Busy with normal.

Wow, I guess it's been a week or so since I last posted something. It's been so busy here, and it seems like just normal life, nothing noteworthy. I just couldn't get excited enough to sit down and bore you.

We've been watching all the New Orleans news, like everyone else in America. What a shocking tragedy. I talked to our school principal and he told me that we admitted two new kindergarteners from New Orleans. The school expects more will come, but like all of us, no one knows just what will happen next.

Max started Flag Football. It's his first time at that sport and he might have found his niche. It helps that he is built more like a linebacker than a gangly basketball guy. They have him at center and he is pretty solid. Years of playing tag in our front yard have paid off. He is a squirmy runner naturally and his skillful evasive wiggling helps him grab flags and avoid losing his own. One of the moms brought iced washcloths to the practice for the boys to cool off with and the guys just loved them- they wrapped them around their necks until they found out that they make icy cold whips... It has been incredibly hot at 5pm when the practices start, so there are lots of whipping water breaks!

Emma started Hip Hop dance again, and had a first Brownie meeting this week. She is in the school groove, making new friends this year, and really enjoying the homework and classes. When she is at home she is eternally grilling me on getting drawings going for her new bedroom, or talking about what kind of earrings she wants, since I am caving in on that later request.

Joey is still reluctant to leave the car in the mornings, but seems to like school once he gets in there. His teacher gives me good reports, but I am bracing for the fall conference in October when I will hear the words "willfull, determined, and strong personality." Hopefully tongue touching with classmates will be resolved by then.

David has been working round the clock on his project's deadline. So he comes home for a quick meal and heads back up till late in the night. He has really been running ragged.

And I try to not stress out and yell at my family as the schedule keeps us all a little too busy.

And then I watch the news. And I think it's pretty lucky to have a bathroom to clean, and kids in a routine, and a husband in a job. We are busy at being normal, and lucky, even though the rest of the time we just don't notice. I can hardly believe the news stories about mothers who have been separated from kids, and that husband who lost his wife in the flood. It puts the petty day-to-day gripes into perspective.

Hang in there, New Orleans brothers and sisters. We are all praying for you and hoping to help. And everyone I know is appreciating our boring, normal, too busy lives more than we ever did before.