Friday Quick 5

1. For the past week and a half, my children have been rising before 6:00am, either one or both of them, every day.  The clincher of it is that I've been trying very hard to rise early to do homework, housework, quiet time, something, while the house is quiet and the kids are down so that I have more time to do things.  What doesn't get done in the morning, the theory goes, can be done during naptime.  OR, maybe a nap?  Hasn't happened yet.  This morning as Nick brought both kids out of their bedroom just before 5:30, he looked at me and said, "What happened?"  Meaning, "Why on earth are these kids getting up so early these days?"  The answer: we are getting up early these days.

2.  I haven't been a fan of my household notebook I worked so hard on.  Yeah, it's a bummer.  It hasn't helped at all.  It hasn't helped, either, that my homework for TUMI seriously cuts into my housework time, and vice versa, depending on which I decide I'm going to concentrate.  When I try to do both, I inevitably get very behind in both.  The routines I've tried to create and the notebook just haven't been panning out.  I found a new method on the internet this morning, which I  may try to convert to, at least for the notebook.  It's a little more free-form, and I think that would work for me.  You can check it out here.  (Plus, it's so pretty!  I'm not the flowery-cottagey type when it comes to stationary, but I think with a switch in paper, it could definitely work for me.)  Or, as portability has been an issue, I've also considered downloading a housekeeping app for the phone.  I carry my phone around the house with me, anyways, why not a 2-For?  The one that sounds the most like what I want is something like $7, though.  Hmmm, don't think I can bring myself to it.

3.  Have been thinking a lot about the power of words, lately, and the admonition to control our tongues (James 3).  Just as what comes from the mouth of man reveals his heart, (Matthew 15:18), I'm finding that an appropriate lens through which we judge what we say is what we should think about: whatever is noble, honorable, lovely, excellent, worthy, commendable, etc.  (Phil 4:8).  If it's not any of those things, if it doesn't build someone up, does it really need to be said?  A situation that came up in the past week got me to thinking about this, and I'm thinking that what was said by two different parties just didn't need to be said.  Neither comment was directly hurtful or intentionally disrespectful, but neither were they respectful or worthy or honorable or edifying.  It's so much easier to say what should be done, though, than to do it.  James isn't kidding about the tongue; it is a fire, able to start conflagrations.  (Don't worry, no conflagration was started; I doubt anyone thought much of this situation other than me.)

4.  Four weeks to d-day.  Also, incidentally, four weeks to my birthday.  Yeah, we all know which event will get more attention.  That's ok.  I don't have to see him to know he'll also be the cuter one.

5.  Tonight is date night.  The plans?  Dinner out and shopping for a new washer and dryer.  Yep, we really know how to live it up.  The kids are spending the night with my folks so it's not a shock to their system to stay away from home when Levi and I are in the hospital.  I wonder if I'll be able to actually sleep in tomorrow, or if I'll wake up automatically at 5:30.  Or if I'll be remotely more productive without a little guy trying to pull all the books off the bookshelves or pulling out chairs so he can climb on top of the dining room.  It will likely be our last one for awhile.  But I do know I'll miss Eliza coming and laying her head on my shoulder (like she just did).  Such a sweet girl. :)