This and That

So, we're in the market for a new couch. I've checked out a few stores and found one that may work well. Even so, I'm going to another store today to do just a little more research (and drive myself a little more crazy in the process.) We've been using an interim couch since our move in June, and it becomes more apparent each day how much it's not working (read: uncomfortable). Also, the material just isn't made for the daily use of 2 adults and a kid - it looks, well . . .gross. We are deciding between a sectional, and a couch with a chaise. They aren't that different really, but the plan is that we'd have this couch for many years to come, so we want to go with what will work best.

Other news: my son is waking up multiple times in the night. Ugggh! Talk about poor sleep. He wakes up CRYING quite hard, and then wants one of us (usually me) to sit with him on his bed until he falls back asleep. Sometimes I just lay down with him, but it's a toddler bed, so there isn't much room at all. The last two nights we've just brought him in with us. I don't know, sleeping with a 3 yr old squished right up against your back doesn't make for some decent sleep. What on earth is waking him up?? I think he's having bad dreams, but we try to just quiet things down and get him back to sleep quickly, so I don't ask him in the moment. During the day he's been very creative and imaginative - moreso than usual. I'm guessing his imagination is in overdrive for a phase, and it means he has dreams, sometimes bad ones. And his room, that he usually finds so cozy, scares him in the dark when he wakes up.

On a more positive note, I had a GREAT hair day yesterday. Yes, this is worth noting because I'm incredibly overdue for a haircut and color so it's been looking a little ragged lately. I had such a good hair day, that it still looks pretty darn good today. I may have to just go with it, rather than washing it and risk trying to recreate it and being very frustrated. Ahhh, the things that can make or break a day. I wish all my readers a wonderful hair day! (He ,he . . all 3 of you.)

What's New In My Corner of the World

One of my favorite bloggers, Judy, asks "what's new . . .?" so I"m replying - even though the post was not for me directly. It still works.

The sun is setting earlier, and since I live in SoCal, this becomes the marker of fall's approach, much more than a change in temprature. Often September can be one of the hottest months of the year round these parts. However, the angle of the sun on our house, and the shorter days are reminding me of the changes to come. Although, once it is officially fall, it won't really be fall-like until November. The nights get cooler, and I do enjoy that part.

My little guy was all set to go to preschool. We enrolled him, had the pile 'o paperwork filled out, and he even had attended their summer camp as a way to get him accustomed to the place. But, when it was all said and done, we decided to keep him home one more year. He'll be 4 in December, and even with staying out this year, he'll get a full year of preschool next year before he in enrolls in Kindergarten in '08. That's plenty for us and it's all working out fine. (Plus we're saving money, so that part is great, too). I felt great about the decision - making it, talking to the school, talking to friends and family - it all went great and I've had tremendous peace about the whole thing. But, now I'm living with the day-in-day-out life of no preschool. Read: no break for mom. Some days it is tough. (As I told my spouse the other day, "I don't like my job today.") You know, it's all moving forward and the days of him being home for the whole day are numbered, so while I do long for a break at times, I know it's comming in a year, so it's ok. Two days after our decision we read this.

I don't really know what to do about this whole blogging thing. I like it - I really do. And I think of posts all day long in my head, but my life demands that I do other things right now. To sit at the computer and really bang out a great read on my ponderings of . . . .well, . . so many different things (where do I start?!). I think the reason writing is referred to as a 'craft' is that it is one. And in trying to craft something relevant, thought provoking, with good punctuation and no spelling errors, with a good flow and a nice variety of vocabulary to keep it interesting - well . . . , it just requires more time and concentration than staying home with a 3-year-old will allow. Yes, I do have the nights, but frankly I'm so tired by the end of the day that a post just becomes work for me - and not very enjoyable. Serious writers would be quick to remind me that wrtiting is work, and good writers have to work at it everyday. I'm sure they do. I'm sure the time already put in by this writer is a reason why his work seems so effortless, beautiful and enjoyable to read. Man, the man can write! And I KNOW that what I put out -even with a lot of work, focus and concentration - doesn't even sound half as good. Well, if I compare myself to every great and established writer, nothing - blog or otherwise - will ever get off the ground for me. If nothing else I appreciate the platform this blog gives me to think aloud on such matters. (Even as I write this, the young child is summoning me to 'come play Star Wars'. How many more times can I say, "In a minute sweetie"?)

Ok, anything else going on here in my 'corner'? Maybe I should refer to it more as my 'backyard' since I'm kind of going on and on here. One of my ponderings the other day had me questioning ideas of what christian women do, and how they link that to their faith. Care of the home, or "keeper of the home" to use the quote that so many Christians refer to, gets raised to a level that just isn't addressed in the Word. How clean one's home is, and how organized a gal might be in how she carries out the tasks of cooking, cleaning and caring for children, becomes in many circles the standard by which women are measured. Not only are they measured, but measured by each other, no less. The place where I heard the most said on this subject in the past was in the women's ministry circle at my local church. Well, much better things have been written on this, so I'll defer to Chewymom. I just know that some of my lowest lows in my spiritual jouney came when I was trying to live and measure myself according to such standards. Two words come to mind: legalism & pharisee. Why are we so darn prone to those things? God offers grace, and we want to come up with the yardsticks and standards to measure others by. If I ever even came close to attaining the 'standard' that we set out for ourselves, would I even need the grace of God? We receive his grace and then try to work ourselves out of needing the very thing Christ offers us .

Well, I began this post in the mid-day hours, and have tried to continue it into the evening, but I've hit the wall. Exhaustion mixed with fatigue and throw in some yawning, and that's me right now. Done.