Originally uploaded by Bertt
The good:
The unexplained weight gain, constant loss of voice and sore throats, freezing when everyone else is balmy, fuzzy thinking, feeling like I have water in my veins and extreme fatigue is going to end.
The bad:
The ophthalmologist has diagnosed me with euthyroid graves disease.
The ugly:
Prednisone.
So, one week into this thing called graduate school and my house is already turned upside down. My natural ability to hyper-focus has been a Godsend as far as coursework is concerned, but seriously, I gotta remember to do laundry.
Of course I knew something would have to give. It always does. But somehow I forgot that a neat, orderly home would be the first thing to go. And that when it “went” it would be so sorely missed. Sigh.
Twice this week I did laundry at midnight. By Wednesday, I could care less if there were dirty dishes in the sink. And the kitchen floor? Well, let’s just say you might want to put your shoes on before you pour yourself a drink. Oh yeah, it is that sticky.
Clearly I have to pick my battles. So I’m choosing to focus on getting my children and myself out the door, with warm full bellies and smiles on our faces. If we can arrive at our various destinations on time, in clean, coordinated outfits, and with a healthy lunch, I’m calling it “success.”
Originally uploaded by bethechange21
Life has had me hoppin’ and it has been a long time since I’ve blogged (as opposed to microblogged — I tweet & kite bite with a vengeance).
Now that the Fall Quarter is here, the pace is really picking up, so I’ll take a quick moment to bring everyone up to speed on my latest adventures with a handful of bullet points:
* Relocated 100 miles from family and friends to start a PhD program. Amazingly, we have already found a network of new friends and are feeling quite at home. Of course, being surrounded by mountains and the beach doesn’t hurt.
* Began a directed research project which has been slowly building up speed. Project will continue Fall Quarter and things may get a little crazy, but I’ll love it.
* Enrolled children in an alternative school program. Yes, we are officially “in the system” and I am okay with it. The children attend school 3 days a week in a very nontraditional environment, so the Unschooler in me can still get to sleep at night.
Overall all, I am feeling healthy, happy, strong and on top of my game. I’m getting adequate rest, remembering to eat, taking my supplements, and my children are happy.
Flow. It’s what I did this summer 
there’s nothing better than summer
Originally uploaded by virginiaz
A few days ago, I was Twittering from the Emergency Room with my daughter. While it was scary at the moment, the ER docs treated her immediately and everything was eventually fine.
In the meantime, praying and tweeting was all I could do as I held my daughter’s hand while she lay half-asleep and swollen on the hospital bed. People I know intimately in real life, and those I don’t even know their real names, sent comforting sms and tweets of encouragement. It was a Godsend.
I’ve always touted the value of online communities and social networks and the real life benefit they can bring. But now it is official.
I’m one of “those” people.
