Wow...another month and so much to report!! We finally moved after having our closing date put off week after week...then 3 days later, my german mother-in-law and her best friend showed up for a 3 week "visit". They just left about a half an hour ago. I suppose it's a bad sign that the minute they left I ran for my laptop and have been furiously catching up on emails, posts, etc!

This was definitely an *interesting* visit. I have never met my mil's best friend and so it was a bit akward at first. Then, I discovered that she and I had a great deal in common and actually got along quite well....That being said, they were both quite intrusive about their cleaning ( a bad, bad habit that my mil enjoys torturing me with ) My mil constantly bugged me about my children's bedrooms (which by my standards looked just fine!) The women "team-cleaned" every morning and this included them actually going into MY bedroom/bathroom and cleaning my things, making my bed (if I hadn't gotten to it by say...8.30am) and even washing my clothes...including undies [Eek!] My dh and I had several "hell-come-to-Jeesus" sesions where I ran into the garage and basically met him at his car swearing! He chose not to take a single day off during their trip and I was left to entertain etc.

Here we had just moved, and I felt like a teen-ager in my own home. It was quite frustrating to be pushed aside. Fortunately, by the time this last week had rolled around I had kind of accepted it....kind of like the last stages of labor/delivery, where you realize that you are laying there with your feet in stirrups and are naked from the waist down with your ob (who you just had pizza with a week ago when you went out for dinner) standing at the receiving end...you know..you just kind of...pretend like this is *normal* and get through it....

That's what I did...I gave in and just reminded myself that it would be over soon....they delighted in washing my undies and making my bed...and I had to let them or be miserable. Unfortunately, there are no epidurals for mil visits .....

School is going really well for my oldest, who struggled so much last year. He has a fabulous teacher who is incredibly nurturing. At parent-teacher conferences he ended up having all A's and A+'s [yikes] and she just gushed on an on. We had heard so many negative things last year from his teacher that I had begun to wonder if he really did have something wrong with him. Several of my son's teachers (all men, btw...though I'm trying REALLY hard not to get biased here) had made some negative comments to me like "good luck with that one" etc at the end of the year...I had been told that he was a bit odd, etc....and this teacher just told me how fabulously intelligent he is etc (of COURSE it's all my genes [Good Vibes] ) In any case, many of my fears have been alleviated and I'm just thrilled that things are turning around for him like this. He tested into a special math masters program and is a group leader on the academic triathalon!

My daughter (age 9) appears to believe that she is already 16 and I feel like ripping my hair out all of the time. She just drives me bananas with her back talk and sassiness [weeping] Her teacher has already informed us that she is "going through puberty" and needs deoderant [yikes] and so now she is convince that she'll be wearing a bra and having a period any day. [Roll Eyes] Lord help me!...

My 6 year old is having a blast in 1st grade and has adjusted well.....and...my little guy just turned 2! I can hardly believe it! He's such a bundle of energy that I struggle to keep up with him and all of his messes!

In any case, the family is doing well. DH is a little unhappy because for the last 2 months patient census has been down. He has had several days where he sits around waiting for a consult for a couple of HOURS...and then gets a consult at the end of the day....other days he has simply come home early because there just aren't any patients to see.....so, he's panicked about his production numbers etc.....

I am back to contemplating career (as usual). This came about when my mil basically told me that I needed to "quit my job and go to work" because I "obviously don't love cleaning". Ummmm....are there any of you out there that LOVE cleaning? She wouldn't let the topic go and she kept telling me what a shame it was to waste my education...A little info about my mil...Her opinion is "why have children if you are going to work?" She is quite vocal about how terrible it is for women to work AND she blames the high divorce rate on women's selfish needs for self-fulfillment/actualization.

Obviously, her suggestion that I return to work was quite unsettling. More unsettling was my realization that I do struggle to find happiness and a balance between being a mom and meeting my own personal/professional needs. To be honest, I really HATE cleaning AND if I am even MORE honest....I don't even do it often enough or very well. I sort of go through cleaning and laundry *spurts* [Embarrassed]

I realized recently that I have very little fun in my life that doesn't involve the kids...My dh and I haven't gone on a vacation alone since we were married almost 12 years ago! Our lives revolve around the kids and the house....and we don't even take ourselves out on *dates* very often. I am suddenly going through this very selfish phase where all I want to think about is my own happiness....which...comes at an akward time as I am ~11 weeks pregnant.

The pregnancy was something that I really wanted.....and so did my husband....It isn't something I regret, but at the same time, I'm wondering how I will manage our little brood and still find time to nurture myself...which I believe is also important.