13 years ago today

two kids who had no idea what they were doing got married. They had no idea what forever meant, what for better or worse meant, or what it would be like to have to always work it out. They thought it would always be easy. She thought this was her happily ever after. They danced off into the sunset, sure that they had it all figured out.


Thirteen years later, there are three kids. There is a mortgage payment, bills, responsibilities, deadlines, stress, chaos, noise (lots of noise) and there is still that better or worse thing.


There is also love. There is lots of laughter. There is comfort, understanding, teasing, inside jokes - a soul bearing, Christ searching, kid loving, fun having, joy of being together. It's not always easy. Marriage is the single hardest thing ever undertaken by these not young anymore kids. It's hard, but rewarding. It's tender and understanding. And at times infuriating. But it's the way God intended it, and it's an honor to celebrate the first of several thirteen year anniversaries we'll have.

For a laugh

I had forgotten that Jennifer put this on my favorites, and Laney and I found it today. We watched it so many times. It makes me very, very happy!

Hello, school

I'm up early. 6:30. I guess that's not really early, but my eyes don't want to stay open, I guess since I stayed up late trying to tackle the laundry. It seems to pile up when you're painting things.

Laney starts first grade today. I'm so sad that summer is "over." It just went too fast. I think I'm old school too. Back to school means fall-after labor day, cool breezes, when you're tired of summer. We aren't tired of summer!

Laney is a little sad. She realizes that it's back to work. I'm sad, because she's got, um, 16ish years of this left. In a weird way, part of her childhood is over. It was over last year, but it's more official this year. I'm not struggling as much as last year, though. Thank goodness for last year. This year just seems like a continuation of kindergarten. But there are no extended days of freedom. Only a few weeks of it in the summer.

Now forgive me for a moment. You may want to skip this paragraph. I'm just glad she's at home. I can't imagine that she's be off at school for 9 hours every day. She'd be away from us more than she'd be with us during her waking hours. I'm so not ready for that. That's the selfish side of homeschooling.

Then my mind wanders to the other side of the coin. If she went to school, Jude would be the big kid. He talks so much more when she's not around. It was different when she was in Bible School. He and I got to spend more time together. And in a few years, I'd have a quiet house! Lunch! Shopping! Quiet to clean in!

I know I'm obeying God in homeschooling my kids. I think my brain just has to reprocess this every time we start school. I'll probably post these same thoughts every year.

I'm on a brutal schedule, though. Up at 6:30. We're doing school in the morning this year, at 8:30, and I'm hoping it works out with Zane's nap. It will be good, I think. I have a lot to do before 8:30. I only get 15 minutes on the computer, and I'm already 2 minutes late! Arg.

SUMMER'S OVER?????? Waaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!
'

What a husband wears when he loves his wife

It's done. I'm happy. And tired!

70's night at the disco

Allen has a high-faluting gig Friday night, and he has to dress 70's. We hit the Salvation Army on Saturday, and I think we got pretty close. The pants were $10, though. Hello? Oh well. The money goes for good, at least. They are most definitely polyester, too!!! Ain't he cute????

Slowly but surely

Another wall down today! I might get through with the kitchen tomorrow, but more likely it'll be Wednesday. Then on to the dining room! No disasters today. I'm liking it more and more. It's so warm and cool at the same time. And clean. No scuffs or unremoveable dirt. Although I'm finding lots of dust bunnies. And I call my self a house wife? Heh. I'm excited about tomorrow and Wednesday. NO WHERE to go. Just me and the paint brush. Wee hoo!!!!!