Deflated

 Poor Hamlet. He woke up yesterday morning with unparalleled enthusiasm. All morning he talked about getting ready for his "spectacular orgasm." Clutching his new pile of "orgasm" paper, he happily ran into school. 

When I picked him up later that day, he looked dejected. He quickly told me that he didn't use his special paper because they went on a virtual field trip instead. Poor kid. He was promised a "spectacular orgasm" but ended up being pushed back because of something streaming on a computer screen. (I know how he feels! hahaha)

Today he will work on his spectacular Thanksgiving orgasm. Hopefully it will meet all of his expectations. It is so deflating when the build-up doesn't match reality.

Spectacular Orgasm

 Despite spending the first few days crying in the bathroom, I must admit that Timmy's new school has been a great change. His enthusiasm for learning is unparalleled. It is almost as if the teacher has flipped a switch for my little Hamlet, unlocking the magic of books and learning. Witnessing his newly untapped quest for learning has been amazing.

Yesterday Timmy came running out of class at the end of the day to tell me about his educational adventures. From the smile on his face and the speed of his speaking, there was little doubt that he was excited about his new project. At a volume louder than I had wished, he began to fill me in on the details.

"Momom, guess what! Tomorrow we are going to make spectacular orgasms. We looked at pictures today and the orgasm will blow your mind!."

My ears definitely perked up by the promise of a "spectacular orgasm," but I knew that he misunderstood the word. I struggled to figure out what he meant to say but thankfully he was able to fill in some missing details.

"Momom, Making orgasms is not easy. You have to follow the directions perfectly or your orgasm won't work."

While true, I still knew that we were talking about two very different things. It wasn't until he continued talking that I was able to figure out what he was doing.

"Momom, I am going to make a spectacular Thanksgiving orgasm. Can we get the orgasm paper tonight? I need to take it to school tomorrow."

Origami. Timmy is learning to fold spectacular origami shapes. Regardless of what he makes, I will always see it as the "spectacular orgasm" he gleefully promised.

Weekend Wrap-Up

 What a beautiful autumn weekend! The weather was clear and crisp which, after a muggy and bug filled summer, was delightful. I appreciate every season, but the combination of colors and cool air makes autumn feel magical. After Covid and our NYC getaway, this was the first healthy weekend I have spent at home in a long time. It was nice to have a "feel good" weekend again.

On Saturday we headed to Haymarket Day, which is a community street fair in a nearby town. Every year the boys look forward to visiting the various vendors to obtain as many giveaways as possible. By the time we walked through the entire event I was lugging home three bags overflowing with branded pencils, toothbrushes and hand sanitizer bottles. Towards the end of the event I was struggling to keep up with my family, but this time the issue was my stamina and not my leg. (I still fatigue quickly when I'm walking because of Covid.)

Yesterday Timmy and I spent the afternoon reworking his bedroom to accommodate his school supplies. He is delighted to have a workspace in his room and I'm happy to have the school materials moved from my living room. Hopefully virtual school works well from his bedroom because I'm tired of tiptoeing through my day. It will be nice to have the house back!

Thriving

Despite only being away for two days, I am struggling to get back into a routine. Yesterday I felt like I was floating through the hours, trying to tend fires at every interval. Is it too early to declare my need for another vacation?

Thankfully the boys are not struggling to resume their schedules. Timmy has been attacking his new curriculum like a champion. Being in class for 7 hours a day took an adjustment for my feral little boy, but he is thriving through the structure. I have never seen him so energized and excited about learning. Each day he eagerly runs to me with his journal in hand, frantic to show me what he mastered or discovered. He is growing academically, socially and emotionally and I could not be happier with his accomplishments.

Robby continues to chug his way through his classes. He offers minimal complaints and is fairly self-sufficient with his schedule. I still cannot believe that he will start exploring colleges soon. Sigh. I suppose that is a topic for another blog.

Waiting

Yesterday morning I learned that a friend's daughter suddenly passed away. I've never met her daughter, but her loss struck me deeply. I cannot fathom the heartache that my friend is feeling right now. I pray that I never know her reality.I am not ashamed to admit that I hugged the boys a little longer last night.

Life can change in an instant. By this point in my life, I shouldn't be surprised by that reality. I've had my own life switch tracks without warning so I certainly appreciate the vulnerability of our plans and dreams. Lately, it feels like the Universe has been working overtime to remind me of our fragility.

My brother is back in the hospital, this time battling an infection in his amputation site. I am worried and frazzled because I know there is nothing that I can do to help. Sitting idly by and waiting is not a strength. I wish I could be active in his care, but circumstances have conspired for a different approach. I am forced to wait and hope. 

I've never been good at waiting.

NYC

 What an amazing weekend!  

On Friday we headed to West Virginia to tag our Christmas tree. I assumed Friend would be welcome at a tree farm so we happily brought him along. Unfortunately, we did not know that they restricted dogs from their fields. Scott and the boys ended up heading into the field to tag our tree while Friend and I stayed by the car, greeting other patrons and peeing on random twigs (him not me).  

After the boys carefully selected our tree, we continued to Pennsylvania to see my Mom. She agreed to watch both boys so Scott and I could go away for the weekend. He and I have never gone away for a weekend by ourselves (without it being connected to work) and we figured it was time to give it a try. 

We had an amazing time! On Saturday afternoon we met our friends for lunch before heading to the hotel. We spent Saturday evening exploring and eating. On Sunday we headed to Time Square before I discovered a final surprise: tickets to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden! I was gobsmacked. 

The show was absolutely amazing. I think I smiled throughout the show and sang along with every song. I had to keep pinching myself because it didn't feel real. I could not believe that we are at the Garden to see Billy Joel!

Yesterday morning we hopped onto a train to head back to reality. We picked up the boys at my Mom's house and continued back home. Today we return to reality, although I am not ready. After such a great weekend, it is hard to return to routine.

Festivities

 Another week has flown by and I am considerably better than I was last week at this time. I'm especially grateful to be breathing with comfort because we have big plans for today. Scott is taking some time off this afternoon and we are going to West Virginia to tag our Christmas tree.  The weather is going to be beautiful and I can't wait to kick off the holiday season.

Yes, I realize that it is not the Christmas season right (although I can tell from my Snowman Countdown Clock that we are only 78 days and 16 hours away from Santa's arrival). Tagging our tree has always marked the beginning of the autumn holidays. After we tag our tree the holidays start rolling through the calendar. Between Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, my house will be in full-blown holiday mode until New Years. 

This is definitely my favorite time of year!  Let the festivities begin...