Is it Fair?

My grades posted today. I earned A's all around. To celebrate, Hubby is taking me on a date. One of my all-time favorite activities is eating. Knowing this, Hubby is planning on taking me out for dinner. Hooray! I like going out to eat. However, it gets expensive, so we don't do it often. Luckily, we have a gift card and the restaurant we're going to is having a cheap 2 entree deal.

The problem is, I still have eight kids that need to eat dinner since they are not invited on the date. I was wracking my brains this morning trying to think of a meal that would require the least amount of effort on my part, but that the kids would still like. After thinking and thinking, it dawned on me...

Ramen Noodle Soup!

My kids all love Ramen Noodle. They beg for it constantly. I usually refuse to make it for them. Personally, I dislike the flavor. And I don't want to make a dinner that I can't/won't eat.

This is their chance to have as much Ramen as they want! And they can even make it themselves, so I don't have to do any extra work at all! Hooray!

But then I started to think..Having my kids make their own dinner and subjecting them to (yucky) Ramen just didn't seem fair. I felt like I was being a lazy Mom going that route.

So then I decided, I better look at this from my kids perspective.

And do you know what my kids would say:

"We get to make our own dinner?  YESSSS!!!" (followed by cheers)

"We get to eat Ramen Noodle? Any flavor we want? YESSSS!!!" (followed by cheers)

They are going to be thrilled.

And me, well, I am going to order a dinner with mushrooms. Does that sound fair?? Again, I looked at it from my kids perspective. And my kids would say:

"Mom, are you sure you don't want some Ramen? We can save you a bowl! You don't have to eat mushrooms."

They'll think they are the ones getting the better deal.

Aaah. The joys of youth and undeveloped palates. ;)

ROCK! ON!

My first semester of graduate classes is officially over.

Final grades are starting to trickle in.

I have the final results from three classes

And guess what!

I ROCK!!!

I earned an "A" in two classes and a "P" in the third.

In the two "A" classes, I scored 100% on all assignments. Holy Smokes Batman! I think all my Mom's mean and ridiculously thorough editing of any paper I ever wrote as a kid has finally paid off! Hahaha!  Thanks Mom!

In the "P" class, that was a Pass or Fail only class. A pass only required a 76% or higher. I scored a 99.5%!  Mwhahaha!

I like college so much more than I ever liked high school!  My grades fare so much better when my grades on based on the actual work I produce and when I only have to attend classes once a week.

High school was tough!

I had to go to class everyday, ALL day!

That might not seem like a big thing, since everyone in America has the same requirement.

However, for this sicky asthmatic kid, getting to school everyday was not an easy thing.  And my grades suffered greatly.

So I am thrilled that in college, I am doing well.

Hooray for me!

And Hooray for classes that only meet once a week! :)

Whadda Ya Know!

Wow! A new post only one day later. Whadda ya know! My sister will be so pleased.

Our family attended one of the "fun" activities last night. It was put on by my licensing agency.

It was a rejuvenating experience.

I've been really debating the whole foster parent thing as of late. It is a hard job. It is time for our family to relicense. Relicensing is an involved and time-consuming process. And since I wasn't sure if I even wanted to be a foster parent anymore, I was considering just not filling out any of the paperwork. Just letting my license run out. (That's the avoidance technique in full swing.)

But after last night, I am recommitted to being a foster parent.

It was wonderful being surrounded by other foster parents, just talking, laughing, and enjoying life. They are such an amazing group of people. And I am grateful for their association.

So anyhoo, YES! I have a ton to do.

But I LOVE IT!

I just have to keep plugging along.

Avoidance

People ask me all the time how I do everything that I do. Usually, I just laugh about that, because it doesn't seem to me that I do anything at all.

But today, I am feeling it.

All the projects I took on...well, they are all being very demanding this month. This week and next are, in particular, going to be rough.

And how will I deal with it?

Avoidance.

Avoidance is my friend. You see, if I ignore a problem long enough, it magically disappears.

True story.

So today, when the world seems to be crashing down on me...I am ignoring it all and instead writing to YOU on this lovely little blog of mine.

Isn't it wonderful? :)

And just for my own sanity, that is the sanity that I hope to regain sometime soon, I need to list a few of the things I've got going so that I will remember better next time and hopefully, not take on so many projects at once.

Things I've got Going on:

1) Mom to five kids

2) Volunteering for Anne's field trip: something about making dinner for the entire third-grade class and their families...

3) Trying to keep Baby Jim from killing himself. He has learned how to walk and climb and open front doors and be super quiet as he moves faster than light. (I think he might be part weeping angel. Seriously people!! I blink and things get scary!!!)

4) Teaching piano to Rose, Anne, and Joe. Trying to get them to practice and doing my best not to cuss them out after hearing chopsticks and heart and soul for the millionth time. Again, seriously people! I almost cussed at my kids! :(

5) Supporting Hubby as he transitions to a new position while still working the old position.

6) Dealing with a professor who does not know how to properly put together an assignment.

7) Finals week!!!  With two finals from the prof. who doesn't know how to give a proper assignment.

By the way, a proper assignment clearly outlines what the teacher wants to see and is perfectly aligned with the way it will be graded. And it should be based on something that was actually covered in YOUR class!

8) Foster appointments out the wazoo. Can I just tell you that NO ONE should get into foster care unless they are ready to commit to it as a full-time job. I am on the phone for hours a day, trying to arrange appointments, contacting this person or that. There are medical appointments, dental appointments, counseling appointments, independent living appointments, CFT meetings, DDD meetings, IEP meetings, and then there are the "fun" activities we are supposed to attend to show our foster kids a good time, except that my foster kids are teenagers and think most of these activities are completely lame, but we still have to go.

9) Dealing with Foster kids, who are lovely girls, but still teenagers. And teenagers, at their best, are still teenagers. And I don't feel that needs any further explanation. ;)

10) Rose has band concerts and competitions, and a class field trip coming up.

11) Driving to Phoenix next week for Foster medical appointment.  Drove to Tucson last week. That was a killer day.

There is more going on, except I think I have avoided my homework long enough.

I had better get back to it...before the Babe wakes up from his mid-day nap.

Wish me luck.

I will try to get back to posting regularly at some point.

Key word there: Try.