Ten. On my mind...

1. I'm working on a class project that just isn't coming together. And my students are all over my back because they want to see it. Sometimes it's so hard to be creative on demand. Or force a project to work. Or find a way to make the class description or the vision I had for a class actually come to fruition... it's one of the only hard parts about my job. I'm not complaining, because I love my job. But I hate it when this happens.
2. I'm struggling with post-Africa issues... this winter is such a hard one and I feel like as soon as I got back I had to jump into the holidays and snow, snow, snow. Thinking back on my trip feels almost dream-like. I even have a few things I haven't looked at since I took them out of my suitcase... it's probably time to do that. Hard to believe I was actually there. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me.
3. Add that to the fact that my 40th birthday is just around the bend, and I've been in a bit of a funk. Not because I don't want to turn 40. I welcome that... it's more about the actual day. I really like birthdays. And I want them to feel special. And a 40th birthday is especially special, I think. So it should be an especially special day. And I just know I'm setting myself up for disappointment. Or something. See? I'm a mess.
4. And then there's the future. What in the world am I going to be when I grow up?
5. Really loving my kids a lot lately. They're such great little people. Right now I find myself especially amazed by Kyler and how fun and happy he is... he's got so much going for him. It's just so cool to be a parent and witness the transformation from baby to toddler to school kid to teenager, isn't it?
6. We had dinner with some old friends last night and talked about kids and life and church and love and Africa and kitchens and work and the future... good stuff. We're blessed.
7. Interesting that we've been in Spokane 10 years and now have friends here that we can call old friends... people we met early on here... when we first moved here I longed for the day when we would feel that connection with people that only comes with time...
8. There are too many books in the world. Every time I go to the library, I check out a stack and then only have time to read one. So I send all the others back to the library unread. But I really wanted to read them all. I need a whole month where I can just sit and read. And I'm only talking about the non-fiction I want to read... who has time for fiction? You should see my Amazon wish list... and my nightstand, and my paperback swap requests... it's crazy.
9. Time for my shower... so much to do today.
10. Happy Tuesday, friends.