Losing a Pet

Many years ago, Katie asked for a cat.  We said no.  Katie was a handful at that age and I didn't think that I could cope with cat maintenance and a strong-willed child.  After much thought, we decided to use her desire for a cat as motivation to help her become a "happy, contributing member of the household".  Kate had one month to prove that she could be responsible, helpful around the house, and better and following household rules.  Katie fulfilled the requirements of our agreement and we got a beautiful black kitten from a friend of mine.  The new kitten's name was Chicago.

Over the years, Chicago has been a joy, a problem, and a member of our family.  She slept with Katie or Steve each night.  As we prepared to take Katie to college this fall, she asked if Chicago could stay with us.  She was afraid that at 14 years of age, Chicago might not do well living in an apartment with strangers.

Last night, Chicago lost the ability to stand on her back legs.  She could move them, but they wouldn't support her.  She wasn't in pain (actually she was purring), but dragged the back half of her body across the floor.  We called the vet, but he didn't return our call.  This morning he called and apologized for not calling.  He also asked if the kitty was still alive.  Mike took Chicago to see the vet and we learned that she had a tumor or blood clot that had lodged in her spine and was not allowing messages from the brain to her back legs.  The cost of surgery was astronomical and the problem would most likely return.  At 14 years of age, Chicago didn't have many years left.  The vet recommended that we have her put down.

It was a tough decision, but pet ownership comes with a responsibility to treat the pets with compassion.  We had Chicago put down this morning.  She will be missed.

Three Years and Two Moves Later

We've now lived in our small town for three years.  The kids are flourishing here.  They have made friends and connections in the community.  They love being able to walk where ever they need to go.  I like our new neighbors more than they neighbors at the house we're trying to sell.  I love the property and wildlife that I see everyday.  I enjoy having so much space for our large family.  The decision to move our family more than an hour away from extended family and friends was not made easily.  It WAS the right decision for us.

So why did I wake up last night longing to go "home"? 

Later in the morning, I was pondering what I missed from our last community.  I dearly miss my sisters and mom, nieces and nephews.  I miss the worlds best library.  I miss the friends that knew me from way back when.  Too many years have passed since we left. The closeness of former friends and family is gone.   "Home" no longer exists for me. 

A New Year

I have always enjoy beginnings.  They are so full of hope and opportunity.  It's not unusual for me to look at beginnings as a chance to make needed changes in my life.  This year, I'm not making resolutions.  There are so many other things going on that I don't want to add more stress to my life.  There are still some changes that I will be working towards, but feeling like a failure because a goal isn't met is too distracting for me.

The past year brought a number of changes into my life.  I'm also hitting that time of life when my body is going through female-type of changes.  Peri-menopause has been filled with some surprises.  My migraines have returned with more regularity and struggling with depression is a daily event.  I realize that these changes are normal, but this is not who I am.  My enthusiasm for everything is almost non-existent.  Dragging myself out of bed is difficult.

A few weeks ago, I started taking St. John's Wort everyday.  It seems to be helping, but the gloominess still creeps in unexpectedly.  Mike and I talked about this and I'm going to make an effort to walk outdoors for 30-60 minutes each day, eat healthier and take St. John's Wort.  If I'm still struggling by spring, I'm going to go see someone.   My family misses the humor and enthusiasm that I used to bring to our family.  My younger girls deserve better from me than they are currently getting.

So while I haven't made resolutions that are opportunities to fail, I have made some simple plans to improve my general health and happiness.  May you all have a joy filled and blessed New Year.

Guilt

I was raised by guilt.  If a B ended up on a report card, the child hadn't worked hard enough.  If a musician wasn't first chair in his/her orchestra or band, the child wasn't practicing enough.  If someone wasn't able to adjust the television antenna to produce a clear screen, that someone wasn't doing it right.  Woe to the child who couldn't find a pair of shoes for my dad when asked to get Dad's "Romeo's".  To this day, I don't know what Romeo shoes look  like.  As a child, I was always fearful of having to run upstairs and get my father something that I couldn't find. 

Current society expects people to apologize and make excuses for imagined slights, having a differing opinion, and not supporting someone's cause.  None of those examples should require an apology. Someone who is angry because the phone wasn't answered when she called is not entitled to a apology.   It isn't MY fault that I was gone....even if she thinks I was home.  I didn't do anything to hurt her.  She choose to make an incorrect assumption and felt hurt. 

When a friend's 9 year old child wants to travel to a Caribbean island and do mission work, I shouldn't have to feel guilt and apologize for not sponsoring her.  I financially support the missionaries for my church body.  I don't financially support other religious group's missions.   There are disagreements between our religions.  Does that mean that I hate my friend's child?  Her religious group?  Her right to believe as she chooses?  No! She has every right to believe as she chooses and do missionary work on behalf of her church.  Don't expect me to feel guilt for not giving money to pay for spreading her beliefs.

I finally came to the realization, after a lifetime of feeling guilty about everything, that it isn't always my fault when someone's expectations or happiness isn't fulfilled. There is enough for me to feel guilty about with my sins; it isn't necessary to feel guilt for things that aren't my fault.

The last week or so, I've been not carrying my normal burden of guilt.  I'm happier and less crotchety.  When Madelyn needed stitches, I felt sympathy for her injury and pain.  It's my responsibility to see that she gets adequate medical attention and takes her medicine at the appropriate times.  I didn't feel guilt that she was hurt.  She chose to use the scooter on poorly patched cement.  Her injuries were the result of an accident.  There was nothing that I could have done to prevent it.  This new realization is kind of liberating.  It might even help my depression.

Counting My Blessings

The last few weeks have been difficult. The winter depression has hit me particularly hard this year. A good night's sleep been non-existent. I'm lucky to get 4 hours of sleep per night. In between crying jags, I was dwelling on how yucky I felt. Then the phone calls began.

My cousin died in Afghanistan this week.

A homeschool friend from the town where we previously lived lost a son to suicide.

My neighbor filed for divorce and was later arrested during a domestic altercation.

A dear friend is also undergoing extreme stress.

My little troubles no longer seem so important. Loneliness will not kill me. My children (even when they drive me crazy) are reasonably healthy, happy, and enrich my life on so many levels. I may not spend as much time with my husband as I would like, but we have a rock solid marriage and still love each other after all these years. My children who are searching for employment have taken part-time work and fill their spare time with productive endeavors.

The depression is still here, but it seems so much easier to count all the wonderful blessing that God has given me.

Life's Little Inconveniences

Sunday after church, I took the kids to a nearby park to do some hiking in the beautiful fall weather. The colors are popping in our area and the temperature was around 80. Some of the kids were less than enthusiastic, but I wanted to spend some time with them anyway, so I forced them to come.

When we reached the park, one of the children offered to put my purse in the under-seat storage container. He had a difficult time getting it to close and forced the seat down.

Some of the kids were disgruntled during the walk. One child refused to climb a steep hill until we left her behind. Another child repeatedly complained about hunger pains. A third child grumbled about the sun being too hot. When another child whined about the stick-tights, I decided to end our wonderful family bonding experience.

I planned to stop at the grocery to pick up chips to go with our sandwiches for lunch. One of the kids tried to open the storage container and couldn't get it open. The child pulled harder and harder, until the strap broke off. A couple of the older children and I tried to get it open, but were unable to find a way to undo the clasp. We returned home without chips.

Our misadventure of the afternoon left me a little depressed. I don't see the children too often now that they are in school. It would be nice to enjoy our time together. Mike suggested that he and I drive down to Indiana to get pizza from a restaurant that boasts the best pizza in Indiana. The drive was only about 45 minutes and we could talk and enjoy the scenery on our journey.

The trees were beautiful and the sunset spectacular. When we reached the small town and located the restaurant, we discovered that it was not open on Sundays. We decided to try one of the several local pizza places that we had passed on our trip. Unfortunately, it was getting later in the day and the local pizza places had closed before we reached them on the return journey. Eventually, we ended up at our local Mancino's and ordered pizza.

While we were gone, I asked one of the boys to make spaghetti for everyone. He couldn't find the sausage....or the angel hair pasta....or any hamburger. The kids ended up eating tri-color rotini with meatless spaghetti sauce.

Mike tried to get my purse out of the storage locker without any success on Sunday night. The kids had doctor appointments on Monday and I knew that I would need the insurance card in my purse.

We have been unable to find local doctors who are able to schedule appointments in less than 4 months. I've called all the doctors in the large city to our north and cannot get appointments in a timely manner there either. The school system would not allow the kids to attend classes after October unless their shots are current. Eventually, I called our former pediatrician in Battle Creek and was able to get everyone in promptly.

We woke up early for the appointments. One of the boys laid on the floor of the SUV and tried to pry open the storage container. He couldn't get it open. About 1/2 way through our 75 minute drive, we all switched places so Mike could work on the storage locker. He wasn't able to open it and we went to the appointment without our insurance card.

I always knew that my purse contained important information, but not having access to my purse made getting through the day difficult. My debit card and checkbook were both inside. Would a policeman understand if I got pulled over and couldn't produce the license that was inside the vehicle. Happily, that situation didn't occur, but I was a little uncomfortable thinking about the possibility.

After the appointment, we headed to Yankee Springs to have a picnic and do a little letterboxing. Mike stopped in Hastings and picked up sandwich supplies. The park was almost empty. We ate our picnic at the water's edge and there was no one in sight. After lunch we drove over to some hiking trails. We were getting our bearings and had started reading some clues to the letterbox.

One of the children decided to be as difficult as possible. It was kids stuff, but incredibly annoying. After awhile, I was out of patience. I couldn't think about the clues with someone singing loudly in my ear. It's difficult to read when someone is throwing stick-tights in your face. Eventually, we headed back to the car without finding any boxes. Why do children want to be "fun-suckers?" I've decided that I am through taking that particular child anywhere for a long time.

This morning, Mike was able to get my purse out of the storage area. My children did all get their physicals and shot, so they can remain in school.

Working Outside

I've been forcing myself to work in the garden lately. The heat has been terrible, but my enthusiasm has waned on the garden. I enjoyed preparing the beds, planting the seeds and plants, and watering. I even didn't mind weeding.....at the beginning. It's a good thing that my children are excited about all the produce we've been picking lately or the garden wouldn't look as good as it does.

The reason for my lack of enthusiasm finally occurred to me yesterday when I walked into Walmart. I didn't plant ANY flowers this year. Beds of black-eyed Susan's, brightly colored morning glories and other flowers lift my spirit when I'm outside doing mundane tasks. As much as I love fresh green beans and ripe tomatoes, they don't make my heart rejoice like roses and snap dragons.

Walmart has shipments of mums at all the entrances right now. It's time to clean out the lettuce patch and plant some flowers!

Vocation

Susan at Susan's Pendulum talked about her return into the work force and how her job as a stay at home mom was harder. Her paid job is easier and more socially acceptable. Each week, she is rewarded with a paycheck, adult conversation, and completed tasks. Reading her post started me thinking.

I've been in a funk for quite awhile about my vocation as a stay at home mom. Being at home with my children, teaching them, helping them to make good decisions, worshiping with them and guiding them throughout their day is important and I used to love it. Right now the thought of getting out of the house and being around adults who don't keep asking endless questions and requiring my attention sounds lovely. The extra money would also be welcomed around here.

It's not the right season in my life to be gone for substantial hours each day, nor is sending all the kids off to public school and giving me some time alone practical. Most of my struggle stems from my sinful nature, coveting what I don't have. It is lonely to rarely speak with an adult. Mike cannot supply all my needs for adult conversation. I am weary of washing, folding, and ironing endless loads of clothing. Washing another sink full of dishes has lost its appeal. And several years ago, I learned that I no longer enjoy cooking.

These were all tasks that I used to do with enjoyment each day. Where has the joy in my life for daily tasks gone? Why do I feel the need to escape? Why do I yearn for quiet? My children are not monsters. They are normally well-behaved and kind. They do their share of the household chores. The house is easily picked up and clean in less than an hour. Still I am unsatisfied with my vocation.

There are other stressful things happening right now. My mom's health is still precarious. The cost of gas and the accompanying increase in food prices are taxing our budget more than we like. Still, God has and continues to provide all that we need. I have no reason to complain.

Anyone with suggestions and ideas for things that have helped them are welcome to share. These are my limited thoughts. The weather is getting more pleasant and I'm planning on spending more time outside this summer. Being more physically active will help me feel better. I'm also considering some major changes to our homeschool style next year, even though this year worked fairly well for the children.

Winter Doldrums

It's the time during winter when many people struggle to maintain a good disposition. Some people get listless and spend time lounging on the sofa reading good books. Other people spend time cleaning out cupboards, closets and organizing their homes. Motivated home school families accomplish huge amounts of school work before the sunshine and warm days return. I've done a little bit of all those things, but recently it's gotten more difficult to keep pushing forward.

The skies have been overcast for days. The recent snow and ice storms have made traveling precarious. Katie has been around quite a bit because of mid-winter break and snow days. We love having her home, but it changes the dynamics of our school days. Allie and Paige want to see what Katie is doing, so I'm constantly trying to get them back on task. Steve, Joe, and Madelyn want to sleep as late as Kate does. Unfortunately, they can't sleep until noon and still get their school work done.

I keep reminding everyone that we need to apply ourselves NOW, so we can complete our work by Easter. Easter is so late this year, that I'd like to skip our normal spring break and finish our school year by Maundy Thursday.

Part of our restlessness is due to a lack of consistent exercise. The weather hasn't been conducive to our normal outdoor activities. I think we will start our day playing Wii Fit tomorrow and then do yoga together. It should shake up our normal routine and get rid of some of the children's excess energy.

Come on Spring! We need you!

Clean House

The first two weeks of January, we let the house go. To be completely honest, I let the house go. The January emotional funk had set in and it was all I could do to keep up with the school work and laundry.

The older four children rotate the dish duty in the kitchen and were doing a very poor job. Pulling dirty dishes out of the cupboard does nothing towards my piece of mind. It tends to make me cranky. I don't have time to teach and keep up with the dishes during the day. So I was wracking my mind searching for a solution. Something that did not require me to be a drill-sargent or nag.

Katie hasn't been able to find a job and wanted more spending money. She asked if she could clean the kitchen everyday for $7 per week. We talked about my expectations for a clean kitchen and if she realized the amount of work involved in doing dishes for 9 people. She got the job.

After moving around the furniture and doing major cleaning in several of the rooms in the main living area, Joe approached me and asked if he could clean the two bathrooms and sweep/wash the dining room floor for $4 per week. He only wants to do it until he finishes earning enough money to buy an iPod. We had a discussion about expectations and amount of work involved. He was hired.

Madelyn approached me a short time later and asked if she could clean the family room and music/game room, vacuum the stairs and hallway for $3 per week. She was hired.

Allie asked if she could empty out waste baskets from the bathrooms and take care of the shoes, boots, and coats that are left lying on the floor for $1 per week. The paraphernalia by the door is a sore spot for me. She too was hired.

The children are only cleaning their room(s) once each day and I'm picking them up throughout the day. What a huge difference in our household! Everyone is mellower and less fractious. I'm not stressed as I try to do 27 things at once all day long. I know that this won't last long. Probably only until the weather breaks IF I'm lucky. For now though, it's a huge blessing to me. I feel like a lady of leisure. There is time to read to the younger girls more often, play the piano, give piano lessons, sew, carve stamps, and exercise. Life is good.

Healthy Eating and Moods

Yesterday was a really bad day for me emotionally. Major crabby mood. It's been a long time since I was so cranky. After spending some time thinking about changes in my lifestyle over the last year, I realized that I have been eating more refined foods, sugars, and fat recently. December I ate a modified diet with treats. The plan was to maintain my weight. Since December, it's been difficult to not eat sugar, refined foods, and more fats.

The change in my diet has made a huge difference in how I feel. My migraine headaches returned in December, my nerves aren't as calm as they had been and I'm more easily depressed. Even though my diet still contained a large number of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, I need to go back to eating whole, low sodium, low fat foods. The delicious taste of sausage pizza is not worth the mood swings and blah feeling.

Bringing Excitement Back

The winter blahs have arrived. All the Christmas decorations are neatly packed away. The Christmas and birthday presents have designated resting places. The diet is chugging along. School work is being finished. All of these are great things, but I bored. My drive to get up in the morning and embrace the day is missing. What do I do now?

A dear friend has recently experienced a stressful year and thinks she has mild depression. Not the seasonal depression a lot of people get in the winter time, but an on-going loss of enthusiasm with life. She thinks that she needs to look forward to things again. Her idea makes sense. As homeschool moms, we often get caught up in the plodding along with our daily tasks. Our days seem to exist with a lot of boring repetitious tasks that will never be finished.

When I spend time painting a bedroom or laying new flooring, I feel so good about having accomplished something. Most of the things that I do each day do not provide that feeling. When the laundry is all folded and put in the drawers, it is only a matter of moments before another item needs to be washed. The dishes will never be clean for any period of time, except when we are not at home.

My idea is to try to embrace the small, yucky, tasks that no one wants to do. Instead of forcing myself to go and clean toilets, I'm searching for a way to WANT to clean them. Okay, anyone who knows me knows that THAT will never happen. I do want to make the task more fun. So today instead of cleaning the toilets while answering phonics and algebra questions, I played my iPod to fun, bouncy music while dancing around my bathroom with a scrub brush and cleaner. The cleanup only took about 20 minute and was sorta fun. My children also got a laugh when they saw mom dancing with the scrub brush.

In the hopes of bringing some excitement back to our school days, we re-instituted our "Country of the Day" studies. The children are enjoying the food and music of other places while learning a great deal in geography. Several of the children ask to do geography first each morning. I've also tried to do more crafts and art projects with them. My youngest two haven't done nearly as many fun school things as the older children. It is time to change that!

I'm planning on forcing my entire family to go on a week end letterboxing trip in June. It will be something to look forward to and should be a good time for everyone. A friend is planning on bringing her family as well, so the children will know some other children.

During the next few weeks, I hope to come up with more ways to add some joy to our lives. If anyone has any suggestions, please share your ideas.

Some Days I Just Want to Stay in Bed

The old grey donkey, Eeyore stood by himself in a thistly corner of the Forest, his front feet well apart, his head on one side, and thought about things. Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about.
A. A. Milne
From book Winnie the Pooh

Dark Days

It's been kind of tough around here lately. My oldest two children are very lonely and really miss living near their friends. Their closest friends have also moved away from the area, so even if we had stayed in the old town, they would still be lonely.

Joe and Madelyn hung out at church with the youth group on Sunday. Both of them had a good time and are beginning to meet more of their peers. Kate and Steve haven't been able to make any connections in the area. I've been scouring the local newspaper in search of activities that they could join, without any success.

Now that things are getting more organized, I have more time and am also a little lonely. I'm hoping with the weather changing that we will be able to get outside more often. Being cooped up hasn't helped our situation.

Costly Mistakes

Money has been tight around here for the last few years. My van died in May and we've been trying to save up the money to replace it. Mike and I thought that we would be able to purchase a decent used van for me at the end of August. We don't want to add a car payment to our monthly budget because Mike's wages can fluctuate a great deal from month to month.

Our plans may now change. Yesterday, one of my children used a heavy magazine to hit a bee that was resting on the glass of our picture window. The window is now cracked from one side to the other. The window is old and the wood is no longer in good enough shape to simply repair the glass. The replacement cost is $2997. YIKES!

Six of our children have birthdays between Aug 27 and December 30. Christmas is bought for the munchkins in the fall. We never seem to be able to save money in the last quarter of the year. It's now very possible that I won't have a car until after Christmas. And all because a small bee was flying in the living room.

Being a Failure

Growing up and through my early adult years, I was an over-achiever. When I began a project, job, class, or task I threw myself completely into the work at hand. And I almost always got great results. My college GPA was slightly below a 4.0, I ran 5-10 miles each day and had the body and energy of a distance runner. I dressed well and wore make-up and jewelry everyday.

Twenty years and 7 children later, things have changed. My social life is non-existent. Somewhere along the line, I developed ADD. Throughout the day, I skip from one task to another, completing few projects. The chores that do get completed are not done as thoroughly as needed. I don't remember the last time all the floors were vacuumed or washed on the same day. We won't discuss the dust bunnies in corners, under furniture, and being tracked from one room to the next. There hasn't been less than 8 loads of laundry in the laundry room waiting for attention for days. Not the same loads, but I can't seem to make a dent in the endless mound of dirty clothes. I'm ironing a shirt for my husband in the morning before he leaves for work.

My children don't get the instruction and discipline they need. What kind of mother tells her 10 year old daughter that said daughter has a mean streak a mile wide and if she doesn't stop being mean, I'll make her as miserable as she is making everyone else? It doesn't matter that she has been a pain in the neck for the last 2 weeks. She needs guidance and constructive input, not a rude comment and a threat.

Today, was my nephew's 2nd birthday. The children and I went to his party. My sister decorated the living room with helium balloons and banners. The huge cake was beautifully decorated with a scene from the Disney movie Cars. I have no skill in decorating cakes. My biggest accomplishment is to pipe a ribbon edge around the cake. I write "Happy Birthday" poorly on the top of the cake. Pictures are never taken of these cakes. They taste good, but certainly don't look pretty. Paige's birthday is Wednesday. She asked if she could have beautiful banners and balloons like her cousin. I can't afford to purchase helium balloons. There is no money in the budget for decorations. She's going to be disappointed, and I feel terrible.

I'm tired of being overweight and ashamed of the way I look. Meeting people is so stressful. People judge others by the way they look. I know what it takes to lose weight. Eat fewer calories that you use each day. Why can't I make time to exercise each day? Why don't I carefully keep track of what I'm eating? Am I just too lazy?

All of these feelings will pass. My depressions and feelings of failure will subside and my life will gain balance. But today, I'm simply weary of the daily grind. The broken dishwasher, ugly van with brake problems, drippy bathroom faucets, storm door that needs to be closed in just the right way, and irritable children are driving me crazy. Did I mention that the kitchen sprayer hose shoots water across the kitchen every time the faucet is turned on?

Being Cheerful

A dear friend called me today. She was concerned after reading my blog that I was depressed. Sorry, if my written voice has taken a negative turn. December and January were very stressful for our family and I haven't bounced back yet.

My dear friend, who always appears upbeat and cheerful, stated that she tries to be cheerful even when she isn't. I need to take start following her example. Many people have medical depression for physical or mental reasons that needs to be treated. My depression isn't. I've allowed myself to focus on my trials, without spending my time being grateful for all the blessing I enjoy. Here are the changes that I plan to implement:

• Instead of focusing on my overweight body, I'll be spending more time accepting the reality that my butt is too big and working on improving my overall health and diet.

• My children are a huge blessing to me. The laughter and joy that they share with me throughout the day, shouldn't be forgotten because a couple of kids are having a crabby day. I will be enjoying my children's conversation, humor and enthusiasm for life.
  

• With the exception of non-life threatening health concerns, my whole family is blessed with good health. The kids are I will return to our daily excursions into the community to use our local parks and playgrounds. Not only will this support our physical health, it will improve my mental health.

• My husband spends all of his time working to support our family, doing projects on the upkeep of our home, or enjoying family time with me and the children. I will no longer allow myself to be annoyed when he leaves his socks in the living room floor or when a household project is not completed according to my schedule. Instead, my energies will be used to complete my many and varied household responsibilities so HE can rest and be refreshed on the rare moments when he can just relax.

Winter Doldrums

Reasons why I am running away from home to somewhere warm.

• It is so cold outside! The kids and puppy have been cooped up for the last two days.
  
• Yesterday, Joe tackled Steve in the bedroom and knocked Steve into a CD player. Steve has a silver dollar sized bruise on his cheek.
  
• Allie is demanding constant attention and is being loud enough to make sure she gets the attention she wants.
  
• Four bowls have been dropped and broken by various children when drying the dishes.
  
• Steve was reduced to tears when doing Algebra.
  
• My 10 month old washing machine broke. There are mountains worth of laundry piled up in my laundry room.
• Paige asked me to please make something "normal" that "tastes good" for lunch and dinner today. "We keep eating weird stuff that I don't like."
• Madelyn hasn't done a math assignment since Christmas break and I only discovered this today. After our discussion, she's not too happy with me either.
  
• I cried during the entire 3rd act, while watching Our Town with my kids this afternoon.
• My mom has shingles and I'm really concerned about her situation and health. She won't stay at our house (who can blame her!) so I can care for her and make sure she is warm and eats regularly.
• Katie is arguing with Steve and Madelyn constantly.
• Mike hasn't sold anything at all today.
  

On the plus side

• I lost 4 pounds this week, without dieting, while eating cookies everyday.
• Buster doesn't have any more accidents.
• Joe gave me a really good back rub this afternoon.
• Katie played hide-n-seek with Allie for 30 minutes and their laughter made me smile.
• Madelyn swept the family room without being asked.
• Paige read her first 5 books this week.

In the words of Scarlett O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day!"