Sunday, January 13, 2008

Digital Disaasters

Tonight the blessings and the curses of the digital age came home to roost: Kylie deleted her entire digital library of photos. These were years of her life, and at least one year of her art. I have to hand it to her...she was devestated but calm. I'd have been throwing the computer. David is now patiently working with a mac recovery program to see if anything remains to be seen. I'll post the results! 

Jillian is snoozing in her bed. I am trying to decide if I dare turn off her lights and close up her room. She was packing for Boston when she apparently fell asleep! Now what to do? 

Tomorrow we head north once again: cold and snowy. We stop in Atlanta, though, and pick up Mike and Em. Yeah! We'll feel complete again for a little bit. It has been a rough transition this week for Jillian and for us as well, if we are being truthful. Suddenly we have no guarantee of friends who are always happy to see us and go out to play. Oh, don't get me wrong. We have friends. But not any right now who will always be read for any new adventure. We are hoping to be able to meet up in ATL.

As for me...well I've been glad to emerge from my detox fog and resume a little bit of life again. I feel better and lost a little bit of weight, and most importantly I am ready to begin a good eating program that just might work! 

Church started its "One Life" campaign. This week Todd Mullins spoke. Next week our teaching pastor John Maxwell, and then our senior pastor Tom Mullins. We're enjoying the series and the call to commitment.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Guitar Hero

The gang and I spent a delightful night with Greg and Stephen playing Guitar Hero. David and I were discussing Guitar Hero the other night as a metaphor for modern life: we don't want to take the time and energy to actually learn guitar so we can feel the thrill of a completed song, so we make a simplified game about guitar instead and export the experience to everyone. And yet...it is so fun! Somehow Guitar Hero fast forwards you through the difficulties of learning and finding a band, and gives you the experience of actually playing. If I were 20 years younger, I'd suddenly start looking for a band after playing this game! Maybe a band with cuter outfits though!

Today was day six of the detox. Both David and I had a time around lunchtime of feeling achey again and needing to lie down. This surprised us at this late time. By dinner time that feeling was gone. So now I am looking ahead and wondering what eating plan to pursue. I am thinking Perfect Weight America by Jordan Rubin. It seems doable. Now if only I could get to the gym!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Really? Can You Believe It?

Just look at the time! What is more amazing is that David just stopped laying guitar hero 15 minutes ago. Certifiably nuts...all of us.

By the way, day 3 of detox has resulted in absolutely no headache! This is something for which I am profoundly grateful.

Good night.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Nocturnal Nothings

It is 1:48 and every member of my household is up and active. What is wrong with this picture? Kylie is watching TV, Jillian is - presumably - getting ready for bed. Spring is working on a post card for the One Life campaign at church, and David was recently helping her. And me? I am hanging with my bloggies, as I put it. I love flopping on this couch and picking up my computer for the time I spend waiting for Jillian. Each night I bring my book dutifully to the couch, but somehow the computer is better company. At certain times of the day it will connect me with my friends, show me the world, or play reruns of the shows that weren't on tv this season. Does it get any better?

Life moves on here, slowly. I see Jillian trying to find a rhythm in this suddenly rhythmless life she has. Tomorrow we start back to schoolwork for all, so that will provide a structure for a week or so. Then off to Boston perhaps? I would be excited about going - I am excited, actually, except that my mom will be so upset that we are leaving once again. Somehow these things are personal to her, and she doesn't like to see us travel. Having so recently returned from Atlanta, a Boston trip will feel frivolous to her. 

In the meantime, this is the end of day two in our detox diet. David and I started yesterday. Was it only yesterday? Impossible. My head aches, my body aches. How is this possible just by altering the foods I eat? Wow! My book says that tomorrow I should feel better. I am standing on the promise. 

So that is about it. We are moping around the house nursing heartache and headache. 

Good night!

Friday, January 4, 2008

Sleepwalking and Daydreaming

Well here we are again! It is nearly 4 AM and Jillian is just now settling down to sleep after a long 9 hour drive from Atlanta. For the first night in two weeks Jillian must sleep by herself, and she is not happy about it. Neither am I. While she was away she was...well...normal. She slept roughly the same hours as the other kids; she kissed me good-night and trotted off to bed; she lived her life. Tonight, at home, all that progress is a daydream and I am still sleepwalking around my pre-dawn house. I need wisdom and clarity on this issue, because I know that our home can not function like this for too long. Some structure and order needs to be super-imposed on the OCD. 

The trip to Atlanta was so wonderful. We were full of trepidation: 14 people sharing a home, some of whom we had never met before. But once more God surprised us with joy. We learned to enjoy the creative chaos of the moment. And (haha) we learned a whole lot of guitar riffs playing guitar hero until the early morning hours. Slow Ride....Take it Easy.... Who would have thought that would be the soundtrack of our vacation?

Highlights: World of Coke, 12Stone Church and its newest pastor, Grace Fellowship church and her amazing Pastor, Discovery Mills, The Great Debaters, more friends than I knew what to do with, and most of all...going to bed on time!