Gone Fishing

5 homes, 4 cities, 3 states  +

1 flood, 1 earthquake, 3 blizzards +

Maintenance Man, Youth Minister, Seminary student, Sandwich/Pita Maker Extraordinaire, Church Starter +

Kindergarten Teacher, Wednesday Night Childcare Worker, First Grade Teacher, Seminary Student, Bath&Body Works, YMCA site coordinator +

California Cruise, Chattanooga Aquarium, Newfoundland, Caribbean Cruise, New Orleans, Grand Forks + 

Sunfire, Camry, Ford Ranger, Chevy Tracker +

1 cuddly cat and 1 crazy dog   -  1 cuddly cat and 1 crazy dog   +

Lots of fun friends and Lots of fun memories +

1 super sweet, beautiful baby girl

=

3 great years of marriage!

I couldn’t imagine living this adventure with anyone else!  I am so thankful that through sickness and health, good times and bad, prosperity and ramen noodles you have led our family to look to the things and the life of Christ as the way to grow and go.  I know we would both say that without forgiveness, sacrificial love, grace, selflessness, and faithfulness – traits that only God can truly give us – our marriage would not be what it is.  

I love you, My Love!

June 24, 2006

www.shellyburrisphotography.com

June 24th (ish), 2009

I am not.

I learned a good lesson today about accepting help.  I am still struggling with finding that balance of being full-time employee, momma, wife, homemaker and just me.  I totally failed at most of those this week:

a fussy baby (not the norm) and an excessively busy work week plus lots of (fun) extras with our church planting endeavor led to…

much less sleep, a few arguments with the husband, clothes…paper…baby gear everywhere, crazy kitchen, and bathrooms, bedrooms and extra rooms screaming to be attended to which led to…

a meltdown…

Have you ever had one of those meltdowns where you just decide you can’t do it and it won’t ever get done…so you just won’t even try.  I had finally gotten our bedroom where I wanted it (switched out winter clothes..wahoo….determined which ones kinda fit….put away (most) maternity clothes…dusted (that’s right Mom)…and changed the sheets) and I was so tired.  The thought of vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, washing dishes, putting away things that should have already been put away AND all the “work” work I needed to do, PLUS taking care of my precious one was just not going to happen….so instead I decided to fix my hair.  Productive indeed.

Then my wonderful husband came to my aid and said (basically) you have three wonderful friends downstairs that would love to help you do these things (Disclaimer: Normally he would have helped as well had it not been for the errands he needed to run for a church team in town).  To which I replied “Of course I will not ask them to help ME!  I should be able to do all of this by myself!”  To which he replied…don’t you fuss at other women when they say that to you?….Good point.  Okay fine…but if they really don’t want to help they don’t have to.  Sometimes (more than sometimes) I am that woman.  Stubborn. Prideful. And A Mess!

So in good Mary Poppins fashion:  Pam vacuumed my whole house; Katie folded laundry, washed dishes and organized our office; and Jen fed, diapered and loved on my sweet Julia so I could do some cleaning as well.  And in about an hour or so my house was sparkling.

Two good lessons learned:

1. It’s always okay to ask for help.  It’s even better to ask for help when you don’t want to.

2. New Goal: Picking up things along the way and doing little cleaning tasks will probably eliminate crazy cleaning days…and won’t take as long.

Any other advice for this new life I’m navigating?

*Thanks Ladies for your help today!*

Missing

1 Calico Cat

Answers to the name “Callie”

Wears an orange collar with a bell

Has allergies..so her right eye drips

Super de duper friendly – if you give her any attention she’s yours for life

Declawed in the front…hasn’t been an outside cat since we’ve owned her

Last seen for sure: Thursday June 11

I am more sad than I thought I would be

This has not been a good pet year…