Thoughts on a beautiful Monday

My friend has lost her cat. Although this doesn't seem like such a problem to some, most anyone who shares their home with a pet can empathize with her. And, I am sure, grateful that it isn't us who is suffering the loss, all the while hoping that her wayward Louella comes home soon.

To many people, pets are considered part of the family. Over the summer, we had to put our beloved Gracie down. She had not been doing well for some time. I opted to take my two boys with me. I asked them if they wanted to go, and they had said yes. It was a bad idea. It was in August, and I am still regretting that I allowed them to be there. It was awful. Terrible awful.

I wonder why we show so much compassion to our animals, but allow humans to go through agonizing, long suffering deaths. That too is awful. Terrible awful.

Another page -- I watched a Linda Ellerbe news short yesterday. I was about the greening of America. It started me thinking about how much we waste. Our footprints on this earth will be huge. How much useless stuff we have, and how much just plain stuff we have. I am looking at eco-friendly living. I am considering a summer vacation there -- only if I can get my family excited about it.

New layout

Spring is here. Time for changes to include my blog. Tell me what you like and don't like about it. Be honest.

Thoughts on a Saturday

A thought that keeps running through my head is regarding forward thinking. Every time I have ever applied for a job, I have always stated that a goal is to create forward thinking students. Forward thinking to me is some one that keeps their eye on the future and how their presence can impact or change that idea of future.

Unfortunately for me, I have not been a forward thinker for sometime now. I have been caught up in the past, due in part by my activity on face book and the reconnection of old friends. This has dredged up memories of dreams unfulfilled, and a life led at times by uncertainty and a longing for past and easier times.

Where has this put me? I can only compare it to racing on a track where the only things of concern are speed, avoiding collisions and spin outs, and the greatest challenge is yet another left turn. This is where I have spent the last few months, save for an occasional break that allows for a temporary peek into the future. These are fleeting and rare. My being is consumed by the now, unfulfilled and perhaps unrecognized dreams, and that pull for what might have been.

Certainly, we all think of the past occasionally. That is what has put us in this specific time and place. Choices made and lessons learned. However, being bogged down lets those moments of time just fly past us. A snap of the fingers and yet another moment, another opportunity gone. Another snap, another missed opportunity.

Recognizing this is part of the answer. Believe me, I recognize that I have been stuck making those endless left turns. In this time, there have been losses of loved ones, additions to families, and extreme challenges. I haven't revelled in the glory of the new opportunities facing me. I have been a wallower. I will try -- I must try -- to change. Life is to fleeting to waste -- and that is what I have been doing -- making those left turns and only looking at the present. The future is where I need to place my focus.

My weekend

Mark is off on an adventure to see his family, so it is just the boys, me, and the animals here for the weekend. That really suits me just fine, as I am suffering -- yes, suffering -- with bronchitis and a sinus infection. I am hoping the atb's kick in soon (day 2 today), and I am feeling better soon.

April -- I don't know the date

Somewhere, there should be a time tracker, who can tell a person how many minutes, hours, days, etc. of time that is wasted and is -- poof -- gone. I know that since I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia that I have wasted an enormous amount of time. I heard it in my husband's voice when he saying that I could easily have three hours per day for exercise; I was it on my friend's face today when she came to have lunch; I fell it in my body when I can't sleep but for hte paid that I feel from fibromyalgia. All of the opportunities that one missed along the way. Perhaps I should focus more on not wasting these minutes on foolish things. How about -- poof, here I am again -- pressing my nose to the glass to ensure I don't miss a a second of the scenery whether I am walking, riding in a car, or just whatever. Perhaps I won't begrudge the housework that goes and the things that stay unwritten so I cam have a bit of play time with my boys -- just to play and hang out. Time, is a fleeting thing -- the let it slip though our fingers, or we can act on it. I can't own it, but surely I can use that time that God has given me to work harder and longer amounts of time. This can happen so that those fleeting moments will be full, and when it is our time to pass from this earth, everyone will say that she lived her life well.

fun day

I worked almost all day on scrapbooking. I am so addicted. I ran out of some basic supplies, so I will have to go to the store tomorrow to pick some up in order to feed my addiction. It was a good day. The boys got along well all day. Dad took them for hair cuts, and they both look super! Then we had a good lunch before a friend came over to spend most of the afternoon with the boys. It is a friend that Patrick seldom sees now that he is not at school. I can tell Patrick misses some of his friends. Just one of the positives of attending school ... we take them where ever we can get them. Mark grilled some great chicken for dinner, and I made some so-so potato salad. We were really hungry, so there was not much talking at the table. Now, I have to go work on laundry. Patrick followed me in here to talk, but quickly fell asleep after snuggling up with my favorite throw. It is from Williams-Sonoma, and is the softest thing ever. Guaranteed to relax you so you fall right to sleep. At any rate, it was a good day for all. We haven't had many of those here lately, so it was well deserved and cherished.

Homebound vs. Homeschool

My son is going to be homebound educated for the remainder of the school year. He has been at home since January. I have had questions about homebound teaching vs homeschool teaching. The difference is huge -- with homebound, we are provided with a tutor for 5 hours per week, plus that person can act as a liaison between home and school. In addition, the lessons that are to be taught at home are provided by the school. Hope this helps with the confusion.