Life as a Lewis

1. Camden is playing in his first basketball tournament this week (as in, riding on the bus away from home and missing 2 days of school). He has a second tournament next week. This is new territory for us: managing his own money, trusting he makes good choices (I'm not worried about his choices, but about others to be honest), making up the homework from missed school days, etc. It's all part of growing up. I even sent him out the door with coffee the past two mornings! And related to the tournament, he experienced a racial slur directed at him. You can prepare your kids for this, you can walk them through it when it happens over the years, but it's impossible to remove the hurt they feel each time. I appreciate the self-control he showed by not responding in kind (he told me what he wanted  to say and it was witty, but not okay). People, teach your kids that different skin colors and nationalities matter but they matter only in ways that are positive and beautiful. (Gala...

(this is what I have checked out of the library right now; something tells me I will not finish all of these in 2 weeks time) I have a goal of reading 60 books this year and to help keep me on track, I am using both reading challenge lists from the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog. I'm not taking this too seriously - if a book isn't my style, then I'm moving on. But for now, here's what I've chosen. Newbery Award Winner Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (Rory and I are reading this together right now) Book Translated to English A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (I've heard rave reviews over this one) 600+ pages My Name is Resolute by Nancy Turner (I read These Is My Words over Christmas break and thoroughly enjoyed it) Book of Poetry Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (this one comes highly recommended) Addressing Current Events Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (finished this one and really enjoyed it) An Imm...

1. My parents came for a visit (and my mom stayed) so they were able to attend basketball games, drive me to chemo, and join me for breakfast at Biscuit Love with my friends Tina and Kathy. My mom has been doing all kinds of work around the house while I convalesce. 2. Rory tied for first place this week for her 4H demonstration speech on how to use chopsticks. I stumbled across this old video of her using chopsticks as a wee little one, and it is hilarious. 3. So we have a new president. I'm not sure I have anything constructive to say about this, but I did find these cute pictures from the inauguration 8 years ago. Click here . It was a gray rainy day for the inauguration, and I kind of wanted to stay in my pj's and watch, but mom and I went to my Bible Study group instead and it was a much better choice for the morning. 4. Reading has been slow these past few weeks, which is kind of hilarious since I've been making my big long 2017 Reading Challenge book l...

1. We ended up with a snow day last Friday, which was a great time for p.j.'s, drinking coffee and doing a whole lot of nothing. There's just something about a snow day that gives permission to relax. 2. Busy schedule this week: work, basketball games, Literacy Night for Brian, church, parenting class, first week back to Bible Study, doctor's appointments, etc. While I maneuvered through the busy week fairly well, I was flat out dragging by the end of the day. I have been asleep by 9:00 every night (and watched the same episode four nights in a row because I fall asleep immediately) and up by 4:30 every morning. 3. This was my week off chemo, but I still had a full day of appointments Wednesday. Brian took off work to be with me, and we had time for breakfast at Marche , which has been on my "to do" list for several years now. The croissant french toast lived up to it's reputation. 4. I connected recently with some friends over books (hello, Bra...

Our first week of the new year was both busy and restful (thanks to an unexpected day and a half off of school thanks to the weather). I spent 2 days at Vanderbilt this week, but had good company for the second day at least. The highlights of the week: 1. After 2 years of hunting (unsuccessfully), Camden killed Bambi (and her best friend) Sunday. This is so not my thing. In fact, I may have been known to have very ugly feelings about pictures of my 2-year-old with dead deer. However, it's in my husband's genes and something he shares with his dad and now his son; I can rejoice with him. Reluctantly. 2. Rory had a little girl's afternoon with our friends Kinsley and Kylah; they are sweet to include her and probably don't realize how important it made her feel. 3. Tuesday night we decided to end Christmas break by going to see Sing. It was completely  adorable and a great distraction. 4. Distraction because - I had a nasty reaction to the Taxol last week; I conti...