Dave and I hosted his work holiday party last weekend. I had hurt my back somehow the day before, but this didn't stop me from working hard to prepare the house while Dave prepared the food. I took a break from prepping here and there to complain about the pain in my back and to ponder aloud whether I might be passing a kidney stone, but then I carried on for the sake of the party.
The pain got worse through the evening and I had to excuse myself twice to hide in the bathroom while waves of nausea passed. At 10:30, I couldn't take it any more. I microwaved a clay heating pad in plain sight and headed to bed. I was a little embarrassed, but since the pain was beginning to feel like child labor, I didn't much care.
Eventually I did throw up from the pain and eventually I did see a doctor. There's no clear reason why the back hurt (and still hurts) so much. It's not a kidney stone. Just an angry muscle. A very angry muscle. I'm getting by on ibuprofen every six hours, but I feel like there's more that modern medicine should be able to do for me. Probably I need some sort of body scan or other high tech intervention. Until then, there's occasional lamaze breathing happening here until the drugs kick in.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Monday, January 04, 2016
Sam Turns Five
Dear Sam,
Happy birthday!
I've known you now for five years, and it's safe to say that you are one of the best people I have ever met. You are so kind. Everyone who meets you tells us that, and your teachers especially like to tell us that you are one of the sweetest boys they have had the pleasure to know. You love to help them out and you treat your school friends with respect and generosity. You are just the kind of kid I would have loved to have had in my own classroom, so I know what they mean.
You don't always show that same attitude of respect at home, but that's okay. Home is your testing ground. But even when you get that crazy face of yours and make those indescribable noises at the top of your lungs, we love having you around. You make our lives so fun. Your sense of humor has really blossomed this year, and I love that you get my worst jokes. And you make so many of your own really good jokes now. My favorite part of each day is just sitting with you over lunch, telling stories and sorting out the questions of the world (like "What does resistance mean?").
You've also become quite a musician this year. You continue to love to play that out-of-tune guitar of yours, and lately you've been creating your own songs. I recorded you singing one the other week about "going down the highway," which is great because I'm sure every good songwriter has a song about a highway. We gave you an accordion for your birthday today, and I can't wait to hear what kind of songs that new instrument will inspire.
Your absolute favorite thing in the world, though, is Legos. Christmas was a Lego bonanza for you, and I can't believe you put together (with some help) an entire Millennium Falcon (which is all you talk about now even though you had never even heard of it two weeks ago).Your Papa knew you would love that gift, appropriate age-ranges be darned.
It is the greatest gift of my life to see you with your sister. As you know, she adores you. I asked her the other day if she was "Mama's little girl," and she said, "No, Fam." As in, she's Fam's little girl. She frustrates you at least once each day, but you do your best to be patient and when you are not, she holds her own pretty well. You're quite a little team, and it's a joy to watch the two of you in action.
I wish you the happiest of 5th birthdays, Sammo. I am so lucky to be your mom.
Love,
Mom
Happy birthday!
I've known you now for five years, and it's safe to say that you are one of the best people I have ever met. You are so kind. Everyone who meets you tells us that, and your teachers especially like to tell us that you are one of the sweetest boys they have had the pleasure to know. You love to help them out and you treat your school friends with respect and generosity. You are just the kind of kid I would have loved to have had in my own classroom, so I know what they mean.
You don't always show that same attitude of respect at home, but that's okay. Home is your testing ground. But even when you get that crazy face of yours and make those indescribable noises at the top of your lungs, we love having you around. You make our lives so fun. Your sense of humor has really blossomed this year, and I love that you get my worst jokes. And you make so many of your own really good jokes now. My favorite part of each day is just sitting with you over lunch, telling stories and sorting out the questions of the world (like "What does resistance mean?").
You've also become quite a musician this year. You continue to love to play that out-of-tune guitar of yours, and lately you've been creating your own songs. I recorded you singing one the other week about "going down the highway," which is great because I'm sure every good songwriter has a song about a highway. We gave you an accordion for your birthday today, and I can't wait to hear what kind of songs that new instrument will inspire.
Your absolute favorite thing in the world, though, is Legos. Christmas was a Lego bonanza for you, and I can't believe you put together (with some help) an entire Millennium Falcon (which is all you talk about now even though you had never even heard of it two weeks ago).Your Papa knew you would love that gift, appropriate age-ranges be darned.
It is the greatest gift of my life to see you with your sister. As you know, she adores you. I asked her the other day if she was "Mama's little girl," and she said, "No, Fam." As in, she's Fam's little girl. She frustrates you at least once each day, but you do your best to be patient and when you are not, she holds her own pretty well. You're quite a little team, and it's a joy to watch the two of you in action.
I wish you the happiest of 5th birthdays, Sammo. I am so lucky to be your mom.
Love,
Mom
Friday, January 01, 2016
Agpoy New Tray!
Welcome to 2016! I'm glad it's here. 2015 was one of the harder years on record. Nothing in particular happened, but it did feel like a year of putting out fires, dropped connections, and emotional fatigue. I'm hopeful that, with renewed presence and effort, 2016 will feel like a renewal.
I have enjoyed blogging more over the past year. I'll keep that up. It's not what it used to be, but it's something. It challenges me to notice, reflect, and write. I'm grateful for that.
Here's to a purposeful and compassionate year!
I have enjoyed blogging more over the past year. I'll keep that up. It's not what it used to be, but it's something. It challenges me to notice, reflect, and write. I'm grateful for that.
Here's to a purposeful and compassionate year!
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
I've Never Had Trouble Flying Before
It's that time of year when grades are due. I'm frantically reading papers trying to say something meaningful in my feedback but let's face it, the work is done already and we all just want to focus on the grade. Five more to go. I have Sam watching Netflix cartoons on the couch while I read papers. I'm not going to win any parenting (or blogging) awards here, but I am going to finish those five papers.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Not Even a Mouse
We had a full house this week. The quiet today is nice, but I sure do miss having this dynamic duo around.
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Hold the Phone
Along with the Christmas festivities we managed to celebrate the birth of our girl, Eloise, two years ago that very day. There was giving and receiving, carols and lights, and this Elmo cake to mark the occasion.
Monday, December 21, 2015
The Reading Life: 2015 Edition
I was inspired by Word Savvy to read more in 2015. I had missed my reading life and this goal was one worth the effort. I read in many formats this year. Print, digital, and audio. Sometimes I had a single book in all three formats. Most of the time I had a different book in each format. 32 books in all. That's a book every 1.6 weeks. I'm pretty proud of this accomplishment, so let's just try to maintain in 2016. Here's the rundown.
Adult Fiction
Young Adult Fiction
Audio Books
Course Texts (these count, too!)
Adult Fiction
Attachments
The Imposter Bride
State of Wonder
Dept. of Speculation
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Station Eleven
A Spool of Blue Thread
The Summer Book
The Round House
The Paying Guests
The Impossible Knife of Memory
The Good Braider
Brown Girl Dreaming
El Deafo
Crossover
We Were Liars
Echo
A Tale for the Time Being
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
The Invention of Wings
All the Light We Cannot See
Everything I Never Told You
Far from the Tree
Yes Please
BossyPants
Between the World and Me
Make Me
Discourse Analysis: An Introduction
Discourse and Social Change
Discourses in Place
Critical Discourse Analysis in Education
Discourse in Action
Let's Do This
We're moving into the home stretch here. 7 emails to send out. 16 papers to grade. I'm working from home. The kids are downstairs with my sister. I might have some hot cocoa after completing a few tasks. The family arrives tomorrow. Vacation brain is creeping in. Must. Focus.
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