There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.
Dr. Denis Waitley

As I look back over the past year I realize that I really didn’t accomplish all that much.  I mean, I was consistent with my Bible study  (but only because I am the leader) and I maintained a pretty sunny disposition (sorta).  But, house wise and children wise, it was pretty much status quo - maintain mode.  I think I did pretty good from the start of school until about January/February, but then I started slowly slipping backwards, maintain mode became survival mode as summer hit. Then, well, you know…the kids…the constant need to be going and doing or arguing and bickering..bleh.

So, now it is the start of another new year, nine months to try and make progress and get it together.  You see, I have this idea that if I can just become organized and have a spot for everything and everything in its spot then I can let go of a lot of mental space that those nagging items leave.  I would like to be able to enjoy all of my time and not have to worry with the long list of things I should be doing.  Lately, I have be obsessing of this…. no, not organizing…   thinking about organizing, silly.  It’s not like I am actually motivated to do it.

The sad part is that I use to be freakishly organized when I was a young mom.  I’m talking everything in its place and not one thing more, the labels on the plastic shoe boxes and the whole nine yards.  What do you think happens to that skill?  I know for sure that I didn’t pass it on to sissy or brother.

My neighbors, the old couple that are like grandparents to my son recently moved.  I know, I was shocked too, but the thing is they only moved to the next street over, I mean literally the same spot on the block but on the next street?  They say it was because she wanted a nicer kitchen, but he loved his house, so I keep thinking it was me, cause you know I irritate the hell out of him.

But anyway, when they moved, they only took what they needed.  Seriously, they left almost everything in the old house, furniture, two rooms stuffed to the rafters with crap, dishes, clothing, everything.  They would drive up, go in and grab one or two things that I guess they found they actually needed, and off they would go.  They even bought all new(ish) furniture from garage sales and left the other furniture (some of it antiques) to collect dust. 

Recently, he told me that they are planning to sell the house, but their agent said they have to clean it out and get it ready for the market…they decided to rent it…they just left for two months….the girl is moving in next month….all their stuff is still there…she’s moving into their stuff.

I wonder if we could just move?

Hey look!  it’s me.  popping in to let you know that I am still here and kickin.  School started last week and this week we are feeling the effects of starting a new routine.  We are all exhausted.  It doesn’t help that we have somethin out of the house every freakin night this week.

 Anyway. I have hopes of posting again soon.

Today is my first day to participate in Tackle it Tuesday which is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom. It feels kinda weird to be jumping into participating in posts like this, but I like it… I think it is going to help keep me on track.

Tuesday, for me is Bible study day. so my day-up until noon-is taken with that, so normally it is not a day I spend on the house, but I thought that I could spend Tackle it Tuesday doing one….small….thing that makes a big difference overall. and today, that was purging one of my beloved items. 

I have been working in the office this whole past week for a few hours here or there…my main focus has been to throw away and shred things. I think I am making progress, but today I tackled magazines. not just any, but my beloved Real Simple magazines….wow….that was hard! I kept thinking that I would go back to them, you know to pull out the recipes or the organizing tips. but in reality, I know I never will go back and letting them go also helped me let go of the expectation that loomed in the background that I should go through them, so this really made a big impact!

Of course, in the back of my mind, I know I can always find all that goodness on their site - humm, you might want to forget that letting go of the expectation part……