I was sitting in church this morning, thinking...wasn't I just at church just a couple of days ago?? This week has flown by, and we're looking at Monday morning with a little sadness. We've all three been home for two weeks (I've been home three), and we all head back to work and school tomorrow. On one hand, it's been great having the freedom from bedtimes and homework, but it also has taken it's toll, since our schedules are so out of whack. A couple of days this week, breakfast was more like brunch and then we'd have an early dinner. Olivia kept asking..."how did we miss lunch?" But all good vacations must come to an end!
Olivia and I started the week by visiting the American Girl Store in Chicago on Monday. We've been twice before, but this was our first visit since the store moved into Watertower Place. They have a lot more room, which basically means they have room for more stuff! Olivia took her doll, Julie, which she got last Christmas. We went to the "doll hospital" because we were having alot of problems with Julie's hair...it would tangle all the time and alot seemed to be coming out when Olivia brushed it. The "nurses" said that the longer haired dolls do require more hair care and are usually recommended for older girls, so they let us swap Julie out for another doll. Since Olivia got the Kit Kitteredge doll for her birthday, she decided on Kit's friend Ruthie, so to Olivia, it seemed like she got a new doll. We took several hours just browsing the store (with a lunch break thrown in) and and it was soon time to head back to the train station for out 5:15 train home. We were on a city bus heading back to Union Station when our bag with our AG purchases broke and all dropped to the floor! We really had a mess, when another passenger offered us a grocery bag that she had with her. Who says there aren't kind people left in the world! On the way home, Olivia met two girls from Champaign who had also been to the store, and they played with their dolls all the way home. To Olivia, it was one of those "best days ever!"
My great niece, McKenna, came to visit on Tuesday and stayed until Saturday. McKenna is 10, but she and Olivia play so good together, she is actually more patient with Olivia than I am! We saw two movies, Bedtime Stories, and Marley and Me. Bedtime Stories was really funny, the girls really enjoyed it. They also liked Marley and Me, but were making fun of me as I began crying (actually sobbing) toward the end. We spent New Year's Eve afternoon swimming at the Riverplex with some kids from Olivia's class. I thought 3 hours of swimming would send them off to bed early, but they actually made it to midnight. We blew our horns and danced around and then all were in bed by 12:08. There was lots of Wii playing, and they liked playing school and office. McKenna got an Ipod for Christmas, so that prompted Olivia to get out her Barbie MP3 playing that she got last Christmas and give it some use. It's so funny to hear kids singing along to songs when we can't hear the music! We went to Barnes and Noble one evening and just lounged around looking at books. I bought a new devotional for the year, am hoping that it will help me stick to my only New Year's resolution...to spend more time in study and prayer with God. The girls each picked out a book, and Olivia picked out a knock knock joke book. Hopefully she'll have one to tell you if you ask her, but here's one: Knock Knock! Who's there? McCaw! McCaw who? McCaw wont start, will you give me a ride?
So, now it's back to reality. After three weeks off from work, I'm sure I have a bazillion emails to go thru, phone calls to return and mail stacked to the ceiling. To top it off, I was moved to another office within the building while I was off, so I'll spend a good part of tomorrow just unpacking. But I'm actually looking forward to going back to work, having some adult conversations and NOT cooking, cleaning or doing dishes! There's been alot of that while I was home! Olivia is looking forward to seeing her school friends, but there hasn't been much enthusiasm for school work. Trying to get her to do any reading or workbooks during the break was like like pulling teeth...speaking of pulling teeth, McKenna lost a tooth while she was here...which gave Olivia the incentive to pull one of hers that was extremely loose! (One little tug did the trick) So they both lost a tooth on the same day!
I have neglected my prayer requests in my last few posts, but always have these people in my prayers. Please continue to pray for my friend, Kim, as she awaits news from the Mayo Clinic. Our friend, Gardner (and Olivia's surrogate grandpa) is having another knee surgery on Tuesday, and my friend, Holly is trying to find a job. For our family, I would ask that you pray that Laf's job continues to be stable, there's so many companies in the manufacturing area that are laying off. We pray our financial situation stabilizes and that we are able to work towards paying off debt, and please pray for Olivia's success at school. We're looking at two C's on the next report card, and I need to find creative ways to help her learn the subject matter (math and english). For our country, please pray for our leaders, for financial stability in our financial sectors and that we find peaceful solutions with our enemies.
For all of you and your families, I pray that 2009 brings you peace and hope, that you come closer to God, and that you are able to appreciate life's small victories. Happy New Year!
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