Sitting…in the bed. Laptop on lapdesk on lap.

Listening…to Karl read Billy Donovan’s Secret Sorrow.  Here’s a quote:

Long before they were all head coaches in the SEC — long before they became competitors — Donovan, Pelphrey and Grant helped Florida blossom into one of the country’s most-dominating programs during the early and mid-2000s. Still, the moments the three of them remember the most — the three precise dates that spurred one of the strongest, most unique bonds in all of sports — have nothing to do with winning NCAA titles and conference championships.

Instead, they involve the loss of life, and the strengthening of friendship.

“The human body is amazing,” Pelphrey says. “We can all sense when those days are coming closer.”

November 2 for Donovan.

February 6 for Grant.

August 22 for Pelphrey.

“I let John know I was thinking about him at the end of the summer,” Donovan says now. “He wrote back and said, ‘Tough, tough day. It never gets easier.’”

Donovan pauses.

“He’s right,” he says. “It doesn’t.”

Grateful…that we made it through the holidays. About mid-December, the kids began passing around the flu. Over several days, all four children suffered through it. Then, Karl succumbed. It’s true that people who already have special health concerns, like asthma, will have a more difficult time getting over something like the flu. Because of Benjamin’s food allergy he isn’t able to take a flu shot, so we take a gamble every year. This year we lost. I guess it wouldn’t have made much difference, though, because the doctor said that the strain of flu he and Karl contracted wasn’t in this year’s flu shot. I guess we’re special like that.

Contemplating…a theme for 2011. I hope to have it all settled in my mind and ready to share next week. Not that I’ve prepared a big “reveal” or announcement. I’m not going to change the blog’s name. I’m not coming up with a clever tag line. I know, I know, that breaks two of the rules for having a widely read, popular blog, but trying to adhere to the “rules” stresses me out and sucks the fun out of my hobby. I hope you appreciate what my lack of flourish and style, but it’s OK if you don’t.

Reading…a book I checked out from the local public library. I’d like to improve my writing proficiency and ability to compose poetry. So, I went upstairs, straight to the 800s, and picked up the first book on the shelf: The Mirror and the Lamp by M.H. Abrams. I’m only about 1/3 of the way through, but, so far, Abrams’ book is a history of literary criticism. It’s a book about ideas and philosophy and the history of literature. I am loving it! If I could do college again, I’d double-major in Human Development & Family Studies and English.

Preparing…lessons and blog posts for next week.  I am actually looking forward to 2011.  It’s taken me a few weeks, but I have finally accepted that it is no longer 2010 (not because 2010 was so great, but because I feel like I need to stop time for a little while).  I think I’m ready live in the new year now.

Memorizing…Karl and I accepted the challenge to memorize Philippians before Easter. So far, so good. This weeks verses are Philippians 1:7-10.  I’ll share more on that later, but if you want more info find/visit @memorymoleskin and #p2r on twitter or Partnering to Remember on Facebook.

Enjoying…Paul Newman’s coffee.  It’s good.  No one is paying me to say this.  I just wanted to share because trying a new beverage is dangerous.  I hesitate to purchase untested coffees because, well, they’re untested, and I don’t want to buy a bag of coffee that I have to force myself to drink if it turns out that I don’t really like it.  I want to anticipate the morning’s coffee, not dread it.  But my mom-in-law offered me a cup of Paul Newman’s over the holidays, and I liked it so much I didn’t add any cream.  I bought a bag the other day.  I am already looking forward to the morning.

(It is now Thursday)

Cleaning…the school room.  Just yesterday (I know, I know!) I finished putting away all of the Christmas baubles.  I am so thankful for children who are old enough to do a lot of the work.  They did most of the decorating and putting away this year, so I’m not complaining.  But it is now my job to sort and put away all the things that piled up on our school table during the holidays.  I also need to reorganize my supply closet.

I guess that’s enough for one status update.  Check the sidebar section, “Hey, did you see this?” for some interesting things on the web.  Thanks for reading and Happy Thursday!