You Decide!

To cell or not to cell:

Why I should:

• Emergencies, especially when on the road. Seeing as I'm travelling a bit more to see Will on the weekends, sometimes with the kids in my van, and sometimes alone in a slightly unreliable vehicle. Or, when travelling, I'm getting sleepy and want someone to keep me a bit more awake for that last 1/2 hour.
• Dayhome parents to have 24/7 access to where their kids are, in case I'm at the park or the busstop or we went out for lunch, etc.
• easier to text a simple "hi" when I don't really want to say anything but that, and don't want to get in a full-blown conversation. Especially when the dayhome kids are noisy and being on the phone won't be conducive to a conversation with the noise in the background
• To ask if my friend or sister wants something wonderful I just found on sale, but IT'S THE LAST DAY OF THE SALE AND EVERYTHING'S GOING FAST!!, and what colour she'd prefer.
• because everybody else is doing it
  
  

Why I shouldn't:

• I am always home. So, when someone needs me, they can usually find me here.
  
• If I'm not at home, I don't want to be hounded on the phone. I want to be just a mom at Walmart or Beavers or whatever. And, I know that if I don't answer my home phone because I'm on the other line, people will call my cell to try to get me to talk to them. Annoying.
• More annoying-- people call your cell when they're right beside you. As if that is cool. :)
  
• It costs money I don't need to spend. It's another bill. And I'm on a budget. I'm a single Mom.
  
• who needs to talk MORE on a phone than I already do? If the dayhome kids are noisy, that's more of an indication they need attention, and why would I want to be on the phone during that time, texting?!
• Once you get a phone, there's a million other, BETTER phones out there. And all I hear about from people is how crappy their phones are. Inevitably. EVERYONE complains about their phone! Or their service provider. What a headache I don't need to invite into my life.
  
• In an emergency, EVERYONE ELSE has a phone! I am not afraid to wave someone down. Or to ask for help... even if that means showing a bit of skin crying for them to pull over! And I'm always on a main road- so, SOMEONE will pass by! AND I can change a tire without help. And I can push a van all by myself. LL could steer fine! lol
• Worst yet, the cell phone doesn't work on 'country' roads anyways-- no signal. So, how good is it anyways? If I'm near the town, just walk to the town or nearest home!
  
• I don't NEED a cell. I'm opposed to indulging on things I don't NEED-- especially ones that are typically 'addictive'. Once you begin to rely on a cell phone, you have to ALWAYS have one. Like a watch. Or a Ripples Potato Chip! (okay, so this last one even had ME laughing on the floor!!! Like *I* am against addictive things!!! lol!)

THIS BEING SAID: everyone is astounded when I tell them I don't HAVE a cell phone. or want. one. And lately, I'm being pressured to get one. (*coughWILLcough*) Of course, he's only worried about me travelling and being safe, but still.

So, Riddle me this. I put it out there, unbiasedly to the blogosphere. To cell or not to cell?

Keep it in Perspective

I feel like I've been 'away' for a long time-- no blogging in my life is CRAZY!

Thankfully, I have a quiet house now, as spring break is over and I'm back to routine. Whatever that is in my world! We only have 4 kids today-- *relief* So blogging resumes.

I wish I also had something more entertaining to talk about- just seems like every weekend comes and goes and all I can talk about is how awesome my time spent with Will was. Which is TOTALLY true, only slightly monotonous for the rest of ya'll.Will and I in the snow in front of the Cardston Temple

LL found out from Will's niece about how we are dating. So, she came up to me the other day and let me know how she felt about what was said. It was exactly as the separation course had said it would be according to her age-- she was very worried that, if I got remarried, she'd lose her Dad. Or that she'd have to share a room with more people. Or other things that a child would worry about ("STEP" parent has an evil aura to it because of Disney. thanks a lot, Walt!) It was a good, grown-up conversation just between her and I. And I reminded her of her father's love (both FATHERS) and of the bond that will never change.

I talked to Chris about it. Although it's not our 'plan' to wait the three months before introducing the kids to people we're dating, this was slightly out of our hands. So we deal with it and progress.

He had a talk with her a little later while I was away.
And said things I was so touched by. He told her of his love for her (obviously), but also told her how, if I remarried someone, we'd be a team of three, instead of just a team of two. He told her that she'd probably really like Will, and that she should get to know him. He helped her think of questions to ask him when she saw him next, helped her find something positive about Will that Chris doesn't have. LL said that she liked that Will would come to church with us every week, and Chris replied in a great way. "I'm happy you have something special with Will! That is very nice, and you can share that with him, just for the two of you. Just like you and I have special things just for us, it's okay to have special things with Will too." Chris impresses me with his 'big picture' attitude and I am sooo grateful for the divorce that we have. As much as I feel slightly ridiculed for it sometimes, I would have it no other way. It works for me. It works for Chris. And because of that, I know it will work for our kids-- they will be loved, safe, and supported.

So, this weekend, LL 'got to know' Will. Asked the questions. And by the end of the weekend, she wouldn't stop touching him-- hugging, climbing... whatever! (She's a Physical Touch person) I enjoyed watching her bond to him in a new way, her eyes slightly more openned to the possibility of having Will around for me and 'us', and not just as the uncle to her friend.

Bear bonds really well to Will. Which I mentioned before. But Mimi bonded to Will a LOT this weekend- now that he feels like he can actually interact with the kids on a more personal level, it makes a difference, I think. And Will's kids are too easy to get along with, they're fantastic.

"B-Ray", Mimi, "Grace" and LL watching Flight Of The Navigator

And the kids played. And cuddled. And got to know each other more and more. And all in all, my heart was touched many times this weekend. Little moments I hope to preserve and continue to make.

Six Word Saturday

All good things are patiently anticipated

Releasing The Unneeded

I made it! Whew. Last day of spring break, last day of a LOT of kids. I'll be grateful for this week when, come April, I'm down two permanent children. So, no complaining, right?

What is great, was yesterday.

I got a phone call from the judge's secretary again, inquiring as to Chris' Parenting After Separation course completion. He takes the course tomorrow, so I informed her that once it was done and the certificate was in hand, I'd get it to her. She said we're also missing one insignificantly pathetic affidavit stating that we're also separated (not just the infidelity clause). So, I will get that done this weekend. Easy peasy. I then asked what happened after that.

She informed me that, it may take about 3 days to process it all, and then she sends it 'upstairs'. I asked what happened after that- like, how many weeks are we looking at? 6? 8? She laughed, and said, "No. Once I process it, which takes about three days, and send it to get signed, it gets signed. Like- Instantly. So, if you take two weeks to get those forms to me, you're looking at two weeks and three days." Wow. Good to hear.

I've been getting my past life out of my current life slowly, a little more each day. I had to 'release' a friendship with a friend of 13 years, but thankfully, they felt as I did. We'll be friends from more of a distance, but it's obvious things are not going to be the same.

Then, I apologized to two people I had wronged. As 'goody two shoes' as it sounds, I admit it was a completely selfish thing-- *I* felt better having done it. One accepted my apology right back, one definitely did NOT. I feel no weight of that anymore. And am happy to have done what I could to rectify the wrongdoing. It's amazing how much weight feels lifted by a small issue. So many things are 'wrong' in our lives, yet we have all the power to change it. I start today rested and ready, and I like that.

If You Fail to Plan

You know how sometimes you make plans?
You know how sometimes that plan is perfect?
You know how easy it is to build off that plan?
You know how, when you've got it all 'planned out', things change?
And how sometimes the new plan is better than what you planned?
And most of all, you know how awesome it is to have people there to help you in your new plan?

This is my life. In the past year I planned so many things. My plans were perfect and I knew I had them all figured out. I had some super, amazing, best friends who were there to help me in my inevitable new plan. I would not have made it through the past year without them, and without my family. Last year's change of plans threw me for a temporary spin. I forgot that I'm not the one with The Plan. And I have seen so many amazing and wonderful things come about as a result of those plans changing without my influence. As a result of trying not to steer my own ship. Every time I tried to take the reins back from the rider, I got a pretty good slap in the butt and knew I had to change direction.

I can't wait for the next year. Seriously. A lot can happen in a year-- I would know. I could treat the next year (March 26th to March 26th) as a daunting, scary time period. Based on some of the tough times last year, I could fret over what events and lessons I will be learning in the course of the year's experiences.

Can every day be New Year's? Because, today I feel like it's a new year of wonderful possiblities. Although my plans are pretty incredible, I hope that what I plan today is not as good as what is planned already for me. :)

Post on Perks

I have exactly 3 minutes to post right now.

It's crazy busy, I have a lot going on in my head, and THREE times that much going on in the dayhome.

But today,
I got to be there for someone's first lost tooth.

Maybe that's insignificant to others, but when it's not my child, I'm glad that I get to be there for that moment. To celebrate them, to save the tooth for Mommy to see, and to watch the joy in their eyes when they first look in the mirror at the new, grown-up gummy smile. And, of course, I love the three-year-olds who then inform me that THEIR teeth are 'wiggly'. Love that.

I honestly melt a little inside. It's THAT good.

Peace and Good Will :)

So, it's Monday. Spring Break for most kids. And most kids are here at the house. Today we're at 10. Which is good for the money, but bad for my carpets! :) And not so good for the permanent marker the kids found and coloured my doors and walls with. We'll be taking out stock in Mr. Clean Magic Erasers by the end of the week! Thankfully, in spite of what I just wrote, I have a good list of kids, so I am able to find a few minutes to update the blogosphere on my most AMAZING weekend with Will and Sin and Vegan.

I am just loving every minute with him, and find myself happier than I've been in a long time. Happier with him, yes, but happier with ME. Who I am. I'm a person I've never been before, and it's an indescribably good thing. I'm learning things about myself and just... loving this whole process. It's fun to date, yes, but this is more than just that. It's a whole new level for me in any relationship I've ever had; a spirituality in a relationship that makes me FINALLY 'get it'. Things I remember my mother saying when I was young make much more sense now. Hard for most to understand, but for me, huge steps forward. I have never been 'this girl', and finally overcoming that girl I used to be is monumental in my heart.

Hockey game on Friday. Saturday, to church bookstores and Peter's Drive In and grocery stores and movies and cuddles and making dinner and hours of conversations. Sunday, attending church with him beside me, talking with Bishops and friends and spending lots of time with family, falling asleep with him beside me while watching TV with Sin and Vegan.

Funny, at church someone saw Will and said "Hello Will." Only thing is-- that's not his name! He laughed, and kinda thought maybe we should let my friends know his REAL name, seeing as how he'll be coming to church with me more often. So we giggled at the Blogmarted moment, and told our friend his real name for PROPER introductions. We all thought it was cute. *In case you guys didn't know, The only people with "REAL" names on this blog are Chris and I, (and one non-descript person who I didn't care to make a fake name for)*


Being there for "sad" times, holding each other. Laughing and playing, throwing snowballs or even just giggling over yoga poses with Sin and Vegan in the front room. Inside jokes and precious moments. Great friends.


In short, nothing gets better than a weekend like this.