News
We've sold our house and the possession date has been moved up to July 13th. Our tenants just found a house in time, so we're all glad that's worked out.
Rod has quit his job at Joel Ross Photography. He has to finish out his wedding contracts, which will eat up his week-end all summer (Aggh!), but he is done shooting portraits there. We're still being paid at this point, but are not sure how long that will continue. He is busy trying to finish renovating and getting together his marketing pieces. God has been providing income for this.
I'm struggling along, trying to figure out on any given day what is most important to do (since my energy and time are fairly limited). I long for order and am realizing some attitudes may need changing (although I'm never quite sure which is beliefs and which is "fog" and circumstance). The rain and resulting mud are a challenge, as well as the lack of time and money to put into landscaping at this point.
My kids are beautiful. Baby boy is so fun and sweet and active (although not mobile yet). Big boy is forever changing his clothes to "be" something else (fireman, basketball player, fisherman, king etc. etc.) Girl likes to follow suit. Biggest challenge with them is discipline/listening. Doesn't help that they always seem to be behind in their sleep. Having fun teaching them a little French in preparation for J going to kindergarten at Ecole Lansdowne. Am thinking about trying to employ some positive incentives for doing morning/evening routines...(what routines?) but man, it's hard to get around to organizing stuff like this!!
Had the coolest thing happen on Sunday. Felt God nudge me to go back in the house and get my Bible. Didn't know why until after church, a young man just starting talking to me about how hard it is to not backslide etc. I just kind of stopped to listen and share some scripture and connect him with someone on the core team of our new transitional housing in the church. I don't know what's down the road for him, but I really want to continue to pray for him. He needs a praying mom!
Thinking more again about hospitality and how to help that to happen. Rod and I want to incorporate the discipline of "celebration" more into our lives, so we've made an initial decision to do more inviting on Sundays. Somehow I'm going to need to make our house more inviting on a regular basis (I try to think of it in those terms rather than just "clean"...somehow I rebel against that word). I just struggle so much to stay on track. Everything gets so easily derailed and I often just let it stay that way and not worry, but then when I think of having anyone over, I suddenly become aware of how yucky everything is and suddenly I'm not so comfortable with the way things are.
Well, I could probably go on for quite awhile with all this ruminating, but kids are still awake and needing attention (i.e. to go to bed), so I should leave this glowing screen and join life.
Monday
Tuesday
Everything Helps
Yesterday Rod pitched in to try and do disaster control. We made a lot of progress and it felt good. Then, I got two hours away and a chance to connect with a couple of women and that was nice, too. Today, I saw my doctor and she's doing a couple of tests to check levels of thyroid, iron, calcium etc. I even managed to have teeny tiny nap this afternoon.
So, everything helps. I realized that I'd had next to no parenting breaks or even naps for the past two weeks or more. No wonder I was starting to lose it!
Yesterday Rod pitched in to try and do disaster control. We made a lot of progress and it felt good. Then, I got two hours away and a chance to connect with a couple of women and that was nice, too. Today, I saw my doctor and she's doing a couple of tests to check levels of thyroid, iron, calcium etc. I even managed to have teeny tiny nap this afternoon.
So, everything helps. I realized that I'd had next to no parenting breaks or even naps for the past two weeks or more. No wonder I was starting to lose it!
Sunday
Dark Days
I've been having some bluer days lately. I feel like I'm drowning on those days. On the good days, mess isn't such a big deal, I come up with good ways to organize my life, I feel like I can tackle whatever I need to, I can go with the flow or I can make goals and move towards them. On these other days though, I find it very difficult to focus on a task, I yell at my kids, get irritated at their questions, their noise, their lack of listening etc., and wonder how I will cope if I don't get a break/a nap/a quiet time really soon.
I think I'll go make some tea, and read my Bible and journal. Then I shall go to bed.
I've been having some bluer days lately. I feel like I'm drowning on those days. On the good days, mess isn't such a big deal, I come up with good ways to organize my life, I feel like I can tackle whatever I need to, I can go with the flow or I can make goals and move towards them. On these other days though, I find it very difficult to focus on a task, I yell at my kids, get irritated at their questions, their noise, their lack of listening etc., and wonder how I will cope if I don't get a break/a nap/a quiet time really soon.
I think I'll go make some tea, and read my Bible and journal. Then I shall go to bed.
Wednesday
News
I'm finally done my part of our income taxes! Woo hoo! Soon our accountant will be done and then soon our refund will come! Looks like the sale of our house may move up one month. Our buyer has requested a possession date of July 1. We're just waiting to see what's possible for our tenants.
Now if I can just get our 2007 books up-to-date, I can resume "normal life".
I'm finally done my part of our income taxes! Woo hoo! Soon our accountant will be done and then soon our refund will come! Looks like the sale of our house may move up one month. Our buyer has requested a possession date of July 1. We're just waiting to see what's possible for our tenants.
Now if I can just get our 2007 books up-to-date, I can resume "normal life".
Life
It's weird. For the past month, I feel like my life has been on hold. The income tax bookkeeping has to be finished. I do a big push on it and then leave it for the rest of the week. When I started the task, I kind of told myself that the house would be neglected. But, even when I'm not actively working on the taxes, I feel like I should be, and I feel I shouldn't be focussing my time on the house. So, I end up doing stuff with the kids, or relaxing, or whatever. The result is that my house has not been this messy even when J2 was a newborn. It's barely functional. And my social life has been put on hold. I'm back to not wanting to invite people over into my chaos...because it's REALLY bad. Anyways, our need for the refund is becoming really urgent, so I HAVE to finish it by next week before we go to Saskatchewan. My mind is already wanting to prepare for Sask, I really should be visiting possible schools for J and leaving my house in a mess while we're in Sask and then coming back to it does not seem desirable. So, if anyone reading this could keep me in their prayers, I'd appreciate it. Especially for a clear mind and the discipline to start without giving in to the overwhelming feelings, an ability to separate out what's important at any given timem and the grace to live in the chaos. The books are a bit messy this year, so wisdom in tracking down stuff and living with their imperfection is needed too.
Ironically, in some ways, life has been really deeply good in the last six weeks. God is working. I just would really like to get this weight off my shoulders and resume life (oh, yeah...then I need to catch up on the bookkeeping from 2007...nuts!) Ahhh, life!
It's weird. For the past month, I feel like my life has been on hold. The income tax bookkeeping has to be finished. I do a big push on it and then leave it for the rest of the week. When I started the task, I kind of told myself that the house would be neglected. But, even when I'm not actively working on the taxes, I feel like I should be, and I feel I shouldn't be focussing my time on the house. So, I end up doing stuff with the kids, or relaxing, or whatever. The result is that my house has not been this messy even when J2 was a newborn. It's barely functional. And my social life has been put on hold. I'm back to not wanting to invite people over into my chaos...because it's REALLY bad. Anyways, our need for the refund is becoming really urgent, so I HAVE to finish it by next week before we go to Saskatchewan. My mind is already wanting to prepare for Sask, I really should be visiting possible schools for J and leaving my house in a mess while we're in Sask and then coming back to it does not seem desirable. So, if anyone reading this could keep me in their prayers, I'd appreciate it. Especially for a clear mind and the discipline to start without giving in to the overwhelming feelings, an ability to separate out what's important at any given timem and the grace to live in the chaos. The books are a bit messy this year, so wisdom in tracking down stuff and living with their imperfection is needed too.
Ironically, in some ways, life has been really deeply good in the last six weeks. God is working. I just would really like to get this weight off my shoulders and resume life (oh, yeah...then I need to catch up on the bookkeeping from 2007...nuts!) Ahhh, life!
