ramble
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Overwhelmed!
OVERWHELMED!
Have you ever felt that way?
It’s not the same as unhappy, angry, tired or even frustrated.
You can be overwhelmed and still be so blessed you’d never trade places with anyone…ever.
My life is busy. It’s busy for most of us. When I had four very little children, I was overwhelmed with all their needs. Nothing made me happier than being their mother, but it’s a lot of work with very little respite.
As the kiddos grow, my role in their lives has changed. I’ve taken on new challenges and life is no less busy. Where once I filled sippy cups and wiped up sticky fingerprints, now I drive to and from classes, cheer through numerous sporting events, arrange activities for the Senior All-night Party, homeschool and help with homework. And then there’s my writing. And my husband. And that cat who keeps vomiting as soon as anyone lets her in the house.
All great things. Well…maybe not the part about the cat.
I’m sure you know that feeling. It creeps up from your toes, squeezing you until you can’t take a deep breath. Finally, you hit the point where standing in the field and screaming while it’s pouring down rain seems like a logical solution.
And while this may help for a moment, once you’re back in the house and dried off you’re still in the same situation.
Years ago a friend gave me some advice that really helped. She suggested writing down my top three priorities.
Okay, that’s not so hard, right?
Here’s the tricky part, the part I seem to let slide.
Never (or very rarely) say yes to anything that doesn’t positively relate to one of those priorities.
That means saying no. It sounds so easy, but when some sweet lady is asking you to do something that seems like a good thing, it’s so very hard to muster those two letters. N.O.
There are many wonderful things we can do with our time, but if we continue to divide our days, the pieces become too small to make a difference.
What do you think?
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Another Nelson Improvision
I hesitated to post this story. After reading, “How We Became Redneck Ranchers,” you may already wonder about our crazy lifestyle. You may even picture my home as held together with a combination of duct tape, wire and spit. It’s not really so. Well, not everywhere.
We’ve been having some issues with the dryer. When the weather is cold, the thing won’t start. It tries, but like a car that’s not quite getting enough gas, it doesn’t turn over.
Funny thing, this only happens when it’s cold. So, being the brilliant folks we are, we put a space heater near the dryer and warmed the area so we could make it start.
This was supposed to be temporary. But in our busy lives, temporary can ride very close to permanent.
After months of this “temporary solution,” our friend Brian came over to help my husband rewire the outlet. How disappointing to find it wasn’t the wiring. Turns out, something in the panel (looks too much like a computer for my liking) is the elusive piece that isn’t quite making connection.
The guys discovered that a blast from a hairdryer was just the thing to fix the problem.
So that brings me to their solution:
This is what you’ll find in my porch, a clothes dryer with a hair dryer attached to the back. I have to turn on the blow dryer a few minutes, then start the clothes dryer.
Silly, but it works, and it didn’t cost a fortune.
Maybe it’s tacky, but doesn’t frugal have a better ring?
I’m just glad we don’t live in town!
So, tell me the truth. Do you have any odd fixes in your house?
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Red AND Green Curry
It’s a birthday tradition in our house that the special person chooses the meal. My kiddos have eclectic tastes. Choices range from exotic to simply potato soup. Last week my oldest daughter had a special birthday. She transitioned to official teen, something she’s waited for since about age three. Her dinner choice was not one, but two kinds of chicken curry.
I don’t use a recipe, something I picked up from my grandma, but this is the mixture my family is happy with. And it’s simple!
A couple pounds of chicken breast, cubed
One large sweet onion cut in about 16ths
The bell peppers (I like one red and two green) cut into one inch sections
One can of coconut milk
Red or Green curry paste
Olive Oil
Heat the oil in a pan then add the veggies. Cook until the onions start to look translucent. Remove the veggies and add the chicken. Brown well. Add the veggies back in and add the curry paste. Cook for a couple minutes then add the coconut milk. Simmer at least ten minutes. Make sure that chicken is cooked!
Serve with rice.
Yummy!
What would you choose for your birthday dinner?
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More than a Picture
2012 OSAA 4A State Soccer Championship Sometimes a picture is just special. The one above was shot by an OSAA employee with her camera phone. The quality is not great. I can’t blow it up for you to see the detail better. But the content tells a story I will treasure for years.
When I look at this photo I see my son embracing me after winning the state soccer championships. This day will forever be a treasured memory for him and for me. It will stand as one of those moments where joy overflowed and hard work paid off.
I can see my husband running toward us, his arm a blur as he rushes to share in the excitement.
Along one edge of the scene, two other soccer moms stand with their arms around each other watching the final moments of years of soccer. It’s bitter-sweet. We’ve stood in the rain, cold and wind for years to cheer on our sons in a sport they dearly love. On the night this picture was taken, we knew, win or lose, this was the final game. Twelve of these boys are seniors. Next year they will scatter to colleges all over the map. They’ll spend their fall adjusting to a new world. There will be no daily doubles, or season openers, or state rankings. But something new and wonderful awaits them.
In this picture I see the coach who has inspired and loved my son for four years. He’s a special man with the ability to not only coach a team with a very short bench on to the title of champions, but also the gift of being able to connect with these boys and bring out the best in them.
Somewhere in that mob I’m sure the coach’s wife is hugging someone. She’s been a dear part of our lives since she taught our second son’s preschool class. Even to this day we refer to her as Teacher Jen. She is a huge support to her husband, a constant cheerleader for the team and a great companion in the stands. Thanks, Jen!
And in this picture I see a group of boys who genuinely care about each other. When I prayed that Ryan would find a good group of friends, I never dreamed this big! What a blessing each of these guys has been.
So, amongst the professional shots and high quality photos, this one will always be a favorite, because it tells a story.
I’ll leave you with a few other pictures from the season.
