May 7, 2006

ahhh....a day of rest. Thank goodness. Desperately needed.

Took Kira to India's yesterday morning, went back home and waited impatiently for Mom to show up (she was coming to Mark's baseball game with us). Just as I started writing a note to tape to the door telling her to just meet us at the game, she pulled up. We piled in, went to the field. It was MUCH warmer than everyone thought it was supposed to be (it was supposed to be overcast, so I was in jeans, socks, shoes....turned out to be very very sunny. I got a sunburn and a lovely heat rash on my right thigh), totally gorgeous. Just enough breeze so that the bugs were not a problem (well, that and bugspray, of course). Game ended up 0-0 until the 6th inning, when Mark's team finally scored a run. But then the other team scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth, so the game was over, another L for us. Oh well. Mark did get some action in right field...he missed a line drive, but then got it and made a really great throw to the second baseman. He was up to bat twice, struck out both times.

Total weirdness was that Stephen was at the game. Mom noticed him, he and a buddy were sitting on the grass right in front of the bleachers. Mom went over to sit with him, I went over for a few minutes too. (Stephen is my sister's son, he lives with her x's sister....we see him on average *maybe* once a year. Actually, I think I've seen him three or four times total. He'll be 10 in June.) Mom is feeling incredible guilt because he ran into her while she was at her OTHER grandson's baseball game, and she never sees him. Mom has never been able to reconcile with needing to make a choice between her mentally ill daughter, who needs her, and her daughter's son, who really was better off NOT living with his parents. Mom beats herself up with it constantly. Dad and I have not been able to get through to her that Stephen is better without having Lynn in his life, and if *we* are in his life, *Lynn* is in his life, and it'll just mess him all up.

anyway. it was very odd to look at this kid and know that he is my nephew, and not to really feel any connection to him at all.

After the game we went home and CHANGED CLOTHES, and went to the park to pick up Kira. It was totally gorgeous at the park. Nice and warm, beautiful breeze....I could have stayed there all day. But Kira was waaaaay overtired and ready to go home, so after the Mark had organized a game of tag with all the girls and played for about 1/2 hour (he is SO good with kids), we took off.

More work on the Academic Fair project. Got all the painting and stuff done on the shadow box. Kira also did some painting, and ended up making a big disaster mess of the dining room table and the kitchen cupboard, and having a total meltdown. She's just so overtired. She's had a lot of extra excitement the last few days. Hopefully she'll be able to get some rest today. Probably not, though. I think D. mentioned that they had an adult softball game to go to, plus Mark has practice. More running around. Then tomorrow Mark has another away game, Tuesday is Daisy Scouts AND T-ball practice.....poor kiddo. I've got to try to get some down time in there for her.

Well. I do have a few things I want to attend to today, so I should probably get to that, so I can have my day of rest. :D