2011

2011 kicked our family off in a whirlwind. I went back to work, our Bibi got married (pictures coming), Greyson was in his first wedding, Ella is standing, Greyson is writing, we got a van...so much gratitude, so much undeserved favor. Being back at work has been the most significant change. Through God's grace, an opportunity presented itself for me to go back to my three-day work week, and I jumped at it. It has take me a long time to admit this, but I am not stay-at-home-mom material. As much as I love my children, my world cannot only encompass the monotony of household tasks, child-oriented errands and kid chatter. I can feel myself beginning to come into my own again. It feels great to be respected for what I'm good at, have coworkers, time out of the house, adult conversation, opportunities to wear nice clothes and some financial latitude. I am a better mother when I am working. The hard part is being away from Ella. We miss each other immensely during the day. When I come home, she greets me with huge smiles and lots of whining. I love it.

Greyson seems to have adjusted seamlessly to me being gone. He just started writing. It began with me writing him sentences in block letters that he'd color, then he started dictating sentences for me to write, and now he writes on his own. I have to post an entry of just his little pieces of authorship, because they're hilarious and precious. Some of them read "Greyson was so happy because a long time ago Connor and Jill came to our house", "Greyson loves rainbows," "Greyson loves to play with his sister, Ella." He'll ask us how to spell some words, but mostly, it's all him. Sometimes he'll pull his books out to find out how words are spelled. To make up for my being away at work, I hide writing assignments all over the house for him to find. I've done it twice, and this morning, Roque videotaped him reading the little "surprises" he found. I love watching him read.