Marching along

 Highlights of this week:

1. Not having to go in for jury duty all week. Every night when I would check it would be such a relief to not have to go in and be able to plan my day. I actually had to go in this morning and I seriously thought I was going to throw up from anxiety but the judge granted a continuance so the trial didn't happen today and we were all released. He made it sound like nothing would happen later this week so I think I am off the hook. In theory I think being on a jury would be an interesting experience but in reality, I have piano lessons to teach and appointments to get to and kids to drive around. I was so grateful my neighbor let my kids come hang out for half an hour this morning before the bus came and I was incredibly relieved when they said we were free to leave. The security guys were funny and made my morning after they teased me for having to send my bag through the x ray machine many times because of all the toy cars and planes I had at the bottom of my purse. 

2. Curtis had an amazing play off game Monday night. We all went and cheered for him and his team scored the most points they had all season. It was a thrilling victory! 

3. Saturday we had nothing we had to do (so unusual!) and so I went to BJs, the kids did some cleaning and then we watched TV all afternoon. We watched some HGTV shows we like and then we finished Pirates of the Caribbean with the big kids while the younger two watched something else. Although I later found out Pirates will be closed in Disneyland while we're there so that is a major bummer. It was relaxing and so lazy and we all enjoyed it since we really don't watch TV at all during the week. Josh and I sometimes watch an episode of the Tonight Show and we always watch This is Us but that is about it. 

4. Yesterday Lily accompanied a sweet musical number in church. The topic for the day was the children and youth program so I had asked two young women to sing and then Lily offered to play the piano for them. She worked hard to learn the song and played so well and the girls singing were so sweet and it was just lovely all the way around. 

5. Going to the gym twice and crushing my workouts and also going on a long walk. This week I talked to my sister because it was her birthday. I also talked to Jana for a long time one day and man, I miss her. 

Lowlights of this week:

1. Curtis had a terrible play off game Wednesday night. It was such a busy and stressful night picking Lily up from dance and dropping Emma off then going to the rising freshman night at the high school. Brandon, Lily and I went to two break out sessions while Josh and Curtis went to two different ones. Since this is our first time around, we wanted to learn as much as we could. Lily cried at one point and I did too. I am just not ready for this big change and I think we both felt overwhelmed. Then Josh took Curtis and Brandon to the game while I had to go pick up Emma, drop the girls off at home then rush back for the game. It was terrible. The team hardly scored and the other team's coach yelled the whole time and made me so upset. It was a disappointing way to end the season. I did so much driving around and saw three accidents that night. Then after all my effort to get the girls home and in bed since they were both so tired, I get home after the game and they are both still awake. Gah! 

2. The war in Ukraine rages on and my heart breaks a little bit more each day. I can hardly stand to look at the pictures anymore and read articles about it. I scan the headlines, start crying and then I just have to move on. 

3. Piano lessons were terrible this week. Only two of my students were actually prepared for their lessons and it was excruciating to listen to kids butcher so much music. I kept thinking that I just don't get paid enough to have to listen to this. Why don't kids practice more?

4. Friday I hit an emotional low and spent a lot of time reading because it was either that or be super sad  and cry. It is hard to explain but I think I am having a bit of a mid-life crisis mixed with a complete social life crisis which has made me feel pretty worthless, except to my children who need me to feed them and get them to where they need to be. I'm sure things will improve with time, prayer and other good things that make me feel better, so it is something I'm working on but it made for a tougher weekend to be in such an emotional funk. 

5. A woman at the gym asked me how far along I was. I keep trying to tell myself that I do sometimes look pregnant because I gave life and bodies to four (large) humans and I earned all that flabby and stretched out skin but I'd be lying if I said it didn't sting a bit.

Hmmm....maybe I should switch these around because it seems like a pretty depressing way to end. I'm grateful for a washer and dryer, a kind neighbor, Lily's booming babysitting business so she can buy herself new pointe shoes, having an awesome spring break trip to look forward to that is now all booked and planned, tax refund money and that the sun is shining today. I'm also grateful for the temple, clean counters, homemade chocolate chip cookies that I didn't have to make (yeah for Lily loving to bake) and good books. 

I also forgot a highlight. Lily was student of the month and we went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner and it wasn't crazy busy and we had a lovely evening celebrating our awesome girl.