Pray for Matthew's Aunt Teensie

Dear Readers,
Matthew's Aunt is in the hospital with a very severe case of pneumonia, which will not respond to the medications the doctors have tried so far. At the moment, they are giving her a 50% chance of surviving. Please pray for her recovery, and pray for her children who are by her side.
Thank you so much. I'll write when I have more news.
Gen

sleepy head

huh?
Originally uploaded by gennabby.

It is Sunday morning. 8:11. We're letting Matthew sleep in for a bit, but we're about to clobber him with snuggles. We've been "sleep training" Noah, which means we've been letting him soothe himself back to sleep at night. The result is that M and I are not getting very good sleep. But I can't nurse him 1-3 times a night anymore; I'm far too exhausted for that, and the kiddo can go through the night without eating. The rest of us do. Usually. So last night it was the 2-3 a.m. hour that we were up listening to Noah moan himself back to sleep. It worked, eventually. Hopefully tonight will be better.

I love these people.

funny faces
Originally uploaded by gennabby.

Written Exam

I took the 4-hour written portion of my Qualifying Exams today. I've written enough for one day, so this will be brief.

I'll know if I passed in a week or two; then I will take the oral exam on June 16th (if I passed). I answered two questions--the first I feel pretty good about. The second answer was choppier, less coherent, but hopefully passable! My brain decided to just poop out after hour 3. I really felt like I was fighting to understand my own writing and my own thoughts, let alone a large and challenging question. Thinking deeply is tiring for my poor brain! I'm not sure at this moment if I am cut out for this kind of work. If I don't pass, I'm gonna throw in the towel. I'll concentrate on quilting and gardening and eating bon bons with my kids.

Mostly, I want to cry, be hugged and comforted, and sleep.

Thank you to the people whom I know were praying: Mom, Mel, Bron, Matty
and to those who were praying and I didn't know it...
and to Kate for watching Noah Bean while I took the test
and to Matty for living with me through the stress.

Nap time.

Spelling Bee (or, How do you spell "hurt"?)

Abby did a great job in the final Spelling Bee today. Kids came from all over--Yosemite, San Jose, Roseville... She took it hard when she was eliminated. In an almost too-sad twist, the word she misspelled was "hurt," which she spelled with an e. It did hurt to see her cry and to know how disappointed she felt. She wanted a trophy and the approbation of her teacher, her friends, and her parents for WINNING, not just for participating. That's understandable, but it is also a great opportunity for all of us to show her how completely her worth is NOT in her performance. She is a lovely person, a tenderhearted and generous girl, and a bright kid too. It may be the better outcome in the long run for her personal development, but it still "hurts." I was so thankful that her teacher, Mrs. P, gathered her in her arms when Abby arrived at school. Mrs. P put Abby's certificate up on the board, told her that the whole class would get popsicles to celebrate Abby's achievement, and that Abby could share about the experience during circle time. This cheered her up. When we pick her up from school, we will take her to dinner--Abby's choice (which will almost certainly be Thai food)--and celebrate her. Competition is hard. This is the first time I've experienced it from the parental side of things, and it's harder than I thought to watch your kiddo "perform." I was so nervous for her, but I had to just keep giving thumbs up and smiles. It's good Matthew was there to hold her while the remaining kids duked it out on some hard words (like ditch and monkey); he has a way of calmly lending strength and comfort in times of disappointment.

Good job, Abby. You're our champion.

Notice Anything Different about Abigail?

Notice anything different?
Originally uploaded by gennabby.

She picked a great day to lose her first tooth! This little tooth has been wiggly for days, and today Abby really had it moving. It took Daddy's bravery to pull it out (Abby was tired of it hurting when she bit into things and she wanted it OUT!). So, we're all happy for her...she is really growing up! Our sweet, toothless wonder. What an excellent Mother's day present :) It made my day, especially after most of it was spent with everyone moping around as we heal from 2 weeks of the flu.

Abbs is excited to tell everyone at school about it tomorrow. Her brother will probably notice it tomorrow too. What a milestone!

train. t-r-a-i-n. train.

Abby won her class spelling bee! Her winning word, spelled correctly, was train. This means Abby is a finalist in the all Merryhill school spelling bee in Sacramento 2 weeks from now. We're so proud of her, and we're assuring her that even if she strikes out on the first word she gets, she is still our champion and we're still going to celebrate her. After all, she has already accomplished so much! So three cheers for our precious Abby!