So What Happens Friday?

So Saturday we (meaning ALL of us) went to a seminar on RAD- reactive attachment disorder. The kids had fun playing and Mr. Incredible and I got a chance to listen to a psychologist and interact with others in our situation. The main resources for the seminar were the books Beyond Consequences, Logic and Control and The Primal Wound. They even gave us copies of these books! A lot of what was said came from BCLC. I had started reading this book before (it's a kinda hard read though), but this was Mr. Incredible's first in-depth experience with it. Anyway, they gave background, coping tips and general education for your responses to your child. The major premise is that because of prenatal and perinatal trauma the children who suffer RAD haven't learned to regulate their bodies and that results in symptoms that present as ADHD and being bipolar. You either come from a place of love or fear. Children with RAD come from a place of fear and their anger, fits, noncompliance, stubbornness, lack of empathy/sympathy, etc are because they are afraid. (More details to come in another post.)

Mr. Z had performances for his latest theatrical endeavors on Fri, Sat, and Sun. (we missed church :( )

Monday the kids and I and Super P (our helper) went to a somewhat local science museum. No one was lost, maimed or otherwise injured and a good time was had by all. (You know you're one tough momma when a bed of nails feels relaxing :))

Tuesday was 2 appointments, exercise and 5 grocery store stops to get all the different items that were on the list!

Wednesday we, Mr. Incredible, myself, the kids and Super P, all went to an amusement park!!! We couldn't have done it without three adults- thank you sooooo much Super P!

Thursday (today)- 2 appointments, but one didn't happen :/ (might be calling a boss), exercise, played with Ms. Carrie (counselor), a trip to the library, two stops for video game related "needs", and a stop for some free iced tea!

Friday- nothing! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!!! Yeah!!! Mr. Z commented today how he just needed some time at home. I wanted to shout "amen!", but instead calmly replied that Friday he would (watch him want to do something :))!

So why does any of this matter? Because we are broadening Elizabeth's little world a little by a little. Her world has grown so much since the four walls of bars of her crib a mere 10 months and 15 days ago. AND tonight she put two words together for the first time! "night night, Daddy" (I know your thinking that's three! DUH! But the speech therapists count phrases like "night night" and "bye bye" as one word.) Lest we forget Mr. M and his meltdowns... he only came really close twice on Wednesday, but he regained control!!! God is working in his heart and mine. How can going to museums and amusement parks be important?... Well the Bible does talk about the joy of the Lord!

P.S. Those refillable "Seasonal" cups from certain amusement parks are not dishwasher safe. I now know that! "I'm meltiiiiing...." leaps to mind.

Hump Day

Monday and Tuesday went so well. So we were bound for fallout, I guess, and it hit today. BOOM!
Too much to even tell. Hitting, screaming, threats (and that wasn't even me!). Whining, bed wetting, technical difficulties and a doctor's appointment to boot! So glad that everyone is in bed finally. Will talk to the counselor and maybe come up with new strategies. (new music selections reflect me trying to renew my sense of purpose, key word trying)

On a more positive note, ran across Elizabeth's referral photos. My she's becoming such a beautiful little girl. We are so blessed.


Referral photo- October 2008, Gotcha Day 9-14-09, On daddy's lap before surgery (love the little hospital gown) December 2009.














Notes on the music: More Like Falling in Love- "Give me rules, I'll break them. Give me lines, I'll cross them." That describes one of our children so perfectly.
Mighty to Save- "Everyone needs compassion, a love that's never failing, let mercy fall on me." I need that mercy. "Savior he can move a mountain, my God is mighty to save." We have mountains, invisible but HUGE.
Healing Begins- "There's freedom waiting in the sound when you let your walls fall down... This is where the healing begins". My prayer is that walls fall down, healing begins and we can move past these behaviors.
God Bless the Broken Road- I know that this is more for couples, but after the battles we have fought for Mr. M and how hard the road has been it is still so applicable. "It's all part of this grander plan that is coming true" God has a wonderful purpose for M's life and we have to fight for him to be set free so that he can move past all the junk.
Love is not a Fight- "Love is not a place to come and go as we please". Adopted children already have suffered rejection once from their biological parents. No matter how hard it gets, I need to be committed.
I could keep going, needless to say each song speaks to some area of our life, specifically parenting and overcoming the challenges.

Crazy Good Deals

So on Sunday afternoon I went to Walgreens to snag some good deals before Mr. Incredible went out of town- it's always easier to shop without kids. I did let Mr. Z tag along, though :)
Okay, so here's what I got
3- 2 packs of glue sticks
3- packs of 15 count eraser caps
3- 2 packs of erasers
4- Colgate Total toothpaste (not pictured)
4- Pampers wipes
1- Crest Whitening Strips
2- 400 sheets of multipurpose copier paper
2- poly portfolios
2- 2 packs of Pilot G2 pens
1- 6 pack of Expo washable markers
2- 3 ring poly binders
4- Butterfingers
5- 5 tab index dividers

All this for $0.43!!!! Yes, I used RR, but the toothpaste earned me a buck for each one I bought! And now we have school supplies and chocolate! Who could ask for more! The paper alone was marked with a shelf price of $6.99 and had a sale price of $1.99. I left with less RR than I walked in with, but I got things we could use!!! Yeah!!!

Counting Blessings

I've deduced that it was just an end of week crisis and though I didn't find the rainbow, He has given me the strength to keep going.
Though, I am hoping that today is not a foretaste of what the week ahead holds. Mr. Incredible leaves on business today :(, it's overcast and hard to get going and our helper texted in sick :( But we are making the most of it and I'm going to go to Aqua Zumba! It's either that or sit around watching movies barely able to keep my eyes open.
On a brighter note Elizabeth is stringing all sorts of sounds together, she's alternating feet when going up the stairs if your holding her hand and yesterday at church she was saying "Hi/Bye" to pretty much anyone she saw!
Mr. Incredible wanted to be a blessing before he left (or maybe he just wanted clean, folded clothes:)) and he was the director of Nazi Clothes Folding boot camp last night. It was so cute to see Elizabeth running around "mopping" (she decided that was her contribution) while Mr. M and Mr. T were working to match socks when I walked in from some shopping. More on the shopping in another post!
God is good all the time! (even when we don't "feel" it) :)

Help! I'm older than I feel!!

Maybe it's that I'm not looking forward to a week without Mr. Incredible... maybe it's "spring" fever... maybe it's just that it's been a busy week. All I want to do is ditch my responsibilities and go DO something. Clarification- do something that is NOT a doctor appointment, carting a kid somewhere or grocery shopping. I'm thinking like a day at the beach by myself, a night out (I mean all night, not just a couple of hours). I want to drive a convertible with the top down and the wind blowing through my hair, not a minivan with kids in the back yelling for me to shut the window... Is this a mid-life crisis or end of week crisis? Hmmm.
Do I need a vacation? Do we need a vacation?
"Be content with what you have." I guess I need to be content to be 30 something with the "social status" I have now attained- I am a homeschooling stay at home mom with one husband, one cat, four sons and one daughter a 4/2/2 house with a pool and fireplace and 2600 square feet to try to keep clean :/ Rainbow where are you? I really need to see you!

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!!!

Today is Elizabeth's THIRD birthday!!!!
It is also the 10 month mark of her gotcha day.
My how time flies!

Oh, Monday, Monday!

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change and not the peace to not hurt the child who's yelling that they hate me. Amen.
Does that give away how our day has gone too much?! In all truthfulness, we've actually had a good day and an exciting start to our week.

#1 Elizabeth had a follow up with the ENT. Ear tubes are still in place and clean and clear. Had to body hug her to keep her still while they suctioned the wax out of her tiny ear canals. The PA did the work and when we walked out the room the doctor commented on her still so ever healthy lungs. Why is it I get to do all the fun things?!

#2 Mr. Z begins Big Bad Musical Rehearsals. TONIGHT!!! And a parent has to be present for a meeting at 6pm!!!

#3 Mr. M is trying my patience. Pottying in inappropriate places is at the top of the list. Hitting brothers is next. Screaming how he hates me is next. Maybe that should be reversed, but my practical side is showing :)

#4 Trying to line up pick ups for Mr. Z from rehearsal while Mr. Incredible is out of town.

#5 CVS doesn't want to honor a two day expired ECB worth $3 :(

#6 My internet and computer are having some sort of warfare between each other and don't like to talk!

#7 Scheduled follow up Sono for the ovarian cyst I had last month- not something I'm looking forward to.

#8 Need to find out when Ms. E's husbands funeral is so I can try to arrange child care and be there.

#9 More appointments, than the usual, all week.

#10 Need to prep for a swim party at our house on Saturday. If I just say it will it come true? "Weeds I banish you!"

Please Pray

Please lift up Miss Ellen in your prayers. She's Elizabeth's language development therapist with the school district. We had a call from her when we arrived home from church that her husband died this morning. He had some minor heart surgery at the end of last week and apparently there were some complications. She's making funeral arrangements tomorrow.

Please pray that I would know how to minister to her as well. Our friendship has blossomed over the last several months of her working with Elizabeth.

Thank you.

Light

Proverbs 4:18-19 (the Message)
The ways of right-living people glow with light;
the longer they live, the brighter they shine.
But the road of wrongdoing gets darker and darker—
travelers can't see a thing; they fall flat on their faces.

I've been trying to read a Proverbs a day. Last night the 7th, I read 4, 5, 6 and 7 (oops!! little behind!) Anyway, the above struck me. Am I glowing brighter or becoming darker? Am I reflecting God's presence in our lives or am I letting the storm clouds show on my face? I feel like a keep falling flat on my face, but is it because I can't see or am I just desperate for God to intervene and touch the hearts of my children?

Mr. M has had a hard week. Change especially for children is hard to begin with, but add PDD and RAD on top of that and it's REALLY hard.
As I was starting to get dinner ready (and dreading bath time), I remembered the words of Deut. 31- (paraphrase) He won't leave me, He won't forsake me, He goes with me, Be strong and courageous. Maybe my courageous is not the climbing sheer cliffs without a safety rope kind of adrenaline pumping experience that most envision. Maybe it's just the everyday doing the right thing and guiding Mr. M in that better path (along with the others :)) Being a light to my family and showing love and kindness even in the hard times. Will the world be a better place if I successfully climb a cliff? Most likely not. Will the world be a better place if I can send five loving, giving, honorable, trustworthy and steadfast young adults into it? Maybe it will, just maybe.
In the meantime, I'll keep plodding on shining light on the darkness that tries to invade. And tonight maybe we just might skip baths, just maybe :)

Change...

This week is one for the record books.
Mr. Incredible started the week out of town and is out again for two days.
We have a new helper. BIG CHANGE
I am trying to go to the gym in the morning because of childcare closing right after class at night and wanting to have "family time" in the evenings. BIG CHANGE
What else...hmmm... Mr. M's OT who's expecting was unable to make our appointment due to having some pains, no baby yet that I know of, but Mr. M was very unsettled by the appointment being canceled.
Any change to his routine causes issues. Hmm, no wonder he's been A BEAR yesterday and today!!! More to love, right?!

And a change for the better! Elizabeth is now alternating legs when going up stairs!!! Yeah!!! Also, if you say a word and then tell her to say it she will, if it's a new word, but she won't do it again :/ Hey, at least she is trying it out!

I was given a compliment today of, "How can she do that all day?! She would make a great teacher." I really wanted to say, "Why thank you, I already am!" But didn't want to risk offense :)

It goes to show that the Lord prepares us for our job, even when we feel like we are the shortest, scrawniest, most nerdy candidate. He calls us out and into GREATNESS. He can take failures, shortcomings and misgivings and use them to make something BEAUTIFUL.

Being the Boss

Aren't they so cute?! Mr. M and Mr. T have taken to getting all decked out for church. Gotta impress the ladies sometime I guess.







I managed to get to church today with Mr. Incredible still out of town and I didn't actually leave any children there! (almost forgot Elizabeth in the nursery, but I didn't!!!)
Our pastor spoke on the power of those in authority. The main point in summary is that, "When I treat those under my authority with dignity and kindness they cooperate and I succeed." But in getting to the summary he addressed how people need to have hope (among many other things), but it was his statements concerning hope that hit me hard.
Mr. M has been a challenge for so many years now and he's only six! Yesterday, he only succeeded in bathing a couple of body parts during bath. He stole food last night while the babysitter was trying to get Elizabeth to sleep. (I had gone to Mr. Z's final performance of Tales of the Wild West) This morning he called Mr. T stupid. He's hit and kicked Mr. J. He's been beligerant to me while we were trying to leave church and that's just the highlights of the last 18 hours! I know he's missing his Daddy, we all are at this point...
During the sermon what I realized is I've lost hope, or nearly have. I say I know he can become a productive member of society, but I'm really just not wanting him to be some homicidal maniac. I want him to go to college and be all that he can, but I'm having a hard time believing that he can even hold a steady job at this point. I know God placed him in our home and I know that there is good that will come, but I'm crying as I write because I am just sooooo tired of the constant battles! Do I need to step up my game as a mom? How can I do more?! Seriously!!! In God I know there is a well of strength and wisdom and hope. Anybody got a rope and bucket or better yet a pump?

Wednesday Savings

I spent 4.5 hours cutting the coupons and doing the shopping, but there were also interruptions from kids, does that shave some time off?

So why have I started extreme couponing? Because I want extreme savings. If I can NOT spend money 0n the things that I don't have to or if I can make up a gift basket from the things that I accumulate or even give to local shelters, than I can use the money saved to do something good, give someone a gift without spending a lot of money or bless those who are having a hard time.

I spent $2.01 in cash at Walgreens and have $42 RR. I used coupons, more coupons and $32 in previous in RR. My total savings were $111.87. What I got:
3- 4 packs of a diet drink
3- boxes of tampons
3- boxes of Huggies wipes
2- Crest toothpastes
4- Sure deoderant
4- Curad bandages
11- jellos
4- 4 packs of razors
1- double pack of toothbrushes and 2 single toothbrushes
1- Edge shave gel
1- Skintimate shave gel
1- Wet Ones canister

At CVS the few cents I didn't have coupons and ECB to cover I used a gift card (from filling a prescription) to pay for! God knew I was running short on Advil! The 4 packs of $3.79 pads I got totally free, I made $0.50 on the Pantene and used that to help offset the cost of the Advil which after coupons, the overage from the Pantene and $1 ECB you got cost $0.99 each!



All I have to say is YIPEEEEEE! God is good, even in the small things!

Life, Out of the Box

You know God is stretching you when things you don't expect start piling up and up and up.
When it rains it pours... To everything there is a season...

Well six months (I believe to the day) of losing one dog, we have lost another (and we only had two to begin with!). Samson had to find a new home today. There have been issues over him leaving our backyard, and I'm not too thrilled about the puncture marks in our leather sofa from his claws, but we had the last straw yesterday and he had to go. It had been coming, but we have had so much changing in our lives lately and Mr. M's need for stability.... God knows. God sees. God is in control. I just need to keep trusting. As I was driving to pick up Mr. Z from a day camp, a song came on the radio, I didn't "Shazam" it with my iphone so I don't know the title, but the artist sang of God being in control and knowing and caring. Just what I needed to hear at just the right moment. It's amazing that days before when the station's music manager was selecting songs and play order God was directing him and I would be in the van at exactly the right time to hear exactly what I need in order to not have a total breakdown over the dog!

I am looking forward to the flowers that this season of storms is going to produce. I pray that Mr. Incredible's travel will yield fruit and not be wasted. I pray that God's provision for our family is sustaining and His hand of protection spread far. I pray that the kids aren't scarred for life after all this dog drama.

The storms in life produce the rainbows!!!!

Giving It Up

I have worked for a couple hours each day this week sorting through my procrastination piles- clothes, paperwork, stuff, etc. Last night while I waited for Mr. Incredible to get home I tackled the computer counter. It's amazing there really still is a white counter under all that paperwork and those items of "what does this belong to?". I would love to say that I got all the paperwork sorted and put up and, and, and... Nope it's now on the bench by the backdoor, but I did work on sorting! I even threw away some!!!!

I think Mr. Incredible's "we may need it someday" philosophy has had an effect on me. I have two file drawers filled with Mr. Z's and Mr. J's early artwork and other things they have done over the years. As a homeschooler you want to keep some things to show proof of what you have done, but when is enough enough?!

I want my kids to know how much I cherish them and that is of course reflected in all the little do da's they create and I keep, right? Wrong! I have become a slave to Sunday School papers and crafts, school projects, that "I made this for you", "this is their first ___", etc.!!! My children aren't going to think that I'm a great mom because I saved every memento from their childhood if I can't have the decency to look them in the eye when they are asking me something. I can't make myself a perfect mom by scrapbooking the right way with the "right" things.

The last four days have made me take stock that I still want to be the perfect mom. I sadly thought that I was over this, but the piles of recital programs, AWANA do da's, certificate of completion of the summer reading with attached lists of what they've read have made me see that I want to at least somehow make my crazy and chaotic life appear normal and perfect even if it is only in a scrapbook or some keepsake box. But I am only bringing chaos and more things to clean when these items turn into piles and the piles cause guilt and the guilt makes me feel like I am a failure.

God never gives us more than we can bear, but what burdens (or activities) have you brought on yourself and are saying that God gave you? I once heard this story of a woman who was at the bottom of a hill with an empty wheelbarrow. She prayed that God would give her a purpose, so God told her to pick up the rock next to the wheelbarrow and take it up to the top of the hill. So she picked up the rock and started up the hill. She hadn't gone very far when she saw another rock and thought, "I'll take this one up too". As she kept going up the mountain she kept picking up rocks, small ones and big ones, and her load kept getting heavier and heavier. Straining with each step as she pushed her heavy laiden load ehe called out to God to help her to make it to the top of the hill. She told God that He had given her to much of a load. God in his infinite wisdom responded, "I only gave you one rock, you took the rest on yourself".

Ahh, that I can give up all the rocks that I've piled on. God doesn't want perfection from me (or anyone). He knew I(we) couldn't be perfect and that is why He sent His son to die for my(our) imperfections. God only wants me to be more like HIM- loving, patient, gentle, kind, self-less, giving... That's probably a big enough rock right there ;)

Ah, Summer!

Tomorrow is the conclusion of two weeks of VBS. Last week our church had it's VBS week. They did a High Seas program and I worked in the Galley preparing snacks, yum! I had to work in order for all our kids to go. Elizabeth's teachers loved her of course.
This week a very close to home church is having their VBS and they take the oldest four without me having to work!!!! I have been able to get so much done! Unfortunately they don't have it on Friday... I have been able to tackle the procrastination piles that have piled up since we adopted Elizabeth while the boys have been there. Just the computer counter and the guest bedroom left...um, don't think that all that can happen tomorrow, but we'll see!
Mr. Incredible left the house at 4:30 this morning for a day in Denver and will be home sometime after midnight tonight- what a day for him! We all missed seeing him this morning and I know bedtime is going to be another stressor.
People comment to me how much Elizabeth is changing and growing. I can remember what she was like when we got her, and she isn't anything like that now, usually. But I just don't "see" the monthly progress that ECI is saying. I guess because it just happens so gradually, but at least it is happening!
I've done something a little crazy twice now- gone and looked at houses for sale!!!! I don't want to move, but if we could get a bigger house with a bigger yard.... The realtor is so sweet, she sold us this house now almost eight years ago. My times have changed- biggest thing we only had two kids then! Either I was having some sort of moment or God is working on me, because when she asked how many kids we had I said, "Five, four boys and two girls." I didn't say this just once, but several times! I knew I was saying it wrong, but couldn't for the life of me say it "right"! I had mentioned to Mr. I several times that if we wanted to adopt again maybe we should start again, but he's put me off and I haven't really felt God calling us to a certain country or anything. Then day before yesterday was one of "those" days and I said we were done as far as I was concerned. So I couldn't believe when less than 24 hours later it really seemed like God was controlling my tongue and I was talking about another girl!!! Wait and see for the Lord is good, His mercy endures forever.
Last week we began a Financial Peace class, not that we have financial chaos, but it's at a really cool place for the kids to play and they play FREE so the course is just a bonus! We are most interested in college and retirement, but after the houses I looked at yesterday, if we want anything that remotely meets our criteria and space needs we will have to shell out many pretty pennies. I saw what not so many pretty pennies and cramped space buys yesterday- YIKES!!! We could always build on our land, but wanting to be debt free and building a new house don't go hand in hand. Hmmm, more of that waiting...
But God continues to be faithful. Mr. J's busted head didn't require a visit to ER or the doctor or stitches. Mr. M hasn't thrown any dog poop into the pool this summer. Found out that Mr. M has been getting gluten on Sundays at church for the last month- that explains A LOT. Mr. Z gets to participate in a play camp. Elizabeth doesn't drag her foot quite so much- I look like an idiot high stepping next to my two year old, but pride went out the window three kids ago :) Just to find a helper, the right helper. Anybody, anybody???!!!!

Health Update

Well I apparently suffered a ruptured hemoragic ovarian cyst. Without doing a laproscopic scope -it's a probably, but a fairly high probably given my symptoms and their presentation and then abatement. I got to spend all day in ER then have an overnight stay up in postpartum. That was a weird experience - I had always had a baby before when I was on that floor. My symptoms had been EXTREME pain followed by a "pop", abdominal tenderness and swelling. It was the last two after the pain and the pop that made me worried. Apparently if I had been male and with those symptoms I would have gone straight to surgery. The first thoughts were appendicitis, diverticulitis, and then finally "female trouble". Hopefully, I won't have to EVER repeat that experience again.
Lest our life become boring Mr. J gave himself a 5mm gash on the top of his head Sunday night. The blood was gushing and my first thought was another trip to ER!!!! But fortunately he got a goose egg, his eyes were responsive, he wasn't dizzy, didn't get a headache and the gash was small enough to not require stitches. Maybe that incident might curb his jumping up on the counter to get something out of the cabinet.
Today I woke up feeling the best I had in at least a week if not two and that's on five hours sleep and no coffee in days!
We have VBS this week and after how I felt yesterday I wasn't sure how the week was going to go. Of course Elizabeth's teachers think she's precious. I have to agree.

You'll never believe it

I awoke EARLY this morning in extreme pain and after spending all day in ER have earned the privelidge to spend the night. Hope to go home in the am. NOT the way I planned on spending my day! But the kids are being well cared for and God remains faithful. :)

Coming and Goings

I have been sooooo busy lately that I haven't had time to post! Imagine that?!
We just got back from a trip to my parents. It was nice to sleep in and have someone to watch the kids. It was great to stay up after the kids had gone to bed and play Upwords or Yuker. But most of all it was great just to be away. Away from all the busyness that consumes my days lately.

We met with our school district and Elizabeth will continue with her language development services this summer and in the fall begin speech therapy twice a week in addition to the language. So with Mr. M's appointments and Elizabeth's we will have 8 weekly appointments not including any lessons, etc. - 5 at home and 3 away. I am truly trying to be thankful that my kids are getting needed help, but the thought of trying to fit everything in is overwhelming. I had the insane thought of adding to our schedule our local homeschooling group's learning classes that meet once a week during the school year, actually a little less, however sign ups closed early because of being full. We would have lost a whole day of being able to do school and appointments, due to class and mommy recovery- at least it was that way a couple of years ago when we did them. I could try to get on the waiting list, hmmmmm.

Mr. Incredible was just promoted to a managing position at his place of employment. He has been with the company for over 13 years. Hard to believe so much time has gone by. I am looking forward to possibly less travel for him. That would be NICE.

Our summer session of schooling is getting off to a slow start. There's some things that I am hoping to focus on this summer. I hope and pray it happens. Give us a leaping jump on next year or maybe it's ending this year with a bang. :)

Our helper has found a job for the fall, so if you know us personally and know of a young lady (over 18, State requirement) that would like to work in our home with our family for 23 hours a week, PLEASE email me or leave a comment!

I would love to have some wonderfully encouraging words, but alas I am at one of those points of hour by hour and minute by minute praying for strength and wisdom from the Almighty. I know He gives wisdom to those lacking (Prov. 2:6)and strength to the weary (Is. 40:29)and He has a season for everything (Ecc. 3:1). May I be willing to listen.

Be Diligent

It seems like lately I have to keep reminding myself of that. It would be so easy to say, we have___ going on so it's okay if I skip out on___. Some of that is okay of course, but using that continually sets a bad example for me and for the kids. I have been trying to figure out our fall schedule and and what to put in/take out/reschedule, etc.. It gives me almost a panic attack when I try and think of having eight weekly appointments- five at the house and three elsewhere, seriously schooling four and getting enough time to work with Elizabeth on her language and that's not adding anything like piano (Mr. Z and Mr. J have been taking for two years already) or gymnastics (something I think could really help Mr. M). I would love to do homeschooling co-op classes, but that would mean fitting school into four days a week, and all appointments would have to be on non-class days because I remember them tiring me out when we did them a couple years ago. Hmmm. Maybe being diligent at this point just means not adding anything more than we have to, even though I may want to. Decisions, decisions some are easy and others not so much.

In 7 days is.... nothing!

After a couple months or so of "talk" of Mr. Incredible taking a business trip to China and Indonesia. He got an email saying that meetings were set up for later this month in those places!!! There was a flurry of activity for about four days and then another email saying, oh wait we need to postpone! (for which I am extremely grateful) So the whole be ready in 11 days thing, never mind! This has relieved a lot of stress off me in that area, but other areas are mounting- kind of like the growing mountain of laundry to fold. Oh well, God never said life would be easy :), but He gives us the strength to carry on.