Love/Hate Relationship with Snow Days

I cannot believe it has been so long since my last post!!  That's what happens when school starts.....life becomes crazy!!  There are so many things that I want to blog about, but right now all I can think about is SNOW!!  We are in the middle of non-stop snow days.  This year, I have found a few cons to these days at home.

 

  Don't get me wrong ~~ there are still tons of great things about them.  Like...being able to sit and read while I have coffee in the morning, actually cooking real-live meals (which forces me to keep my kitchen clean), laundry is always caught up, and most of the time I have my hair in a ponytail and my favorite sweats on!

 

 On the negative side, I have been forced to go two days without a fountain diet Pepsi from Conoco.  For those that know me well, they will be very impressed I lasted that long!!  But, I've discovered that too much down-time is not such a good thing for me anymore.  I've found that I am getting way too much rest and don't sleep well at night.  If I don't stay up until 1 or 2 a.m., then I lay awake, missing Mal and Dad.  Therefore, I have to stay up watching late-night TV.  I'm amazed, even with 1,000 channels, there are many times when there is NOTHING on TV.  Thank goodness for TiVo!  I can record many, many episodes of "Say Yes to the Dress" anytime I want.  (That show is extremely addictive!)  I will also watch hours and hours of ANTM, Chopped, Cupcake Wars, and Top Chef.

 

  I've developed a pretty ugly coping mechanism also ~~ beware feint of heart ~~ when I get lonesome for my girl, I tear the skin off around my fingernails.  I hate it!!  Joey and Luke are really good about telling me when I'm doing it, and trying to get me to stop!  This has been on-going for many months.  I know it could be much worse, but I'm tired of wearing Band-Aids constantly!! Soooo.....I've started knitting and crocheting like a mad woman!  I know that makes me sound really old and sad, but at least I have not collected dozens of cats.  And I really don't think that will be an issue because I'm not a big fan of felines!! At all!!  So, anyway, I've been making all kinds of yarn-y things.  My great-niece, Kate, now has her own blankie.  Her big brother Eli decided he probably wouldn't share his.  I've also started crocheting the sock caps with the earflaps.  I'm almost finished with my first one, and I have to say, it's pretty cute.  I fear that I will turn into the old, moth-ball scented aunt that everyone dreads visiting!!  That seems to be the stigma with knitting and crocheting.  I'm going to do my best to prove that wrong!!  I'm also getting ready to make Kate some crochet beanies with ribbon running through them.  Her momma, my lovely Staci, would never tell me if these handmade gifts are hideous.  She tolerates my therapy with a very big heart!! 

 

 So, tomorrow will be my fourth consecutive snow day.  We've had nine total (I think).  Luke's basketball games have also been canceled, so I haven't had those to distract me.  But, I keep plugging along.  And praying along.  I keep thinking that God will send us our first foster child any day.  I really thought we would get him/her on January 26th, the day that marked two years without Mal.  Didn't happen.  God must think that I will need this "little distraction" even more on a different day.  We're just waiting on the state to give it's stamp of approval.  Could be any day now.  I know when we get this addition to our family, that I won't have time to mess up my fingers!!  That will be a blessing. 

 

 I WAS able to venture out today!!  I went to Wal-Mart (whoo hoo) and got a fountain soda!!  The world seemed to be right again! We're off school again tomorrow, so I'll be making hats like crazy!! My nine-year-old niece told me that she would LOVE to have one!  She doesn't know any better yet!  I'll go ahead and post a pic of the one that I'm almost finished with.  I have to get the second ear flap done, and add a bit more to it, but I think you'll get the idea.   So, if anyone actually WANTS something made with love, I'm your girl!  What makes me seem like a lonely, old woman, is actually keeping my blood pressure down, and soothing my soul!!  But, even more importantly, when I catch myself starting to digress, I am going to try to remember this verse.  God is the best way to cope with any worries!!

 
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

Above:  Kate's blanket.  I started this as soon as Staci told us she was pregnant.  I wish I would have waited so I could make it more "girly"!!

Above:  This picture shows the cap from the side.  It looks a little messy because I have more to add.  The ear flap will come down longer with a pom pom on the end.