OK, checking various assorted countdown calendars I have going here....30 days left of summer vacation, 11 days until my Women of Faith conference in Connecticut, 14 days until Christmas Clutter Countdown kickoff, and 147 days until Christmas.
We have really done nothing spectacular with our summer vacation. I'm still up in the air as to whether this is a good thing, or a bad thing. On the one hand, with such a wonderful block of free days given, it seems a shame not to do *something* spectacular and memorable with them. (*cough* trip to Korea BM *cough*) On the other, isn't a wonderful block of free days in which you can do not much, memorable in itself? I do know that my kids will look back on their summers, with days and days spent at my parents' camp, swimming, jumping off the float, exploring around, with great fondness, as I look back on *my* childhood days at the various camps and cottages I had access to as a child. I try to think of these experiences, in which there are no formal activities, no schedules, as a gift to my children that will sustain them when we are on the fifteenth day in a row eating whatever we can scrounge out of the refrigerator in the three minutes we have between Girl Scouts, school reports, and whatever sport I'm running across the county to.
The kids go with their dad for a week starting next Wednesday. X's wife's brother is getting married, and the kids are going to be in the wedding party, as flower girl and junior groomsman. X, however, is *not* in the wedding party. I find this odd.
I also found odd that X's wife was picking up the kids early on Saturday to take them with her to *her* family reunion, which X was not even going to...by the time I discovered that he wasn't going, I had already said yes, and didn't really feel I could gracefully retract permission, but the visitation the kids have is with *HIM*...I'm not fond of the idea of giving up 8 hours of summer Saturday time with my kids so they can go be with *her* family?? Not that I'm not grateful that she and her family like my kids. I know, it could be worse, she could hate them, they could hate her, yada yada yada. I still think it's a bit much, how her parents go to my kids' concerts, Mark's baseball games (her sister, too!)....her mother wanted to drop an Easter basket off at my house because she was disappointed she wouldn't see my kids on Easter. Note the MY MY MY MY MY kids!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I am such a selfish person. I AM glad that my children are so loved. But I feel more than a little possessive.
And don't even get me started when Kira says that D. is "kind of her mom, too." NO SHE IS NOT. NO NO NONONONONONO (let me stamp my feet here!). Now, I would welcome a stepmother's point of view here, but in my opinion, D's role as stepmother is pretty much just that of a glorified babysitter. Able to watch my kids, but not able to make any "real" decisions without permission from an actual parent or guardian (meaning NOT HER). I feel distinct boundaries that I do not want her to cross. Pick out some clothes for my kids to wear at her house, ask them to do chores? Sure. Tell my kids what happens when someone dies, or explain sex? Don't even think about it, you're crossing the line there.
OK, somewhere I have gone off on a rant I had no intention to succumb to. I'm gonna stop now and go think happy thoughts.
Maybe thoughts about Christmas. It's only 147 days away, you know.
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