One Part Rest/ One Part Fun: A Week One Recap

This week has been the perfect combination of rest and entertainment. It is exactly what I wanted the last week of the year/ the second week of Christmas break to be. Although, I am still not ready for school to start back on Monday, I do always like getting back on a schedule. The irony of school is that the first few years of Loulie's life I just really wanted a few hours a week to get things accomplished. Now that she is in school (albeit only until 11:10), I really would love her being home with me almost all the time. She is so independent and fun and easy now.
We spent a lot of time this week sleeping in and staying in pajamas until the 4th hour of Today ended. We did experiments and crafts, made art and put together Lego sets for hours. We read our Christmas books for the last time before boxing them back up for next year. It was sweet and relaxing and fun. Now my home is a disaster with a Christmas tree still up, I haven't cooked a healthy dinner one night and I have only been to the gym once but you can slack on all these things when you know your child is only home one week and in a few days it's back to 6:30 wake up calls.

Bert and I went out New Year's Eve for the first time in 5 or 6 years. We kind of joked ahead of time that we may not really know what to do at a party without children anymore. It was a surprise party for a friend and ended up feeling a lot like a new year's eve in high school huddled around fire pits listening to a DJ. Bert even came home and heated up a frozen meal and then proceeded to fall asleep on the sofa fully clothed while watching Juno, just like a 19 year old. My sweet sister kept Loulie under the premise that if she went into labor, I would be there in 15 minutes. She texted me this picture of Loulie at 7:15 with the caption "Rocking New Years."

Unfortunately, this year we were not able to throw our annual Post Plunge New Year's Party. The beach house was rented and the whole day ended up being very anticlimactic. The weather was less than desirable, I forgot our costumes and when we arrived at the Plunge, I realized my camera battery was dead. I really hope that isn't an indication of the year ahead. We persevered through though. We still went despite botched plans and some friends threw a "Plan B" dinner where I made sure to stuff myself with collards. Loulie had a ball and we all decided if there was ever a year to play it low key that it was this one.

I started watching Girls this week. I usually have a few good books and a good show for those dreary January days and long nights. I picked Season One up from the library  and have to say that this show is the biggest disappointment so far. I find it so depressing and pretty gross yet somehow mildly entertaining.  Somehow by the end of episode 10, I was rooting for Hannah. And I know art, especially TV, is an exaggeration of reality but it kind of panics me that this is what life is like for 24 yr olds. Just gross! I miss the days of Carrie Bradshaw.

And in possibly the sweetest recollection of the week, Loulie has set up a sleeping bag and tent in her room outfitting it with about 5 Lego sets and a stack of books. She insists that Bridget sleeps with her and I can hear them through the monitor until late each night. Last night it was singing and tonight she read Bridget about 10 books before finally crashing. It's gotten to where Bridget waits in the tent during Loulie's bath and sometimes during the day.

All in all, it's been a good start to a new year. Back to the grind soon enough and I'll be paying the piper this weekend for all the sweets I've devoured over the holidays. And in usual fashion, I'm listing out things to look forward to after such a fun holiday. But I think a new nephew arriving this week is enough for now.

Happy New Year!

January 2013

my parents' house almost every weekend in January

January is the quietest month in the garden. 

But just because it looks quiet doesn't mean nothing is happening.

- Rosalie Muller Wright

When I was younger, before I had years of memories of winter and time passing quickly, January made me a little down. The build up, excitement and busyness of the holidays being over followed by dreary weather and open schedules would make me antsy and unmotivated. A few years of this feeling gave me anxiety come January 1 of the looming winter blues. I would go overboard planning events and staying active to avoid the inevitable quiet of the short days and long winter nights. But further into adulthood, I relish this quiet time. I've found that I enjoy the holidays for the exhausting celebrations knowing that we will soon turn the calendar page into a time of rest.
And did I ever need January this year. I resolved that I would use the empty space on my calendar to rest, to listen, to prepare for the year ahead. I wouldn't get bent out of shape that there weren't festivals to attend or packed schedules. I would stop. I would take this season for what it is--just a short season in life. Good thing I did since week one of 2013, the whole family came down sick keeping us housebound for days. But it's as if by resolving in my heart to be thankful for this slow time; the Lord poured out blessing. Because though little happened from a "family album, blogging perspective," BIG prayers were answered and so much time was spent just relishing in family. We took time to think about the past year and what we wanted to change in the year ahead. We prayed about the growth of our family, about our health, about our business. I'm not saying that after days of being stuck inside and way more days of wearing rain boots than I would have liked, that I wasn't going a little stir crazy. I just think that the cold, housebound quiet is needed because that's were rest and listening occur which results in growth and development and most importantly answers.
So that's where we are for the beginning of 2013.

January 2013

- Rang in New Year with friends

- Spent a lot of days inside fighting off colds and catching up on Downton Abbey (obsessed!), and coercing Loulie into taking medicine
-Bridget Bojangle's 6th birthday

- Said good-bye to Bert's airplane, an answer to years of prayer to keep or sell

-Loulie's Class Holiday Concert where she performed front and center

- A friend field trip to Charlestowne Landing

- Mr. Rob came to visit from New York

- Good news from our neighborhood school and my first PTA meeting

-Movie dates with Loulie, girls' nights with Aunt Meme, and lots of family time
-Attended our first Journey Together ministry meeting & met so many wonderful families

- Closed one GAL case and picked up another

Week Two Inspired by

" I could discern clearly, even at an early age, the essential difference between people who are kind to dogs and people who really love them."

- Frances P. Cobbe

"His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears."

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

       

I have been thinking a lot about dogs lately, how they are not just pets but part of our family. I know there are people out there who think that people who refer to their pets as part of the family are ridiculous. But in continuing my weekly inspired by quote, I couldn't narrow it down to one or the other. Because my family and my life would have been completely different without the presence of a few very special animals, who were not just animals but members of our family.

Loyal, comforting, happy, joyful companions that added so much to what it meant to grow up in our home.

A friend told me recently that she loved that after having a baby I still treat Bridget like a child and not a dog as so many people claim they return to after having children. (Granted she is no longer the sole attention getter and takes a few less walks around the block). But I thought, of course! How could I not continue to treat Bridget like part of the family. She is the only one who never disappoints, never talks back, never hurts my feelings and lays with her head buried under my arm anytime I need need comfort or a listening ear. We celebrated her 5th birthday this week! 5 years of her never leaving my side and always showing me unconditional love. Teaching me how to be a mother during times when I thought she may be the only child I would have. So yes, we celebrated...

And then we took off to Knoxville to see my parents and Sulli. Sulli isn't doing very well after just turning 13. It is extremely difficult to see her not feeling well but a blessing that we have gotten to come scratch her head and spend some time. Because there was not a time I came home from college that her cold black nose wasn't the first first thing I saw next to my bed in the morning. And I wanted to wake up to it at least a few more times. 

Because whether ridiculous or not, I am the latter. I am one who really loves them!

Postmodern reflections on religious attitudes

Our small group is in the middle of studies right now. As a way to educate ourselves as well as arm ourselves when asked questions about Christianity and our love of Christ, we decided to delve into a couple of different religions. Because how arrogant is it to push your beliefs on another person without knowing theirs? I feared this a little at first hoping that nothing seemed to make too much sense to me because the last thing I want to be is a doubting Thomas. I should have known that after reading through two chapters on Islam and Mormonism, that God's truth would be even more real and that my soul would rest in the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. That his death on the cross is the only thing that can save me and bridge the gap between my sinful self and God.

I did however find the Buddhist idea of reincarnation fascinating. The idea that you can die and come back as something or someone else. Because ideally all Buddhist should want to come back as the one and only....Miss Bridget Bojangles

She spends her life "resting" on top of our bed. She doesn't seem to care if it is needed or not. And when the sheets are being washed or there is something of her interest on TV, she just makes herself comfortable in the den...

                        

When she occasionally gets the energy to get up, she has quite a few past times that interest her...

It's a Hard Life

Oh, and she's not loved at all....

Oh to live the life of Bridget Bojangles--sleep, play, sleep, ride,sleep and eat. Bert and I joke everyday that we want to come back as her!

(Bet you thought from my title that this was going to be a serious post--yeah right, it's FRIDAY!!!!!!!)

*But if you are interested in learning about other religions as well as their thoughts on Jesus, pick up Fast Facts on False Teachings)

Happy Weekend!