October 12, 2008

Let's see. Last weekend, we made a surprise trip out to Sequim to surprise my parents who just got back from their mission in the Caribbean. It was great fun! Ah, those two look just like I'm sure I did when I got back--a bit of deer-in-the-headlights look. You can't really explain to someone who hasn't gone on a mission the intense "weirdness" you feel when you come home. For 18 months or two year, you have spent every waking minute in the service of other people. You have studied, taught, served, in many cases lived life in a different language and culture. Every moment of your life is scheduled and busy. Even your "P-day" (day off) isn't a day off as you have to, in that one day, do all the day-to-day stuff you don't have a chance to do the rest of the week like laundry and cleaning and shopping. Oh, and most P-days you end up having real missionary work to do, too. There is no rest day! But, it's so full of fulfillment and purpose and you love it. Then, all of the sudden, you come home, and BAM! There's nothing. Oh, there's still plenty to do, but it's different. It feels... almost wrong. Like you're doing something you're not suppose to. It's an eery feeling. It goes away, and soon enough you're making all the dumb, selfish, and trivial mistakes you used to. It's actually suppose to be that way. That's really life--not mission life. But, it's still a real adjustment. Anyway, my parents are in the midst of it. It was *great* to see them, though! And we get to go back this coming weekend to be at their homecoming.

This week, I had my usually busy work week plus an extra Seattle trip for someone's IEP. I have one very challenging client that keeps me up at night, but for the most part, I love all my families and, of course, adore the kids I get to work with. It's a lot of work, but it's a labor of love. I really feel like I'm doing something meaningful and full of purpose. Kinda like the mission!

I've been getting allergy shots each week. It's a series of a ton of shots each week over 4 hours so I can get through the series sooner and not drag it out. I'm quite a ways into them now, and my arms are bruised and sore to show for it. This last one didn't like me so much, and I started to have a "systemic reaction" which I have had before when I got shots a few years ago. Long story short, I was glad they did make me stay that long period because they knew what to do to prevent a bad reaction, and I was just fine. But, that means they are going to have to slow down my injection plan a bit and go slower, so I will have to go in more often and for longer than I had wanted to by this time. Oh well. By next Spring it won't matter, and I'll pretty much be done either way, so it's fine.

Kids have fallen into a nice weekly pattern with school, piano lessons, lil' Audra's choir, Activity Days, and Swim Team and Isaak's chess club. I continue to hear good reports from school. Math teacher says he's been doing great (he has above a 100% grade right now) and has only shown his anger once. :) Isaak has become quite laid back and cooperative over the past few months. I'm sure it's a combination of the right medication and maturity, but whatever it is, it's wonderful! He's a piece of cake now! He went on a Scout campout this weekend solo and sounds like he did just fine other than some cold toes in the morning.

Yesterday, lil' Audra and I went with best buddies to the Matt Roloff farms to pick pumpkins. Have you seen that show on TLC "Little People, Big World?" Well, that family's farm is just over the border, so we went. LONG car line to get it, but we waited it out, and it was a ton of fun! We saw some of the guys from the show and the cameramen following them around. Lil' Audra thinks she's "famous" now because they were filming once when Matt was driving his little golf cart thing past us. It was really fun. Then, Audra and I came home and planted a bunch of Spring bulbs. We'll see how they turn out next Spring! It was a fun weekend.