Chasing Contentment

Wednesday, October 25

More tales from Central Florida...

...I'm settling in at work. It's not ideal, but it pays the mortgage. I do owe a great big public apology to my friend, Aleece, who has for years said she wished she worked in a creative field (Aleece is an amazing artist who toils in a less-than-creative position). I've told Aleece that I wished that for her, too, but that it didn't really matter to me. Turns out, I was wrong. I miss the writing part of my former job like crazy.

The other day at work, I offered to write a term paper for a co-worker who is taking classes at a nearby college. And I would pass out from delight if someone would offer me a freelance writing gig.

...Mike has historically taken his time grading tests and assignments (I can hear Mandy and Josh laughing now... taken his time?! that's an understatement!), but now that he's got 45 kids in one class, he's having to get better. So Sunday evening, he stayed up until 1 a.m. grading so he could give the tests back in his 8 a.m. Monday class. But he left half the tests at home Monday morning on accident.

...Griff's adjusting to his new school. He told me last week that it was an easy school. I should have known he was bright enough to figure that out. After having been pushed all the time at the academic magnet he attended before, this is really easy.

We just found out today that the local school board voted to rezone our area, and Griff will be attending a new school next year. Lovely. My hope is that because it's a brand new school, it'll be well staffed and coordinated. I figure that's the best I can hope at this point. That, and that some of the kids Griff knows now will be switching schools with him.

...Eliza's learned to say, 'chill out, baby,' which cracks me up every time. She's also begun insisting on taking a doll or a baby or a bear or a big, stuffed, green & blue worm with us everywhere. She also insists on having it buckled in next to her in the van. She won't let Griff sit next to her in the van. Poor kid, he has to move to the back so her doll/baby/bear/worm can sit next to her.

...I've taken these white walls for as long as I can stand it. It's just too institutional for me. I miss the deeply colored walls we left. And so, this weekend, we're painting.

I let each of the kids select a color for their rooms. Since we've already got furniture in there, and moving it all seems like a pain in the tush, they each get an accent wall. Eliza picked pink. Griff had to be difficult. Griff chose light green, turquoise, and blood red. For one wall! But I'm going to do it, sucker that I am.

Of course, today I told Mike that I can't see painting (I know, after all of this choosing) because I can't even keep the house neat as it is. Mike hesitated before saying anything, and I said, "I know it's not a really straight line between point A and point B." He said, "It never is with you."

So some things are different (the weather here is fabulous instead of rainy) and yet some things stay the same.

[  posted by Chel on Wednesday, October 25, 2006  ]
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