personal growth

I am currently undergoing the "studying" phase of personal growth and development. I am reading the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and participating in Oprah's 10 week class on Eckhart Tolle's book A New Earth. I have just finished reading the book, The Secret.

I am taking it all in and wondering when will the growth occur? When will the inner peace come? I wake up every day thinking, "Today will surely be the day. The big event will happen today for sure, right?"

I know I'm ready for the new challenge. After all, I am steadily juggling my husband, two children, mother, traveling and major home renovations... What is the world waiting on? Shouldn't the next big move happen during all this?

Maybe that's the key to personal growth and development. I don't get to decide when it happens. You know, give up the control and then viola. Maybe that's the whole lesson...Well, being the educator that I am, all that I can do is keep studying and hope to be completely prepared when the opportunity to shine arrives.

In light of that, I'm off to read more. You never know, tomorrow might be the big day of development and opportunity.

Am I old enough?

Am I really old enough to have a son who is driving? On the first day I sat in the passenger seat as the "experienced driver" I looked in the mirror on the visor and I thought to myself, "This means I'm the old one here." What a shock to my young system! How can it be that my oldest son is old enough to climb behind the wheel of a car? Oh my, where did the time go? Long days, short years.

From rear facing car seat, to forward facing booster... Under 12? No, you're not allowed in the front seat due to the air bag. Oh, but three years later you can have the keys and drive all day- by yourself! How quickly time passes... Is three years in the front seat long enough to be sure a child can really drive?!

Look out world there's one more driver on the road... and he's only 15!

playing in a traveling band...

Another part of my life in the fast lane is my weekly trips to visit my mother- AKA "Grandma." She has recently moved into an assisted living facility due to stroke and the onset of Alzheimer's. I believe she is doing rather well in her new home, but I feel like a member of a traveling band. I keep an overnight bag 1/2 packed. Every Monday, I think about what day we'll be on the road again so I can pack for my seven year old and figure out whether or not to take the teenager.

This week we were unable to travel because I was afflicted with a terrible cold. This is not the sort of gift you take to the elderly. We stayed at home. I regret to admit that my bathroom is still tinged with crud that is growing daily. Whilst mold and mildew are becoming part of our new norm, it is not a part I desire to hold on to.

I had the delusion that being home all weekend would allow me the time to get in there and clean it up, but this did not happen. I think now it could be my lack of desire to do the "clorax dance" that is inhibiting me- not so much the cold. Upon writing this, I have a guilt feeling- also part of the new norm developing here...- I should take care of this problem.

Off to clean the crud... we travel next week!

today's issues

Nothing can disrupt your "norm" like problems with a child. My youngest child is really struggling with school right now. I want to make it right for him. Our new "norm" will now include time digging into the problems to find out how to help him learn. There will not be a band aid that will fix the issue. We'll have to regroup and all learn new ways to help him be successful. We will develop the new norm of how, when, and where to do homework. This is just one more change to which we shall adapt. Bless his heart, he wants to do well. My task now is to be sure he is afforded every opportunity to do so.