Category Archives: random thoughts

Every month sweet Meredith does 10 on the 10th. I always remember on the 11th or 12th, then decide to wait until the next month when I can at look like I have it all together. Or at least know which day it is. Today is the later. Here are ten random things bouncing around my head.

1. I really, really, really want to tell you about the new house! We’ve already done our inspection over there and all looks good. The person buying our house, however, has been on vacation, so we’re doing things a little backwards. She will inspect this house (where we currently live) sometime next week. After we’re all in the clear, I’ll tell you lots. I promise. One thing I can tell you: O Mom, the kitchen is nice.

2. I don’t like Mother’s Day. I love my mama and I love that my family appreciates me as a mama, but I just don’t like it. It seems too contrived and obligatory and so I skipped church, read a book, then packed three boxes and did four loads of laundry. It was a productive day!

3. Rick and I just got into Pushing Daisies. We’re taking it slow since we know there are only two seasons. This show was canceled a couple years back, so we’re doing hulu and Netflix. I really like it! I don’t know why all the witty shows I like get canceled. Maybe I’m not as witty as I think I am.

4. I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s grace lately. He is so good, isn’t He? I am overwhelmed!

5. I’ve also been thinking a lot about pride. Mary Hess posted some thoughts this morning that just clicked something inside me. I truly believe pride is the root of all sin. Pride is what makes us doubt God. We may call it cynicism or intellectualism, but in reality it is us believing we know better. We may hide behind insecurity or feigned ignorance, but in truth it is us believing we can go beyond God’s realm. We don’t believe He loves us unconditionally because we think we can mess up beyond the reach of His grace. We think we can somehow alter His truths. I may be all wet here, but these are the thinkings I’ve had lately.

6. I’ve also been thinking about Creationism vs. Intelligent Design. I reviewed a book for CCBR this weekend that tried to explain where all the different races originated. According to Scripture, we all came from Noah, so why do we look different? The book claimed that after Babel everyone moved and then started to look different based on where they live. I understand that to some degree because people from the UK certainly do not tan like those from other parts of Europe. Even if you’ve not been born there, the British sun can change your skin. It did for my husband. So, I get that. But doesn’t this argument make a point for evolution? Why don’t people change as much now? I mean caucasions are born in Africa on a regular basis. My sister, born in Korea, doesn’t look any less Korean after living in the US for 35 years. I need to think more on this too.

7. Right now I’m thinking that 10 random thoughts could easily turn into 10 blog posts. Yet I continue.

8. I need to go to the bank and the bookstore today, a very dangerous combination.

9. I also need to go buy new clothes for The Boy. I was so excited the first time he ripped a hole in the knee of his pants. He walked late (22 months) and I was used to my little Hopper wearing out the butt of his pants, but his knees? That was a new thing. A year later, I’m really, really tired of buying pants only to have them worn a handful of times. I mean, c’mon! Can’t you put on the holey jeans rather than rip a new one in your school clothes? Oh, how perspectives change.

10. I think I’m really going to miss this house. As excited as I am about the new one, I’m gonna cry when we leave. This is where my babies turned into children. This is where they took their first steps, said their first words … I have pictures of them in front of our cherry tree taken every fall of their lives. Do you think the new owner would mind me coming back in October? It’s just one picture. Well, until the next year and the year after that …

I have started several posts this week, but haven’t been able to finish any of them. Too many thoughts crowd my mind: rabbit trails, interruptions and pontifications that seem heavy, but may be about nothing at all. Rather than start another weighty post that may never reach completion, I’m going random today.

Just as I’ve not posted much lately, I’ve not written much lately. I have three separate book proposals in different stages of completion, all vying for attention in my already cluttered brain.

I remember as a kid thinking it was cool to have ADD because I never got bored like most of my classmates. As an adult, I see clearly how un-cool it really is. Oh, I would love to be just a little bored sometimes. Or at least settled and focused. Focus eludes me lately and I grow weary of the chase.

It’s snowing. Again. Have I mentioned how DONE with winter I am? Well, I am. Our lovely local weatherman predicts 8-14″ of the fluffy white crap precipitation will dump on grace us over the next 36 hours.

The kids are home from school today and will likely be home again tomorrow. I’m open to suggestions of what to do with them how we can best enjoy this time together. My fall-back is always baking. I love baking with my kids! Unfortunately, I also love eating with my kids, so the length of this winter is showing on my hips.

I think I have a big head. This is not surprising since I have often complained of my daughter’s large noggin and how hats never seem to fit her properly. (I do love hats! I’m quite a sucker for most accessories: hats, purses, jewelry, scarves. They just make me happy.) It only seems right that she got it from me. I love headbands, but they always give me headaches. Does anyone else experience this? Is there a place to buy headbands for big-headed women? I’ve tried switching to scarves or elastic headbands, but they just slip off the back of my head. I guess my ridiculously straight hair is to blame. Or maybe my head is small in the back and big in the front. Like a Conehead only pointing behind me instead of toward my mother planet. (I warned you about the randomness – didn’t I? Oh, good.)

Have I mentioned our massive spring cleaning? Initially I had hoped it might provoke winter to end early. Obviously, that plan didn’t work. Apparently, I am not the center of the universe and nature pays me no heed.

The project has since turned into something else entirely. We are exploring the possibilities of moving. We want to stay local, but in a different house (preferably with more closet space). I say this hesitantly (not the part about the closets. I really meant that.) because it is all tentative and very much the definition of limbo. (That would be definition #3, if you consult dictionary.com.) So what began as spring cleaning has become an extravagant migration of clutter mixed with long-overdue fixes so that we can prepare the house to sell, if we do indeed decide to sell. My stacks of books and paperwork have flown from the dining room to the bedroom to the kitchen, never finding a permanent home, but always making clear the room to be photographed next. (Anyone looking for something in the NYC suburbs? Let me know. I have pictures. ) In the meantime, I regularly stalk realtor.com and local open houses while making lists of what we want, what we need and what we can afford. I trust God knows what is in store for us and I hope those plans include a home office for me.

At first, I was annoyed that the kids’ school was closed today; I really didn’t want to tack on more school days in June and I felt an early dismissal would be sufficient. But I just watched two cars spin-out in front of my house. I am now thanking God that our school board had the foresight to keep our kids home. (Also, if any of the powers that be are reading this, forgive me for my arrogance. You’re the best!) Thank You, God, that we don’t have to leave our house today!

I sold two more book purses this week. Between the snow, the cleaning and other stuff going on, I’ve only sewn a little this month, and all for special orders. Here’s one I did this week. It’s so fun: Pride and Prejudice with a fun, funky floral.

Pride and Prejudice has definitely been the most requested title. Hop over to my Etsy shop to see what’s still available. Also, I’m taking orders now for Easter and Mother’s Day. Oh, and I have a client interested in having them made as bridesmaid gifts for her September wedding! That should be fun.

Today is the deadline for the giveaway at CCBR. If you’ve not yet entered, be sure to do that before this evening. Also, I have a couple books to give away on this site next week, so stay tuned.

All right, I gotta get. Something should be crossed off my to-do list before I enter Narnia for more shoveling.

Happy Thursday, all!

I woke at 1am (EST), which would be 6am London time. Is it easier to lose time or gain time? I’m still not sure.

I lain in bed until 4am trying to force myself to slumber. It didn’t work. Instead I prayed. Mama always said the best way to get to sleep is to pray. Satan would happily put us to sleep rather than allow us to pray. That is the logic anyway. My thoughts scattered too freely to form cohesive prayers, so I don’t think it worked. Though it may have in spurts. All I know is that by 4am I surrendered to reading.

I received Kimberly Stuart’s newest yesterday (Stretch Marks, an autographed copy) and am already loving it. She’s a fabulous writer, another author with whom I would love to be best friends. She’s funny and witty and authentic and … well, fabulous. I’m sure I’ll blog about this book before too long.

I’m hungry. All I ate yesterday was airport food and two scoops from Carvel: Caramel Cone and Pralines and Cream. It was lovely! The ice cream that is, not the airline food.

I learned yesterday that if you request vegetarian meals on eight-hour flights, you get served significantly sooner than everyone else. Your food also smells better and probably tastes better, though I would advise against it if you’re not a fan of Indian food.

I sat next to an Indian fella yesterday. We had a nice talk about Hinduism and the relevance of God in everyday life. We also talked about arranged marriages and parenting and how America, as a nation, does not respect marriage as it ought. This line of thinking parallels with another book I’ve been reading: I’d Trade My Husband for a Housekeeper. Contrary to what the title suggests, this is a great book promoting the value of marriage. More specifically, the book’s purpose is to help readers maintain great marriages even after having kids, a task that is much more difficult than I think anyone expects.

My conversation with my seat-mate was nothing compared to the conversation I had with the taxi driver who took me to the airport yesterday morning. (Time frame: the cab ride started around 2am EST; 7am London time. It’s been a long two days, and yet I am still full of energy! WHY?)

This guy was from Nigeria, but had been living in London for quite a while. Not long after starting our one-hour trek from Canary Wharf to Heathrow, I asked him if people in London generally believe in God. He answered “Of course!” but quickly backtracked to say the whole country belongs to the Church of England, which is truly to say nothing at all of what the people believe. He also added some international details about the immigrants, particularly Hindu monks and African Muslims now residing in a large portion of the city. This catapulted into a fascinating discussion of the differences between Islam and Christianity.

Having lived in Muslim Bosnia for some time, I really enjoy these topics. I love hearing why people believe what they do, especially those who have gone back and forth between religions — such as this man had done. He was raised by a Muslim family, but attended Christian schools. As an adult he was part of a protestant Christian church for twenty years before choosing to return to Islam. I found his story … well, challenging.

The kids start school today. I’m not fully sure of what the day will hold. We have opening ceremonies this morning, and it is Zach’s very first day of school ever. Can you believe my baby is starting school? It feel very surreal. After the kick-off events, I think I have a parent’s breakfast or something. And a social for class moms. I hadn’t planned to be a class mom this year, but it seems to be working out that way. It may be a lot of work, but I look forward to building a solid relationship with Ellie’s teachers. It should be fun. And I’ll get to meet all the parents on a new level. Pretty cool.

I sincerely hope my body finds a normal rhythm soon. I don’t know how many 20-hour days I can stand. (Of course, living at Starbucks would not be the worst life for me.) Today will be another long, full day, but I’m thrilled with my life.

Do you ever have those moments when you know you’re rich? Not materially, necessarily, but in life. My life feels so full … it’s overflowing with tremendous blessings, and I can hardly take it all in. I’m overwhelmed with this grace that continues to rain upon me. Even the busy days, long, sleepless nights and wacky internal clock issues kind of tickle me. They remind me of all I’ve been given — all perfectly without reason or merit. GOD IS GOOD. And I’m thrilled to know Him.