May I just say that teaching sure helps you be a packrat??? Or maybe packrats become teachers??? I'm not sure which way that goes, but one thing's for sure, having taught from preK to 5th grade and tutoring along the way, I've sure got a lot of STUFF!!!!
Ugh! I'm sick of my stuff! I've been going through everything here at the house and have pitched and pitched and pitched! I'm about to take the last of it over to the storage unit with Rob's help.
Next up is to go through all my teacher books and give away or pitch outdated stuff. I hardly have time to go through many of the books so I might as well find new homes for some of them. A few of them are ancient enough I'm sure to be okay saying goodbye too, but I HATE throwing away books. It's just hard, but I can't be a packrat anymore. There's no room at the new house and the storage unit can only hold so much stuff. :)
So, I'm going to shower, head out to the storage place, grab a few groceries to hold us over until payday (we're almost OD- YIKES!), and get back to work. I've still got to pitch, pitch, pitch, pitch.
I keep chanting my mantra in my head, "It will be worth it, so worth it..." I am getting really, really tired.
Only 4 more days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then the "real" work will begin!
Hopefully it won't take too long to feel like home to us. I'm feeling a bit emotional about the move, my kids growing up, and just missing home a little too. This house is the only place here in NC where I have any "family" memories. I know that will sound silly or maybe just plain crazy, but I feel like I'm about to be lonely again- the only connection in NC to my family back home- leaving this place with some wonderful memories of family time with the five of us, but also my family from "home" coming out here. Oh well, this is a HUGE-MONGOUS blessing happening to us, it will be wonderful & save us money, which we need desperately right now. And it won't be long before we start making new family memories in that house and my family is here to celebrate another graduation. I'm looking forward to making more memories in a home that is finally, truly "ours!" It's been a very long time coming, and I am SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!
For right now, I'm trying to take one day at a time. Back to work I go!
Happy Saturday all!
Rebekah :)
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Father Forgive Me
Father, I have sinned against someone, a stranger I met this afternoon, but who I have wronged in the past. This person does not know that I wronged them, but You do. And Father, I am terribly ashamed of myself and sorry for what I did. Thank You for helping me to get to know this one a tiny, tiny bit today. Thank You for using this person to teach me a lesson, and let me not forget it one little bit. Let me find a better way to serve this one. I want to be more like You.
With sorrow for my sin & thankfulness for Your grace and Your teaching,
Your Rebekah :)
With sorrow for my sin & thankfulness for Your grace and Your teaching,
Your Rebekah :)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Can We Say "Crazy???"
Okay, this is just a quick reflection for me to look back on in a month or so. Feel free to go along for the ride and, please, have a laugh at/with/for me if you will. I am planning to laugh at myself a bit now and a whole lot later!!! :)
My brain to myself today at 4:45 P.M. Eastern time (whatever time thing we're in now- Standard, Daylight Savings.... I can never keep track)...
Brain: "What in the world were you thinking?"
Self: "To what are you referring?"
Brain: "Are you completely nuts or trying to make me nuts with moving now?!?!?! Plus trying to help Barbara finish her college apps, write a letter of reference for another young person going to college. And then I'm trying to figure out how to make your silly class run more smoothly and help you manage the kids in centers better & you do a better job of what you do, with two grades in there to boot, and you want me to do all that on no sleep! I really must protest. Then you need me to figure out your taxes and do the kids' financial aid forms. Let alone trying to make big decisions such as do I update your resume? Do I think about next year and all that entails? Really, I think I'll go on strike!!!!"
Self: "I think you already have gone on strike. I can't remember anything anymore, can hardly keep track of the whereabouts of a single item in my room, can't get paperwork done on time, or remember where I'm going and which kid I'm picking up. My assistant thinks I'm crazy and the most disorganized person she's ever met! My room looks awful and there's piles everywhere in my room, my house... aaaaggghhhhh!"
Brain: "We've got to come to an understanding..."
Self: "Well, get ready because it's going to get worse."
Brain: "What!?!? How can it get worse?????"
Self: Because next week, interims are due at work, we'll close on the house, it's the end of the month so that will mean checkbook & bill time- both our personal favorites- plus Barbara has the big scholarship interview weekend thing at HPU. Then we'll be moving, cleaning, and emptying out this house... Then in March, baseball starts, and Rob will be working between the high school, the 'Hoppers, and the high school ball team ticket taking job. Robert will be working between the restaurant, the mall, and the 'Hoppers plus college. Barbara will have the Hoppers and school and preparing for all her IB & AP exams. Matthew may make the baseball team and have school and those games. Yeah, things are only going to become more crazy."
Brain: "That's it!!! I'm throwing in the towel now!"
:) Whew! Okay, now I'm ready to get back in the front room and back to work. It's all going to be worth it. It's so going to be worth it. I just hope I don't fall down dead from lack of sleep before then. :)
And, don't worry folks, this was all said with a big smile on my face. I have to make fun of me. Though I don't really argue with myself- well not quite that much anyway, and I don't hear "voices," I am starting to doubt my sanity.
But in all seriousness, I know I am very blessed to have a family that keeps me so busy, a house to be buying, a life to be living. And I am truly grateful, even if a little overwhelmed!!!
Happy Wednesday!
Rebekah :)
My brain to myself today at 4:45 P.M. Eastern time (whatever time thing we're in now- Standard, Daylight Savings.... I can never keep track)...
Brain: "What in the world were you thinking?"
Self: "To what are you referring?"
Brain: "Are you completely nuts or trying to make me nuts with moving now?!?!?! Plus trying to help Barbara finish her college apps, write a letter of reference for another young person going to college. And then I'm trying to figure out how to make your silly class run more smoothly and help you manage the kids in centers better & you do a better job of what you do, with two grades in there to boot, and you want me to do all that on no sleep! I really must protest. Then you need me to figure out your taxes and do the kids' financial aid forms. Let alone trying to make big decisions such as do I update your resume? Do I think about next year and all that entails? Really, I think I'll go on strike!!!!"
Self: "I think you already have gone on strike. I can't remember anything anymore, can hardly keep track of the whereabouts of a single item in my room, can't get paperwork done on time, or remember where I'm going and which kid I'm picking up. My assistant thinks I'm crazy and the most disorganized person she's ever met! My room looks awful and there's piles everywhere in my room, my house... aaaaggghhhhh!"
Brain: "We've got to come to an understanding..."
Self: "Well, get ready because it's going to get worse."
Brain: "What!?!? How can it get worse?????"
Self: Because next week, interims are due at work, we'll close on the house, it's the end of the month so that will mean checkbook & bill time- both our personal favorites- plus Barbara has the big scholarship interview weekend thing at HPU. Then we'll be moving, cleaning, and emptying out this house... Then in March, baseball starts, and Rob will be working between the high school, the 'Hoppers, and the high school ball team ticket taking job. Robert will be working between the restaurant, the mall, and the 'Hoppers plus college. Barbara will have the Hoppers and school and preparing for all her IB & AP exams. Matthew may make the baseball team and have school and those games. Yeah, things are only going to become more crazy."
Brain: "That's it!!! I'm throwing in the towel now!"
:) Whew! Okay, now I'm ready to get back in the front room and back to work. It's all going to be worth it. It's so going to be worth it. I just hope I don't fall down dead from lack of sleep before then. :)
And, don't worry folks, this was all said with a big smile on my face. I have to make fun of me. Though I don't really argue with myself- well not quite that much anyway, and I don't hear "voices," I am starting to doubt my sanity.
But in all seriousness, I know I am very blessed to have a family that keeps me so busy, a house to be buying, a life to be living. And I am truly grateful, even if a little overwhelmed!!!
Happy Wednesday!
Rebekah :)
Monday, February 16, 2009
Randomness
I'm
so
very
tired!
So consider yourself warned. :) Randomness ahead. :)
Today we signed paperwork for our new homeowner's policy! :) :) :) :) :) And, I came home and set the cancellation date and paid up our renters insurance policy through that date. :) :) :) :) So, the countdown has begun, and we are getting our "ducks in a row" or however that saying goes. ;) Only nine days until we have our own home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are going to put the curtain Barbara Rose bought for our bedroom window for Christmas in the new living room windows. Rob & I have to have our bedroom dark, and these curtains are very thin and sheer. They will look great in the living room at the new house. But there is only one window now and we'll need another set, so last week I found the same curtain on clearance at Wally-world. YEAH! :) So I've got that. I'm going to wash my momma's lace kitchen curtains out and put them up once again in my kitchen and laundry room. I've missed those curtains in this house, so I'm excited to have them up again! So I will do that this weekend. We have to buy our new doorknobs and dead bolt locks so that when they unlock the house we can get that changed right away. It is a HUD house (for nine more days) and apparently all the realtors in the area have a key to that house. YIKES! So we also have to do that this weekend.
I've got to find someone who can help me understand about this homebuyer tax credit thing (if you're reading and can help me out, please comment or email me). I don't know if I'm supposed to wait for the changes to go through or just do it. Either way, I've got to get that done so I can complete Barbara's financial aid application before we start moving.
I was hoping to not have to pay March rent and be out of here by the end of February, but I realized for some really simple reasons that this was another of God's blessings to me. Our spring bulbs are coming up rapidly now. (Did I tell you this already? I forget!) I have daffodils, hyacinths & crocus all close to blooming- crazy I know- it's only February 16th!!! If we'd moved this month, I'd have missed it, but now I'll get to enjoy them one more time! Plus, I have planted a fair amount of perennials over the last couple summers here. By the time mid-March rolls around it will be getting fairly warm, and I can probably risk digging up and transplanting a few at the new house- well maybe. And, God blessed me again! Robert's youth pastor, Dai, is a landscaper and he has offered to move my two Mothers' Day trees to the new house for me! Every time I thought about leaving those two tiny trees my kids got for me, I almost cried, but with March being warmer, they'll be able to move and probably have a good chance of surviving it! It's funny, but even in the little things, sometimes God gives you the tiniest, seemingly insignificant things when He knows they are important (even if silly) to you. Thanks God!
Matthew is trying out for baseball. If you're reading, please pray for him about this. He tried last year, and came close to making it, but just not quite. He REALLY REALLY REALLY wants this. I'm praying he makes it. It would do so much for his self-esteem, his confidence, it would just make him so happy.
Today I had my friend and "old" coworker, Kristen, come visit me for lunch. She ate as my "lunch buddy" with our old students, T & B. It was nice!!! Then tonight I heard from an "old" friend, Tanise, which made my day even if it did make me homesick.
I'm so thankful to God for blessing Robert with another part time job that will pay pretty good and seems like it's going to be a great opportunity for him as he finishes his training. It will provide him with a good amount of $ to start saving for a car which he'll need to get an electrical job when school is done.
Barbara had a great 18th birthday. It hit me last night as I was saying goodnight that this is probably her last birthday while she is "living" at home. Sure, she might not live on campus and stay here, but she thinks and strongly wants to live away from home and on campus. Sure, she'll come home next year and eat with us and spend time with us, but then she'll leave to go back to her apartment, dorm room... This was it, the "last" of her childhood birthdays. It was so nice and a little bittersweet. I didn't dwell on it or blubber, but I let myself cry for a couple minutes, then hugged my baby girl and went on.
I'm about to crash for the night. I'm starting to get to the walking exhausted & half asleep point once again. I've been dizzy & nauseous again. I hate insomnia. I dread going to bed once again because I know in about 3 hours I'll be awake again and spend the rest of the night tossing, turning, half awake... Ugh! But I'm so tired, I've got to try. :)
Well, I told you it was pure random. Sorry about that. Night God. Night all!
so
very
tired!
So consider yourself warned. :) Randomness ahead. :)
Today we signed paperwork for our new homeowner's policy! :) :) :) :) :) And, I came home and set the cancellation date and paid up our renters insurance policy through that date. :) :) :) :) So, the countdown has begun, and we are getting our "ducks in a row" or however that saying goes. ;) Only nine days until we have our own home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are going to put the curtain Barbara Rose bought for our bedroom window for Christmas in the new living room windows. Rob & I have to have our bedroom dark, and these curtains are very thin and sheer. They will look great in the living room at the new house. But there is only one window now and we'll need another set, so last week I found the same curtain on clearance at Wally-world. YEAH! :) So I've got that. I'm going to wash my momma's lace kitchen curtains out and put them up once again in my kitchen and laundry room. I've missed those curtains in this house, so I'm excited to have them up again! So I will do that this weekend. We have to buy our new doorknobs and dead bolt locks so that when they unlock the house we can get that changed right away. It is a HUD house (for nine more days) and apparently all the realtors in the area have a key to that house. YIKES! So we also have to do that this weekend.
I've got to find someone who can help me understand about this homebuyer tax credit thing (if you're reading and can help me out, please comment or email me). I don't know if I'm supposed to wait for the changes to go through or just do it. Either way, I've got to get that done so I can complete Barbara's financial aid application before we start moving.
I was hoping to not have to pay March rent and be out of here by the end of February, but I realized for some really simple reasons that this was another of God's blessings to me. Our spring bulbs are coming up rapidly now. (Did I tell you this already? I forget!) I have daffodils, hyacinths & crocus all close to blooming- crazy I know- it's only February 16th!!! If we'd moved this month, I'd have missed it, but now I'll get to enjoy them one more time! Plus, I have planted a fair amount of perennials over the last couple summers here. By the time mid-March rolls around it will be getting fairly warm, and I can probably risk digging up and transplanting a few at the new house- well maybe. And, God blessed me again! Robert's youth pastor, Dai, is a landscaper and he has offered to move my two Mothers' Day trees to the new house for me! Every time I thought about leaving those two tiny trees my kids got for me, I almost cried, but with March being warmer, they'll be able to move and probably have a good chance of surviving it! It's funny, but even in the little things, sometimes God gives you the tiniest, seemingly insignificant things when He knows they are important (even if silly) to you. Thanks God!
Matthew is trying out for baseball. If you're reading, please pray for him about this. He tried last year, and came close to making it, but just not quite. He REALLY REALLY REALLY wants this. I'm praying he makes it. It would do so much for his self-esteem, his confidence, it would just make him so happy.
Today I had my friend and "old" coworker, Kristen, come visit me for lunch. She ate as my "lunch buddy" with our old students, T & B. It was nice!!! Then tonight I heard from an "old" friend, Tanise, which made my day even if it did make me homesick.
I'm so thankful to God for blessing Robert with another part time job that will pay pretty good and seems like it's going to be a great opportunity for him as he finishes his training. It will provide him with a good amount of $ to start saving for a car which he'll need to get an electrical job when school is done.
Barbara had a great 18th birthday. It hit me last night as I was saying goodnight that this is probably her last birthday while she is "living" at home. Sure, she might not live on campus and stay here, but she thinks and strongly wants to live away from home and on campus. Sure, she'll come home next year and eat with us and spend time with us, but then she'll leave to go back to her apartment, dorm room... This was it, the "last" of her childhood birthdays. It was so nice and a little bittersweet. I didn't dwell on it or blubber, but I let myself cry for a couple minutes, then hugged my baby girl and went on.
I'm about to crash for the night. I'm starting to get to the walking exhausted & half asleep point once again. I've been dizzy & nauseous again. I hate insomnia. I dread going to bed once again because I know in about 3 hours I'll be awake again and spend the rest of the night tossing, turning, half awake... Ugh! But I'm so tired, I've got to try. :)
Well, I told you it was pure random. Sorry about that. Night God. Night all!
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