A cell phone miracle

First of all, thanks for all the cleaning and budget encouragement.  It helps so much to hear that I am not alone.  I hate feeling like I am the only person who does something.  It makes me feel so strange, and sort of hopeless.  So hearing that I am not the only one with a clutter problem is encouraging.  Thank you.

Second of all, the cell phone is officially working.  Woo-hoo, to say the least.  It was being really strange last night, so I put it back in the bag of rice for a second 24 hours, and it is acting just fine now.  Thank you, Lord!!!!! 

And on that "my cell phone is working" note, here are a few pictures to go with the previous posts.

Okay, what we have above is my house around lunch time.  My kitchen is clean, my beds are made, but the toys are out of control.  The thing is, I am sort of okay with the toys being out of control at this point in the day.  It usually means there is some serious playing going on, and that is a healthy thing for the little growing brains in this house.  Much better than spotless floors and mindless cartoons.  I am okay with a normal level of clutter.  The toys on the floor may not be normal, but that is our normal.

And this is the master bedroom, which opens into the play room.  The top picture is the scary clutter in the master.  Piles of clothes--some to put up and some to be given away.  And my sewing machine seems to be getting lost in the mess.  The bed is made, though, and my dresser somewhat decluttered.  And please notice in the middle of my mantle, a three-hole punch.  This is the kind of thing you find at my house.  Right in the middle of picture frames and vases, a three hole punch.  And it has probably been there for weeks.  I was talking to my mom one day about the mess, and she suggested that I pray that I would see the mess.  And that is the perfect prayer, really.  Scott and I, we don't see the three hole punch, and so it sits there for weeks on end.  And if at some point I needed a three hole punch, I would think I know I've seen it somewhere, but where?  These are the conversations I have in my head multiple times a day.  I am the opposite of organized in all areas of my life (though my budget is currently super organized), and this causes a bit of fear when I think of homeschooling.  I am the least qualified parent to do this!!

But watch this

 We are doing school, in our own way.  Diligent, but a bit scattered.  That's the kind of student I was--and teacher, for that matter.  Diligent but very scattered.  (Have I mentioned that bitty baby, named Clementine, is finally the favorite doll around here.  Ada sleeps with her every night, and Clementine does school with us everyday)

And this is the house a few hours later, around 3:30, right before we left for tutoring.  Still a few things here and there, but much, much better, don't you think? 

So, progress.   Much progress.

And a few photos of the kids at bed time, reading books.  John, who calls Ada "Uggle," and we have no idea why...100% believes that Ada can read any book that he hands her.  And Ada doesn't skip a beat; she just makes up a story and goes with it.  John loves it. 

Okay, I feel better now that I am not bombarding the blog with words only.  And I am off to make my little list of what "housekeeping" needs to be done tomorrow. 

Good night!!