Seventeen Days Ago

I wrote something here - as my mind was blanking out pretty much -
going dormant for January, I suppose.


No - my mind's not dormant, but there's very little I can think of to write about.


I could tell a very revealing tale (but I'm not going to) of how 
Charlie and I have finally, finally gotten on the same page of how to reel in my  our overspending - so as to recover from 11 years of college expenses, 18 years of growing 4 daughters in our home and 7 more years of growing 3, 2, & 1 daughter at home.  I just haven't ever quite "gotten" the frugality and boundaries we needed to embrace - seriously.  I finally get it.... or finally got it.  So - Charlie and I are now enjoying "not spending money".  Well, we're enjoying my not spending money.  Charlie doesn't spend very much money.   I won't go into all of the uglies of it - but I look forward to having a testimony of "how we got out of debt by living within our means".  There - that has been a big biggie between December 30th and right now.  I'm enjoying it.  It's a whole new and free way of life.

So, hmmmm, what else has been happening to document.
Well, due to our January Spring Season, I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has daffodils already.
At first I didn't want them to come up. I wanted to say, "Go away! Go away! You're too early! It's not time!" but they knew better and I'm enjoying them.  What a season!  Surely we'll have some cold and dry weather with January sunshine.  Not complaining, just surprised.

It's shocking, how much time I can spend doing this:

It's a crossstitch piece I started the year I married, 1979.

There have been small segments of time over the years 

when I've picked it up again, done a little more.

When the cross stitch craze flourished in the late 70's and into the 80's

I did several other pieces - smaller.  

This was my favorite, but I like instant gratification - and this one seemed endless.

I was too young and fidgety - 

Now I'm really, finally finishing it.

The verse reads:

See how the lilies flourish white and fair

See how the Ravens fed from Heaven are

Then ne'er distrust thy God for cloth or bread

Whil'st the Lilies flourish and the Ravens fed

And...

Have I mentioned on here that I teach an art class at our church?

I'm not a natural teacher - like a classroom format kind of teacher.  I suppose our actions, our lives, our words, they all teach something.  Still - you know how here in the bible belt, or maybe all over, every church has a childrens' choir?  We did, but now we don't.  Because we don't have a teacher to teach.  (we're a very small church)  So I was approached about teaching art.  At first I gasped at the idea - but then it settled in and now I'm into the second semester of doing this.  It's ages 6 to 12 and they all seem to enjoy it.  I suffer some unnecessary angst about it.  I've joked with friends and family that I act as though I'm teaching a college course at Vanderbilt or somewhere.  I do have a little tight feeling in my chest as I prepare for it.  But it always works out.

We've completed 2 projects already since we started back and we're working on a third.

Look at some of the cats that were created.

Nice, huh?

I love their finished products and how they all look different.  

I promised them during the first semester that we would have an art show at our final meeting time before Christmas.  We did.

I displayed their work semi-professionally and had a small, nicely done table, with simple refreshments.

And we all received our guests as each one perused the displayed art.

The "show" stayed up through Christmas, at our church, and it came down before we began our second semester.  Each student was then able to take home their work.

Okay other thing -

I nursed my never-get-sick-or-ever-have-surgery husband back to health last week.

I did.  I still have the maternal in me.  I was nice to him.  I did for him.  He was surprised, I think.

In fact, many jokes were going around and people were calling in to see how I was doing as a nurse.

I'm not that wife who waits on and dotes over.  It's every man for himself around here.  Actually, Charlie seems to wait on me more than I do on him.  He's kinder and more giving that way.  

But it was my turn to do for him. He had  hernia surgery.  2 were repaired, mended. awww.  Two really nice boo-boos on Charlie's lower tummy and all kinds of aches and pains inside afterwards.  

Bless him.  I had four C-Sections in 81, 82, 86 and 88.  I was VERY sympathetic.

He's mending nicely.

And finally,

before Andrew and Luke arrive at my house,

I'm helping Ann 2 days each week in her homeschooling endeavor.

The plan is that Steve brings Ellie to my house on Tuesdays and I "teach" her.

On Thursdays he brings Luke and Andrew and I "teach" Luke.

I really like this new plan and Ann says it's helping.

We agree that it will evolve differently each semester as the childrens' ages change.

Huge difference next fall will be that Abigail will have passed her first birthday and probably be weaned.

That will give us all much more flexibility.

So that's it.

Oh - and I continue to play tug o' war with this same 10 to 15 pounds which insist on clinging to my body.  I loathe them and desire that they go away.  They love me and I don't love them.

Food - Calories - Metabolism - 60 years - Exercise or lack of  (cross stitching doesn't burn calories)

Somedays I fight the battle and other days I don't.

It's January and no January is complete without bemoaning those extra pounds.

Okay - that's all.