So Many Blogs...

... so little time. I have such a growing list of blogs and images to share and just not enough time to punch them out. A wee-little update will just have to suffice for now. As usual, Wes and I have taken on several fun Christmas projects, and extra hours at work, making the week before we leave quite the busy one. Though I am really in no state to be talking about such things because I am very tired. And well folks, I'm sure even you know that I get very illogical when I'm tired. So while we do have a nice sized to-do list,  right now I will tell you: its 5 miles long (and that's really not true!!).

When I'm tired and stress is looming, I usually cry, and over-exaggerate, and sometimes throw the occasionally pity party. I also like to dream up even more to-dos, pretend that they are pressingly important and feel even more sorry for myself. But this isn't my pity-party. Really. I promise you. If I was partying in pity right now I don't think I'd be sitting here writing about it... no.... I think I'd be crying. And my eyes are tear-free! (I mean as long as you don't include the two that I shed an hour ago.) I really am completely fine. I'm just in a fog... and a full nights sleep will make me feel as good as new.

So, onto more fun things than me being tired... Winter break has been so lovely!!! We went on a wonderful (seriously-- magical!)  date which Wes does a great job recapping on his blog, in this post; some Christmas shopping has ensued as well as some viewing of Christmas movies. We have been enjoying ourselves for sure. And we can hardly wait to come home! 5 days in counting!!!

Countdown

It's FINALS WEEK everyone!!!

I somehow managed to finish my last paper of the quarter lastnight. You can ask Wes how many times I whined: "ooooohhhh myyy gossh...." or "whaaat am I dooooing???" It was for my art-philosophy class. I was writing about an art critic named Clement Greenberg, then I had to relate him to Modernism, and THEN I had to relate those two topics to Kant. Fabulous. and what do you know? I'm bored again already which means I bet you are too!


Moving on...

Tonight is my Art History final, Thursday is my Critical Theory final, and last week I finished up Meaning and Making.

4 days until I'll be on Christmas break! Now back to studying...

and trying my hardest not to daydream about seeing you all in a couple of weeks. ;)

Can't wait! Thanksgiving blog is soon to come.

-Katie

Can I?

So if you talk with me on a somewhat regular basis you will know that I *love* the girls I nanny. And I  have quite a special bond with the 2 year old, seeing as how I have known her since two months of age. You would know that I love them because I talk about them constantly (thank you for listening! - especially you Wes who hears by far more than everyone else!). But my point here is that the internet hears little of this love. On a rare occasion I will share a story or two, but I am very cautious about respecting their privacy, etc. Anyway! my point here is that today my post is about my work. Rather, it is about Miss 2 year old who is changing faster than ever (seriously, today it felt like she got smarter with every passing hour). She has been putting sentences together for a while now, but only recently has she been asking questions, and building bigger sentences. This week her "favorite" phrase has been "Can I..(fill in the blank)..??" Can I RUN? Can I read-a-book? Can I EAT string CHEESE? and on occasion it will simply just be: "CAN I???"

Now prepare for me to get all cheesy on you but this is where I'm going with this. Today while we are eating lunch together instead of mindlessly spewing "Can I?" out of apparent habit, she appeared to be intensely thinking... She then looks at me and says "Can I?..... I can." With a head nod and then continues eating.

And the cheese in this is that I am sitting here all inspired. As I reflect on my day (which wasn't a great one) I'm exhausted, completely overwhelmed with school and life and my ongoing water-works about moving away (that for another day- though really does it need an explanation?) I am inspired by my little Miss. I mean really, I know I'm not alone in saying this... that's one of the beautiful things about having kids right? You see life through new eyes.... you remember the amazingness that lies in all of those little things....

So, I'll say it:

CAN I???? I can. I can finish up two more quarters of school. I will graduate in June. We will move to Europe for a hunk of time. And.... I'll just be.... crying.... every so often. As I think about saying goodbye to this family that I care about. Our apartment. Our walk to the grocery store. Our church. Portland.
hOKAY! Time for bed! ;) Nighty night. I'll be fine because...I can.