I am currently sitting on the couch fully dressed and ready to go to yet another Children’s Hospital appointment with Sarah Joy in regards to her kidney. I have my robe on over my clothes because I am freezing. It’s 46 degrees outside with a very strong and persistent wind. In other words, it feels like a rather blustery day, today. I will take the robe off before I pick Sarah up from school, hopefully, and put on a winter coat.
I am exhausted. I am thinking about all the things that my family has planned for the next month: prom for Grace, Senior banquet for Grace (who is dating a senior) and Ethan (my senior son), baccalaureate, graduation, field trips, concerts, a church picnic and baptism at which my son Caleb will be baptized, graduation party for Ethan, Rich has two business trips, and all this along with the little league games that happen several times a week and the little surprises that life throws at us now and then…..and I am exhausted. Did I mention I am tired?
I keep thinking: “Do one thing mindfully at a time with as much love and care as possible.” This is easier said than done. Especially the “mindfully one thing at a time” part.
I also keep thinking “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
And lastly, I keep thinking “I want to sleep, but at least I’m not crying or anxious.”
This morning I found nine fiesta bowls, three plates, a bunch of paper plates, and four mugs in the basement, left there by Ethan, Grace, Caleb, Kylie, Zak, David, Caleb, and Zach. (all teenagers) Seriously? What I have to say is this: “There is to be no more eating downstairs, my dear children.”
The other day (when it wasn’t 46 degrees), David and his friends played in the stream. It’s funny because of of them is named Michael, and since we already have a Michael here all the time, we differentiate them by calling the younger one “up the road Michael”. (Because he lives… up the road.)
I was attempting a photo of the hanging baskets which are so pretty, but you can’t really see them very well. Thankfully, the house, garage, and lawns are pretty tidy at this point and there won’t be much to do to prepare outside for the picnic and party. I’ve been doing a lot of gardening, which is probably why I’m so tired. My body is trying to get back into the swing of things after a long winter.
David could not find a golf tee so used a pencil. Genius (although it took about five minutes to get the ball to balance).
Entrance to the trails (we call one the Dam trail and one the Adventure trail) by our house.
starflower
Fringed Polygala
“this exquisite, orchid-like wildflower resembles a tiny airplane without a tail.”
Lady slippers, almost ready to bloom
violets
The largest wintergreen berry I ever saw. And then I ate it.
make a wish!
I picked a small bouquet of violets, buttercups, bluets, and Kentucky bluegrass.
There is something quite calming about looking through the grass for just the right flower, bending, picking, adding it to the bouquet and then doing it over again and again until you’re done.
And this little bird…a very dark photo….which is a hazard of shooting in manual mode but then seeing something you have to photograph before it flies away so you don’t think to change your settings and then the picture is either blown out or too dark. However, I can identify the bird as an…..OVENBIRD. Thanks to my Merlin ID app on my phone (indispensable!!) “Secretive warbler that lacks vibrant colors, but compensates with its enormous voice.”
Yep, that’s right. I got a photo of a secretive bird! I do feel proud.
*****
Well that about does it for this blog post and thank you all very much for listening. As a writer of blogs and journals, I do feel better after a good scratch of the pencil or tip tap on the computer keys!
“If you’re completely exhausted
and don’t know how
you’re going to keep giving this much of yourself
day after day
you’re probably a good parent.”
Bunmi Laditan
Good to be Home 
I totally get it. So am i. Tired.lol. hugs, christina
I am tired too, and afraid it might be more serious than tiredness. We shall see. Congrats on the secretive ovenbird pic! We have a friend whom we still call Diane across the street, because she lived across the street. My DIL is also Diann, so we had to distinguish somehow.
Hope Sarah’s app’t goes well. I have a Dr. app’t today too. My daughter will take me.
oh that last quote… i love it! I used to think i was tired when i had toddlers…but then i soon discovered that teenagers are pretty exhausting too! I think it is very hard for Mommas to take things “one day at a time”… i know that our Father gives us “DAILY bread”…but sometimes i think that i need a MONTH’s worth in one week! Your home is so beautiful!
It makes me tired just to hear your schedule. May God’s grace be sufficient and every moment be special. Take time at each event and thank the Lord for that specific moment in the midst of chaos.
I hope you find some rest soon. I slept a crazy amount over the weekend and it made a difference. ‘Course that feels a lifetime ago and I am tired again. It was nice while it lasted.
Oh Mama I wish I could give you a hug! That is a very busy schedule. Just know that things will calm down again soon. I can’t imagine how hard it is juggling all of the different schedules with your kids. It sounds like a lot of great memories will be made though 🙂
I am praying for Sarah, hope everything is ok?
Oh my, that is a schedule. May and June tend to have soooo much going on with end of school, baseball and all, but add graduation…whew. Even we have all sorts of graduations, showers, and weddings coming up. So glad you take the time for filling up a bit in the nature around you. I love the beauties of those tiny flowers.
We have been hearing the very loud songs of the secretive warbler also – I was amazed at how small the bird is for such a loud song…we just discovered babies in the corner of our front porch roof this week and saw the babies fly out this morning 🙂