Coping with Challenges

It has been a long week.

Really long.

Derek worked 6 days in a row--all over 12 hour shifts, some as long as 17.

I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned...inside and out.  (Think every drawer in every bathroom, the linen closet, every dead branch in our yard and what I can reach over the fence in the neighbor's yard...) I also got a chance to hash out some of my feeling with my running partner. 

I am reading (listening to) Just Mercy, which is helping me to have a lot of empathy for the plight of my black friends.  It is helping me to see where our society and I can do better.

(Just some of the branches I took down--and one big one that our neighbor Joe brought down with his chain saw--I'm going to buy myself a chain saw with all this OT money!)

I am listening to Derek vent his frustrations.  It doesn't feel right that protestors who think we need to love more and better are spending so much time at the precincts.  This week he has been screamed at, spit at, flipped off, yelled at...it's just hard.  

I am praying for direction and healing.  And I'm cleaning.

Ben had Jed and Rory over for a birthday sleepover.  Libby and Sarah got to spend the night at Maren's.  It was a night enjoyed by all!

Ben's new Quarantined on my 9th birthday shirt (his birthday is this Wednesday).

His request, mochi ice cream

Movies & Popcorn, and lots on Nintendo Switch playing.

Libby living it up at Maren's.  Sarah and Libby apparently watched movies until almost 3 am.  Yikes !

Praying for a fresh start in this fresh week. Only 2 weeks of school to go.  We can do this!