My View (vol. 21)

What I am reading: The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Favorite eats: General Tso's chicken.

Meal planning: Last week, I totally failed. I {maybe} fixed two dishes I planned. Let's keep this week more simple - just say what I'll cook: spaghetti & meat sauce + vegetable; quinoa, tomato, cucumber & feta cheese; tilapia & rice ... you can tell my creativity is really feeling this exercise.

I think quinoa will be a good food to eat this week - I need more protein, but I can only eat so much greek yogurt for lunch. I usually eat vegetable soup. I like eating meat, but I can only eat so much of it during the day before it starts to weigh on me. I'm thinking about fixing some sort of crock pot bean soup. Have any favorites, readers? I need something light, healthy, nutritious, and relatively easy for this novice chef. I think my SIL gave me a lentil soup during my engagement... off to hunt for that!

This week in history: I'm really starting to resent residency. I shouldn't, and I feel bad even typing it, but I am. Will was gone for most of this week, and of course I got sick with a virus towards the end of it. But Will is home now, and is taking care of me before he starts four night shifts in a row. Blink. Blink.

Grace had an awesome PT session and got evaluated for OT. The therapist was very impressed by how agile she is, and witnessed firsthand how much Grace detests when you *try* to have her use her right hand. Baby steps! We had a tough day in the middle of the week, but overall, she is in very good spirits. She turned 11 months too -- woo!

My blog also got over 1k views on Grace's diagnosis post, and from the bottom of my heart: thank you so much Readers and Friends, for your overwhelming love and support of our darling daughter. Thank you for joining up with us to change the narrative that special needs children are a burden, when they are truly such a gift. Let us continue to pray and encourage each other!

It was also National Dog Day - so throwback to our family dog-member, Heidi the wee puppy in December 2006!

Prayers: Peace in the Middle East, and wisdom and prudence in our world's leaders. Those struggling in their vocation. For wisdom, peace and understanding in our own life. For Grace Harriet's continued progress, and for Will and I as we handle heavy work loads with daily needs and family time. My family also lost one of our cats this week, Cecily, possibly to feline leukemia. 

For all private intentions!

Next week, I am going to: DO ALL THE THINGS!!!! Well, a lot of them, including answering more IT e-mails, prepping to teach history the following week, getting myself used to the online happenings for teaching school and learning school, and keeping up with all my grad school reading (I am taking my first philosophy class!). And how, you may ask? Because we have hired a babysitter for a couple hours a week. Praise be! But in all seriousness, I will be cleaning and organizing my to-be office. If anyone wants to come to PA, I will compensate with fancy baked goods I will buy from the store.