I've just finished a pita-bread with hummus snack. Weird, but good. Really good. It was earth -friendly and organic. So it said on the plastic packaging that I threw in the trash can. Doh!!! My computer isn't letting me hit "enter" and make new paragraphs. Soitsarunonparagraph. But I think you'll get it. I have a friend who digs computers that has volunteered to come and fix it for me. In the meantime it's a test of my patience and of your attention span. Riiiight. I bought Stacie Eldridge's book "Captivating". Can't wait to get some quiet time to read it and journal in it. I need the encouragement. Lately I've been the encourager and I feel like I'm running on fumes. Don't know how many more people I can beg not to leave the church, their husband, their kids, their diet, their trainer, their friends... know what I mean? Why does everyone want to quit? Is it the post-new-year's-resolution time of year that brings such clarity of thought? Or is it late-January-winter's-gone-on-long-enough depression sinking in? Fortunately I've had my head out of the sand and I've been able to be there. Hope when my day comes that it will be reciprocal. My coffee shoppe rocked. Hosted lots of folks. New folks and old ones. Had the ol' campfire roaring. Blankets. All the treats. (None of which I sampled, thank you very much!) There was an antagonist... "Debbie Downer" (There's one in every church, isn't there?). But... that's just Satan throwing his fiery darts and I've been working on my bo-staff skills. Sweeeeet! My daughter stapled her thumb yesterday. I was on the computer, and I heard a "Oooooooooh!" followed by a "Aaaaaaah!"... I rushed out to see my 10 year old daughter holding up her thumb and crying loudly. Turns out she was attempting to staple the elastic back to the paddle-ball, and tried to open the stapler with her hand, accidentally placing her thumb on the staple side while pressing (and thus releasing) a fresh staple. The staple was red, so I was confused at first sight. It looked like a cut. But, when I realized it was a staple, I calmly pulled it out. (Both brothers were there to witness the blood squirt - "Cooooool!" - yet, still concerned.) We washed it and applied pressure... and "ta-da"! Middle child had bragging rights that night at Parent's Night Out. "Guess what I did today?" I heard her ask a few kids last night. Boys were fascinated, girls were sympathetic. Interesting reactions. I've been trying to re-claim my house. It seems like it hasn't really been mine in about 7 months. Now that I'm at home again... full time... I'm re-organising, cleaning, re-decorating, just... re-doing. Maybe I'm going through a nesting phase - who knows? ('Course the last time THAT happened... I found out I was pregnant! I should be so lucky!) Hubby has a test tomorrow. He usually is ready for these things and aces them, but like me - he has been busy ministering and putting out brush fires. I guess it's as good as an excuse as any... but I don't think he'll be satisfied with anything less than the A's he's been working so hard for. I pray that he's able to focus. He's had so much on his mind. Derek had the house looking great today. Sure, the kids helped, but I could see that it was his influence that really got it looking spiffy. Details. He's all about details. LOVE IT! Littlest one, Zion was hugging and kissing daddy g'nite, and I thanked daddy for cleaning the house... Zion (thinking I was talking to him) replied "No problem!" and skipped off to bed. Derek and I just smirked and looked at eachother. At the same moment, my oldest - the comedian - said... "uh, dad... I just slammed Zion up against the wall... Could you wipe him off?" Silly boys. Must go to bed. New book. Pizza lunch Sunday, gotta pray about Debbie Downer and Sister Holier-Than-Thou. Yes... they worship here too. Weird, eh? -Jennifer-