~BrainDumpAndThisWeekOnTheiPhone~

My friend, Lauren, brilliantly described something she had written as a "brain dump".

which is such a perfect description and exactly what this is

except that it's not organized neatly

nor is it conveying some great, well thought out revelation

it's just a  dump of all the randomness I've had swirling around my head recently.


~What's for supper tonight:

 

two big salads and four baby salads

chicken fettuccine 

the ONLY redeeming quality in this, other than the salad,

is the whole grain noodles and the fact that it makes my family happy

which is definitely worth something

~School books have come in
uniforms have been ordered
I have most definitely had to flip to the August calendar a time or two to fill in important dates. 
*sigh
one of mine is anxious about multiplication facts.
"Mom, I'm worried that, you know, they won't come back."
…that's an easy fix I say.
So we've been doing a little, a precious little
multiplication
counting back change
pre-algebra
and number writing.

really wish all school year was 

as laid back as our "summer schooling".

~The reality of freedom...
finally being free from something…something you've mulled over, considered, re-considered, and wrestled with for months, or maybe even years…that moment, whether it's gradual or instant, when you realize, "I'm really not laboring under that anymore"….THAT is a good thing. 
it's a sign of growth
of progress
and of the wonderful grace and workings of God in our lives…

Funny thing about freedom...
you can't really fake it…at least not for very long
you may try to convince yourself you are free
you may try to act like your free because you want it so badly
But there is no substitution for the unwavering peace that is the result of 
that thing not controlling you anymore.

~Have made my "ToDoBeforeSchoolStarts" list.
some of which is:

-I am exactly five years behind on ordering prints.
well make that four after today
whittling away at that
ordering one year per day until I'm caught up

-putting together our vacation photo book

-hanging things on Jake's wall after painting it
never mind that it was painted months ago…we will get his wall stuff re-hung before August 10! sothere.

-school room clean out and re-organization

-making a gargantuan Costco trip
(iLOVEbeingwellstocked)

-have at least one, preferably two pajama days
i have no idea how this whole summer has so far been one that has not yet afforded me the luxury of one single solitary  "stayathomedoabsolutelynothinganddon'tgetdressedday"

~stacey