winning

We had Halloween last weekend. It began, predictably enough, with me frantic and fragmented and late to a school party. It followed that we attended a party, carved pumpkins, hung a light fixture, greeted house guests, drank some wine, made crowns in Sunday school, and then trick or treated.

Mine were the kids with pillow cases and grocery bags. Patrick's cape went missing and Annabeth's dress itched. We took exactly four photos, and the only one of the three lined up is blurry - as if the photographer were married to a shrill crazy lady in the backgound that somehow made him shake the camera.

Over heaping piles of candy the next day, we worked on a big, messy flower project. We did so stubbornly, with great fanfare, a lot of mod podge, and some noise.

This week, there two great spelling test scores and two field trips. We checked boxes off of reading journals and quizzed around breakfast crumbs. Tomorrow, we take Christmas photos.

Three rainy days this week, and the kids got their new rainboots THE DAY BEFORE THE RAIN CAME.

Dinners were hot, and vegetables were involved, and they mostly all at home. Which has to be worth something.

I worked out two mornings, early. I flaked on one meeting, and almost flaked on a dinner. But I recovered, and I attended.

I cried once - but it was brief. And I recovered from that just fine, too.

I dragged the kids to a fancy store to stock up on baby gifts. More big noise, and 2/3 had to stay in the car.

We got them all registered for basketball - inside of the deadline by several days! We didn't even have to place that call where we beg for an extension.

I lined up some doctor's appointments and I read four chapters of the Indian in the Cupboard out loud.

I finally passed my test. The relief is out of proportion to the score (which was fine. But - O! The relief!) And tonight, in the cold and the wet, after a spectacular finish, tonight we learn the Knights are going to playoffs! (No one could have predicted a 9-1 season for a school that's only had football three short years.)

It was not a graceful week, but a week well-lived. It is after midnight and unusually chilly. Sleep well, Little ones, and dream of victories large and small.