Because today is not long enough already with work, kids, making dinner (not happening), work again, I have to subject myself to further agitation by bringing all three kids to Toys R Us.   (or Toys Ourway Us as Malcolm calls it.)  Why would I do such an inane thing?  Because for the first time ever, Henry Kee got all E's on his report card, and that is a pretty big deal.  I never IN MY LIFE got all E's/ A's on ANY report card.  (Maybe in graduate school, but that doesn't count.)  Here at House of Kee, we like to reward hard work.  So, Henry got to pick out anything $30 or under, and he picked... a giant styrofoam airplane that cost $7.99.  Don't get me wrong.  It is pretty awesome.  And he is excited about it, so that is what is important.

Then I had to drive over to the church we have been going to and drop off some Easter eggs.  The big Easter Egg hunt in this Saturday from 10-noon if you are interested.  (Trinity UMC on NW 53rd)  I was thinking on the way over there... is it a full moon?  Because people cannot drive today.  Or the universe is gunning for me to wreck my car.  There were five different instances today where, if I was not such an adept driver, I could have easily been part of an accident that was not my fault.  Nobody was paying attention to themselves today.  Luckily, I was paying attention.

This is my last week of classes for the semester.  Never again will I teach a night class.  I will have a morning class both Summer A and Summer B.  I think dropping the night class will help me stay sane.  I have already increased the activities on my social calendar.  I just didn't have the energy for it before.  Life is about to get a lot more enjoyable.  Or maybe it is just that I will be more enjoyable to live with.

Oh, so I just read this trilogy, The Hunger Games.  Have you read it?   I have a special place in my heart for young adult fiction, and this is as good as it gets.  Especially if you are into dystopias.  I also recently read some YA historical fiction by one of my favorite writers, Laurie Halse Anderson.  The books were part of either a trilogy or series she has started, I'm not sure.  Chains is the first one, and Forge is the second.  A few months ago, I read The Book Thief.  Have you read it?  If not, do it.  You won't regret it.  Now I am reading Everything is Illuminated.  I just started it today while my students were testing, so I will not comment at this time.

Well, I could prattle on endlessly about books and kids and crazy drivers, but what I really came here to say (and promptly forgot about until this very moment) is that the other day I saw a bumper sticker.  It said, "God loves you.  No strings attached."  So, in my mind, the battle began:
I said to myself: "Well, you have to love him, though and accept him and his son, etc."
Then I thought: "No, you don't.  He is going to love you whether you do or don't love him and accept his son.  Whether you choose him or don't choose him.  Because it's not about you."
If I am going to be honest with you (whoever you are that reads this) then sheepishly, I have to admit that one of my biggest lessons as of late is that God loves me, and everyone else, with no strings attached.  Without judgement, without hoops, without lines and only ifs and variables.  Happy Holy Week!