With Praise and Thanksgiving

I know I've been keeping it pretty lighthearted up in here, but that's just what I need right now. Yesterday evening I walked 4 minutes to my local liquor store in search of some gin. I usually stay safe with Tanqueray or Beefeater, but there was a cute little handwritten note by this one announcing that it was made in Fargo. As a loyal former-Fargoan, I just had to try it.  I've never considered myself a conniseur of anything, nor do I claim to have sophisticated tastes. But for what it's worth, I like it! I feel like it's sweeter than I'm used to and Ben says "less piney" but it makes a decent gin and tonic and that's all I need after a zillion fights and two zillion whines. 

Do you see what I see? That's my phone, connected to the Internet. Whoop! It was supposed to be hooked up last Thursday but of course didn't work, so a technician came today and here we are, all ready to spend naptime not using up my whole data allowance.  I realized I'm a member of the privelaged first world class, and that I technically   had access to the Internet on my phone anyway, by now I can do all the things on wifi. And since I basically manage my life online, this is big. Yay! Also, isn't that wallpaper from justloveprints.com so cute? I need that reminder often. 

Can you see my praise hands? This was a most fulfilling and worthy way to spend naptime today. I should have taken a before picture so you could see the true horror that was the spice cabinet of yesterday. Suddenly I want to cook all the things. But we're having tacos for supper. At least I get to open it for the Wildtree Taco Seasoning. Isn't it beautiful? The "As Seen on TV" (but not by me since we get one channel and rarely watch it) Spicy Shelf was an impulse Amazon buy for around $8. Worth it.  Assembly,alphabetizing and gazing lovingly took me the exact length of Alan Jackson's The Bluegrass Album.  Every time I listen to it, I wonder why I don't listen to it more.  Happy feels, and 75 minutes till school pickup! 

HI just looked and today's actually day 241. I knew I fell behind during the Big Moving Bonanza of 2016, but I'm shocked it's only one day!  Today was a day of rest. Perhaps not physical rest (although 2/3 of the kids had nice long naps) since we were unpacking and organizing. But for me, getting unpacked and organized is mentally restful, and that can be as good for me as physical rest. We got rid of the three boxes we had to step over to get from the living space to the hallway and I can see the top of the island. Praise hands!  I went through the boys' school papers and the info we got when registering at church, and I feel at least somewhat prepared to face our first full week here. That's worth something. 

I do believe that the saints in heaven can  hear our prayers and that they can intercede for us because of their closeness to God. But even if you don't, how cute are these?  These are Tiny Saints charms (I'd totally link to their website if the blogger app wasn't crappy). I'm mildly obsessed with them. We went to the Catholic bookstore today and I let the big boys pick one out. One picked St. Patrick and the other picked Our Lady of Kibeho, because apparently he has a devotion to Rawanda that I didn't know about! They have little clips, so we'll be attaching them to their backpacks for school. Mine is saints Zelie and Louis Martin, the parents of St. Thérèse of Liseiux. Aren't they adorable? I find them relatable as they are hardworking parents like we are. They are clipped on my purse and I am just delighted!

I finally got half the kitchen in our new apartment looking decent! It's a big win, as we are still stepping over boxes in the hall and moving piles around the table at meals.  Despite the unpacking and organizing we have left to do, I feel pretty good about the place. It's a really nice 3-bedroom apartment and all the flooring, appliances and cabinet doors were replaced right before we move in.  Looking at bags and boxes can be discouraging. The other day I actually asked my husband if moving boxes from the dining table to the kitchen island and back would be a legit plan of action for the remainder of our lease. I understood his laughter as a "not really." And so we continue to muddle through all the stuff we've managed to accumulate in the last 11+ years.  All things considered, though, it's a nice apartment, the boys are generally happy, and we've gained three-ish hours a day of family time. I'll take that. 

Yesterday my oldest started kindergarten! You'll find a zillion meaningful and poignant essays regarding sending kids off to kindergarten all over the Internet, but not here!  I'm grateful our new town has a highly-recommended Catholic school and I'm also happy and relieved to be getting back into a family routine!