What is Normal?

I feel like life has been crazy these past few weeks. There have been so many activities taking up our time. Yet, when I do have the time I still don't feel like blogging or reading blogs. I have a few times. I do read your blogs, I do. I just don't comment as much as I think I should. And I don't feel like I should have to apologize, but it still feels like ignoring my friends when I don't comment. And I am sorry for that. I'm still here. I still care.

It always seems if we can get through these few days or the next few weeks or into spring, etc. that things will get back to normal. But I find myself really wondering what normal really is. Normal seems to be busy, so I may as well embrace that and learn to schedule life around it. I don't see things getting any calmer soon. Learning to manage my schedule is a must do. And finding a place in that for blogging (and review blogging) is important to me. Time with my family is also important, and that takes top billing. I just need to squeeze other things in when I have free time and use it wisely.

So, here are some things that you've been missing, especially if you don't follow me on my other blog, twitter, or facebook:

- Matt is leaving soon for another mission's trip. Some of you may remember when he went 2 1/2 years ago. He is blogging about it again, so if you'd like to see more about what he's up to while he's away let me know and I'll e-mail you the link for his Missions blog.

- Matt's well prepared for his trip, but we're sure going to miss him here. He'll be gone for two full weeks plus 2 full travel days, so almost 16 days. That's a long time for a stay at home mom to spend with no other adult in the house. We're planning a few distractions. There might be a trip to the grandparents for an evening or an overnight stay at some point. I'm also trying to think of fun things that we can go do just to break up the long day of being together all the time without Daddy around. But mostly I'm feeling OK about him being gone, and I'm excited for what he'll be doing on his trip.

- Last week we received a warning about people from our country going into the country Matt's going too (sorry I want to be a little vague). They were not telling people not to come, but they just wanted them to be on guard. While it did worry us a little, we still felt that it was safe and necessary for him (and the other guy who's going with him) to go. Then this week, we got notice that the threat was not a viable one, so there was no reason for alarm at all. Thank God! Of course I still have a few concerns about him going that far from home for that long, but I know that God has planned it all and things have fallen into place perfectly.

- My baby turned 5 two weeks ago! 5! It just seems so...grown up. He'll be starting kindergarten in the fall. We're getting ready to register for that and start that whole process. I'm nervous about it for sure, but I know it's going to happen whether I like it or not. I cannot get this kid to stop growing.

- Matt was sick two weeks ago. He was miserable for quite a while. The medication he was put on seems to have done the trick, and he's mostly better now just in time to leave.

- I hate to say this. We've had a pretty healthy winter. I know so many people/families have been really sick this winter. It's been a bad one. Zachariah continues (mostly) on the healthy path. I know how lucky I am that he's been such a healthy kid. See next item.

- Of course just before Matt leaves, Zachariah gets sick. He woke up yesterday morning with a fever, then threw up. Ugh! He took a nap in the morning, then he started to perk up. The fever went away right after he got sick, so that helped. We went out to dinner last night and he ate really well, probably because he didn't eat much all day at home. He was much better by bedtime. This morning...the fever is back. Poor baby. He's got a bit of a cough and this fever that did go down with some tylenol. I hope it doesn't get any worse.

- I'm starting to wonder today if I'm getting sick too. Of course! I sure hope it just passes quickly. Pray for me. I don't want to deal with being sick while I have no other adult help.

I know I have other things to share and blog about...like some things happening with my sister and what my cousin just went through. But I think I'll save that for later. For now I just wanted to get some words written here on this blog. I want to get back to normal.