Should be cleaning

I am sitting at my computer knowing that I should be at the kitchen sink instead but enjoying a little downtime to write. My friend Ginny and her youngest daughter Ginger are coming in just about an hour for the second time in as many weeks. Most of the family came last week to come celebrate the new year, but two are back again for Ginny's uncle's funeral. His family lives just about an hour from us.

I'm also supposed to be getting ready for a research project for my January class. The teacher just went over expectations with us last night. I had thought that it would be fairly easy to put together until she went over what she wants in the paper! Ack! It's going to take the entire two weeks she's given to us to write it.

The job situation looks like a very unjob situation. Any jobs that are available are going to the teachers already credentialed, which only makes sense, but I was really hoping more jobs would open up by now. I am going to make a few calls to some of the private schools this coming week and see what might be available that way. I would so much rather teach in a private school anyway, but economics won't allow that. However, if there's a choice between no job and a lower paying job, I'll take the lower paying job!

Keri Lynn is heading back to college today! This is so sad. I have such a hard time with it every time she leaves, particularly because she's so rarely at home for the whole vacation time. She's been ironing out details for her second summer internship in Japan. I am so excited for these opportunities for her.

Keegan has been cruising along the couches in the family room and is starting to branch out and take a step or two out. It won't be long before he's walking! I can't believe that Little Man is getting so big! He likes to babble quite a bit. In the morning, he calls for me, "Mammamamamamamamamam . . ." which means he wants a bottle. When he sees Keith, it's "DA!" which means fun. Keith throws him way up in the air just like he did for the other kids. It's funny to see the older kids get nervous about it. I just don't look, and I'm fine and listen to Keegan giggle like crazy. As long as he stays busy picking up and putting every last piece of trash and stuff off our carpet into his mouth, he's perfectly happy. I can't tell you how many things I've fished out of that boy's mouth.