Kristen Blog

Well this whole virus thing has really taken off, has it not?  I don't know where YOU live, but my town is under "shelter-at-home" orders.  We can't gather together more than 10 people in a location.  We are not supposed to travel unless it is absolutely necessary to our health and well-being. Of course, Matt still has to go to work, since he is in health care...and to be honest, while I am a little nervous about his potential for exposure (and subsequently ours, and more importantly, the grandparents), I am really grateful right now that we chose jobs in health care and education. My heart hurts for people who are not as fortunate and are really suffering from all of the closures and shut downs.  😢 There is so much to think about when we are remembering the burdens this causes.  Mine are minute...so I'll be a trooper and not complain.  I mean...I'm currently being paid to work from home, alongside my children...so that's actually a bit of a dream

I mean, I get it.  It's an illness we definitely need to acknowledge.  I may not know exactly what is going on in China or Italy, but I am intelligent enough to know that a pandemic is a pandemic.  And, as with any other illness (I tend to take them all rather seriously), I plan to be super diligent in attempting to stop the spread in my own house, as well as the greater community. This is something atypical.  COVID-19 is something we are not used to dealing with.  And it IS killing people, albeit it tends to be particularly fierce on the elderly and the compromised.  In my book, if it kills 1, it is worthy of heightened awareness and diligence.  I desire to protect the vulnerable.  That is ALWAYS a high priority in this deep and caring heart. Speaking of caring.  I have had a dramatic realization in the recent past.  I care...A LOT.  More than a lot of people, I am starting to realize...though, NOT about self protection in a crazy, panicking, horror-stricken, hoard-it-a

Baseball is officially back in season.  We have joined a new team, and it's like going from 1 to 10 in intensity.  He has a tournament THIS weekend.  THIS WEEKEND!!  The first week of March.  What have I gotten myself into? This is the kind of team that throws in an extra practice, because the weather is nice.  So...yeah.  I'm a little nervous.  I don't exactly have all kinds of time to be Dillon's Uber, let alone sit and watch an untold number of games.  But... I think this team is going to be really good for him.  I like the players.  They are respectful.  And they are good.  Intimidatingly good.  I had to help out a bit with his confidence in the transition, because guess what.  He is good, too.  Sometimes, we don't realize our own talents because of our big gaping insecurity.  And being thrown in from rec league to AAA isn't exactly a gradual transition. I think he is transitioning well now.  But you can be sure that I will keep a close, mama-bear ey

Meet Willis! I'm not obsessed or anything.  It's just...I found myself pretty attached to Monarch. 👇  (I mean...he was the perfect, most beautiful fish.  A little dumb.  We had difficulty with our feeding sessions, and I had to be very patient to ensure his proper nutrition...but...I think there is NO SHAME in crying over a fish...even a dumb fish...and I don't care what ANYONE else says.) Monarch's replacement refused to eat.  I tried for three days.  He would literally swim right past the food I so delicately timed to land right in front of his face.  When I found him swimming on his side today, I knew we were in for more heartache. So...I told Evan Fin was sick and needed to be returned to the store where (hopefully 🤞) they would be able to treat the water with an antibiotic to help him.  Everyone took it well.  I, alone, carried the burden in my heart.  (These fish are about to do me in...for real.) I engaged in my new ritual.  30 minutes (who am I

Guess who is sick again.  Me...that's who.  😭  I am taking a bit of a sabbatical.  Mentally, I've been on it for over a week.   (I just happened to have to finally HAVE to take a sick day/sabbatical today. #theflustinks  Motivation is low.  Attitude is compromised.  Positivity is forced.  It could just be January...winter blues.  Snow days.  Sick days.  Lack of sun.  I know I'm not the only one around here struggling.  Right?    🤷‍♀️ But...I feel like I need to take some time to really sit back and check the scales.  Even the balance, so to speak.  I feel like things are definitely out of balance...and have been for awhile.  And the imbalance is starting to feel like injustice.  And injustice drains me.  I am going to have to "weed the garden" for my own survival's sake.   So, for the past couple of weeks, I have been mentally reflecting on just about every aspect of my life to try and figure out which parts can be weeded out.  (FYI...I won&

Well...(have you ever noticed how many times I've started a post with well...?  I don't know.  It must be a thing? 🤷‍♀️...anyway) ...the Last Man Standing has finally fallen.  I made it through Christmas break and all the way through the first two weeks, and thank goodness we had a work from home snow day Friday, because I finally got knocked Down with the Sickness.  And I can make it through sit down tasks, but my energy is all wrapped up in fighting this virus, so any other requirement leaves me run down in about 1000th (fyi...I keep adding zeros to emphasize the point.  I started at 10.) the normal time span. That said.  My lovely neighbor introduced me to elderberry syrup last year, and this year I discovered the tablets.  I am completely and utterly evangelized.  These tablets worked like Sudafed, only it's a homeopathic recipe (and you KNOW that makes me happy!), so I can take one every three hours.  Initially, I balked at the "let it dissolve in your mouth&qu

I made it through week one back from break.  I'm not saying I came away without scratches, bumps and bruises.  I am also not saying I did it all willingly.  But that just fuels a conversation starter when talking to kids about employment.  "Kids...responsibility is showing up even when you're not feeling it...like me, this morning."  😉😂  #BeGenuine. By Friday morning (when I had to get the boys ready and to school and get myself to an early class), I thought, "I have to quit.  I can NOT do this anymore."  But, after 4 classes full of really cooperative and very precious teens (and supportive teachers!), I knew I could not quit. I actually did pretty stinking phenomenally well.  I managed to serve about 25 students, get the most pressing elements of my documentation done, got bills paid and groceries picked up and got myself and my children home safe before the winter weather hit.  (Seriously though.  It was 60 degrees one day this week and 20 the next.