the school "dream"

It happened again. I had the dream. The one where everything is moving along nicely...I've been working hard in my classes, doing well, and the quarter is just about over. Just before it ends, I realize there is a class I was enrolled in that I haven't attended all quarter. Panic washes over me. (Hence the fact that the word "dream," which implies something pleasant ("something of an unreal beauty, charm, or excellence" according to www.dictionary.com), is in quotations.)

In this particular dream, I was walking on campus (not my campus, but some random campus that was supposed to be my campus) with my friend Crystal. We were apparently in school together. We just got out of class and we were going to do something fun to take our minds off of school. She mentioned that we should just ditch our next class. "What class...?" Enter panic mode. Oh, yeah. The class I signed up for at the beginning of the quarter and then completely forgot about until now...that class. Is it too late? Can I save my grade? Who is the teacher? When is the final? How could I forget about something so important?!?

And so it goes. I actually haven't had this dream in several quarters (I think my subconscious was a bit preoccupied with me trying to juggle a family, including a new baby, graduate school, and work...it had other things to think about that could easily bring me into panic mode). Why must I dream such dreams? Nothing productive comes of it. Only stress. Next quarter is my last quarter of college (other than my part-time practicum that I will be doing next year, but that's like working part-time without taking any classes, or writing any papers, or stepping foot on campus, so it's not the same thing at all in my mind. To me, I will pretty much be done with college after next quarter. That is HUGE! Words cannot express how I felt as I typed that sentence.)
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In other news, I am co-facilitating a goal-setting workshop for foster youth tomorrow. I am kind of excited about it. This is part of my Senior Capstone Project that I wrote about here.

One more noteworthy comment: Thanks to Weight Watcher's and Jenni's fitness challenge (which I have a love / hate relationship with), I have lost 10 pounds! Yay for that! I am down to my pre-pregnancy weight and wearing my pre-pregnancy clothes, which I had put into a box, thinking they might remain there for a very long time. (By the way, watching Gilmore Girls reruns makes working out go by so fast. It's even more motivating than music. Thank you Loreli and Rory!) Of course, my body doesn't quite look like it did before I was pregnant, but that's okay. Worth it. (That's an understatement.)

Okay, I'm going to bed now.

the difference a year makes

A year ago I was feeling very sore and tired. I was uncomfortable all of the time. I was about three weeks away from delivering Oliver, and I was feeling it. My feet were swollen, my stomach itched, and my back hurt all the time. I felt like I couldn't possibly get any bigger (but somehow I did). I couldn't sleep well and waddled when I walked.

It's amazing how much can change in a year. Our sweet little guy has changed our lives so much. I really love being a Mom and think it's the greatest thing ever.

In reviewing our photos from January, I realized that I hadn't taken very many of Oliver (actually, not very many photos at all of anyone or anything), so I pulled out the camera last week and took quite a few. I thought I would share some here.

 

 

On the one sunny day we had last week, I took Oliver on a walk. He loved it.

He is actually happy, not crying in this picture.

 

 

Playing with Tupperware is an all-time favorite.

Playing with pots & pans is another favorite.

Playing with Dad is fun. Oliver squeals when Wendel gets home. 

 

Getting ready to take a bath. Oliver loves baths.

I love this little kick he's doing in excitement for his bath.

He seems to think that opening and closing doors is pretty cool. (Yes, that is food on his face.)

I cannot believe that Oliver will be a year old in less than a month. It is amazing to me how much he has grown and changed over the past year. We sure love this kid.