spring has sprung...I hope

It's been warmer. Last night we had soccer practice in our backyard and some of the dads even said it was hot. I wouldn't go so far but it is much warmer.
E has his Easter egg hunt at school today. I am sure that will be very fun. They didn't ask us to bring anything to the party....strange, I just realized that. I hope I didn't miss a message.

H gets to go sailing tonight with the activity day girls. She is really excited.

I get to spend the day inside writing a "talk", I've been asked to present a workshop for the regional singles conference tomorrow. I have to do it twice and my topic is "You are Not Alone" single parenting. Groan. I am really not looking forward to it. I have been thinking about it for two weeks but am still not sure what to talk about, I guess I'd better get seriously thinking. I think I am a strange choice because a) my girls were pretty little when we were single, D was 7-11, S 4-7 and J 2-5 and those are kind of easier ages. b) I missed a lot of the drama of who gets the kids when blah blah blah because I had them all the time and c) I kind of liked being single and at the time thought it was WAY easier than being married. Now that I am married again I wouldn't want to be single and there are many things that are easier with two parents...some that are easier with one though :) and d)I'm kind of a boring speaker.
Also I am not really one to dwell on the past. I don't wear a cancer survivor pin, or put angel wing babies avatars on my sidebar or attend blending families support groups or wear an "I have no hand eye coordination" tee shirts or.... Not that those are bad things I just prefer to look forward or to play Cleopatra "queen of denial" and ignore unpleasantness. So I've had to really think about what it was like then and try and remember. Too bad I didn't blog then :) It's been a strangeish experience to think about all that so much. What made it even weirder is Mark, the big girls father, who they hear from literally maybe 2-3 times a year, called to say he was getting married again and wants them to come. Which a) I like Bea, his long time girlfriend/live in a lot and wish them well b) great the girls are excited and they should go to the wedding c) we actually thought they were already married but weren't sure ~so how crazy is that d) it made me think she's lived with him for years and he's been nice enough that she wants to marry him now~ so why wasn't he nice to me? I am not that difficult to live with. You can't help but having guilt and regrets. I was thrilled to divorce him, don't be mistaken, but what a great gift it is to marry and stay married. For children to have two parents who love them, and take care of them and to miss all the drama of steps and exs and splitting holidays and all that. It still makes me mad.
Also, back to the beginning topic of the long ramble. Whether you are single or married or whatever you still want the same things for your children. Being a parent is still hard and still wonderful and still much the same so....

on a more cheerful note, Papa is painting J's room, She'll be thrilled. The sun is up and shining. That idiot Chet is finally off survivor, thank goodness and it's only 5 hours until the start of spring break!!!

Whoo Hoo!!

and I just read two fun books "Ready to Wed" about a southern girl who has a dream that she thinks is a message from God to move to this town called Acorn Hill and there she will find the man she is supposed to marry. So she moves, and it's very fun and cute what happens. And "Future Homemakers of America" the story of 6 air force wives stationed in England where their husbands are pilots and how their lives unfold. It's not all cheery but I enjoyed seeing how their friendship carried them through life's challenges and trails and the different paths they took. And I just got an email from the library telling me a book I've been wanting to read has finally come in "Austinland" so yeah something to read next week!!

And Happy Birthday Emma!!!