Everyday

It's Friday, and it's been a while, so I am going to take five minutes (give or take a minute or two) to write a little bit about my everyday.  Want to join me?  Head over to Gypsy Mama and join the crowd.  It's a great way to unwind at the end of the week.  Or so I think...

(Please note: when I headed over to Gypsy Mama's blog, I realized that the topic was actually "In Real Life," not everyday.  I don't have the energy to re-do this, so I'm just going to pretend that the topic was "Everyday."  Bear with me...we are all adjusting to our new 5:30 wake up call by my John-John, and the lack of sleep is showing up everywhere)

These days, every day, I am hating my kitchen.  Let's just get real.  The plumber has been here three times since we moved in, and the dishwasher still leaks.  The sink is weird, and something about it's angle causes water to go everywhere every time I was dishes by hand, which is, of course, every time I wash dishes.  And sometimes, in the midst of that everyday reality, it is easy for me to throw myself a little pity party, right in the middle of the piled up dishes and water everywhere.  And I remember my old (new) kitchen.  The one that no one had used before me. 

And when John wakes us all up at 5:30, again, I sigh loud enough to make sure God hears--I don't want him to miss my frustration--because wasn't he supposed to make this an easy transition?  Wasn't the hard over with?  (I know, washing dishes by hand and waking up at 5:30 doesn't even begin to cover hard, but in my everyday they are certainly inconveniences).  I am sleepy, and, let's be honest, I miss my old (much bigger) house.  Ada misses it too, and she tells me that a lot.  

But you know what is also included in my everyday?  This...these giant, wonderful, peaceful, move with the wind, shade from the sun trees.  They are right outside my kitchen window, and under them we spend our everyday afternoons.  And here is where we practice latin and history sentences and general family togetherness.  

I hate my kitchen, but even more than that, I love my backyard.  I love my backyard.  And guess what, my new-old kitchen can do all of the things that the other one did, but that new backyard couldn't do what this one can.  It takes a long time to grow trees like that.

This old dump truck that belonged to Scott was hidden in the garage because it was really hard to take John outside at our house.  Now, this dump truck is John's everyday.  And I am so glad.

And art is still a part of Ada's everyday.

And best of all, I am still their everyday, even when we didn't know if Scott would get another "real" job.  This house is just a tool that enables me to be with them, all the time, everyday.  And I am so thankful.

Hallelujah, we have internet.

Oh my goodness.  So much has been happening, and I haven't been able to blog.  And blogging is how I process.  Well, writing is how I process, but these days, writing = blogging.

So...we have internet, after ten days without it.  And much has happened since I last blogged.

I think I will do this in list form.

1.  We moved.  We are moved in, and very nearly settled.  And, we are adjusting very well, all things considered.  Scott and I each had our emotional moments, where the reality of what was happening overwhelmed us, but we moved on from those moments, and we are actually loving our little, 1942, rental house.  The yard is great, the "old house" of it is great, and I actually like the smallness.  It has been so much easier to stay on top of the cleaning because there is so much less to clean.  In fact, every night after dinner, we have a quick family "pick up," and by the time the kids are in bed, the house is in order.  Crazy thought, right?

And, amazingly enough, Ada and John are doing Great with sharing a room.  In fact, I think Ada is doing better at bed time.  I think she is comforted by the fact that John is in the room with her.  We put John down first, and we do our story and prayer routine in the master bedroom, and then we "sneak" Ada into her bed.  It has worked great so far.  Thank you, Lord!!!  We can feel his hand all over this move, and we are so thankful.  Let me show you a few parts of the house...

 This is our front room and play room/ "office"/ place I love to read a book or do my "quiet time."  I usually sneak away to the (freshly slipcovered) love seat during rest time, while John naps and Ada watches cartoons on the couch.  Though that is technically our front door, I doubt it will ever be used as such.  Our driveway takes people around to the back of the house, so I assume that people will always come through the kitchen door.  (which is a shame, because the kitchen is my absolute least favorite part of the house).

 more shots of that front room

 the front door leads to the glassed in front porch, which Ada and John spend hours on.  This is John playing "peek-a-boo."  Scott is going to borrow a pressure washer, because even after vacuuming and mopping the floor of the porch, it still turns Ada and John's feet black.  Years of dirt, I suppose. 

 Really, we spend the majority of our day on the porch.  I thought it would be too hot, but it's really not.  I am very thankful for that extra room.

This is the master bedroom.  There is not much else to say.  It is connected to John and Ada's room by a short hall, with a bathroom in between our two bedrooms.  So, a visitor has to walk through the master to get to the bathroom.  This is great motivation to keep my room clean!!  And so far, so good (other than the obvious "moving" clutter).

And the kitchen.  My old, ugly kitchen.  I don't know why they won't at least paint the walls and cabinets, but it's functional.  It gets the job done, and I am thankful for that. 

And just to give you an idea of the lay out of the house (mainly because I know family might be curious), this is from the front room looking all the way back to the kitchen.  From the front room, there is a door to the master, and from the dining room, there is a door to Ada and John's room (and the laundry room).  And, like I said, we are enjoying the house more than I thought we would.  It feels like home already.  Again, thank you, Lord.

There is so much more to report...

Ada started school, which means I started teaching at CC.  We have started watching a friend's little boy.  Scott starts work next week...etc. etc. etc.

I mainly want to write about Ada starting school, of course, so I will probably be back with a post about that tomorrow.  So much for my list, right?

Overall, we are feeling very, very thankful, and very, very taken care of by God.  Again, this is not how we would have "written our story," but we can feel God directing our steps at every turn.  Praise Him.  Over and over, praise Him!!