What's a girl to do?

As I've mentioned previously, I've been kid-free during the week since this school year began. Sure, I've had appointments or sick kids or work thrown in the mix occasionally, but for the most part I have several hours to myself every day. It is, in a word, bliss.

But it really has me thinking about how I can spend my time wisely.

When I left my full-time job and primarily took on the role of stay-at-home-mom three years ago, I wrongly assumed I'd have tons of time to keep the house clean and go on playdates and adventures and so on. In reality, it was all I could do most days to get everyone dressed and to encourage them to keep those clothes on for the remainder of the day.

And again I've found myself battling similar erroneous preconceived notions about how much I can get done even when I'm unencumbered. Really, it's the fact that I only have about three hours a day instead of what seemed like seven, when you take away time spent dropping off and picking up and lunch with my husband home every day. And then, there's a myriad of things I COULD do but don't really know where to begin to prioritize, and yet still have a little downtime too (read: Netflix streaming is my time-kill du jour).

I've thought about getting a part-time job to maximize my time and earn some much-needed extra cash, but there are few jobs that can work with my hours requirements (not too many employers have a 9 to 2 shift), though I think I've found something where I can fill in on an as needed basis--more info to come if that materializes.

During this time, I've actually found that I have a longing to make a difference outside my little family. They are my priority, of course, but while they are safely off to their respective jobs and schools, I can impact others in a tangible way by volunteering my time.

When I began looking to the great needs that exist, I quickly became overwhelmed. How can Little Ol' Me even make a dent in all those poverty-stricken, dirty-water, fatherless-kid troubles we have in the world? Well, I can't. I'm finite and limited. And I'm okay with that. Because I'm learning that, as Max Lucado wrote in his new book Outlive your Life, "None of us can do what all of us can do." So I will jump in where I can and hope that others will join me as they become aware of the needs all around them too. Kind of like the New York subway logo: "If you see something, say something." Or in our case, If you see something, do something!

For me, it's the children. My passion has long been children. Did you know that there are an estimated 147 million orphans in the world right now? That number is staggering. It's not just in third world countries either. I learned recently that there are 175 kids in the foster system in my local county here in Arkansas and only 62 open homes, and another 175 kids in the adjacent county for 20 open homes. That math is awful, and there are real, live children behind those numbers. I want to do something about it. And I will.

I learned last week of an organization that is focused on promoting and supporting foster/adoptive families in Arkansas, partnering with local churches; it is named The CALL (Children of Arkansas Loved for a Lifetime). There is a new chapter starting in NWA, and I have reached out to the director about how I can plug in. I'm writing this here not to pat myself on the back but to hold myself accountable. There is also an orphan care conference that will happen right here in NWArkansas in February that I hope to help with as well. I will update as things progress.

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A whole bunch o' random

I've gotten out of the blogging habit. This my attempt to get back into it.

Here comes the random.

I'm not sure how the NFL spending all that money on pink cleats, towels, and wristbands is actually helping to advance the cause of breast cancer. Wouldn't it be better served to donate that money to research? Seems very wasteful to me.

Similarly, I don't understand how all those silly games on Facebook bring measurable help to the cause either. Are we all twelve-year-old boys who are giggling because we get to talk about boobies? What does this type of awareness mean anyway?

I've been watching a lot of Arrested Development lately. Sometimes it makes laugh until I cry. I just read that they're working on a movie with all the same main characters, due to come out in 2012. Love.

I'm going on a field trip tomorrow with Jackson's kindergarten class to the local pumpkin patch. I'm not sure who's more excited about it--him or me. My new friend Luke's mom (as the boys call her) is going as well; hopefully she and I won't get in trouble for talking too much :).

Ella had her 6-month eval at school the other day. It was good but sad at the same time. She's doing really well in all areas but she is testing at below chronological age across the board. I was surprised because i had been preparing myself for the opposite--where she might have to transition home soon because of how much she's catching up. As it stands now, I think she'll continue to qualify for services for quite some time going forward. If she needs it, she needs it and we're very pleased with the school, so we'll just keep on working with them to get her caught up with her peers.

And with that, I am gonna sign off for now. Company is in town and we're about to sit down for dinner. Happy Sunday, everyone!

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Recent Pictures...Finally

 Ella loves her brothers and wants to be wherever they are. Up until recently, she would routinely get shut down by Cooper who misunderstood her presence as a threat to the things he was playing with. So, Jackson has been her safe haven because he is old enough to realize that she is not a threat in the least, and instead a pretty sweet little girl who is completely smitten with him. And after much coaching about being gentle and explaining that Ella really doesn't know what she's doing but that you can be pretty sure she is not intentionally trying to be mean, Cooper is coming around too. He now likes to be the first one to enter her room in the mornings to greet her as she wakes up.

A few days ago, Cooper and I had some time to ourselves. We went all around town running errands and having fun until I guess time got away from me. At some point in the afternoon, I looked in the rearview mirror to realize we had powered right through Cooper's nap; as you can see, he had taken the matter into his own hands. He would probably want me to tell you that he is no longer in this "baby seat" because it has since been converted into a "big boy seat"--a feat worthy of telling friends and strangers alike, usually with much jumping up and down.

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I Love. . .

That my daughter says "kee" (cheese) and smiles a winning, toothy smile any time she sees a camera. Even if it's on the TV.

Football season.

Hoodie zippy sweatshirts.


That my oldest says things like, "my mom's heart is in mine and my heart is in hers" when he is asked to tell a story at school. And that he has no shame in transcribing it to his teacher and posting it for all the world to see in the hallway.

An occasional cup of coffee.

My husband's laugh.

How attached my dog is to me, so much so that he'll often follow me all around the house making a bed wherever he can in the hopes that I might stay in one particular room for more than a few moments at a time.

When my middlest gets in my lap after being separated from me for a short time and says, "[sniff, sniff] I lost you, Momma."

Toddler pigtails.

Salty snacks.

Being silly with my kids when they least expect it.

Gadgets.

White buttercream icing.

Being the person my kids want to comfort them.

Having heart-to-hearts with my five-year-old as he tries to learn the difference between bad choices and bad people.

Giving (solicited) advice and feeling like I have helped someone.

Encouraging others.

Daydreaming about changing the world.

Freshly baked biscuits. Ooo and cookies too. Pretty much any just-out-of-the-oven doughy substance now that I think about it.

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What do you love?

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