The Colors of August... and Beyond

Wow… This month has flown by!

Time seems to go faster when you get older. It’s amazing how we do so much in our day-to-day lives, that when you look back on say, a year, we as humans have a “survival mode” type of living and natural routine of personal needs.

I have adjusted and adapted to many changes in home life, schedules, and outlook on my sense of self over the past 30 days [let alone the past 8 mos. so far this year]. I started a new job; Kaia started Kindergarten; Holly started preschool.

Vibes of “New Beginnings” on the horizon started on the very first day of the month, as that was my first day at my new job. Less than two weeks after that, Kaia went to her first day of real school, attending Kindergarten as a full-time student. The mood continued on through the end of the month, with Holly starting preschool this past Thursday.

8/25/2011 - Holly at Preschool - First Day

 And through the midst of all the women in the family challenging life’s compatibility with our family, AlphaJ has been weaving in and out of the web of schedules that has woven itself into our Pack’s human routines, trying to maintain His own sanity and life’s needs.

Thankfully, we are Pack to the fullest and that makes coordinating and shifting a lot less stressful… Communication and willingness to help the world flow keep our Pack unified to the stronghold bond that makes us Pack. Thankfully, AlphaJ’s work allows him to rearrange accordingly to accommodate the needs and obligations of the family; making coordination more adaptive to everyone’s schedules… It’s all about balance.

We have been successful so far this week, with another new change to the mix of crazy schedules: Holly started riding the bus to preschool; morning and afternoon. She loves riding the bus and has commented on how “cool” it is that there are TWO buckles [they had special “harness” buckles installed over the summer, for a more secure ride in the big bus seats]. 

Her teachers are very nice and she seems to be making friends quickly. She is having a little trouble adjusting to the breakfast and lunch that the school serves; today was spaghetti, apple, and bread. She tried the spaghetti… no go. She ate the bread and part of the apple. I told her thank you for trying [she doesn’t like pasta sauce yet] but that she would get used to seeing and eating that for a meal at school. [She looked at me funny]. She’ll get used to the tastes. [I think my mom said (she read in a magazine) that,  15-20 times you have to feed a child a certain food before you can really decide if the child like that certain food or not].

[I think This food only took Once!!]

Kaia, as well, will be experiencing the “hot lunch” experience soon… I am signing her up for reduced meals; as I qualify, with my income. [Yay, Government!]  My mom and I chatted about this, because I have been sending Kaia with “cold” lunch since the first day. But, the thought and convo with Mom [abbreviated to]: If I can save just a little bit of money, letting [someone] else provide for my child while they do a “governmentally required” task like Going To School, then WHY NOT use their services to the fullest extent of my capabilities?!? These are hard times and we have to maintain survival… Right?!? …

Tomorrow is the last day of the month and it’s a hump day at that [Wednesday!]… September is on the horizon and Labor Day weekend is just around this corner.

Wow. September… The summer is officially coming to an end and the fall air is creeping into our lives [my morning workouts have been getting chillier each AM]. The leaves are already starting to turn. Although, with Fall  there brings another new life to the world, as we are “coming down” from the high of Summer and there is a new sense of yearly reality when you see the leaves take their course.

Fall; change; life: I’m ready.

 - Omegan :-D

InWinBlade

Omegan's AlphaJ: At his Best!

 Check out the You Tube links to his actual window cleaning, listed on the flier.

 - Omegan :-D

When the Cat's Away...

... the Girls get to play!

Tuesday night, although a school night, was not a regular weeknight. Mom came to visit and have a sleepover; AlphaJ was working; and the girls were both home again...

In the eyes of Omegan: it was Party time!

Kaia arrived home from school shortly after Gramma Linda arrived at our house from Marietta. Since Holly had stayed a few nights in GA with Gramma, she was eager to see Kaia when she pulled up in the school bus. [It was very exciting to see every one's happy faces upon greetings].

First on the agenda was to head inside and show off Kaia's school work for the day and see her homework for that evening. Since Gramma has been such a big part of Kaia's learning and school, I let them go over the paperwork together. [Quality time, with a good focal point]. Holly played Dad's drums while I observed and thought about dinner...

Which lead to our next agenda topic: What's on the Menu in Omegan Kitchen for Mom's visit?? When the question was approached, I knew the protein was going to be baked chicken breast, but the sides were undetermined. I started naming some options for grains and veggies, when I said the words Pearled Barley...

It was like music to both our ears and taste buds! My mom and I have had to "give up" barley on family meal nights due to our mates' sensitive tummies; something about the gluten free, or fat free, or something just doesn't agree happily. As you can imagine, we paired that with the chicken and then started pondering our FAVORITE part of the meal: the Veggies! [mmmm.... veggies... *mouth drooling immensely*] Although I had fresh zucchini available, we decided on Broccoli (stems included), fresh tomatoes, and onions galore.

Before dinner, Mom and I went for a walk around the neighborhood; chatting like crazy Cathy's about anything and everything. We hung and chilled; playing games on Mom's iPad, downloading music and software to my computer, and catching up on girlie things during and after dinner. We took the night at an easy, laid back and comfortable pace. ...all with nice relaxing music in the background...

Mom went with me to drop Kaia off at school on Wednesday morning and of course, she took a few pics! After that, I had to get back into the work-week groove and get ready for the day. Mom stayed in town for a little while longer, running errands with AlphaJ to town and exploring some shops of interest. She made her drive home safely... and soon after invested in a cassette tape to play her iTunes, through her iPhone in her car, without using the cup holder as an amplifier! [You're welcome, Mom!]

I love that my mom and I have such a good relationship and friendship that we are able to relax and "let loose" with each other. We have a very dear and special bond for and as a mom and daughter. We certainly went through our difficulties (mostly based on my behavior at the current times); but without those times, I'm not sure we would understand each other as well as we do.

Even though we don't live down the street from each other, we know how to maintain love and communication in our hearts and souls, as best as life's roads and distances allow us... The world ebbs and we flow.

Encyclopedias of Life

AlphaJ turns 1792 years old! What a Graybearded old man J

My AlphaJ

[Thinking about yesterday’s (ironically yesterday), birthdays, and time: Life is a curious thing. We go through our days, one at a time, and little by little, we learn and grow based on inevitable change. We adapt to our circumstances and utilize every resource we can to uphold our lives to our personal satisfaction of happiness and comfort. As people and Humans, it’s in our nature to thrive in life; to maintain our strength as an Individual soul].

…that’s one reason that Birthdays are soo significant. Not to make you feel old, ugly, or aged; but, to help you look back on your life and look at all that you, as an Individual human, has accomplished, overcome, and enjoyed to get to where we stand today. [Every yesterday is the beginning of a new Today]. We lived our stories and took our journeys across the wonderment that the world laid before us; we embraced the moments for our Soul to gather the knowledge we need/ed to uphold our individual Human nature’s yens for a fulfilled life.

My AlphaJ is an excellent example of rising above the storm clouds, to show his “Man in the Moon” drive and spirit, every single day.

The feats and battles; struggles and hard times; Smiles and Laughter that he in his [1792] years has experienced, learned and grown from bewilder my mind.

Each person truly does write and own a full set of Encyclopedias that we have filed our life into, to recall and recollect the information index to guide us through the situations at hand. And then we add more to the never ending info database that is our lives based on new knowledge learned from similar but different chapters.

Each volume of our research resources is constantly revised and updated; our glossaries filled with new vocabulary, etiquette, and mannerisms. [Where would we be without our thoughts…?]?

The sun rises and falls, everyday, without fail... Constant and reliable, she lights our path with un-wavered rays of hope that each day will bring us new streaks of knowledge. The moon is her backlight, as we still need to see in the dark. The moon’s appearance reminds us every night, that even though we can’t see her, the rays are still reflecting on our world, through the Moon’s “eyes” [he’s the man!], guiding our lives through the shadows of the darkness.

 - Omegan :-D

"Yesterday's Todays"

Looking back on yesterday’s…

Kaia started her first day of Kindergarten on Tuesday the 9^th. I was very nervous for her; but, somehow, I knew she’d be okay… That she would adapt just fine. The Mom that I carry deep down in my heart Let Go of my first child, in the sense that I am now giving her learning powers and imagination the true strength it needs to soar.

[I remember my first day of Kindergarten; my mom had the same look on her face when I walked into the classroom that I Felt on my own face the day Kaia sat down in her seat at school].

Surprisingly to me, I have generally been easily accepting of this new change in her life; my life; the family’s life. It’s actually almost refreshing to know that she is going to be starting her learning journey from people other than Mom and Dad. [We don’t realize how many things, throughout our lives that we have learned from influences and resources outside of our homes].

Along with looking back on Yesterday’s:

When Kaia was going to preschool, a couple of years ago, I was in a different Life situation. I wasn’t able to give her life the attention it needed for the stage that she was in at the time. I was working and commuting nearly 80 hours a week, trying to maintain livelihood. With my Mom’s help, we traded and swapped the girls from house to car to apartment, to uphold schedules and “have-to’s.”

There were many times that Kaia would need to take something special to school, wear a special outfit, make something at home to take in; and I neglected a lot of those experiences. I felt awful after each unexpected disappointment. [It made me believe that I wasn’t a reliable Mother; even though I was, and I knew I was, because my girls were both happy and healthy, and I was doing what I needed to for our lives].

When I was sitting with Kaia (and Holly, too) at Kindergarten registration on August 2^nd, I looked around at all the other families there… and remembered how I felt going to my first day of REAL school; not just preschool. [Even as the 5 year old Megan that I was, somehow I knew that going to K was different than PreSch. It had a different aura… like you knew you were starting something Big].

At that moment, I vowed to myself and my Kaia, and my Holly, that I was going to be the support and reliability that they need during this new journey. The soil their roots need to base has been tilled; the water they absorb will moisten their roots to help them grow into their personalities… nurtured by the [Mother] Sun.

 - Omegan :-D

Sailing Saturday

Winding down the day...

Looking back on all the events of today, the Pack had an eventful day! Even though it was Saturday, I had a 6am wake up call, with pilates, seeing AlphaJ off to his day (Yay work!), and a 6 mile bikeride.

Breakfast with the girls and then getting ready for the day was the easy part of the day...

The girls were actually cooperative in occupying their time while Mom had her "prepare for the day 'Me Time.'" We got our snacks and activity bag ready, double checked that we had all our shopping supplies (for grocery [yay reusable bags!] and School shopping [OH MY!]), and headed out... or So we thought...

[I noticed that my passenger side front tire was slightly low in air pressure yesterday
(Friday) and mentioned something to AlphaJ. Today, before he left, he performed the "thumb check" and deemed it worthy to make it to Coop to air-up].

Ironically, not two days ago (Thursday, in case the brain doesn't want to do math...), when the girlies and I set out to meet AlphaJ in M'boro, we forgot the activity bag. As it was today, Kaia actually remembered that we forgot this particular bag almost 15 minutes (and a drive through 2 towns!) EARLIER (since we're Trying to teach her to be responsible for her own belongings and "livihoods" ... ) than she did on Thurs.

Talk about being in a Higher Power's hands (as I have been, recently)... As I made the U-turn to go back home for the bag, I felt my flat tire. I Knew I was close enough to home ( half a mile ) that I could slowly drive and make it to the front of the driveway, in the street, to change to my spare and get to a tire shop.

The girls and I tugged along... gently... and slowly home. I situated the car and analyzed our circumstances. It was about 10:30-ish in the morning, so we still had decent hours to get things accomplished. I started digging through the trunk, getting ready for the tire change, when I remembered that, not 2 months ago, I couldn't find my bolt lock lever (cross-bar) when I had another flat tire (again, arriving at a safe place for a tire change and repair... even more ironic... ).
I called AlphaJ and he suggested that I look in his Concorde for a cross-bar (no luck, but I got a tick from looking... damn ticks). I listened to my intuition that said, "this isn't right... Why would you NOT have at least a BAR looking-thing to loosen the bolts on your tires Somewhere in your kitty-littered trunk?!?"

And so, I dug deeper. And found my lever. Go ME! I was Determined. I got the car jacked-up, with the jack in the proper place underneath my car (yes, I know how to find the divots), and started on the bolts. [I have learned how to use my body weight and balance skills to loosen tire bolts (I have previous experience, teens, pregnant, and living), so I was on the "ball" today].
A car drove by at one point and asked if I needed help, but I didn't know them and I was feeling fema-macho... so I denied their help. But then, my neighbor Joel came out to help and I was actually greatful. He referred me to a tire shop just down the hwy, that AlphaJ actually goes to all the time. Joel gave me his home # just in case I needed some assistance, since I let him know that my J was off to work today and was not around at the moment to help.

I got to Stephen's Tire shop and learned that a staple had embedded itself into my tire. It stayed in place long enough to cause a leak, but something about making that U-turn today caused the staple to split and make a true flat. An hour and a half and $15.00 later, the girls and I were on our way to Murfreesboro.

I missed the meeting that was supposed to have visited at noon, but the girls and I took a much needed lunch break at Chick-Fil-A! Yum, yum! They took a few minutes to play in the play area after munchies (phew, it had been a long day, so far!) and then it was off to Target for School supplies! We didn't get All what we needed there, but we got some good stuff. And of course, it was all pink!

...And then on our way to Walmart. Surprisingly, it wasn't THAT bad, busy and craziness wise; but then again, the girls and I were in the grocery area there, rather that Back-to-School... Oh, the insanity...

I had my list, two buggies (yes, Train-Style! - K - dry goods; H - Cold goods & produce), and we were On Our Way!! Finally! ... An hour and a half later, with Lots of Good encounters with vendors, associates, and customers alike, we were on our way to checkout! Our cashier (Ty) was super helpful and she was soo friendly! We joked and chatted... She even commented on how organized I was with my layout of items on the checkout belt :-)

By 4pm, the girls and I were done and headed to Starbucks for coffee and hot chocolate for the ride home to Woodbury. (I snacked on a freshly purchased GA peach, as well... mmm... Juicy!) [Millions of Peaches, Peaches for Me!].

What a crazy day! And the funny thing is: the whole time, dealing with my car and the tire, traffic, the RAIN that was going ALL day long, I maintained my cool; my calm. Nothing really seemed to break my spirit today... I lived and let lived. And that's All that I could do today. And It Felt Great :-D

After the Fabulous coffee on the ride home, I was ready for the "put-away." It was like the calm before the storm. [Only, when it's fluffing your fridge and pantry, it's not a storm]. AlphaJ was ready and waiting for our arrival and helped get all the groceries inside with 3 trips total. Hooray for good packing and cashier bagging!

I love grocery days, as we have all renewed food-fuel resources available to use for consumption; as it was J's idea last night for tonight: we had Pork Sandwiches, with baked Zucc/Sq veggies. De-Licious!

Tomorrow is a whole new day... Sunday is Revival Day and my day is Packed with things to do! Until next time...

 - Omegan :-D