And so begins another semester...

I am sitting here watching shows I DVRed tonight reflecting on the week so far. Lexi and I returned to our school schedules on Tuesday. Lexi was quite excited. As for me...I'm not so sure. I am only taking 6 credit hours this semester, but the workload appears to be as much as last semester when I was taking 9. I am taking an English literature class for future teachers of middle grades Language Arts (in middle grades you must chose two subjects and while I would prefer to teach Math this is a necessary evil) and a freshman level Health and Personal Fitness class that I've been putting off until I no longer could. For my English class I will need to reread many classics I was force fed in my middle grades years. Through the course of the semester, I will read To Kill a Mockingbird, Old Yeller, Call of the Wild, among many others. I started classes on Tuesday and have already read To Kill a Mockingbird in all my spare time with two kids (<--sarcasm here). By next week, I will complete another. And that appears to be my plight for the remainder of the semester. That's just for one class!

Fortunately, this semester Stefan and I were able to work it out where we will not need the assistance of family to mind the kids to suit our schedules. This is a nice break for my mom and mother-in-law who have been helping in this area for the 4 years that I have been at this whole chasing-my-dream thing. I'm sure they will enjoy their break. With the good comes the bad, though. My classes begin at 11 and end at 3:15. Since Lexi gets off the school bus at 2:30 and Stefan must be to work downtown at 4, he has to get Lexi off the bus, load the girls in the car, meet me at my car in the school parking lot, and leave for work from there while I return home with the munchkins. It is a bit hectic but it appears to be working thus far.

Lexi's been thrilled to be back in school. When her homework packet came home Monday, she wanted to complete the entire week's worth of homework all at once--which is usual for her and indicative of her being back in the swing of things. While I was reading for MY homework the other night, she wanted to help me. I tried to explain that it was a book not for children so young. She then reasoned that she could read the words she knows and I could fill in the ones she didn't. That would've been fine if the part I was reading was not peppered with the "n" word. So I encouraged her to find something else to do. I sat in silence in the living room reading away when she returned with a book of her own and sat down with it on the couch opposite of me. Apparently, she has mastered the art of reading silently (finally) and we sat in silence as the words from the pages came to life in our minds. Although nothing was said between us and although we were reading different pieces I thought this was a wonderful bonding moment with her--sharing with and instilling in her one of my passions.

Abby has also been increasing her skills. Two days ago I fed her lunch and when she was done I lifted her from her high chair leaving the dishes for later. I was reading (which is going to be my life as you can tell) and I heard two plastic thunks hit the stainless sink. I turned to see Abby rounding the corner of the kitchen. When I went to inspect what I fully thought would be a mess on the floor or toys in the sink, I found that she had cleared her own dishes from the tray and placed them in the sink which is way over her head. Yippee!!!! She can also work basic, wooden toddler puzzles and will work and rework the two she has many times before she becomes bored with the process. I love to see her little mind at work and she never ceases to amaze me. She's a brilliant little girl with so much potential.

We truly are blessed.