AP moments.

this was definitely an AP week.

you know- Advanced Placement... college level...

as i was laying in bed this morning I was thinking back to high school.

the truth is, i didn't get great grades. i was OK smart, but very distracted with life at home and not focused on chemistry equations. AP Art History was torture for a teenager in early morning seminary. I had that class right after lunch. My teacher would welcome us into his cave-like room, turn out the lights and flip through slide after slide of naked women and buildings. Some days I wonder if even he fell asleep. Instead of a textbook he handed out pillows at the beginning of the semester.

I took Japanese. (Mo ichi do itte kudasai... "Please say it again.")

AP Government- from Stalin.

AP English...

We had AP and GT (gifted and talented)... my friends were in these classes, so i took em.

it saved me.

when i applied for BYU i found out that if you had taken an AP class, BYU added 1.5 to your GPA (so a C translated to a B+), GT classes added 1 pt... (B to an A) etc. I think I ended up with a 4.2 GPA AFTER the conversion. it was great.

Last week... I got a C in an AP week. Do you think God adds 1.5 for AP weeks?

I was crazy with PTA, church, kids, 4 Valentine's Parties, missionaries, out-of-town visitors, sales at dillards, cheerleading, basketball... etc.

My house is a mess. I'm tired, but full.

Really, I should stick with the mainstream.

I have too many kids, too many commitments and I'm too busy in regular life to have company Friday, Sunday, and Monday nights.

(Yeah... 10 kids 6 adults for dinner, dessert and games. People we are just getting to know.-- One friend of mine who is getting baptized on March 7th!! and another family we just met who is considering moving to Lubbock for a PhD.)

My kids had off school yesterday... We went to see Mall Cop and Pink Panther (half in one, half in the other) with Grey's family... yup, 13 kids, 2 adults, 2 spilled containers of popcorn. Once, I saw Anna dragging Leah away from the arcade... literally dragging her across the floor. And, we were all in the car, driving out of our neighborhood, when Jakob asked, "Mom, Where's Lily?" Yup. We forgot her. She was sleeping in her car seat, all bundled up and ready to go, in our kitchen.

I asked Grey if she ever gets embarrassed walking around with her little daycare?

(Her kids ALWAYS look adorable, even in their cowboy boots and shorts outfits...)

She smiled and said, "NOPE!"

I just hope God gives extra for AP.

No. I don't exercise. Physically. But my patience muscles are smokin'.

As I look around at my after-the-party wreck of a house, my just-keep-smiling... pull-up-another-chair... muscles are sore. They're growing. I'm growing.

We were drifting off to sleep last night Todd said, "Jen, I think if you were someone who cared about a spotless-clean house you wouldn't be able to serve others as much as you do." True. But, I DO care about a spotless-clean house. It kills me sometimes when sweet little tykes come out of the bedroom with another tin of toys that Anna got down from the top of the closet. No. I can't do 30 seconds of biggest looser push-ups... but I can last a whole weekend in lunge position.

i think there are women like Grey who have earned the right to be in AP. i bet she got A's in her AP classes. there are women who don't get tired or embarrassed or crazy after a long weekend.

women who can ENJOY long weekends. who can keep their house clean all the time. who welcome company. (corrie, you're one of those AP girls.)

and then, there are women like me. who are TRYING.

trying to have fun. trying to not care about a messy house. trying to keep their house clean and their laundry put away. trying to feel sympathy for the 5 year old with a headache or the 10 year old who thinks it's not fair that he never gets to stay home sick from school. trying to convince myself that I really do want to get out of bed to start my day. trying not to strangle the child who "shared" their mega-green-pixie stick with leah.

all I've got to say is. this week i got a C... if you add 1.5 for difficulty, I'll settle for above-average.

honestly, i wouldn't change a thing. i believe the whole purpose of my existence is growth. i'd much rather be growing than stagnant. so. i like AP weeks.

and now. I'm ready for spring break. :) anyone want to go to Bahamas?