A Mother's Journal ~ March 2022

 On my mind ~ My heart is with Ukraine. It is so disturbing what is going on there. Also, I am so sick of listening to people complain. Yes, the gas prices are getting higher; inflation is getting higher; but the reasons are clear. Sacrifices must be made to keep our world free. Must everything be political?  Can no one in our generation pull together and care about anyone but themselves? I am just overwhelmed with how spoiled Americans are at times.  (Yes, I am aware that there are Americans who are doing things for good and care about others...they just seem few and far between these days.) If this paragraph makes you angry, check yourself and ask, "What  am I doing for others and how am I modeling sacrifice to my children without complaint?"

Outside my window ~  It feels like spring is here. It is hard to believe it is truly here, but I hope it stay. The Daffodils are in full bloom.

Where we are going ~  Rebekah and I have been travelling so much in the last few weeks. Last week found us at the UNCSA Dance Festival in Winston-Salem, NC. Rebekah took eight classes and performed at the Stevens Center with her fellow studio dancers. While we were there, Rebekah auditioned and was accepted to their ballet summer intensive. We don't know if she will accept it yet, since we are waiting to hear back from another ballet school. She has done two years of summer intensives with UNCSA (online), and it looks better on a dance resume to do summer intensives at different places. It would be an awesome experience to live on a college campus for five weeks. We are pretty sure we are dropping the summer intensive in New York City because it is just proving to be cost prohibitive with the current state of the world. There are equally exciting options closer to home. 

Where is Rebekah? Look carefully.

This weekend we took Rebekah to an audition for a summer intensive in Cary, NC. This one is the summer intensive that most excites Rebekah's teachers. We will see if she is accepted. So far, she has been accepted to every intensive for which she has auditioned. 

What I am reading ~ I am reading The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. It is a relaxing read that I am enjoying. 

What I am watching ~ I am watching way too much news on Ukraine. I am also still watching Call the Midwife with Rebekah. We continue to have our family movie nights on Fridays. It was Rebekah's pick this week and we watched How to Train Your Dragon. We have also watched the 2021 version of Dune and The Dig in recent weeks. 

What I am working on ~ I am working on making everyone's schedule work with the growing gas crisis and our two cars. We have three persons with licenses, a very lousy (almost impossible) bus system to contend with, and five people with commitments all over the place. There are a lot of moving parts to the puzzle and everyone is going to have to make sacrifices to make it work. Elijah's work schedule seems to be returning to normal hours so that is helpful. They had him and everyone else cut down to half shifts which meant he had to be picked up after only three hours. He was given a new shirt at work with the Target dog on it.  My sweet little boy is a grown up young man. 

A special find ~ I found an amazing buy at the thrift shop this week. I found this American Empire  style sofa. I think the frame might be original (1830's). It is in perfect condition with only loose feet that need to be reattached. I need to study how to do that authentically, since it is missing the old fashioned pins. I was able to just slip the feet on which works perfectly when it is stationary. It is the anchor piece I have been looking for to really pull the library together. It was only $100! 

Here is how it is coming together in spring of 2022. Yes, I still need to get the overhead lighting installed that my mother gave us.

A Touch of Beauty ~ While we were in Cary, NC this weekend, we went to the NC Art Museum. We took my mother along and had a girl's road trip. We were especially enamored with a visual light show art display. You look through the hole and see this amazing light show. 

It was lovely to fill our eyes and minds with a bit of artistic beauty!

What's working for me/not working of me ~  Timothy's wound is healing quickly and we should be released from visiting nurse care in the next week or so. It was very helpful having a visiting nurse to help us through that crazy adventure. I feel very blessed for the service. 

We are constantly struggling to figure out how to support our daughter Katie, while still maintaining boundaries and generally not going insane. She is a demanding and chaotic whirlwind, who only wants to do things on her terms and in her way and then wants to be rescued when it all explodes in her face. 

Quick update on Katie ~ She is currently living with her most recent boyfriend  and other roommates in an unfurnished house about an hour away. She has announced that she is marrying this man as soon as he manages to get divorced from his current wife. They are both 21 years old and he has obvious mental health issues, too. He doesn't seem to be dangerous which is an improvement over the last man. She has also acquired a gigantic dog which will just complicate matters the next time she finds herself homeless (sorry...if there is a next time). Who am I kidding? Her current roommates are already threatening to put her out after just a few weeks. 

Praying for all that are suffering and that peace will come to Ukraine and all of the world. Please show kindness as you move through your days. It is what we all can do to create a better tomorrow. 

Blessings, Dawn