A Big Thing

Every so often I take it upon myself to prove my mental instability by painting something.

Sherwin Williams sends out these emails that go something like this:
"Paint and all paint supplies are 40% for the next three days.  Sell us your soul.  Painting is easy and extremely fun.  Zero hard work and you will love every minute of it.  Hurry in and make the best decision of your life."
Or something like that.

Remember the Great Paint Project?  Check here: GPP Eve and GPP1 and GPP2 and GPP3

Summary:  I don't do well with change or lack of order.  At all.

I wanted to paint the trim in the playroom.  This wood stuff:

I thought it would be no big deal - like a one night and done thing.  Fun little project after the kids were in bed.  This is how Sherwin's ad brainwashes you.  So I didn't clean up the toys, check the calendar, alert Ryan....nope, just dug right in.

While I was taping, I realized this project should include the desk, doors, trim in the entry, all that too.

That right there is the moment this became The Stupidest Idea I Have Ever Had In My Entire Life.  Especially because this is a busy busy busy week with the other stuff of life, and I'm hosting a baby shower here this weekend.

deep dispair.
lots of swearing.
hopeless, endless painting
tears

But People, listen up:  This is why I preach community.  A few days before, I ran into Brittany - we grew up together a few houses apart.  She mentioned living there for a little while, looking for work and HELPING OUT WITH HER MOM'S PAINTING BUSINESS.

So I called her.  She showed up a couple of hours later and rescued me from the pit.

She brought her mad painting skills.  And bigger than that, she brought her kind way, her stories from when we were little, her patient suggestions, and her presence.

I wasn't happy when I took this picture.  I was freaking.  But I was at least breathing and moving and working and feeling a teeny bit kind.  

I do fancy things like organize conventions, produce worship services, mama my kids, and all that.  A paint project should not be a big thing, but it always turns into A Big Thing with me.  The changing and the not knowing if this will work and the things out of place everywhere stretch me to my limit.  I realize that in the scope of both big and little things going on all round us, its nothing.  Nothing. But when I'm in it, its really something for me.

But ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh we. made. it. through.  And this morning, I am one happy girl.  

Ok.

Remember this picture...

Now look!...

So there life went and once again brought to the light my new mantra:

"All things are inventions of holiness - some more rascally than others."  (Mary Oliver)

Indeed.

come on in

Oh my goodness, its really really here.  Thank you, Fall, for showing up.  Just when we needed our days to be shorter, our tempers to be longer, our breath to be deeper, and our hoodies to be zippered!

We let Fall in this weekend with rugby, fires, and sleep.

Ryan's playing on a Wichita club team, and wow they mean business.  I don't understand the game at all, but here's what I do know: Big guys run and run and don't stop, and they often tear each other down to the ground, and no one wears helmets or pads, and sometimes they yell words like "scrum, bind, engage," and there's a big ball that kind of looks like a football, and they wear short shorts, and LOOK AT THEIR SOCKS!  Seeing Ryan in those made the club fees and evenings he's gone totally worth it.  Hi.lar.ious.

Look at that big guy on the left.  Please, Goliath, don't break my husband.

We didn't camp at the Winfield bluegrass festival this year, and good friends - knowing I would be gloomy about missing out - called and suggested an UnWinfield Hotdog Roast.

If you listen closely enough, I think you could truly hear things slowing around here.
I don't just love this season, I love the changing that happens in these few weeks.
Fall, you are good good good to us.

gone

I'm on our community library board.  (See previous ramblings about that here.)

I love the library, but it has been taking me away from home for way too many meetings this last month.  We are trying to hire a new director, so I get to play Grown-Up when I call their references and interview them.  Its all very surreal and fun and strange.  

I looked through the camera today and found what happens when I'm gone and why everyone loves it so much...

1.  They skip picking up the toys or wearing pants (you can't see, but Sage is pantsless), and watch rugby!

2.  Eva gets to use my fancy camera while Dad and the littles are distracted...

Actually, its interesting to me to see what was important enough to the Chachi Band to be photographed...

Mom being gone must also mean 

3.  They eat chocolate.

I think Eva likes her life and her home.  Me too.