Kristen Blog

 It was a stressful week for yours truly.  Several work meetings, lots of baseball, and every day just kind of merged into the next one.  I think it all started last weekend when our "time off" was driving and a baseball tournament. It's funny how uniquely this brain is configured.  As we were driving, I turned to Matt and said, "Sometimes, I get really overwhelmed driving as we pass all of these cars." He immediately concurred and started in on the ins and outs of driving around a bunch of people you don't know and cannot trust.  But that is not at all what I was thinking, and I had to explain. "No...its like...every car we pass, I look into each and every little life.  I read the joys, the stresses, the ups and downs, and somehow I feel responsible for it all.  Like...I have so much compassion and empathy and I FEEL for them, but I can't help them.  And I am overwhelmed.   "I feel the weight of the world resting on my shoulders, and I can'

  I had me a BIG day.  It started with the first day Matt was finally home, and I was feeling pretty good about my slow morning...and he started this trend of bringing me my mocha in bed.  So, later, when he abruptly obliterated the silence by barging into the room after I'd had an extended quiet time alone, I could obviously NOT fight the urge to shout,  "How DARE you enter my chambers so rudely unannounced?!!  I'm going to hire a herald to stand outside my door to introduce potential guests, 'The Master requests entry to the Queen's Chambers.'  "And before he is finished, I will reply emphatically, 'DENIED!' " He looked at me without expression, the sarcasm undeniably evident in his tone, "Yeah...ok."   He lost points for that. So, what have you been doing in this heat?  'Cause I've been watching baseball.  Fortunately for myself and the other guests, I had the scoreboard ALL weekend.  Woohoo! We had one good game and two t

Summer is intense!  Baseball and work trips and I still can't manage to keep up with the house work.  I give up!!  But, guess what.  I put Evan in swim lessons.  I know...perfect, right?  It is the cutest thing EVER, and he is really learning a lot.  And, of course, he managed to get the BEST teachers ever, because that's just how it seems to go with this one.  It's nice to have a kid like that for the wrap up. Baseball has been tough.  This little team just hasn't been able to catch a break, and it's disheartening and discouraging and defeating all wrapped up in one frustrating little package.  But...did I mention they put me on the scoreboard?!!  Life changing!  Because 1) I have something to keep my focus.  So, I am less fidgety and nervous.  2) I have the BEST view of the field, so I really know if it was a terrible call.  3) I have to sit right by the umpire and the other team, which totally humanizes them so I hate them less.  (Of course, I still might yell-ov

It was the most beautiful Saturday ever.  My kids took my kids to the pool.  (That's just one of the few pleasures of this crazy spread we've got going on over here.). They texted asking for Burger King, and I promised to make something better. And since, you know...Matt works 5 out of the next 6 days...it's all on me.  I fired up the grill.  And THIS time, I promised myself I was going to be smarter than those darn coals.  I knew I'd better put on plenty of lighter fluid the first time, because the second time...don't go so well.  Ya feeling me?  So, I proudly sprayed that fluid all over the place, and I started several fires, evenly distributed throughout the coals.  And when I came back from dealing with the squawking chickens, the fire was gone. Deep, exhausted sigh.  Could, maybe please, just one thing go right for me?  Please? Anyway, THIS time, I knew better.  After my second dosing, I pulled my hand back quick...so the huge explosion did not catch my tiny ar