This was one of the items that got done during our trip to Big Bear/LA:
21. Finish all the consulate work in LA
I’ve been married almost eight years, had a kid 5 years ago, and became a citizen 4.5 years ago and had another baby 9 months ago. As these things happened, I was supposed to notify the Turkish government so they were aware of it.
Then Turkey changed their social security cards and mine became obsolete. And then my passport expired. So now, none of my paperwork is valid. My kids are not Turkish citizens and I have been putting off taking care of this for a long, long time.
During our trip to Anaheim for CHA, I decided to finally take care of it all. I had done the marriage part through New York (we got married in Boston) so I brought all the paperwork they needed, some photos, some cash and I was ready.
Except they had no internet so none of their systems were working. My kids were sick and grouchy and we all wanted to go home already.
Thankfully a very kind woman who works there felt sorry for me, gave me all the forms to fill out and took my money and my details and said she’d take care of it all for me and to call her in a month to follow up but I should be all set.
So I gave her all my documentation and we got back in the car to go home.
Assuming they don’t lose all my identification, this was a very successful and short trip.
And most significantly, it’s done. Done. Done. Done.
You know how sometimes you put something off so long that it feels like a huge burden. That’s what this was, so it’s a big deal that it’s done.
yey!
And more snow. Sick of it yet?
Now that the kids are well, it was bound to happen: I am totally sick. Shivering, sweating, in pain, sick sick sick. Last night was really scary, I was drenched in sweat and Nathaniel was crying and I wasn’t sure how to make it to morning. It’s funny that I was telling Jake I wish I could have a weekend where I did nothing but watch TV. And he said that I could and I said that I couldn’t. It looks like I can because I certainly cannot do anything else. I am so so tired. I guess this is the universe’s way of telling me to rest.
Here’s David wearing my hat. Doesn’t he look amazing?
Nathaniel wasn’t too excited about wearing it. Like his mommy, he doesn’t care for hats.
Not much else to say today except that I am tired. I hope you have a fantastic weekend.
Note to Self:
I was watching a TV show today where a girl had an accident which caused her to have to give up on a particular dream (she was a gymnast and she broke her back) and it made me realize that we’re so lucky because in our lifetime we get to have so many dreams. If you’d told me ten years ago that I would spend this much time scrapbooking and doing art, I would have laughed at you. I was writing novels then and had dreams about bring in print. Now I have dreams related to my art. Ten years from now, I will have other dreams. I dreamt about living in New York, San Diego, and San Francisco and got to have them all come true. I dreamt about a green card and then citizenship. I dreamt about healthy kids. I just feel lucky that I get to dream so much and so many of my dreams come true. It also reminds me not to get caught up on any particular dream too much, as I am likely to have more dreams so it’s ok if one particular one doesn’t come true.
Three things I’m grateful for today:
1. I am thankful to have lots of fun TV to watch since I am so sick and not really able to do much of anything else.
2. I am thankful that Jake bought lots of groceries today and we have fresh fruits and veggies to eat now.
3. I am thankful that I have the world’s greatest kids and that they were so nice to me today when I really needed them to be. I am really so very blessed and I do not forget that for an instant.
The journaling reads:
Last year, one of the teachers in David’s preschool told me that I should get some workbooks for David. “He’s showing an interest in the ones we have at school and I think he might like to have some at home,” she said.
So I got a bunch of workbooks for us to do together. David devoured them. And then my sister brought some from Turkey when she came to visit. David devoured those, too. He colored them, he put stickers in the right places, he connected the lines. He just loved working his way through the different exercises.
This year, I got him a whole set of new workbooks. Ones on math and letters and thinking skills and we regularly sit together and work on them. He’s not even five and he can already read and write all of his upper and lowercase letters. He can count to who knows what number and he can do basic addition and subtraction. All because he wants to.
And because these magical workbooks make it so much fun.
More snow. There was so so much.
Things are finally getting better here. The kids are feeling better. The noses are still running but fevers are gone and the moods are improved. I love watching my kids play together. I get so much joy out of it.
And here’s the little boy. Always with things in his mouth.
Chewing and chewing. He’s already got 4 teeth and I think 2 more are coming out. I am guessing that’s why he’s chewing so very much.
Nathaniel was really off last night. His nose was so full that he couldn’t sleep and wanted to hold my hand from 10-midnight. He slept on my hand and if I moved at all, he’d wake up and cry. And then he woke up at 4:30 and would not go back to sleep so he just nursed and nursed until morning and since he hadn’t eaten enough yesterday, I just let him drink. Which all meant that I was wiped all day.
Note to Self:
There are certain things that I just don’t deal well with and it’s important for me to know that. Today, someone came to fix the crack in our windshield and within minutes I was signing all these waivers that my windshield might crack or that I could still see the crack even when it’s filled and I just felt immediately stressed out. I was annoyed that I had to make such choices and I was frustrated that if they broke my window, it was going to be my problem. It could be that I was so tired but I just felt overwhelmed and unable to make the decision. As it turned out, he fixed the crack and we’re all set but it was amazing to notice how much I got worked up over it.
Three things I’m grateful for today:
1. I am really grateful that the windshield is now fixed.
2. I ordered our Christmas tree and that makes me really really happy. It was on my list since the first week of January.
3. I am thankful my family is healing and that things might slowly be getting back to normal.
This week’s download is some circular journaling. Here is what they look like:
You can download it here: circular journaling download.
You are welcome to play with these as much as you want and use them anywhere you’d like. You are NOT allowed to sell them ever. You don’t have to but I’d appreciate a link back if you do use them.
This is part of a weekly digital download series. They are posted every Thursday. You can find all of the ones that were posted here. If you like my downloads, please click here and give me ideas/requests for 2010. I would like to continue this feature but I am not sure I can come up with enough ideas on my own.
Anne Tyler is my favorite writer. I love her. I love her books. I love the ordinariness of her characters and how their small lives suck me in. How much I love living in her worlds and how sad I am when they are over. When I heard Noah’s Compass was coming out, I was so excited. Another novel by Tyler. She does write consistently but she’s not so prolific. You have to be patient. I wish she wrote six books a year, I can never get enough.
Noah’s Compass was no exception. I read it in one day. I wished there was more. I felt like I was living in the world of her characters. It made me think about growing old. About the choices I make. About how much presence matters. Being present in your own life. Being there. now. Being here. now. Taking it all in. Being accountable. How very much it all matters.
I love this book. I need to go back and read some of her older books now. She’s so very magnificent.
Another photo from Big Bear. I don’t like the composition here but I love the photo for some reason.
The kids are still really sick. Nathaniel has a lowish grade fever. Last night he went to bed at 4pm and I thought he’d take a quickie nap but he would not wake up so I let him sleep and he woke up briefly at 10pm for some milk and then slept all the way to 7:15am. I woke up a few times but overall this meant that I got some really good sleep.
His nose is dripping constantly and I don’t want to wipe it cause he really hates it.
David’s is too and he’s all red under his nose. So it’s a lot of grouchiness and whining here, still. Rightfully so. Today was a bit better but I am still not back in my routine, David’s still home from school, and I just have so much catching up to do. But all shall happen in time. I am trying to be patient. And reminding myself that it’s not a race and all shall get done in time.
Note to Self:
I had to spend some of today shopping for gifts and some essentials and I just want to say that I HATE shopping. Even for fun stuff. I just spend hours and hours reading reviews that contradict each other 100% and get even more confused and then try to get a good deal so I spend way more hours that I should need to on that where it’s not even worth the deal anymore. So much wasted time and effort that by the end of it, I feel spent, frustrated, and just sad I have to do it at all. So I just hate shopping. I hate everything about it.
Three things I’m grateful for today:
1. I am grateful that Nathaniel seems to be getting better. He’s eating a bit more and is a little less lethargic.
2. I am really grateful that the stupid shopping is done and now I have booster seats coming my way and a bunch of other essentials. And I’ve already made appointments to get seats installed in the cars and get the windshield fixed and get the cars detailed. A bunch of todo list items are done.
3. I am grateful that while I have a bunch of things I’d like to get done, I don’t actually have any major deadlines so I can take my time and get things done slowly and deliberately. I am aware that this is a luxury.
A photo from our trip to Big Bear.
As it turns out, I am not really over our week. I am still feeling tired, worn out, and all around grouchy. I didn’t really get anything done today and yet I still feel uneasy and full of frustration. I am hoping it will go away.
Nathaniel is still sick with a fever, cough, and runny nose. He’s feeling miserable and I am not sure how to help him. So I try to make sure he rests a lot, drinks a lot of milk, and gets regular medicine. I am hoping he’ll feel better soon.
Though he’s generally in good spirits which is wonderful. So is David despite his continually running nose. (So much that he’s got sores between his lips and nose from blowing it so much.)
I am just feeling overwhelmed and tired. This vacation was supposed to be relaxing and a lot of resting, instead it was mostly stress and more stress so now I don’t know how to rest.
Note to Self:
I need to make a list of things that can help me get out of a funk. I don’t want to waste any of my days being in a funk but I don’t really know how to cure it. I know some people need fresh air, others use food, or a shower, or a good book. I just need to make my own list and when I am having days like this, I need to just go down the list until one works. Do you have such a list? Or things that often help you get out of a funk?
Three things I’m grateful for today:
1. Our car. We have a Honda CRV which has been a trooper this whole trip. We got it serviced today and I am so thankful for this durable, dependable car.
2. I am still so very thankful to be back in my home, under my own covers, with heating.
3. Since we were gone for a few days, there’s lots of saved shows on the TiVo. I am grateful to have so much fun stuff to watch.
edited to add: I actually wrote this last night but for some reason WP never published it. ugh. sorry.
Catalyst Ninety-Eight is: What does your future hold?.
Journaling Reads:
When I thought of this catalyst the word that kept coming back to me over and over again was bliss. I am not sure why. But when I think of my life, the overwhelming sensation is bliss and gratitude. So at this point, while I know nothing about my future, all I feel is that it holds more bliss. May that be true.
The following is cross-posted from the Weekly Gratitude Blog. I will post there every Tuesday and decided to post those posts here, too. For those of you who read both blogs, I apologize in advance. Some weeks the content might be different and other weeks, exactly the same.
In my opinion, the people who give up on their resolutions fall into two categories: those who never start and those who can’t keep it up. Today, I wanted to talk about the first set since I think those might the people who’re likely giving up on this project right around now.
Let’s say you read about Weekly Gratitude somewhere and thought it would be a lovely idea to do it in 2010. You spent some time thinking about your format or maybe you had big ambitions about making a fancy album with beautifully designed pages every week. You might have even begun the album but you never really did a page. You just couldn’t settle on a format. You’ve been meaning to do it but we’re already on week 4 of the year. Now you’re so behind, it doesn’t even seem worth it. Is it worth it?
Absolutely.
Let me repeat that: YES! It’s WORTH IT!
You can still begin and you should absolutely do so. The great thing about this project is that it doesn’t have a timeline. The calendar year is an imposed timeline and not a natural one. The best time to start practicing gratitude is……
now.
Not in January 1 or February 1 or any other time. It’s just now. Scrap the fancy format you intended to do, give up on the beautiful layouts, but don’t give up on practicing gratitude. If you’re struggling with getting started, simplify. Simplify a lot. Take just one photo a week, or jot down a few words. Even a single sentence each week counts. The goal is to take a moment (however small it may be) and pay attention to something that makes you feel grateful.
You don’t have to go back and create ones for the first few weeks of the year. Start from this moment on. Lori doesn’t put dates on her art and I think that’s a marvelous idea, gratitude doesn’t have anything to do with a timeline. The goal is to notice more. To look around and see the things that are wonderful in your life right now. If all you end up doing is taking a moment for ten minutes a week and thinking of one thing that you’re grateful for, I think you’ll still find the exercise to be powerful and beneficial.
All this is to say, you can start now. Don’t tell yourself that it’s all over cause you haven’t begun yet. Don’t punish yourself by making yourself go back and do all of the previous weeks. Don’t fret if you did week one and skipped weeks 2 and 3. It doesn’t matter. You can start now and you can continue now. Don’t worry about impressing others. Don’t worry about the quality of your art or words. This is not for other people. You don’t have to share it with anyone. This is for you.
This is so you can see the good things in your life and nothing should get in the way of that.
I don’t mean to sound preachy or like I’m scolding. I really just want to encourage you. I want you to know that this one resolution can be started anytime. It’s not tied to January 1.
Today’s as good a day as any so if you’re in doubt, today is the best day to start this project.
Ps: If you have friends who has intended to do the project but gave up and aren’t even reading our blog anymore, please send them this post. Encourage them to start. I wholeheartedly believe that they will be grateful to you for encouraging them.
Taken from the freeway on the way back home. All the rain has made the landscape lush and stunning. I wish my photos would do it justice.
We didn’t get home until late in the day so here’s the only Nathaniel photo for the day:
After a horrible night of the little boy screaming for the most part and burning up, we quickly packed up and got on the road. When we got to the Turkish Consulate, their internet was down and had been so since Friday. We did all the paperwork, left her all my identification and got on the road. We were supposed to see our friend Jess (hi Jess!) on the way home but she has two little ones and since Nathaniel was still sick, we all thought it was a better idea to skip it this time around. So we drove straight home.
And now we’re home and I am so grateful. I love my home. I love being home. I am hurting all over but I am home!
Note to Self:
I have the best kids in the world. They have suffered through so much in the last 5 days and they have taken it all in stride. They are amazing. No fits, no complaining, no yelling, no fighting. It’s a miracle. Not to mention all the math David and I worked on the whole time. Jake’s an angel, too. Puts up with everything and never complains. I am a lucky lucky gal.
Three things I’m grateful for today:
1. Being home! This one doesn’t need any explanation.
2. Jake driving us home all the way without any complaints. At some point he was so tired that we had to pull over and he ran for a bit to wake up. But he powered on and got us home safe and sound.
3. I have been putting off doing the embassy stuff for so long, and I am so grateful it’s now done! At least my part of it.
This week’s craft wasn’t a craft. It was a science project. We decided to do one of the experiments in the science kit I got David for Christmas. It was the exploding volcano.
Here’s David doing it:
And since photos cannot capture this one, here’s a bit of video I shot. It’s one minute and might be boring for you. We’re whispering because Jake was napping. Nathaniel is screaming cause he’s in the high chair and out of puffs.
This was a really fun one for me. I always loved playing with my Chemistry set as a little girl and thanks to David, I got to relive a bit of that. I might have even enjoyed it more than he did.
|
projects for twenty twenty-six
projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
|
