slowing

  

The joyful chaos of the holidays has passed.  This year I realized and came to term with the fact that before Christmas will never be a time to slow down and be quiet.  I was feeling disjointed and irritated whenever I was seeing posts on blogs or instagram of families who just slow way down and focus on the quiet of winter's arrival - why couldn't I achieve that? ....

I probably never will and that's okay.  Christmas is really about resting in the work of Jesus.  We will always be busy in the month of December.  But I can strive to create a feeling of quiet in the midst of the constant movement that will surely always accompany our December.  It was difficult to find that this year with the whole five-people-in-one-room scenario and I'm not sure I succeeded but there was happiness too.  

Then Christmas flew on past and we had a beautiful week with family.  We went swimming at the pool, I had a divine four hour lunch alone with a friend I hadn't connected with in person one-on-one for at least...two years?  We went to see Moana (love!) and had lunch in a big mall that made my country-girl daughters' eyes pop.  We had our annual family "noodle night" in which I attempted to remake a favorite egg noodle recipe from my great grandmother.  Still working on it but it was delicious and so sweet to spend time with all my brothers and their ladies.

Now the activity and fun is slowing and our family is settling back into a routine again and I am spreading out papers everywhere to organize and plan for school. I had hoped to wait a little longer but decided that I want to guiltlessly take off a little time when we are moving in the near future so I'd better start this week. The appraisal on our new house seemed to go well so we are eagerly anticipating being homeowners again soon.