Category: One Step

My heart felt drawn to this leaf tonight. It seems to illustrate how I feel about life right now.  I know that fall is just around the corner, or, rather, at my doorstep.  Yet still I find myself hanging onto green, not ready to welcome the hints of red and orange gathering at the edges of my life.  I feel like I need more time for end of summer routines to become habits, more time to focus on organization and functionality.  I love fall, but it also represents to me the beginning of a whirlwind.  We have four birthdays between early October and Christmas, in addition to Halloween and Thanksgiving.  This year we’ll have a baptism as well.  As the red and orange work their way in, my heart cries out “Not yet!  I’m not ready!  There is still so much for me to do!”  Once October starts, my life will be one long sprint to January.  I know that when I open my heart and welcome it in, I love this season completely.  Cool temperatures, crunchy leaves, warm jackets, soup, fresh bread.  Oh, it’s a glorious time of year, but tonight I’m holding fast to green.

This week’s report:  82 steps.  Sounds better than it felt.  It was a rugged week.
Highlights:

1.  The entire week was one long experience in how to measure .  While my house was undoubtedly on the losing end, my heart came out ok.  I’m calling that a victory.

2.  The little ones and I didn’t feel great, as we were all fighting the same frustrating cold.  On Tuesday I followed their lead and we had a lazy day.  I let them stay in their pajamas a little longer, and they all sort of snuggled on the floor together and fell asleep at different times.  Not good for the schedule, but good for their bodies.


3.  I attended an annual parent meeting at the charter school my elementary-aged children attend .  I feel fortunate to have them learning in an outstanding environment and came away motivated to be a better mom.

4.  The driving, driving and driving of this season got to me this week.  I hate feeling like I’m operating in a mental fog (due to my cold).  By Friday night I felt like I was on the verge of getting really sick, purely due to exhaustion.  I prayed my way home as I drove the 45 minutes from our soccer game with a van full of tired, hungry children and a Mom who had nothing left to offer.  I asked for a priesthood blessing, and an hour later felt fine.  I have a grateful heart.

5.  Yesterday I drove my son and the two littlest ones to Heber for his soccer game.  (And they won! I was praying the entire game for a good experience.)  On our way through Provo Canyon I was awed by the beauty of the leaves and kicked myself several times for leaving my camera sitting at home.  My son and I both saw one view on the way home of the evening sunlight filtering through some red leaves that left us quiet with reverence for the beauty of our world.

6.  In spite of feeling lousy most of the week, I had a few opportunities to be of service, and a few moments when I recognized a reminder of Heavenly Father’s love for me, left behind where I would notice it.  I didn’t deserve them, but wholeheartedly accepted them.

7.  Tonight we packed a picnic dinner and headed back up the canyon (with camera in hand) for a few hours of basking in the scenery of the season.  It was a wonderful night.  We watched the moon rise over the red, orange and golden mountains before we headed home.


As I look back over the week, the overwhelming feeling that remains is the absolute fact that, when Mom is off her game, the whole family is off.  Whether I like it or not, so much depends on me.  That said, it’s also true that even when the house is a mess and we all feel disorganized, tired and stressed, if Mom can smile and find a way to see the good in every situation, the whole family pulls through.  So while our physical environment has taken some hits over the past 7 days, in general we’ve weathered it cheerfully and made some good memories along the way.  It’s been a good experience for me, one that has given me cause for reflection and also prompted yet another evaluation of my priorities.  One thing’s for sure:  I’m learning a lot.

And slowly, ever so slowly, I’m getting better at it.  The flashes of understanding and revelation are far ahead of our habits.  I know that insight is not change, but it’s a start, and I’m willing to work.

So we’re off on another week’s adventure.  My best wishes to you in yours.

Jennifer

September.  It’s the month I wish would last three times longer than it does.  Cooler temperatures mean we throw open the windows and welcome the breeze to twist  it’s way through the house, cooling all it comes in contact with.  Late summer.  A season all it’s own.  Can it really be the 12th?


It’s been a great week.  A busy week.  An exhausting week.  A learning week.  A happy week.
Total steps:  86.
Highlights:

1.  We’re making good progress on our after school homework habits.  It seems they have replaced our piano practices, though, and we’ve got to get back on schedule with those as well.

2.  I am working SO HARD during the school days to whip this house into shape and implement a regimented schedule for myself.  I’m giving myself only one morning each week to run errands or do anything outside the house.  The rest of the time we’re at home, spending time with the little ones and working.  It’s starting to pay off, and I’m excited about it.  I have SOOO much work to do around here!

3.  On Wednesday night I taught a short class on a simple program to help you create a food storage plan for your family.  I feel pleased about how it went.  It’s such a privilege to associate with so many women who are doing awesome things in their homes.

4.  As usual, we spent a lot of time at soccer practices and games.  It’s crazy, but really it’s also kind of nice.  It forces me to get outside at the most beautiful time of day,  those dinnertime hours when the sunlight comes slanting down before sunset, casting a golden glow on everything.   I love the way my children look in golden sunlight, the way the colors of soccer uniforms look more saturated.  I also love the way the world sounds at that time of day.  How the referee’s whistle sounds farther away than it really is, the way things are both hushed and more crisp in their sound.  I love the way the sounds of the game and the sounds of my little ones playing at my feet all combine in my ears to make their own sort of music.  It’s a beautiful sound, really, the sound of life being lived.  Standing on the edge, the link between the game and the toddlers, all these sounds and images combine to create a snapshot of this season in my life that fills my heart with satisfaction and gratitude.  I am so very blessed.

5.  Yesterday our yard was full of dust and dirt and noise, thanks to this.


6.  Last night my husband and I attended the Adult Session of Stake Conference, and this morning our whole family was blessed to attend a Regional Conference (via broadcast).  Both meetings were fabulous.  I was amazed to hear that this morning’s meeting was being offered to more than 150 stakes with a potential audience of over 1/2 million members.  Wow.  It made me wonder why I allow myself to sometimes feel lonely when I’m trying to live right.  My husband and I literally soaked in everything that was said.  I came home with a list of marching orders, but also with the great feeling that I have already started working on all of the specific things we were told.  I’m on the right track, and that is a great feeling.

7.  Tonight our family went for a walk together.  When we do this I usually find myself falling back to walk behind them all, observing the motion of the group as well as individuals.  Tonight I marveled a little that they all belong to me, that some of them are so big while others are so little, that we’re such a big group and yet so much smaller than we’ll be when they’re all big.  What a wild ride we’re in for!


8.  My little one is fighting a cold, and had a hard time sleeping this week.  We’ve had lots of snuggle time together.  I love that.  I don’t, however, love that I’ve caught her cold, although my compassion for her is now multiplied since I understand how she feels.  Today it seems to be messing with my ability to talk; my husband burst out laughing when I told him that I’d just been bit by a zucchini.  (I promise the word mosquito was what my brain thought, but somehow my mouth got the zucchini message.  We had a good laugh.)

On that note I’ll wish you a wonderful week and hope that I can fall asleep quickly for some much needed rest.
Take care!

Jennifer

September has arrived.  Sweet, juicy peaches from a local orchard are in my fridge while we await the local apple harvest.  It’s a wonderful time of year.  The days are still warm, but the evenings cool off beautifully.  Darkness settles over the world a little earlier, making bedtime easier.  I drove past a friend’s house a couple of days ago and was shocked to see a fall wreath and pumpkins outside her door.  What?!?  I’m not ready for the change of season yet. No, in my heart it’s not yet fall, only late summer.  I’m still in the full swing of creating habits and routines for the school year.  There’s no way I’m ready for pumpkins right now.  After all, I’ve still got geraniums on my front porch!


Here is my weekly report:  August finished up with a grand total of 382 steps, bringing the year to date count over 2200 steps in all.  Kind of cool!  This week’s total is 78 steps.

Highlights:

1.  We started a new read aloud book with the children.

2.  This week our family finished reading the Book of Mormon together.  Each time we finish it, we plan a family party.

3.  I spent a lot of time on the phone and was able to resolve a school situation for one of my students.  Relief!

4.  I stayed up WAY TOO LATE on Wednesday night in order to completely reorganize a portion of our food storage room.   It’s been on my list of things to do for months and I’m grateful I found a block of time to do it in.


5.  Ran into an old friend at a museum.  It was so great to unexpectedly spend some time with her.

6.  While at the same museum, I saw another friend from college who I haven’t seen in about 13 years.  It was really great to chat for a minute and learn about her family.  I marveled silently to myself at my good fortune in having associated with so many great people over the years.  I’ve been richly blessed.

7.  On Saturday my husband’s best friend from childhood came for lunch.  They live in southern California and drove to town for the BYU football game.   He brought his daughter and his brother with him.  It was really great to have them spend a bit of time with us, and we hope they come again soon (we’ve been begging them for years).  We’re honored that they put us on their short list of stops to make during the trip, and we’re glad that BYU won, too, making their trip a complete success.  I had the camera sitting out for a picture and just forgot to take one!

8.  We got the house clean and jobs done earlier than usual on Saturday.  Hooray!

9.  I think I’ve regained my love for cooking.  I’ve found some new recipes to try and am enjoying time spent in the kitchen once more.  It feels good.  (I mean, if I have to cook for 10 people several times a day, I might as well like it, right?)

10.  Tonight we enjoyed a few hours with my husband’s brother and his family.  My nephew was being ordained a Deacon and we were thrilled to attend.  We enjoyed visiting with them (and their new goats) and letting the cousins play together, something we should do much more often.




I think that wraps up my summary.  I’m grateful for Labor Day tomorrow and the chance it gives to get a few more things done before diving into what promises to be a particularly crazy week.   I’m hoping for an extra hour of sleep to cure the burning in my eyes and the headache I can’t seem to shake.  This is such a busy time, but it’s so much fun.  I love having the opportunity to live the life that is mine.  I’m so far from where I need to be, but grateful for the chance to learn and stretch.

I hope you’re loving your life, too.  Have an awesome week.

Hopeful Homemaker