End of November already?

It has been weeks since I have updated the blog - sorry about that. Things around here have been very busy and stressful. The decision to move overseas, to Qatar, has been made and we have decided not to move at this point. It wasn't an easy decision and one that I know Terry isn't feeling 100% at peace about even still. It is difficult when you see an exciting opportunity that brings so much change - one thinks of all the positives of a move and yet really needs to consider the challenges as well. After having made the decision, one can feel stuck and it's easy to let all of the frustrations of life here make us wish we had taken the opportunity. However, the decision is behind us and in the end, we know that God led us to make the right decision for many different reasons. It is easier to be thankful when you see how a generally safe place for westerns as India has been under seige and we contemplate the fact that it could have just as easily been Qatar. We are blessed with our life here and God continues to show us that everyday.
It is due to the stress of that big decision and work for both Terry and I that has prohibited me from being more on top of things with updating the blog. Terry's work situation has been more stressful lately with not having someone to manage the finances in the Oval and has pushed him to take that on, as well as continue with his position which always keeps him overly busy in Kinesiology. He is currently interviewing to find someone to fill in at the Oval and will be grateful when that position is filled. Work for me has also been extremely busy. We revamped the report card and I needed to do some extra work to get it ready and into the system under the pressure of a deadline that was too close and uncomfortable. Then once that was done, it was time to start working on my own classroom reports and then do a random proofing of the teacher's report cards before sending them out via e-mail. Although this week is busy with Parent-Teacher Interviews, I told Terry that in some ways, it doesn't seem as stressful and busy.
In the midst of all of this, we have tried to find some down time here and there, especially for Jaret's sake. It is also good for us to come home at the end of the day and try to put work behind us and just focus on what truly matters - family. Jaret is doing well and continues to bring us so much joy and laughter. It seems that everything he sees lately is funny and he says, "That's kind of funny, hey?" It can be something that isn't even that funny like just seeing Christmas lights that are red. Although, he is beginning to develop a sense of humour and likes to laugh at things. Recently he got a dvd in the mail from our Aussie friends. It's called Upside Down and it is these two guys who just act kind of goofy. He loves it and enjoys sitting and watching. It captures his attention quite well and every now and then we hear him just laughing at what he's seeing.
We have the Christmas decorations up. I took time to do that last weekend as I just found that we needed something to help us get more into the Christmas spirit. I put up the stockings but Terry questioned why I only put up three. So, we now have the baby's stocking up as well. All of our pictures are on the stocking holders, including the baby's from the ultrasound. It is pretty cute. Jaret calls the stockings "foots." He siad they look like socks and that's why he calls them that. True to his sense of humour, Jaret took his socks off one evening and decided he needed to add them to the tree decorations. It makes perfect sense, doesn't it? Socks hanging from the mantle, why not on the tree as well. Although, I must admit that later that evening when he wasn't looking, the socks came off the tree.
This past weekend we have taken it pretty easy. We got a sitter on Friday night which made Jaret happy because Jazzy plays basketball at the school and so they played basketball together much of the evening. Terry and I enjoyed an evening out at The Keg. It was amazing how tired we were but we got through the evening and were glad we took some time to do that. Terry was asleep on the couch though by the time I dropped Jazzy off at home which shows how tired he was. The rest of the weekend has also been low key - brunch with Mark, Shea, and McKinley on Saturday morning, babysat Dustin and Rachelle's little guy, Jacob on Saturday night and church on Sunday morning. Otherwise, we didn't venture too far from home. It was just the kind of weekend we needed. Now as I get Jaret's Advent calendar ready, I realize that Christmas is just around the corner and know that it will come all too quickly. Looking forward to a slower pace in December so that we can actually enjoy each minute of it.