Random Update

Things that have been occupying my time and/or thoughts:

~Laundry.

~I get to be these kids' mommy:

Plus two exceedingly cute girls. Who like to blame toots on Daddy.

~Somehow my sleep schedule has officially shifted into the 8-9:00 bedtime followed by the 1-2:00 wake time. Try as I might, I cannot seem to adjust that. And wonderful, adorable Baby Dude sleeps through the night nearly every night - it's all me and this pesky mind of mine. Please do the very kind thing and put me out of my misery. What I mean by that is you could KILL ME NOW or put me up in a luxurious hotel all by myself. Either way. Aaactually, the later is sounding somewhat more appealing.

~Laundry.

~It seems as though we're heading straight for the financial Perfect Storm. This fact occupies way too much of my mental energy and I believe I now nearly know what an ulcer must feel like. It's a very humbling, very vulnerable place to be. Which, pausing to take a deep breathe and looking outside of my immediate panic, I do believe is right where God wants me - looking to Him. Trusting in Him. Relying on Him. Praying to Him. Putting my Hope in Him. Being ok - truly ok, grateful even - with whatever He allows/decides/answers. I fail at this constantly, repeatedly, continually - but He takes me back and lets me start over again and again. There are so many woulda-coulda-shouldas that clearly cannot be changed but we have to learn and trudge on. Being transparent is very difficult for me - I really don't talk about money, but right now it feels more of a burden to be silent. Please pray for us along with countless others in a similar (sinking!) boat. Stupid boat.

~Last month Gracie stuck a sharp pencil in her forehead, right between her eyes. She thought it was eraser side up and leaned into it. Lovely. It became, in essence, a tattoo. A number of screams and tears, $140 and bright red scar later, it has become just a story to tell and a reason to FLIP OUT over sharp pencils coming anywhere near anyone.

~I had a root canal last week. While most people report root canals aren't all that bad, mine was horrible. 3 hours in the chair. Complication after complication. It's been 9 days and the tooth still hurts. Most likely I will need another round of h e double hockey sticks to 'fix' it. Then I get to go get a (ridiculously expensive) cap! Yee. haw.

~I've lost 2 pounds! This is nothing to get really all that excited about but it's quite amazing thank you very much considering it takes every ounce of willpower not to drown my sorrows in chocolate. And fried stuff. And have you HAD the snickerdoodle cookies from Fresh & Easy? I think God Himself passed along that recipe. Is that sacrilege?

~While simultaneously being extraordinarily stressed/worried - I also can't help but feel so incredibly blessed. Every day I look at my kids - their beauty (both kinds), their health, their humor, their cuddliness, their laughter (ignoring, of course, the whining, the crying, the fighting... la la la laa laaa!) and can't help but just burst. My heart literally, physically feels close to bursting. (Perhaps I should see a cardiologist?) I wouldn't trade the health or life of any one of them for every last dollar on earth. I have a husband who works hard every day, who loves me and is faithful to me and who strives to be who God wants him to be. I am richly blessed. Thank You God!!!

~Hearing "Why are we going THIS way?!" every single minute we're in the car, approximately 41 billion times so far. Would muzzling Mary be considered taboo? Allow me rephrase that into a multiple choice best of the worst scenario: A) muzzle Mary; B) drive off cliff; C) drink while driving. I may be missing something, but those seem to really be the only alternatives.

~Laundry.