It's the middle of the night, and I should be in bed, but I just wanted to pop in and tell you that, yes, I am alive and do still have plans to be a regular blogger . . . it's just that life is so full right now that it's hard to stop and write about it.
Currently, I am working nearly full time between the hospital and the first aid stand at the minor league ballpark. I am also trying to get the duplex ready to be rented (again)*, and because I'm crazy I am having a very informal garage (which-is-actually-indoors-because-ain't-no-way-I'm-sitting-out-in-the-sun-all-day) sale at our rental property tomorrow. Knowing that people like to be out early, I committed to being there at 8 a.m., not realizing that the ballgame would go into extra innings and that I wouldn't get home till midnight tonight. And not thinking that I wouldn't have anywhere to get change until the banks open tomorrow, which is a full 30 minutes after I am supposed to start the sale. I am literally going to have people open the cabinets of the kitchen, go in the closets, etc. and shop for anything they might want. It is exciting to think that I might be able to get rid of some of that stuff left in there and make a little money in the process. I only hope that people will come and offer to buy things and make it worth my while. I feel like I've been gone from home and away from my kids so much lately. It kind of stinks actually. Anyway, whatever is leftover will be donated to our church's thrift store ministry. If I have more than can fit in my van, I am probably going to have them bring their truck to haul it off.
*Our renters left in the wee hours of the night some time back in April but because they didn't leave notice, and have not returned any of our efforts to contact them, we had to wait to take legal possession until the unit was considered "abandoned by failure to pay utilities" which took until last week. What a mess!
Jackson has started playing t-ball this week. He seems to be one of the youngest on his team and perhaps the least experienced as well, but he is having such a good time regardless. I really enjoy watching him interact with the coaches and get tickled when he yells, "Hi Mommy!!" from the outfield. Cooper went to the first practice and promptly declared that he was "a big boy" and was therefore going to go play baseball too. Kills me that he can't play yet, but I'm gonna blink and his turn will be here. I bought a glove (or as Coop calls it a "helmet"--he's in the ballpark anyway :) for each of them, and Cooper loves his so much that he's keeping it with him to sleep at night.
I wanted to share a funny story from a few weeks ago. I had picked up Jackson from school and decided that I better stop at the grocery store on the way home to get some milk and other necessities for dinner. This was when it first started feeling like summer, so it was quite warm. As I got out of my van to go inside, I noticed that a car a few spots away from us in the parking lot had one of those infant carrier carseats in it--you know the kind that almost always have a baby in them; there was no one around and the car was off, and I just didn't feel right about leaving without knowing for sure that a child wasn't in there. But then again, I didn't want to be all Nosy McBusybody either. So, I had the bright idea of sending Jackson over there instead. Always happy to be a good helper, he dutifully walked up to the car, put his face right up against the window, and assessed the situation. Upon completing his task, he promptly turned around and shouted back across the parking lot to me, "There's no baby in here, Mom!" Hmm, I guess I need to work with him on the finer nuances of being discreet.
June 15th came and went this week, and I had a twinge that the date had some special significance to me. I just realized this afternoon that it was the day Ella was admitted to Arkansas Children's last year for what ended up being a 9+ day hospital stay (wherein she was diagnosed with infantile spasms blah blah blah). We were sustained by many prayers and notes of encouragement during that time, and especially so by the amazing Felios and McKelvys who brought us meals and washed our clothes and sat with us as the doctors told us what was going on and lent us phones and more. Our dear friend Page McKelvy is herself in the hospital this week, after undergoing major back surgery to correct what the doctors called a "false joint" in her spine. It had developed over time as a result of a paralyzing injury sustained in a car wreck when she was a teenager. She now has more pins and plates in her body than I can imagine, and she is understandably in a lot of pain from it all. Also, she will be undergoing rehab to get her strength back, which is no easy task. Would you pray for her with me? If you'd like to follow her progress, her husband Kevin started a blog that can be found here.
After many weeks of effort, Chris is finally getting some calls about scheduling job interviews. He's already had one this week and has another on Tuesday. So that's a praise and a prayer request all wrapped into one. Please pray for favor with the interviewers and that God would give Chris insight as to what direction he is supposed to go next.
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