I'm going to try something new today - I've been following along Madeline Bea's Realities & Blessings posts each Friday, and I like the way it wraps up the week, and focuses on the positive. After the craziness of the last little while, this seems like a good thing to try out.
Reality: When washing Gwenyth's hair Monday night, I came across a bug in her hair. I didn't think anything of it, until Brian mentioned how many kids at his school have lice right now. Lice! Feel free to allow your stomach a moment to turn - I know I did. Yep. Lice it was, and then it showed up in two of the other kids, as well. Good Lord, I've been a basket case, treating kids, combing out hair, washing (and re-washing) and drying every single fabric item in the house. It's been gross, and no matter how many people tell me this is completely normal, all I can tell you is that if I get it, I'm shaving my head. Seriously.
Blessing: Here's one to cut my teeth on, eh? Where could a blessing possibly be, here? Well... after the last few weeks of busy, busy, busy, I've been grounded at home. I'm very grateful that I wasn't trying to work on top of all this, and that I was scheduled for days off just in time to face this. I got to make up stories for Gwenyth to help her stop crying as I combed her hair - again. I spent time with each of my kids, sitting and talking, even if the reason we had to sit there wasn't great. My sister stopped by to offer support & supplies & a bit of help. And my house, and all the beds, are cleaner than they've been in a good long while.
Reality: My work schedule for next week just came out, and I'm cranky about it. I'm working (still) way more hours than I would like, and this particular week has two shifts that I don't usually work, are longer than I would like, and mess up my plan for the week.
Blessing: Obviously, I'm needed and appreciated at my job. The extra money that I've been earning will be very nice in a few months, when we take our trip East. I have the ability to change my availability at work, so that this kind of thing doesn't keep happening (and which I'm going to do right away.)
Reality: I'm anxious to get out into the garden, and our last-frost date is still a month away. We had a small burst of warm weather, but are now back to the cool, sometimes rainy spring days that are the norm around here. I'm longing for sunshine and growing things and some GREEN already!
Blessing: It's coming! I can't get into the garden, but I did go online and order some organic seeds. And when they get here, some of them can be started inside, to give me a little fix to tide me over. And look at the pictures! My tulips have suddenly bloomed, and the apple, pear and lilac trees are budding and growing tiny little leaves - just looking at them makes me breathe easier.
So there you go - this weeks reality, and a few blessing I've been able to find along the way. How was your week - any blessings to share? How about a little reality?
Great post, so good to look for the positive. As for nits, arrggh, we've been infested this week too! I had to drag the comb through my hair this morning, I didn't have any but it doesn't stop me itching all day long and Tilly had soooo many, so, so many, I'm so cross, it's been years since we had an attack and I thought perhaps we were past that stage but she must have had them for a week or two because there were so very many, eeeugh. You are not alone my friend.
Posted by: Rebecca | April 23, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Luckily I have boys with short hair, so they've not had any, at least not yet. It goes in cycles in the schools here, too. Seems to be the same handful of kids who pass it on to the others, unfortunately. When I was a kid I never had them, but whenever a notice would come home from school that someone had lice my mother would put me through the routine as if I had them, just to be safe. I remember the principal coming around with toothpicks, checking heads.
Posted by: Sheri | April 23, 2010 at 03:12 PM
Hang in there, Charity! My daughter got lice too when she was small.
Posted by: erin | April 23, 2010 at 08:26 PM
My garden blessings are well shared as usual - the reality is that I don't have as much time or energy to spend out there as I would like but every little moment is precious and enjoyed
Posted by: Sarah | April 25, 2010 at 07:28 AM
Oh my goodness...tough week for sure! You say you're heading east...like New England east? Here's to getting through the work week Charity!
Posted by: Patty | April 26, 2010 at 11:35 AM
What a great way to turn your reality into a blessing! I'd have had trouble with finding anything good to say about head lice, though.
Mine is a recurrent reality/blessing, and it involves "getting" to go to work instead of "having" to go to work. A lot of people on the planet would kill for a job that pays as well as mine does, and I remind myself regularly that I don't have to live in a box under the bridge. ;-)
Posted by: Lorette | April 27, 2010 at 04:33 PM