Skip to content

Blog Articles

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

7 Quick Takes Friday, v.1 (aka “One of Those Weeks”)

I’ve liked this idea for awhile but didn’t have a good Friday to start it. A blogger I read, Jennifer at Conversion Diary (great blog, by the way, on how an atheist came to faith in God), came up with this idea for all those super-short ideas she wants to share but don’t merit an entire blog post. 

~1~
This week was like an illustrated, 3D demonstration of “toddler who doesn’t take his nap” vs. “toddler who does take his nap.” Tuesday and Wednesday my youngest fell asleep in the van and slept no more than 45 minutes. Those days were terrible. He was irritable, bossy, and perpetually discontent. Then yesterday, he took his usual 2-hour nap. Ahhhh…..it was so much easier to find him things to do that occupied/didn’t frustrated him, and he was so much less whiny and bossy.
Lesson to me: Make naptime a priority. It’s more than worth it.
~2~
After making our intentions to run a 10k race on Thanksgiving Day public, my body staged a coup. I went to the gym last week and bumped my workout up a notch. When I returned home, I suddenly discovered that my back didn’t want to bend. Apparently, my abdominal muscles (if you can dignify what’s there with such a lofty term) have yet to recover from my four pregnancies. And, if you run without sufficient abdominal strength, it stresses your back.
Then, after my back recovered, I got very sick for a few days, along with Little Boy. So I’ve missed an entire week of workouts. Scott and I talked yesterday and agreed that the 10k was officially off the plan for this year. We’re looking for a 5k to do together in the next month or so.
~3~
Speaking of calendars, I’ve spent a lot of this week remembering. Elli died a year ago Monday.
Which means my mom and I went shopping for clothes to bury her in a year ago Wednesday. I couldn’t figure out which of the clothes she already had to put her in, so we decided to buy something. Have you ever thought about buying clothes in which to bury a loved one? By some miracle, I managed not to burst into tears in the store. I found the cutest stripey sweater for her, one of those things burned into my memory. Every time I see another little girl wearing one, I do get teary. I would have loved to put it on Elli last winter — it was pink, purple, bright green… her colors.
Then, a year ago Thursday, we buried Elli at a cemetery just a mile from our house. I visit often. I just noticed this week that you can almost see her headstone from the main road if you drive back on one particular road.
That week I cried so hard for so long that every tear physically ached. I remember actually thinking, “I have to stop crying. I have to give my sinuses a break.” Easier said than done.
~4~
Back to the calendar… Thanksgiving is just 5 weeks away, which means… ack! Christmas is only 9 weeks away! How did that happen?
~5~
My Little Boy sounds just like his sister when he is sick. He has her exact cough. It was so eerie to hear that this week, of all weeks.
~6~
I’ve had to resort to locking the pantry to keep Little Boy from raiding it for food. I never had brothers, but I really didn’t think boys started eating like this until they were at least 12. I mean, seriously, that’s just nuts. He’s two years old!
Anyone have any suggestions for keeping him out of the refrigerator? A cartoon chain and padlock seems a bit excessive.
~7~
Perhaps because I spent so much time in bed this week, I realized our master bedroom had become quite the catch-all space. It didn’t give off any sort of “couples retreat” vibe. So yesterday I decided to do a zero-budget makeover. It had to be zero-budget because we have a long list of things we’re saving for, big budget items like new countertops, new furniture, and a finished basement.
After a little rearranging, purging of my junk, and actually hanging a few things up on the wall, it looks like we actually put some thought into it. I also took a small folding table, covered with a tablecloth to hide the legs, and then hid my knitting and sewing supplies under it. Now I can work on projects in our room, where the kids can’t (or shouldn’t) get into them, and then hide all signs of the work!
~
Well, there’s my list. I’m off to tackle this rainy Friday. Have a great weekend!
  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

SPREAD THE WORD..

joy-w-bennett-headline-ps

Let’s keep in touch.

Sign up to my occasional newsletters and stay up to date on all things writing and community-related.

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.