Daybook Entry

I am wearing a black t-shirt with "OIF OEF WOLFHOUNDS" on it from the reunion and a pair of Adidas capris with some Reef flip-flops, a.k.a. heaven for your feet. Oh yeah, and yesterday's make-up. Ick.

I am reading "The Mermaid Chair," by Sue Monk Kidd. So far it's been pretty interesting, but I'm only about ten chapters in. You can already tell what's going to happen, but I'm wondering where she's going to go with it. I've also been listening to "Engulfed In Flames," by David Sedaris and creating a scene by laughing and guffawing in the airports. He's hysterical!

I am hearing the sound of peace and quiet in my house, a true rarity.

Learning all the time that, no matter how hard I try, I cannot be perfect. I may strive so much to show love and concern for people, but it is rarely taken as it is meant. That is hugely frustrating to me.

I am thankful that I did not have to go to work at a job outside the home today. I always need at least one day after travelling to reset and get back on track. I'm also thankful I didn't oversleep today!

I am hoping for God to continue revealing bits and pieces of his plan for my life; for God to continue answering prayers; and, for increased patience while waiting for those answers.

From the kitchen comes the knowledge I've got a boat-load of mail and stuff to get caught up on.

I am creating time to do that catching up and not stressing about the miles on the bike I'm not riding today, or the workout I've neglected for a while. I've got to set the right priorities and set myself up to have more time for those things later on. Huge challenge for me!

Bringing beauty to my home Needing to work on this one. I think very "in the box" in this category, and ever since I decided to boycott summer and declare the onset of fall when school started almost a month ago, I have mentally checked this off my list. I'm so inspired by all of you who regularly incorporate little lovelies into your homes.

Around the house is somewhere I'm trying to make a point to be more often these days. I've often been dubbed, "The Stay At Home Mom Who Is Never At Home." As funny as that may sound initially, I cringe at the thought that this is how my children will reflect on their younger years, and I truly don't want them to remember a mother who was too busy pursuing selfish interests to be there for them or to make moments special and memorable.

Outside my window summer is trying to make a come-back, like an ex-girlfriend who won't go away and keeps trying to crash your dates. Shoo! Shoo!! We don't want you around anymore! We're trying to move on here -- get lost!

I am thinking about how, in a mere 17 days, I will get to be reunited with my dear, beloved CHICAS OF FAITH!!! HOOTY HOO!!! (Oh crap, that means I've got a lot to get done between now and then...)

One of my favorite things fall. The colors, the flavors, the CLOTHES (oh yeah, HisGirl!), the promise of family gathering and the ensuing madness of the holidays. And my 32nd birthday, which I'm looking forward to more than any other birthday I can ever remember.

A few plans for the rest of the week... I, too, will make my yearly pilgrimage to ye olde torture devices stirrups for my annual Poke-N-Prod well woman exam. I do, however, want to address the situation with the chronic migraines, and it seems that I am developing icky medical conditions usually reserved for people much older than me. That's right, folks, I think I've developed a bunion. And ohhh, it can be painful. I'm just wondering what that's going to entail...

Daybook Entry

I was over at Pilgrim Steps and enjoyed reading her Daybook. I might start doing these every so often, more as a tool to get the creative juices flowing. Leave a link in the comments if you'd like to play along, too! Or just leave some snarky comments, as per usual... :)

I am wearing a periwinkle longsleeved t-shirt and khaki pants. Not very seasonal colors, but perfect for our first real feeling of fall! Nice and comfy...

I am reading junk right now. I'm between books and finally finished my last paper for lay ministry (HOORAY!!!), so I indulged today at the supermarket in a couple of magazines. I bought one about cottage living, another about cottage floorplans, and a Vanity Fair. I have this dream of living in a quaint little cottage in a charming little town somewhere, complete with beautiful flowers, birds, comfort food, and other utopian necessities. The Vanity Fair is for the plane. I love haute couture, and the articles are remotely interesting, but for the most part VF is pure leftist, liberal drivel. Which is exactly why I don't subscribe (anymore). I will, however, take my copy of Christopher Moore's Lamb on the plane, and fully intend on downloading another David Sedaris book so I can laugh like a crazy woman on the plane. :)

I am hearing the call of God to do something with my life -- just what it is, I'm still not sure of. I'm still listening, though...

Learning all the time that I am a person who is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. While I think it's pretty neat that I can attempt pretty much anything that strikes me as interesting with a relative degree of success, I either lose interest quickly or I find another mountain to conquer. I am learning that there's a reason why God created me this way, but I am needing to learn how he wants me to put this unusual skill to work for the kingdom.

I am thankful for my good health. I went through a long stretch, months really, where I was suffering from chronic migraines. They are likely linked to changes in hormones, which I think I've got figured out now. I also took pro-active steps to manage my sinus symptoms, which trigger migraine-like headaches. Now if I can just survive Mountain Cedar pollination this winter...

I am hoping to get lots done tomorrow; in fact, probably too much. I'm starting to feel the crunch of, 'Oh crap, I really wanted to get this done before I left town.' Some things will just have to wait until I get home, and that's that.

From the kitchen I can see the pale hue of the early fall sky. I just cannot get over the fact that we are having fall weather in September! It's such a rare event here in Central Texas. If this were anywhere up north, we'd also have the blessing of fall colors to match, but I'm definitely not one to look a gift horse in the mouth!

I am creating more time in our daily schedule to read and work on phonics with the kids. We make the phonics something fun that we can do in about 2.5 minutes while we're eating breakfast, and by getting our daily routine worked out, we usually have a little time left to steal for a quick snuggle and story. What's even better is that Li'l G is starting to be able to read the stories to us!

Bringing beauty to my home by striving to keep it clean and work on keeping up with organization! Ever since buying the new leather couches and recliner, I've been focused on keeping the hardwood floors vaccumed and cleaned, in addition to going the extra mile in the kitchen. I need to add my bathroom to that list, though; it's cluttered right now.

Around the house there is a sense that we have moved on to a new stage in our lives as a family. The kids are no longer toddlers. That has been a difficult stage for me to let go. As much as they have driven me crazy with toddler tantrums, potty training, and general kid behavior, I have loved every minute of the closeness and preciousness it brings. Now, there are backpacks, homework, lunchboxes, and carpool schedules. We groove like a well-oiled machine. :)

Outside my window are glaring examples of how I neglect my domestic duties to pursue other interests, be they personal or ones relating to my children. The nandinas are in competetion with the dwarf yupons to see who can clutter up the flower bed faster. Now is definitely the time to be trimming them back. This particular corner of my front flower beds used to frame my office window and gave it a quaint, cottage-y view from indoors. Now it's just a reminder that I need to seek a slower pace of life.

I am thinking about the possibility of becoming a crisis chaplain. There is a LOT of research to do to see if this is the right vocation for me (see a few paragraphs earlier). I definitely feel called to serve with a ministry of presence, in addition to music ministry. I think this might be an extremely rewarding profession at some point, but it's a loooong road for me to get there. Just thinking at this point...

One of my favorite things is my kids' quirky senses of humor. Bud is becoming a little comedian, telling jokes and following up with, "Get it?!?" He just cracks himself up. Li'l G smiles so big that her eyes are almost closed as she laughs this zany, Julia Roberts-esque guffaw. I hope these are the last things I remember just before Jesus takes me home someday.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Now that I have the weight of unfinished business off my chest having finished my paper, I am completely free to enjoy some well-deserved play time with my sweetie for a few days. I plan on sleeping late, working out, getting outdoors, eating like a pig, drinking good wine, fellowshipping with friends, and hopefully being swept off my feet a little bit. Even moms need to feel glamorous every now and then. :)