More than Adrift

We have an accepted offer on a house!  I don't want to prematurely get excited, so I'm waiting until a few more things fall into place before getting started on packing :-)  But, it has me thinking about our finances and standard of living. My dad has always taught me the importance of living within my means. As a child, and a teenager, this was preached often, though it mattered very little to me at the time. My dad's means were relatively large, my needs were relatively small. We had a nice house, in a nice neighborhood, I attended private schools. When it came time for my license, we purchased a nice little car. We had cell phones, vacations, computers. College education was provided to me by my dad, I had a nice wedding that didn't require a loan.... Financing was rarely necessary for things. I don't say this bragging (obviously) since I had worked for exactly 0 of what I was "earning", but my dad managed to always balance home life, work life, fin...

This is really just a "what we did this week" post, but there were so many things that made me really happy, that I decided to title it differently :-) My sister in law Ang, and D, watching the dolphins at the Minnesota Zoo.  This picture makes me happy because 1) I love being with family  2) I love it that my kids have such great relationships with their aunts and uncles  and 3)  I'm so grateful for the relationship that Ang & I have now. We have both overcome many obstacles but now are quite wonderful friends!  A mother in law who has enough energy (even with a broken kneecap) to tour the zoo with us!! Yay for beautiful flowers growing outside my house, and a recycled bottle to put them in :) Projects!! I love art projects with the kids.  After seeing the awesome aquarium at the MN zoo, we were inspired to make our own in the kitchen.  K painted some seaweed, and a jelly fish, and D painted a few fish and a whale.  Very fu...

I think I've alluded to my tendency to quit things before in other posts, but this week has really been a convicting week for me in this area. I am the Queen of Planning and Big Ideas (really, I am! Ask my husband!)  I love to plan things. I plan small things like our daily chores, I plan the big things, Summer Vacations, Curriculum for this coming year with D & K, etc, etc......  the problem is, I hardly ever, ever finish anything I start. This week my Big Plan was to (on top of turning the computer off during kids' awake times) make myself more productive during the day. I would begin each morning by waking up, showering, getting dressed, wearing shoes.  Either you are thinking it sounds silly (like I did)  or you're thinking, you don't get dressed or shower in the morning?! (no I don't usually...) I loved it!  I do feel more productive. I feel more in control of the day. I have 15 minute "cleaning frenzy" times throughout th...

I actually already wrote this once.... and posted it once, and somehow the site deleted it... it's all very confusing. So this one will be a little more condensed. We've had a fun week, and leave this evening to go to Minnesota to visit the wonderful Formo family until Tuesday.  We all played outside in the "pool"... an old sandbox that we refuse to fill with sand...again K chose her own dress for the All Abilities Fashion Show coming up in a couple of weeks.  Such a girly girl some times :) We took a cardboard box (thanks to diapers.com)  and I let each kid choose a project. D chose sword/shields.  As we played "protecting our castle" I shouted, on guard!  Later, I heard D playing by himself, and he said "Watch Out, I'm on Guard!"  So funny my middle one can be. K chose a bus project.  She actually chose two pictures other than the one shown here to use in the windows.... but I seem to have misplaced them, so the project is still only ...

Thanks to my wonderful husband, I had a perfect mother's day. It's only taken us five years to get to a place where he knows me so well that he can plan the perfect day!  I think that's pretty impressive! Not to bore you with all the details... it included a date night Friday night Then yummy food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, that I did not make! And lots of fun time outside with the kids :) And my husband even found the energy to till a garden for me!! I just love my family very much. I am praying that on days that Gibbs is a little less attentive, or a little less affectionate, or a little too busy for my liking, I can remember how much effort he put into this day to show me how much I am loved and appreciated .  But I probably won't.... so maybe you can remind me....  :-)

This week has been a stressful week for me. I've been feeling anxious, and no one in the house has been on their best behavior (perhaps me included) These days/weeks happen, and I know better than to get down on myself for them. But, I am a classic overthinker, and realized that the last time I felt like this was when I was househunting (as I am doing now!) The whole process of making a big decision gives me terrible anxiety. I worry mostly about the kids. How will the decision affect the kids? Will they be happy in a new home? Will they be happier in "X" district, or "Y" school district. Should we live in a suburb, or on a few acres.  The list is endless in my mind. After asking a friend for prayer about my stressful week, she gave me some rather insightful advice. She said that she prayed that God would show me how not-a-big-deal the decisions I am making really are. As I read through Ephesians, Chapter 3's fervent prayer from Paul stood out to me....

I've held off writing this week because so many thoughts are jumbled in my head, it makes it difficult to write with any clarity! Whenever I am having a more "emotional" day (or week) thoughts are always competing in my head. Thoughts of God, the kids, buying a new house, friends.... and it's tough to get any clear feelings or answers about anything. Due, in part, to my emotions, the kids had a tough week. It bewildered me because I had my computer off during the day, I was getting chores done, I was getting my bible study done... I was doing all of the things that usually equate to a good week! But still, I was emotional, easily frustrated, tired. And like a virus, the kids caught it. They were so whiny (where do they get that from?! Certainly not me... ha ha) and exhausting. It struck me last night, on a quiet date with my husband, that the computer was just a symptom of a problem that has been recurring for me for years. The computer isn't the problem. The ...