Adjusting to a new “normal”

My days used to be pretty predictable. As much as I dislike monotony, I must admit our house had a consistent rhythm. My time possessed a routine. Of course, these were the normal days.

I would wake and get the family ready for the day with showers and clothes and breakfast. We would enjoy a leisurely morning of the kids playing nicely together and me getting some writing done. I’d work on a few projects, book reviews, blog posts … check my favorite blogs. I’d update facebook and twitter and maybe look for a new craft or recipe to try. The afternoons were equally delightful errands, household chores and trips to the zoo or parks.

Life has changed.

My husband, who typically stalks me on facebook and twitter, complains each night that he no longer knows what’s going on in our house while he’s away! I have been online very little lately. I haven’t blogged in two weeks. I am adjusting to a new normal.

I am tempted to say this new routine (or lack thereof) is just the house stuff and soon it will all settle back to what it used to be. But I’ve been saying that for six months now. “Oh, when we get past this milestone, things will calm down.” And then something else happens to stir our anticipated calm. We raise hope for a respite from activity just in time for the next milestone to remind us our “normal” has changed.

Gone are the days of calm routine. Single-tasking is a thing of the past. Drama abounds and I am finding a weird sort of serenity in that consistent unpredictability. This is my life now.

Our latest drama: My mom graciously drove more than 700 miles from her home to ours to help us unpack and fix up the house. What was meant to be just a few days will soon be three weeks. She was here less than 24 hours before we had to take her to the ER with stroke symptoms. Her “vacation” has included four nights in the hospital, seven new medications (including a weekly injection), lots of naps and a whole new diet. She’s adjusting to a new normal, too.

Add that my mom is now living with us to the list of recent adjustments.

This was not the best year for me to host a Read with Me challenge.

Maybe the point of all this was simply so that I could encourage some of you to do it. My mother-in-law, who is doing this with us, is so excited about it! She’s already planning to do it again next year. Rick, who doesn’t want to admit he’s part of this nearly all-girl challenge, reads almost an entire book a day. It’s fabulous! He’s loving it. I’m loving seeing him love it. I’m sure there are more of you with testimonies of great encouragement.

But as for me, I’m getting nowhere fast.

Let’s see … I am in Romans 1 (the beginning of March), Joshua 10 (beginning of April), and Psalm 59 (the middle of March). I can admit I’ve skipped ahead and read through Esther already and I am at least in the right month for the Gospels. I’m up to John 10. All told, I’m a combined 14 months behind. I may finish this challenge before I turn forty, but that may be pushing it. At this rate I’ll need more than six years.

I don’t want this, my first post in two weeks, to seem negative. That is not at all my intention. I’m not upset about this new “normal.” It just is what it is. The redemptive truth is that no matter how my life changes, God never does. He is always the same, eternally faithful, good god He has always been. He is my God and He is awesome.

So how are you doing?