Where have we been?

It always amazes me how busy life is. So what have we been doing? Here's the quicklist...

1. Trying to find some semblance of a routine schedule now that we go to "real" school. Lucy is WIPED after a full day, and it's a tight squeeze to do dinner, bath, family time, etc...before 7:45, when I really want her in bed.

2. We've been at Busch at every opportunity. We are hanging on, day by crazed day, on whether they win or lose. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but I love it. And I love cultivating little fans here in the midst of Cardinal Nation...much easier than when in exile.

3. Still conquering the house, one corner at a time...the basement, the garage, the attic, all those places you could ignore for years and stumble across after ten years and uncover who knows what in moving boxes from eons ago. I am so tired of the accumulation of junk...

4. We swapped out our Suburbus for a smaller, cheaper, more economical Toyota Highlander. I love it, and I don't live in fear of wrecking it, like I did in the 'burban our first two months here. I SWEAR the lanes are narrower here, the parking lots smaller and rows closer together, and I have to parallel park more than once a day, so we said SEE YA to the bus.

5. Playing/coaching/cheering for 5 year-old co-ed soccer. Michael coaches, Lucy plays, and I hang out with other moms/dads on the sideline. Lotsa' fun. Really funny, skinny little kids all geared up and running in a pack, all fighting for the ball as if this really is not a team sport after all. Michael is very patient, and they seem to be having fun. Games start in two weeks.

6. Trying to iron out life as adults...I mean, all of a sudden, we're not living our still-in-school-paycheck-to-paycheck-existence-where-we-don't-think-about-longterm-things-like-savings-and-whatnot...and this (the being adults part), we have decided, is vastly overrated. Life and money and planning for the future all SUCK.

7. I have been working on getting back to work...trying to figure what on earth will have to be done to get licensed here to do therapy (this is going to take a miracle, please please pray and send bribes to the Missouri LPC Board). I met a really fun therapist from Australia that has offered to share her office space with me at such point in time as I get licensed, which I am excited about. She thinks similarly to me, we get along well, and has a fabulous accent, so that should work out well.

8. Since it seems possible that I might not be licensed before Annie starts kindergarten, I have been scheming about other ways to do something productive in the mean time...and have decided, after much urging from friends, to see about selling appliqued t-shirts and etc... I'm excited, and scared, about this, but if I could make a profit at it, it would be worth conquering the fear. There isn't much of that sort of thing 'round these parts, so maybe people will bite?

9. Lamenting about our loneliness...we are definitely surrounded by wonderful, godly, talented, fun people, but making friends takes time and shared history, and we have little of each. In the mean time, we all have days where it hits us harder than others and the darkness of not being around people who know you feels especially sad. Having family here helps a lot, but we walk around everyday interfacing with people here and there and thinking, "will she be my friend? will they end up being our b.f.f.s?" It's very strange, sort of like auditioning in our new life and wondering who the other characters will be. Except it's all real, not an act.

10. Accumulating entirely too many minutes on our cell phones...see #8. We've recently broken out the web cam for Lucy and Annie to talk to E more often, which helps with this. And I went on and increased my minutes AND my text messages on my monthly plan. That's all with my TMobile myFaves plan, where I pay nothin' to talk to my 5 most frequently called numbers. TMobile wasn't thinking when they started that business...

11. I think that's about it. Life is busy, and it's amazing how every week fills up with activity. Routine has been nice, and we are all gradually getting into the groove. Monday Annie goes back to PEEPS (hallelujah from me), and Wednesday night church starts back this week, both of which will be welcome additions to our routined existence.

So those are the highlights. Hopefully I won't be so m.i.a. as life rolls on.