Second post in as many weeks! Don't fall out of your chair HBM!

We're having lots of fun at my house. We have ramped back up to a full school schedule. Ying has a totally different attitude about school so far this year. She is actually eager to start. If I'm running slow getting going in the morning, she'll encourage me by saying, "Don't put it off too long, Mom, or we won't be able to finish school today!" HUH? Remember what I said about her being a 25yo trapped in a 7yo's body? Yeah.

Yang is being a butt. He is the cutest little butt ever, but a butt just the same! I haven't been the greatest at discipline w/ the Littles, so part of it is my fault for letting things slide for so long. For example, he uses the couch like a trampoline. He does flips off the side and dives onto the floor into a roll. He carries whole conversations while jumping rhythmically on the cushions. So the other day, I asked him to get down off the couch, that it's not a trampoline, so he asks, "Why? My feet aren't dirty!" Ugh. See what I've done?!

Thing2 started school yesterday. He came home all exasperated; so much so, that he called me at work to tell me about it. It seems that his AP History class has a test on Friday and his AP Language Arts class has a boatload of homework, including an essay due Friday. On top of that, his German I teacher presented the entire first class (this is FIRST year German, mind you) in German. No English! The syllabus for the class is in German, and the list of supplies needed for the class is in German. I balked at that one! I told him that one's for the parents and I'm not taking German!! Silly lady... I'll bet he'll actually learn some German that way, though. It's a pretty neat idea, to be honest.

Everything's still good w/ Crispani and Thing1. Crispani didn't get to start school this quarter though because there was a hang-up w/ the financial aid. Hopefully, he'll have it cleared up by next quarter. He's working a lot of hours though, which is good. Thing1 didn't take the job I mentioned in the last post. She was hired and was to start last week, but she told me she got a really weird vibe from the manager at her last interview. She and Crispani talked about it and decided it wasn't worth the stress, so she didn't take the job. I didn't even know this 'til I asked her why she hadn't started yet. I'm not the one she goes to with her problems anymore, I guess. That's the way it should be. If they're getting married, they have to "leave and cleave," right? So, they're doing well.

CLW is a total character! She's talking all the time too (must be the age, huh Sara?) She's starting to present her own little personality and she really has a great sense of humor. Case in point: The other day, the Littles were all downstairs playing in the TV room and they got to fussing. Before I knew it, all three of them were screaming. I start hollerin' as I'm makin' my way down there. You know, the typical mom stuff-- "What the heck is going on down here?!" and "Why are you crying!?" and "Why did you hit your sister?!" etc. While the other two are explaining, CLW continues her screaming. I shush the other two and look closely at her. Satisfied that she wasn't seriously hurt, I told her she didn't have anything to cry about and shushed her too. Her response was, "I just a baby!" with a truly indignant look on her face. I just about fell out, right there. So much for discipline...hard to give spankin's when you're laughing.

Another CLW funny is that we can't get her to say she's CLW. We say, "What's your name?" and she responds, "I da baby." If we correct her and tell her her name, she adamantly disagrees and says, "NO! I da BABY!" LOL.

Cat in the Hat is hangin' in there. He was kind of flustered w/ me because the Littles went to my parents' house today. They're going swimming and will spend at least one night. Cat informed me that they are what's keeping him sane right now. You know, giving him something else to think about besides his uncertain future. I felt bad. I hadn't considered that. So, hopefully, they'll bring them back tomorrow. I don't know though, because they're watching them for us during the appointment w/ the eye surgeon and it's first thing Friday morning, so I assumed they'd probably keep them tomorrow night too (to avoid the early morning pickup). I don't know...

Thanks for all your prayers and kind words. I don't know what God's thinkin' and I have no idea where He's leading us on this path. I just pray for Cat's spirit to be pliable, that he can keep his faith in God and that he doesn't get bitter. I also pray that I can remain faithful and strong for Cat & the kids.

Oh, HBM, in my last post, when I said: