so what's going on here?

Umm...a lot...and not a lot. *laugh*

We're still house hunting. Looking for that perfect fix-her-upper. *giggle* The kids are enjoying the very warm weather while looking out for those larger than normal misquitoes. Noel has taken charge of our tomatoes and they are looking very well - I can't wait to eat the first one! He also planted various hot peppers - but I will not be partaking of any of those. *wink*
I'm still struggling with my time management skills...*sigh* I'm also still purging the house, but it seems to be slow. It can't happen all in one day, but I'd like to see some major improvement in a month.
I haven't read anything lately, so nothing interesting on that point. Same goes for movies. Nothing new.
Of course, this completely blank mind may be due to an empty stomach. I think I'll go eat. *chuckle*

Ever wonder?

Do you ever wonder if when everyone has jumped on a bandwagon celebrating the teachings of a certain individual if maybe...just maybe...something about it all might not be right? That perhaps there is something amiss, but the teachings tickle the ears in just a way that unless one is holding each and every teaching to scripture the problem would be missed? I've been feeling this way for a few weeks. I don't want to go on a feeling though - that's not right either. But I think the feeling is responsible for my procrastination in a certain area. So, I am going to test it out and see....see if perhaps I'm only paranoid and the bandwagon is an okay spot.

Ta-Daaaa!!

I'm back. I think...maybe. *laugh*
In my time away I was able to get a lot of things organized and cleared out. A lot of other things happened as well....hmmm...where to start?

Well, the boys have both had birthdays - Cosette is still asking to make sure her's is coming soon. *chuckle* The boys are enjoying AWANA on Wednesday nights. Cosette and I get girl time then, unless we get to spend that time with Daddy. *smile* Noel has been to Mexico and back to plan for the summer trips he is hosting. He has also been to China for two weeks and is back - again to set things up for the upcoming trips he is hosting to work with brothers and sisters living there and also for work. The 6th China Xiamen International Stone Fair is huge. www.stonefair.org.cn
This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is the 2006 Home and Garden Show at our Great Plains Coliseum. I'm planning to go tomorrow afternoon. *thumbsup* I'll share about my lastest gardening antics later. *wink*
I know more has happened, but really, I can't think of anything. The perils of waiting till evening to get to the blog - I'm exhausted!

So, there we have it - in a mostly empty nutshell. I'm back and while I will be limiting my computer time, I am looking forward to visiting everyone's blog and catching up! (((hugs)))

I won't be online for a while. See y'all when I come back.

For Rosie with Hugs

Happy Healing!!

fun break

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness. Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life. Most things in your life are organized and planned well. But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism. You are very emotionally stable and mentally together. Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly. Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is medium. You are generally broad minded when it come to new things. But if something crosses a moral line, there's no way you'll approve of it. You are suspicious of anything too wacky, though you do still consider creativity a virtue.

The Five Factor Personality Test

now, back to the question below....

a question about a question

(this is one of those posts I'll probably keep adding to for a while.)



Does God punish Christians?

What do you think and why? If you answer on your own blog, leave a link! Thanks. *smile*

Finally, the meme.

QuirkyChild tagged me for this. *smile* So, here goes:


Four jobs you’ve had in your life:

1. Postal clerk assistant for the MPS

2. Sandwich/do it all girl for a Deli

3. Jewelry sales at Montgomery Wards (obviously before they closed)

4. Nanny



Four movies you would watch over and over:

1. Pride and Prejudice

2. Sense and Sensiblity

3. Emma

4. You've Got Mail/13 Going on 30


Four places you have lived: (I'm confining this to the U.S.)

1. Colorado

2. Missouri

3. California

4. Mississippi


Four TV shows you love to watch :

1. Good Eats

2. Iron Chef (not Iron Chef America)

3. Thin Blue Line

4. Home remodeling shows


Four places you have been on vacation:
1. New York

2. Illinois

3. California

4. Oregon

Four websites you visit daily:
1. Graceful Mothering

2. blogs (xanga and blogspot - a couple homestead and homeschoolbloggers)

3. Women@Home

4. my email


Four of your favorite foods:

1. fruit

2. chocolate

3. fresh vegetables

4. Crusty bread with thick slabs of meat and cheese - no dressings or anything

Four places you would rather be right now:

1. the beach

2. the aquarium (Monteray Bay is my fav.)

3. a giant library

4. the Louvre, or the Met.

Four bloggers you are tagging:

Anyone left who hasn't done this yet. *laugh*

*happy dance*

I performed fish surgery today and I am quite proud of myself. *grin*
We had a fish that I mistakenly decided to catch and move with a fish net instead of a cup and it caught it's spikey fins in the net. We got most removed, but part just stuck fast - Noel ended up cutting part of the net off so the fish could be loose in the tank. That bit of net didn't work it's way off the fin though as we hoped and it was rubbing a really raw spot on the fish. So, enter the fish doctor. *laugh*
I gloved my hands so I didn't get speared and using those tiny scissors used for suture removal I carefully cut away the netting till I could get it all off. *whew* It was nerve wracking! I'm hoping the fish will heal well and be happy to flash about the tank and give me weird looks as before. I was wanting to take him back to the pet store because he seems to aggressive, but now, I'm not so sure.

Also, in aquarium land, we now have a tad pole to observe. The pet store FINALLY had some. Some people laugh that I actually paid for one instead of going to catch one - but, hey - I've never caught one before and I really don't know when or where to get one in the 'wild'. *laugh* It's pretty cool. *smile*

The guppies we bought are proving to be disastrous. How is it possible for guppies to be so temperamental to keep? I've never had fish die off so fast. *frown* It's enough to make me think of just getting a tank of dirty goldfish! *sigh* We'll see. I'm going to do some more reading before I give up altogether on them.

The gecko has been much more 'social' lately. It's been really neat to see her around instead of always looking for where she's hiding. She's so beautiful - turquoise and grey with orange spots and big orange eyes...and those cool gecko toes...those ROCK. *laugh*

The dog, Molly..she's still rolling in dried grass and bringing it in the house. *laugh* She seems happy to find cozy places to nap and bark at the neighborhood cats. *smile*

add it to the pile....

I just read this quote from a book -

"One of the fruits of silence is the freedom to let God be our justifier. We don't need to straighten others out."

The title of the book is Celebration of Discipline. I'm not sure about the author - I'll have to look that up later.
I'm currently reading Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney. Legalistic but informative.

Apparently, discipline is something I am sorely lacking. *frown*

Oh, and in case it wasn't glaringly obvious - I'm in a serious funk.

I really should, but I'm not.

I really should do a lot of things - some of them right now - this moment - but I'm not. I'm tired. (exhausted, really.)
I need to update. I'm not.
I want to post the meme. I'm not.
I should go start dinner. I'm not.
I have to run errands this evening.....*sigh* Guess I will. *soft laugh*

Once again, I wish I could wiggle my nose and have things do what I want. Or snap my fingers while singing along with Mary Poppins and have things put themselves away. Or how about the ONLY thing I liked about Disney's weirdo Fantasia - the magic brooms and mops. Self washing dishes. If I tip my head back, I can dream about it all. *laugh*
Not really acceptable, though. Guess I have to get off my rumpus bulbus and get back to work.
And to think it's only Tuesday!!

What was I thinking?!

*laugh* I probably won't be here tonight! I've got a H.E.R.O. meeting to go to - with girlie time at Cracker Barrel afterwards! Maybe I'll have time to pop in here before I go. *wink*

running,running, running...

Feel like I'm going to be living to the 'chuck wagon' theme song. That may not make sense to anyone but me, and that's ok. *laugh*

Fun note - I've been tagged. *wigglebrows* I'll be back to post for that later, probably tonight. I just didn't make it back here yesterday.

Crazy note - I've got a gazillion errands to run. *buggout* We will be headed to the post office, the pet store, & the grocery store. I was thinking there was one more place but I haven't made The List yet, so I can't remember.

Anyway, we're off for a wild and crazy day. Only 20 days left to another darling boy's birthday! (and twelve to my neice's) We're going to be Party Nuts! As a side note: Does anyone have any ideas on how to make a Battle B-Daman cake?!? That's what's been requested. Man, the yellow dragon idea was so much easier! *laugh*

I will not.....but I will....

I will not allow myself to be in the pits of despair. I will not.
I will not allow someone to 'make me' feel miserable. I will not.
I will not bottle all this crap up and keep it there till it spews all over some unsuspecting member of my household like an infected emotional boil exploding puss all over. I will not.
I will not allow this painful turning point to discolor other relationships. I will not.

I will remember that even in all of this sadness, I still have joy in my heart from my heavenly Father. I will.
I will remember that I own my emotions - no matter how big. I will.
I will remember that I am big enough to handle them, verbalize them, and deal with them. I will.
I will remember that this is one area that is ok for me to compartmentalize - boundaries are good. I will.

I will remember that I am loved.

Deuteronomy 33:27

27 The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.

No. matter. what.

Romans 8:38-39
38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Again, thank you, Father. amen.

Heretic?!

Good to know some random, completely unknown to me person (the creator of the quiz) doesn't think I'm a heretic. *laugh* I can rest at ease now.....*snicker*

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451. Chalcedon compliant 100% Pelagianism 58% Nestorianism 50% Apollanarian 50% Monophysitism 50% Monarchianism 33% Modalism 33% Arianism 0% Adoptionist 0% Docetism 0% Donatism 0% Albigensianism 0% Gnosticism 0% Socinianism 0% Are you a heretic? created with QuizFarm.com

For definitions of those "ism's" you can see here, where I got the quiz from Makeesha. *smile*

The Smart version of.....

Oobie:

Cambron and Christopher
present:
Oobie and Kako
(with fully conjugated verbs! *giggle*)

"Oobie & Kako - Laughing Hysterically"

"Oobie and Kako - Composed and ready for close ups, Mr. DeMille."

Side note:While I was looking for the official link for this 'interesting' show, I found this Dad's take on the show and laughed - so I thought I would share. (Be sure to read the comments he got...*laughing*)

1 Week Post-Op Update

[vent]
We had an appointment today to check healing and discuss options. *frown* That hospital is SO DISORGANIZED and....GGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! I am convinced the CT was LOST not sent back to Dallas as they insist. Anyone looking around in the clinic we visit would agree. There are large stacks of records precariously piled hither and yon behind the desk where the "administrators" sit. The paper chaos that will result if one, just one, pile falls over is too scarey to dwell on. The women working back there did little to quell their image of incompetency. (They even had us on the wrong schedule.) Exasperating! Get it together already. *frown*
[/vent]

At least the doctors have been impressive. Anyway - about the follow up. Things are healing nicely. There will remain in his ear a bit of packing for the next five weeks. Then we have another follow up to further discuss the bone anchored hearing aide (Baha) and the procedures involved. One happy note - if we go the Baha route his hearing could be better than before with the regular behind the ear aide.

Now, I'm headed outside to swing and be read to. *smile* (That makes for three more good things...in stair-step blond hair.) Thank you, God.

Time for Garden Dreaming....

I've already been bit by the garden catalogue bug. I'm surfing for new ones. (I think it might have something to do with those empty flower pots on my front porch. *frown*) While I like shopping online, I have a thing for print gardening catalogues. So far, here are my new resources:

http://www.santarosagardens.com/ (don't know if they have a print catalogue)

http://www.tanagersongfarm.com/heirloom_seeds.html (online only - but has SO much cool stuff! *grin*)

http://www.selectseeds.com (print catalogue available)

Does anyone have a couple links or a fav. they want to share?

Not to JINX this, but....

Cosette is doing absurdly well potty 'training'. *giddylaughter*
Three - maybe four - days ago she woke up and declared (not kidding - she DECLARED):
"I'm potty training!!"
Then she went to the bathroom and pottied.
*giddy-shivers*
That day she had several accidents. The next day only a couple. She has even taken to use the potty for (whispering) "#2". I'm not reminding her. (Well, I do right before she goes to bed and right when she wakes up. Does that count? I'm saying no. *laugh*) She lets me know when she needs to go so I'll go with her!

*awed silence/crickets chirping*

And just so you can appreciate the cuteness involved with a small child learning to use the toilet on her own, I'll share with you what she calls her little seat that sets over the large gaping hole that adults use:

her 'potty-train'.

*giggle*
Just how cute is that?!

Ok. That's about the extent of the toilet humour I'll share this hour. *wink* I do not plan to discuss this further - I'm afraid I've become supersticious over nite...so...shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Don't JINX us.
*laugh*

Sweet Tea

It does a body good. *grin*
I've been trying to drink more liquids...does tea count?!
*laugh*

Today, I'm just lounging. Do you hear that? I'm lounging. On Saturday. I'm not rushing around trying to get things tidy for church tonight. It's glorious. *sigh*

Now, back to drinking my tea and lounging....
*cheesey grin*

Of books and baubles

Parenting notes I want to remember.


Books I want to read:
Becky Bailey's I Love You Rituals
Elizabeth Pantley's No Cry Sleep Solutions (I hear there's one for Toddlers, but I haven't looked yet.)
Lawrence J. Cohen's Playful Parenting (I'm currently reading this one.)

Helpful sites to add to Parenting Resource list:
http://www.beckybailey.com
http://www.lalecheleague.org
http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth

Encouraging article:

By Kathy L. Abbott
Beverly MA, USA
From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 17 No. 6, November-December 2000, pp. 204-206

Like having a child, the decision to breastfeed is as much an emotional commitment as it is physical. Nursing a baby requires a total commitment from you the mother. The demands it places on both body and mind are considerable. The decision to breastfeed can weigh heavily on mothers. Some women gladly embrace the commitment, others are more tentative. But how long should one stay the path?

That was the question I struggled with while nursing my little Anna Lee. Nursing an infant made sense to me, but I wondered how long I should continue. Role models were few and far between. A casual remark from a friend who mentioned she hoped to nurse exclusively for at least six months became my first guide. Six months seemed reasonable enough. I would try it.

All went well and before I knew it, the first six months were over. My husband reminded me that now it was his turn to feed our little one so we decided he could offer her solid foods. There seemed no need for me to discontinue nursing. Unlike the first month of round-the- clock feedings, nursing Anna was easy now. So why should I stop?

When Anna Lee turned a year old at the end of October, it seemed like a good time to wean. Birthdays are very significant so it was easy to feel swayed by an arbitrary number. Twelve months was a whole year. Shouldn't I stop now? After all, too much of a good thing is, well, too much. "But how could I stop now?" I asked myself. She was just learning how to walk. So many bumps and bruises, so many tears after each little fall. Nursing was still such a great comfort to her. How could I take that away?

Christmas seemed like another story. By then, I really felt ready to wean. The stress of the season was getting to me. I just didn't have time to nurse any more, or so I thought. The days whizzed by and, to my amazement, by mid-January I felt comfortable with breastfeeding again. With the holidays behind me, the thought of weaning just seemed silly. "What got into me?" I wondered.

After that, we coasted. Nursing was no big deal any more. In fact, I was beginning to feel a little proud for having breastfed so long. But then came another October and Anna Lee's second birthday. Once again, I began to doubt myself. So did those around me. "She's two years old now. Don't you think that's long enough?" asked my mother. I bit my lip and continued.

However, the holidays came again and the stress quickly engulfed me. By December, I was once again ready to quit. "This is ridiculous!" I told myself "I can't keep doing this! I have too much to do right now." Then came January and like magic, all feelings of wanting to wean had disappeared. It was then that I realized that I seemed to think of weaning as the answer when I was under stress. When I had many demands to meet all at once, nursing somehow seemed to be the easiest one to eliminate. Only during the calm following the storm did I realize that it wasn't the nursing that I wanted rid of. It was the stress of holiday expectations and preparations that weighed me down.

By now, the headaches of the "terrible twos" had begun to rule my life. For us, the biggest battle was getting Anna into her car seat. Safety was an issue on which I could not compromise. Anna seemed to relish the feeling of control that came with refusing to cooperate. She knew that I wouldn't start the car until she was buckled up. Without her cooperation, running a few simple errands was a total nightmare. By the time we returned home I would be angry and exhausted. But by then, it was often naptime and we would lie down together to nurse. Forgiveness was essential. I found I had to let go in order for my milk to let down. Those naptime nursings melted away the anger in both of us, allowing us both to relax and feel close to each other again. I can't imagine how I would have survived the year without them.

By the end of the following summer we were down to just two nursings a day, bedtime and morning (and, of course, during the occasional long phone call). My schedule then changed abruptly, and our leisurely mornings together were replaced by a hurried routine of getting up and out the door. It was taking a toll on Anna. Our morning nursings were sometimes forgotten in the rush. Standing by the car one morning, she looked at me sadly. Softly, she said, "Please nurse." I didn't even bother going back into the house. Instead, we walked right over to our secluded hammock and lay down together. Enjoying the warm summer morning, I let her nurse until her heart was content. She was golden after that. My sunny child had returned!

Another October and another birthday (her third), but this time there were real signs of wanting to wean, only these signs came from Anna, not from me. Her language abilities had really taken off. She was singing and telling stories and sharing secrets. Nursing was less and less important to her. She fell asleep without it. More and more, she was just going through the motions. As the holidays approached once more and all the stress that goes with that time of year, I once again found myself panicking. Only this time the thought running around my head was, "How will we ever make it through the holidays if we can't nurse?" I had finally seen the handwriting on the wall. Our nursing days were almost over, and at last I understood the truth. All those times spent nursing hadn't been an added stress. They had relieved stress, both Anna's and mine.

About this time, I gave some thought to becoming an LLL Leader. LLL had given me so much support during those three long years. Maybe it was time to give some in return. While I lay in bed one night reading THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, Anna snuggled in beside me. "Read it," she insisted, "read it!" So, I began reading aloud about a mother joyously watching her small baby nurse at her breast with big shining eyes and a smile that seemed to say, "Thanks Mom." I put the book down, and Anna looked up at me. "Please nurse!" she said, smiling gleefully. She nursed for a short time and then, looking at me with the widest of grins, she said, "Thanks, Mom!" and with that we both fell into giggling so hard that her father came in to see what all the commotion was about. I knew she would nurse again after that but for me that wonderful, "Thanks, Mom!" would be the last word. We were finished.

By March, Anna was completely weaned. One night just before bedtime, she told us that she was hungry. I laughed and said to her father, "If only we were still breastfeeding. That was such an easy way to solve that problem." Immediately Anna cried, "Breastfeed, I want to breastfeed!" I looked at her in amazement. She had always said, "Please nurse," not breastfeed.

"That's not what you used to call it," I told her. "Can you remember what you called it?" I asked. She couldn't. After three years of nursing, she no longer remembered. I could hardly believe it!

In April, I told my nurse practitioner that we had weaned. "Do you miss it?" she asked. "No," I told her. "Now I have a little girl who tells jokes, makes up songs, shares secrets, and tells me her dreams. We have other bonds. And it was so gradual, I guess we both weaned together." We had followed the path all the way to the end.

Suregery update

I tried to update earlier and there was some kind of "bug" with blogger, so that's why this took so long.
Jan. 10 was a very hard day. Hard emotionally, and physically. Surgery didn't happen @ noon as planned. The hospital had some screw ups - highly inconvienient would be an understatement. Eventually, after 4pm (and having not eaten all day) Cambron finally went into surgery. Because the surgery takes a min. of 3 hours, having a late start, recovery time, etc. He was kept over night. I had to take the other children home for the night. (Hospital is out of town.) I was very sad to be leaving.
The surgery was a success and yet lacking the result we wanted. His hearing is permenantly impaired (more than it had been) because the earbones had deteriorated. The good things are that even tho there was much more skin than previously thought, it is all removed. The eardrum is perfectly repaired - the graft worked. There may be more to share but at the moment I just can't think of anything. You can ask me if you want.
We are going back next week for a follow up and to discuss options.
So, I'm done for now. I thank God yesterday is over, Cambron and Noel are home, and we can get back to whatever is closest to "normal".
We still have much ahead of us. Thank you for all the prayers.
From my heart -

oh, and I want to add that Cambron was so BRAVE. He stayed cheerful - he's still cheerful today. I'm so proud of how well he handles this stuff. WAY better than I do.

prayers for Ds - surgery

We have a surgery scheduled Jan. 10 at noon for our ds(6). We're doing the first stage of a series of surgeries to remove skin that has grown thru the perf. in his tympanic membrane(eardrum), into the middle ear and grown around the earbones. Very delicate surgery. Prayers appreciated. (gentle surgeon's hands, schedule on time, no complications, a smooth as-comfortable-as-possible recovery, an understanding nursing staff - and plenty of rest for all involved so they can make sound decisions!) I'll update when we get home. Thanks.

x-posted from blog

the games a-foot!

Five strange things, eh? And just five.

Ok.

1. I don't like to kill bugs - spiders included. I'd rather catch them and take them outside. Some you just have to kill. And that gives me the willies...esp. if they crunch. *shudder* And yet, sometimes I get a sick satisfaction out of swatting flies....now, if that's not strange....

2. I LOVE science. I'm afraid of chemistry. I think it has to do with fear of failure and all the math involved. Metric measurements are intimidating. I don't know why - I lived in Europe for Pete's sake. But I still love science. I even like reading about it....and sadly, I've dropped Chem twice. *wince* Someday, I'll get a tutor - or Chemistry for Dummies. *sigh* Most likely, Chem for Dummies. *grin*

3. I like to sleep with my toes hanging off the end of the bed. *laugh*

4. I don't really like coffee. I like cream and sugar. Coffee gives me an excuse to have lots of both. I like cream and sugar in my tea, but since I like the flavour of teas, I usually just take honey.

5. I hate monopoly. Absolutely. End of story. I don't know anyone else that does. *shrug*

*Bonus - my Darling Husband says I am a 60-something yr. old biddy because of the way I keep an eye on the neighborhood. (I think he uses the word "nosey" - not sooo nice connotations. *ththtppthth*) Was anyone reading this over here the day I spotted the man across the street in his tree, with the saw up over his head, while he was precariously perched on a lower, not too strong looking branch?! (It was moving, let me tell you - and I DON'T mean the branch he was sawing on. *giggle*)

meme for strangeness....

I've been tagged by Rabenstrange. *grin* Guess what I get to share?! Drum roll, please.......
Five strange things about me!

The problem is that I am limited as to number - only five....

So, I'll have to come back to this. I'll have to selective. *laugh*

a little bit here and a little bit there...

So, it's ten to one a.m. and I am sitting in front of my screen scarfing Mi Abuelo salsa and chips...think I'll have memorable dreams? *laugh* Well, I don't know that for sure, but I do know I will have fingers that look like polish sausages in the morning because I add so much salt to my salsa. Salty chips, salty salsa....yeah, I like salt. *grin* If I were to be an animal I'd be a horse so I could eat apples, carrots, and have a salt lick. *laugh* Speluncking in a salt mine anyone?!
Sadly, I don't think it will counter-act the amount of sugar I eat to maintain my sparkling personality. *wink*

Anyway, on to what I was intending to share....
Long, long ago, in another life I was an avid Anne Rice fan. So long ago, in fact, that I haven't read probably half of what's out there with her name on it. Recently, she has had a change of heart and change of focus in writing. So, I am excited, after my initial reticence, to get my hands on a copy of her woven words - Christ the Lord : Out of Egypt. Currently, it is on hold at our public library. (Are you as shocked as I am? they actually have it! Ooh! *laugh*) I have read a couple reviews and articles about this book - here is one by George Barna - and I am actually very excited. While it's on hold I'll finish Barna's Revolution.

Now, on to the water faucet to attempt to minimally dilute the saline content of my being. And what shall I dream tonight, pillow fairies? *laugh*

a new year......YES!

I love the beginning of a new year. It's fresh - more so than just a new day. The opportunity to turn over a new leaf (or in my "let's do it ALL" way - turning over a whole tree of new leaves *laugh*), is inspiring.

Ahhhhh.....the freshness of it all. *smile*

I think I am calloused to the phrase "New Year Resolutions". So, I am "resolving" or "purposing" to make some lifestyle changes that will, with persistence, change the way I am characterized. One tiny bud of change that I am praying will leaf out in full green beauty is consistency. Already I can boast - even though I know I'm not supposed to *laugh* - that my kitchen and laundry have been completely, COMPLETELY done at bed time EVERY DAY THIS YEAR! (yes, I realize it's only been two whole days, but don't deflate my joy balloon with facts or sarcasm, alright?! *laugh*)

Ahhhhhhhhh......the freshness.

Since things have seemed stale for a long time, this freshness is an unsurpassed pleasure. I fully intend to breathe of it deeply for days, if not months, to come. *smile*

cross posted to xanga