Welcome, Fall. Hello, y'all!

It's a dream job, really.

Let me back up ... in my last post, I implied that all kinds of things were changing this fall - three in school, me with potential employment.

I applied to be the church secretary. It seemed like a natural fit; my strengths, hours during which the kids would be in school ... a church I love.

Alas, it was not meant to be.

The former librarian at the church became the new secretary. And after a bit of moping and huffing, I got over it (truly, she's a wonderful lady and doing a fabulous job!!) and found my obvious calling:

Church Librarian.

You can go ahead and picture me with the glasses in front of a stained glass window, a la Dana Carvey.  It's not too far off, although my glasses aren't pointy and I'm rarely in polyester. Oh, and I don't give folks a hard time. Well, mostly.

Anyway, it's not a paid gig, but it's a dream job nonetheless. I am tasked with single-handedly revitalizing the church library - top to bottom, from the contents of the collection to the categorization and display. Are you smiling and nodding? Can you sense how geeked out I am over this?

Isn't that SPECIAL?

Fall-y Fall Fall

And so it begins ...

Happy Almost-Fall, everyone (I know, according to the calendar, we have quite a while till it's official... but this Mamma has all the lunch box and school supplies purchased; therefore = fall.

Just an update on the Maize household for those of you DYING to know what's going on (ha).

1. Ezra goes to "big school" this year - Kindergarten. When people ask if he's "excited to go to school," he answers yes ... his eyes twinkling about all the playground time he'll be getting. Who knows what he thinks about the rest of it ... what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in that classroom! My little man! He's been into legos and dirt this summer, as a good boy should.

2. Audrey goes back to public school this year (after a brief hiatus of cyberschool last spring), 2nd grade. She's terribly excited at the prospect, as she has always loved school. She also gained a mouth full of metal this month by way of braces and an expander. She's finally adept at navigating non-noodle-based foods and pronouncing "th" words :) Progress.

3. Ian, the retired Navy pilot, brain cancer survivor and "stroke" survivor, has decided to mix it up in earnest. This Saturday he and Audrey will run a 5K race here in town. Go ahead, take a deep breath and read that again. We were here, and now ... we're not. Praise God.

Also in the interest of constructing an elaborate Maize Maze, Ian has been accepted to Trinity School for Ministry (aka: seminary) and will begin full-time course work in the fall. Where his Master of Divinity will lead, only God knows; what we DO know is He has been directing Ian on this path for quite some time ... it just took a few brain surgeries to bring him around to obedience ;) His call-sign is "Rev;" soon that wil be more than a military nickname.

4. Rachel: well, keeping up with the rest of the family has been some work :) I have a few other projects "in the hopper," as it were, including MOPS, various other church committees, and potential employment ... but we'll save all that for a different post!

As always, God has blessed us in amazing ways, and continues to show His patience and mercy when we crash and burn. I am humbled by His provision and this seemingly Fresh Start; I pray He blesses you in a similar way this year.

fun fact

America has 3.1% of the world’s children but buys 40% of the world’s toys.


hmm.

Sup?

My grandmother and grandfather asked me on Sunday, genuinely interested:

"What have you been doing lately?"

I sat in awkward silence, my mind a blank.

What HAVE I been doing? and what does it mean that I can't bring any of it to mind?

1. I've been making t-shirts into bags, and linen clothes into dish cloths. Because I can.
2. I've been encouraging Audrey to put the finishing touches on her 1st grade cyber-school work.
3. I've attended meetings (church, mostly) and end-of-the year gatherings.
4. I've been nearly-full-time referee for the kids. (is it fall again yet?)
5. One weekend in May I broke my own record for number of scrapbook pages completed in 3 days (my family vacated, I rose early and stayed up late. Had Ramen for dinner. And it was good.)
6. I'm preparing to lead a 10-week Bible study this summer.
7. I edit, when the work comes bopping into my computer.
8. I make detailed shopping lists for Ian (pictures, categories, etc) and revel in his enjoyment of shopping.
9. I've cheered on Audrey, aka "Bruiser" and her rag-tag Lady Bobcats on the softball field (and washed the uniform).
10. I've shouted at Ezra (aka Pigpen?) to stop making dirt-angels in the infield at Tball (and given up on THAT uniform).
11. and worked the concession stand.
12. and gone to family camp
13. and welcomed the new neighbors
14. and read a few books, paper, kindle and audio
15. laundry, dishes, litterbox, vacuuming ... whenever the mood strikes ;)
16. isn't that enough?


Anyway, still here, still adventuring through life. I write the blog posts in my head but they never seem to flow from these fingers. Perhaps soon ...

So until then, I leave you with a few fun pics:

Ezra. Done with Preschool.

Ian. Zipline. Yup.

Audrey. Jock.

Rachel: patiently trying to repair Boggle. Not.

Fun Fact

An octopus will eat its own arms if it gets really hungry.

Fun Fact

Rats can swim for a half mile without resting, and they can tread water for three days straight.


Two rats can become the progenitors of fifteen thousand rats in less than a year.

Fun Fact

Kittens can clock an amazing thirty-one miles per hour at full speed and can cover about three times their body length per leap.