Am sitting outside drury waiting for Patrick to get out of class. Been yakking on the net the whole time. Today is a good day. The lunar eclipse is tonight so am planning a big ritual for it. I invited an old friend to come over and participate with me, I hope she can make it. The energy is always good when we've practiced together, though it's been years since we have.

School is crazy right now. Full and a half time is killing me. I feel like I have 3 full time jobs between the kids, being Patrick's chauffer, and school. I never have time to do anything for myself. I can't wait for summer and that break from school. I'm really looking forward to it. I miss my friends and being able to do things for fun. I plan to spend my summer writing, working on my great grandma's diaries, puttering in my yard, reading, and working on my sorely neglected spirituality.  My sacred space should be done too. Patrick promises he's going to finish it this summer.  Am also counting the days till I can get my pool going again. I love my swimming pool!

The kids are doing good. Maverick just turned one and Dayanera will be 3 in a couple of days (16th). Am going to potty train her this summer. I know I should have done it before now but just have not had time and I want to be able to do it right. Maverick is my little mess. He's like having 4 two year olds. I swear. He climbs on everything! It will be a miracle if that kid makes it to 10. He's constantly got bruises from falling off of stuff. Took him for his one year last week. He's huge. He's way above the 95th percentile on height (they stop measuring after 95) and is in the 50th for his height.. LOL.. He's going to be a basketball player or something. Kid has huge feet too. Dayanera's growth has slowed down and is beginning to average out. Still has big feet (poor kid took after mom). She knows her ABC's and can recognize most of the letters by sight. She knows her colors, shapes, and can count to ten in 3 languages (I love saying that... LOL... I taught her that one).. she can count to 20 in English. She loves music, especially Laurie Berkner (this chick who does kid videos on noggin). She runs around the house singing all the time. She knows what sounds different animals make. She's really caught up and advanced verbally, but still needs socialization skills. She starts Head Start in the Fall so I think that will work itself out too.

Patrick and I are doing good. We are trying to figure out how we are going to pay for the work we want to do on the house this year. Money is always such a problem. I really hope that getting jobs after school isn't a problem cause we owe serious student loans. I've been trying to talk Patrick into coming up with a plan B. I'm so afraid that it's going to be hard for him to get a job as a teacher. He's stubborn though. It's part of why I love him so much. I think we'll be married till we die. LOL. We are so thoroughly married to one another. I can't imagine being married to anyone else and being happy.

LOL. Now how sappy is that? The truth is though, that without him and my Grandma I'd probably go insane. This has been such a hard year and it doesn't seem to be getting any easier. My Uncle Jack might have lung cancer. He had biopsies done on some tumors on his lungs last week. We don't know yet. Jack has had  cancer before in his throat and has had a heart attack, I'm afraid this might be it for him. I'll be ok this time, though, if the worst happens. This is different from when Grandaddy died. That really put me through some stuff.  The one I truly won't be able to handle is my Grandma. I will be a puddle on the floor when that happens. I spend an awful lot of time griping at her for not taking care of herself. I've been running her to the doctor for her back alot this year. I want her to get that back surgery before she puts herself in a wheel chair, but damn is she stubborn! She doesn't want to do it cause the recovery time will cut into her running around. She wants to go on trips and fuss with all her dadblasted cats. She can't do that if she's in the hospital or stuck in bed recovering. I keep pointing out to her that she won't be able to do that stuff if she can't walk either. She's so frustrating. She wants to put that surgery off another year because of some trip this summer. At this rate I'll be wheeling her onto a plane rather than watching her walk onto one. I love her though. Even if she is a pain in the ass.

Well, my battery is running low so I'll end this.

Blessings,

Natalie