Lately I’ve been trying my best to grab my life by the horns, gently though and not too quickly. One of my big changes is that I don’t do more than the necessary housework on Sundays anymore (anymore = the past three Sundays). We don’t work on our to-do lists. You should see how messy my house gets if we are too busy having fun on Saturday to get it looking good for Sunday. It is super hard not to run around like a crazy lady trying to put everything away on Sunday afternoon.
But, I think I’m supposed to do hard things, and for me, sometimes that hard thing is to stop cleaning and make sure everyone else is taking a day off as well. I have to be careful not to start thinking that the day is mine though. Sunday afternoon after Mass I had a little plan for myself and I thought it was a good one. I sat down on the couch to get started. The sight of me sitting there, apparently not busy, prompted both of my girls to decide to take up knitting again at that very moment, with my help of course. I’m learning to allow my plans to be changed, especially when the right choice is obvious.
Right now I have these giant butterflies in my stomach because I wrote a guest post for my friend Ann, and she is running it today on her blog. I talk a bit about my past, about things that I don’t talk about here on my family blog. There’s a little there about my thoughts on taking Sunday off. Oh my goodness, my hands are shaking to type this. (Shy hello to any of Ann’s readers who have made their way over here!)
But back to my ramblings:
Last week it seemed like bad news was descending from all directions, so I escaped with a friend for a couple hours. We ate cupcakes and talked about life. She laughed at a sign that said, “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy cupcakes and that’s kind of the same thing.” Ha! They were good cupcakes. I was in a daring mood and even ate the colored sprinkles. Usual Ginny avoids artificial colorings as if they are on the same level of bad for you as arsenic. At this rate, Jonny just might have me on top of a mountain next year watching fireworks with the bears.
Purple shawl is finished, blocked, and definitely not the accessory of choice for July evenings. It’s a gift for a friend. She’ll have to tuck it away for this fall.
p.s. I received a comment on a recent post concerning the photos of snakes that appear here every now and then during the summer months. This reader evidently loves snakes in the same way that I love cockroaches. In other words, photos of snakes popping up in my blog posts are traumatic for her. Anyone who has been reading here for long knows that most of my boys are kind of crazy about (non venomous) snakes. When Seth and Keats were little, Jonny asked me to start a snake journal for each of them, documenting every snake they came across in the wild. (I realize that up to this point, you guys probably thought he was normal. Now you know.) I didn’t actually keep up with the snake journals. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just couldn’t make that a priority. (Hee, hee.) But, I have taken photos of nearly every single snake my country boys have ever caught. And they like those photos to show up here. I racked my brain for a solution to innocent readers coming across scary for them, beautiful to us snake photos, and I have it. (Because every single one of us interacting in this somewhat strange online world is a real live human with feelings.) From now on if there is going to be a snake photo in one of my posts, the post will begin with a series of centered asterisks. Like this:
*****
Five asterisks means the snake photo is number five. Three asterisks means the snake photo is number three, and so on. I hope this works for you, Lin, and any other non-snake loving people out there!
Allison says
I, too, found you on Ann’s blog. I don’t read many of her guest posts but something drew me into yours. Thank you for sharing and for being so honest and transparent. I look forward to reading here as well now!
Samantha Ebel-Brown says
Thank you for sharing Ginny and opening your heart. It made me cry. You are one special mama xxxx
Jessi Roullier says
Hi Ginny, your post on your friend’s website was really moving and I’ve got tears in my eyes right now. Good on you for following Jesus and God’s words to rest. I need to remind myself of that too, and especially my husband. Thank you for being so honest. You are brave! Love, Jessi
Amy says
A shy hello back your way and a smiling thank you for sharing your heart at Ann’s blog. ☺️
skye says
Visited after reading your post on Ann’s blog. thank you for sharing your story. What a beautiful family you have!
s says
You are simply amazing. So glad you were not successful in your attempt years ago as what a loss that would have been.
Snake journal? That cracked me up.
Becky says
Ha! I love this blog, loved your guest post, and think it is hilarious that my favorite blog on the internet now has a snake warning system!
Stephanie says
I just read your post on Ann’s blog. It spoke to my heart immensely. Thank you so much for sharing.
Shanna Jones says
That was a wonderful post. You are a great example. Thank you for sharing with us!
Tiff says
Found your post on Ann’s blog — I have not read her in a long time but a sister from our women’s group sent your post to our entire summer study. We are reading Seasons of a Mother’s Heart by Sally Clarkson. I remember my mom’s stress level hitting the roof about 4PM each day as she ran through our house vacuuming. My father had to see those vacuum marks on the rug lest he fly off the handle. Like you, my dad is a very broken and alcoholic man (albeit successful in business — I did not know drinking like his was abnormal until I got to college…) In college I would stay up late and clean my dorm room for comfort… If things were clean, nothing bad would happen. Now 20 plus years later as a homeschool mom I do the same thing. Your post is very encouraging and meaningful to me — Thank you for giving me some courage to STOP cleaning so much. (I know this sounds so crazy, but I think you understand based on what you wrote in your guest post.) I can’t wait to read more of your musings! What a blessing you are!
Andree says
I love your snake photos! Here in New Zealand we don’t have any & so am wildly jealous of you. Nice to see the NZ tattoo on Larkspur 🙂
Keri says
Thank you for sharing your story. I’m sure it was not easy to do. I’m a new reader of your blog (found it about 2 weeks ago) and I really enjoy your posts and photographs. Thanks for the reminder to remember to rest! There is always more work to do, but not at the expense of missing moments with kids and family.
Renata says
Your post on Ann’s blog was excellent Ginny! I have read here for a fair while and I love how you write about life. Thanks for sharing your story and your life!
God bless you
Renata:)
sonrie says
Thank you for sharing your story! I imagine it must be terribly scary to reveal, but I find it so hopeful and helpful that things do get better! I work with children and adults who have survived traumatic events and it can seem so bleak at times – this gives me the strength to know it gets better. : )