Taking a breather....

I find this whole blogging thing kind of therapeutic at times. Right now I am using it to get all my thoughts straightened out! Whew.....just thinging about all I need to accomplish in the next 2 1/2 weeks is mind boggling. Whoever said that being a stay at home mom is meaningless, unfulfilling, and downright boring needs to just eat their words and fall off the planet....Come ON!!!

Dave just gave me the news a few days ago that he needs to go to New York to do an installation for Technifex. New York, like right in Times Square, New York! He then asked me, after seeing the inexpensive cost of airfare, "Could you, would you, join me?" SHRIEK!!!! You mean visit the place I have dreamed of seeing in person since I was a little girl? Hmmm...let me think about that? You mean I can go to New York and only have to pay for airfare? YES!!!! Then reality struck when I looked at my calendar and realized that I have food to prepare for a baby shower, Seminary Graduation, Awana Awards Ceremony, not to mention countless birthdays and anniversaries to celebrate (including my own anniversary, which, by the way, will be celebrated while we are in New York!), and then a camping trip to Yosemite which we leave for just 5 short days after returning from out of state! Feeling tired? I then stopped for a moment and realized that God would allow me to accomplish all of these tasks only if I relied on His grace, mercy, and help to do them. I prayed that I would not do any of it begrudgingly or out of duty, but to genuinely help and serve others and in so doing, I serve God Himself. So, I wrote every task I need to accomplish down in an orderly fashion, and then scheduled a day to do each one. God is already demonstrating his grace: There were more than enough days to do it! It just has to be well planned and executed! Karen and I are doing all the food for a baby shower for 50 people, and the shower falls the morning after I return from New York! So that means all the food is made and frozen ahead of time. All the camping stuff will be purchased before we leave, as well. Then it's off to New York!

We will be staying just a few blocks from Times Square, and while Dave is working during the day, I plan to stragetically visit all the wonderful sights I can reach by bus or foot, including Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Broadway, The Museum of Natural History, Ground Zero, the NYSE and Wall Street, and many historic sites and shopping areas. Together, we will see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, and perhaps take a bike ride through Central Park. It's all still in the planning phase. But we are very excited and can't wait to go. It's one of those places you just want to see in person after seeing it in the movies and on TV so many times! Stay tuned for pictures when we return!