While We're Still Here. . .

For all the reasons I haven't written here in so long (using Instagram instead, being too tired, too sad, too freakin' lazy, etc.) the main one, I'm embarrassed to admit, is that one of my darling children used my laptop for schoolwork and somehow whenever I went to log on to this site to write, what appeared was their Google Classroom page.  No matter how many tricks I tried in my (limited) I.T. arsenal, I was directed over and over to Google Classroom,  "WELCOME STUDENT!" and images of the last homework item submitted.  Aaargh!  But instead of hustling my computer to Geek Squad or humbly asking my tech-wiz husband, I resorted to one of the excuses in parentheses above.  For far too long.

BUT!  Tonight I sat down with some medicinal M&M's (dark chocolate ones!) and a cold glass of water and was determined to figure this thing out.  Because, the more I live with these people in my house and my life, I realize I have just got to try and chronicle and capture as much as I can.    My often sweet, often maddening, always loved children are growing more adult-like with every passing moment.   And with every new milestone: driving (sweet baby Jesus), first jobs and deepening voices---they remind me that very soon they really will be grown up and they will leave me like jerks.

Current state of Nate:  Playing spring rugby, lifting weights with his dad a few times a week, playing basketball in the cul-de-sac nonstop.  His voice is so deep now that Liv has sent me a text from her room once to ask me who the man is downstairs talking to Dad.

Current state of Liv:  Still enjoying high school, although the work is more challenging this year.  She and Nate are both seeing the same Spanish tutor, Tori, who has been a Godsend.  Next month her grandma and I are taking her and cousin Emma to the Panic at the Disco concert in Greensboro to celebrate her birthday.  Just the girls are going, of course. Grandma and I will be holding court at the hotel bar.  

Current state of Casa de Pellin:  Undergoing some interior changes.  Recently had the kitchen gutted but ran into some snags that caused us to be without a functioning kitchen sink for going on three weeks.  I KNOW this is a first-world problem but take-out, sandwiches and "snack dinners" are finally getting really old around here.  I will never take having running water in the kitchen for granted again.  Here's to my fetching-buckets-from-the-well ancestors.  Respect.

Looking forward to:  Spring break.  Liv's birthday (16!  I can't).  Ms. P's big 8-0!  Oh and in June we're meeting up with Pam in West Va at Stonewall Resort for a few days.  July will bring more travel for Liv, she'll be heading to Michigan for Young Life camp.

Stay tuned; hopefully next Sunday at this time I will have been able to actually wash some dinner dishes.