old blogs

I told my sister in law that I had a blog but I had never published it. So I am copy/pasting it here.
Diane’s blog
January 18, 2010

A fabulous day, really. No work (not that I don’t like work, its just….work). Slept late enough to feel rested. Watched Joyce and prayed (wrote in my prayer journal) as I do each morning while sipping lovely coffee with hazelnut creamer and enjoying kashi cereal and OJ. Had a great ride to Bethel with Scott, just the two of us. I really enjoyed seeing Lele and hanging out with her. Spent some time in her dorm room catching up then off to downtown Newton to a wonderful german restaurant called the Breadbasket for lunch. Soup and sandwiches--delicious. Went way over our calories for today-oh well. (I had roast beef cheddar soup, whole wheat bread and butter and a small mesquite turkey sandwich and chips). Then over to Leah’s favorite coffee shop called Pages in a bookstore. The coffee tasted really good. And I snuck off to my favorite store in Newton and also bought a couple of things in the health food store--soynuts and dried papaya. Then saw where Leah has her astronomy class and looked at her latest ceramics pieces then met a few more of her friends. Then a nice drive home and got back in time to work out. It felt great to get back into it after my sinus infection even though I was shaky and had to stop step class early. Home in enough time to fix dinner, clean up, fold some laundry and now blogging and watching the KSU Texas game. Scott and Joel are at the game. I’m happy here in my warm home in my sweats. Plus when I get bored, I can read. I love starting the work week with clean sheets, little to no dirty laundry, feeling rested, a sorta clean house and full cupboards, even a full gas tank! And a relief to be back to health. AND a short work week! Life is good. I’m fairly easy to please.

Jan 19 early evening
Tired. A long day. Angry parent, angry kids, staff in a bad mood. Then a KAY meeting followed by a quick hard nap then supervision. I enjoy Marianne but I’m tired. Not done with the day yet. Will grab a quick meal with Joel then taking a friend, John, to the FD to talk to Scott about being fireman. Then I’ll hit my bed with my book early tonight. It was cool watching Joel interact with Marianne. He’s such a nice, personable kid. He impressed her. And me. I like him.

Jan 23 Saturday
Whew what a week! Can’t shake this sinus infection so I have good days where I can do everything I want to including work out and then days where I feel weak and tired and wrung out that I just hang out in bed. Today is in between. Part of me wants to work out, clean, even clean out closets but when I get up to do it, I physically run out of steam. This is the opposite of what one normally experiences--the body is willing but the motivation isn’t there. Oh well. I’ll do my typical work a little, read a little. I am fighting the temptation to work a little, eat a little. I have gained 2 pounds. Its actually the first time I’ve weighed since the cruise and last week with less activity. So I’ll just watch it a bit more and try to exercise more. And balance that with getting well!
I had a good conversation with my mom on the phone. I tried not to boss her or give her advice or get short with her and it went very well. We needed to have a good conversation. Also, today my goal is to be more loving to everyone around me, to look for opportunities to be loving. So instead of just being task oriented when texting mary, I told her I am praying for her busyness and let me know if she needs anything. She really appreciated it! Then I was more loving on the phone with mom. I missed an opportunity when joel asked me to preheat the oven and I forgot. And I need to be especially loving to scott. And I think to myself, too. I am going to work through the fruits of the spirit one at a time and then go back through the list. OR ask God which one He wants me to focus on each day. Thanks, Joyce! I may even get an FCA lesson out of it. Or several.

Monday
So good to feel better! A hard day--dealt with cyber bullying which makes me angry and then had an assembly that brought two girls to my office in utter tears. What about the other hurting kids? I hope they come tomorrow rather than hold it all in. I wish they’d let us know so we could process it better. Ugh.

I was tired but had a great workout. I like to work out. It was also good to dump all the stuff at grand ole trunk that I’d cleaned out yesterday. I’m reading Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard which is good too. And a fiction by Dean Koontz which is ok. I plan to turn in early tonight. Talked with me lele briefly but not hanny. Soon.

February 13, 2010
A fantastic day! Got up around 8 and had my quiet time and breakfast--whole wheat banana pancake! Then left for Bethel. Took Profie. We hung around her room with Ruthi then went on a walk. Saw a bunch of cool ducks that were under an overpass. They were beautiful. We could see their cute little feet paddling in the creek water. Some dogs came after us and we were afraid for Professor so we went the back way through the woods. It was a tad muddy but very fun. The weather was cool, two jackets but just right. Got back to the dorm and got in the car to go to lunch. Profie waited in the car while we ate at the Breadbasket. I had the cheddar steak soup. Then we walked downtown to the usual shops taking turns outside with Professor. Leah bought a black striped shirt with a collar and I got an electric can opener at the et cetera shop. We went back to Leah’s room and took a nap and read then went to say hi to her friends and invite them for a meal. More hanging out in the room then went to Walmart to get Leah some stuff she needed and got bread and cookies and salad for a meal for her friends. We went to pizza hut and got tuscan chicken. We walked while we were waiting in a questionable part of Newton. Then back to the dorm to get the food laid out and then David, Doug, Emma, Natalie and two other boys came for dinner. It was nice. The boys were shy and quiet but warmed up. They started working on a group art project. It was mellow. I left for home about 7:30. I love spending time with Leah and she enjoyed the day, too. Profie was just icing on the cake. The meals were fab and I loved the walk in the woods! I just really like Bethel and I’m glad Leah is there. I liked her friends better this time

February 28 Top Things To Do:
Drink coffee
Read novels
Play/cuddle with Rex and Profie
Step aerobics
Group exercise
Zumba
Fit ball class
Nap
Watch Oprah
Computer--face book, email, blog
Visit leah in Newton
Watch American Idol
Watch Project Runway
Walk the pups
Eat at Chipotle
Go out for coffee
Bible study
Prayer journal
Snack

April 23, 2010
I am sitting at Radina’s coffee shop at this moment. Scott is in Topeka then going from there to Hutch. I thought he was coming home tonight. I miss him. Tomorrow is prom so I will be buying Joel socks then getting ingredients and making dessert. I will take pics at 6 and finally meet Carolyn’s parents. Then home alone again. Scott invited me to stay with him in Hutch but I need to be in town prom night. On Sunday I may drive up and watch a soccer game then go take Lele to lunch. But I may not. I think it will depend on what scott wants to do by then. He may be pretty tired. Tonight I went to exercise class but Kelli wasn’t there and they didn’t do step so I left! I did boot camp last night and couldn’t face anymore weight lifting. Nor could my body. I needed cardio. So I went home to walk the dogs. I randomly called Mary to see if she wanted to go and she did! Then we stopped by to see Debbie. It was so good to see her and hug her. I’ve missed her. But sad, too. She got bad news. Lord, I pray for her again today. I did get to ask her about her salvation not in such blatant terms. She said she has asked Jesus to be her Lord and knows she’s forgiven but has a tiny doubt about her goodness due to her past. I need to look up some good verses to reassure her of her forgiveness and get them to her. I can’t even imagine facing my own mortality like that. She is so incredibly brave! I suppose God has prepared her as this is like her third time with the cancer. Well, more than that. But leaving your kids….. Lord, I lift up Debbie’s kids to You, also. Please let them come to You so that Debbie can know that and feel peace. I put them in Your hands now.
Earlier I went to Chipotle with Joel and Conner and Zeb. I am treasuring my time with Joel. Such precious time before he leaves. Yipes, can’t cry here. I do feel good about him going. I will just miss him. I know You are preparing me for this, too. I am starting to get excited about the possibilities of life without kids at home. But, oh, I miss them. I can go days without feeling pain from missing the girls so I know I can get to that point with Joel, too. I used to be terrified for him and that is going away. The trip in June will help. Then I will push through it. I know You will be with me, Lord, as You have been for every other hard thing.
A Praise! I got brave and asked Duke about FCA. If it is Your will, Lord, help it to be so. Don’t let my stupidity mess it up. Guide my thought life. I hope this file converts. I’m not ready to go home to an empty house yet tonight. I will be. I am learning how to be alone. Its not lonely. Sometimes, but rarely. Dang, I was going to call Mom tonight. I ought to leave and do that. Its sort of late. I’ll do it tomorrow. Be with her tonight, Lord. Let her sleep well. I wonder what Hannah is up to tonight. Probably drinking with her buds. Oh, it snowed there today--she texted me! Leah hasn’t texted that she’s to Oklahoma yet. She probably is but forgot to text. Keep her safe, Lord. Let Hannah find her renter tomorrow so she’ll know it was You! Keep Joel safe and guide his choices tonight and tomorrow night, Lord. Keep Scotty safe traveling. Yuck, I guess he’s driving the truck! Expensive! Ok, enough rambling. Time to read a bit then go home and get my jammies on. Night.

May 9,2010 Mother’s Day

I don’t feel well today but I also hate Mother’s Day. Ok, I am very, very thankful for my mom. But I always feel guilty on Mother’s Day that I’m not with her. And my expectations are high and my emotions run high. Scott always takes a nap on Mother’s Day (I made a joke out of it this year). The kids usually make me something. This year I just want to talk to them. Joel is being really sweet. He got me comic books sort of as a joke but because I like to read. Remind me next year to go see my mom! We’ll go get pedicures or something! God, please let Hannah call me today! Leah already did to see if I was coming to her concert. I haven’t missed a concert of hers in years! I hate Mother’s Day! Well, gonna go call my mom and tell her very genuinely that I miss her and that I wish I’d spent the day with her and that she made up for anything that I didn’t get from my dad. Then I will call Hannah. And Leah later. Happy Mother’s Day.