Coming and Going

I was away from the blog in the last few days because last Thursday my husband decided that it would be a good idea to visit his parents this past weekend. So we left for Massachusetts on Saturday afternoon and returned last night at midnight. We love to do impromptu things like that, and, needless to say, we're really used to road trips, so a 5 hour drive is almost "nothing" to us. I don't think we'll be doing that again, but years ago we drove for 14-16 hours three times to go from Massachusetts to Michigan to visit my brother- and sister-in-law, twice on Thanksgiving weekend. Good thing they live in Maryland now!

Anyway... some things that have been happening here lately and that I want to blog about:

- Last Friday, for the first time since we bought our first computer in 1998, we had water spill on the keyboard (my oldest son was playing nearby and had just brought some water to me), and it's not working anymore, so I only have the laptop until we can get a new keyboard. I was very happy that this happened because it's the same keyboard from 1998 -- we never replaced it, even though the CPR and the monitor are gone now (more about the monitor at another post). It still worked OK, but the little "feet" that prop it up would often slip and it would lie flat on the desk, which annoyed me.

- My husband is traveling to Brazil again for two days.

- My parents renewed their U.S. visa yesterday and if their passports get back until Saturday, they're getting here a week from today. They're coming for my "final push" to get the Ph.D. More on that on subsequent posts.

- We've had some new ideas regarding options for my husband's future job and career and we're getting happier with the options that we may have.

- My almost 5 year old son is getting interested in writing, so I want to scan some of his writing for you to see.

Oh, and for those of you who have been concerned with his bad dreams, he's had very good nights lately and this morning he told us that he dreamed for the first time with his latest obsession: Bob the Builder. If it makes him happy -- good thing! I have to remember to tell you later a dream related anecdote about him. Remind me, OK?

- I have to tell you more about our visit to some of our "old haunts" in Massachusetts yesterday.

I guess that's it... I have to cook something for dinner, so I have to go.

Oh, yes, it's finally snowing and it's so pretty out there. The boys played outside in the snow for a while this afternoon. Too bad it's going to turn into freezing rain...