been wrong about that.
Sunday was our usual day of worship. We had to go to church early to run through our choir number, spent the next three hours in meetings, and had an hour of choir after. And although I remembered to pack the kids a lunch I conveniently left by the front door. I can't remember what we did for dinner.
Monday was Labour Day but Duke doesn't celebrate that holiday so it was business as usual for Andrew. It was hot and the kids were unruly so at about 4:00 I sent him a message to say that we were headed to the pool (and by the way I have no plans for dinner (hint, hint)). He told us to come home at 6:30 and when we did he was in the backyard cooking some hamburgers on the grill. He also provided the family night lesson for us. We watched The Shiny Bicycle and talked about it (after laughing about the spray paint dealer in the trench coat). The scripture at the end (Isaiah 1:18) is one that we've been working on memorizing this year so the kids were exited to hear it and Rachel gave a fabulous explanation of how repentance can be difficult to do but that it's still a good gift from God. I mentioned Matthew 7:7—how the Lord is always waiting to help us but we still have to do the knocking. And then we laughed about how sometimes we act like Anna on Frozen and we hesitate to knock, meanwhile the Holy Ghost (aka Olaf for our purposes) is standing by us whispering, "Knock... Just knock... Why isn't she knocking? Do you think she knows how to knock?"
Tuesday I took Benjamin and Miriam to the dentist. Benjamin started crying when they put the bib around his neck. He didn't get a very thorough examination. Miriam went all by herself and got x-rays done and everything. Sadly, she has "flossing cavities" on both sides. This was shocking news to me because Miriam is meticulous about cleaning her teeth. Also because Rachel didn't have cavities when she had x-rays taken and she's two years older and has probably gone to the dentist the same number of times as Miriam but...whatever. Andrew had a meeting after school and didn't come home until around 9:00.
Wednesday I taught our first preschool co-op in the morning. We're doing a swimming unit until the pool closes at the end of September. Rachel had soccer in the evening so we ate dinner and then met Daddy at the field. He's the assistant coach. We came home and played LEGO even though it was super duper time for bed.
Thursday the soccer coach resigned. Andrew's now the coach-coach. Miriam had preschool in the morning and loved it. Benjamin cried when we dropped her off. I had a Relief Society "enrichment meeting" or "weekday meeting" (or whatever it is they're calling it now) in the evening so we ate a quick dinner as soon as Daddy came home. He's in charge of coordinating babysitters for the meeting but no one volunteered this month except a man from Liberia who needed a ride. We picked him up so that he could help Andrew babysit. Our kids were the only ones who showed up for babysitting. Funny, huh?
This morning Andrew took Miriam to her early morning dentist appointment because Benjamin was Mr. Sleepless last night. They did the filling on her left side and she was worried about her face all day. She kept asking me to touch it to see if I could feel it yet. I tried to explain that her cheek feels completely normal to me but she seemed to think that I couldn't feel it. She had apple sauce for a snack before we went visiting teaching because she cried when I fed Benjamin breakfast (that's how early this dentist appointment was—they were home in time for breakfast). Rachel got 100% on her spelling test. Andrew came home in time to kiss the children on their heads before shipping them off to bed.
It's been a whirlwind of a week. I've started so many blog posts that I haven't finished writing, partly due to how busy Andrew's been (and due to editing bits of his paper) and party because Shutterfly is doing another free book thing so I'm busy making up a baby book for Benjamin and partly because I feel like my brain is being pulled in a million directions.
But Andrew will turn in his comprehensive exam on Tuesday and then we'll see how the actual semester will be because I'm not sure that this week counts as normal.
He has to turn in his comprehensive exam on Tuesday. He's also been busy teaching microeconomics, TAing for another class, participating in committee meetings, and attending his own class. For some reason I thought this semester would be more laid back. I'm starting to think that I may have been wrong about that.
Sunday was our usual day of worship. We had to go to church early to run through our choir number, spent the next three hours in meetings, and had an hour of choir after. And although I remembered to pack the kids a lunch I conveniently left by the front door. I can't remember what we did for dinner.
Monday was Labour Day but Duke doesn't celebrate that holiday so it was business as usual for Andrew. It was hot and the kids were unruly so at about 4:00 I sent him a message to say that we were headed to the pool (and by the way I have no plans for dinner (hint, hint)). He told us to come home at 6:30 and when we did he was in the backyard cooking some hamburgers on the grill. He also provided the family night lesson for us. We watched The Shiny Bicycle and talked about it (after laughing about the spray paint dealer in the trench coat). The scripture at the end (Isaiah 1:18) is one that we've been working on memorizing this year so the kids were exited to hear it and Rachel gave a fabulous explanation of how repentance can be difficult to do but that it's still a good gift from God. I mentioned Matthew 7:7—how the Lord is always waiting to help us but we still have to do the knocking. And then we laughed about how sometimes we act like Anna on Frozen and we hesitate to knock, meanwhile the Holy Ghost (aka Olaf for our purposes) is standing by us whispering, "Knock... Just knock... Why isn't she knocking? Do you think she knows how to knock?"
Tuesday I took Benjamin and Miriam to the dentist. Benjamin started crying when they put the bib around his neck. He didn't get a very thorough examination. Miriam went all by herself and got x-rays done and everything. Sadly, she has "flossing cavities" on both sides. This was shocking news to me because Miriam is meticulous about cleaning her teeth. Also because Rachel didn't have cavities when she had x-rays taken and she's two years older and has probably gone to the dentist the same number of times as Miriam but...whatever. Andrew had a meeting after school and didn't come home until around 9:00.
Wednesday I taught our first preschool co-op in the morning. We're doing a swimming unit until the pool closes at the end of September. Rachel had soccer in the evening so we ate dinner and then met Daddy at the field. He's the assistant coach. We came home and played LEGO even though it was super duper time for bed.
Thursday the soccer coach resigned. Andrew's now the coach-coach. Miriam had preschool in the morning and loved it. Benjamin cried when we dropped her off. I had a Relief Society "enrichment meeting" or "weekday meeting" (or whatever it is they're calling it now) in the evening so we ate a quick dinner as soon as Daddy came home. He's in charge of coordinating babysitters for the meeting but no one volunteered this month except a man from Liberia who needed a ride. We picked him up so that he could help Andrew babysit. Our kids were the only ones who showed up for babysitting. Funny, huh?
This morning Andrew took Miriam to her early morning dentist appointment because Benjamin was Mr. Sleepless last night. They did the filling on her left side and she was worried about her face all day. She kept asking me to touch it to see if I could feel it yet. I tried to explain that her cheek feels completely normal to me but she seemed to think that I couldn't feel it. She had apple sauce for a snack before we went visiting teaching because she cried when I fed Benjamin breakfast (that's how early this dentist appointment was—they were home in time for breakfast). Rachel got 100% on her spelling test. Andrew came home in time to kiss the children on their heads before shipping them off to bed.
It's been a whirlwind of a week. I've started so many blog posts that I haven't finished writing, partly due to how busy Andrew's been (and due to editing bits of his paper) and party because Shutterfly is doing another free book thing so I'm busy making up a baby book for Benjamin and partly because I feel like my brain is being pulled in a million directions.
But Andrew will turn in his comprehensive exam on Tuesday and then we'll see how the actual semester will be because I'm not sure that this week counts as normal.
Wow, what a full week! Hope you have a relaxing weekend!
ReplyDeleteLove you! Andrew is uber busy, isn't he? But as Josie said, he is the Superhero of Academics, so he can do it! And you, naturally, are his sidekick, so also a Superhero!
ReplyDeleteThe first few years of grad school are super busy! At least for Jared the last two years were AWESOME and he was home by 4 or 4:30 everyday. Sometimes I wish we could go back to those times. :) Hopefully things will calm down for you guys.
ReplyDeleteJ worked Monday as well. I wish I could say it gets better, but I think that is in a way long time. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!
ReplyDelete