God's blessings

A few weeks ago, my husband would have told you that I was a flaming shrew. The combination of a currently high stress job, being back in college with actual homework, gymnastics, youth group and my own two children who struggle with homework, my own bible study/mentor meetings and I was ready to tear my hair out. It was only going to take one small thing to send me over the edge...

.....it was a poorly painted wall that did it. Frantic to finish the back room, I demoted my husband from painter and took over. For some reason, in all the painting we've done in the last few years, we still do not have a stepladder. So here I was, standing on a very unstable and rickety stool trying to paint near the ceiling. This, after a few early birthday drinks with some friends (and btw Mark, thanks for that shot of liquid cocaine....nasty), does not a good combination make. My lovely husband is quite protective of me and did not want me on the stool. I was not, of course, listening to reason and it lead to an argument. About how I absolutely HAD to finish painting because it was the one thing I could control. Jimmy said.....wait for it.....that I sounded just like my mother. Now that's something no woman wants to hear. And it certainly did nothing to improve my frantic mood.

Later that night though, that little comment gave me much food for thought. And my comment leading up to that was a definite eye opener. Who was I to think that I could control anything??? It was apparent that I was trying to do this all on my own. Silly Meghan. You would have thought that I would have learned this lesson by now. Over and over again I try to assert my dominance over my own situation, my own destiny. And over and over again, God gently reminds me that He has the reins. You would think that since I'm a reasonably smart woman, I'd have caught on by now. Properly chastened, I bowed my head in obedience to the only One who can carry me through anything.

Let me just tell you how He has blessed me since then. We had a blizzard. I might have been one of the few people that found that to be a blessing but it was, in a huge way. My class was canceled on Tuesday night and she gave us no homework for the week so that freed my week up. Then, my hubby & I got a snow day from work on Wednesday due to the weather conditions. A full day to chill with no homework to do?!?! Yes please! I was able to catch up on laundry and read whatever I wanted to read to my little hearts content. It has been a very relaxed week and I am very thankful to God for it. I know Jimmy is certainly thankful that his wife is no longer a psycho termagant.

Next week, it's back to the grind but I will be going back to it with a renewed heart and spirit. I know that with God, all things are possible. Even facing down the 5th graders homework on prime factorization in both expanded and exponential notations.

What to do on a Friday night........

when you have kids and just had to spring for a rear brake job on the fam-mobile?

Well some people might make a nice big dinner and then play games like Monopoly or Sorry with their family.

Others might curl up with a good book.

Our family....well we clean on Friday nights. And do dishes, laundry, and whatever other chores might have been left undone during our busy week. And then I make a homemade pizza, toss it in the oven while surfing the net and the hubs scratches away at his vinyl. As the one glass of Moscato turns into two or three, we might even dance to Madonna's La Isla Bonita or Deee-Lite's Groove is in the Heart while the rugrats giggle at what dorks their parents are. Ahhh the joys of family living.....

There and back again.....not a Hobbit's tale

As if I didn't have enough on my plate....I spent my last few days contemplating bringing my blogging back up to speed. Since I am back in college now...and I am in a writing class, what better way to practice right? Only on my blog, I can write about whatever I want, in any fashion I choose and in any length that I want. So there! I assert my ability to control at least one form of writing in my life. Heaven only knows "the man" is controlling the rest at the moment.

So what to blog about? How about the fact that I'm miserably sick and wishing to take another day off work tomorrow but won't because I swear I have some inherited-Catholic-guilt thing going on? Or maybe about my partially made meatloaf loafing about on the counter waiting for the eggs that my shopping-challenged husband is out to procure? Or possibly about the homework that I'm procrastinating on? Even better, how about the fact that we are going to have a joyous weekend bonding with an angsty teen who just can't understand why everyone is mad at her for failing her freshman year in high school?

......on second thought, maybe I'll just go back to the couch and my newest book instead.

Absence.....

Wow, I've been gone for a very long time. A slacker, that's what I am! I've always thought that my life started speeding by once I had kids and now I'm convinced that it goes by even faster, the older they get. The summer is already more than halfway over and it hasn't even felt like summer at all. Gotta love Michigan weather. That being said, I'm definitely ready for the advent of actual autumn. I'm ready for football, fires, manicotti and our annual trip to Traverse City. I'm also ready for school to start. Ani and I were window shopping for school stuff today while we were waiting for her prescription to be filled and we are both looking forward to school shopping this year.

I really need to make an effort to keep up on this blog...and on my book reviews. Really. I'm going to :)

What my name says about me

Thanks to Diane for this interesting link: http://www.kabalarians.com/index.cfm
I also do not believe in kabala but this is pretty interesting. I'd be curious to see how they came up with it.

· Your first name of Meghan has given you a responsible, expressive, inspirational, and friendly personality.
· Expression comes naturally to you and you are rarely at a loss for words; in fact, you have to put forth effort at times to curb an over-active tongue.
· Self-confidence has made it easy for you to meet people and you are well-liked for your spontaneous, happy ways.
· You sincerely like people and do not often experience loneliness; your work and home-life are likely filled with association You enjoy music and could have a fine singing voice; however, the study could be somewhat difficult because you do not find it easy to apply yourself to concentrated study for long periods.
· In this respect, this name is not altogether constructive; it creates a somewhat scattering influence which makes it difficult for you to finish what you start.
· This name brings disappointments and emotional involvements through being too sympathetic and easily influenced.
· As a result of your active nature, you have an appetite for quick-energy foods, which you could consume to excess.
· Health weakness appear as skin conditions, or as ailments relative to the liver.

I would definitely concur with having a problem curbing my overactive tongue as well not often finishing what I start. Yep, in general, this pretty much describes me.

Weekly Wrap-Up

WEEKLY WRAP-UP

10/06/08-10/12/08

Weather: Mostly perfect fall weather with a weekend that was like an Indian Summer, in the middle 70's and sunny.

Sunday sermon: Pastor Kyle did an amazing job as usual, discussing how we move forward in our walk of faith. He described the process as starting with getting to know Christ, then accepting him and so on, until you become completely Christ-centered.

Life lessons: That life is short and it throws us curveballs but if we rely on God, everything will be ok.

Favorite meal(s): Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn & rolls

Treasured moments: My kiddos "taking care of me", a quiet weekend at home with my family.

Talked with: My parents, my friends & my Uncle

Things I read: Finished Doesn't She Look Natural? and started The Thirteenth Tale

Things we watched: Harry Potter, Bones, a few Gangland episodes, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and football

Places we went: ER, doctor's offices, more hospitals, grocery shopping, Detroit and church

Blessings: I've been blessed with good friends and a wonderful family

Challenges: Not stressing things that I have no control over

Family happenings: A diagnosis of Chiari Malformation for me Tuesday night in the ER which was followed by doctor visits and an MRI.

A night in the ER

I spent Tuesday night in ER which was definitely not fun. I was given a CT scan and new diagnosis that I was not expecting. Instead of blogging here with that drama, I've created a new blog for it.

http://megscmipage.blogspot.com/