Getting Going...

Decluttering...oh, yeah...one room down. Only like 5 more to go. But hey, it's only June. Got all summer.

Got all summer to finish those three books I started as well. Bad habit I have - reading lots of books at once. It's kind of hard to finish one that way. Sigh.

What am I reading?

This Beautiful Mess: Practicing the Presence of the Kingdom of God by Rick McKinley. I read Jesus in the Margins about a year ago and felt I couldn't go wrong with another of his books. I was right. Have many page corners turned down...some pages at both the top and bottom if the front and back of the page have parts I want to remember to come back to...one day.

Oh, then at bedtime I started reading Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards to my 6 year old. I read Mandy myself when I was probably in 4th grade (yep, a hundred years ago) and have been waiting for just the right night to sneak it into her bedtime routine. See, typically, she prefers to do the reading herself. And while she has many many gifts, listening isn't her specialty. But somehow I caught her by surprise and - BAM - now she's hooked. It's awesome.

So, the third book I have started but not have finished is Narrative of Sojourner Truth by Sojourner Truth with Imani Perry. Read about it on Chris Rice's blog and, being a History Major and all, thought I'd check it out. So far I've only read the timeline in the front of the book. It's been so long since I've studied History or even read much about History - fiction or not - and I was amazed to remember all that took place during her lifetime. Truthfully, the facts and exact dates of historical happenings never seem to stick for long in my mind, but the stories of people who have lived before us fascinate me. And so, I look forward to reading more about another remarkable woman in history.

So there you go...my summer and how it is all starting. How is your summer "getting going"?

:-)

Time Flies

Exactly one year ago today I went back to work. And wasn't all together thrilled about it either. Seems like just yesterday we had a dog. Seems like just yesterday he made me late for the first day at my new "real job" and like just yesterday that I paid a babysitter every penny I brought home for 2 1/2 months. Seems like just yesterday I thought that was a really great idea.

:-)

Wow...so glad it's not yesterday anymore. So glad that this summer instead of copying and laminating and data-entrying (I made that up) that I will be driving my taxi cab all over town again. Yes, I really said that...despite the absurd cost of filling up my taxi's gas tank.

My job...it was great. My co-workers...they were the best. My kids...they adjusted somewhat. Me...I needed to catch my breath. So, I figured out - actually, I just told them - that I couldn't work this summer. I should be typing something like I studied and tweaked my budget but...I didn't. I just quit. Even found my replacement. It just all worked out.

So this summer I'm back to having a Spongebob Theme Song brainstain and back to washing beach towels every night. No, we don't have a pool - just lots of hoses, sprinklers and water guns. And when I'm not taxi-ing children I plan to spend my summer blogging, decluttering and, yeah, catching my breath (which mostly involves reconnecting with my kids I think.)

And, ummmm, because I failed to do that budget tweaking (would've been wise...oops) you may have to endure a few blogs on coupon clipping (do they still print those?) and reaquainting my kids with the library (instead of our cherished Barnes and Noble)...not sure I can let go of that one!

Anyway, how has "everyone" been?

:-)