I’m starting to feel like things are almost kind of normal-ish again, that the whole chaos of the last 8 months or so has settled somewhat and we can do things that other families do upon occasion.  On Saturday Matt’s mom took care of the kids for a couple hours so we could go to a lighting store (ok, so that’s not exactly normal, but hey - we were out by ourselves!) and then we even had lunch together.  That’s the first time we’ve been out without kiddos since…  um…  June?  May?  It has been quite awhile.

Afterwards Matt went off to work on the property and I tried to interest the kids in some activities that didn’t involve throwing things or making gigantic disasters so that I could update Quicken.  I was completely unsuccessful, so I decided to take advantage of the nice weather (blue skies, 50+ degrees, little wind - a lovely winter day around here) to take the kids to a little pocket park up the street.  They had a fantastic time going up the “rock” wall and down the slide (Gregory especially) and once Gregory started to slow down a bit I popped him back in the stroller and we walked a little further into the downtown area.  We visited a used book store (didn’t buy anything - I wasn’t all that impressed with selection or price) and a candy shop (where we did get a lollipop for Gregory and a raspberry chocolate truffle for Emma) then headed home.  Even though we’ve lived here over a month this is the first time we’ve ventured out like this - weather, colds, and busy-ness have kept us either inside or on the move.  I’m looking forward to doing more trips like this though, taking advantage of our closeness to downtown while we still have it!

Today we had a nice, leisurely breakfast as a family then went off to the 11 o’clock service.  Going to an 11 o’clock Mass has taken a little getting used to, but I rather like it now.  It slows the day down and I feel like it keeps the focus of the day more on family, rest, and worship than when we were going to the 8 o’clock service.  The Latin Chant Mass we have been attending has been growing in worshippers and the choir keeps getting better and better.  I’m very pleased with it, and I feel so blessed to be there every week.  It has continued to be a very beautiful and devout service.  After Mass we all had lunch together at home, then Matt went up to the property and I successfully distracted the kids enough that I could do some significant work on Quicken.  I’m caught up on all the important accounts, and with another hour or so of work I should be caught up everywhere.  It is such a relief!  I despise being behind on things like this - I very much like to have my paperwork in order and everything squared away at all times.

I suppose this all doesn’t sound like much (and reading it over I’m realizing that!) but really, the very normalcy of it all is what makes it seem so wonderful to me.  We have a place to live with a real kitchen, a good heat source, insulation, space for the kids to play and we even get to live here together!  We’re not in anyone’s way and we’re not cramped and crabby.  We have good food to eat, projects to work on, and time to work on them.  I sometimes feel like I’m cheating, somehow, by going for the apartment rather than trying to rough it in the trailer…  like I failed a test of perseverance and character somehow.  Other than that nagging feeling, things really are going pretty well these days.