For Today

Outside my window... Another freezing cold, dark Alaska night.

I am thinking... about depression. These dark days must be taking their toll on me, or cabin fever, or both. I spend a lot of my time lately giving myself pep talks and wishing I were as perky as other people seem to be able to be. Laurie Berkner's song cheers me up; "I'm not perfect, no I'm not...I'm not perfect, but I've got what I've got...I do my very best, do my very best, do my very best each day--but I'm not perfect, and I hope you like me that way."

From the learning rooms... Andrew is moving forward at a steady pace in all his subjects except for math...who knew multiplying double digits would be such a mind bender? He takes after his mama in wanting to know "why?" Because, son. Just because. Amy and Sarah are excited about finding word families everywhere they go, and I'm glad. Reading should be around the corner!

I am thankful for... the quiet evening hours. I don't think I will ever outgrow being a night owl...I love this time the best.

From the kitchen... Teaching Taylor to cook! He made meatloaf one night this week, spaghetti the next, and got rave reviews. I'm thinking of tackling chocolate chip cookies with the gang tomorrow, if the sniffles have all gone away.

I am wearing... my blue running pants, a purple long-sleeve t-shirt, my turquoise colored polar fleece jacket, and fuzzy blue socks.

I am reading...I have not read anything just for fun in so long. I have a pile of Bible studies by my bedside, part of my arsenal against depression. And a collection of Waldorf books for inspiration for our schooldays. Anybody read anything good lately that I ought to try?

I am hoping... that "you like me that way." I don't mean to be a crab, but I am a Cancer after all, and I certainly got the moodiness that goes with my birth sign.

I am praying... for Paul's kidney stones. They continue to bother him and they won't go away!

Around the house... I'm decluttering, still--it's amazing the kind of junk two packrats with tons of hobbies can collect. Paul's working on the kids' bedroom; it's all painted now, and he's staining and varnishing the last of the doors to go up.

One of my favorite things... Sleep.

A few plans for the rest of the week... The girls are Daisy Scouts now, and they have a visit to UAA to learn about Women of Science on Saturday. Gotta prep for Valentine's Day too, of course. Other than that, business as usual.