Somewhere out there

It's been quiet around the old blog for a while. Not that I haven't wanted to stop in, but my sole New Year's resolution (and that is cheating because admittedly, this has many facets) is to Focus on the Main Things. This includes "get back on a schedule" and I just haven't had a lot of computer time. After creating a fairly detailed schedule (flexible, of course...but it gave us goals for our day) last fall I have realized I need to allow twice as much time for every activity we want to do. In between potty trips and diaper changes, cleaning up broken _____ (yesterday it was a creamer and two glass jars at different times!), discipline, etc. we do a lot of fun things, but just keeping everyone clean-ish and alive occupies a lot of our time. So we have a little more realistic schedule these days, with no rushing from one fun thing to the next (e.g., "hurry up kids and clean up your painting so we can read books on time"= not fun). I have given myself 30 minutes in the morning to be on the computer, which usually turns into more like 15 minutes and all in all, I am trying to leave it at that until the evening so the computer is not a distraction. I've been writing this one paragraph-on and off- for 1.5 hours. I hope this is a season!!

The kids have had a lingering cold/cough since our Christmas trip, so our days are filled with wiping noses, steam treatments, and just general grouchiness. I think it's starting to make me grouchy, too...I need to remember that I set the tone around here, not them. :)

I'm really not trying to make this a downer post, but real life isn't always fun and games and sometimes we wade through the muck and keep the end in view. By faith, we look for the unseen. To keep things in perspective, some friends of ours in our last church are learning to trust Christ in the face of their home being destroyed by a fire on Sunday. About 10 years ago we had some family friends who lost all their earthly possessions to a house fire, and that was also a time of sorting through our own things to see what we could provide for them. We are not close enough to send over immediate help to this family, but it has really motivated me to get rid of everything superfluous. On Monday, I cleared out three garbage bags for Goodwill, one of trash, and one to give away. Since this is the year of Focusing on the Main Things, I was more than ready to get rid of anything that was providing more of a storage issue than adding to our lives. If my house burned down tomorrow, I'd hate to think there are many items I'd never even remember I lost! So, we continue to pare down, refocus, and press on toward the high calling we have in Christ Jesus. Not an easy task, but worth fighting for!

I'll leave you with a quote:

I find it most true, that the greatest temptation out of hell, is to live without temptations; if my waters should stand, they would rot. Faith is the better of the free air, and of the sharp winter storm in its face. Grace witherith without adversity. - Samuel Rutherford, The Loveliness of Christ

Not a lot of standing water around here these days. I'll be back, but it may be a few weeks. :)

Paring down

I recently read of a blogger who removed her blogroll in favor of listing just a few current favorites, and I have copied the idea in the hopes of simplifying this little corner of the blog world. I hope (and hope springs eternal) to update weekly, highlighting just the few places I most enjoyed. I highly recommend using some sort of blog reader: you can sort through titles and snippets and decide what is worth your time. I subscribe to many blogs but actually read only a handful, and those typically belong to closer friends and sites that inspire creativity I can put into practice today. I do not suffer from guilt when it comes to not living up to all the ideas in blogland...I am one person and there are 5 million good ideas out there. Use what you can, tuck a few ideas away for a rainy day, and pass by the rest. That's my recipe for balance.

Anyway, I really came here to tell you about a creative blog I found during the Sew Mama Sew giveaways, and she happens to be giving away two somethings this very day! I don't want to decrease my chances of winning, because I really want the box for my Spare Room, but I just thought I would share the love. Her blog- Inside the Paper Box- is beautiful, and she's even featured in the February edition of Romantic Homes (an honor that sort of makes me laugh when I think of how that will never be something I write about myself. Not that we aren't romantic around here... perhaps if Practical & Functional Homes, or Homes that Make Happy Children, or Thrift-Shoppe Furnished Homes were doing a feature, I might stand a chance...). So, check it out and be inspired!

Help for the sick

Happy New Year! (Although I've been told to say as much is outdated. That's never stopped me before.)

Our Christmas in Florida was enjoyable, the 12-hour drives, both there and back, could not have been easier. I'm happy to report that my children managed to make both trips with only three stops each way and were as sweet as could be expected while being strapped in their carseats. Florida was not as warm as we hoped (we should have brought heavier jackets) but it was warmer than the 11 degree weather that greeted us upon our return. I do feel a little Jane Austen-ish speaking so much about the weather...I must not have anything more important to say. Speaking of the author, we listened to much of Northanger Abbey in the car, as well as Animal Farm, and a little Pippi Longstocking thrown in for good measure. We came home and spent a short time with my husband's family as they celebrated Christmas over New Years. I hope to brave the cold weather soon and go out to the van and get my batteries out of the cd player so I can take a picture of my son in his new army helmet, belt and canteen, and rifle. He has worn the get-up for days now, even while in his pjs. Pretty cute. When we told him how comforting it was to have a soldier at home to protect us he did make clear that it was a costume, and not to expect much protection from his 4-year-old self.

Baby T was cranky and unpleasant for much of our time away, due to some sort of illness that he generously spread to all his siblings. We now have some irritable, snotty, coughing children and two fairly tired parents. Last night WH had the genius idea (and I don't say that sarcastically) to pull Baby T in bed with us so that when he woke up every 30 minutes or so we wouldn't have to get out of bed and take care of him. Genius= more sleep. I have several friends dealing with babies who are much more sick than mine, and I have learned/am learning to pray less for the kids to be quiet and sleep and more that God would make me cheerful as I care for them.

I did want to pass on this website and advice for anyone else who is or will be caring for sick kids this winter: Ask Dr. Sears. The link is specifically for dealing with children who have coughs and colds, but I find much of his health advice practical and of the "less is more" school of thought. He provides several scenarios of illnesses that don't need medical care, and what to look for that may require immediate medical attention. My idea of what is "normal" is often skewed by my motherly desire to see my children well and free of discomfort, as well as my lack of sleep from caring for them. Anywho...hope someone finds that helpful.

The mail lady is here, delivering a week and a half worth of mail for us. In the midst of mounds of laundry the mail is always a welcome part of returning from a trip!