Kei painted this old piece of paneling we had outside.† She wanted it to reflect the plays she and Nomad have performed.† That poor dog has been a flower, a rabbit, a dragon, a soccer player and more.
It turned out quite† cute.
We had to take Kei’s laptop to the Apple Store.† I am such a geek I took a picture of my name up on the board. 🙂
Kei spent the night with Livvy on Friday and I spent the night laying around watching “The Closer”. I just love that show.† Kei and I go around saying “Thank you, Thank you very much” in our most Southern accent.
We went on a walk with our church group on Saturday morning.† It was so nice outside!† Come on FALL.† I am ready.
A few months ago, after we had gotten Nomad “THE dog”, I checked out a book from the library called “A Big, Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog”. It was by Dean Koontz who I have always liked. I couldn’t believe that I was reading a dog book.† It was delightful.† I ending up reading most of it to Kei and we both fell in love with Trixie the Golden Retriever.
I just ordered “Bliss to You: Trixie’s Guide to a Happy Life” on audio and we have been listening to it.† Trixie has died by the time this 3rd book came out, but is still channeling through Dean Koontz.† Trixie is a very smart, wise, funny dog.† This book is all about BLISS.† Kei and I have been having a lot of conversations about “Bliss”.† The dictionary defines it as “supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment”.† There is much talk from Trixie about how we live such stressful lives and we just don’t take time to stop swimming and go to the shore and just rest.
Kei and I have decided we are two lucky girls.† We just don’t have much stress in our lives.† Now don’t get me wrong, I have had stress in the past.† Laid off from my job, my sweet Mother dying, my Daddy having his heart attack,† worried about bills and food and if I was going to be able to continue homeschooling Kei.† But…our lives are good.† We do live “stop and slow down” lives.† We don’t rush around crazy <well not most of the time>.† There is no early morning meltdowns as we get Kei ready for school every morning.† No lost homework, <LOL I couldn’t even type that word : my fingers just typed “homeschool”>, no “Where is my backpack?”, “Where is my lunch?”, no racing out the door with seconds to spare, no picking Kei up from school and going home and doing 3 hours of work, no rush to cook dinner and clean up and take baths and go to bed; only to get up and do it all over the next day.
Yes I still have stress and strife and problems but we don’t live a stress FILLED life.† We wake up slowly.† We start our day with quiet and 99% of the time, happiness.† We lounge around some days, in our pj’s.† We cook breakfast when we are hungry. † If Kei works for an hour and wants to go swing, she does.† If we want to read a book, we do.† If she just ‘needs’ a Mommy hug or a doggie hug, she gets it.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring, what is lurking around the corner.† But…at this moment, at this particular time in our lives, we have achieved bliss. See what lucky girls we are?
Be blessed,
ìDonít struggle against life. Float with it. Be buoyant. You wonít sink unless you expect toî
~quote by Trixie Koontz, dog.
Love the painting! Great job!
Ahhh, I am feeling relaxed just reading this:) What a blessing that, not only is your life this way, but that you appreciate it!
Hmm….this post came at a very opportune time. I don’t think we are overly stressed but there are things I can do to help reduce the stress we have and I need to do them. Mostly it involves getting up much earlier to get the household things done before the girls get up. Some days rolling out of bed at 5:30 so I can kiss Greg goodbye is okay with me, but days like today, when the dog slept with us and we were to darn hot, I just can’t get up. I imagine all the children going to school in less than an hour and I am grateful. I think of my children who can sleep until their bodies wake and I am grateful. I think of my dogs who have the pleasure of their family at home every day and I am grateful. I think of playing with friends, swimming on this hot hot day and I am grateful. Thanks for pointing out to me the stressors that are taken away with homeschooling! I will not miss them.
I am going to check out Trixie!
Ah!!! So relieved not to deal with all this anymore: There is no early morning meltdowns as we get Kei ready for school every morning. No lost homework, , no ìWhere is my backpack?î, ìWhere is my lunch?î, no racing out the door with seconds to spare, no picking Kei up from school and going home and doing 3 hours of work, no rush to cook dinner and clean up and take baths and go to bed; only to get up and do it all over the next day.
So glad to hear things are going well for you guys and you have a nice life. it is so nice to know that single moms can do this too!!!