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I also just have to say that I am so proud of Alex for all the time, energy and hard work he has put into his schooling thus far. Even though it's been really hard for both of us, I have no doubt in my mind that this is what he's supposed to be doing and am going to try my darnedest to be supportive and helpful for the next two years so that he can be successful. (stress on am going to try my darnedest.)
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The week before finals Johnny and I left Alex to his solitary studying and took a last minute trip to the exotic state of Wisconsin to spend a few days with my parents and little brother at a lake. I was a little nervous to be wrangling Johnny in a non-baby proof environment without Alex, but my family was very helpful and I was even able to relax a little bit. Johnny had lots of firsts: first time in a lake, first time on a boat, first time fishing, and first time sleeping in his pack and play. All in all, a success!
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A couple weeks ago I posted on Facebook about wanting one of those goofy looking, wrap around your body, pregnancy pillows. Well, when I got home from the cabin Alex had this
waiting for me.
That night I snuggled up with it in my bed (with a memory foam pillow topper that Alex got me when I was pregnant with Johnny) and I was so comfortable I could not stop smiling. It was divine. If you are pregnant, or hey, even your're not, I highly recommend a....snoogle.
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Are you following along with Haley as she and her family take a 6 week road trip across the country? Well, if you are then you probably noticed that at the beginning of the month the Stewarts were in Minnesota. Haley said on her Facebook page that St. Paul was her favorite city so far on their travels and I had to beam with pride over my hometown.
My friend Nell hosted a little get together for us MN bloggers (Susanna, Laura, Nancy) and friends, to meet Haley. This was not the first time I have met other bloggers at Nell's house, and every time it's always a little weird to meet someone you've been following online for a while. But it's amazing to me that the internet can bring people together in such a way that after a matter of minutes all weirdness is gone and you feel like fast friends.
By far my favorite thing about blogging is the way it brings women together and allows us to share our experiences with each other. I don't get to walk out into my neighborhood and talk to other mothers, like women of generations past, but I do have a network of women, close to home and across the country, who are going through the same things I'm going through on the daily. And that's a very comforting thing. And then, when we do get together in the flesh, the conversation and fellowship is truly something amazing.
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Last week my college orchestra conductor passed away. She battled cancer for 4 years. and on August 2nd her battle ended. It's been over 2 years since I had seen her. But after seeing a person 4 days a week for 4 years, plus traveling across the country and to Europe on orchestra tours with her, well, you just never forget someone you spent that much time with.
Current and former students were invited to play in an orchestra at her funeral mass and I was so grateful for the opportunity pay tribute/show my respect/say goodbye in such a fitting way. It was a sad funeral, hard to watch her children (grade school aged) and her husband (looked so strong and at peace, but must be aching so) but hers was such a well lived life, and that's something to rejoice in.
I heard some one say once that they believed people who undergo great suffering here on earth spend little to no time in purgatory. I'd like to think that's true, and that she's currently praising God face to face.
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We spent this weekend in Chicago with Alex's sister and her family. It was so nice to get out of the house, and even nicer to have Alex with us all the time. Johnny had a blast with his cousins, we saw the Museum of Science and Industry, went to Holy Name Cathedral for mass, and bummed around Navy Pier.
Alex and I even got an evening out. We had dinner at probably the hippest restaurant I've ever been to, complete with bearded men, phonographs, and to top it off, a guy rode by on a penny-farthing, confirming it's hipness. The food was out of this world. The only bummer, of course, was not being able to imbibe a craft cocktail. Instead I had some fancy pants tonic water.
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Now we are home and settling in to the first of Alex's 3, THREE! weeks off before fall term starts. I keep pinching myself to see if I am dreaming.
I love to make lists, and this morning I made 4. Grocery shopping list, meal plan list, to-do list for today, and a very lengthy list of all the things I would like to get done while Alex is on break. And we're off to a pretty good start. Today I did some weeding and Alex took the weed wacker to our front side walk and back patio which had become terribly overgrown. We also organized the playroom closet, which houses my yarn stash, gift wrap supplies, and random things that wouldn't otherwise have a home. I would have before and after pictures for you, but I forgot, and it would't have been that impressive looking anyway.
Hope your week is off to a great start!
Linking up with Kelly at This Ain't The Lyceum.
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