New Seasons

We have finished another successful school year and I marvel that I have been homeschooling for 14 years now.  This year I have really struggled with having enough energy and scaled back my involvement in extracurricular activities.  Even though it felt plenty busy life seemed more balanced and carved out time each week to do a toning workout.  I have been feeling a little better, and was contemplating increasing my workouts this summer as well as yard projects when I got a surprising call to teach seminary next school year. 

I seem to receive every calling I have in the church about 4 years before I am ready for it.  I should not have been surprised when just a few weeks earlier I had the thought that my life was really settling down and getting easier.  This will be a huge challenge for several reasons including the biggest one that it will change my entire routine.  I will be starting at 6 every morning, bumping my jogging with Nathan, sleeping in occasionally and a lot of free time that will be devoted to preparation.  I'm thankful that I was able to find out at the beginning of the summer, so I have time to prepare. I love learning and I am excited at the prospect of feasting on the words of Christ.

I spent last week helping the girls paint and redo their room.  They were tired of the dark purple and green and ready for a softer color.  We chose a pale blue and spray painted their desks white. I think it turned out well.  Our only other project this summer is to rip out the carpet in the boy's bathroom and tile it.  Slowly but surely we are whittling off the vast list of house projects.  Nathan is also staining the deck this summer.  I'm staying out of that project as I did it alone last time and I don't have the energy to help. We intend to downsize in our next home so we have time and money that don't go solely into our house. 

Life is good.  My kids are growing up and I'm starting to glimpse a life that doesn't center only around their activities.  I'm really glad that I went back to school when I did.  Work is a nice balance with my part-time schedule and gives me plenty to learn and think about.  For now, I am savoring this season.

Brandon's First Area

Super crazy week.  I left the MTC last Monday and headed out to Queretaro.  After interviews we got our assignments. I was assigned to the Celaya, Alamos area with Elder Molina as my trainer. He's a super good missionary, and we've been working extremely hard.  He's from Arizona, and we get along super great!  It's been tough work here though because everyone is so Catholic, but the people are very kind.  Everything about Mexico is wild. Especially the bus rides haha.  I've seen some stuff here that I wouldn't have ever thought of in the US. There's so much poverty, it's pretty insane. I really didn't understand a whole lot of Spanish this week, but hopefully over the next couple months I can understand more. Well, I don't have much time, so I'll talk to you more next week! Love you guys!

Life Changes

I haven't posted on my blog for quite a while.  Lots of things got in the way. 

I found myself drowning in my life at the peak of busyness and something had to give.

As I read back through my old posts I see the life of someone I used to be, but I am different and my life has been changing in many ways.

My oldest son has gone to college for a semester and is now on a mission in Mexico.  My other children are working on chasing him out of the home which comes with the mixture of emotions.  My youngest is growing up.

I am starting to follow some of my interests.  I am getting more training in my counseling world.  I started taking piano lessons.  I am in a writing group.  I am still reading.  I am improving my knitting skills.  I am growing a little garden.  I am learning how to quilt.  I am doing some home projects as time and money allow. 

Mostly, I am starting to reinvent what life looks like as my kids grow up.  I often find myself struggling in knowing what exactly I want to do with my life.  The funny thing about turning 40 is that now time is more finite and I no longer feel that I can do anything I want, so I have to be more choosy about what I decide to do.  I spend more time analyzing what I really enjoy.  I am starting to discard what feels superfluous and invest in what really matters to me. 

This is my new season.  I have always been responsible, but I would like to have some fun too.  Have some adventures.  Be intentional about my life.  Find daily joy in how I spend my time.  I like writing in my blog, and I want to get back to it, but write about what matters to me and not do it for anyone else.  Post on what is important.  So here's to changes for better or worse.