Last Day of School

Another school year comes to a close and I am really looking forward to having my boys home for the summer.  Seth and Sam are spending the day participating in the school's traditional "River Walk" which parents weren't invited to (and, really, who am I kidding?  There's no way I'd make an all day outing.  Lately, I barely make it out the door at all) and I'll head over in a couple of hours to watch The Big H graduate from preschool.  I signed up a month ago to bring a salad but find tossing greens with a dressing too overwhelming today.  Instead, I'll drive to a deli and pay way too much for something they made.

It's been a big week.  Seth's fifth grade graduation was on Monday.  He really is growing up.  It makes me feel proud and scared all at the same time.  The other night, he cleaned the entire kitchen and dining room by himself (there was a money incentive, but still!).  He put away left-over food.  He hand washed pots and pans in the sink, then rinsed, dried and put them away.  He wiped off counters.  He even vacuumed the floor.  It is comforting to know that not only is he able to help during the moments when if I move, I'll vomit, but willing.

There was a talent show on Tuesday.  Seth performed his Clementi Sonatina.  I'm glad to put that song to rest finally.  He has a love/hate relationship with it.  After so many months and months, he can't help but play it when he passes the piano but it'll be nice to hear something new.

Yesterday was the school's field day.  Jay was Super Dad and volunteered for the day.  I did the opposite of playing outside in the sun and water and played the organ at a funeral.  It was held at a local mortuary instead of a church and the piano/organ was in a small curtained room just off to the side of the casket.  I was only uncomfortable after the funeral ended and they opened up the casket for one more viewing before heading to the gravesite.  I played postlude and after about a half hour, the man's children each came up to the casket individually.  Their grief, through words and tears, felt very private and I was sorry to hear it.   It didn't feel right to be so close.

We've also had my niece and nephew stay with us this week as their parents are on a cruise.  I feel bad for them because they have the most boring aunt ever.  It's been a really difficult week for me.  I had some hope last week that the Zofran was going to help but it doesn't look like it has any real effect.  Somedays, I feel kind of o.k.  That's as good as it gets.  I never feel great.  I never feel normal.  But, there seem to be more and more days that are becoming just awful.  I feel grumpy and pathetic.   I tried to stay up and chit chat and be interested and attentive their first few nights here, but the past few nights, I have just had to go to bed.  The sooner the day can end, the better.  To make it extra fun, all five of us have Pinkeye and yesterday, we found another tick embedded into Henry's nape.  I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't freaked out about it.

My dad's birthday was yesterday.  He turned seventy-four.  I love him with my whole soul.  He is such a good man and I'm a fortunate girl to have had someone so noble to learn from all these years.

So You Think You Can Dance starts tonight!   That might be just what I need to get my mind through this pregnancy.  I've just about exhausted Netflix's British Period pieces miniseries.  I highly recommend North and South.  Downton Abbey was good and I'm looking forward to some resolution but I didn't like Wives and Daughters very much.   They needed a better climax for the romance between Roger and Molly.

I'm on some sort of a french braid kick.  I just finished doing my hair and think it's the fifth or sixth day in a row I've braided my hair.  I don't know what got me started and really have no idea what keeps me thinking it's a good look (it's not) but a braid it is again.  I feel bad for my niece.  She asked me the other morning if I'd braid her hair for school.  The little talent I have seems to be isolated to having my arms in an up and back position because her poor hair barely resembled braids when I was done (she wanted two).  I noticed when she came home from school, the braids were out.  It made me wonder if I should actually be hoping for a girl.

Oh my goodness, I am rambling.  But, I wrote.  That's something.