Did I tell you about the passport dilemma?  I filled out the application with just barely 6 weeks to spare (and they recommend allowing 4-6 weeks).  I joked that I was half-hoping it wouldn’t come in time.  But since then, I’ve had 20 mile runs.  Twice.  And I would hate for that to have been in vain.  So when the letter came last week, informing me that the photo I supplied was the wrong size, I may have felt a strange tightening sensation in my chest.

And a wee bit of anger.

After all, the post office took that picture.  I asked if I needed to bring my own, and they said no.  Then they took my picture.  Then they asked me to pay $15 for it.  Then I get a letter saying it was the wrong size.

So the next chance I got (um, six days later), I returned to the post office, planning a big speech through which I would force them to pay to overnight the new picture to Chicago.  Fortunately, they were all very sorry for the mistake, took responsibility, fixed the mistake, and overnighted it no problem.  I even included a note of explanation and a plea to rush the application.  Hope it works.

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This is the longest I’ve gone in my married life without being pregnant.

Just sayin’

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I was supposed to go to my mom’s this afternoon, but she called to inform me that my [mentally challenged] older brother had had kidney stone surgery yesterday and had just arrived to recover at her house.  I hope this doesn’t mean she’ll be too exhausted to see me all week.  I didn’t get to see her much this weekend either because we had company.  And we’ll have company next weekend.  Not that I regret the company.  🙂

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My mom is sleeping more.  When she was well, she would go to bed at 9 or 10.  When I first came here, she was going to bed at 7.  This past weekend, she started going to bed at 5.  It reminded me of something she said a month ago.  That the nurse had told her she would sleep more.  More and more.  Until she just didn’t wake up.

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Benjamin was trying to explain something to me, and I’ll confess, my attention was wandering.  Until he said, very articulately, “I can’t talk very well.”  He is such a sensitive little boy.  I need to take better care of him.

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I’ve been thinking a lot about attachment parenting and spanking.  Expect a post on that soon.

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Olivia has been going to Kids Klub.  (I hate when people misspell words for the sake of alliteration.)  It’s a lot like Awana, I guess? I never went to either as a child.  It’s a weekly meeting that encourages biblical knowledge and good, old-fashioned koinonia (ahem, fellowship).  There is also candy involved.

Tonight she came home with a blank pink notecard.  I asked her about it and she told me, “They said you’re supposed to either write ‘believe’ or ‘unbelieve’ on it.”  Perplexed, I texted one of the leaders of the “Klub” for more details.  While I was waiting for a reply, Olivia came up to me again and said, “Momma, I want to write ‘believe.'”  Okay… So I spelled it out for her on another paper and sent her to the table to copy it down.

The leader texted me back and explained that the card is to tell whether or not Olivia has belief in Jesus as her savior.

Yay! 🙂  (Of course, I already knew this, and she’s already had her first communion, but every reassurance just ups the joy, ya know?)

When I went in to check on her work, she had written, “Believe.  I <3 God.” on the front and “From aivilO.  doG roF” on the back.  I guess she thought that since it was on the back of the card, the words should be backward?  Oh well.  Love her!!

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Levi.  He’s taken to being very loud during school when he senses he is no  longer the center of Mommy’s world.  Not really screaming, not mad, just… loud.  So loud that I sometimes have to put him in our room in his pack ‘n play.  And, guess what?  He likes it!  Sometimes he’ll fuss, but more times than not, he just sits in there and plays with the blankets!  I’ve NEVER had a child love being in a crib-like setting!  Lately, he’ll even fall asleep in there!  DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?!

It means we’re totally ready for another baby.

Just gotta run this race first.

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Today in school, I read a chapter of our read-aloud book to Olivia (5) with Benjamin (3) sitting at the table playing quietly.  I was asking her a comprehension question afterwards and she shrugged and said she didn’t know the answer.  I was about to supply it when Benjamin spoke up with the exactly right answer!  I wish I could remember what the question was.  But I can’t.  But isn’t that amazing?  I love homeschooling!!

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Enough thoughts for today.  Good night!