Quick Before I Get Sidetrack'd

I have a little problem and in an effort at full-disclosure I’m going to share it with you…I am a spender.

I’ve always been a spender, but now that I’m at home full-time I have more opportunities to watch my cash slowly fade into the distance – or not so slowly, it depends on the store. In all fairness to myself justification for my problem, I usually only buy things on sale. You might think this is a good thing because it means I’m spending less. You would be wrong, it just means that I have money left over to buy something else – like another cute pair of sandals.

My spending ways have only been exacerbated by Little’s presence. I mean, who can pass up a great Gymboree deal! There are just way too many cute clothes out there for little girls, and I seem to think she needs them all, in more than one size. We have baby clothes running out our ears and making Little’s closet an extremely disorganized mess.

So, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to practice a little self-control for a while. Beginning yesterday, March 4, and ending March 31 I am officially on a frivolous spending hiatus. I cannot buy clothes, shoes, accessories, books, toys, etc for Little or myself. To compound the difficulty of this task, I’ve chosen a 4-week period that includes my birthday.

In this same time frame I also hope to get a grip on the monster that is Little’s closet. Because, really, how many sundresses can one girl wear?

To those of you who wandered over from 5 Minutes for Mom, welcome to my little corner of the world! For those of you who didn’t, you should hop over there and check out the Party.

Come in, take a look around, grab a bite to eat, and introduce yourself in the comments. The restroom is the door straight at the end of the hallway if you need it.

A bit about me…I am the wife of one wonderful web designer/developer, the mother of one 7 month old daughter (known around here as Little), a stay-at-home mom as of late July 2006. I am a Tennessee girl born and raised, and I have lived in each of the 3 very different areas of the state. I enjoy cooking, reading, baseball, and Spring. I would love to say that I’m the crafty type, but that would be misleading if not an outright lie. I enjoy learning and probably would have stayed in school forever if given the opportunity (and money). I love Jesus and want to glorify him in all I do.

I tend to be quite a random person which will lead to posts on pretty random topics. You can expect to see posts on my faith, on learning to be a mother, on sports (particularly the Red Sox, Braves, and UT Vols), on Little, and on the renovations to our house. There is really not much telling what else might show up, so you’ll have to check back often.

I’ve only been among the ranks of Mommy Bloggers for a couple of weeks now; there isn’t too much to see yet, but I do hope you enjoy the posts below. If you are interested in a week-by-week commentary on my pregnancy with Little, it is here for the viewing.:-)

I hope you enjoy the party and would love to see you again soon!

If I had to describe myself in one word, productive would not be that word. Generally I’m just getting around to showering about this time of day (during Little’s first nap). Today, however, I had the following done by 8:45:

Caught up on blog reading (about 50-60 posts)
Had about 45 minutes of devotional time
Did my daily lesson for my Wednesday Bible study (as part of the devotional time)
Had 2 cups of coffee and 2 cups of water
Composed and sent a long e-mail reply to a friend
Showered
Dressed (including makeup and dry hair)
Nursed Little
Washed dishes
Ate breakfast
Played with Little
Investigated the number of diapers in a Pampers size 3 Mega pack
Changed a couple of diapers
Fed Little cereal
Looked at various things online (eBay, Gymboree, more blog stuff)
Paid a bill
Put a Get Well card in the mail

So far it’s been a pretty productive day by my standards; I’m sure it will only be downhill from here. Did I mention that I’ve been up since 2:30?

Focus is not my strongest attribute; there is a reason I chose to call my blog “sidetrack’d”.

Prompted by some fleeting thoughts of going back to school (something that distracts me from time to time), I spent quite a bit of time on Thursday and Friday reflecting on what God has called me to do with my life. Much thought and prayer (over a couple of years) have led me to the following conclusions: I feel strongly that God intends for me to be home with Little and any future children; Matt and I feel that God intends for us to homeschool (though this may change…Little is only 7 months old, after all); I feel that my ultimate purpose in life is to be the wife and mother that God has designed me to be; and I feel that my highest calling is to glorify God in all I do.

These thoughts were called back to mind on Sunday when Scott, our minister, made this statement: “Jesus knew his purpose and maintained his focus.” If I know my purpose is being a wife and mother then all of my thoughts about school or work opportunities or whatever else are just noise, distractions from being satisfied with where God has placed me and what he has purposed for me at this point in life.

Might I go back to work one day? Sure, if that is what God purposes for me. Might I get another degree someday? Sure, if that is part of his plan. But right now I need to focus on doing the things I’m currently being called to do. I have books to read, beauty to enjoy, and blog posts to write. I have a home to run, a budget to balance, laundry to wash. I have diapers to change, feedings to give, a child to raise in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. I have a husband to love, to respect, to live life with. I have a God to listen to, to learn about, to glorify.

John Piper says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” If I focus on being satisfied in Christ the other things will fall into place.

Spring is in the air! The days are getting longer and the birds are chirping louder.

It is sunny and in the upper 60s in my part of the world today. We are in a warm spell that will probably be short-lived, but right now I am enjoying it while I can. The first warm days encourage me.

I love Spring. I love to see the daffodils and tulips in bloom. I love to see the trees budding and the spring green of the new leaves and grass. I’ve enjoyed putting Little in the stroller the last couple of days and going for a walk. It is nice to feel the warm (but not too warm) sun on my skin and not need to wear long-sleeves. This is my favorite time of year.

When winter is preparing to melt into Spring I feel an additional joy. Spring is a season of renewal and beauty. The glory of creation is before my eyes in a different way than in other seasons. There is a freshness to the air and to life that only comes this time of year.

I know Spring is just around the corner, and it won’t be long until I can wear sandals again!