Marching On
Goodbye, Winter!
Our official last day of winter hit 95 degrees. Yeah. We skipped spring, apparently. Our a/c has been running all week. Eh. We do live in the desert so this isn't shocking, but I hope that this is just a warmer spell and we'll go back to 80's for a little while. Or at least that we won't have our first triple digits day until May.
I just spent the last hour laughing like a hyena while studying for the driver's permit test with M. (She's supposed to take it this week.) We had a ton of fun mocking the "wrong" answers on the practice tests. A couple were priceless. (For example: "What is the benefit of having a space cushion around your vehicle?" Answer: "It inflates to protect you from injury in case of a collision.") I'm glad M is being a relatively good sport about this. She has no desire to learn how to drive, and she's less than happy that her mother is being a hard nose about it. DRIVING IS A LIFE SKILL AND YOU MUST LEARN. I have issued the edict firmly and repetitively. In vain do my kids argue that their dad didn't get their driver's license until he was in his 20's. I point out that we live in the middle of nowhere, and they can't get around on a bike like their dad did, unless they are planning to regularly bike 60 miles a day. That usually ends the argument. For a day or two at least.
Why are my kids so resistant to anything related to growing up? Everybody groans at the idea of attending dances or dating. I get open rebellion at the idea of getting a driver's license. Questions like "What do you want to do when you grow up?" are met with awkward silence. I was not an adventurous, outgoing, change-loving child but even I looked forward to all these things. Baffling. The only exception to this was a few weeks back, when J unexpectedly told me he wanted to start shaving his face (he's got the shadow mustache coming in nicely). I shrugged and told him to talk to his dad if that's what he wanted to do. But he never mentioned it to Terence so maybe it was just a passing whim . . . .
Spring break is in full swing here and I have been enjoying it immensely. My life has still felt crazy busy but just a break from the homework and school driving is enough to make me feel like a kid again. So nice! The best part was taking a day when Terence was actually off work to drive out to Lake Pleasant and hike, followed by a very long-anticipated visit (by Terence) to Giodarno's for Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Plus, Terence and I got to celebrate our anniversary on Monday. It's been 17 years since I married the goofy "monkey who loves me" (written on a stuffed monkey I received from him our first year), who has grown into a tender, considerate, hard-working man who would give anything for his wife and kids. (He's still goofy sometimes. That's one of the things I love about him. He's also part drill sergeant, which came with the cop territory and is occasionally vital with five kids.)
Looking at my calendar for the rest of March, I'm astonished at how crammed it is. I have very few open days. So many scribbles. I guess that's what comes with having a big family and a full life. I wouldn't have it any other way!
Our official last day of winter hit 95 degrees. Yeah. We skipped spring, apparently. Our a/c has been running all week. Eh. We do live in the desert so this isn't shocking, but I hope that this is just a warmer spell and we'll go back to 80's for a little while. Or at least that we won't have our first triple digits day until May.
I just spent the last hour laughing like a hyena while studying for the driver's permit test with M. (She's supposed to take it this week.) We had a ton of fun mocking the "wrong" answers on the practice tests. A couple were priceless. (For example: "What is the benefit of having a space cushion around your vehicle?" Answer: "It inflates to protect you from injury in case of a collision.") I'm glad M is being a relatively good sport about this. She has no desire to learn how to drive, and she's less than happy that her mother is being a hard nose about it. DRIVING IS A LIFE SKILL AND YOU MUST LEARN. I have issued the edict firmly and repetitively. In vain do my kids argue that their dad didn't get their driver's license until he was in his 20's. I point out that we live in the middle of nowhere, and they can't get around on a bike like their dad did, unless they are planning to regularly bike 60 miles a day. That usually ends the argument. For a day or two at least.
Why are my kids so resistant to anything related to growing up? Everybody groans at the idea of attending dances or dating. I get open rebellion at the idea of getting a driver's license. Questions like "What do you want to do when you grow up?" are met with awkward silence. I was not an adventurous, outgoing, change-loving child but even I looked forward to all these things. Baffling. The only exception to this was a few weeks back, when J unexpectedly told me he wanted to start shaving his face (he's got the shadow mustache coming in nicely). I shrugged and told him to talk to his dad if that's what he wanted to do. But he never mentioned it to Terence so maybe it was just a passing whim . . . .
Spring break is in full swing here and I have been enjoying it immensely. My life has still felt crazy busy but just a break from the homework and school driving is enough to make me feel like a kid again. So nice! The best part was taking a day when Terence was actually off work to drive out to Lake Pleasant and hike, followed by a very long-anticipated visit (by Terence) to Giodarno's for Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Plus, Terence and I got to celebrate our anniversary on Monday. It's been 17 years since I married the goofy "monkey who loves me" (written on a stuffed monkey I received from him our first year), who has grown into a tender, considerate, hard-working man who would give anything for his wife and kids. (He's still goofy sometimes. That's one of the things I love about him. He's also part drill sergeant, which came with the cop territory and is occasionally vital with five kids.)
Looking at my calendar for the rest of March, I'm astonished at how crammed it is. I have very few open days. So many scribbles. I guess that's what comes with having a big family and a full life. I wouldn't have it any other way!
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