Whirlwinds and tornadoes

So much has happened and I kept thinking I wanted to blog it all but I kept running out of time.

So school started January and I managed to get my acceptance and financial aid finished in the nick of time (3 days into the semester and only 4 hours before registration was shut down until summer semester, how's that for procrastinating?)  It was an AMAZING semester.  I had some great classes, educational insight, the revelation that I do in fact want to be a teacher and the equally important revelation that I will be very good at it.  I finished this semester having still worked about 20 hours a week as a transcriptionist, attending 3 in person classes and 3 online classes, still taking care of 3.5 children and managed to pull a 3.75 GPA out of it.  I'm very proud of my accomplishment even though I'm still recovering from the shock of how overwhelming it was.  I sure hate the outrageous tuition cost but I'm very glad of my choice to attend ASU.  It really is a great school.

I am still working as a transcriptionist though and I'm not sure how much longer I can.  I might cut back in the fall.  I should probably quit but I can't see myself giving it up completely.  Yes it overwhelms me a lot of the time but I do like my job.  If we can manage, I was thinking I might work just enough to maybe take on a small car payment and upgrade the ugly minivan (which I guess is also news, no more giant Ford Expedition).

I sold the Expedition mostly because I couldn't stomach the awful miles per gallon.  I was only getting around 8 or 9 and I get close to 20 in the minivan.  Still not great but much better.  I managed to buy the ugly van for what I sold the falling apart expedition for so it was a wash and it's easier to drive, so overall still glad I did it.

Jim's job was getting increasingly stressful for him and not making him happy anymore which isn't always the most important factor when providing for your family but honestly, I was sick of seeing him unhappy so...well....he hopped a plane to Alaska a few weeks ago to try his hand temporarily at fishing. I think he doesn't regret it (yet) but we're still trying to get a paycheck out of it so hopefully that comes soon.  I miss him terribly but I'm also enjoying seeing him try his hand at new things and get an adventure out of it.

I did pretty well for the first couple weeks with him gone but this last week was a hard one, can't lie about that I guess.  The girls are increasingly agitated and fight worse than they ever have before.  I think that's why I decided to blog today.  I'm feeling the need to vent or just put my feelings in writing I guess.  I don't want to resort to spanking and Jim recommended some scripture searching which is a good idea and sometimes I think I need to be reminded that I can find the answers I need if I just look in the right places.  Going to work on a new parenting strategy this week and figure out how to best handle it.  I know my sister and I fought terribly as kids and I'm sure this is some cyclic payback for what we put my mother through.  I know they will eventually figure out how to love each other but in the meantime, I need to figure out how to not beat their butts (which I haven't done yet, so it's a preemptive strike).

Ainsley just finished the 3rd grade with awesome grades.  Not only does she look just like me but apparently her brain is a lot like mine too.  She loves getting good grades, she has a crazy good memory, is a good test taker (her best week of school this year was AIMS week, seriously kid?), and she even got to be tested by the gifted program at her school.  Not sure if they're putting her in it but she had fun taking the tests anyway.

Caelan just had kindergarten graduation and I really am not a sentimental kind of girl but I have to admit I got a little weepy watching it.  My mom says it's because I'm getting close to my last little one and that's probably true.  She was darling, sang her little songs and had a great time.  She had a great teacher and a great first year of school.

I also moved the girls to a new school.  I'm hoping it's the last time.  We have definitely fallen in love with Tempe and I'm tired of the moving around.  I love their new school and it eradicated some problems we were having at the other one, which if I had paid more attention upon moving here, I never would have put them there in the first place.  I'm sure the school is fine but I think it just wasn't a good fit for me or for my girls.  They're happy where they are and Ainsley will be able to start playing her violin at school.  Gonna have to get a bigger size for her!

Quinn...what can I say about my little monster.  She is an amazing child and I truly understand now why she came to us when she did.  The first year of her life was the worst year that Jim and I have ever faced.  It was a nightmare that was only tolerated because of a very special spirit that Heavenly Father sent to us at a time when he knew we would need her.  She is the happiest, spunkiest, craziest, strangest child I have ever spent time with and I'm very grateful for her at the moment (probably in part because she's not old enough to fight with her sisters yet).

I've also come to a realization this week.  I don't like that I don't take pictures of them anymore so I'm going to attempt to be better at that, especially while Jim is gone because I don't want him to come back and be shocked that they've changed too much and maybe pictures will help.