This morning at about 12:30am, after a day of many many errands, giving a presentation to Gracie's kindergarten class about Christmas in "Africa", leading them in an "African craft" experience, many more errands, dealing with grumpy children, attempting to understand a textbook which even Aaron recoiled at, doing much homework, giving a personal training session (which was actually the most relaxed portion of my day), going on yet another errand after that (at 10pm), and coming home to do 3 assignments before midnight... I experienced a strange sensation. I did not quite know what to make of it, so unfamiliar a sensation it was. I was lying in bed at the time. I tried to identify it for quite some time, then I realised what it was: The RELAXED. Ahhhhhhhh...... I have not felt relaxed in a very very long time and it was a welcome surprise.
At about midnight I got the results from the class that I sweated over on Thanksgiving day and every other day for weeks before and after. The one for the professor who seemed absolutely impossible to please. He would give me good grades but tell me what rubbish my work was in every way in the comments and really by extension what rubbish I was. So I did not hold out much hope for the final paper. You know the one I began on the day it was due? Up until this point I have had a 4.0 GPA for this degree. Being obsessive you know what it would have done to me not to get an A in the last class. Truly, does it matter in the long run? No, not at all. But as you know, I'm not a well woman, so everything matters to me.
So every time I would check to see if my grade had been posted, I would instinctively close my eyes and turn my head away and then open my eye just a crack to see the befoulment of my pristine GPA. Last night I went through this rigamorale before retiring to bed after submitting 3 assignments for my "cushy class" and was shocked and thrilled to see that I had received 29.5 out of 30 for the final paper and 97% overall. The Prof was marginally nicer to me in his comments then usual, but still made it clear that he did not think that I had a very bright future because of that one mistake in my APA formatting of an in-text citation, and really, mistakes like those cost lives. Regardless, the mood was celebratory.
Now let's get onto the cushy class that I had to take to make up the technicality of credit hours. I could have taken...well anything.."how to balance your checkbook" perhaps. But because I am much much wiser then that what did I take? Ahhh.....yes, Physiological Psychology. Really, I mean even the name of the class sounds breezy and easy doesn't it? It's a shame I did not take on more of a challenge because life right now is so slow and boring. Omigosh. Methinks THAT was a mistake. It was one of the first times ever that I actually read the assigned reading in order to complete the assignments and I was still completely and utterly flummoxed. I ended up calling Q in Utah to talk me through it. If it were not for Q, I would have had nothing....nothing...NOTHING...If I didn't have Q......sorry, just channeling Whitney for a moment, (and Jenn you know we all love Q and I know you'd love to have me as a sister wife..but don't be getting the wrong idea.. I just could not resist the play on words).
Anyway that was how baffled I was. It is week one. I am not hopeful. Particularly since I have big plans to accelerate this already accelerated class in order to have it all done before I go to South Africa. As you can tell, I like a simple life.
Regardless, once I had the first 3 assignments submitted, rubbishing as they were (except the Q input of course) I felt a sense of lightness. A couple of emails regarding another little issue I had been angsting over further heightened the euphoria. I retired to bed, relaxed in the knowledge that all I had to do today was assemble 3 teacher gifts before the kids went to school, get the last of my Christmas cards off-(Carolyn did you ever get one from me?), mail some packages (nothing like the last minute), throw a class party (alone of course because I learn from my mistakes), complete with Rudolph the red nosed reindeer cookies:
Which Aaron the wonder husband took pity on me and made last night, the still to be assembled holiday trail mix for each child, attend my kids' holiday assembly, finish my Christmas shopping, clean my house, start my holiday baking, do some shopping for the Young Women before the year ends and with it my budget, get gifts for 20 young women with a budget of $20 (you think I may have to be creative?) and prepare a wonderful Christmas lesson for Sunday all while entertaining a disgruntled Finny who feels abandoned and alone because Gracie has a playdate and the boys are at school. And I need to fit in a run somewhere too . But seriously.. no lie, I felt such a sense of relief and excitment over the relative simplicity of this day that I could not sleep. For the last several weeks I have not been able to sleep for stress and now I could not sleep for relief. It is a good thing that I do not need much sleep because I seem to be a bit of a sleep-tard differently-abled.
You may ask then, why I am typing away here as I distract Finny with sorting out the colours in a bowl of M&M's. I just felt that it was necessary that I revel in and record these momentous moments of chill-ness, because I have a feeling they will be fleeting.
I also came here to report a conversation at the dinner table last night
Me: Gracie, I cannot believe you are going to be 6! I clearly remember when I was 6!
Gabe: (with a far away look in his eye and a dreamy voice as he reminisced on days gone by) Yes, I remember being 6 too...Good times....good times..
In other news Finny is finally mastering the toilet thing. As with all my kids I took the lazy mother approach. I did not push the issue at all until they decided enough was enough already and told me that they would appreciate it if I would procure them some underwear. None of this perching 18 month olds over the potty every 3.5 minutes, no rewarding every tinkle with an M&M, and very few accidents since they are half way to college by the time I take away the diapers. Path of least resistance my friends, I highly recommend it.
Anyway, the penny suddenly dropped for Finny (or the pee pee did?) and it would appear that our diaper days are finally numbered. Yesterday afternoon after he had given up trying to talk me into putting a diaper back on him so he could go and do his business in his room without having to interrupt his playing (he may be onto something actually..think of the time we could save....ok gross..) he relented and did it in the appropriate room using the appropriate receptacle. Of course he got major kudos from me. A few minutes later I noticed that he had begun yet another "garbage truck" project and had a huge hamper full of assorted items that I would have to put away. When I gently berated him for this, as we had agreed to no more garabage trucks for a while, he said,
"hey mommy! Remember how happy you were about the potty a minute ago!?"
Maybe he will be a motivational speaker: Let's focus on the positive and maintain an attitude of gratitude shall we, mother? That, or a used-car salesman.
Well I am off to enjoy my relaxing day now. Fa la la la laaaa la la la LA!
Good Times, Gabe. Good Times.
K-dawg, enjoy your day and enjoy that relaxed feeling.
Posted by: Jen | December 21, 2007 at 02:35 PM
It looks like you have had a wonderful Christmas. I loved both posts about relaxing and your traditions. We have been traveling to and in Utah since the 22nd so this is the first chance I have had to check blogs and e-mail. I don't know if we recieved you card yet because I put a hold on our mail. If I didn't when I get home on the 1st of Janurary there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Hee hee! Really though your picture card on the blog is adorable. You have the cutest kids, well besides mine of course. Have a wonderful new year. PS I am starting to train for my first half marathon when I get home any advice?
Posted by: Carolyn | December 28, 2007 at 02:17 AM
It looks like you have had a wonderful Christmas. I loved both posts about relaxing and your traditions. We have been traveling to and in Utah since the 22nd so this is the first chance I have had to check blogs and e-mail. I don't know if we recieved you card yet because I put a hold on our mail. If I didn't when I get home on the 1st of Janurary there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Hee hee! Really though your picture card on the blog is adorable. You have the cutest kids, well besides mine of course. Have a wonderful new year. PS I am starting to train for my first half marathon when I get home any advice?
Posted by: Carolyn | December 28, 2007 at 02:18 AM