What time is it: 1039P

Where am I: my bed. I love that my bed is actually in New House! Though it was a weird feeling to be closer to the ceiling than my month and a half on the air mattress provided.

Last ate: LK's and mine nightly hot drink, but if you don't count apple cider as "eaten" then dinner I guess.

Listening to: The Colbert Report

Thoughts: I have tons to finish between now and this time tomorrow. I must go to bed. So unfortunately there's not time or energy to go into the thoughts I have rattling around in my head. Thoughts about the absurdity of OK weather (it was 8 last week and 80 today). Thoughts this blog post put in my mind about the beauty of floating.  Thoughts on Geo's questions about death and "the box" (I didn't tell him mommy has no plans for the box- this body's going to science baby!). Thoughts on me trying to get back into a regular routine following the move here, C's move in, and the two weeks of snow.  Reflections on ISH's thoughts from today on super heros v Star Wars and his plan on how to passively fight "bad guys." Thoughts on how the last week has gone as we've enacted mandatory 5:30 news watching.

So instead, I'll leave you with this thought- I am very certain that at least once today each one of my children tried to talk while I was in the bathroom.  I guess the secret of that being mom's only alone time was a lie.

RTT: Mercy

At least I think it's Thursday.  It's been almost 2 weeks that kids have more or less been out of school and church has been canceled due to Snowklahoma that I can't really remember what day it is now.

What time is it: 851A

Where am I: in the lovely light-filled dining room that is now complete with FURNITURE!

Listening to: Johnny Test on the TV in the living room and Isa's toenails tapping on the window sill as she nervously surveys the comings and goings of squirrels.

Thoughts: We're settling in here with our new family dynamics, though we thought that two weeks in we'd have more school under our belt (than ZERO days) and a bit more of a routine together. However, C reminded me the other day that everything happens for a reason. And I think she's right because some good learning moments for all have come from hours upon hours of forced togetherness.

I'm immensely grateful to all of you who have texted, emailed, and called to give words of encouragement.  I cannot express how much that has meant to me.

We watched the Blind Side last night, C, LK and myself. It was everything I could do to not boo hoo my way through that one. Especially now.

I drove past a church on Tuesday whose sign read:

Blessed are the merciful for they shall be shown mercy

And I smiled.  But it wasn't so much because I think that through my actions here I will be racking up some extra karma for the times when I'm unbearable.  And while I believe in some very real ways we will be shown mercy through some of what we're doing here, I think the main point of this is that because I have been shown mercy, I can't not be merciful.

C asked me once why we're doing this.  Why her, why now.

"Because I have God that has redeemed me, picked me up, and given me second chances," I said.

In other words, because I've been shown mercy.

Me and Jamie Lee

What is is with me that has me on the coldest day of the year

shearing my hair

Maybe I'll die it gray and pretend I'm Jamie Lee

Crafting My Way Through Cabin Fever

With massive amounts of snow on the ground

and temperatures too cold to enjoy outside,

we spent hour upon hour of family time together last week.  While trapped inside, I decided to shear trim the dog, which in hind-sight was possibly not the best thing to do with it being so cold outside

And while there were times of game playing, times tv/netflix watching ... or at least until the cable went out from the snow... which lead to times of boys running wild through the house like wolf-raised-heathens, and times of blissful naps, there was also times of me keeping myself from this

by unpacking boxes, setting up more of New House, and crafting!  Below are some of the projects that I started this week which still remain in various stages of unfinished.  Hopefully it won't require another week-long blizzard to finish these.

In one of the boxes I found the map I used to get around Memphis when we first moved there (pre-GPS days) and I immediately knew where it needed to go- decoupaged inside the windows from our Memphis house

And I prepared the house address to put with the map (I need two more Es so this project remains open)

Then I set to work with left over pieces of tile from Old House, shadow boxes, packing foam, and hot glue.

This one didn't turn out quite like I had in mind in that when it's hanging I can still seem some of the foam but late last night I think I came up with a solution... which I haven't yet implemented.

And then there is the bucket.  I read about someone doing this and 1) I need a trash can for my office and 2) I have lots of 5 gallon buckets lying around from painting New House, so I got out paint and scrap fabric and set to work

Early this morning (since church has been postponed until 1:30pm) I decoupaged the fabric to the bucket.

Once it's all dry I'll paint a little more on it and then it will be all set to go when the office turns from this

into an actual space for productive work.

Were you trapped inside this week?  How'd you pass the time?

I hope he's right

Last night C broadened our horizons by introducing us to New Moon and the joy that is Twilight. So tonight we're returning the favor by introducing her to the movie magic that is Ground Hog Day.

And with 8" of snow on the ground and school cancelled for the third day in a row, all I have to say is this year, that ground hog best not be wrong.