Random 3:00 AM Thoughts.

After I came home from work last night, I developed a monster headache.....which is not at all surprising given that I was so busy teaching 5 back-to-back sessions yesterday that I didn't eat anything until 4:30 pm.....not very smart, I know. So, when I got home around 5:30, I pretty much took some Exedrin and laid down.....which means that I slept on and off for 6 hours and then was wide awake at 1:00 am. So, I have been putsing around the house....doing dishes, picking up toys, working on a few scrapbook pages, getting things packed for our trip. And thinking about a lot of things that are going on right now. April tends to be a very busy month for me, given that the semester is in its final weeks, school for my kids is starting to wind down, and spring sports are in full sessions meaning a busier schedule for my husband. Here are a few random non-censored thoughts percolating in my mind right now......

• This week was a tough one for me at work. I'm not feeling a lot of motivation to teach right now, and I have to really pull from deep within me each class session. That is one of the tough things about teaching....whether you feel like it or not, you have to do what you can to pull from your soul because people are counting on you. I think it's mainly due to the busy-ness of the semester, and being overextended right now.......I need summer to get here.
• I am excited to teach Art Therapy in May. I find that course not only invigorating professionally, but fulfilling personally. I teach it so that it is as much a personal journey for me and my students, as an academic one.
• I am ready to get Hayden's school plans for next year ironed out, so that we can finalize child care and work schedules. The kindergarten round-up is the week following spring break, and I feel pretty strongly about a kindergarten placement for him, so we'll see how it goes. Even though he is young, a lot has happened in the past month to make me convinced that he is ready for the kindergarten challenge!
• Hayden is counting to 77! I'm not sure what the significance of 77 is, but he stops every time when he gets there! I think that he will be really good with numbers. Kennedy was more advanced with her pre-reading skills at his age, but he is far beyond where she was in understanding number properties. My husband says that "number smarts" is a trait in the M. family.
• I need to get on my physical health improvement plan. I have put it off long enough. It has been 2 years since I have been on a daily exercise regimine, and I miss it in so many ways......and I dread it in so many ways, too! I would love to lose 50 pounds before next fall classes begin, and I have done it before and know that I can do it again. It's just the getting started part that is the hardest. It's a mind thing......I'm well aware of that. Funny how it's a lot easier to motivate other people than to motivate yourself. I'm thinking that a behavior plan is in order!!
• Our friends just had a precious new baby girl, Madelyn, who joins fiery little Braylin in their family. I have started a scrapbook for them, and am hoping to bring dinner over on Monday night. It makes me even more aware of my desire to have another baby.
• I have anxiety in the pit of my stomache for Kendra and her husband as they await their in vitro implantation tomorrow morning. I am praying earnestly that God will grant them the desires of their heart.
• I need to stop at Target tomorrow to get some new pool toys for the kids, and a few new tank tops for me. Maybe if we dress like spring over spring break, it will be here to stay!
• I need to spring clean in a bad way. I need to sort clothes for all of us and bring a huge load to Byron Ministries.
• I am excited about getting started to organize our family photos using Stacey Julian's Photo Freedom. This will be one of my main goals for summer break.
• I am starting to think about summer plans for the kids....what will I do to keep them moving ahead academically, while also making it fun and different from the school routine? Where will we go for vacation? It will be here before we know it.
• I am watching an Animal Planet show about the 7 most deadly snakes on the planet. The guy is trying to photograph each of these snakes in mid-strike. He just got bit by an adder and is presently wrestling a spitting cobra.......talk about job stress. TV is pretty limited at 3:00 am on Friday morning, I suppose.
• We really need to find a home church and get connected. Since we left Compass Church in January, we have been attending here and there sporadically, but we really need to settle in and find a place to serve. It's been hard with being gone many weekends in the past months, but we need to make this a priority.
• I am ready to plant tomatoes and get our garden going. There is nothing like fresh tomatoes, and the kids love watching the progress.
• We need to revisit our family budget. We just bought a new truck and refinanced our house, so we need to make the necessary adjustments.
• I have to do our taxes this week. Yuck! But I am hoping for a refund.
• I need to schedule a dentist appointment. I am really good about keeping the kids on track with their visits (no cavities last week!) but not so good with my own appointments. Note to self: Call and make an appointment.
• When I got home last weekend, the hamster cages were all cleaned out. So we no longer have hamsters. My husband didn't tell me where they are, or what transpired....but suffice it to say that we are no longer hamster owners. Maybe when the kids are a bit older.....lesson learned.
• Ruby, our chocolate lab, is one year old! She has brought so much joy to our family in the past year and is truly the best dog I have ever known. I will do a more specific post later to show what she has brought to our family.......we love her as I never thought a dog could be loved.
• I wonder if anyone else is up at this time of day? Our friends across the street are leaving for Florida at 3:00 am, so I should run over and wish them farewell!

SO that's what's running through my brain at 3:18 on a Friday morning. I'm feeling pretty awake right now, so I'm going to see if I can get a few scrapbook pages done for my friends' baby album. I"ll post from the hotel after we get settled into our family weekend.....here's to a weekend of rest, swimming, eating, playing games, and just enjoying family time!