What have I been doing lately?

I've been on dial-up quite often throughout the summer, and now permanently until we get DSL to our area (which will probably not happen until pigs fly), and that has considerably slowed down my blogging and internet time. (Remarkably, facebook is about the only thing that works ok on our dial-up! Much to my husband's consternation.)

I know everyone has had a busy summer, but I can honestly say mine was crazy! It's a joke among local friends that they only get to spend time with me in the winter. Besides a little camping, and a few day/weekend excursions within a couple hours, the only traveling we did was a trip to PA for a wedding and visiting with Tom's great-grandparents and extended family. Here at home, however, we've had company come and go, a family wedding in early October, a house to remodel (which will hopefully soon be on the market!), and just plain ol' Stuff to Do.

I did a *little* (a very little) school with the kids in-between all the craziness, but as of September 1st we have officially started another school year. Drew is enrolled in a church "day school" which he attends on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and which he absolutely LOVES and which I absolutely LOVE because it gives me a little break! I like that he is doing a mix of bible school and preschool activities, and I don't have to clean up the arts and crafts mess. (!) Meanwhile, I am able to concentrate on Hosanna and Caleb's school blissfully uninterrupted. Drew is definitely my most challenging toddler and I knew I needed help this start-of-school season in order to stay somewhat sane.

We seem to be slowly easing into a new routine, and while the kids sometimes bewail the daily math and chores, they are doing well! We're all learning together-not necessarily "perfectly", usually quite the opposite, but that's life, right?

I'm also trying to get back into my regular cooking and baking rhythm, which has been spotty over the summer. I've been running here and there, and/or too tired when at home, so there has been more take-out and frozen chimichangas than usual! I really want to change that. I'm sure my extra tiredness has also been due to grief-it's physically as well as emotionally exhausting.

All in all, there have been many changes in my life, routine, and daily focus these past several months. We're all making adjustments.

Life does indeed go on.