transition time

August should be called Transition Month here at the forster house.

My last day working for The Man (or my law firm....), where I have been interviewing witnesses, keeping up with deadlines, and generally assisting in litigation for a little bit more than two years, was a little over a week ago. I have begun getting my room ready at St. Luke's, where my class full of young threes arrives on Thursday of this week. I am thrilled with this change of pace - going from a summer full of 50 -60 hour weeks to a fall full of 25 hour weeks is a welcome change. I will be on the same schedule as the children, but still have that much needed time for them to be with others and begin that painful process of individuating.

I am so excited and ambitious about things around the house - mainly sewing and cooking. I'd like to make all of our own bread, each supper from scratch 5-6 nights a week. Keeping us under budget is a must, because with this transition went some of our income.

Paul has begun teaching physics, physical science, and AP physics at Forest Hill. I am loving the change in him - he is purposed and excited and obviously happier. Some of the students are making him laugh and others are making me cry. There are three young women expecting babies (one her second), and I am constantly burdened with how to help them. I am very tempted to start a new project of outreach into the schools, but I am tired and don't know that I have it in me. I may though.... we'll see.

It does frustrate me quite a bit that Paul works for not very much money and works WAY more than forty hours a week. It frustrates me for Paul, at our broken education system, and for me and the children because we don't see him enough.

Speaking of the children - they are in Hattiesburg with Paul's parents for a few days - from saturday evening through wednesday morning, which seems like an eternity for me. In good and bad ways. I am able to do things like blog.... and grocery shop alone.... and sew some.... and just be still. But i am already missing them really badly - they are just such an integral part of everyday life.

We've had such a great weekend. Friday evening we had our church supper club at our house - great people, great food (if i do say so myself), and great fellowship. We had enchiladas, homemade salsa, homemade guacamole, roasted red bell pepper dip, a big green salad and sister schubert rolls. We also had bananas foster for dessert, which is just my favorite - fun to make and yummy to eat.

Ada took one of the women who came over on an unsolicited tour of the house. She walked into my room and screamed back to me "Mama - did you know your room was this clean?" Thank you, Ada Brooks.

Saturday we had two birthday parties, so we went to lemuria to buy presents (you will NEVER be able to talk me out of the fact that books are the best presents to give to people of any age, but especially children).

Ada Brooks's two comments of the day:
"Two birthday parties - do i have to smile that much?"
Yes, sweetheart, child after my own heart, yes, yes you do.
And then later, "Two birthday parties -thats a lot of sugar."
Yes, yes it is.

But they were fun, and after them, Paul met his mama in Magee to transfer children.

We had a delightful dinner with just two friends on Saturday night. They were actually on a blind date at our house - which was fun. It was the brainchild of our priest at the Chapel of the Cross, and when I laughed a little at him he looked at me indignantly and said, "Ann Lowrey, don't you know, thats the way the church is supposed to work."

It is an intriguing idea - what the church's other purposes are- other than of course being God's primary means of Grace on earth (now that Jesus is hanging out at his right hand instead of walking the earth).

Sunday we had an amazing child-free sabbath. Although, downside, i spent an hour and a half in the Mississippi Blood Services bus- which not only makes me claustrophobic, but my left arm looks like i use intravenous drugs and is still throbbing. Willie, the phlabotomist, actually called me "juicy." Thank you, Willie.

After church and the blood drive (which caused me to miss the Ministries Fair), we went to PFChang, with friends. I had not been since it opened. It was yummy, and we had great conversation. Then to buy shoes, then to Wal Mart, then back to the church to make some jams and jellies for Day in the Country, then to theology group.

Which was amazing. It made me realize that Paul and I have to carve out time for academic pursuits together - it is what most attracts me to him (and how great a dad he is) . He is so sincere and smart and full of ideas - and it is so edifying for our marriage for us to be on the same page about theology - and to fight about theology. I'd love to outline all of our three hour discussion from last night, but this post is already ridiculously long.