A busy week for a busy girl...

Okay, so I can't remember when I last wrote in here. I think it was last Saturday or Sunday so I will go from there.

On Monday night at the Dakota Ridge open house, I finally got my schedule done for that building. Although I had to sit down with Stephanee to finish it. I am supposed to be going over to the elementary for .1 of my week, but it seems like I am there way more than that. I hope that Stephanee got some answers from the team so that we can make it more of the .1 it is supposed to be.

I pulled kids on Wednesday. The younger ones were worse than the older ones. That was weird. I was all worried about how the older kids would act (both for me and with each other) and they were remarkably the good ones who were laughing and talking. Of course, bring up treats and you have their attention. It's like 'instant rapport': just add water.

I was thinking this week about how much my life has changed in the last year. A year ago, as bad as it is to say it, I didn't want to be a mom. And I didn't really want to be a wife either. Weird what a year will teach you. Let me enlighten as to what I have learned.

1. No matter how much you wish it would, taking the third pregnancy test will probably yield the same results as the first two.

2. Every woman wants to find the man of her dreams. I have learned that even though you may find him, you have to un-learn how to be single.

3. Without children, the way you live your life revolves primarily around you, and that's how you like it. Then you one day, you are pregnant and you don't know how you are going to be a parent. You think that God has made some horrible mistake because you don't know how to be a parent and you think you won't know what to do. But then without even recognizing that things change, they do. Suddenly, you find yourself sitting at home on a Friday night while you baby is with Grandma and Grandpa and you don't even know what to do with yourself without him present. Life is funny that way. I didn't want to lose my get-up-and-go-life, but now I wouldn't want to lose Lukin for anything, not even my old life.

4. Happiness does not rest inside of an envelope that you receive twice a month. The world may make it seem like it does, but it doesn't. Happiness is created with those you love and care about and those random moments that put a smile on your face.

5. Although you may be separated from your best friend(s) geographically, mentally and emotionally, no distance exists and you can still go home and pick up where you left off like you see them and talk to them every day.

6. Family is the most important thing. When I was single, I thought that climbing the socioeconomic ladder was the most important thing. Having Lukin has made me more appreciative of what my parents went through as being parents, more appreciative of that relationship between them as I look at how much parenting is all about teamwork, from the parents, extended family and all the friends of the family that want to help be a part of that family.

Well, on that note, I think I will add one last thing before heading off to bed. My sister called me tonight to tell me that one of her classmates had been murdered in Pennsylvania. His name was Jason Shephard, and my thoughts and prayers are with them tonight. Having lost my own sister 3 years ago, I understand the loss that they are feeling right now, and offer them my sympathies.