One week from today

In exactly one week I will be done with classes!  Finals will be over next Monday by 4:00...I'm so ready for a break and to start getting hyped up for student teaching.
I'm almost there...almost there....almost there...almost there!

Family update:

Grandma got out of the hospital Saturday. We were so glad. We can all start to get back to normal! If there is  a normal here.
Andrew gets back from Dallas trip tonight.. We've missed our boy.
Blake just got his Star in Scouts-six months from now he'll be a Life!
Andrew just got his first class-so glad we are finally moving on with this scouting stuff.
I survived another Aux. training meeting and so glad I have good helpers.
I just finished two preschool shoots. It is always nice when it's over but it kills me while I'm doing it.
Steve is slammed with work since he took time off with his mama so we won't see him for the next two weeks.
We are saving for a car since we will have another driver in the house in 7 months...I can't wait.
Track and football spring are about to overlap for Blake which means a crazy busy boy that is trying to work in between his already crazy life! 
Leah Beth and Caroline are counting the days for me to be done with school so we can take a ditch day!
I can't wait to lay in my bed for a whole week after this and I'm so glad I took summer classes last year so I am almost free now!

Updates on mom's blog

Mom updated her blog. It is perfect...it's beautiful....it's amazing...it's long but well worth the read..take some time and ..grab some popcorn and click on over. http://www.artschangeofheart.blogspot.com/

Loving your work!

Today was my last "lead" teach day in my practicum class. Although I still have finals, portfolios, papers to write, and much to do I feel like I'm on a down hill slide. I found myself in a very ungrateful mood this afternoon as I headed back to night class calling on Heather once again to help with the kids my mother's guilt was looming.
I opened my scriptures tonight and read this quote that was stuck in there....
President David O'McKay counseled: "Learn to like your work. Learn to say, 'This is my work, my glory, not my doom.' God has blessed us with the privilege of working. When he said, 'Earn thy bread by the sweat of thy brow,'he gave us a blessing. Men and women have accepted it.  Too much leisure is dangerous. Work is a divine gift." 
This is just what I needed to read and reread. It has given me the boost to be in a better mood with the fam. and enjoy these last 11 days of school this semester as I realize this is my season for mom and school to enjoy it and stop feeling so guilty all the time for not doing this or that!

Grandma update

Grandma Janice came out of surgery yesterday. Our sweet niece spent the night with her but had to return home to her family today. We miss her already. Steve has moved into the hospital room and hasn't really left his mom's side too much.  His mom is recovering but weak right now. It will take her a couple of days to eat solids again and then recover. Hopefully she'll be able to get out of the hospital next week some time. His brother Bill will get here soon and his sister will be back on Sunday. His younger brother comes right after work every day. One thing about the Solomon's is they all help each other and really stick together.
I have 12 days of school left. I have two more "teach" days in practicums and then just finish up. Thank goodness for Heather who has helped so much with transporting my children through all this. I am going to miss her so much. I am preparing for our big aux. training coming up next week. The bad is I have to miss class to go...the good is I have to miss class to go!  I am so glad I have good helpers who are digging in because I have pretty much lost it spiritually and  in every aspect of my life!

Leah Beth got a new sub this week that finally took over when her teacher left to have and recover from her baby.  She loves her new teacher. She's preparing a new cheer/rap for t-cap. "I'ma be... Ima be...gettin lots of rest. I'ma be acing that test...what!
Caroline is saving her money to get her ear's pierced and nails done...girly girl!
Blake and Andrew are back at work at the park keeping score.
Andrew is getting ready for his big 8th grade school trip to Dallas!
Blake has moved from wrestling to track. He's loving it.

I got a beautiful plant delivered by some sweet girls from college in memory of my sweet dad. It was such a shock to come home and see that big box. It made me smile.  I love it. I am so blessed to have such wonderful people around me boosting me along all the time. The Lord really knows when you need good people in your life!

Say it isn't so!

Steve got a phone call Friday on his way to take the seminary kids to school from Grandma Janice's principle that she was really sick and that he needed to go pick her up. He was half way to school about 25 minutes from Grandma's work so he called me. I was taking the other kids to school and headed to my school. I quickly tried to hurry and re route then we were able to reach his younger brother. They took her mom to the hospital where she was admitted. She is having some stomach problems.  She will be having surgery either Monday or Tuesday. I spent the afternoon with my SIL, niece (the nurse one), brother in law and great nephew at the hospital-the others will be coming soon. I wish she had her spouse with her.
I hated being in that hospital it just brought back way to many feelings from Dad. I am absolutely a freaking basket case!  Not crying and carrying on....I am so mad!  I did ok there but now that everything has settled down the rage inside of me in insane!  I can't believe the crazy stuff that goes on at hospitals and the poor patients are at the mercy of  everyone I could probably go on for 20 blog pages but I will try and contain myself.  Grandma Janice is pretty amazing and tough.We love her. Leah Beth has been with her all day. I am so glad. She's our little nurse.  After I got home from the hospital I was in my room doing some homework. Andrew cooked dinner. I heard him call Ethan (our 3 year old nephew) to the table to eat. He ask Ethan to say the prayer and not to forget to pray for Grandma. The sweetest thing ever to hear your 14 year old son teaching his little cousin the words to say in a prayer. What a good moment to help settle all my rage!

Caroline's Hero!

In Caroline's second grade class they have a unit to study heroes. It is so neat. They pick community and national heroes like presidents or famous people and research them. They dress up like them and tell all about the hero. The next week the students pick their own personal hero. Caroline picked her Nana for her hero.
The class invited their heroes to a luncheon and honored them with a video, lunch and hand drawn art.
Caroline said in her video: my Nana is just like me and I become more and more like her every day.
I feel that she loves me.
My sister and I spent a weekend with her and we got spoiled.

I love her.

In honor

Steve's work gave us my favorite tree "weeping willow" in honor of my Dad last week. And we had a great planting crew!  We found a perfect place for it on the land!  I love it!