well, eight isn't bad...

Suzanne and Sonja, all ready for school. I finally cut Miss Sonja's tangly curly hair last night....it made me sad, but it is now more managable and less painful for her. I mean, to me that is just vanity if I make her suffer the tangles to have long pretty hair. And not just tangles, she would just get clumps of matted hair all the time because of the curliness and texture of her hair. And besides, now she has short pretty hair. She loves it, too. But now Suze wants a cut....we'll see. Little Miss Monkey Camille. She climbed up on top of the dog cage to see in the mirror. She had a brush and was fixing her hair.

Jonathan got to stay home today. He told me last night that the teachers in school were "concerned" about his cough. That is exactly what he said. I asked him what they said, and he said they looked at each other when he coughed. Perceptive little guy, isn't he? He does seem to have a cold and cough, but not very bad, not enough to make me start thinking DR.....anyway, I let him stay home today. And I am very excited about it, because he can be such a joy. His little sisters are going to be so happy when they wake up and see him here.

Camille woke up three times last night, but all three times she went back to sleep on her own. I am glad about that. Finally.....!

Today we are going to clean out a closet when Mirielle gets home from college. I am lucky to have such a daughter who is willing to help with things like this. Yesterday she cleaned out under the kitchen sink. We got rid of two blenders with missing parts, a popcorn popper that had gotten wet, and a couple of drink pitchers that look yucky and we never use. I like doing things like that, cleaning out cupboards and closets. I get them all nice and think, "I am always going to keep it like this"....but even when I think that, part of me knows me, and knows darn well that ain't gonna happen. It's a good thing one doesn't have to pass an "organized" test to have children. Especially lots of children. It isn't complete chaos here, I am organized about some things. And somehow, we thrive and survive.

It was so nice to be with Abigail yesterday. Now I know how my mother felt when I went down to visit her. I hope she gets this job she interviewed for. It must be hard to be 23 years old and have no money. The economy IS tough right now, Mirielle, Benjamin, Joseph, and Aaron have put applications in all over the town and small city, and haven't had any calls. When they hear somewhere is hiring, they go online and apply, and haven't gotten anything yet.

I guess I am going to start taking classes soon, and probably go to nursing school. I am nervous about it, what if I can't do it? What if I flunk out? Or don't even make it in? But we are thinking how nice it would be if I got an RN degree, and could start working even 5 or six years down the road.....Paul could retire. (he has worked for 25 years, and has never had more than two weeks of vacation a year. Two weeks. He needs a break.) It only seems fair that I do that for him after how nicely he has supported me all these years. I have gotten to stay home for 25 years, taking care of kids. It has been rough sometimes, but mostly heavenly. Not the housework, the kids. ( Truly, I love a clean house, but I have to MAKE myself do the work. I have to tell myself how nice it looks, and how it is my job, and how nice it is when Paul comes in and it is clean in here. I have to kick myself in the.....to get up and move it and clean. rrr. I wish I always had the nesting instinct. It simply isn't there. )Anyway, back to nursing school. I am not totally excited about it because of that niggling thought that I am not capable, but I am going to try, anyway.

And now I am going to give myself that kick and get out there and start on the kitchen. And throw in some laundry. I did three loads yesterday, so it isn't too bad. I have to sweep the living room again, and vacuum around the edges. Which I totally love doing. I love vacuuming. I was sad when we got rid of the carpet, for only that reason, I love to vacuum. But I quickly realized that using the hose of the vacuum to do all the edges and corners gets up all the dog hair and dust that collect there....and I am not getting paid to say I LOVE my DYSON vacuum cleaner. Just love love love it. It is my favorite earthly possession. I got it cheap, half price, and am almost scared it will break and I will have to go back to an awful Eureka or Hoover again. Or the dreaded Dirt Devil. ugh. I have gone through so many of those. It starts out all exciting, then it gets clogged. And the belt breaks. Or the motor burns out. anyway....I love vacuuming. I think it is because when I was little and my mother vacuumed everyday, and I loved the hum of it....now I have to be careful because it drowns out everything, and I can be in my own thoughts, and I have to watch out that the kids aren't getting into anything while I go on my merry way.

Can you say PROCRASTINATE? oh, I am good at that...