Signing On

I miss photography, and my blog.  What a crazy time of life! Anna is in high school now, and has tons of homework, which requires my laptop.  So, I'm taking advantage of actually having my laptop while she and Ryan are in Big Bear at a retreat with their youth group.  So, it's just Rich, Sara, and me this weekend.

We're planning on going to the Black Bear Diner for dinner, a place I've been wanted to try for years! It's my lucky day ; )

Tomorrow we are planning on going skiing.  It's supposed to snow a lot, so I hope we're able to get up  and down the mountain ok.

I have not photographed in a while.  Besides photographing for church, the last time was in Mammoth.  I'm in a rut.  I'm would really like to take some photography classes…some day when I have more time…

What the days have been like:

Wake up way too early, drive Anna to school, go to work, pick up Sara and Ryan from school, bring them home, pick up Anna from school, have dinner, clean the kitchen, do homework, get Sara to bed, and I'm in bed shortly after.  Weekends are mostly spent cleaning and doing laundry.  Of course, there are some fun things thrown in, like choir, cheer, and horseback riding lessons for Sara, Band practice for Anna and Ryan, Volleyball and Basketball for Ryan, and Cross Country and Track for Anna.  Rich and I are mostly just tired.

I've heard it said once that having adolescent kids is a lot of being in "survival mode" and some days it feels that way.  They're busy, and they stay up late.  When I'm ready to go bed, they're ready to cuddle and talk.  They mess up the kitchen again after it gets all cleaned up. It's clear that they are approaching adulthood and independence more and more, so I find myself being sentimental and clinging to the time we have and being annoyed at them for one reason or another all at the same time.

We changed churches over the summer…actually we were in transition between churches for several years, but this summer we decided to call a different church "our church."  It has been great (but really no words to describe….gratitude, maybe?).  I have learned and experienced the grace and glory of God more in the past 8 months than ever.  What a blessing it has been for our family.

So that's that for now.  Time to eat.