The Daily Grind | Love, Laughter, and Life

Do you know how much stuff it takes to scrap? Too much! I’ve never scrapped (as in, with actual photos and putting them cutely into an album). I am such a photo taker, that I have thousands of pictures…and no way do I want to tackle that chore. Over the many years of scrapping getting popular (yes, I’m that old), I have firmly refused to scrap with my friends. Sure, I’ll meet you and I’ll stamp cards. That’s my fun way to relax. And then I can use the cards in ministry, for correspondence, and for gifts. I have a very realistic view of how much stuff it takes to rubber stamp at someone else’s place for a few days. A car load. But it’s worth the fun and being able to use the things you need, WHEN you can find them in the mess from the car.

Fast forward to now. As of today, we are only about 7 months from leaving for orientation in Richmond, VA (8 weeks) and then moving to France. Well, I certainly can’t take all of the thousands of photos with me, can I? Ok, let’s put it this way, I can’t afford to take them, and then the apartment we will be in may be the size of a large closet…I’d rather have a bed than photos.

As I emailed my friend, don’t pass out! Now I am actually scrapping some photos – all with the intent of having ONE album to take with us. That means ONLY one album – for our 23 years of marriage, 20 years of children, countless family trips and vacations and events…sigh. Scrapping is getting me to sort pictures and toss the ones of people/places/things I can no longer identify. At this point I have 6 pages neatly scrapped and in place…that’s it. The pictures look great though. Fabulous, dahling, fabulous.

Back to the original question. Do you know how much stuff it takes to scrap? I am finding out. So far, I don’t think as much as stamping. But I haven’t gone to my friends’ house for scrapping and found out what I forgot to bring. Tomorrow, I’m flying the coop with my car full of papers, pictures, and etc. That will be me, hair and papers flapping in the breeze, oozing dreams of a completed album. Come on over, and bring your photos, ya’ hear?

Whew. I must confess to a previously envied and believed fallacy…I used to think that the older we got, the more free time we had. Part 2 of that is, when the kids are grown up, life slows down and you have more free time. NOT.

I think God is getting us ready for being not-settled in any one place for very long. In the last week, we have been to Vancouver (WA), White Pass, Snoqualmie Pass, Seattle, Sea-Tac, Yakima, home (the very least time spent is here)…Miners, Powerhouse Grill, church, McGraphs, Applebees, Starbucks, and the list goes on. We put close to 1000 miles on the car this week in our various and sundry travels.

But mostly we have been on the phone. For instance, today, I thought I may even get a good start or finish a writing assignment I have (due, uhm, let’s just say, soon!). Instead, I dug out the laundry room, unpacked various totes and bags from the above mentioned mileage and meetings, answered some of my email, wrote some get well notes, played with the cat (that always creeps in somewhere), watered the outside plants (the inside ones are still begging) and connected with people on the phone. Occasionally both phones at the same time. I would say I spent the most of my day talking on the phone.

The good news is that Tay-man, the army dude, located on the east coast, loves to talk to his mom. Even if there is not much to say (but we still take lots of time doing it). The daughter will talk to mom, even if I have to repeatedly call her until she stops texting long enough to pick up. The husband calls regularly to check in and update me on daily news. Occasionally a parent will give me a ring. And if it’s a red star day (like today), the seester in Denver calls and we catch up. To make the day even better, a friend calls. 🙂

So, the the older you get and the kids grow up and leave home you will have more time is not true. What is true, is that priorities change, and people become more important than clean houses. (clean laundry is still vaguely important) Seeing friends and family and making new friends takes precedence over, gasp, even my writing deadline (although I can feel the pressure building to get it done).

I should rename this blog, It Rings, And it Pours, or It Never Stops Ringing…What did we do without landlines (or landmines, as one of my parents calls them) or cell-u-lite phones? Ring, ring, I’m off to answer again. And then work on the writing deadline!