There is no way not to think this is a gorgeous place. This is the church we see on our normal walking route. Ridiculously beautiful.
Sweet John in front of some pretty leaves. Love this boy!
Hannah doing what she does about 99% of the time--smiling. So blessed to be her mom!I have a few quiet moments between mopping my floors and doing more laundry, so I thought I'd get some writing done. This particular blog is in answer to some private questions I've gotten, most of which have been centered around a curiosity about what our life here is really like. So I thought I'd give you a little glimpse of a normal day.
Every day begins for me by 5 a.m. If you've read this for a while or know me at all, you know that sleep is not always my friend, so I try to sleep until 5, but never later. I have to have complete quiet to start my day, and that's impossible with children roaming around. So I'm up by 5, and I have coffee and time for Bible study and prayer, which I finish about 6:25. I get Han up about 6, and my new favorite thing in the morning is that she does her quiet time at the table with me. We're not talking or even watching one another, but as a Momma...it's pretty sweet to have her sit next to me while she studies and prays. Just one more blessing in a life full of blessings. About 6:30, I get Marc up, and I start breakfast. My kids always eat a hot breakfast before school. Usually, we eat some kind of eggs--studies have shown that kids with ADHD benefit from protein in the morning. So we eat breakfast, and then it's all about getting the kids out the door and on their way to school by 7:45. They walk together, and we don't have to take them anymore. Sometimes, I go in the afternoon to get John, but we are starting to let them come home together. It takes them about 25 minutes to get to school via public transportation. That may sound like a lot to you, but it sounds like heaven to us. It took much longer than that in Moscow.
Once they're gone, the day rolls on. There is always cleaning to be done. There are some general rules here (that I've set for myself)--the kitchen must remain clean all the time. In other words, I don't let stuff stack up. My kitchen is small with very limited counter space and a European sink (think about half the size of yours in America), so dishes have to be done if the next meal is going to be prepared. Trash is another thing that has to be taken care of every morning. I also usually sweep the floors every day--that may change, though. We're looking at getting more rugs, and I'll probably buy a vacuum, which will cut down on the sweeping. Or I hope it will. Every day, I have a different thing that I concentrate on. Wednesdays, I always clean the bathrooms. We have two, and if they get too dirty, it doubles my work. Better to give it a good cleaning every week. I mop the floors on Mondays, trying to get rid of the grime from the weekend, and sometimes on Fridays, too. The kids' rooms are generally picked up all the time, and our room, too. I can't live in chaos, and neither can anyone else in the family. And, of course, every day has at least one meal that is homecooked--usually supper. (I don't count breakfast---scrambling some eggs is not exactly a feat.) Generally, Marc and I eat a roll and cheese or something similar for lunch. Not a lot of work in that. And the kids take their lunch to school--often leftovers from supper. But supper takes some preparation and thought, mostly because I have to get the groceries to make it. Sometimes, I don't plan well or I forget how long something takes. For example, I made chicken quesadillas the other night, forgetting that it takes FOREVER--2 1/2 hours later, we finally sat down to eat. YIKES!
So what do I do besides clean? I am caught up right now in trying to get the apartment set up. Everything feels temporary while we wait to buy some more furniture. I have things to attend--team retreat last week, a ladies brunch yesterday morning, coffee with colleagues, events at school. I am taking over the finance reports and other paperwork from Marc, and that is a much bigger job than I planned. And eventually, I will have ministry of my own, though at this point, I have no idea what that's going to look like. I read. I write. I encourage Marc and watch different pieces or talk through things he's working on with him. When my kids get home, I help them with homework and spend time with them, often trying to find some kind of family thing to do at night--family movie night, family game night, etc. With Sarah Beth out of our home, the truth that time flies has been made real, and I am trying to soak up every single second with the kids--because tomorrow, they'll be gone. And this--being Sarah Beth, Hannah, and John's Momma and Marc's wife--this is the stuff that matters, that has eternal significance. This is the stuff I really want to do well. If there are dust bunnies in the corner, that will bother me. But if my children grow up without knowing how important and loved they are...then I will have failed. And I'm not interested in failing at anything.
If you know me in my other life, I bet this life surprises you. You've always known me as the girl who gets up at 4:30, goes to work, teaches all day and loves it. How is it possible to be so happy and content in this life that is so different from that one, in which I was also quite happy and content? As I grow older, I realize that life is made up of so many seasons. I was a young wife, then a young wife and mother, a young teacher, a more experienced teacher, and now I'm in this phase--living overseas, being a housewife, loving and taking care of my family, but definitely in a more behind-the-scenes role than I've had in the past. But in each of these seasons, I have been overwhelmed by the blessings of the season. What is better than young, snuggly children? What is better than being a newlywed? Well, at this stage of my life, having a close relationship with my adult child and with my teen and preteen is pretty wonderful. Having a mature, comfortable relationship with the person I love most in the world, experiencing this incredible adventure with him as our love just gets deeper and deeper...pretty great. When I sit and really ponder my life, really think about the different things I've been allowed to do, I am humbled and grateful. What a blessing to have been allowed into the lives of thousands of teenagers, people I have loved and continue to love and pray for. And what a blessing to be living in this beautiful country, encouraging and supporting the incredible people God has entrusted to me. Blessings all mine, my friends. Our God is so good.
Well, the washing machine has stopped, which means it's time to hang the laundry. Wherever you are in the world, I challenge you to look over the course of your life and see the joy you've been so graciously given, and I hope that the new recipe you're trying tonight goes well, too. Blessings to you and yours!
His,
Kellye
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