Sick and Tired

I went up Sunday for "a bless". Father Rich prayed for me and said it seemed as though I am trying really hard to be happy. You hit the nail on the head, Father. Well, apart from my trying to save money and having to cook every meal at home (currently over a hot stove), I have been trying to get my house clean. Every time I try to clean something, either the kids need me or they need something to eat, or they just need attention. I have about 200 interruptions per day. At this rate, I might be able to get my house cleaned up in, say, September, 2012. I have been staying at home a lot lately, like Peg, to save money and gas, however, since it has been like in the low 100's here, and I am trying to save money on air conditioning, too, it has been exceptionally hot. So, when it is 80 in the house, you don't feel like cleaning. And the last few days it has been extremely humid, too. So, at least once per day, I stick my head in the freezer to keep cool, with the excuse of trying to find something for dinner in there. Well, it takes a long time to find something in the freezer...

The only saving grace is a gift from a friend. Last night, after sweating over a hot stove making tacos, I climbed in the pool with the girls. Now most of you will be thinking, they don't have a pool. But, alas, thanks to Julie, we do! It is about 8 feet across and two feet deep. Just perfect. Has a pump and everything. Very cool! Literally! The girls have thoroughly enjoyed it! It even came with a floaty thing for Rebekah to sit in and a cover that ties on and won't blow away in our gale force winds. We parked it on the back patio under the patio cover and the girls can go in without getting sunburned. And when we needed to change the water in it, we just dumped it all over the grass, which needed watering anyway. Cool! I went to bed last night feeling very cooled down. It was great. I highly recommend a dip in the pool before going to bed.

Another thing that is causing me angst is my mouse. Or, should I say, mice. They are everywhere. My neighbors have them, too. The neighbor's cat has been catching them in the house, but the cat decided to bring a prize onto their bed and kill it there. At least I don't have them in the house! They ARE in my garage and in my car, in my backyard and in my bbq. They are driving me nuts. I have figured out how to get rid of the gophers, now how do I get rid of the mice? I was driving down the street the other day and I happened to glance on the floor behind the front passenger seat. I saw a mouse run under the seat. I was DRIVING! This is not good! I have no junk in my car. The girls are not allowed to bring stuff in the car. I need to vacuum it again because there is mouse poo in my car. Nice. I don't know how to keep them out of my car. I need to try the peppermint oil. I am going to get some tomorrow. Today. It is two in the morning. We used the bbq the other night and I went back out to make sure it was turned off. Open the lid and a mouse stares up at me. Great. Do you try to incinerate the mouse in the bbq or just let him leave without an incident? I let him leave. What's one more mouse in the scheme of things?

Top Ten Ways To Know You Have a Mouse Problem
10 You find a dead mouse in your car's a/c unit
9 You make noises before going into your garage to scare them away
8 You open your car as loudly as possible so as to scare away the mice.
7 Your car is clean...except for the mouse poo
6 Your car is never clean, except now that you have mice
5 You have a mouse in your car and you don't panic
4 You catch three mice in your garage...without a trap (they all climbed in the trash can voluntarily)
3 Your children are not afraid of mice...and they cheer when you catch one in the glue trap
2 You consider hiring a big mean cat to scare away the mice
1 You spend more time thinking about mice than about gophers

Uggh! I am so sick of this. Last year was the floods, which probably contributed to the mice this year. You know, more vegetation, food, places to hide and have babies. This year is the mice. Are we going to have snakes next year? It feels like the plagues!

Thank you God, for sending mice and not snakes or scorpions. I mean it.

Anyway, I have been trying really hard to be happy amidst all of this. I know God loves me and I have been trying to be faithful and have trust in Him that He will take care of me. Spiritually, financially, emotionally. Listening to Canon Gary was amazing, and eye-opening. I just need to have more faith.

I am also a bit jealous of Scott. Getting to take these courses and learn all this stuff. I see him in church, praising God, lifting his hands. Reckless abandon. How cool! I always feel I have to watch out for the girls, but less so now that Bekah goes in with Grace. Scott is doing very well. He has learned so much. He has so much more faith than I do. Thank you God, that I am married to a rock. He is wonderful and I am so blessed that God chose him as my husband. I would not have made such a good choice. God knew better than I did. I am curious where God will lead our family in the coming years. He has a plan, we just don't know what it is. I love my husband so much and I can't wait to see what God has in store for him.

I am trying to be happy, but it helps to get some of it out here. Thanks for listening. To whom should I make out my check for this session?