It rained yesterday afternoon so the kids stayed inside and watched a movie. This right here is my dream. The perfect day would be moving from the bed to the couch and watching TV all. day. But anyway.
WHAT WE'RE EATING THIS WEEK
Well, it's nothing to write home about, that's for sure! I've been cooking. But my heart really hasn't been into it very much. So I've just been preparing meals that everyone likes, even if it's not my favorite. Last night we had my absolute least favorite meal ever. Cubed steak. That's what it always was when I was a kid. But Seth calls it chicken fried steak. So whatever. I made myself a salad instead. Monday night I tried a new recipe. Chicken tamale casserole. It was fine. It was easy. I just wasn't too much into it. What I really want is a pizza. I want to pick up the phone and call and order a pizza for delivery. But that's not an option. I told Seth the other day that I need to find a good pizza dough recipe. I've not had any success there either. I just haven't been too inspired lately.
WHAT I'M REMINISCING ABOUT
My grandparents. For the first time in my whole entire life, I do not have any grandparents. I always thought it was so special growing up with all of my grandparents (and even some great-grandparents) involved in my life. That changed rather quickly when Granddaddy and Pa died within just more than a year of each other. I was in college.
My Granddaddy was the kindest, gentlest, most humble man I know. He was also one of the godliest men I've ever known. He traveled all over Europe and Africa during the war and has some amazing pictures of his adventures. When he came back home, he worked hard on the farm all the rest of the days of his life. He raised his family. He loved his neighbors, and he loved hard and long. There are things my Granddaddy did for people that I didn't even know about until recently. He was so respected in our community, and everyone knew Mr. Marvin. He was a quiet man, too. I never ever remember him raising his voice or being loud at all. As a matter of fact, it was almost like you had to listen real close to even hear him. But that's what you did. Because when he spoke, it was always important, and you knew it. I will never forget the last conversation he had with me. It was one of the last days he was able to get up and walk. We sat at the kitchen table eating a piece of pound cake. He talked to me about the importance of maintaining my witness, as I was about to move away to college. He also talked to me about the importance of choosing a godly man to marry.
He never missed a single thing I did. He came to all my dance recitals, piano recitals and concerts, school functions. He'd sit on the front row, too. The only thing I remember him missing was my high school graduation. By then, the cancer made it too painful for him to sit on those hard metal bleachers at the football field. One of my favorite pictures of us was taken at a two piano four hands concert Mrs. Sallie and I performed my junior year in high school. May 8, 1995 to be exact. He has a camera in his hand. That makes me smile, too. It reminds me of the time I sang on television at the Macy's Lighting of the Great Tree on Thanksgiving. He took a picture of the television screen every time the camera panned to where I was.
This man was a treasure. He was called home on October 28, 1996. It seems unfathomable to me that last year was 20 years without him here on this earth.
Pa was so much fun! He's the grandpa who would jump into the pool with all of his clothes still on. He loved homemade peach ice cream and fireworks. He'd always bring me a little box of those conversation hearts on Valentine's Day. I'll never, ever forget what he told me at Granddaddy's funeral. He said, "I know I'm the only grandfather you have left now. And I just want you to know I'm going to be the best one." He was called home not too long after that on January 5, 1998. And, yet again, I got called home from college to bury another grandfather.
But into my adult life, I still had both of my grandmas. I told you all about Grandmother a few weeks ago.
WHAT I'M LOVING
I'm really enjoying the Bible study I'm hosting at my house on Monday nights. We're studying 2 Corinthians, and it's been a good place for me this month. I also kind of like that they don't seem to want to leave when we're done!
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO
It's really nothing spectacular over here. Just the same ole thing.
Last week was rather busy. The girls had dance pictures spread across two days. Ellie was cracking me up. She's on top of it this time around. She clearly understands that if she wants to become a gymnastics girl, she has to finish out this dance year well. The teachers didn't have to tell her twice what to do. She was front and center with her hands on her hips for her class picture and totally owned it. When it came time for her sister picture with Hannah Kate, Miss Jade was posing Hannah Kate first. When she went to pose Ellie, Ellie was already standing there in some sort of dance position with her arms going every which way. It was all Miss Jade could do not to laugh. I finally had to tell Ellie to let Miss Jade show her how to stand and pose.
We had a field trip last week. We visited one of the old plantations and rotated through different stations explaining the way of life in the early 1800s. We'd actually been to the grounds of Oakley before for another field trip, but we didn't go up to and into the house. We did this time.
WHAT I'M DREADING
So, keeping it real, baseball season. It's almost that time again. That means that all three kids are simultaneously involved in their extra-curricular activity. That also means that the one free night a week I had is no longer free. I know I should look forward to it because it's the only extra-curricular activity Mason participates in, it lasts only three months and Mason loves it. I wish I looked forward to it. I wish I enjoyed it. But, if I'm being honest, I'm just not there.
WHAT I'M WORKING ON
What I need to be working on is Vacation Bible School. But I haven't started yet. That's another biggie headed my way.
WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT
We're taking a break from school next week. The whole week. The girls don't have dance either. And I'm looking forward to it. I most definitely need a break. I asked the kids earlier this week what they'd like to do. Obviously, I wasn't specific enough. I got answers like the arcade, Area 51, find Mars with the telescope and bike riding. That's not exactly what I had in mind. I suppose I should've clarified and asked them where they'd like to go on a trip. But it's a bit late for that now. So while I'm excited about a "break," the arcade and Area 51 do absolutely nothing for me.
WHAT I'M WATCHING / READING
I didn't read as much as I would've liked this month. I did end up reading The Bone Tree by Greg Iles. I couldn't help myself. I read the first book of the trilogy last month, and it was all I thought about. Besides, the third book will be released next month so I need to be ready. It's a 700-plus page book so I guess I really should cut myself some slack. I'm currently reading The Edge of Lost. Mason and I read Treasure Island, and now we're reading The Last Battle (the final book in C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia).
I have pretty much the entire season of Fixer Upper on my DVR, but I haven't had time to watch it. So if I was watching something, that's what it would be.
WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEKEND
I have no idea. What I'd like to be doing and what will likely happen in actuality are two different things.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH
I've had March 2017 starred and highlighted and circled on my calendar for, oh, ten or so years now. March 29 to be exact. That was to be MeMama's 100th birthday. We had already made plans to travel and spend it with her. But MeMama is instead spending her 100th birthday in heaven. She met Jesus on February 7. So. That changed things. I just can't even say that I'm looking forward to March at all. That sounds so strange. March has always been one of my favorite months. It's my birthday! But I'm not even excited about that this year. And that has never happened before. But there is one thing I can say I'm looking forward to.
Beauty and the Beast. You probably already know that's my favorite Disney movie of all time. I even made sure we dined at the beast's castle when we went to Disney World last fall. I told Seth that I want to go see the movie for my birthday. It comes out my birthday weekend. But you know what? That's also the opening tournament for baseball. See above for how I feel about that.
WHAT ELSE IS NEW
For now . . . nothing.