Random Thoughts on an Icy Day

Sorry about my random thoughts... I have been stuck inside for several days now, and I have many things on my mind.  I thought I would just write them out in a blog so that maybe I can move forward with my day without so many thoughts :).  We'll see!

I'm up early this morning even though I don't have to be!  I can't seem to shake my normal schedule :).  School was canceled again today, and I have a feeling it will be canceled tomorrow as well.  There has been a LOT of ice on the roads, and it hasn't gotten above about 20 degrees, so it has no way to melt and go away.  The ice melter that Dallas uses isn't working because it's too cold for it to work.  Strange, huh?  Welcome to Texas!  I'm enjoying these days at home, though, and am trying to take advantage of them.  I feel a bit lazy, but I have decided that it's okay to be a bit lazy!  I never get this opportunity!  I have enjoyed many great moments with the kids... reading to them, watching movies, cuddling.  I'm thankful! 

Robert will be headed to Oak Cliff today because the inspection is being done.  I'm praying that nothing big comes up!  I am confident that this is the house for us, though, so I'm pretty sure it will be fine.  As time goes by, I see more and more that this house is perfect for our family and I (we) have more and more peace about it.  We'll see what happens today! 
I am a little nervous about him driving in this ice, but he is confident that he'll be fine.  In Lubbock, this was the norm for winter, and that's where he grew up.  So, I'm going to just trust that he'll be fine! 

The mortgage broker that we're using is in Houston (long story!), so all of the paperwork that he's requested has to either be mailed or scanned and emailed.  So, I spent quite a bit of time Tuesday scanning in paperwork and emailing it to him.  As soon as I emailed the copy of the contract, he said that it's time to get moving!  So, we are in the process of the loan underwriting, etc.  This isn't very fun, so I'm hoping that it goes pretty fast.  We'll see :).

For the first time in SO long, I feel like we're going to be settled!  I can't believe it.  I have lived in transition for about 10 years... Even though we were at the camp, we never felt completely settled because we always thought we would leave.  Now, when we move into our own home, we plan to just stay!  CRAZY. 

At this point, we have decided to take Karis to school with me.  It has been a very difficult decision, and one that we've thought/prayed about since I started there.  This was our thought process: 1) Karis will probably be the ONLY white kid there... and as much as I LOVE racial diversity, I feel bad for her being the ONLY white kid there.  I have a feeling, though, that she won't care nor will she see that she's different!  When my students had a Christmas program, she joined the pre-k kids on the stage to sing Rudolph!  She loved it!  So, I think it will be fine.  It really doesn't matter.  2) There isn't art or music in elementary (and I'm not sure about the upper grades either).  She is an artsy kid.  But I feel like we can supplement that somehow... we'll make that work.  3) Many of the students at this school are low (because a LOT of them are second language learners).  But, I trust the teachers 100% and I trust the curriculum 100%, so I know that Karis will be fine.  And one thing that I LOVE is that we do guided reading, and it is broken up into low, middle, and high groups.  If she is in the high group, there is a lot of enrichment done during guided reading (and I know because I teach the high group).  I am confident enough in the curriculum and teachers to know that she will do well.  And anything that needs to be done at home can be!  I believe that parents make or break a child's education, so I will do my part as well!  4) If she was at another school, I'm not sure how we would drop her off.  Robert will have to leave at about 6:30, and I will have to be at work at 7:15.  Most schools don't start until 8:00 in that area.  So, it will be really nice to just bring her with me to school. 
No matter where I teach, Karis will have to go to afterschool.  Long story, but basically she will get out before me.  So, we'll just have to make it work. 

We were also thinking about putting the boys where Karis currently is, but now we're thinking that we'll just leave them where they are.  They love it there, and it is so much less expensive than where Karis is.  The only downfall is that it's a little bit out of Robert's way.  So, we'll make that decision as it gets closer to the summer.  If we do keep the boys where they are, they will have to go part time during the summer to keep their spot.  So, that'll factor into our decision.  It will be good to have a place for them to go if I have to go to trainings and things (which will happen), so that might be a good thing.  And it'll give me some designated time to work and do house cleaning and laundry, so I'm thinking this may be the way to go ;). 

Oh how I love my family!  My kids amaze me everyday... and they make me laugh.  They have such personality.  I am SO blessed!!