the in-between week

I'm always very contemplative this time of year...

It's the in-between week. The week where Christmas is over and the New Year is looming...

I feel motivated to get organized and make new year resolutions; and I feel a bit melancholy about allowing things to become disorganized, and not being able to follow through on all of last year's resolutions. I suppose this is the way of life. It probably isn't unique to just me. I've been really thinking a lot about simplifying things, getting rid of some clutter, and tightening up the schedule. Then, I think about how happy things are right now with almost no schedule ( It is called un-schooling... it sounds like educational suicide to me, but it seems to work for many). Oh, to achieve that balance... I can only pray for wisdom!

I need to mention that many prayers are needed right now! My best friend's mother is in the hospital recovering from a lower lobectomy for lung cancer. My neighbor's father -in -law is in the hospital with cancer, cellulitis, and problems related to the cancer. My little dance friend's mother is in the hospital with blood clot issues. People are traveling, and getting sick. I'm praying a lot... prayer is just a running dialogue, lately, between God and I ... I know I can do better, though!

What a happy Christmas season it has been! We've had way too much sugar, and stayed up too late, and slept in too late... but my, has it been fun. It has been relaxing, too (and hyperactive at times). I've discovered that TV is not harming the children in the short run (but the sugar might be... we're trying to fix that), and sleeping in just feels good. More important is that I feel like I've been able to focus a bit more on the reason for Christmas. I'm not trying to fit the Bible in between dinner and homework, because it is part of our home-school day. And that is just really, very cool!

The husband has been working so hard, and has been running around so much. I've decided to cook again (ham dinner turned out OK on Christmas Eve). The slow cooker may be the way to go for me. I like throwing everything in a pot and being done with it (at the end of the day, I am so done! So it's nice to do dinner earlier). I like trying to be more home-maker-ish for Mark, especially when he has been working so hard. I just don't always succeed! Again, this is the way of life. We just have to keep trying!