In the Swing of Things (Toben)

It feels like we might just have hit the swing of things this week. Getting the girls up and out in the mornings has gone well. Getting Joanne up and ready for her day has been easy. Having family and friends in the house to spend time with Joanne has been great and work has gone really well for me. This feels like a "normal" week. or at least what I hope a normal week will feel  like as we move into the Fall. Joanne even managed to get a massage in yesterday, which is always a big deal.

Side note: massage has been Joanne's most effective therapy. Afterwards she is loose and pain free. That's a big deal! Brooke, our much beloved massage therapist, does an amazing job and has worked with Joanne for almost a year! She really knows Joanne's body and and knows what to work on when Joanne is on the table.

Audrey has become obsessed with Johnny Depp. Enough said.

Emma is trucking right along. I have seen some real maturing in her lately. Emma is a classic worrier and in the past has been prone to panic if something in her routine goes wrong. But this week she forgot her lunch and when she realized it on the way to school she didn't panic. She also forgot a homework assignment at the house this week. Again, no panic on her part. This may sound like a small deal but it is a big step forward for her. She is able to take those things in stride. Gran was able to drop off a lunch and I took her homework to school before heading to work. It all worked out and I think continues to build confidence in Emma that she has people around her that will help and support her when she needs it (and even when she doesn't).

I have to give props to my mom. She asked if she could take a room of the house once a week and "fix it up". We said sure! She tackled the dining room last week. The big beautiful table we have in there had become a dumping ground for everything that came into the house. We had old mail, school work, therapy equipment, and even an old coffee maker sitting in there. Plus we had a centerpiece that was still up from Christmas. Hmmmm...needed work. On top of that we had a lot of dedicated space taken up by crystal and silverware and china that we have maybe used 5 times in all the years that we have been married. So we decided to box all that up to make storage room for other things. My mom jumped in with both feet and whipped that dining room into shape. Then we celebrated by actually sitting around that table for a meal. What a treat!

Yesterday she tackled the kitchen table area which was another dumping ground, and packed up some dishes and cookbooks that we never use. Oh, and the magazines! We had stacks and stacks of magazines, some of them years old, that we never look at so we put those in recycle, taking out the especially fancy ones to donate to Goodwill. Agian, order is restored to another room in the house. I am sure she'll be ready to tackle another room next week.

Today we are going on another mountain drive with my folks. Joanne has really enjoyed the couple of times we have headed to the mountains just to see what there is to see. No idea where my dad plans to take us today but wherever we go, it'll be great to be out in God's creation. And we usually end up in some little diner or cafe for lunch which is always fun.

Guess that's about it!

Prayer requests:

1. Thanks and praise for my mom and her servants heart.

2. Thanks a praise for a good normal week and prayer that this will continue!

3. Thanks and praise that Emma continues to grow and mature from and amazing kid to a more confident tween.

Toben

Comments

[Chris Ashley]

What a wonderful gift your mom is giving you by sprucing up your house. And what a gift you are giving her by allowing her to do it! As always, your family remains in my prayers!

[JennyJoT]

Can I borrow your mom? PLEEEEEZE! :)
Continuing to pray in Idaho.

[Kim Feth]

Is your Mom for hire? I'm glad for your positive update!
Peace,
Kim Feth
Apex, NC

[Bobbie Lutz]

Continuing to pray for all of you. I've seen Holly's latest picture of your 'Fall' so far and I'm sure you're going to be blessed on your drive! It looks AMAZING!

[unityfalls]

Glad thigs are going well. Absolutely bless your mom. I will continue to keep you all in prayer.

[Patty]

sounds like you might have hit a new norm and everything is just heading in the right direction. Praise to your mother for helping to get the house back in order. Kind of hard to do once the person who did most of it isn't able to do that. Praying for you, your family and all goes well this fall.