Cold Spaghetti

This time of year always feels rushed… not enough time for anything. But this year — this year makes all the other years look like a cake-walk.

So I’m letting go, or at least trying to talk myself into it. I have enough presents for my children to pass for Santa’s arrival on Christmas morning. (Normally, we would just have Christmas another day but Will has an advent calendar this year and has been pretty savvy with it.) I did manage to (finally) write thank-yous with Will for his birthday, and that is about all I can handle. Everyone else? Think about the fun of opening presents and cards in the New Year!! We love you enough to not be rushed.

Our quick update:
— Foundation is poured, piers and flashing installed, ground level, debris and dirt cleared. Dumpster is ours until next Monday, so Paul started gutting the back today. All the siding is off the back of the house, Will says that “Daddy took the skin off the back of the house.”
— All official paperwork has been submitted and accepted in the Dean’s office. No going back now: I’m defending the prospectus next Thursday. The defense is being advertised throughout the school… I’m afraid I’ll be haunted by the post in the elevators for weeks. Practice defense is Tuesday.
— I’m working to have the next draft to committee by Monday. This is a major feat, since I’m tried, stressed, and distracted by my duties as the one who makes holidays happen in the household. We’ve got a Christmas tree up and decorated and stuff on the house outside… that is as much as I can fight for right now. The kids seem to appreciate it.
— The final happened and class is done. An appeal on my behalf was made to the department chair to not cap my hours and pay me for the full time I worked on the class (roughly 50% more than “allowed”). It would amount to several hundred bucks we weren’t expecting (the hourly rate is less than we pay our babysitters; to have it capped is just insulting). So I’m really hoping that it gets put through. I did really, really enjoy doing it though… despite getting a parking ticket on the last night.
— Took family portraits of Valerie (my friend/mentor from Lima) and her husband and new baby this past weekend (up on the FLC site); great visit with them this weekend.
— Kate needs a blood test as part of her check-up from Nov. 28th and I have to find time to take her to Children’s for the draw. So far, no time has seemed suitable. And where is that doctor’s order, anyway?