The Many Adventures of April

Today was my first day that all of my babies were at school full time.  I cried the day that N went to school for a few hours in the morning.  Today I was kinda numb.  It was wierd not having them there when I got in.  It was so strange.  I don’t think I was ready for the change.  I knew it was coming but you can only prepare yourself so much. 

On top of that there was a shooting and a police officer died.  I worry about that all the time. 

So on top of the emotions of the babies all going to school than I had that emotions.  I am sure that I will start to get used to the quiet house but for a while it will still be wierd!

I owed a friend some money from the apple orchard that we went to last week, it seems that the orchard did not take debt cards, I don’t carry cash and the ATM was out of order.  So a friend who was also there loaned me the money so that the kids and I could pick some apples.  Of course, her boys and her helped a lot with picking those.  So I got paid yesterday and I dropped the money I owed her off to her.  I remembered that she is saving money to go on a mission trip to Hungary (which I am jealous of), so I figured instead of just the money I owed her I would give her a few extra dollars to put into her fund.   She was so excited that she actually texted me back and thanked me for the money.  I
was so happy to help her, she is a wonderful friend and I am so excited for her experience. And happy I can help her active it.

So as I stated before part of my husband’s job is to go to different sporting events at the school he works at.  Not only does he have to go to the sports that he writes about but he also has to go and help out with stats at the other games that are happening.  I usually get kind of ticked about all the time that we spend at these games.  Today was another one of those days were I would have rather been at home but was at a soccer game instead.  However, today I decided to take a different approach to going.  I decided not to complain about the fact we were there and how much time it was taking out of our schedule.  I figured that would be my gift to my husband today.  I can’t believe how much more enjoyable it made the game for both my husband and I.  Plus, we did not hear a word out of the girls about not wanting to be there.  It shows that your attitude really affects others around you.

On the way to my husband’s work every Sunday there is a man standing at the big intersection selling the Sunday papers there.  He sells them for $1.50 a piece (the same as the gas station) but it is more convenient to be able to just hand the money out the window verses getting
out of the car.  Most Sunday’s when we are going that way I buy a paper from that person.  Today however, I decided that I would let him
keep the 50 cents that he would have given me in change.  He actually looked pretty surprised, but I hope that helped make his day.

I can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring!!!

I was trying really hard not to turn this into a day into giving a gift to myself day.  But that is what happened to a majority of it.

It is the start of college football season, and we are HUGE football fans in our house.  Plus, today was the first game of the season for University of Michigan (my favorite).  I decided that no matter what I was going to get everything I needed to get done around our house by 3:30pm today, so that I could sit in a chair and watch the game without feeling guilty for what I could be doing.  Well that is exactly what I
did.  I finished the dishes, took out the trash, made an apple crisp, and started the laundry all before my 3:30 goal.  I figured since I was done with
all those kinds of things, I would make a quick run to Meijer since laundry detergent was a good price and I have a coupon (I am starting to get much more into couponing).

While at Meijer I was getting in line with my few groceries, when I noticed a women coming up behind me with about a half of a cart full and a crying child.  I figured I might as well let her go ahead of me I understand what a crying kid can do to your nerves in the grocery store.  The look on her face was priceless, she seemed so relieved not to have to stand behind me.  She probably said “Thank you” 100 times.   I told
her not to worry, that I understood about having crying children.

My gift for the day was to give my girls a “girl’s only day”.  We have these sometimes when my husband is gone but usually it is interrupted by phone calls or text messages.  However, today was TOTALLY different.  We finished our errands as soon as we got up, then went to lunch and then to finish getting our schools supplies.  Ok, so not the most fun thing we did all day.

But then we came home, put our school supplies away and then decided to get out some craft supplies and make some friendship bracelets and make a note for each of the girls grandma’s.  They LOVED it.  After we were done and had put them in the mailbox to mail them. The whole time I did not answer my phone or answer any texts and we did not turn on the TV.  We made our crafts and we laughed and remembered other fun things we had made together.

My husband works for the University of Detroit Mercy as a sports reporter.  We try to go to as many athletic events as we can.  My husband and I feel like we need to expose the girls to different sports and look up to the athletes as role-models.  Today, the cross country team was
running in a meet not far from our house, so we decided to join them at the course. My husband was not there to write about the results of the event but we decided to give our gift of time to the athletes.  At the end of the race when others started to walk away, we stayed and cheered the last runner into the chute.  I wanted the athletes to know that we were rooting for them no matter what place they came in.  Plus, I think it is a good lesson to teach the girls about sportsmanship.

I am so grateful for the time that I got to spend with my girls today.  I know that during the school year we get busy doing other things and it was nice to take the day and spend it with just us.

I have been debating about whether to do my gifts anonymously or not.  I kind of decided today that when the opportunity hits I will do whatever seems best at the time.  Well who would have thought that the opportunity would hit almost first thing in the morning.  I took a baby-sitting job for the day that I have never baby-sat before.  Well I got there about 8:30 in the morning and by 9:15 I took the opportunity.  I looked out the window and saw that there were 2 guys out mowing the grass and whipping the weeds.  I figured since it was 85 degrees out (hello, it’s September in Michigan), they might like a cold bottle of water.  So as they were mowing the grass behind the neighbor across the streets house, I took 2 bottles of ice cold water and put them on the back of their truck.  I didn’t leave a note or anything.  After walking in the house, I had the greatest feeling I have had in a very long time.

Since I am off tomorrow my husband took the time to go and get our girls tonight, which is nice because then we will have a girls day tomorrow.  I all ready had plans to meet my friend for coffee tonight, so I figured they would love to come home to dinner all ready made for them.  So that is exactly what I did, as my husband pulled in the driveway and I pulled out, I told him that dinner was all ready done and all he had to do was a few
prep things.  He really seemed to enjoy that.  He even told me when I got home what a great meal it was, which is kind of surprising since I am not that great of a cook.  As for my friend and coffee it was very enjoyable for both me and her.  She is having some problems with her job and just needs to vent.  I know she is grateful for the time and ideas that I give her.

I am excited to see what tomorrow will being in this journey and look forward to it.