Hello! The days are flying by, and any minute now all the fall activities will start up and I’m not ready! This week I’ve started organizing. The commitment of homeschooling co op (we took a year off, but are returning this year), orchestra, and band always feels big, and I need to be mentally prepared for all of that to start up end of this month. The best way for me to do that is to clean and organize. I started with the shelves I store homeschooling books on. Then I emptied and re-organized some of the cabinets in my workspace. Today I may start working on our basement storage room. It’s so bad you can’t even walk in there. Yesterday we had an a.c. repairman out and Jonny had to clear him a path through the mess to reach the unit that is in that room. (We found out what was wrong, and Jonny repaired it himself, so now we have a.c. again!)
My house feels extra messy this week because Seth got a job! He’s had a lot of time on his hands this summer and has filled some of it by doing extra housework for me. I knew it couldn’t last forever…A friend of ours mentioned that he has friends who run a sort of high end landscaping company and they couldn’t find teenagers who are willing to work. Seth has been wanting a job so we talked to the folks, who happen to live on our street, and they picked him up for work early the following morning. He’s been working everyday this week: planting shrubs and perennials, spreading mulch, and pulling weeds at some pretty fancy places. He comes home and heads straight for the shower each day. He’s being paid well and seems very happy with the situation. He commented that he is doing the exact kind of work that he tries to avoid at home, but it’s different when you are getting paid! I’m super proud of him because he’s setting an alarm, getting up early on his own, making his own breakfast, packing a lunch, and on the other side of things, going to bed earlier at night so he’s rested for the next day. All of a sudden he’s so grown up! (I’m not going to cry…)
I managed to do a couple of fun projects last week even with the extra children we had in the house. I dyed a couple of white linen dresses that I found at our local TJMaxx. The first one I dyed a taupe/gray and the second one indigo blue. I’ve been wearing them nearly every day. They are perfect for this hot weather we’ve been having. I also dyed an old white linen shirt that I’ve had forever. It’s a pale lavender gray now and I love it! I’ve been knitting a bit as well, working on the cardigan that I restarted, and now I’m back to where I was when I ripped it out. I’m very happy that I started over! I have a tendency to operate this way with knitting projects. I realize I need to change something, and that it will require ripping out my work. I dread doing it, but then once I do and get started again I feel so much better about it!
I’m still not fully recovered from our week taking care of those three little boys. We took them home over the weekend, and it was hard. I get too emotionally involved, especially in situations that involve children, and I doubt that will ever change. For now, we’ve done what we could do and I have to shift my focus back to my own family. Hence, the organizing and getting focused on the upcoming school year. I can’t save every child, but I can do what I need to do to help myself be the best mother I can to my children. I think this must be something that we all struggle with at times, pouring mental energy into situations we can’t alter, when there is plenty that we can do within our own families. So with my family is where I will be, hopefully in both body and mind.
daniela says
it is fun to read that you just dyed some clothes, as we did the same…. i have to say though, we used chemical dye a very nice indigo and did some tie dye.
thank you for sharing you life on this blog.
Meghann says
I love all your linen clothes, Ginny. They suit you so well. You’re so talented to take mundane, store-bought clothes and make them special.
Katharine Whitmore says
Ginny, I am always enjoying your posts! I have a question about some wooden toys in your first photo. They are the wooden animals with little pegs sticking out and little rectangular pieces of wood with pegs and holes in them. They look like they can fit together in a number of ways. What are they?! I’m sorry for the bother!
Ang Specht says
Your home sounds like mine–so busy! I think this is the busiest summer we’ve had yet! I haven’t even been in “blogging world” much at all. It seems so hard to believe that fall is approaching with another year of homeschooling…then snow. 🙁 I can’t complain, though. It’s been a full and happy summer.
P.S. I love watching your little one grow. She was born shortly after my youngest and it’s been fun seeing them “grow up together”. 🙂
Marjan says
hi
I am Iranian, I come from a totally different culture and religion. but your words and acts touch my heart and soul. I am so thankful of god for the existence of people like you in this crazy world.
I am willing to see you one day in my life time.
god bless you
lots of love
Marilyn says
Ginny, you did such a noble thing by having those children for a while. You are such a good person. You have given me an inspiration to clean out our attic and basement. We have accumulated a lot of things we probably do not need. Mabel looks adorable in the photos. She is a beauty. God Bless you and yours.
Marilyn
karen says
I had a very good friend who was an alcoholic and I got too involved in so many ways. It wasn’t healthy for me after a few years. I did what you did, focused on my family and let go the other family. It was sad and hard for me. Now that it’s been many years, I see it was the right thing to do.
I need to clean! after reading all your cleaning stories. Congrats to Seth and his first job 🙂
Jenny says
It is so hard – my heart melted when I saw that one little face. I would like to help in so many more situations than I actually can!
Marion says
Love the pictures of Mabel. She is so adorable. You did a good job with the dresses and blouse. The basement in our house needs a much cleaning and organizing.
Marion
Joan says
Ginny your basement sounds like mine. The attic needs a cleaning out too. I am a hoarder. Never throw anything out is my motto. Your dresses are lovely.
Joan
Emily says
This is such a timely reminder for me! Yes—it is way too easy to pour emotional energy into situations we can’t fix rather than pouring it into the people we are called to love most nearly. Thank you for writing this.
Donna says
I am struct by every woman’s comment. You all are caring, loving, and kind women. Trying so hard at mothering and, you all are succeeding so well. I think you all tend to be too hard on yourselves. Extend grace to all, and be kind and gentle with yourselves. You all are doing so much better than you may think. Strong gentle women full of good and love. Each one of you are unique!
Sarah-Mae Adam says
My favorite quote:
“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family”
-Mother Theresa
<3
Helena says
Love the way the dresses and shirt turned out. Linen is the best for hit weather! (You would think it would be easier to find here in FL, but no. So I get excited when I do find linen clothing.)
Helena says
*hot. I fixed it 3 times, but autocorrect still got me before I hit post.
Cindy in NC says
I love everything you’ve dyed. The lavender is especially lovely. I don’t have a basement, but I do have an attic that is in desperate need of organizing. This past spring we had our garage floor recoated. It was an expensive project, but it forced us to empty the garage and do a major purging. Our freezer and second fridge sat in the driveway while the floor cured (and while we prayed for the rain to hold off).
victoria says
That gold (brass, bronze??) dress Mable is wearing is just adorable. So sweet.
Leslie F says
LOVE your dresses! Look so summery and comfortable – I’m all about comfort in these hot, sticky summer days!
Good for Seth! Being responsible enough to get up and go to work everyday is a big deal – I know you’re proud of him!
It’s amazing how quickly our hearts become attached to little ones – kudos to you and your family for giving their dad a break and the boys some happy memories!
As an aside, that Mabel looks like a handful all by herself – I could just squeeze her! 🙂
Kate says
Apropos to your last two sentences: I was talking to a Dominican priest who on his summer vacations is involved in medieval reenactment groups. He said one thing he’s learned from doing this is that you can only be concerned “right now” with what your sword can reach. He advised not to be consumed or worry about what’s going on in the world or the Church. We can’t do anything about it, but we have enormous influence in our families or with anyone who comes in our sphere (or sword reach). The older I get, the more I see this great wisdom.
sophie says
this is so interesting. thanks for sharing.
Dawn says
I love this! When my children were born, I quickly realized my efforts were best placed in my sphere of influence than the worries of others and the world. It has served me well. But, I like the idea of the sword reach for when I’m needing more strength. Thank you!
KAde says
Every time I read your blog I wish I could be a little more like you. What a heart you have! I have had such a dreadful time with my teenagers I am relieved when they move out. I weep, but I fear it is more out of a sense of failure than anything else.
My sister has been a foster mother for over 15 years to a seemingly endless stream of little ones in bad situations. I just marvel at her strength to keep going when her heart is broken time and time again.
Love the colors you dyed your linen shirt and dress.
God bless and keep you.
Astoria says
Feeling the same way. I love my son so much that it alters my mental state to go through his (very dramatic) ups and downs. I want him to move out so I can be more even-keel for my younger ones. I love him and will miss him, but it can be very hard to parent an older adolescent who doesn’t want to be parented and may actually need to make his own mistakes (despite their scary consequences).
JUDY FOREMAN says
“Just do the next right thing” is an oft-used quote in AA/NA. It’s a good one.
Sabrina says
Oh Ginny, this made me cry. I can relate so much. The oldest children now working, preparing for the season of busy time, but especially the entire last paragraph. We’ve had a sibling group of foster children with our already large family. I pour much into these little ones and am emotionally attached (my auto correct changed it to stretched instead of attached, and maybe that’s more accutate), but sometimes I just want to cling to my children and be the best mother I can be….and today doesn’t feel like one of those days. Today started chaotic . I’m glad I opened your blog this morning
Ginny says
Oh Sabrina, My heart goes out to you today! I sobbed driving home from leaving these little boys, knowing that their home life isn’t good, and knowing I can’t do anything about it, and I thought–this must be what foster care is like…
You are in my prayers! One step at a time–let’s just do the next thing that needs to be done and pray for the Grace to do it!
Dawn says
God bless you both for fostering children. You may feel that you have done nothing to better their situation but even the short time of love and influence you had with them can work miracles. Peace!