From Chaos to Order

There's been some "heaviness" on my heart lately.  Some of it will be a matter of processing and just letting God do His work over time.  But, some of it, has been able to "fixed" this week.

I'm definitely a person influenced by my surroundings, and let's face it - they've kind of been filled with chaos lately.  And, a lot of that is now a done deal.

Christmas Decor put away:  Check!

Some new items added to "warm up January":  Check!

Bills paid:  Check!

Laundry caught up: Check!  (Well, for this moment...you know that lasts only like five minutes)

Next year's Sunriver Vacation reserved:  Check!  (This was a big bummer when we realized last Sunday that our previous rented home was already reserved by someone else during our stay time.  Seriously!  Lost it by a couple of days.....and so began the search for a home to fit all of our many, many (increasing over the years) specific desires to accommodate our group perfectly.  I think we nailed it!)

So, things have kind of turned around for my attitude.  Thank you Lord.  The day it all changed happened after a particularly sad and restless night that involved tears.  And, then, I got a phone call from a friend who was also in tears, asking if my Seasonal Affective Disorder was worse than usual this year.  UH, YEAH!!!!  Sometimes, all it takes to improve is to realize how not alone you really are in how you feel.

Which, leads me back again to my Thursday Night Life Group.  Oh my, what a remarkable group of women that group is - I'm just so honored to be a part of them, to experience life with them, and to literally hold hands through the burdens and highlights this life here on Earth has to offer.   (Pictures taken with Christi's baby Elsie - first with Darcy and then Brayden)

And, of course, it's been a good time with Whitley - hitting the play areas at the mall where she always makes a new friend or two, learning how to color, working on her shopping skills (two thumbs up for her enthusiasm at Real Deals, two thumbs down for her displeasure at shopping at the Woodburn Outlets), , and just her general cuteness!

Finally, really trying to work on that "heavy" that has more to do with the scales than my heart.  (Which does affect the heart-burden too....definitely an attitude influencer...).  The walks have been good and frequent, but we've been socked in fog for the last five days that doesn't rise our temps above the mid-30's - and that makes for a very chilly Whitley, especially when she has a habit of taking her shoes and socks off mid-walk (much less immediately shedding any blankets). 

So, we got the new Wii U version of Wii Fit (a Christmas gift delayed because of its release date) and I'm excited to give it a full whirl today.  Whitley kind of impeded my full progress of exploring the "activities" yesterday!

The "Just Keep Swimming" mantra is working...getting more towards a successful crawl stroke every day!