Friday Wrap-up

• In my life this week…

On Sunday, last, my mother-in-love of going-on 35 years died suddenly of a pulminary embolism. We spent Monday preparing to travel, Tuesday traveling to the state where she had lived, Wednesday going through her things (to help my father-in-law), Wednesday night was the memorial, Thursday traveling home from her state, and today regrouping from the events of this week. Nana, we'll always love you, and we miss you dearly!

• In our homeschool this week…

We thought this was week 1 of 2014's school year, but God showed us this was one more week added to our winter break. School starts on Monday.

• Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Don't kick against the goads. When God shows you real-life examples where He is saying,  "My plans are not your plans," believe Him and don't fight it. He is in charge.

• Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

This week we went to Charlotte, North Carolina. Of Jerry and Seline Malament's three sons and their wives, all three were present, as were their adopted son, the Father (Father Tom), and their other son that they welcomed into the family with open arms in 1969, Gene Taylor. Of the eight grandchildren, seven were present. My oldest was not able to make the trip from Denver. They also have three great-grandchildren (one of which is in utero), who live in NC. It was good to meet the spouse of my niece, and see all the family, but someone was missing. Nana would have loved it if we could have pulled off such a reunion while she was still living. I can only hope she was smiling down on us and able to say her own good-byes in some spiritual way, until we can meet her where she waits for us in the arms of Jesus.

• My kiddos favorite thing this week was…

finding slate at a rocky mountainside when we stopped to get gas.

• Things I’m working on…

On Sunday, my priorities changed overnight. My MIL left me so much in the way of crafting supplies and quilting supplies, my sudden, immediate priority is to ruthlessly declutter my space to make room for the things she left me that her husband wants to get cleared out of the house. He's going to hold onto a bunch of it while I work on my end, but I need to be ready for it to come here by summer. I have not got the space that I should have because a daughter married in September, moved into a small apartment, and asked me to please store her stuff (that she should have taken with her) until they can get a bigger place. We're talking twin daybed, desk, two book shelves, lots of books, a sewing machine table and machine, a serger, a surf board... You get the idea. These are in the room I had thought I could transition into a craft room. It has become a storage room, and now I need the space but don't have it. ::sigh:: The only answer for now is to massively declutter other stuff, stuff that I wanted to declutter gradually over the next five years... books I thought I wanted to read, pieces of furniture (I don't need three coffee tables, so why am I keeping one in the attic?), old home school materials and portfolios. So, that's what I am working on.

• I’m cooking…

In my dinner plans this weekend: enchiladas, and stuffed shells. New year's menu plan will be posted Monday.

• I’m grateful for… 

My mother-in-law's efforts to tell people in advance what would go to whom, even though she didn't realize death would come so quickly.

• I’m praying for…

All of the hearts of those of us who have lost our Nana, the glue of our family. Also praying for some other folks who lost loved ones this week, who are Facebook friends of mine. Praying for my friends at church who are battling illness, relatives recovering from injury.

• A  quote to share …

I don't remember this exactly, but my nephew was quoting his uncle I never met, who died suddenly in a farm accident in the 1980's: "Life is long, and suddenly you blink, and it is over." Don't waste your life. Hug your loved ones and tell them that you love them. Repeat.