Well, whether everything is wrapped perfectly, or the dinner menu is perfected, Christmas is coming. I hope everyone takes time to slow down and enjoy the company of family and friends.
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 21, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
Aarrgh!
Christmas is 11 days away! 11! I have nothing done. Okay, at least the house is decorated, but that's about it. I still need to decide what food we'll want and go buy it, finish shopping for gifts (really I just have Gabe left, but I can't carry his kitchen myself so Matt has to do it, and I always have Gabe with me when I could pick up the other little things), send the gifts that I have to mail, make cookies because all the ones I already made are gone, and get and send Christmas cards.
That's just the home list. Church is worse, but at least most of the church stuff will be done this Sunday. I have the HS Winter Retreat this weekend starting at 7 pm and going through Sunday morning. This is the one that I do myself, not just taking them somewhere and someone else running the show. Then I have to help with the Christmas program rehearsal (luckily I have little responsibility there), the Christmas program itself is Sunday at 4 pm, but the bigger headache is that the youth group has to serve the soup supper that follows, and (because I'm crazy) we have to set up and run games for the little kids. I noticed the past couple of years that families do the program and just leave, so I had the brilliant idea to have a birthday party for Jesus afterwards. It's a lot of easy stuff, but volunteers have been scarce this year, so it could be a bit strained between getting the supper served and getting the games going.
After that it's a bit easier, but I have to help with the drama for the Christmas Eve service, get my newsletter for January done and write my annual report.
Oh, yeah, and I'm 8 months pregnant with a 3 year old and I'm EXHAUSTED!
That's just the home list. Church is worse, but at least most of the church stuff will be done this Sunday. I have the HS Winter Retreat this weekend starting at 7 pm and going through Sunday morning. This is the one that I do myself, not just taking them somewhere and someone else running the show. Then I have to help with the Christmas program rehearsal (luckily I have little responsibility there), the Christmas program itself is Sunday at 4 pm, but the bigger headache is that the youth group has to serve the soup supper that follows, and (because I'm crazy) we have to set up and run games for the little kids. I noticed the past couple of years that families do the program and just leave, so I had the brilliant idea to have a birthday party for Jesus afterwards. It's a lot of easy stuff, but volunteers have been scarce this year, so it could be a bit strained between getting the supper served and getting the games going.
After that it's a bit easier, but I have to help with the drama for the Christmas Eve service, get my newsletter for January done and write my annual report.
Oh, yeah, and I'm 8 months pregnant with a 3 year old and I'm EXHAUSTED!
Friday, December 7, 2007
When I grow up...
Things will change soon enough. Matt is looking at where we are going when he completes his PhD in July. The short list from his advisers is Cornell, MIT, and Princeton for a post doc position. Obviously Matt has some say in where he goes, but it would be foolish to ignore the advice of his advisers.
All this thinking about Matt will do next, makes me also contemplate what I will do next. My short list is staying home with the kids (at least for a short time, not forever), finding another youth director position, or looking for something in art, preferably teaching related.
I just don't know what to do. I know that every generation who has work in youth ministry has felt ill equipped to handle the next generation of youth, but I definately feel that way. The kids today and the ones coming up need near constant activity, they need to do, not hear. As a person who enjoys activity but LOVES learning, I just don't know if I am well suited to this surface only way of things. That and the lack of parental involvement and concern is so frustrating to me. I do feel like what I do is important, but I often don't feel like the best person for the job.
I also miss art. I was a little tired of teaching when we left Boston, but I would have stayed with it if we had stayed there. It's hard to find art positions. One of my youth group kids is working on a self-portrait for art class and he's been coming to me for advice. It's been really great for me. I have been enjoying that more than my "day job." I think I was good at teaching art.
So if anybody knows what I should be when I grow up, let me know.
All this thinking about Matt will do next, makes me also contemplate what I will do next. My short list is staying home with the kids (at least for a short time, not forever), finding another youth director position, or looking for something in art, preferably teaching related.
I just don't know what to do. I know that every generation who has work in youth ministry has felt ill equipped to handle the next generation of youth, but I definately feel that way. The kids today and the ones coming up need near constant activity, they need to do, not hear. As a person who enjoys activity but LOVES learning, I just don't know if I am well suited to this surface only way of things. That and the lack of parental involvement and concern is so frustrating to me. I do feel like what I do is important, but I often don't feel like the best person for the job.
I also miss art. I was a little tired of teaching when we left Boston, but I would have stayed with it if we had stayed there. It's hard to find art positions. One of my youth group kids is working on a self-portrait for art class and he's been coming to me for advice. It's been really great for me. I have been enjoying that more than my "day job." I think I was good at teaching art.
So if anybody knows what I should be when I grow up, let me know.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Trying to get back on track
I have been so thrown by Thanksgiving. It's been a struggle to get back into the normal way of things, which of course is not helped by the craziness that is December.
So, we are doing fine we are just busy. Matt is having success in the lab. He got some stuff he was waiting for from the machine shop and it works which is good. He said that was the best birthday present he got today. He is also is having success with understanding and interpreting their results.
Gabe is fine. We were finally having success with getting him to go to sleep better. But this week he has been back to his difficult self. I just don't know what to do anymore. We have been trying to keep things really low key before bedtime and I guess this week we haven't done as good of a job with it, so I guess we'll just have to try harder.
On the positive side, he has been so excited about Christmas coming. It's fun to watch. He gets frustrated because he can't remember all the words to "Frosty the Snowman." We try to tell him that nobody remembers all the words to Frosty, but he is determined to sing it all the way through. And it's nice because he's excited about the presents, but that is a very small part of his focus. He's more excited about lights and Christmas trees and stories and the Polar Express and candy canes. All the little things that add up to make this time of year special.
So, we are doing fine we are just busy. Matt is having success in the lab. He got some stuff he was waiting for from the machine shop and it works which is good. He said that was the best birthday present he got today. He is also is having success with understanding and interpreting their results.
Gabe is fine. We were finally having success with getting him to go to sleep better. But this week he has been back to his difficult self. I just don't know what to do anymore. We have been trying to keep things really low key before bedtime and I guess this week we haven't done as good of a job with it, so I guess we'll just have to try harder.
On the positive side, he has been so excited about Christmas coming. It's fun to watch. He gets frustrated because he can't remember all the words to "Frosty the Snowman." We try to tell him that nobody remembers all the words to Frosty, but he is determined to sing it all the way through. And it's nice because he's excited about the presents, but that is a very small part of his focus. He's more excited about lights and Christmas trees and stories and the Polar Express and candy canes. All the little things that add up to make this time of year special.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
This has been a busy week for me. Lots of work stuff including a youth leader retreat on Thursday and Friday. But stuff like that is a nice change, it never really seems like work. But Matt is back so that is nice.
Matt's conference went well. He won the competition and that came with a money prize so that is a nice little boost before the holidays. He also got a job offer, but he doesn't feel it's the best job, so he'll continue to look. No decisions will be made until after the March meeting anyway. So, to answer that question before it's asked, no we don't know where we will be next year.
Gabe hasn't been sleeping well (big surprise). It's been worse than normal. We are trying to calm him down rather than wear him out before bed time now. Our daycare person suggested that. It's definitely not any worse, but not yet showing a huge difference.
Well, we will be headed for Ft. Wayne come Wednesday. I think we are all looking forward to getting away and seeing everyone. And as much as I know it's annoying that all the stores have been pushing Christmas already, I am actually really ready for Christmas (maybe just because it's that much closer to my due date!).
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels!
Matt's conference went well. He won the competition and that came with a money prize so that is a nice little boost before the holidays. He also got a job offer, but he doesn't feel it's the best job, so he'll continue to look. No decisions will be made until after the March meeting anyway. So, to answer that question before it's asked, no we don't know where we will be next year.
Gabe hasn't been sleeping well (big surprise). It's been worse than normal. We are trying to calm him down rather than wear him out before bed time now. Our daycare person suggested that. It's definitely not any worse, but not yet showing a huge difference.
Well, we will be headed for Ft. Wayne come Wednesday. I think we are all looking forward to getting away and seeing everyone. And as much as I know it's annoying that all the stores have been pushing Christmas already, I am actually really ready for Christmas (maybe just because it's that much closer to my due date!).
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Gabe's a funny kid...
Matt is in Florida for a physics conference, in a beautiful hotel overlooking Tampa Bay. Must be nice. Here it is cold and very windy. Gabe, of course, is trying to figure out where Matt is. I tried explaining to him that Florida is a place far away. I compared it to different places he knows to try to get the concept of different places. Just when I think we are getting somewhere, he says, "But we are in November. How can we be in November and Iowa?" Hmm. Good question. How do you explain time to a three year old. I tried many ways, but we didn't get anywhere. When he lost interest, I thanked God, and promptly dropped the matter.
The other weird thing Gabe is doing with Matt gone, is saying he wants Daddy and then running to the front door and knocking on it, as if Matt is just on the other side. I don't know where he got that from. We don't even play a game like that. By the way, it's Tuesday and Matt has only been gone since early Monday morning. I just can't wait to see what else the week will bring. Matt won't be home until Friday night. He gives his talk on Wednesday.
Once I get the computer back (Matt took it with him for his talk) I'll get the photos of Gabe from Halloween uploaded and post one. He was an alligator and I must say, seeing a three year old with an alligator tail swishing as he power walks was hilarious! He was nervous at the start of the the whole trick-or-treating process, but by the third house he realized that all he had to do was be brave enough to go to the door and they gave him candy. Then he was off as fast as his legs could carry him without running.
The other weird thing Gabe is doing with Matt gone, is saying he wants Daddy and then running to the front door and knocking on it, as if Matt is just on the other side. I don't know where he got that from. We don't even play a game like that. By the way, it's Tuesday and Matt has only been gone since early Monday morning. I just can't wait to see what else the week will bring. Matt won't be home until Friday night. He gives his talk on Wednesday.
Once I get the computer back (Matt took it with him for his talk) I'll get the photos of Gabe from Halloween uploaded and post one. He was an alligator and I must say, seeing a three year old with an alligator tail swishing as he power walks was hilarious! He was nervous at the start of the the whole trick-or-treating process, but by the third house he realized that all he had to do was be brave enough to go to the door and they gave him candy. Then he was off as fast as his legs could carry him without running.
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