Hot Weather, Hard Work

Well, Summer's here, huh? We had such a mild summer, and it was needed. I can handle this... or so I thought.

We're planning the next couple of moves, and we've been home and plan on staying home until the end of September. With the exception of visiting some family in the South for Labor Day.

It's been a good couple of weeks at home, which I spoke about in my last post. The last week, though, I have been working under the direction of my husband at a real professional job. I'm the painter. Let me tell you- I'm putting a lot of effort in to it, but I'm not a professional. I do my best work, yet I'm so slow.  I worked outside, Wednesday,  Thursday, Friday, and yesterday. I've been painting french doors. They are my favorite type of door, but not to paint! So, again, My husband and I were working on a project together, and I was there for work support (well, some), and moral support, too. I'm obviously not a paid employee, but I keep painting and helping while taking breaks. The heat just saps my energy. That, and I'm climbing up and down a ladder all day... drinking water during breaks. I've been reminded that I'm not exactly a laborer by trade. I'm active, but every morning last week, I woke up sore. The kind of soreness that fades once you get moving, but definitely sore. It's crazy how the body will adapt and get ready for it. Also, I have to psych myself into it too. I get up and get ready, so I don't lolligag around and talk myself out of it.

Ultimately, it's just another reminder of how thankful I am for a husband who has just an outstanding work ethic. He's not afraid of hard work or a hot day- or a crap ton of work. He just does it. Wow. I'm impressed. It reminded me that I should really be more appreciative of him and his gifts. Adam is a provider- and of course, his gifts come from God. There's just no other way to explain it. And, I'm thankful for it!

A few other fun things have been happening too. Ryan successfully made it through Church on Sunday, and she had fun. We'd been battling that after we returned home, she was a bit uncomfortable and she cried so much they had to call us on the monitor during the sermon.  Another thing that we've been challenged by is bedtime... Ryan's bedtime, that is. Ryan has been having a breakdown before bed, and she screams and cries. It hasn't been pleasant since we got home. We tried leaving a light on. We tried doing the same thing as we did before we left.  She's feeling separation anxiety. It can get pretty ugly though. And, it has upset me.  Adam and I got on the same page, and we made a plan. Ryan is more likely to go to bed with Adam. With me, she just wants to cuddle. And, I have a lot of trouble with that at her bedtime. I get impatient. We turned the light off, now, and Adam puts her to sleep. And, it's working!! After all, we just keep persevering.

Since I haven't written much in a while, here's a list of a few other happenings in the last few weeks:

1. I hammer-drilled out the old morter in the exposed brick of our bathroom- single-handedly.
2. We had a cookout on Sunday- and I made quite the spread. Southern Hospitality at it's finest.
3. I made another peach pie and banana bread.
4. We've watched Monster's Inc. ALOT since it's Ryan's favorite movie now.
5. I started Beth Moore's A Woman's Heart Bible Study, and I'm being seriously enlightened by God.
6. I'm trying to plan out some final hikes for when we're in Wyoming in Sept or October.
7. I've made more of an effort to walk/bike instead of drive to the closest places of interest, like the library, Kmart, closest restaurants.
8. Ryan and I have been talking about "stories" (she'll make up her own), and her language continues to amaze me.
9. Life is so precious. I'm so thankful for my life.


And Lastly, My husband cut his hair!!!! After 5 years of dreadlocks... and, man, I love it! I got to cut it and wash it, and brush it out. It is so different! It's the shortest I've ever seen it, but I managed to keep it pretty long! I like looking at him lately!!