So I have been insanely busy lately.  I just finished report cards which were more complicated then I expected.  My report card was five pages long and each page had at least 15 things that I had fill out.  I had to do about 40.  Today was the last day of my conferences.  It was interesting to see that only 10% of the parents showed up.  I spent most of my day at school planning my social studies block.  I made an entire 10 week unit plan on U.S regions.  I also planned homework and math for the next 6 weeks.  Yeah me!

    I have been looking forward to the weekends so that I can relax.  Unfortunately I have been just as busy on the weekends.  I want to spend time with everyone but it is just too much sometimes.  This weekend  I filled out report cards, babysat, went to a movie and a  birthday party,  visited my mom, grandmother, inlaws, and a my best friend, shopped for gifts, and finally worked on Jon's gift.  Oh and I went to have coffee with an old friend who is visiting from Finland.  I am tired.

    I am leaving for Durango tomorrow for Thanksgiving.  I have to say that I have mixed feelings about the whole thing.  I want to go and be surrounded by my family but now my family is different.  It now includes Jon and the Strawns.  I don't  feel complete without them.  I am going to be missing part of my family, a very large part of my family.  It will be fun but not in the way that it was the last time I went.  I am going to miss Jon this Thanksgiving.

    Everyday I let myself miss Jon more. I try to fight back the thoughts of him being in Iraq.  I try to think that he his in Europe safe having a good time.  Everyday it is becoming harder to lie to myself.  Although he is coming home soon I feel more lonely now then when he first left. The lord has blessed us in so many ways and so I need to be strong for the next few weeks.