Will I ever just have quiet?

It's been a really busy month. A lot of emotions, a lot of major life changes. All good, but all big. So. Strap in, hang on, and away we go...

* We had to get rid of the dog. He was a lovely boy, but just too much for this overworked mama to handle. He was bored, lonely, and to be honest getting a bit fat. So we sent him to live on a farm, where he now most likely annoys the living daylights out of the other two dogs all day long. And eats like he's employed. God love his furry little hyperactive heart.

* We've begun doing occupational and speech therapy for C - everything is cool, but she just needs a bit of extra help to be ready for school next year. Which ends up being in the category of 'more stuff for mummy to do'.

* P is due to see the paediatric allergist, in the hopes that we can 'fix' her dust allergy before it gets worse. She wakes up most nights scratching, and draws blood on a regular basis. Bandaging and sedative antihistamine is no way for a 3-year old to live, and I don't know what else to do. We've tried countless 'miracle' creams, potions, lotions, treatments, and she's suffering. So before summer comes, and with it an exploding dust mite population, we'll consult with the 'experts', and see what they have to say.

* My husband's parents are in the process of moving in. It's a huge life change for them, and for us. We're all very busy learning about boundaries, and how to establish a routine that works for everyone.

* Though everything is relatively fine in this pregnancy, I must admit that I'm not physically tolerating it well. By midday, I've got throbbing pain where no pain should ever throb, and I end up sitting on an ice pack while doing dinner prep.

* I need to wean the baby off her dummy/pacifier. Mostly because I hate getting up four times a night to give it back to her when she can't find it.

*I have to admit, I'm panicking a bit about stewardship as it relates to my household budget. I could not have done a better job this last payday in organising things and planning, and yet I worry that I should have done a better job at managing my resources. I'm always looking for more ways to cut the fat out of an already lean budget. Though by a lot of standards, it's not really all that lean. We enjoy a lot of luxuries that many folks can't afford. I've made a list of 'additional' expenses for the rest of the year (things that don't relate to the daily operation of our household), and will assign estimates, priorities, and 'final purchase' deadlines to each item to help me take it one thing at a time. Because when I look at the entire list, I start to hyperventilate.

* Little C has been extraordinarily grown up lately. Throwing out pleases and thank yous all over the place, speaking to me graciously, keeping her temper in check, not arguing with me over every single thing, generally being very pleasant to me. She was like this all along with everyone else, but I was not reaping the benefits of my hard work in mothering. I'll leave it there. Now though, we are able to relate on a much different plane. And I am so thankful. Because the thought of tears, drama, and arguments amid the chaos of an expanding household was more than I could bear. So thank you Jesus for changing her heart. And mine, of course!

* It's 6:49 am, and I'd better go wake up my husband, so he's not too rushed this morning going to work. :-) And the baby wants her breakfast. Five minutes ago, by the sound of it. :-)

Love and Blessings to you all,
Sarah