A Most Enjoyable Weekend

My husband did not have to work last Friday so that meant a 4-day weekend.  Well, if we could finsih school.  Friday was originally our last day, but with Seth not having to work, we thought we should all be free to do something fun.  So the kids pushed hard and finished school on Thursday.  Some nights they were working on school until 7:00 at night, but they did it. 

It wasn't easy.

We all had Friday free.  And how did we spend it?  Mostly just sitting around being lazy and recovering from all our hard work.  It was much needed and well deserved.

Saturday we got up and went to several garage sales.  The kids brought along their own money and bought what they thought they needed.  Eventually we had to take their money and approve their purchases.  We also had a talk about bartering and knowing what is priced too high.  Unfortunetly this talk happened after K bought a very over-priced doll.  So she used our conversation to barter at the next garage sale.  The item she wanted to buy really wasn't a bad price but she walked right up to the person running the sale and said, "I'll give you $2 for this."  The woman seemed a bit shocked and reluctantly agreed to the price.  Then my daughter says as she's pulling out the $2 from her purse, "You really shouldn't over price your stuff."  Making me a completely humiliated mother.

We stopped at a friend's house and sat and talked for a while.  It was nice.  And their kids get along very well with ours.  Then we had some lunch and discussed what else we could do.  I really don't remember what happened the rest of the day, but it was nice to not have any pressing plans.

Sunday we went to church and I had 1 student in class with me.  It was quite fun.  We got through our entire lesson in one sitting.  Usually it takes 2.  But since it was just the 2 of us, we got it covered pretty quickly.  Sunday afternoon we spent getting ready to campout in our backyard.  We cleaned up the living room and kitchen too.

Finally, we all relaxed in our backyard.  We roasted hot dogs over our fire pit and then had some s'mores.  Rambo didn't know what to do with himself.  He kept going to the door and whining to be let in, but no one was inside.  Soon it was getting late and I was ready to crash.  I was ready for bed before anyone else and inside our tent while the kids were still playing.  It wasn't long before everyone joined me though.  And Rambo just didn't like what was going on.

I love our fire pit.

K showing off one of her garage sale finds.

Mmmmmm!!

I must say, I can roast a pretty mean hot dog.

Rambo....wondering why no one is going inside.

We all spent the night pounding out the lumps in the ground and listening to Rambo cry.  Oh, the neighbors behind us got a new dog so he was back there barking, too.  But I love it.  My family went on vacations every summer and we almost always slept in a tent.  I didn't mind at all.

The next morning, however, we were the crabby family.  Seth made us breakfast burritos.  Afterwards, we cleaned up our things from the night before, took down the tent, and got ready for company.  Seth was smoking some pork for supper and he needed to get started.  We had invited some friends over.  After some much needed naps, we cleaned up the house and got ready.

Rambo was just tuckered out from his long night in the tent.

We had a great time with our friends.  The kids ended up playing in the sprinkler and getting soaked.  We had watermelon and popsicles and just enjoyed good fellowship.  After they left, we cleaned up and just enjoyed the last few hours of our amazing weekend.

We didn't do a whole lot and it wasn't all precisely planned.  It was perfect.

Rambo's story

Hi!  I'm Rambo.  I am a 4 month old puppy and I was adopted by the Harrington family.  I love them.  Last weekend we went on a big adventure and I'm going to tell you all about it.

I could tell something unusual was going on when my kids and Mom were getting out bags and clothes and other things.  Mom seemed to be a little stressed.  She didn't like me hopping all over the clothes and the bags and trying to get her attention.  My kids giggled as usual.  I like it when they giggle at the things I do.

Friday started out differently that it usually does.  Most days, Dad gets up and leaves so I have to cry and whine until somebody lets me out of my crate.  On this particular Friday, Mom got up first.  She let me outside and then let me play while she continued putting things in bags.  I wanted to play with my kids but she told me it wasn't time yet.

I found other things to do until Mom opened those doors and let me in to see the kids.  They weren't quite ready to play with me but that's ok.  I don't mind just cuddling in bed with them.  Mom said they needed to get up and get their things done.  Dad got up shortly afterwards and left like he always does.  I made sure to tell him good morning though.

Then something strange happened.  My kids and Mom put my crate in the garage along with my food and water dish.  They locked the door to the outside and closed the door to the house.  They had never done this before.  I wondered what was going on.  I probably sat on the step and cried for a long time, but no one ever came to get me.  I was getting worried.

Finally, I heard Dad come home.  He came and rescued me from the garage.  I ran around the house trying to find Mom and my kids.  I kept crying to Dad asking where they were.  I didn't like that they were gone.  Dad gathered my things and put me in my crate.  We were going for a ride!  I'm not sure how I liked that.  I rode in a different car than what I was used to.  There was another man with Dad.  They call him Andy.  There was also another dog named Tucker.  He was ok, I guess.  But I missed my kids.

I slept for most of the ride.  I don't know how long it was, but it was very dark when we arrived at a strange house.  There were a lot of new smells I had to inspect.  Dad brought me in and showed me that Mom and my kids were there.  Whew!  I was so worried about them.  I was so glad to know they were there.

The next morning, Mom took me outside.  All the smells distracted me from what I was supposed to do out there.  Tucker was there, too.  After I went inside, I wanted to tell everyone good morning, but there were more people there than what I was used to.  I saw my kids and told them good morning and then Tucker's kids were there.  I had seem them before but I didn't know they belonged to Tucker.  I told them good morning, too, but they didn't like how excited I was to see them.  Mom made sure I met the others.  One was called Grandpa and the other was Grandma.  Mom's friend Lisa was there too.  She had come to see me at my house so I knew who she was.

Before I knew it, more people came.  There was Tim, Sara, Nate, Amanda, and even more kids!  I was so excited!  I love kids!!!  I played outside for a little bit but they put me back inside.  All of the people were outside lined up and smiling at some lady while Tucker and I sat inside and watched through the glass door.  It wasn't fair.

Mom and Dad tried to feed me but Tucker liked to eat my food.  I guess they didn't like that.  I didn't always eat when they wanted me to.  I snuck food from Tucker's dish anyway.  After everyone came inside, I got to meet a person called Grandma Lola.  Everyone was so nice and the kids were so much fun....at first.

Throughout the weekend, I spent a lot of time playing outside with all the kids.  There were 10 of them!!  Yes, I know how to count.  How else am I supposed to make sure everyone is there?  They liked to chase me and pick me up and carry me and put me down and chase me and pick me up and carry me and put me down.  I eventually got tired of their games and found a hole through the fence.  I wanted to explore other places.  I found some other kids close by but Dad came and got me.  Bummer.  They were nice, too.

Every time the people left, they put me in my crate.  I don't like it at first but once I realize no one is there to play with me, I'm ok.  I just look forward to when they all come home.  I have to tell everyone hi, or else it would just be rude.  Grandpa took me to the living room to play with me.  He got on the floor and we wrestled for a bit.  I bit at his fingers - nicely of course.  I don't like to hurt my people.  I also messed up his hair.  It was fun!  I liked that he played with me.

On Sunday, everyone leaves in the morning which is normal at home, too.  But when they all came home, I got to play with the kids again.  And, even more people arrived!!  There was Bonnie, Chandra, and Amber.  I really liked Amber.  I wanted to play with Chandra but she kept saying something about allergic.  I don't know what that means, but I knew she couldn't pick me up so I just licked her feet to tell her hi and moved on.

The kids kept playing that chase game with me and I got tired again.  So off through that hole in the fence.  I hid underneath one of the cars as they all came out to get me.  Mom came out too, but I know her tricks and I wouldn't fall for them.  Grandpa got me though.  I think the big people knew that I was getting tired of the kids playing with me and just wanted to do my own thing so they helped me out.

I saw that Tucker's family was putting bags in their car.  They must be leaving soon.  I found a wonderful place to roll around in under a tree.  It had a great smell.  But my people didn't think it was that great.  No one wanted to hold me and Mom held me at a distance but it was too late.  She started to smell like I did.  Soon there was talk of a bath.  Oh no!  What did I get myself into?  Grandpa had a bottle of green stuff and I heard Mom say ok.  My stuff at home is pink but I guess green works, too.  Grandpa filled up a sink with water and used the green stuff to wash me up.  Mom stood close by to help.  Then she held a towel out as Grandpa put me in her arms.  I really don't like baths.  They make me cold.  I shivered in Mom's arms wrapped in a towel.  She took me back upstairs where the other people were.  They all looked at me like I was suddenly cuter than I was before.  I don't understand what they see.  I look more like a drowned rat.  After a bit, Mom put me down and I ran around trying to dry out my ears on the floor.  I hate it when they are wet.

Tucker's family eventually left and others started to leave too.  Soon I saw that Mom and Dad were putting bags in our car - the car I normally ride in.  I hope they weren't going to leave me again!  They weren't.  I saw Dad put my things in the car and soon my kids were all in the car and I was in my crate.  It was time to go back home.

We stopped a few times and I got to explore new places with new smells, but we didn't stay nearly long enough for me to figure out the place.  Finally, we arrived home.  Ahhhh, the home I knew!!  I was excited to be home and excited to see that all my kids and Mom and Dad were all there with me!!

What a fun adventure that was!!  I sure hope I get to do that again someday.

Funny how that works...

I was getting into a good groove.  I'm not the best homemaker on the planet.  In fact I'm probably not even in the top 500.  Since I never wanted to be a homemaker, wife, and mother, it is a daily struggle for me to do this job that God has given me.  Nevertheless, when I choose to be joyful in my work, I can actually like it.

So, I felt I was doing a pretty good job.  I have been learning that it's ok if something doesn't get finished.  If I just keep at it a little at a time, it WILL get finished eventually.  I have been learning to not stress about what isn't done or what can't be done or what to do if we get thrown off schedule unexpectedly (really, when does that happen expectedly?).  I created a plan for the kids and myself of what should be done on a daily basis, weekly basis, and monthly basis.  Some things didn't get done, some things were harder to do than others, but I was feeling like something was getting accomplished and I was slowly putting my house together the way I wanted it.

And it always seems to happen when I'm doing so well in this area.  Something not only throws me off schedule but throws me completely out of rhythm to the point that I can't get back on in a day or two.  Often times it's an illness.  Not this time.  This time I decided to hurt my back.  Ok, *I* didn't decide to do this, obviously, but somehow, God thought this was a good time to allow my back to endure some sort of a charlie horse and keep me from doing my normal activities for a week.

Well, it hasn't been a week, but it might as well be at this point.  It will be difficult to catch up on missed chores and schoolwork, especially if I'm still not 100% yet.  Whatever God's purpose is in all of this, I completely trust Him.  If I didn't, I'd be really stressed out.  Letting go of whatever is on my mind and letting God handle everything gives me peace.  I don't have to be in control because He is.  I don't have to worry about how things are going to get done, because He knows.  I don't have to stress out about getting behind, because He already knew I would face this problem and has planned out my steps for me.  Isn't He just an awesome God?

Still, in my human thinking, this is just a bad time for me to be laid up.  Or not able to accomplish tasks to my full capabilities.  Starting Friday, my summer hits in full swing.  And my husband wants to add something else on Saturday - I'm trying to convince him otherwise.  It's not working.  That's ok, what's one more event that would force me into really cleaning my house in my current injured state?  From this weekend on, I will be running around with multiple things dashing through my head all at once until August.  Then, I can breathe.  For 3 weeks.  Then school starts again.  That's the usual routine for my summers though.

I just keep thinking, with all the stuff I have going on in the next few months, I don't have time to mess with a sore back.  But, it's not like I was already behind and my house was already a horrendous mess.  We were doing ok - I could almost accept drop-in visitors without embarrassment.  But, as it always seems, just as I get on a good roll, something disrupts it.  God just wants to make sure I'm still trusting Him even when things are going well.  Funny how that works.