Vulnerability, Patience and Trust

We are smack in the middle of a move and it has taken over the bulk of my life's existence lately. The cleaning, packing, organizing, getting-rid-of-stuff... Life right now is a constant struggle between the chaos of five children and the chaos of keeping the house "show ready" for potential renters! (Want to see tips on a somewhat stress-free move? Head over to the newest blog that I write on: Rose From a Rock. If you're tired of me and the dog-gone move, head over to Three Friends Fitness to see my new sporty passion: Indoor Rock Climbing! And believe me, I am hooked!)

The front of the house, after we set it up for "curb appeal". Cute, huh?

It's a bit of a struggle for me. It's so hard to open what has been our home up as "just" a house. It's hard to not think that just because my house isn't right for that person, it isn't a rejection of me or my family. And every time someone calls to say, "Can I come take a look?" There is excitement there - "will this one be it?" - and fear anew. So it is not just business for us.

Saving Money While Feeding the Masses

I have begun to notice a curious phenomenon when I finish with checking out at the grocery store. My cart is ... perhaps... getting bigger or something because I have spent the same amount of money but the cart is not as full as it was a year (or two?) ago. This is only confusing until I stop to think it through. It is then with a big sigh that I begin to push the cart to the car and load it all up. Food prices have indeed gotten higher. As a result, we've had to make some adjustments to keep our food-buying in check while accommodating the growing appetites of three boys (and BOY-OH-BOY can they eat!) I thought it might be helpful to some folks though to see what we buy to feed the five (and the grown-ups too!) and what we make with those groceries to get by.

For the record, we are not a family to suffer silently so I make sure our food is filling, mostly nutritious and will last a week. I spend an average of $200 a week and there are some "junky/snacky" things in there for the biggest of the big (Jeff.) So here is the pie chart on what we buy and how healthy it is (or is not.)

Reflections on the Fourth of July

Every day at around 5 p.m., on U.S. military posts and bases all over the world, the world stops. Only for a moment does time stand still, but there is a sound - sometimes a cannon shot, sometimes a bugle call - a sound that invites all who are within hearing range to stop and take note. A sound that invites the listener to contemplate the event taking place over at the flag pole. The sound... of Colors.

A song is played as the flag is lowered down to waiting hands of the Honor Guard members. Just moments before, the men and women of the honor guard stood at attention, waiting, watching for the flag to flutter down within their reach. Their job is to catch its leading edge; pass it from hand to hand to keep the cloth from touching the ground; fold it with care and reverence.

Manic Monday

Before TWO weeks go by, I figure I'll take a minute or two to put an update on here. There is SO much going on that I don't know where to begin, but the quick run-down is:

• that I am going to be posting on a third blog as well as this one and Three Friends Fitness. I will make a bigger announcement and a link to the third blog as soon as I figure out their system - it is on Wordpress and so far I have not been able to figure out how to get pictures to upload but I will succeed in the end!

• Baseball and track seasons are O.V.E.R. and though I enjoyed watching the boys succeed (and boy did they!) I am glad to have my weeknights back. It was rough trying to keep up with everyone's events, Jeff's work stuff, finishing the work projects I have going on and keeping up with the house and the move. I'll be glad for life not to be so chaotic for a time.