Dear God,
Thank you for...
small hands clasped against mine
snuggles
clean sheets
hot coffee that greets me in the morning
strong handshakes and long hugs
tickles and whooshes onto the bed
kisses
granola with bits of chocolate and berries
the slow cooker that welcomes me after a long day
neighbors jumping on the trampoline
still, quiet moments of the morning
inside jokes
my great-grandmother's ironing board
machines that wash clothes and dishes
fresh citrus fruit
friends that never miss a beat even after a long time away
alarm clocks
dogs that curl against me and snore
laughter
friends that make me think
friends that challenge me to be a better person
moments of calm
Love.
Here's a place where Sarah writes what's on her heart and mind for whomever will read it. Sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes it's little pieces of life that I'm grateful for. Enjoy!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Working smarter, not harder
Today has been such a great day! I got up at 4:30, downed coffee and read a chapter of my book, then took Sugar Dot for a walk-run. After taking Claire to school, Paul and I played tennis, hide and seek, and then went to the Botanic Gardens for exploring. Right now he's played out; literally. He's snoring.
I keep coming up with thoughts that I want to blog, but then get distracted. One idea I've been wrestling with is how would Lent and Easter be different if I lived South of the Equator? We're about a week from Easter and it seems every tree and plant know it. The birds are singing all day and everything is in bloom. It's like the entire world is living a resurrection story. Below the Equator, though, it's autumn. So while I feel all Eastery looking around at all the pretty flowers, citizens in South America are looking at falling leaves.
Another item I want to mention is the book I'm reading. It's fascinating. It's called The Compass for Pleasure by David Linden. Adam actually requested this book from the library because he heard an interview on NPR. He wanted to read it, but I swiped it before he could. I'm a faster reader anyway, so it's okay. This book is about the part of our brain that registers pleasure. So far it's neuroscience for those of us that barely know what that word means. Check later on my goodreads list to see what I think of it when I'm done.
One of the goals I'm focusing on right now is to work smarter, not harder. I am a hard worker and I get up earlier than most and stay up until I absolutely can't stay awake any longer (usually somewhere about 9:05) but I still can't keep up with all the housework, errands, and playing that I must fit into the day. One way that I'm trying to work smarter is by getting organized. If you are a woman that needs help with organization, I want to recommend Simple Mom to you. This lady is a little on the OCD side (apparently she alphabetizes her children's books) but she has great ideas on organization and you can always put your own spin on it, right?
I cleaned out the pantry and donated all unwanted items to the food bank. I cleaned out my closet and donated extra clothes to Goodwill. I've started writing down all my to-do lists in one place. These small actions help my sanity.
I've also discovered about myself that I lack an intentionality about certain things, like placement of my car keys. Just a month ago, and every day previous, I would spend 5-10 minutes a day looking for my car keys. I wouldn't pay attention when I walked in the door, so that meant chaos when I walked out the door later. I promised myself that I would put my keys in one of two places EVERY time. Believe it or not, that little agreement with myself has completely changed my mornings. I don't have to curse at myself for losing my keys because Voila! I know where they are!
I've also started back with my walking. I love early morning walks. Besides the exercise, they help me clear my mind. I'm able to say many short prayers of thanksgiving as well as enjoy the birds singing good morning to me. Sugar Dot also loves them. Wesley is too old to go further than a block, but that darn chihuahua can walk and run as far as I can and then some.
One part of life that I love is that you can always reinvent yourself, improve yourself, and learn. Maybe one day every scrap of paper and shoe in my house will be organized, but until then, I'm going to keep working and learning.
I keep coming up with thoughts that I want to blog, but then get distracted. One idea I've been wrestling with is how would Lent and Easter be different if I lived South of the Equator? We're about a week from Easter and it seems every tree and plant know it. The birds are singing all day and everything is in bloom. It's like the entire world is living a resurrection story. Below the Equator, though, it's autumn. So while I feel all Eastery looking around at all the pretty flowers, citizens in South America are looking at falling leaves.
Another item I want to mention is the book I'm reading. It's fascinating. It's called The Compass for Pleasure by David Linden. Adam actually requested this book from the library because he heard an interview on NPR. He wanted to read it, but I swiped it before he could. I'm a faster reader anyway, so it's okay. This book is about the part of our brain that registers pleasure. So far it's neuroscience for those of us that barely know what that word means. Check later on my goodreads list to see what I think of it when I'm done.
One of the goals I'm focusing on right now is to work smarter, not harder. I am a hard worker and I get up earlier than most and stay up until I absolutely can't stay awake any longer (usually somewhere about 9:05) but I still can't keep up with all the housework, errands, and playing that I must fit into the day. One way that I'm trying to work smarter is by getting organized. If you are a woman that needs help with organization, I want to recommend Simple Mom to you. This lady is a little on the OCD side (apparently she alphabetizes her children's books) but she has great ideas on organization and you can always put your own spin on it, right?
I cleaned out the pantry and donated all unwanted items to the food bank. I cleaned out my closet and donated extra clothes to Goodwill. I've started writing down all my to-do lists in one place. These small actions help my sanity.
I've also discovered about myself that I lack an intentionality about certain things, like placement of my car keys. Just a month ago, and every day previous, I would spend 5-10 minutes a day looking for my car keys. I wouldn't pay attention when I walked in the door, so that meant chaos when I walked out the door later. I promised myself that I would put my keys in one of two places EVERY time. Believe it or not, that little agreement with myself has completely changed my mornings. I don't have to curse at myself for losing my keys because Voila! I know where they are!
I've also started back with my walking. I love early morning walks. Besides the exercise, they help me clear my mind. I'm able to say many short prayers of thanksgiving as well as enjoy the birds singing good morning to me. Sugar Dot also loves them. Wesley is too old to go further than a block, but that darn chihuahua can walk and run as far as I can and then some.
One part of life that I love is that you can always reinvent yourself, improve yourself, and learn. Maybe one day every scrap of paper and shoe in my house will be organized, but until then, I'm going to keep working and learning.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Thankful Thursday
What a beautiful day, again! We have been so blessed with wonderful weather, here in Ft. Worth. Days like this remind me of my friend Ben Wright's term, non-weather. That means weather that is so perfect that you don't even notice it.
Here's my thankful list for today.
1. Adam snaking at drain at 1 a.m.
Last night after he got home from work at midnight and we had both sat down and talked a little and read a little, we heard a noise in the bathroom. Our shower drain was clogged up, so in order to have a perfect shower this morning, Adam got out of bed and went and snaked out the drain. That's love.
2. !!!! Exclamation points!!
I am an enthusiastic person by nature, so I feel like exclamation points were made for me!!! I also love that Claire has started writing her name on all her papers at kindergarten like this: Claire!
3. Speaking of kindergarten, Claire was officially identified by the school as gifted and talented this week. This is a huge deal. From now on, Claire will automatically be put in the smart class and even get to attend special individualized classes to challenge her. I was a teacher, so I know a lot of what goes into the identification process. I didn't realize, however, that it is near impossible to get a child identified in kindergarten. Apparently you have to score a 92 percentile on a special standardized test as well as excel in other areas of academia. The more I ask around, the more I think Claire is the only kindergartner at this school to receive this honor. Since I don't work full-time, we can't afford private school for the kids and one way to ensure they get the best possible education in public school is to make sure they earn the GT label. Adam and I have been working hard with both of the kids since birth to expand their knowledge on a daily basis so they get on this gifted and talented track. Hooray! It worked!
4. Paul's sense of humor.
Our son never ceases to crack me up. Last week at the thrift shop, I was asking Paul if he wanted anything. He pulled out a man's XXXL shirt, held it up to him and said in a serious voice, "I'm really thinking of getting this." Yesterday he put on a detachable hood from Claire's winter coat and declared himself a polar bear. Last week he announced he wasn't only a meerkat, he was a pirate meerkat. He makes me laugh so hard!
5. Project Mom
I am telling every mom I know to got to this in 2013. Last Saturday I went to the downtown Hilton for these seminars on how to be a better mom. I learned so much! It was all relevant, applicable information on organization, parenting, couponing, photography, and many other things. Plus, we got tons of free stuff! I scored a huge basket of baby fitness equipment, which went to our next door neighbor's newborn. It was awesome.
6. Babysitting
My friend Melody watched both kids on Monday night so I could attend Bible study. Since Adam's been working so much lately, I hadn't been able to attend since November. It felt so good to be back amongst friends and get myself back on track.
7. The return of perspective
When it's just me and the kids and I don't have much other outlets or adults to talk to, I begin to lose perspective on life. A cup of spilled milk becomes AN ENTIRE GLASS OF SPILLED MILK ALL OVER THE CLEAN FLOOR MAKING IT NOW HORRIBLY STICKY AND THE END OF THE WORLD IS APPROACHING!!! One way that I avoid being self-important and self-adsorbed is by being around other adults. Adam finished two major projects this week, thus freeing me up to get out of the house some. With Melody watching the kids on Monday, I really feel more like myself again and can mop up that spilled milk, because after all, it's not really a big deal.
8. Libraries
We are blessed to be able to frequent and feel at home at three libraries. We have a wonderful children's library at church, where the librarian has started pulling books she knows we'll like. Paul and I work weekly at the Bruce Shulkey library and check out lots of books there. There's also the Wedgwood branch of the Fort Worth Public Library, which we also call home. The only downside to all these libraries is I have to make sure I'm turning the correct books into the correct library.
9. Public Relations Campaigns at the Dinner table
I served broccoli the other night and Paul had seconds. I asked him if he liked the trees and he said yes. Claire however said she didn't like broccoli. Luckily she ate some anyway and Paul didn't make the connection that the trees he was gobbling up were actually broccoli. I always feel like a spin doctor at the dinner table.
10. Neighborhood kids
I grew up in an old, established neighborhood where the only kids around were my sister and I. I love that we had a new family move in down the street so the kids now have daily playmates. Neighbors are awesome.
Here's my thankful list for today.
1. Adam snaking at drain at 1 a.m.
Last night after he got home from work at midnight and we had both sat down and talked a little and read a little, we heard a noise in the bathroom. Our shower drain was clogged up, so in order to have a perfect shower this morning, Adam got out of bed and went and snaked out the drain. That's love.
2. !!!! Exclamation points!!
I am an enthusiastic person by nature, so I feel like exclamation points were made for me!!! I also love that Claire has started writing her name on all her papers at kindergarten like this: Claire!
3. Speaking of kindergarten, Claire was officially identified by the school as gifted and talented this week. This is a huge deal. From now on, Claire will automatically be put in the smart class and even get to attend special individualized classes to challenge her. I was a teacher, so I know a lot of what goes into the identification process. I didn't realize, however, that it is near impossible to get a child identified in kindergarten. Apparently you have to score a 92 percentile on a special standardized test as well as excel in other areas of academia. The more I ask around, the more I think Claire is the only kindergartner at this school to receive this honor. Since I don't work full-time, we can't afford private school for the kids and one way to ensure they get the best possible education in public school is to make sure they earn the GT label. Adam and I have been working hard with both of the kids since birth to expand their knowledge on a daily basis so they get on this gifted and talented track. Hooray! It worked!
4. Paul's sense of humor.
Our son never ceases to crack me up. Last week at the thrift shop, I was asking Paul if he wanted anything. He pulled out a man's XXXL shirt, held it up to him and said in a serious voice, "I'm really thinking of getting this." Yesterday he put on a detachable hood from Claire's winter coat and declared himself a polar bear. Last week he announced he wasn't only a meerkat, he was a pirate meerkat. He makes me laugh so hard!
5. Project Mom
I am telling every mom I know to got to this in 2013. Last Saturday I went to the downtown Hilton for these seminars on how to be a better mom. I learned so much! It was all relevant, applicable information on organization, parenting, couponing, photography, and many other things. Plus, we got tons of free stuff! I scored a huge basket of baby fitness equipment, which went to our next door neighbor's newborn. It was awesome.
6. Babysitting
My friend Melody watched both kids on Monday night so I could attend Bible study. Since Adam's been working so much lately, I hadn't been able to attend since November. It felt so good to be back amongst friends and get myself back on track.
7. The return of perspective
When it's just me and the kids and I don't have much other outlets or adults to talk to, I begin to lose perspective on life. A cup of spilled milk becomes AN ENTIRE GLASS OF SPILLED MILK ALL OVER THE CLEAN FLOOR MAKING IT NOW HORRIBLY STICKY AND THE END OF THE WORLD IS APPROACHING!!! One way that I avoid being self-important and self-adsorbed is by being around other adults. Adam finished two major projects this week, thus freeing me up to get out of the house some. With Melody watching the kids on Monday, I really feel more like myself again and can mop up that spilled milk, because after all, it's not really a big deal.
8. Libraries
We are blessed to be able to frequent and feel at home at three libraries. We have a wonderful children's library at church, where the librarian has started pulling books she knows we'll like. Paul and I work weekly at the Bruce Shulkey library and check out lots of books there. There's also the Wedgwood branch of the Fort Worth Public Library, which we also call home. The only downside to all these libraries is I have to make sure I'm turning the correct books into the correct library.
9. Public Relations Campaigns at the Dinner table
I served broccoli the other night and Paul had seconds. I asked him if he liked the trees and he said yes. Claire however said she didn't like broccoli. Luckily she ate some anyway and Paul didn't make the connection that the trees he was gobbling up were actually broccoli. I always feel like a spin doctor at the dinner table.
10. Neighborhood kids
I grew up in an old, established neighborhood where the only kids around were my sister and I. I love that we had a new family move in down the street so the kids now have daily playmates. Neighbors are awesome.
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