Well, I have the need to mess around with the template on my blog. When I first started it, I was in the "blahs" in a major way, so brown totally worked. But the red Sarah is back now, and I just really want my blog to look like I feel. So, I love this template but hate the way it makes my photos transparent. I will be messing around with the html in the next while trying to figure out how to make the background not show through the photos. So, bear with me because anything could happen to this blog in the next few weeks as I have no idea what I'm doing!
I wish I could write on here everyday because I am writing in my head ALL the time. I have too much to say. I actually think as if I were writing a book or a lengthy article on a variety of topics. I do that while I do all the housework, shopping, walking to school, etc. I don't think it ever really stops! Right now I think the most often about friends and family, social issues like poverty but in a gospel context, the presidential election, starting a business or writing for income, my husband and what I can do to support and help him, and what my dreams are for my children. I think a lot lately about the kind of people I hope they turn out to be and what I can do to help them get there.
Parenting small kids, and then having some that are now not so small, is the biggest challege I have. I know what I want for them. I know what they have to do to get somewhere. The trick though is to help them figure all of that out on their own. I think it's so interesting that our parenting experience teaches us so much about our own condition in relation to God. When I'm feeling crazy because my kids just won't do what I say when I say it, I hear a voice (quite literally) asking me to consider why I do that myself. Why do I not just do everything the Lord has told me to do? Well, it only takes about two seconds of me thinking along that line and I find a large measure of patience and empathy for my children as I see we are really all in the same predicament. (Only I'm not a perfect parent with all the answers, so it makes even more sense why my kids might not listen to me.)
I also keep wondering if we are going to end up staying here for another year and how I feel about that. It really just depends on the day, but I think that most of the time I still really miss America and want to go back home. Other times though I feel like I'm in the middle of a cool adventure and I imagine I'll feel restless when I go back home. Joe is having a good experience bringing this library up to speed and there's a part of me that wants to see him take it to the next level. Right now he's been catalouging, which isn't fun, and weeding the very sad collection. He was finally given his budget last week and he has $25,000 to spend on books for this first purchase. He's actually going to spend about twice that before he's done. He drew plans for the shelves he needs and has those being built. He's also trying to use the shelves and tables to create different sections in the small space he has to work with. When this first order comes in and he has them up on the new shelves, it's going to look a lot different in there! He's purchasing through Follett and he chose to have them also send a new program for the catalog, so he'll transfer what he's done into that program. These new books will already be catalouged. He'll be purchasing at least as many books again, I think around 1,600, and then he wants to have the library re-painted. We also have some ideas for decorating it to make it look much more professional and welcoming for the kids. So, I want him to finish. I get excited to take an "after" picture because right now that library is really nothing to brag about! I'm proud of him though for what he's doing with it.
Well, I have to go and finish laundry and send off some mail. I still really want to do an update on each of the kids. I'll have to do that maybe tonight or tomorrow. I want to put up pictures of them and of some of the things they've been working on. Maybe this will give me some incentive to get my work done really, really fast today :)
4 comments:
Love the red and really loved the post! It gave me a small glimpse into your everyday thoughts. How accomplished Joe will feel when he can look back on the library he has built. You are a terrific wife to support him in such a selfless way.
Glad you feel your red self is back! It's nice when we actually feel like ourselves, isn't it?
Joseph will like reading about Alex-- we really miss you guys.
I feel the same way about always having things running through your head. I think that's why I started a blog really, maybe this way the people around me can have a break from listening to me talk all the time! I think what Joe is doing is awesome! And so good for him! I think as women it is easier for us to feel some accomplishment (although usually very short lived) in our families, but men (especially young men who haven't grown tired and given up and then are able to get to the reality of their happiness) need a more material way to show that they have done something and are worth something. And he most definitely is! So I hope this makes him happy...thus making you all happy!
Could I get Joe's email address?
Mine is duane.wilson@svu.edu
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