A Peck of Gold

How Am I, You Ask?

Well, how about a little update?

I'm so glad it's finally Finals Week for Patrick. He's been here for a few meals a day for the last 2 weeks, and that's about all we've seen of him. Good thing he gets hungry. We miss him! He'll wrap it all up on Tuesday, then won't be back at school until the middle of January. Whoopee! Happy days are here again! And no, it's not just cause I need a second shift for the kids... I really do like having him around. You know him, he's the life of the party!

We've been through a whirlwind of plan making around here. We think we've got our housing thing all worked out. Looks like we'll be moving into a house that is available only to Landscape Architect students, at a really low price! The guy who rents them started the L.A. program at LSU ages ago, and he likes to help out future Landscape Architects by making the rent blessedly low. I'm so excited! There is nothing like apartment living to make you truly appreciate the virtues of living in a real house. We'll move in May.

Trying to make my Christmas travel plans, which makes me grumpy, yet excited. Once you have kids, it's such a high pressure situation. You have to balance it all out, and don't think people aren't tallying up how many days you're here versus there. I know I definitely (LOOK I SPELLED IT RIGHT!!!) put more stress on myself than is actually coming from others, but it's still hard to organize it all.

But it's more than just planning the number of days, but also the "observing of the holidays". I am sometimes torn between my own selfish desires to keep doing the things I grew up doing, and also fairly observing my husband's family traditions. Like, being at my parent's house on Christmas Eve. My dad always reads the Christmas story from the Bible and then The Night Before Christmas. We look for Santa outside (*GASP*, SANTA!!!???) while my oh-so-sly grandmother jingles some bells around the side of the house to put the panic in us. It's hard to resist those silly old traditions I grew up with, to be fair about Patrick's traditions too. I have to let some things go, I have to share, and that's not always easy. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the family I married into, they are wonderful and make holidays a real joy, too. I am not just a Trisler by marriage, I'm one by love and acceptance and destiny. It's just that my natural inclination is to recreate holidays and traditions that molded my own childhood.

I think that one day, when we are settled in our own house and we are done with this crazy school thing, it will be easier. We'll make our own traditions, and those are the ones our kids will remember and cherish. But right now, it's a balancing act that requires some compromise and juggling.

Anyway, despite that minor glitch, I am really starting to get into the holiday spirit. I love this time of the year... we're putting our Christmas tree up this week and it'll be the first one we've had with the kids. I can't wait to see Wrenn experience the season and all it's trappings! Eli will be right in the middle of it, too, I'm sure.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Well, that's it for the update. Just thought I'd post a little backstage action for a change.

And oh yeah: GO TIGERS! LSU in the Sugarbowl! It was like the 4th of July around here, fireworks going off, whooping and hollaring all weekend. I love this city!

Posted by Shannon at December 7, 2003 08:46 PM | TrackBack