Spicy Dragons & Dinosaurs

The cat wakes up from his early morning nap. He stretches, sits, cleans himself a little bit, and looks for all the world like he is wondering just what trouble he can get into. Then, he turns to me and pounces on my typing hands.

Silly DiDi Chi.

I am lazy this week and it is wonderful. I have slept in or taken naps every day -- where do I get the need for all this sleep. The waves of grief comes and go, as do waves of realization that are a bit different. Reality of being along, or sometimes, strength and knowing what I am doing is right.

I am baking this week -- for teacher gifts and for the 3rd grading reading party tomorrow. I am organizing in the house, especially the computer/toy room. Old systems are no longer working. Julia is not cleaning up very well with out a lot of supervision, which is such a drag. She pulls stuff, like paper, out and leaves everything where it falls when she find the piece she is looking for. I know this is not untypical for her age, but such a drag for me.

I had an assignment form Marilyn this week and just have not gotten to it. Oh, being lazy!

On the weekend, I wrote a letter about what I would like to do in China and sent it too about five organizations and to a friend who is in the adoption world. Of the six requests, I have heard from four, all encouraging and all willing to answer questions and give advice. I am hoping to find out more about what I need to know, what I should be learning, and how I can work on supporting myself if I take on the project that I propose. It is quite exciting.

I have had the thought to spear head an all district PTO for parents and teachers of kids with disabilities. I am not looking to put more on my plate than is already there, but there seems to be such a need, and a friend sent me the announcement of a grant that might have some funds for such a project.

Am I spreading myself too thin? If only I was thin.

I have not written this, but last weekend Julia made us hot chocolate on Sunday morning! It was scary when I saw what she did but she did a very good job of it. She used our hot pot to make the boiling water, she gave us very special cups -- which I had no idea she knew about. She put the cups into a large plastic container when she poured the water and then some milk so that the liquid did not make a mess. And when she was finished, she called me downstairs with such a joyful call. She did, however, make sure that I knew that the bigger cup was for her and the smaller for me. Maybe I should have chided her for climbing on a chair to get the cups, using the hot pot, and making a wee bit of mess on the counter, but she was so proud of herself, and I was so pleased with her independence.

It is funny that as Julia loses a bit of her bossiness, and becomes more dependent on me, and wants to please me more, she grows more self-confident and independent. It is a lovely, confusing statement. So happy to be writing it.