A little bit's enough

Let's play catch-up real quick shall we?

Nathan: Stomp has reluctantly started 4th grade here in town. He'd like to be a cop someday ("A SWAT cop, Mama, they get the good guns." Yes, he is his mother's child) and when it's been explained repeatedly he has a lot to learn to be able to save people the right way, he gets frustrated and ponders why we don't just know everything from birth. I don't know kid. And I'm sorry you hate school. That's all The Viking. In spite of all the bullying, I always loved school. He's only been back a few weeks and there have already been tears over kids picking on him. I'm about ready to give him the following advice and just roll with the consequences: Stomp, you are a big kid. More importantly you are a tough kid. Find the ringleader. Hit him hard in the nose. Just once. Make your point. That should put the kibosh on more bullying. Maybe not the most PC advice, but advice I'm about ready to give.

Joshua: Joshua has magically transformed from sweet, loveable, toddler into STUNT BABY WHO KNOWS NO FEAR. Several times over the last few weeks he has emptied the book shelf of books, then climbed inside and decided he might like to lay down there and nap. Fortunately, no one is able to nap through Mama's head flying around Linda Blair style. So he never actually fell (Praise Jesus) and I managed to rearrange the entire apartment myself to make it a little more Stunt Baby Proof. The boys is wicked sma-ht and knows how to count to 30, can sing most of his ABC's, recognizes and names basic shapes and can recognize A-E when they're written. We've set up a school area for some basic home pre-schooling as I did with Nathan.

Mama: Mama is doing well, all things considered. Depression and anxiety continue to be issues for me, even though they are well-managed. But the thing about both those disorders is that they come and go like the tide. Somedays you can sit close to the water and it won't even touch you, you'll just be able to see the tide washing in and out but it never touches you. Somedays the tide rises higher and if you sit in the same spot, doing the same things you do every day, the water will wash over you and leave you drenched and wondering what the hell just happened. That's the best imagery I know to use to describe it. But I do fine. I know what to do when the tide comes in. I'm finally getting some resolution and answers to some pain issues I've been having that had previously been chalked up to depression. Will let y'all know more when I know more. No answers yet, just a person to get answers from really. Mr Wonderful came out and spent a week with us a few weeks ago. It's always nice to have him here, of course. To see our relationship in real life, not just across the miles. We are better in person than we are any place else. We may not be perfect but we are perfect for each other. Somedays in the midst of the tide, he is my savior. But when he's gone, the tide seems to rise a little higher for a week or so while I deal with missing him, his weight next to me in bed, his good morning kisses, his sweet slow-dances after the kids are in bed, him tenderly feeding me chocolate cake in bed the morning after our date nights out, the way he holds me closes and rubs his hands up and down my arms or his fingers through my hair while he covers my face and neck in kisses. Those are things you can't capture on the phone, no matter how sweet his emotional, "I love you Buttahcup"s are.

I hope each of you are well and please know none of my beloved readers is ever far from my thoughts.