True Love

"MOM! I think I'm going to throw up!"

"Wha . . ."

"Blaaaaaaaa, blaa, blaa, blaa, blaa"

1:16 a.m. Saturday morning.

Laurel is sick all over our bedroom.

We spring out of bed, but it's too late. HUGE, HUGE mess. Within minutes she's sick again, but this time we're with her at the toilet. I get the gloves and paper towells to begin clean-up . . . and I can't do it. I've always been able to do it. I'm the MOM after all. I change diapers and clean-up vomit. That's what I do and I'm good at it. But not this time. I come close to vomiting myself. I'm gagging over the bathroom sink.

David comes up to me, "You stay with her (Laurel) - I'll take care of this (the mess)."

Wow! That's love. True love, the kind that lasts for a lifetime and beyond. And that's my husband. He always come through for me. David would rather do just about anything than clean up after a sick child. And I must say 95% of the time in the past, I've taken care of it. But I just couldn't do it this time for some reason. So David did it for me. That's why I love him. That's why he's my best friend. That's why I trust him completely. That's why I'm so grateful I married him. David always comes to my rescue when I just can't do what needs to be done. Aren't I lucky to have him!

Overheard While Driving . . .

Charlotte: "What are we going to leave for Santa this year. Mom said we should do something other than food."

Laurel: "I think we should leave something for the elves instead of Santa because they are the ones that do all of the work."

Charlotte: "We can't. The elves make everything in all of the stores so we couldn't give them anything they haven't already made."

Jacob: "Uh Uh - the China people make all of the things in the stores. Read the label - Made in China."

Charlotte: "That's just to trick us - the elves really make all the stuff."

Catching Up

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

I'm not sure what happened, but I fell out of the blog habit and it's been hard to jump back in. It's not like life hasn't been happening for us, I've just not taken the time to record anything. Therefore, I've decided to start with the present and work backward in hopes of catching up and keeping these memories.

Saturday, November 28 was the extended family Thanksgiving at David's brother's home. Some of David's cousins and an Aunt came as well as six of his siblings with their spouses and kids. Of course Grandpa & Uncle Rudy were there as well. We ate, we talked, we laughed, then ate some more. It was just how Thanksgiving is supposed to be when you're part of a big family and I loved it. My kids loved it. And my husband loved it. Can't wait until Christmas!

And probably one of the reasons I like the big family Thanksgiving is because we also get to have our own little Thanksgiving which I love just as much. I know I'm unusual in this way, but I really like just hanging out with David and my kids. I love having a quiet, casual day. David, Jacob and Charlotte attended our ward's annual turkey bowl (football) in the morning while Laurel, Mary and I prepared the meal. We had what my kids call a "fancy dinner" - i.e., we used the china, goblets, silver, and clothe napkins. We enjoyed all of the traditional stuff: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, french bread, and jello. I must say I don't usually make jello - in fact I NEVER make it and just decided to do it this time on a whim. My kids squealed with delight and it was about as ordinary as you can get: orange without any fruit or whipped cream. It's so nice that it is so easy to make them happy. I am also very pleased to say I finally made stuffing to rival my mother. It's only taken me a decade + to achieve this feat, but I finally did it. Even David liked it and he's a Stove-Top-Loving man. The meal was perfect and relaxing. We ate and had it all cleaned up by 1:00 p.m. So what better to do on Thanksgiving afternoon than go to the movies. Of course we've reached the stage where finding a movie everyone will enjoy is difficult. We finally settled on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Jacob won't admit it, but he enjoyed it along with the rest of us :).

Friday, November 27, found us at the Holidazzle. This is the third year David has participated in the parade and easily the best for us. I finally snagged a spot in a skyway instead of trying to keep kids happy and warm on the street. Jacob and Charlotte got to ride on Santa's float so I bought some cheap pens and notebooks for Laurel and Mary and let them draw while we waited for the parade to begin. My kids were so lit up and dressed up, I didn't recognize them, but it was fun just knowing they were down there waving to the crowds. Laurel and Mary were content. A great evening: everyone was happy, everyone was warm, and easy for Mom.

This is the only picture I took the entire weekend.

WEBELO BADGE

Jacob completed all of the requirements and received his Webelo Badge in November. We are proud of him! The boys won't admit it, but they secretly like getting their faces painted as part of the badge ceremony.

FIRST GRADE BASKETBALL

Laurel and the lady Bluebirds finished their basketball season a couple of weeks ago. Each girl receives a medal for participating, but the person who really deserves it is the coach. He was very patient which is the key when coaching first-grade girls. Here are some pictures of Laurel's last game:

Short shots

Dribbling relay

The solemn occasion of receiving a medal

Gretta, Meredith, Laurel, Coach, Sarah, & Ashley

SHOE BE DO PROGRAM

Finally, we also attended Charlotte's third grade program this month - her first since only two grades perform per year at her school. Shoe Be Do combined music and movement, utilizing the combined talents of the PE and Music departments. Everyone did a nice job, but of course we felt like the parachute program which was presented by Charlotte's class was the best - colorful and interesting with an especially striking young lady in the center of it all.

Miracles Do Happen

Just spoke with my Mom. Today was Dad's catscan to find out if that stubborn blot clot had dissipated. It's gone. No new bleeding. Things look great. Dad's clear for 6 months. Prayer works!

Halloween . . . Finally

Yes, it is November 4th and I'm just posting our Halloween pictures. Life is busy around here . . . pretty much all of the time :). So I didn't get the greatest pictures of Halloween this year, but the kids had a great time anyway. Frankly, usually the more fun we have, the worse the pictures are. We enjoyed trunk-or-treating Friday night with our church and trick-or-treating on Saturday with our neighborhood. As you can imagine we have probably 15-20 pounds of candy now. Hope, like all of the past years, that the kids sell a bunch of the candy to me ($0.10 per piece) and then forget about the rest of it. We'll see.

Mary's Preschool Halloween Party

Super Fairy!

Pioneer

One Tired Rock Star

Obi Wan Kenobi who waited until the last minute to dress up and then ran off to get candy with a friend

Our Pumpkins

A Day at the Spa

Yes, Darling, our beautiful daughter, Charlotte has turned 9. We celebrated by enjoying a day at the spa with facial, make-up, hair, and nails before a photo shoot, karaoke, and refreshment. I had the amazing opportunity to photograph each of these girls. After each picture, I marveled at the individual beauty of each one. I believe that what we captured with the camera had nothing to do with the clothes they were wearing, the make-up we put on or the hair we curled, but came from within. These are beautiful girls inside and it shows. And of course, our personal favorite is Charlotte. Charlotte has always been very helpful, but she's even more so this year. Practically every morning she is the one who packs the snacks for everyone in the backpacks. She takes Mary to the potty more often than David does. She taught Laurel how to wash her own hair. She quizzes Jacob on school stuff and is his confidant. She leaves David and I notes and pictures telling us of her love. She always tries to see the bright side of things. She reminds me to breathe when I feel like hyperventilating. Don't know what we'd do without her! We love you Charlotte!

gifts

Pumpkins at the Firestation

The Facial (They were very good sports)

Photo Shoot

Left to Right: Julia, Sierra, Dayna, Christy, Charlotte, Hannah, Amber, & Joy

Karaoke

Refreshment

I Miss My Parents

I have been thinking a lot about my parents this week and wishing I were in Wyoming with them. I woke up yesterday with an ache inside from always being so far away. How wonderful to live close enough that I could drive over and pick up my Mom for lunch. Or drop by with Mary one afternoon and just hang out with her. Since I turned 18, I've never lived that close to my parents. And it's never really bothered me a lot. However, this month we found out my Dad's blood clot is still in his head with some new bleeding. And my Mom's surgery last week didn't go as well as we'd hoped meaning she won't have the complete use of her arm and recovery is much more painful than we anticipated. So while they are both still here and vibrant, I think their mortality is hitting me a bit this week. While I have them now, I won't have them for the rest of my life. And while I firmly believe I'll be with them for eternity, the gap between when they leave this life and when I join them in the next will feel long and empty once they are gone. I love my parents with all of my heart. They have always been examples of making the best of good and bad times. They raised me to stand up and be counted. I think it is significant that when my Dad was life-flighted to Montana with a severe brain bleed, he knew his name was Lewis when they asked it. It has been drilled into all of us since we were babies what it means to be a Lewis. The funny thing is I overheard Jacob telling the girls to shape up because, and I quote, "We're Lewis's!" They associate the name with strength, standing up for one's religion, being a hard worker, as well as the not-so-good qualities like being stubborn :). Oh how I wish we lived closer. Jacob asked me why we don't move. I have to admit I would love to move back to Wyoming. We'd be near my parents and my brother and his family; my kids would get to play any sport they wanted in high school as well as be on student council, etc. We'd be needed more in that ward than we are here. But then we'd be far from David's family. And we love, love, love them too. I wish the Dakotas would just disappear so the drive could be easily managed in one day. I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen. So I encourage all of you out there who live in the same place as your family - cherish it - cherish all of it - all the wonderful moments together as well as the times when the family are just plain annoying. Because some of us don't have the privilege of being annoyed by our family due to distance.

1776

I finished the book today. Like so many Americans, I didn't realized how close we came to losing the Revolutionary War. I never knew that George Washington often didn't know what to do and had moments of indecision that proved harmful to the cause. Yet he persevered. I think these quotes from the final paragraphs of the book describe President Washington well:

"Above all, Washington never forgot what was at stake and he never gave up. Especially for those who had been with Washington and who knew what a close call is was at the beginning -- how often circumstance, storms, contrary winds, the oddities or strengths of individual character had made the difference -- the outcome seemed little short of a miracle."

Autumn Fun

Every year we try to make it to the corn maze. I guess it's become a family tradition. So despite waking up to temperatures in the 20's, David took the kids today. It was brisk, but sunny. Oh how good it is to see the sun again after many days of rain! Perfect timing for our family fun.

This week Mary and I went to the pumpkin patch with her preschool class where she literally picked the pumpkin of her choice from the vine.

Volunteering

Current commitments:

Assistant Coach for Charlotte's Basketball Team

Always felt intimidated to actually step up and be the coach, but I am really enjoying it. It's amazing how many ideas flow back into my head when I step onto the court (played in high school). And true to form, I definitely come to win. Thank goodness my partner and head coach is calmer, more soft-spoken, and comes to have fun. We actually make a good team and balance each other out. And the girls are really improving. Today our team won most of the skills (short shots, passing, dribbling, lay-ups) which will serve them well now and in the future. Charlotte is one tough little dribbler and one amazing defender. I've watched her take on some really tough girls and keep the ball from them. I've also watched her 'attack' some girls and get the ball from them without getting a foul. It's so fun to be there with her. I really hope I get to coach again next year.

Labels Lady (PTO) for School

I don't think many people understand all that goes into being the labels lady at school. I know I certainly didn't until I volunteered to do this job for the PTO. Hours and hours are spent trimming General Mills box tops, counting milk lids, and bagging soup labels. Last year there were times when I felt like the whole label thing was a waste of time. But then I started cutting/counting/bagging while I watched a movie or listened to music and somehow being productive during my relaxation time made that time even better. I am realistic, however, and realize that my time doesn't produce a lot of money for our school, but it does make a difference and that's what it's all about - making a difference.

Art Adventures Coordinator

Another PTO project: bringing art education from the Minneapolis Institute of Art to our classrooms. I fell into this job by accident. The woman heading it up last year needed some help so another lady and I volunteered. Unfortunately, last Spring the coordinator asked me to take over because her husband lost his job, meaning they were both looking for some type of employment. The other woman announced in the same meeting she was going through a divorce. What could I say since I had no major life circumstances to deal with. It's good for me to be thrown into things because I doubt I ever would have stepped up on my own. But I'm enjoying this position. I like to manage and this requires a lot of management: recuiting volunteers, getting them to training, making a schedule for presentations, interfacing with the teachers and volunteer coordinator. This is right up my alley and I am enjoying myself. And again, it is making a difference at our school.

I've spent a lot of time "saving" my best for my church. And that is probably appropriate if my church wanted what I was offering. But they don't - at least not right now. How fortunate that these other great opportunities have come along just when I needed them! And the best part . . . no one is going to show up one day and tell me they want me to quit. No, I'm quite sure these organizations will take any time I'm willing to give them. I like that as well - I call it job security :).

Root Canal

Jacob's tooth saga continues . . .

Last Tuesday we went into our dentist for a routine follow-up from the baseball accident which resulted in Jacob's front tooth being knocked out last April. We've done this several times so thought it would be routine. Unfortunately the x-rays showed that the body was attacking the tooth like it would a foreign object so we were sent to a specialist. We saw him on Thursday and he confirmed that the nerve had died and the body was attacking the tooth so he strongly recommended a root canal. The good news: the tooth has not changed color as you might expect and the bone had attached to it so it is stable, despite being dead inside.

I took Jacob to his appointment this morning not knowing what to expect. My Mom counseled me to brace myself (I'm not the best with blood and people I love being in pain, etc). She said when she had a root canal, the dental assistant had to leave the room because she was nauseous. Oh Yea! Fortunately, dental technology has come a long way in the last 40 years so it was pretty harmless. The worst part was at the beginning when they gave him three shots of novocain to deaden the area. But after that, they drilled a small hole, stuck small files inside to clean it out, flushed it with saline, inserted a temporary filling that looked like a white toothpick, and put some white putty over the hole to seal it off. We were done in 30 minutes and the dentist said Jacob did better than 96.6% of all adults who have this done. We waited for an hour for the putty to harden, had some lunch, and took him back to school. We go back to our regular dentist tomorrow for the permanent filling and return to the specialist in three months for more x-rays. The goal is five years - if we make it that long, there is a very good chance he'll keep the tooth for many, many years to come. Since my Mom's root canal tooth is still in place and working great for her, I feel pretty confident. Thank goodness strong, healthy teeth run in both David's and my families!

Mary Turns 4!

It's hard to believe our baby is 4 . . . the big F-O-U-R now. It seems like just yesterday we brought home this tiny little thing and now she uses words like “actually” in context, believes she can solve any problem, goes to school without shedding a single tear for her mother, and puts her hand on her hip when she’s disappointed in your behavior. Time has certainly gone fast.

Of course we celebrated this special event by having a party. I assumed ‘inviting’ our immediate family would be sufficient, but because Mary is #4, she knows friends come to parties. So after she asked me for the fourth time if her friend Bryant could come, I finally agreed. Five children set out from our laundry room with a map and backpack on a Dora adventure. Before they were done, they would compete in a Dora Matching game, pass through a dark tunnel to find a shape which proved to be the key to getting to the pinata and rescue some birds along the way. The whole thing took 20 minutes followed by an hour of eating all the pinata candy and watching a Dora video we got from the library. It was fun, it was relaxing, and it was easy. Everything a mother likes in a party. But best of all, our Little Miss, Miss Magoo, Mary Girl, and Moodies (all family nicknames for her) turned 4 and loved every minute of it.

David Turns 40

It's hard to believe, but David is 40 now. We invited the family over to celebrate, have dinner, and make some memories. It was a great afternoon/evening. And David enjoyed himself which is what I wanted more than anything. I love this man of mine. He faithfully gets up each morning without fail at 4:45 a.m. so he can shower, pray, read scriptures and eat before leaving for work by 5:50 at the latest. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying our comfy, warm bed long after he's already at work. He never complains when the house is a wreck. If I want to buy something, he has never once told me no. He uses his free time to do projects I think up. He plans the greatest family vacations. He values both sides of our family (Rolfs & Lewis). He faithfully and quietly teaches in the primary and goes back every week even when the kids are insane (I'd go crazy in there). He has always put me first and when we were first married, I forced him to choose between me and his family a couple of times (sorry family!). He is loyal to me and I have complete trust and faith in him. He's fun to talk to. He is interested in the same crazy things I'm insterested in like interest rates, movies about Mount Everest, and strategy games. He's competitive. He's a hard worker, but leaves work at work and enjoys his time with us. He looks even better than when we got married - filled out a bit and more distinguished if you ask me. He makes me laugh and tells me he loves me daily. I'm so lucky to have him with me for eternity!

Monday

This is what we woke up to . . .

Mad scramble for Mom to find hats, gloves, snowpants, boots, and coats so no child gets detention (yes, our school gives detention if you don't dress your child properly).

Kids whoop for joy!

Youngest gets on her coat and opens the garage door so she can play in the snow before school.

Older kids make plans to sled and build a snowman after school.

Oldest asks if he can walk to school today (doesn't ever want to do this on the sunny days, but hey, if it's snowing, let's go!).

Girls squeal with delight when they see snow on the playground equipment - can't wait to get soaking wet!

Mom keeps thinking about friend in Arizona who just posted about going for a walk IN HER FLIP FLOPS. Oh - vey!

We drop kids off at school. Youngest pulls out her sled and enjoys life in Minnesota.

Mom decides, ya just gotta love it!

The Climb

You know you're on shaky ground when you have a spiritual experience while listening first, to a Miley Cyrus song (The Climb) and then again later while watching a movie about climbing Mount Everest :). It's the whole idea of overcoming when things get hard. I am completely fascinated by the Beck Weathers story. An amateur climber caught in a blizzard on Mount Everest. He hooks up with some other climbers, but can't get up after they stop to rest so they leave him to die. The group sends a doctor back who decides that although he's alive, he won't make it and leaves him again. And then several hours later, Beck wakes up and walks into the camp. He is placed in a tent and left alone for a third time since they still expect him to die. He survives the night so they decide to attempt a rescue. He lives through the ordeal of walking down to Camp One despite being blind, with frostbite on both hands, his nose, and face. Other heroic people make his rescue possible by risking their own lives. Beck recovers and realizes that HOW you live when adversity hits is what matters. In those final moments before death (or so he thought), he didn't care about his profession or personal accomplishments like climbing the highest mountain on every continent - only that he survive to see his wife and kids. It's a miracle he's a live - that he survived when more experienced climbers died - that he awoke from a hypothermic coma. His story inspires me. A women in my church posted a sign in her office that says, "I can do hard things." My life isn't really that hard, but I like her motto and have adopted it for myself. I, Ella, can do hard things. I can put aside bad feelings because it's the right thing to do. I can recover when I make a mistake. I can be patient with my kids when I am tired of being patient. I can swallow my pride (this one is by far, the hardest one for me). And so that's why I was also touched by Miley Cyrus' song, "The Climb," that says: "There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle, Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose. Ain't about how fast I get there, Ain't about what waiting on the other side - it's the climb!" Isn't that what life's really about - the journey. Am I headed in the right direction - toward God? Yes. So it doesn't matter how fast I get there as long as I keep moving toward Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. It's the climb.

Life Choices

This week is exactly why I can't go back to work . . . no matter how much I'd like to. Between dance, piano lessons, orchestra meetings, birthday celebrations, grocery shopping, laundry, play dates and homework, there is very little time leftover. I recently had lunch with my old work team. Working part time came up. Something I'd absolutely love. So I tried to figure out how to make it work. It doesn't. Sure, I could make it work but at what cost? I'd have to pull Mary from her preschool. Just the thought makes me sad because I love her preschool and her teachers and her little friends. I don't want her to miss out on that amazing experience. David would have to commit to being home early two days a week. He makes a billion times more than I would so is it really wise to impact his career so I can spend some time in the office? And honestly, would David truly be able to get each kid where he or she needs to be on time with all of the needed stuff since I'd go in late and work late? David thought it would be great if I worked again. I thought so too since I really need something for me. But when we really thought through it, we just didn't see how it would work without someone making a sacrifice. My baby is almost 4 years old already. Where did the time go? Do I really want to cut into the next 4 years by not being here? Do I want to miss field trips and volunteering at school and the Halloween parade and the holiday parties and school sing along and the cute play dates???? What happens during Spring Break or the summer - what do I do with my kids then? Maybe some of these things would be worth giving up if I made enough money. But, being the financial lady that I am, I ran the numbers. And ran them and ran them again. After day care, I wouldn't bring that much home. I mentioned this to David. He pointed out that I wouldn't go back to work for the money, but for my brain, my self-fulfillment. But I can't. I can't sacrifice my kids. I can't sacrifice my marriage (yes, this may sound dramatic, but before we had kids, I was the one in this relationship who stayed late and brought work home . . . it didn't work then, why do I think it would work now?). So while some might say I'm the one sacrificing by not working again, to me it feels like it would cost far more than I ever want to pay. So I'll stay home and I'll endure the frustrating days because just one good hour makes it all worth it for me. One special hug. One sincere thank you. One heart-felt apology. One excited high five. Nothing is as precious as my little family and I want to enjoy this time with them while I can.

How lucky I am to be able to stay home!

I'm grateful God was generous enough to give me a chance to think about this and to realize what a lucky lady I am right where I'm at :).

Laurel is a Trooper

As some of the family knows, Laurel suffers from an Irritable Bladder condition. While not life-threatening in any way, I wouldn't wish this condition on anyone. For years, I assumed I wasn't giving her enough attention or didn't know how to toilet train my child because we've been battling accidents since she was two (she's six now). Finally, after she tested positive for a UTI, and I described her symptoms, her pediatrician told me she suspected irritable bladder (I went in there expecting to leave with the name of a counselor because I couldn't seem to toilet train my daughter). The pediatrician didn't want to put Laurel through the battery of tests required to know for sure that was the problem, but recommended medication. So we went on medication. The accidents continued, but occurred only in the late afternoon. Four more UTIs in four months followed. Finally the urgent care doctor told me we needed more testing. So Laurel went through 4-5 tests at Children's hospital to find out if she had reflux - she didn't - thank goodness. But it was confirmed she had a stubborn bladder. We ended up at a pediatric urologist's office and left on two different, stronger medications. These have worked wonders, but we still have accidents. So today, she got yet another, stronger prescription. Hopefully this will do the trick. We'll go off the meds in December and find out if they've cured her bladder.

I wanted to share Laurel's story because I think she's a trooper. Of all my children, I think God knew she could handle this the best. Irritable Bladder means the bladder contracts on it's own with no warning, causing accidents even if you don't think you have to go. So she's endured accidents at dance class, at school, at friend's houses, and at home. Yet she is still her bubbly little self. Her happy self-concept has stayed intact. She has happily let doctors and technicians do many tests on her without crying or being afraid. And she hasn't once felt discouraged (wish I could say the same).

Laurel, you have all the qualities of a hero, or a princess, or even better, a princess-hero. You are happy, positive, helpful, brave, loving, and determined. And I've learned a lot by watching you handle this - you're one of my heros and I love you!

Mary's First Day of Preschool

Described in her own words . . .

One girl cried the whole time. She annoyed me.

They forgotted me at the potty and then I cried.

I aaaaate,

I plaaayed,

I read some boooooks,

I did some worrrrk,

and pretended we were eating fooooood.

Mom said, "Your teacher said you had a great day." Mary replied, "I know! I really did."

And while I'm posting about Mary - isn't her hair cute! Last summer she pulled out all of it on one side, leaving her with a mohawk-effect. Then, just as it started to grow back in, Laurel decided to play "Beauty Shop," and cut it off again. And THEN, a couple of weeks ago, Mary decided to cut her own hair. I think the lady at Kids' Hair did an exceptional job with what she had left to work with. And we've had a serious discussion with Miss Mary that only the lady at Kids' Hair cuts her hair - not Mary, not Mommy, not Laurel. Hope it sunk in!

The First Day of School . . .

. . . was actually on Tuesday, September 8th. I'm finally recording it. It's better this way - less tears and more objectivity. If I had written minutes after wishing my three troopers good-bye, this would have been a much different entry with alternating phrases showing sadness and stress. But all is well now. Yes, my heart felt like it was torn out three times on Tuesday. But all three came home happy, thrilled with their teachers, and all three had someone to hang out with at recess. I couldn't be happier. Mary loves being an only child and I must say errands are much easier with just her - we are accomplishing much thus far.

I always have mixed feelings regarding school. If I could, I'd hold my kids here at home forever and just love them, watch movies, and eat chocolate and peanut butter all day. Wouldn't that be perfect. And we'd probably all be happy all day. But you see, as a parent, I'm supposed to teach them to work, help them grow wings so they can leave the nest someday and be responsible people in society. So, I have to ask them to do things. I expect them to be kind and respectful to their siblings and to get along. I give them chores. I try to teach them things. And that's when things go awry. The bickering begins, my frustration level rises, they try to get out of doing things, and all they want to do is watch TV instead of reading a good book or learning something new. So that is when I feel grateful for school. Grateful for the amazing teachers who reinforce what I'm trying to teach and my kids actually listen. I appreciate the other great kids at our school who hang out with my kids and the fact my kids have school work to do and classroom jobs to complete in a responsible fashion. And it is also nice to be able to complete tasks here, alone, in one sitting :).

So yea, I both love and hate school at the same time. It's all good and so far, this appears to be just the beginning of another great school year.