Home is where the dishes are...

Last night I spent a lovely evening with a good friend. We had a short discussion about contentment, and how hard it is for us to be content with what we have. This is a particular challenge for me. I do strive to be content, but I find myself becoming bogged down with frustration over my house - instead of taking steps to change my environment, I feel overwhelmed by the tasks at hand and seem to make little to no progress. 

Even though I very much like my home, I don't love it as I did my last one. Granted, my last house was about twice as big as this one and was appointed with some very nice features - a beautiful, lush garden that I planned and planted, a huge kitchen that facilitated friends sitting and talking while I cooked, a living room that could comfortably accommodate a night of friends over for a movie. This house, although it has more historical charm than my 1980s cookie-cutter Cape Cod, doesn't quite have my stamp on it yet. What is it I need to do to fall in love with my current "here"? 

I think I need to spend some time getting this place organized to my liking. Because I haven't ever made space for my kind of productive activities (other than in the kitchen), I seem to have a hard time tackling some of my favorite projects - sewing, making stationary, etc. That has got to be a first step to getting myself feeling lovely here. The yard is another sore point, but one I am getting a great start on this summer. 

I think, too, in order to feel really comfortable here, I need to do some culling of my life. How many of us are saying the same thing right now? Boy, don't most of us have too much stuff?! Don't get me wrong, I like my stuff - I love most of it! After all, I've spent years accumulating it. Doesn't mean I don't have too much of it. I've gotten a good start on this by getting rid of a good many clothes this spring. I'll continue that trend as summer progresses and I over and over again choose anything over that shirt, those pants. ;-)

With these long, sunny days, hot afternoons, and cool evenings, I should be able to make some good progress on all this. Maybe by this fall, when asked, I can say, "Yes! I love my house!"

Back in the saddle

There I was, back at the library, manning those familiar help desks, answering all the same questions.  Subbing is wonderful!  ...for lots of reasons...

1) It was great seeing old co-workers and getting to know new ones

2) Fun getting all the scoop and poop of library happenings

3) Feels good to be useful

4) Felt very good to go home knowing I didn't have to return the very next day! ;-)

Now I'm back home, feeling fulfilled, useful, needed, appreciated.  What a great day!  The only bummer is that the 8 jars of strawberry-lemon marmalade I made this morning didn't set.  I'll give them 24 hours and see what they look like tomorrow.  If they don't jell, I'll have to try to find a solution.  Any suggestions? 

Yeah!

Tim got home tonight - yeah for me!  It is always so wonderful to welcome him home from a camping trip.  I love the fire-smoke smell in his clothes and hair, his slightly sunburned nose, his stories of tromping up and down the mountains.  I love his anecdotes of the guys with whom he camped, what the weather was like, and how hard the climbs were. Oh, I guess I just love him! Surprise, surprise! ;-)

My purpose

I heard a great message in church today about God's purpose vs. our purpose for our lives.  I've made all these plans of things I want to do.  I'm pretty sure my current plans are OK with God - pretty sure he has no problem with me sewing an insulated curtain for my sunroom door! ;-) Yet the question remains, "Are my purposes in line with his purposes?" In other words, even though my plan to sew this curtain is fine, totally non-controversial, am I being sensitive to the big picture as I plan my time, say yes and no to people, interact with friends, etc.?  Or am I so set on what I want to accomplish that I don't take the time and energy to see if there is something God wants me to do I'm missing out on?

I know my own answer to this question, so I throw it out there into the void.  Maybe you don't believe in God at all, or you don't believe he cares enough about you to have a purpose for your life.  I believe he does care about me.  In fact, I take him utterly at his word.  A verse in Jeremiah (Old Testament) says, "For I know what I have planned for you...I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you.  I have plans to give you a future filled with hope."  

Trusting in this God, this one who cares enough about me, little old me, to make good plans for me is a balm in my life.  How could I live each day without the knowledge of his love? I'm not preaching - just basking in the most basic and foundational truth in my life.  Just enjoying the sunshine on my soul.  Hope you can find some sunshine today!

Lovely

Ah, sweet success!  I had a slumber party at my house for a friend's birthday!  It was jolly fun!  My hubby is out of town, so it was perfect timing.  We ate dinner (delicious if I say so myself), drank Italian sodas, played games, ate decadent dessert, and watched a movie.  All wonderful fun!  It was great spending time with these women.  It felt so good to have no time limit, no restrictions on what we did, just hanging out, laughing, enjoying one another.  

I highly recommend a slumber party to any of you middle aged women out there.  It will take years off your spirit!

Sunny skies

Well, here I am trying to figure out how to spend my days.  I know I've only been home 2 days this go-round, but I can't see to focus or get myself organized.  I'm piddling.  I've unpacked (a good start), planned menus for the next week or so and grocery shopped (healthy eating is high on the priority list), and am picking up just a little bit.  I hope to get started on my yard and make good progress this weekend.  You should see my plant list!  I'm going to need to whittle that down just a little.  ;-)  Today is sunny and lovely, even though I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday's rain.  Feels good getting started and love just being home!  

Home again

Back home, this time to stay...at least for a couple of months.  OK, so I have a quick, 2 day trip in July, but other than that, I plan on being here (maybe an occasional night in the mountains).  Even though all my trips were fun, I'm worn out and ready to just be here.  I'm ready to do all the things I quit my job to do.  I'm very much looking forward to getting into a routine and returning to my life of domesticity.  I'll bet that sounds pretty boring to a lot of you, but it is just right for me.  Don't get me wrong - being a hausfrau doesn't mean I turn off my mind.  I won't list all my activities here; believe me, I live a busy, fulfilling life.  Sound like I'm trying to convince myself?  I'm not.  I'm just happy and excited to be getting back to all this!  ;-)

First thing to do today is make a list of my projects and prioritize them.  A bonus for my spirit is that it is cloudy and possibly rainy today.  Most people wouldn't like that, but having grown up in the tropics and now living in a high, arid climate, I miss rain!  Today will be a balm to my spirit in many ways.

Welcome home to me!

Finally

A great personal triumph yesterday!  I actually found more than one pair of shorts at the stores that fits and looks good.  I have been looking all spring to no avail, and finally succeeded.  Yeah!  I even found a couple on sale.  It's not that I don't have any shorts, but most of mine are either very old and faded or a size and 1/2 too big.  (I lost some weight a few years ago.)  Now I have some my size that look good.  I was very happy.

Quiet spring days here in Colorado.  Today is cloudy and rainy - quite lovely in my opinion.  I love weather like this.  A good day to do a little housework, watch some French Open tennis, and read a good book.  Maybe even nap.  ;-)

Being home

On the one hand, the summer seems to be flying by, but I guess it is actually spring that I missed.  I've been home a month now, and am getting ready for another trip - a short one this time.  We're off to a family reunion in Oklahoma.  I'm very thankful that it isn't in July as it will be at least a little cooler than in another month.  This should be a good time - my husband's family is fun, lots of laughs, and wonderful people to catch-up with.

Other than that, I'm trying to get my feet back under me - get my house under control (a battle for me), pack for the trip, catch up with friends, keep family happy, etc.  I hope to get a lot done in the house this week - cleaning, laundry, and maybe one project.  I'm distracted by the French Open though.  I do love tennis!  Tomorrow I'm going to the zoo with some friends, and that should be fun, too.

Not much else going on.  I'm missing Jordan and those there I love quite a bit.  Just a month there really got under my skin.  I just fell in love!  I've enjoyed the little time I've spent with my sister and nephew who live here, though, and that has made it all right not seeing my loved ones across the sea.  

It feels a little weird to just be doing ordinary things, but it also feels really good.  I just wish I could get motivated to get more done in a day.  I feel very tired and would like to just sleep all day.  Might be time to get my thyroid meds checked again.  ;-) 

I hope to have some more pictures up this week, so check back in a day or two.