7 YEARS...

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Miles Today: 10.0
Miles This Year: 1510
Goal for the year: 1000 (so there...in your face!)


Great long run this morning!!  I was afraid it would be raining, but when I didn't hear the drops, I hit the pavement.  NIce, quiet (and VERY dark), and peaceful run.  

I guess God sent the peace early, because I got the stress later.  Both kids had horrible days at school.  It breaks my heart to hear that they are not listening, being disruptive and Dub is even being aggressive.  As a mother who thought her children were so well-behaved and have never had any behavioral issues, this is so stressful.  

As a last resort, while tucking them in tonight, Ben and I told them that Pierre (our Elf on the Shelf) would be hiding in their classrooms watching them today and he would let Santa Claus know how they day goes.  PLEASE WORK, PIERRE!!  We need a fantastic day tomorrow!!

                

we believe in you, Pierre!!

We got home from school and I just felt defeated.  I have been taking away toys...and dessert...and anything fun at home as punishment for poor behavior at school and we are just about out of things to take away.  I have tried rewarding them for being good, but that hasn't worked either.  I told them if they had a great day, we would go to church tonight and choir practice.  However, even after a bad day, I didn't feel like I should take away church.

Plus--to be honest...having them at home with nothing to do and play with is a beating on me!!  I feel so terrible.  I pray for patience all day!

We did run into some old buddies at church tonight...and that is always fun!!

Michael and Juan...you stinkers!!  I have missed you so much!

7 YEARS...ago today, our lives were turned upside down by a little beaut' names Katrina.  Benny and I were living in New Orleans at the time.  Earlier that August, we had moved into a nice 2 story duplex and were just settling in when our second car was stolen (yeah--2 cars in nine months).  So, in a deluxe Buick rental car, we headed home to Montgomery for the weekend to buy a new car.  Little did we know this was right behind us...

source

Our house, although 6 feet off the ground, had about 7 feet of water in it and it didn't "drain" for quite some time.  They let residents back into town by zip code, depending on the levels of damage and amount of water, and we did not get back until November.  There was mold EVERYWHERE.  It was truly gross.  Needless to say, we didn't bring much back with us after that trip.  I have some pictures of our house before and after the storm...I'll have to find them...

source  

We bought a house here and have been here since then.  Even while living there, we knew that one day we would move back...we just though we would get to decide when.  Oh well...

Times like that in your life really make you sit back and look at all the things that you have (or had) and see all the things that you REALLY don't need!!  Thank goodness for large families and wonderful friends, we didn't want for anything.

And--when we sold our house this summer, we looked at each other and the 2 jammed-packed PODS and thought....where did we get all of this crap?!?!?!  We literally moved into this house with NOTHING!  haha...

Just another note--the storm hit on Monday morning and our rental car had to be turned in by the end of the month (Wednesday).  We called Allstate on Tuesday to ask if we could hang on to it for a few extra days since we were a little scattered.  They said no problem--the deluxe Buick rental car was now the least of their worries.  We actually drove it back down to New Orleans in November when we went back to survey the damage.  Thanks, Allstate, for letting us procrastinate buying that new car!

I am thinking about all of the people on the coast, who are once again battling the wind and the rain.  Praying that the winds die down and your damage is minimal.

I am about to head to bed and thinking about tomorrow makes me anxious.  My fingers are crossed for a very good day!!

Anyway...that's my day.  I swear...it'll get better!

Questions for today...

Are you a Christmas fanatic, like me and my whole family?  (just get ready for the December posts)

I will gladly take any advice given for bribing children to behave.  You got any?

Any other Katrina refugees out there?