A Rough Week

I am tired. Really, really tired. I haven't known exactly how to describe my week this week so I've avoided writing all week. Tired, really tired, that's how I can describe it now. First, there was a tragedy that occurred with a student I taught in my very first group of kids. I found out through the grapevine, but it stuck with me and just made so sad for his family and young friends. And, how I remember those first few classes so vividly. Sometimes I see them around Lubbock and I think, it is so bizarre how old they seem. Aren't they suppose to be wearing braces and kid sizes still?

Then, a parent I had last year...a great parent, was put on the ventilator with either pneumonia or swine flu after having a baby a couple of days previously. Our whole school has been so concerned, but it really took me back to just a couple of years ago when my mom was in a very similar situation. Praise God for miracle babies and that she is off the ventilator as of last night.

On top of those things this week, I've just felt tired. The kind of tired that sleep isn't helping. I even looked at myself in the bathroom mirror one day at school and thought, tired. I really need to get "untired" because we have evaluations this next week.

Okay, I can't write a post like this without saying something good. Oooh, I picked up my refurbished settee and it looks great. Dodger's new dog food arrived that will hopefully help his allergies. I got a ton of grading done. The insurance check arrived to fix my car which is in the shop as we speak. See, lots of good things. Funny how it is easy to remember the unpleasant over the pleasant.

Much love,

Baby Love

"Oh baby love, my baby love, I need you, oh how I need you..." This part of the song (not so much the rest of it) describes how I get the hankering to see my nieces to get some good sugar, sweet hugs, and fun giggles.

My sweet Reece at 3.5 years old. She thinks she is a real life princess (hence the princess shoes that she wore all over town; she was a hit in the style category) . Her favorite things to say to me "You so funny, Aunt Tolby."


Baby Reagan is now hitting 3.5 months. She is a calm baby. Reece loves to tell people that that is her baby sister. Their car seats were side by side in the car to make room for me, and Reece was petting her while she was sleeping. I hope they grow up to be the best of friends.


Anywhere Dodger is, so is Reece. We had to go run off some energy. Although, that didn't really happen!


A visit north isn't quite complete without Daddy feeding us!


I had hugged, snuggled, wiped tears, cooed, and I was plum tuckered out so much I slept through church. I sure am glad I got my baby love quota in!

Much love,

October 15 is National Grouch Day

Are you a grouch? If so, you have your very own holiday tomorrow. I had no idea about this "holiday" until Mrs. Stephenson on my team came up with this journal entry for our kiddos tomorrow, "October 15 is National Grouch Day. List ten things that make you grouchy." I suppose, I'll kick off the list a day early.

Things that make me grouchy

1. Reaching in the refrigerator in the morning for a Coke, only to realize that there are none.
2. Poor customer service. If I am going to pay you, be on time and act professional.
3. Stubbing my toe on furniture.
4. Non-planners. I'm really bothered when I don't have a plan in advance.
5. My cell phone service company and the mortgage company both messing up our bills this month! I don't like paying double.
6. The overwhelming pile of grading on my desk
7. When people zoom past my on the highway, only to cut me off and slow down right in front of me.
8. The alarm. Both of them. Sadly, I set two alarms since I am quite the dreamer, and sometimes the sound of the alarm coincides with dreams and I don't know that I turned one off so I have to have a back up.
9. When the copy machine jams.
10. Negative Nellies...I think negative breeds negative...on that note, Happy Grouch Day!

Much love,

Wife of the Year Award out the window

Alright, believe it or not I yet again have had another poor spousal moment. I think that is putting it mildly. So here's the story.

I get home Friday from a field trip. The field trip is called Ag in a Bag. That means "agriculture." And, lots of it. Grains, corn, farm animals all set in a giant barn. Basically it's allergy attack waiting to happen trip for me. I drugged up with Zyrtec and Benadryl and was ready to go! The field trip was good, and I was able to breathe and felt much better than last year on the same trip. It was our first field trip of the year, and I just got nervous not knowing how my kiddos would do and of course, they were great. I had just had a crazy, long week where I felt like a hamster on a wheel and the wheel was spinning and I couldn't get off...ugh, I hate that feeling.

So, I came home and felt relieved to end the week. I get a call from a lady who has been refinishing our furniture that she would like to deliver it. I get excited to see the final product. She delivers the furniture and we have a nice chat with her and her husband. By this time, it is time to hop in the car and have dinner with the Holloways. I was excited to eat some of Mindy's food (I seriously want to be like her in the kitchen!) and have some good adult conversation aside from school chat!

Micah goes to pull his car out of the garage and I'm doing my usual obsessing about turning lights off when I open the garage and see him hands on heads, halfway down the driveway, car on car.

That's when the ranting begins. Lots of ranting. Apparently, I said a lots of words that I don't remember saying. Words I didn't think I actually said, but maybe I did. It's like all of my anxiety and stress from the week turned into a funnel of fury and this was my out. I could say whatever I wanted because I was tired and stressed and something bad just happened. I went big picture with it. You know what I mean. You don't do this, this, this and this. And another thing..... And while I'm at it..... I was a real "B" with a capital B. No doubt about it. I was so mad about what I perceived was going to happen that I couldn't see that we were both insured and it was an accident. Okay, so I took it so far as "Now we will never have kids!" Um, Colby...overreaction! So my mind went from car scratch to he doesn't want kids? Can I blame this on a mild case of raging hormonal imbalance?!?

Maybe this accident happened so that we pay more attention when we are actually on the road with others. So, no yummy dinner and funny conversation for us at the Holloways and their cute kids. No pumpkin patch the next day. All thanks to me and my fury. And, about 24 hours later, I could actually laugh about the unforunate incident.

Moral of the story. Stay away from me when I'm really fired up and mad. It doesn't happen very often, but I got a lot to say when I get cranked up. AND, accidents happen. See Micah, I believe in accidents.

P.S. Here was my Day 16 Reasons I love You: That we are now laughing about this little car matter. This little bitty tiny old car deal. So small. Pretty much didn’t scratch it

See, told you I didn't deserve Wife of the Year.

Much love,

Football and Church

Football and church. That is the story of autumn for me. Last Friday, we went to my first Plainview Bulldogs game. This game was homecoming...I do love some pageantry, if I say so myself. While I'm on the subject, Katie Rush was the bestest homecoming queen I have ever known...I still want to steal your crown!!! Sorry to digress. And, the game was against...ahem, the Mean Green Pampa Harvesters. Who lost. Who looked so sad loosing. I really hope that that was there traveling band and not their entire band. I just remember buying my spirit ribbon every Friday home game to wear at Travis Elementary, and then after Daddy was off work, he would pick me up and we'd go to the game together. I was just in awe of the cheerleaders and game traditions. I was so excited to be a Harvester one day. Little did I know that I would become a Sandie and love it, too. Thanks Jennifer for the tickets, and I'm glad her hubby got a win for his team! Her little daughter was all about Micah. All the girlies love them some Micah. Who could blame them? Tickle, tickle Micah!

Pulled out "Gumby" (the giant green rain poncho Mitch gave me to wear last year that I "forgot" to give back) for the Tech game. We had some pretty swanky seats thanks to Jason. We sat on the 40 yard line rows one and two right behind the benches. It was a different perspective seeing the team that close. And, yes, we got rained on. Ashlee, Micah and me all swaddled ourselves under "Gumby" at one point or another and at a couple of times, all of us were under it. I'm sure we were quite the sight for those above us. Ehh, who cares?!? It was a win for Tech. Not a glamorous, rah, rah, kinda win. More like, we've got to get better quick kinda win.

Sunday we went to church to find out one of the associate pastors had gone to be with Jesus. He was such a nice man who always had a warm greeting for us and knew our names. I remember one of the first times we visited he came by to say hello at one of the back pews in the church. I really admire people who are just very warm and welcoming to all. I really think it's becoming more and more lost as our society becomes more fast paced and self serving. Later that day, we attended a gospel performance by Happy Union Church at Wayland. I was toe tapping and wanting to join them on stage. We loved it! Sharon, you absolutely light up on stage singing!

And, lastly. My petunias were leggy and had to be tossed. The coleus wilted and now my pots by the door are baren. Even the potato vine was looking pathetic and had to go. But, my a couple of my mums returned from last year, and my geranimums are going strong!



Much love,