It's been over a year since I last posted something, wow...But since then I have faced many of my personal fears, 2 of which were: Running in the 10K Homer Spit Race this past summer, continuing my exercise programs to stay healthy & NOT grow old or be sick, & relearning to swim *still in process. As well as tackling the dreaded OFFICE disorganization & mess with many of my projects that have somehow become stumbling blocks due to my own procrastination and taking on too many things all at once. My new years resolution LAST year was: to get ORGANIZED! hm...let me see...I see huge progress in my office but its not completed yet. I've moved things OUT of my working areas for scrapbooking, crafting, painting/artwork so now when I want to do a project I have the space to sit down and do it, but FORCE myself to put everything back where it belongs after so there are no more NEW piles of things to 'put away later'. I still have several LARGE piles & boxes I've strategicly place in the doorway and entrance to my living room area so it FACES me daily and creates a 'in your face, take care of soon before I drive you crazy' feeling. So far I've dwindled the piles down...one at a time (& yet there are still more to go through & organize). Through out this process I found projects I started & ment to finish, but didn't find the time. Now I have a section of 'projects to do' & have set a goal to complete them all by the end of next year..one project a month. As for the rest of the house,..ITS SMALL...so de-junking is a never ending process as my children and myself included seem to bring in more than there is room for. I've visited the local Salvation Army to donate many bags of usable items over the mast few months which feels really good. The trick is to not continue to let my 'stuff or things' get out of control over the space i have to use it & keep it in.My walking buddy Pat Evarts & I often talk about how to gain controll over our lives and help encourage one another to better managing our time & our talents. We both are so busy, but it helps when we remind each other...
..."just take it one pile at a time, one project at a time".
SO........as I face the up coming holiday seasons with many changes happening in my house hold I am determined to do it with OUT panic or becoming overwhelmed with too many projects I can not accomplish.I started with this process with a cute little notebook where i'm writting down all my ideas & projects to keep them straight with supplies/ ingredients/how many need to be made & time frames to get them done in. I don't like my own handwriting so this isn't easy for me as I cringe at the imperfect look of my scribbling, but I'm trying to follow through with a lifetime of advice to WRITE IT DOWN and check it as I go to stay on top of things.
The changes happening the Jones family household is as follows:
Our oldest daughter Jessica, who has been nannying for a family down the street (3 adorable native children: Jack age 19 months, Ava age 3 & Kyra age 4) will be moving with the Levit family(Jody & Barry) down to Whidbey Island, Washington at the end of the month. They will drive down the Alcan highway, catch a Ferry in Bremerton and continue down to their new home. Jessica signed a contract till Spring so she's going with them. I will miss her terribly!!! She is over at the house with and with out the kids at least 2-4 times a week and it will seem so quiet with out her around. I love her energetic attitude, which is always so very contagious & even when she's down we all rally around her and HANG OUT as Jones & get lifted just being together, even if its nothing other than us all reading books snuggled on the couch together. The other big change happening is Krystal my next daughter is moving down to Salem, Oregon to live with Rob's sister Sharla & Marty Havran to find a job, work/save & have a different life experience before she turns 21 in April and goes on her mission. Jessica & her have both talked about submitting papers in the spring (although Jess isn't committed yet, as continuing at B.Y.U. is still in her future plans but everything depends on the earned funds to pay for it). BOTH Jessica & Krystal have paid out of pocket for the education they've achieved so far and will being heading into their next faze of life OUT of DEBT!
PLUS....Rob & I will be going to Hawaii for 2 weeks just after both of them leave. We've been planing this trip for 2 years now and are really excited to go. The other trips to Hawaii we've gone on have only been for 7-10days...this time we'll be gone for 2 full weeks! My only concern is leaving Wendy (who is 18 & recently graduated from Highschool, but actively involved in FFA as a state officer *which includes a fair amount of traveling) & Brittany (who is 16, a junior in highschool & gets bored so easily).Two weeks is a long time to be away, especially after the older sisters have left. For the holidays Krystal will remain with Sharla & Hav, & Jessica will try to get over to join them there in Salem, Oregon, so Christmas will be celebrated with only 2 of our 5 children at home....how strange & so very different. I've already been planing the special care packages I'll send to each, but that wont take the place of them not being WITH us during the traditional celebrations.
Change is good, it's apart of life...I don't want to remain stagnant...but its never easy and this time I'm feeling it inside...a slow ache of missing my kids even before they've gone. THANK GOODNESS for modern technology so we can Webcam and visit/chat online so we can keep in touch and reconnect. Family is everything and I love mine with all my heart!
