I'm Blogging

I'm blogging. I'm stressed. This is what I do when I'm stretched thin. I'm sure many of you are thinking that if I'm stretched thin, I should probably be focusing on what needs to be done, but for today only, I am recognizing that what needs to be done is for me to be still and quiet, to listen to great music, and to blog. I may blog all day. Well, probably not all day, but I could. I am doing laundry and have plans to make a batch of pasta sauce to freeze (and eat tonight for dinner), and I'm going to make a few cards to mail to friends who lost a family member yesterday. I promise I won't blog all day, but I will blog....a lot.

My husband is home today. I'm grateful. I know he needs a job, and I know that is part of the reason that I am so stressed, but, at the same time, I am grateful for the times when he is here when I need him. Days like today, when I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread, I am thankful for his presence. Still, I am praying for a job. It would be so much better for all of us if he was working, you know? Of course you know.

My kids are playing and making crafts today. I am enjoying them. I am enjoying the fact that they are capable of entertaining themselves the way so many children today are not. Hanging out with my kids is one of my favorite things to do, as you know, but knowing that they don't always need me is a blessing too.

This evening, I am making pasta sauce. Doesn't that sound like fun? I have enough ripe tomatoes that I'll be able to freeze some sauce finally. Last year I was making sauce to freeze all through July and August. This will be this year's first batch. What's up with that? We planted more plants and got less crop yield. I'm disappointed, but what can you do? The sauce will be fantastic either way. I love being home to cook where I'm in control of ingredients, nutrition and calories. I feel like it's one of the few things I have within my control right now.

I tried a new laundry detergent recipe. I got it from my friend, Sarah, a few weeks ago. It is much easier to make than the recipe I was using. I just started using it and plan to assess whether or not I like it after a couple weeks of usage. I'm still using peppermint castile in the recipe. It smells divine!

Dad's eyes improved between Wednesday and Friday, but he says they haven't improved much in the past couple days. He is still encouraged by what the doctor had to say on Friday. Please be praying for continued healing and the financial provision they need to come through for them to pay for medical expenses.

Lots of people are starting school this week. It makes me feel extra stress knowing this. I know many homeschoolers who are not starting until after Labor Day. We are among those. I yo-yo'd about whether or not we should start sooner and decided to wait. With everything else that is going on right now in our lives, I believe that this was a very wise decision. Unfortunately, I believe that my children are ready for the structured days which school provides them, but it needs to wait. I think my sanity may depend upon it. We have other activities that have already begun that are allowing us to ease into our fall schedule. Bible quizzing began two weeks ago. Piano lessons will begin next week. Children's choir begins next Wednesday. Dance will begin the first week of school. The schedule lull which August provides us has ended.

My dishwasher has been recalled. Apparently, there is something in the mechanism that is causing dishwashers to catch on fire. In the midst of craziness, I will be waiting for a repairman to appear on my doorstep between 8 and 12 on Wednesday. Woo. Hoo. The good news is that they sent us the letter before we were one of the many who had a dishwasher fire, especially since we often run it while we are in bed.

I wonder if I could produce a blog in which the paragraphs are actually topically related today. Maybe I'll post another post about this year's curriculum. That's a good idea. This post? It's nuts. It breaks all the rules. There is nothing congruent about it. Can you imagine being inside my head right now if this is the kind of blog which I'm capable of producing?