Things to be glad about...

Do you remember Pollyanna?  I watched that movie so many times as a young teen...probably because for the two years we lived in Allentown, we actually had Disney channel, and it played constantly...and we didn't exactly get out to the movies very often while Dad was in college.  I remember thinking how I could see Pollyanna's point...that even in the hardest times, you could always find something to be glad about.  In my eternal optimism, my chipper attitude, my innocence...it was a lot easier then to find the "glad." I remember at the beginning of the movie...when all of the grown-ups were annoyed with her happiness...wondering how people could be so negative.

I'm not having a "figure out what there is to be glad about" kind of day.  I feel an awful lot like Angelica.  Before she got happy.  And this has happened too often lately.

So, today, I will force myself to dwell upon sunshine.  Here's my list of what I can be glad about:

-Healthy, active, intelligent, beautiful, loving kids.
-Full tummies.
-Full pantry.  Fridge.  Freezer.  And we haven't been shopping in two weeks.
-Air. Conditioning.
-Getting paid to do what I love.  And getting more calls to do it all the time.
-A disastrous playroom.  Covered in toys and the remnants of make-believe.
-Text messages that make me laugh.  Hard.
-A full craft cabinet.  Which I haven't stocked since Christmas. :)  And the children rediscovered today.
-Too many games.
-Cooler temps...and a breeze. :) Great sleeping weather.
-Well-worn furniture and a new mattress.
-Sirius Radio and lots of new summer music.
-Seasonal fruits and veggies.  Let's hear it for STRAWBERRIES!!!
-A functioning, just-the-right-amount-of-warm, in-ground pool.
-A house that stays within 20 minutes of company condition. ;)
-Four bedrooms. And the fact that more often than not, only two of them are used for sleeping.
-P90X. (You knew I had to include that somewhere in this list, right?)
-Creative brides. Who let me play with their cake designs.
-Friends who listen to me ramble. About mundane, completely unimportant things.
-Grace and forgiveness.  Which I struggle to accept, but know are available.
-My dishwasher.
-The neighbor's yummy smelling fabric softener which wafts through my open kitchen window. :)
-Summer sports that wear my kids out.  And make them tan and happy.
-The opportunity to read and think while summer sports wear my kids out. :)
-Excessive use of smiley faced emoticons.
-A cell phone that makes me smile.  It's completely unnecessary, but it's fun.

So many more things come to mind.  I've left this open all day to add as I've thought of things, and I know I could leave it open until I go to bed tonight and I would double the list...but I'll tell you, when I started it...I really didn't think I had that many.  I have gotten bogged down in the junk.  And there's plenty of junk, too...but if I focus on that junk...I forget...all of that stuff up there.  And the junk is overwhelming.  But the good stuff...that's where I want to live.

I think I'll work on a mental list. Starting...now.

Simple Woman's Daybook, June 28, 2010

Outside my window...it's dark and dreary out there, but we need the rain, and i'm hoping for thunderstorms. the turning-brown lawn is making Seth crazy.  

I am thinking... that i should put off less and plan ahead more.

I am thankful for... air. conditioning.

I am wearing... white t-shirt, fun, floral-print summery skirt..

I am remembering... how simple (and busy) life was when they were little and wanted me to find things for them to do.

I am creating... an organized glimpse into the girls' 5th grade year to turn in to the school district tomorrow.

I am going... to spend the summer running children hither and yon.  and making cakes. :)

I am reading... The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan.  if i continue reading at the rate at which i'm currently reading, i might finish it by August.  

I am hoping...  that Lainie gets her optional floor music soon. she's had enough discouragement for one season and needs a pick-me-up. 

On my mind... more than i plan to share in a daybook post.

From the learning rooms...  cleaning!  it has to happen this week. i'm going crazy. (like that's something new)

Noticing that... we can completely clean the entire house to company-ready in 20 minutes when the whole family pitches in.  funny how that works.

From the kitchen... Mondays are totally pasta days...spaghetti or lasagna?

Around the house... i'm always intrigued by how the weather affects the mood...gloomy weather = quiet, still kids.  

One of my favorite things... pictures of my kids.  talented family members who share them with me.

Praying for... wisdom.  amongst other things.  

A Lyric or two...
It's hard to argue when
You won't stop making sense
But my tongue still misbehaves and it
Keeps digging my own grave with my


Hands open, and my eyes open
I just keep hoping
That your heart opens...


A verse to share... And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 2:9-11

A few plans for the week... finishing up recovery week, starting Phase 2 again, sports with the cherubs, possibly having my family here to visit for the weekend (yay!!!)


A picture thought...

Aren't they gorgeous?


























For more info or to get involved by writing your own Simple Woman's Daybook,  CLICK HERE.

Swim Meet

So proud of Reasa and Bryson tonight.  Despite only ever swimming in something other than our back yard pool (or someone else's) and only ever having done a formal stroke (or 4) within the past three weeks of their lives, they both dove in and swam their little hearts out tonight in their first swim meet for the Williamsport Waves.  Don't ask me what their times were (or what they swam, for that matter.  I stood in lane 1 timing every race that came through my lane with two other moms...we made good use of those stop watches, and at times, barely had time to realize when our kids swam), or what place they came in (interestingly, it doesn't seem to matter at the meet itself)...they don't care anyway.  All I cared about happened when they got in the water and swam even though they were nervous and uncomfortable and nauseas.  I told them they had to swim in the first meet, then we would talk about it after that.  I don't think I even need to worry about that conversation.  They loved it.  Their head coach cheered them on and all of the parents encouraged and helped.  I look forward to the rest of the season, watching them improve, figuring out if this is something they could stick with over time.  Even if it's not...crazy proud of them.  (Now they just need to go to sleep.) ( :) )

Grateful

I have spent the past two weeks or so extraordinarily stressed out.  To the point where I have definitely not been a peach to live with.  That fact has stressed me out even more than the actual sources of stress, and has caused me to be even less of a peach to live with.

This truth irritates me.  Embarrasses me, even.  But it's where I've been.

When I finally crashed (for the first time) tonight, my phone immediately buzzed in my pocket--the cake I spent the afternoon constructing and planned to deliver earlier tonight had been put off indefinitely as of about 5:00--the friend who ordered it had rushed her 9-year-old daughter to the emergency room.  The phone call (at 9:45) was her father calling to ask if he could pick up the cake.  In the course of conversation (and situating the cake on the front seat of his car...where a spider attacked the bottom layer, and his finger swiped the frosting across the bottom...buttercream is a wonderful thing), I learned that their Emily has pneumonia, but they feared meningitis when they took her in, and that she and 2 out of 3 of her siblings has Cystic Fibrosis.  Yep.  Three out of four kids.  And the fourth is a carrier.  He stood there and told me about twice daily breathing treatments and vibrating vests to break up mucous and serious concerns any time one of them starts coughing...wondering if their youngest son is getting lean too fast as he grows as this could be a bad sign.

I had no idea.

And the next words out of his mouth?  "Really, we're just so blessed.  We know it could be so much worse."

As I sat down again after he left, digesting what he said, I started my blogwalk.  Later than usual today.  I follow the blog of a woman who, along with her husband, was in a plane crash in which they were burned.  Significantly.  She much worse than he.  I'm not even sure how long ago.  A couple of years, I think.  At 33, she is easily the strongest, bravest, most incredible person I have ever "met," virtually or otherwise.  Find her here.  She had a massive surgery about a month ago to repair her neck, and she has blogged recently about her recovery.  She lives in agonizing pain every day.  She hurts when she hugs her children.  She spends months a state away from her babies, so anesthetized that she has no idea how much time has passed, and she counts the doctors and nurses as her closest friends.  And she writes nearly every day about how very blessed she is.  Just to have another day.

Tonight as I read, it struck me how very little I have to gripe about.

No matter how busy my schedule, no matter how much goes dramatically wrong, no matter how many arguments with my kids, crazy things that happen with car keys and wet clothes and chewed up shoes and budgets gone haywire...I sit here on my couch one very fortunate woman.  Blessed.  Loved.  Spoiled.

Grateful.  And determined to be even more so tomorrow.

I sincerely hope you have an amazing family.

What brought that up?  The fact that I have one.  And as a result of that incredible truth, I think everyone else should too.

I posted a status update this morning that said something about the fact that today is Tuesday and it's raining and it's the perfect day to accomplish something (as opposed to the last two days, basically).  A friend quickly pointed out that, "umm, Mindy, it's Wednesday!"  Why did I wake up this morning thinking today was Tuesday despite the fact that all of the events of the day (and last night, etc.) point directly to that obvious fact?  Probably because the previous 36 hours of my life caused my brain not to register the fact that 36 actual hours have passed, and, it is, indeed, Wednesday.  And those 36 hours we spent mostly with my family.  Family who makes time go so quickly and so sweetly that you seriously just don't realize it has slipped by until you discover just how exhausted you actually feel.

The kids and I made a whirlwind trip to Rochester on Monday to cheer for and celebrate my brother's photography studio's Open House event (Studio 180).  The kids couldn't wait to see their cousins, hang out with their favorite babysitter in the entire universe (thank God for Lauren), and stay up waaaaaay past their bedtimes while Mommy and the other grown-ups laughed, listened to fabulous music, and ate delectable sweets (and some delicious hors d'oeuvres)(that word is impossible). Spending that entire evening visiting with my parents, my brother's (awesome) in-laws, and my sisters reminded me just how fortunate I am.  So fortunate. The night was a smashing success, the place was packed, and the response...overwhelmingly positive.

We got home way too late (1:15), slept far too little (till 7)(well, Paul and Sarah got up before that--Paul had to be at work at 7), and the kids got up early...before I did...rifling through legos and furry friends.  In the span of 6 hours, I got to snuggle my nieces and nephews and chat with my sisters about everything from home education to preschool to jobs and finances and marriage and decorating.  Tearing my children out of both of their homes required nearly super-human strength, especially going on very little sleep.  How many people can say they adore their sisters-in-law and consider them two of their dearest friends?  How many parents don't have to mediate one single argument between 5-7 children even once in 24 sleep-deprived hours?  Even on the 2.5 hour trip home (with an hour break to stop and see MeMe and Ompy in the middle), the only actual complaint I heard from my children had to do with a hungry belly.  Call it Residual Family Happiness.

Incredible.  Wouldn't trade it for anything.


So proud of Paul.  And of Sarah, who is an amazing, supportive woman/wife/mother/artist/educator/person-in-general.  Paul couldn't have done this without her, and he would tell you that.  So grateful for Kevin and Jenn and their friendships and love.  So amazingly blessed by my parents and the roles they have played as mentors, teachers, supporters, guardians, grandparents, and friends.

Blessed and grateful.  Great way to start a day.  A Wednesday, even.

Simple Woman's Daybook, 6/3/10

Outside my window...a cool breeze blowing (pretty hard, actually) through the trees...and through my windows.  and birds.  noisy birds.  

I am thinking... about tomorrow.

I am thankful for... a house that gets messy. because it means i have a house that was once and will again be clean, and three blessings who mess it up for me. 

I am wearing... what i wore to work out this morning...white tank top, grey shorts. shower time.

I am remembering... promises I made.

I am creating... memories with my kids. every day, i hope.

I am going... to fold a load of white laundry, make french toast for my boy, wake up the girls, and clean the house. 

I am reading... A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle.

I am hoping...  that the crunching i keep hearing in my knee goes away. 

On my mind... oh, gosh. where should i start?

From the learning rooms... the learning room looks like a bomb hit. looking forward to finishing up this school year so i can reorganize and make good decisions about next year's plan of action.  curriculum research begins this weekend.

Noticing that... apathy doesn't work.

From the kitchen... french toast. and very little else today.  Thursdays are running-around days.

Around the house... blankets and pillows and cushions...kids sleeping in each other's rooms means relative disaster everywhere. how does that work?

One of my favorite things... teva tanlines.

Praying for... peace. 

A Lyric or two...

 

Whenever I climb too high, keep my feet off the ground

And when I get full of me turn me upside down

You know pride and not just sorrow come before the fall

So if it's you that's getting bigger, I don't mind being small

-Jimmy Needham, "Being Small"

A verse to share... 

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord.  Jeremiah 29:12-14.

A few plans for the week... planning worship. Lainie's last level 4 gymnastics meet this weekend. a few hours by the pool.  building...something.

For more info or to get involved by writing your own Simple Woman's Daybook,  CLICK HERE.

Update

I clicked to my spaces.live blog this morning and noticed...no blog entries.  At all.  Examining a bit further, I realized that I haven't blogged at all yet this month (now, it's only the 3rd, so...I mean...maybe cut me a little slack), and I'm wondering if that's why my posts appear to be missing.  As far as I know, that hasn't happened before.  I think, generally, the most recent five posts show, or something like that.

 

All the more reason to get things switched over here.

 

I'll be working on that.  

 

In other news...after celebrating Memorial Day with my parents with a hike through Watkins Glen and dinner at Jerlando's (I know...very picnicky, right?), this week marked the beginning of summer's schedule.  Bryson and Reasa started daily swim practices on Tuesday evening (which I completely forgot about, and later realized that I hadn't put this in my calendar because they hadn't given us a formal schedule at sign-ups, explaining that they would be emailing the initial schedule before the season started. They sent the email on Tuesday night after the first practice. :) ).  We have cut back to one horse lesson a week, and have taken a break from karate to make room for swimming.  I will admit, they still haven't decided what they think about swim practices, but considering they have had no formal swim instruction, and this swim team actually competes with actual technique and actual timers...they need some work right off.  I have told them they need to attend at least the first two weeks, and we'll go from there.  Because I'm mean like that.  Lainie starts her summer gymnastics schedule June 14--when the swimming schedule moves to mornings, hers does too.  Monday-Thursday, 8:30-11:30. 

 

I have a feeling we're going to be tired by August.  Actually, I have a feeling we're going to be tired by the weekend.  Every weekend.  It's 8:15 and even Bryson, my earliest riser, is still asleep.

 

Our pool at home is sparkly and shining (it took us about a week and a half and three trips to the Warm Up Shop to get things under control there), the lawn is mostly green (except for the big yellow rectangle where Seth left the pool cover folded for too long...), the weeds have completely taken over the beautiful landscaping out front (I'll get on that today, I promise), the air conditioner is working much better thanks to our friend, Brock, and his expertise, the seeds are sprouting in the "garden"...and we're finishing up school so we can really enjoy our downtime.  

 

Ha.  That's funny.  Downtime. 

 

I can pretend, right?