Deep Thoughts on Fish

When it rains, it pours, right?  Now 4 of us--including the baby, who is miserable--have nasty cold type viruses.  Good times.  Not.

(But after this week, I have also learned that it could be much, much worse.)

So a friend suggested I just stop swimming and see what happens (with a smile and a wink).  I told Bob, "Usually when you stop swimming, bad things happen.  Like you drown."  You know.

And Bob said matter-of-factly, "Well, not if you're a fish."  What, does this guy have the answer for everything?

So, what's he saying anyway?  Am I a fish out of water now?  That might be nice.  Then I don't have to keep swimming.  :)  Oh wait!  I'm not a fish any more.  What does that make me (besides muy loca)?

Overwhelmed

Two of my favorite inspirational quotes of all time:

"Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.  Just keep swimming."

~Dory in Finding Nemo

"[B]y small and simple things are great things brought to pass...."

~Alma 37:6 

And now having told you how dear they are to my heart, may I now say that these last few days they just haven't been working for me?  As a mom, I'm feeling like every part of my day is a small thing, and it's just not getting me anywhere.  There are too many small things for me to deal with.  I feel like I'm always swimming, but to where and for what?

So, truly, I know that there are answers to these questions, and in my mind, I know that mothering these children is a great work in and of itself.

But what do I do with a child who is turning into a perpetual liar and a thief?

But what do I do with a kitchen and a living room and a big stack of bills and a bunch of piles of laundry that never seem to shrink?

But what do I do with a toddler who is a TV addict, and who refuses to cooperate, obey, or be peaceful?

But what do I do with the bottomless pit that has become my garage?

But what do I do about the constantly grumpy tween?

And what do I do with the teenager who is very well behaved, and because of that, probably a little ... neglected?

What do I do with the kid with sensory issues whom I feel like I'm always correcting?

And what about the baby who never seems to be fed enough, despite my best attempts to increase milk supply and regulate sleeping and eating?

What do I do when I feel like the small things are drowning me, and "just keep swimming" sounds like the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard?

Capulin

This summer we went on vacation to Colorado, and took a scenic route home.  Sort of.  Southeastern Colorado was a little ... monotonous, but then we made it to New Mexico and visited the famous Mount Capulin.

First, we took a picture.

Then we walked down into the crater.

Then, some of us went on a walk around the crater.Whew!  It was high up there, and some of couldn't breathe.  But we also saw flora

and more flora

and some fauna

and like a zillion million ladybugs.

Oh, and even some wild animals.

And Sariah officially became a Ladybug Explorer.

And don't forget the spectacular views!

From the top, you could see four states at once: Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.  It was almost like the Four Corners.  Almost.  Okay, not really, but it was still pretty cool.  I have no idea if this is that view, but I like the picture, so there you have it.

Girl Power

We interrupt your regular scheduled programming on this blog (i.e. nothing) to bring you an important message from this beautiful girl:

She tells us, "When I grow up to be a weather-storm-chaser, I'm going to be a girl weather-storm-chaser!  Because that's important."