Monday Daybook

Now for my daybook…. To participate in the meme is simple. All you do is answer the bolded questions with your own answers and then link yourself at the Simple Woman’s blog each week. You’re always welcome to check out the other ladies’ Daybooks who participated. This is a very sweet homekeeping meme that I’d encourage you to do as well.

For Today…March 29, 2010 at 4:28pm.

Outside my Window…grey skies but lots of birds at the feeder.  My goldfinches are starting to turn bright yellow!  And I have pretty groups of pink violets all over the backyard!

I am thinking…that I'm worried about church stuff, worried about moving, worried about college, and probably worried about a zillion other things, too, like finding enough time to plan next year's school year before next week. 

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things," Philippians 4:6-8 (NASB).

I'm also thinking that I need to get back to training, but I am really happy that I did 13.1 miles recently!

From the learning rooms…we are really enjoying the book Christy.  Woodrow Wilson was dyslexic, so we're thinking he's pretty cool.  WWI is now over, and Walt Whitman is not really one of our favorite poets.  (Hmmm, that's a lot of double w's in those sentences!)

I am thankful for…a clean house and antibiotics that will hopefully work (and not have any side effects) to get rid of my sinus and eye infections.

From the kitchen…Craig is warming up leftovers from the Ducks Unlimited Banquet!  Mmmm, pork loin and cheesy potatoes!  Plus a nice salad he made.

I am wearing…comfy clothes.  It's my brown fleece sweatsuit.  I'm afraid I'm starting to dress like Sue Sylvester.

Well, hey, as long as I don't start acting like her, right? :D  But, you know, I am in training for a marathon...

I am reading…all of the same books I've been reading for a while now.  IOW, I haven't been reading much lately.

I am hoping… that the house sells soon!  We've had two showings already, which is encouraging.  We may not have many this week because people are on spring break, but who knows?   I'm also hoping that the little brown creeper birdie Sarah and I found outside the glass doors at the doctor's office was just stunned and not dead.  (I think it was dead, though. :( )

I am creating…nothing, at the moment.  I did a publicity piece for the church for Palm Sunday and Easter.  I also did a bunch of stuff for the DU Banquet, including the program and several signs.

I am hearing...Katie playing a Nancy Drew game, Sarah watching Word Girl, and Craig working in the kitchen.  I don't have any music on at the moment.

Around the house… maintenance mode is on now.  I should do laundry.  I also think we should have a family night before Craig and I start watching our shows.

One of my favorite things… being healthy!  And my family being healthy!  I'm also liking the spring flowers, and all of my birds.

I am praying for... good health, our church, wisdom for me and direction regarding college, and our house to sell quickly!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…Tutoring, band, YEC, birthday party, and Easter!  I hope to make it to a few special services during this Holy Week, too.

I accomplished since last week…cleaning.  I also survived a really hectic couple of weeks--doctor visits, college visits, DU Banquet, co-op, realtor visit, house showings, shopping at the Mall (UGH!), etc.  It truly has been very stressful, busy, and overwhelming!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you:

"Sacred Space" by Mattox

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1137845

It's Either Spring--or a Midlife Crisis!

That's what I've decided. :)  Either Spring has my blood stirred up for change and growth, or I'm having a midlife crisis.  How else can I explain deciding to sell our house and buy a new one, to go back to college, and to walk a half marathon?  I guess if it's a midlife crisis, though, the good part is that I'm choosing positive changes.  Right?

So here are some updates.  On Sunday, I walked 13.1 miles!  That's the length of the half marathon!  Unbelievable!  Walking with a friend made the time go by so fast, and I'm still just kind of amazed that I did it.  I know that conventional wisdom says not to walk your full goal distance; you're supposed to save it for the actual race day.  But I wanted to know if I could do it.  That erases some of my anxiety.  So I am just really amazed and excited about that!

I met with another college advisor on Monday.  This time I didn't accidentally get off on the wrong exit and have to wend my way through the back part of the campus.  I knew the stupid layout of the parking area where I have to go first to get my visitor's pass.  I knew which building I was heading for.  (I may have somewhat limped there due to being a bit sore from my 13.1 miles!)

This lady was very helpful (not that the first lady wasn't).  We ran a bunch of scenarios, and, ironically enough, a BA in Psychology with a Certificate in Technical Writing seems like the most efficient route to go.  Haha, God!  He certainly knows how much I love people.  So now I have a big decision to make.

The rest of Monday and nearly all of Tuesday we cleaned and cleaned some more and all of that.  Tuesday afternoon we met with the realtor.  We signed the papers, and pictures will be taken on Thursday.  Gulp.  

(And then I cleaned some more.  As I've said before elsewhere, Mr. Clean and I are spending more time together than Craig and I.)

Now I'm tired and fighting either a cold or allergies.  (Does it really matter which anyway?  They both make you feel fairly miserable.)  But there is no rest for the wicked.  I still have lots of stuff to do.

Ah well, if you see me driving by in a silver Jag with some hot, young guy who looks a bit like Mr. Clean--then you should worry!

Putting on My Big Girl Panties

That's how I feel about this week. :D  I have to clean (and clean some more and then, beyond that, clean).  I'm having a dinner party tomorrow night (& looking forward to it), and we're hoping to put the house on the market by next week.  And lots of other things, too, but the main thing this week is meeting with the head of the English Department at Wright State.

Oh my word, but I am anxious about that!  Going back to college--what am I thinking?! Can I even manage that with everything else going on in my life?  I have a hundred fears going through my mind.  Will we be able to afford it?  Is this the right time?  What if it's the wrong time?  What if I can't do it?  Will they accept my credits? (I'll find that out on Thursday.)  Is this the right major?

Ahhh, that's a biggie right there.  I've spent a lot of life not knowing what I really want to do.  There are so many things I enjoy and am relatively good at, so it's been hard to focus in on one thing.  And then there's the "playing it safe" and "being practical" aspect to my choices.  So far, I've always played it safe.  

When I look at getting back into the medical lab field or becoming a technical writer, being a lab tech is the much more secure position.  But the more I thought about pursuing my options in that field the more my heart protested.  Maybe this is a midlife crisis?  I'm just tired of doing what I ought to do and would like to, instead, follow a dream.  In any case, I'm pursuing the technical writing thing till I hit a brick wall, figuring God will direct me on the right path.  (I'm hoping He doesn't let me walk into the brick wall face first, but you never know with God. ;) )

A wise online friend gave me a quote, which I've now turned into a little poster in Photoshop.  It's hanging on my wall by my desk.

So, anyway, that's a bit of what's going on in my life.  I'm terrified but excited.  And I've got my big girl panties on...