Keeping it Random

1. I ordered a new HEPA filter for our vacuum. It was long overdue as I just didn't want to spend the money (20.00 at Walmart!). Then, I found it on Amazon for 7.00! I was so excited to put it on and vacuum. I LOVE to vacuum, BTW. I vacuum the car, the mats, the rugs, the carpet, the vinyl, the baseboards, the fans. We own three vacuums (Eureka, hard floor and Shop Vac) and I really want one more for the stairs.

2. My phlegmatic child showed his personalities failing this morning and DUG his heels in and stubbornly fought against a simple task. All he had to do was draw a picture from the story we'd read and he fought and fought and fought. Bear in mind he had just completed two far more challenging worksheets!

3. If you are thinking about pre-schooling at home, I cannot recommend Rod and Staff's pre-school/kindergarten books enough. It has been amazing to watch Aubrey's progress in numbers, hand/eye coordination, motor skills, etc . . . I was not sure about them at first, because they are not frilly or colorful or "Fun" looking, but she loves them and can do most things independently.

4. I learned about them from Preschoolers and Peace--one of my favorite blogs, particularly the archives. You should check them out!

5. The other day I was discouraged by some hard things I'd read. Then, in church our choir sang an excerpt from Handel's Messiah,

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded
For our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the
Chastisement of our peace was upon Him. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

I may be interpreting this wrong, but how encouraging that Jesus has borne our sorrows. He sympathizes with us and bears our burdens because we cannot.

6. I keep hearing people say that "God doesn't give us more than we can handle." That is not in the Bible. There is a verse regarding temptation that says something like that, but God doesn't promise us that He won't give us more than we can handle. He DOES promise to be with us, he promises that when we pass through the waters HE will be with us, that the flames will not consume us. He tells us not to fear because he has called us by name and we are his! (Isaiah 43) Bible promises are far better than worldly promises.

7. Tuan is building a gazebo with a reciprocal roof. It is going to have a firepit in the middle. He is a man with a plan, for sure! The wood (Black Locust) came from our family's land and Tuan was out until midnight last night driving posts. Didn't I say we thrive on projects?

8. I'm painting shelves today and just itching to go through all the kids clothes, but lately I'm either super energized or incredibly exhausted. This week has been more of an exhausted kind of week. : )

9. As a mom, I seem to have days where everything goes great and I feel a bit superwomanish or days where it takes four hours to do school and the floor never gets swept. I call those the "just keep swimming" days, where I just take the next step and the next and the next and probably anticipate rest time more than I should. : )

10. The baby kept jumping at the thunder the other night. So fun!