A Little Love

Wow - The past two weeks have been crazy busy. But, I am feeling the love.

Let's see:

1. I love our exchange student. She is wonderful. I am so happy that we have somebody who isn't freaked out by the craziness that is our family and someone who doesn't add to the craziness either. So far the experience is perfect.

2. I love photography school. The only downside is my weeks go by SO fast. I mean freakishly fast. And since this is the beginning and we are learning everything from the beginning, photography has become a little more difficult. (If you are familiar with photography - we have to keep the camera on P setting and can only adjust the ISO). But, I love it and I am learning so much. This is a sample from my homework this week-end. We are just starting landscapes. This is actually portrait style rather than landscape - but I hope it works. I liked it anyway. We are working on framing and ISO, so that is all we are allowed to play with right now.

3. I love being out of the house. I feel a little guilty saying that because I do really love being home with my kids. But, I have been home with my kids for fourteen years. It is really fun to get out and talk to other adults. Although, everyone in my class is closer to my kids' ages than to my age. But, it is still nice. 

4. I am learning a lot about time management in the kitchen. Being out of the house has brought some new challenges in the kitchen. But, I am loving coming home and making a meal for my family. I am learning to appreciate it even more than I did before. (I can't wait to get some extra income so I can really start playing around in the kitchen...and with extra photography skills too!)

5. I love how we are all learning to juggle our schedules a little better. My husband is learning to do the school runs in between working. The kids are learning how to help out a little more. I am learning how to juggle two batches of homework everyday ( I still haven't finished my last degree...although I am really getting close now), helping five kids with homework instead of four, being out of the house all day, and still finding time for my hubby, the kids, church, chores and everything else that needs to get done around here. 

I am hoping that soon I will finish my last batch of classes for my BA degree freeing up a little time and energy and that I will be able to find a little time to relax...somewhere in there. If not...I should have my time management skills perfected by the end of the year. 

6. I love that life continually brings changes and learning experiences. I always feel like I am growing and learning and ever so slowly improving.

7.  I love that I have the opportunity to create a life for myself. Although I am limited by time and money I can still constantly move forward and I think I love that most of all.

Prepping for our International Student

I am just getting ready to pick up our exchange student at the airport. We have been looking forward to her arrival for weeks but as the pick up time approaches our nerves are kicking in. 

The older boys have asked "will she like us?" and the six year old has asked me "will I like her?". Today my answer has been the same to both questions, "I hope so".  

I really want a good experience for all of us. We are looking forward to introducing her to all of the things we love about our new home and hope that we can learn a little more about Italy as well. 

The hubby finished the bed last night...

and put it up this morning.

(These photos are a perfect example of why I need to go to photography school. I could not get clear pictures at all.) 

I love that my hubby made a bed out of 2x4s. 

The boys insisted on trying it out. They wanted to make sure she had a good view looking out the window. 

I am happy that we have her room all put together - on time - and I am looking forward to meeting the girl who will be part of our family for the next few months. I hope we can make life comfortable for her. I am sure she is much more nervous than we are.  

I am also really looking forward to seeing what the hubby makes next. The boys have been asking for shark beds...

Checking Off My To Do List

It always feels good to get to the end of the day and place a number of checkmarks on my to do list.

We have been prepping the house for our new houseguest who is arriving next week.

We are hosting an international exchange student from Treviso, Italy and we are so excited to meet her. Our house is still not fully furnished. I am hoping she doesn't mind. We have been working to make sure her room is furnished.

My husband is making a bed out of 2x4s and 2x6s. He even made the paneling out of 2x4s (read: very small budget). Here is his little preview... I'll be taking photos when it is finished.

It is going to look great. He is putting it all together today and should have the first coat of paint on it before we go to bed tonight.

Slowly...slowly...the house gets put together. I am hoping to have it comfortable by Christmas.

Today all of the kids were registered for school, which was a little disappointing for a couple of them but I was really happy to get all of the paperwork done. That took up most of the afternoon and was a bit of a reality check for all of us that summer is coming to an end very quickly.

My hubby starts a new job on Monday. Not his dream job...but, not so bad either. We are happy that he has full-time work. After a month of unemployment our bank account is looking forward to finally getting some inputs.

The best part (for me anyway) about my hubby's job and the school info getting done is that I have been able to co-ordinate all of our schedules and discover that I can move forward on my own plans for September.

For a long time I have been trying to improve my photography. I love being behind the camera and I have been enjoying learning how to improve. Maybe I am just impatient but I haven't been improving as quickly as I would like to. So, I have decided to really do something about that.

In 12 days I get to go (oh yes leave the house and physically go) to photography school...for ten months. I am so excited. I was accepted months ago but I wasn't sure how our schedules would work out. I have been hoping I could go but, I am always a mom first and I needed to make sure my kids would be taken care of and that either I or my husband would be there to take them to school and to pick them up...and it has worked out. Today is the first day that I have been able to say that I am definitely going to school this fall.

The first couple months will be a little intense as I am also finishing my last degree ( I finish in October). But I am ready for the challenge...