On Our Way To Crazy

I had this grand idea of journaling during this pregnancy business to help me remember the different things I’d go through/feel/wonder about. I can’t imagine why I thought that would work, since I’ve only written for this site about three times all year. But still. Good intentions.

I wanted to find something with prompts that would help me decide what to write about. BIG PROBLEM – pregnancy journals are lame. (Maybe you had an awesome journal when you were pregnant and you filled it with butterflies and rainbows and food cravings.) I couldn’t find anything that wasn’t cheesy and emotional and oh-what-a-beautiful-experience-y.

So I started looking for prompted journals of any kind. I wanted to make lists, draw pictures, answer questions, that kind of thing. I found something called The Happy Book and decided to use it as a journal of my life over these months – not necessarily pregnancy specific, just a reminder of what was going on and how I was feeling.

It’s a pretty great book, actually. It asks questions about the games you made up as a kid and the songs that make you happy and lines from movies that make you laugh. It’s really fun to work on – Aaron and I have been doing it together every few days, each of us writing in different things. (Under ‘words that make you laugh’, Aaron wrote ‘sonofabitch’. That’s kid-appropriate, right?)

One page asks you to list your favorite people in the whole world. After writing about various family members, friends, and twitter feeds, I started a sentence with, “You know who would definitely NOT be on that list…” which very quickly devolved into a game we have since titled “Guess Who Else I Hate?” It’s like a 20 Questions of annoying people from our lives.

IT RULES. I realize that it goes against everything that The Happy Book stands for, but MAN it is fun to play. I’m not sure there’s much that’s more cathartic than talking about people who’ve pissed you off.

We are going to be great parents.

May 1 – I… accidentally cussed from the stage at church.
May 2 – The kids were extra hilarious tonight.
May 3 – Got to hang out with a fun youth mom and watch her kid play tennis.
May 4 – Frozen yogurt with a kid. Good discussion.
May 5 – Fruit bouquet from my family for Mother’s Day! They rule.
May 6 – Mavs! Mavs! Mavs!
May 7 – Watched a couple of my kids in a really cute play.
May 8 – We launched the most amazing fundraiser in the history of fundraisers.
May 9 – Great high school discussion in class tonight.
May 10 – Chick-Fil-A for lunch. The baby likes it.
May 11 – Nice staff meeting and lunch at a retreat center.
May 12 – Ron Swanson dancing.
May 13 – Our house went up for sale. Sad but good.
May 14 – Awesome service project with the kids. They packed about ten billion food boxes.
May 15 – The kids did a skit for the kid’s classes in Sunday School. It ruled.
May 16 – We announced the pregnancy to the youth group. They were super excited and then started bribing us to name it after them. So fun.
May 17 – We told the world about the baby. The world was nice to us in return.
May 18 – Therapeutic and delicious lunch with coworkers.
May 19 – Good doctor’s appointment! Healthy! We find out what it is next month!
May 20 – Good meeting with my boss, Reba Behind the Music, yard sale poster making, price-tagging all our crap.
May 21 – Yard sale! We sold a ton of stuff, met a bunch of crazies, made a bunch of deals. Fun day.
May 22 – Went to see a play a friend wrote. It was hilarious and amazing.
May 23 – End of school cookout at youth group! Food and games and lots of fun.
May 24 – Fun girls dinner and trashy tv watching night.
May 25 – Mavs! Mavs! Mavs!
May 26 – So You Think You Can Dance started! The best show ever.
May 27 – Got some fun stuff for the nursery at the flea market.
May 28 – Watched three of my favorite kids graduate. So proud, but kind of sad.
May 29 – More graduating! Those things should have concession stands.
May 30 – Really fun Memorial Day cookout with friends.
May 31 – Dinner with some new friends. Good conversation and an amazing game of pea-nertz.

Apr 1 – Youth retreat started! Great kickoff talk from Aaron followed by an epic dance party extravaganza.
Apr 2 – Youth retreat day two! Our kids climbed up and jumped off a super scary pole thing and we had an awesome day. Finished with response stations scattered across the campground and some really moving moments with the kids. I love them so much.
Apr 3 – Youth retreat final day! Easy morning, lots of donuts, made it home, loooong nap. Awesome.
Apr 4 – Relaxing post-trip morning, fun youth night.
Apr 5 – I discovered Heartsy.
Apr 6 – First ultrasound! It’s really in there, y’all.
Apr 7 – America’s Best Dance Crew started! I love that show. Don’t judge me.
Apr 8 – Told some people about the baby who I thought would be annoying but were totally fun.
Apr 9 – Delicious chinese food for dinner.
Apr 10 – I spent the afternoon in the backyard with a great book.
Apr 11 – Fun conversation with a friend.
Apr 12 – Spent the day talking about Huey Lewis on Twitter. That’s the power of love, people.
Apr 13 – I thought we had a bad insurance situation on our hands but then it turned out we’d actually saved a bunch of money.
Apr 14 – Hilarious Parks & Rec episode. Man, that show rules.
Apr 15 – Discovered Milano Melts, the most amazing cookies ever.
Apr 16 – The kids built a food pantry for a facility that serves underprivileged kids.
Apr 17 – Watched one of my kids dance in a school play.
Apr 18 – Taco Bell for dinner. I should feel bad, but I definitely do not.
Apr 19 – Delicious birthday dinner with a friend. Brisket tacos for the win!
Apr 20 – Coffee with one of my favorite kids.
Apr 21 – Started painting the living room walls and ceiling. More fun than it sounds.
Apr 22 – Fun night with a friend – dinner and a show starring one of my kids. She rules.
Apr 23 – Fun day at the Easter Egg Hunt. Things are so much more enjoyable when I’m not running them.
Apr 24 – Enjoyed Easter Sunday, both at church and at home with friends.
Apr 25 – Good conversation with a youth group parent.
Apr 26 – Told more friends about the baby! This is getting fun. Except for the nausea.
Apr 27 – We got to dogsit for our neighbors. I miss having a dog around.
Apr 28 – Good discussion in book class.
Apr 29 – Royal wedding! Spent the morning watching and googling royal family business.
Apr 30 – Fun date day with Aaron, lunch and a John Lennon art exhibit.