Spring Break!; Tile Project; Family Drama

The kids are on a two-week break from school. We leave for Boston on Monday, which should be a lot of fun. Bobby asked to go to Boston because he loves history and wants to see the Freedom Trail, especially Paul Revere's house. He was enthralled by the American Revolution in school this fall and has talked of going out east for months, so I hope it's all he has cracked it up to be in his mind. He does actually have a couple ancestors who were Minutemen. My dad's family (the Morgans) came here in 1710 and several played some pretty interesting roles in Colonial history (founders of Morgantown, WV, and Wilmington, DE as well as the first Episcopal Church here). They also were the very first white settlers west of the Blue Ridge Mountains; Civil War historical figures, the Westward Movement, etc... If I weren't so lazy, Ally and I would be card-carrying members of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). Maybe going there next week will inspire me to get our paperwork filled out for it. Anyway, this week has been a flurry of shopping for clothes (they keep growing!), planning the trip, tying up loose ends around the house... can't wait to be on that plane.

My girlfriend (who created the mosaic for my basement kitchen floor) finished last week, and we installed it for three solid days: laying the underlayment, re-mortering a second layer to house the glass tiles, then grouting. It looks amazing. I have a carpet guy coming out on the 26th to re-align the carpet to the new edge and then it will be officially finished. I'll post a final picture when that is done. I am so proud of us for taking on and actually completing this huge project. Neither of us had ever laid tiles before and I admit there was quite a learning curve, but the gratification of knowing we had the gumption to attempt this is very satisfying!

Way back when we first had to pull up the carpet and lay these sand-colored tiles.

Here is Stephany laying the final tiles along the edge by the door. There are literally thousands of 3/4 inch glass tiles on the floor. About half of them are hand-made art glass that people use in stained glass windows.

Here we are grouting - last step!

The wave pattern goes from the sliding glass doors around the kitchen counter and ends before you start to go down the hall. About 45 linear feet total.

Many of you know I gave up alcohol for Lent. I'm not sure if my uber-soberness has made me more sensitive to (and irritated by) drunkenness, but after last weekend, I could see giving up alcohol for life. We were wakened in the wee hours Monday morning by my husband's ex-wife (the mom of my step-kids) telling us to go retrieve my 33-year-old stepdaughter from jail. She was arrested for beating up her husband, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. It's all so unattractive and unladylike it's just hard to understand. And rather than being embarrassed and ashamed by it, Marnie's just blaming her husband, blaming the alcohol (like it just pours itself down her throat?), blaming the stress of law-school, blaming the stress of working at the Capitol, etc. How about a little personal responsibility? All I can say is "ick". Actually, as the step-mother, I can't even say that.

In the mean time, I am excited to take my family to Boston; I have my plane ticket for Wildflower; I love my Bible-study "small group" that I meet with once a week.... the stuff I am actually sort of in control of is running smoothly.

My step-kids are coming over for dinner on Sunday. As usual I will just bite my tongue, smile politely, BE polite, and know they will go home after a few hours.

Today our friend Momo is at her cousin's funeral. That whole situation has me a little sad, too, so those of you who pray, please pray for Momo to find comfort and understanding on this difficult day.