WHAT WE'RE EATING THIS WEEK
Well, tonight we ate florentine stuff chicken breasts, spinach and sun-dried wild rice and sautéed green beans.
WHAT I'M REMINISCING ABOUT
I've been thinking a lot lately about our time living in Mississippi. It was such a short time, only two years. But I've often wondered what it would be like if we still lived there. Would we still be living in the same house we bought when we first moved there? Some of our friends have since moved. Would be still be hanging out with our old peeps or would we have new peeps, too? Where would the kids be going to school? Would we be homeschooling? How would we be serving in our church? Who would our kids' friends be?
WHAT I'M LOVING
Homeschool. Yep. We've been at it for three weeks. And maybe we're still in the honeymoon phase. I'm sure there will be some "bad" days. Maybe. But right now we're all absolutely loving it.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO
Homeschool. We basically spent this month getting used to our new schedule, figuring out what works best for us and how can best spend our time each day. We've already had one field trip, and we have a back-to-school bash with our homeschool group this Friday.
WHAT I'M DREADING
Today I was dreading taking Mason to the dentist. It was our fifth trip in only three months. His mouth is a hot mess, and it's going to require a lot of orthodontia. But our orthodontist is trying to be as conservative as possible and give Mason's teeth a little more time to do their thing on their own before making them. The only problem with that is that now we're having to take measures to prevent his new permanent teeth from getting any worse in their placement than they already are. So he was fitted with an appliance in the bottom of his mouth in May to maintain some space and to hopefully encourage some permanent teeth to come on in that we've been waiting on for over a year. Our dentist actually installed this appliance because our insurance covered it 100%. If our orthodontist would've done it, we would've paid about $500. They took impressions and then he got the appliance. It didn't really fit correctly to begin with, but the dentist did the best she could with it. In less than three weeks, one of the back bands popped off, and Mason actually chewed the thing to smithereens before telling me about it. So back to the dentist we went. They acknowledged that it just never really fit right to begin with so they did more impressions and had it made again to fit a little differently. Of course, our insurance wasn't going to pay for this replacement appliance, but our dentist was so sweet to not charge us for the new one. All of this happened by the end of June.
Last week Mason came to me, and one of the little wires had come completely undone from the back band. The thing was just flopping around everywhere, and he was playing with it with his tongue! I was so irritated that I didn't even call the dentist. This is the same kid who can't keep a pair of tennis shoes longer than six months without putting holes in them, the same kid who puts holes in the knees of all of his pants, the same kid who is so rough on EVERYTHING. I knew it couldn't stay like that so I called the dentist yesterday and took him today. I told her that if she couldn't fix it, I wanted her to take it out, and I did not want another one. I told her I was DONE with that thing. There was no way I was going to pay $500 for something that's already broken twice. Bring on the orthodontia!
Long story short, Dr. H looked at it and said there's no way it should've broken like it did. She also said he really, really needs it right now (I just didn't even question her because last time we had this conversation, she didn't feel that strongly about it. So obviously she saw something today that changed her mind.). So they took the broken one out, and she is going to send it back to the manufacturer and ask for yet another one done a different way. She doesn't know if the manufacturer will charge her for the new appliance or not (because she thinks it's defective), but she said it doesn't matter because she is not going to charge us either way. I'm dreading going back in a few weeks to get the new appliance because something tells me it won't last either. We just need to make it to November. That's his next orthodontist appointment. I'm about ready to tell them to fill his mouth with metal and get this show on the road!
And y'all know what he asked me as soon as we walked out the door? "Mom, can we go to the store real quick and get me some gum? I want to chew gum everyday until we come back."
I can't blame the kid. I remember that feeling, too!
WHAT I'M WORKING ON
Right now I don't have any major projects going on. I still haven't even touched the fabric for those window treatments I mentioned three months ago. So maybe I should get to work on that. In my free time . . .
WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT
Yes. This! Okay, so September doesn't exactly look like that where I live. But I can pretend. And I haven't been to Starbuck's in awhile, but if their pumpkin spice latte isn't in my store yet, well, it should be next week! And the 63 degrees that hit my face when I walked outside at 6:45 this morning gave me hope that it's coming . . . FALL. I'm so glad fall is after summer time! I love summer time. But I LOVE fall. The last four months of the year are my very favorites of the whole entire year. And I'm super excited about them this year!
WHAT I'M WATCHING/READING
Well, Food Network Star is over, and my guy didn't win. But he made it to the final three. And something tells me it's only the beginning for him. Between now and next Saturday, I'm not watching anything. But come next Saturday, it's football. Bring. it. on. I just finished Kate Morton's The House at Riverton. Oh my. It's possible that this might be my favorite Morton book of the three I've read! But I don't know yet. I just loved it though. If you're a Downton fan, and you enjoy reading, this book is for you! Even if you aren't a Downton fan, I still think you'll love this book. Right now the kids and I are reading The Princess and the Goblin. It's Mason's current required reading for school, but I decided we would all read it together. Mason and Hannah Kate are actually enjoying it, and I am, too. While we were at the dentist's office today, I started reading The Kitchen House. I'm not sure right now how I'm going to feel about that book, but I'm hooked.
WHAT I'M LISTENING TO
My (current) favorite song is Kari Jobe's Forever (We Sing Hallelujah). But my (current) favorite song lyrics are Mercy Me's Flawless.
Then Like a hero who takes the stage when
We’re on the edge of our seats saying it’s too late
Well let me introduce you to amazing grace
No matter the bumps
No matter the bruises
No matter the scars
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless
No matter the hurt
Or how deep the wound is
No matter the pain
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless
We’re on the edge of our seats saying it’s too late
Well let me introduce you to amazing grace
No matter the bumps
No matter the bruises
No matter the scars
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless
No matter the hurt
Or how deep the wound is
No matter the pain
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless
My bumps and bruises and scars . . . well, Satan would like me to think they render me unworthy, useless, garbage. As hard as it is to comprehend, they don't! God sees me as FLAWLESS because of what Jesus did on the cross. It's overwhelming. Because I am everything BUT flawless. Except that's not what the Bible says. The grace. It's amazing!
WHAT I'M WEARING
Next.
WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEKEND
Saturday I'm chaperoning our church's 4th-6th grades for the annual Preteen Invasion conference. Sunday is a 5th Sunday so that means we're having dinner-on-the-grounds after church. I used to love dinner-on-the-grounds at my church when I was growing up . . .
WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH
Saturdays.
WHAT ELSE IS NEW
The only thing I can think of here is that I got three inches cut from my hair last week and also got it highlighted for the first time in five years. It was time.