Organizing a Little at a Time ~ My Desk and Bedside Table

Dear friends,

Since I worked part-time as a teacher this past year, I put off a lot of organizing projects until school let out two weeks ago. I have been listing them all on an iPod app as I think of them, and I try to knock them off one by one, little by little. Each day I think, "What am I up to doing today?"  It depends on my available time, which area of the house is bugging me most, and other factors.

The past few days, I've kept coming back to my bedroom to work. I may not be able to totally control what happens in the other rooms of the house, but I can at least take full responsibility for my own!  

Yesterday, I spent the most time at my desk. Until recently, I had a metal and laminate computer desk, but it was getting more wobbly by the day. In fact, when we moved it out of the bedroom, it split into two pieces! Yikes! Last month, I found my current sturdy wood desk (pictured above) at an estate sale for $5. I replaced the hinged handles (which were on three drawers) with much nicer knobs that I salvaged from an old dresser. I filled the desk drawers with some of my office supplies and papers when I got it, but I continually add more and rearrange as I go along.  

It is simply amazing to have a bunch of desk drawers. I'm not sure how I ever got by without them. I labeled two of them "Supplies" and "Paper" and told my family that those are the only two drawers they may open if they really need something.  (We have the some kind of supplies and paper in the dining room, too.)  The rest of the drawers are just for me -- for my hanging files and such -- because my desk is my own private area to work.   In a busy household with several kids still at home, I need a quiet place where I can close the door to work, as well as a safe place for my lap top.

At the same estate sale, I bought this wicker drawer unit to hold charging cords, receipts, snacks, and other small items. I store extra books on top, so I had to move my bulletin board up and over to make room.

Two days ago, I decided to tackle the piles of miscellaneous store receipts that had been plaguing me. I'm trying to get a system for dealing with them. I folded several pieces of card stock in half to make small file folders to store receipts for purchases from different bank accounts, tax deductible expenses, items which might need to be returned, and warranty information.  My plan is to empty receipts from my wallet into the folders every day or two. When it is time to itemize them for our records, I will take a folder, tally up the budget categories, and then throw away any receipt I don't need for product returns or tax purposes. Think it will work?  I hope so!

I've had the white cabinet on my desk for quite some time, and it's gotten quite messy on the inside. (Yay for doors.) Yesterday I took everything out and started fresh. What did I want in there? Where should each thing go? The top shelf in holds all medical supplies, the next shelf down is for extra office supplies and eye glasses cleaning supplies, and the open bottom shelf has a butterfly flower pot with my most commonly used supplies and a basket for miscellaneous small stuff.

I taped my Mary Engelbreit greeting card collection on the outside of the cabinet. This one says, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do with what happens to you."  I decided to use some of the blank space to write in some of my priorities: Jesus, family time, home making, creativity, planning, friendship, inspiration, learning, writing, teaching, rest, service, exercise, focus, nutrition, and peacemaking. Just a reminder when I'm tempted to fritter away time with mindless web surfing!

I keep an old piano bench next to my desk to hold a big basket for my two clipboards and other things.  One clipboard is for papers (like budgets) that my husband wants to leave for me, so they won't get lost in my piles. The other clipboard is for papers I need handy for specific purposes, such as for upcoming events.

As I work in my room, I often find stuff my kids have left in here. I grabbed a big empty bin from our storage room and just started tossing it in. I'll take the bin out when I'm done with the room, and get them to put their belongings away. I have similar bins in some of the other rooms.

The other area I worked on in the past two days is my bed area. I washed all the linens, including my ultra-soft comforter.  This vintage wooden tea cart that I use as my bedside table had gotten cluttered up and dusty.  I took everything off, wiped it down, and started putting back only the bare basics: a lamp, my iPod dock/clock, two small baskets, my medicine bottle, and a water mug. I keep my glasses on the padded blue box on the headboard shelf at night, along with my phone.  I always know where to find them if I have to get up in a hurry.

I use a CPAP machine for sleep apnea, and I decided to put it in my biggest Longaberger basket on top of my headboard. The basket helps camouflage it and it also corrals the long air tube and face mask during the day time. I just have to make sure I leave adequate room behind the machine for its air intake. The jug of water on the bottom shelf of the cart is for refilling the CPAP humidifier chamber. I like to keep things handy so I'm more likely to use them.

I bought the Grandma mug a couple of weeks ago when my youngest grandson was born, but just put it on my bedside table yesterday. My plan is to fill it up every night before I go to bed so I can take my thyroid medicine early in the morning without getting up. If I use a regular plastic cup, someone always takes it. This one will be dedicated wholly to its job, and the cover will keep dust and bugs out at night.

Two last pictures! I bought this "Dare To" butterfly poster at Michael's craft store before Christmas and hung it with inexpensive poster hanging rods that slip onto the top and bottom edges. This was much cheaper and faster than framing. I like to be inspired and motivated, and you probably already know I am a word person from morning until night!

R is for Reinvent Yourself.  I've had to do that a lot in recent years with so many life transitions. Overcome Adversity, too!  There is always a bit of Fail, and Dare to Suceed.  Most of all, Love All You Can. 

I'm glad my bedroom is becoming a place for rest, reflection, and renewed responsibility along the journey.

What have you done to make your bedroom special?

You can find two other posts related to my bedroom here:

• A Desk for Mom
• A Space of My Own
• Sacramental (Big Words)
• One Day: A Little Beauty and Order in My Home
• Decorating and Organizing Bathroom Areas on a Budget

Thanks for reading!

Virginia Knowles

www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

Brain Boosting: The Physical Factors

BRAIN BOOSTING: THE PHYSICAL FACTORS

 In a mental fog?  Feeling sluggish or forgetful or distracted?  I’ve been there, too!  Our brains are amazing, complicated organs, affected by so many factors.  I’ve been working on various areas of brain boosting over the past few years and thinking lately about how to increase my mental accuity and focus even more.  

I've been planning to write this post for a while, but my memory was jogged this morning by these electronic sign messages outside my son's high school about preparing for the upcoming standardized writing tests.

Great reminder, but it's not just for students preparing for tests!  We all need to remember to care for our brains!

Before we take a look at the physical factors affecting brain function, I want to mention two books that I am currently reading.  Please note that I haven’t finished either of them yet, and I’m sure I would not endorse everything in them, but they are extremely helpful for both inspiration and practical ideas.  Next time, we’ll cover mental, emotional, and life management factors. 

• How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day by Michael J. Gelb: This book takes a long look at how da Vinci approached life and learning, incorporating curiosity, learning through experience/persistence, cultivating sensory attention, embracing ambiguity, balancing between the arts and sciences, nurturing the physical body, and an appreciating interconnectedness.

• No More Brain Drain: Proven Ways to Maintain Your Mind and Memories by Readers Digest: Based on more than 100 scientific studies, this easy-to-read, visually pleasing book is full of practical and innovative ideas for boosting your mental edge – foods, exercises, mental games, sleep tips, etc.  Please note that there are other books with similar titles.  Maybe they're good, too! 

Ready for a little tour through the brain factors?  

Sleep

This is the biggest one for me.  I have a hard time making myself go to bed on time if I don’t have somewhere to go the next morning.  Then I pay for staying up until 1 AM with grogginess the next day – and even for a few days sometimes.  Working too late on the computer is also said to overstimulate the brain, though I don’t seem to have much problem getting to sleep once I’m in bed, so that’s not as much of an issue for me.

The other thing that affected my sleep for years is that I have a severe case of obstructive sleep apnea, which means my airways get blocked while I'm in bed at night, and my brain doesn't get the oxygen it needs.  Untreated, this would cause me to wake up briefly at least once per minute.  Even though I am not conscious of it when it happens, it definitely prevents a good night’s sleep and creates other health risks, including heart attack.  Last year, I finally went to do an overnight sleep study at Florida Hospital, and started using a CPAP machine with a breathing mask every night.  I breathe so much easier and sleep so much better with it!

Another thing that helps me sleep better at night is using a side pillow to support me in the correct position.  If I don’t use it, my back is too uncomfortable to sleep well.

If I find myself getting really foggy or cranky during the day, I will lie down for a nap.  Sometimes it is just five minutes to close my eyes, and sometimes I need to crash for a few hours to get my brain back.  I guess it should also be said that too much sleep can also impair brain function.  Find out what works for you.

Some people take sleep medicines, but many of these are known to cause serious side effects or make you feel groggy in the morning. Melatonin is a more natural supplement for assisting healthy sleep.

Aim for eight hours of nightly sleep in a cool, dark, quiet room.  The ideal hours are before midnight!

What is affecting your sleep?  Going to bed too late?   Chronic pain? Anxiety?  Too much caffeine?   Too much household noise?  Small children?  Too much screen time?  What can you do to get more ZZZZ's?

Nutrition

This is probably the other biggie for me, but it’s very confusing.  There are so many opinions out there about what we should eat and how it affects brain function.  You have the paleos and gluten frees on the one side, and the vegetarians and whole grainers on the other side.  I think all agree that junk food is detrimental to clear thinking!  I don’t have much to say about nutrition at this point, except for try to be aware of how individual foods affect you personally.  I do best with protein first thing in the morning.  I try to stay away from inflammatory foods since I have arthritis and other joint problems.  My biggest struggle is sugar.  I keep saying I want to cut it out, but then I go right back to it.  I’m sure the extra weight I’m carrying around is no help to my physical and mental health.  Blech.

Some of the brain-happy foods listed in the No More Brain Drain book are olive oil, nuts, fish, whole grains, fresh produce (blueberries, apples, bananas, spinach, brocolli), flaxseed, garlic, low-fat dairy products, and green tea.  What I'm confused about is that Dr. Perlmutter, the medical consultant for this book is also the author of the book Grain Brain, in which advocates a low carb, gluten free, higher fat diet with minimal grains.   You can read his article 5 Keys to Eating for Better Brain Health. I guess the jury is still out on brain nutrition!  Like I said, I'm not sure quite what to think.  I guess I will stick to what is generally known as healthy food, and all in moderation.  Other brain foods I've seen on multiple lists are almonds, coconut oil, eggs, avocados, dark chocolate (yes!), salmon, kale, strawberries, curry/turmeric, rosemary, sage, apple cider vinegar...

Oh, and don't forget to drink plenty of clean water!   A body that is not properly hydrated can feel sluggish and tired!  How much water?  Take your weight in pounds.  Divide that in half.  Drink that many ounces per day.   That's a lot of water, but your body needs it for so many reasons!

Exercise

Exercise - especially aerobic - gets your blood and oxygen flowing to the brain, and improves mood and general stamina.   It also increases physical awareness, such as hand-eye coordination, that is crucial to strengthening your mental muscles.  It helps posture and flexibility, and, done correctly, can alleviate pain.  It releases calming hormones like serotonin and dopamine, reducing stress.   All of these will help you think better, too.

Can't afford a gym membership or just can't get out much?  Lace on your sneakers and take a brisk walk in your own neighborhood!   Walk with a friend for extra motivation. Or buy yourself an exercise DVD to use in your own home!  I just bought the "Keeping Fit in Your 50's" DVD set at Sam's Club, but I need to go to the chiropractor before I start using it!

Health & Medications

Other health issues that affect my own mental powers are low thyroid, chronic pain, seasonal allergies and Attention Deficit Disorder.  (See ADD and Me? We’ll Manage!)  Fortunately, there are medications for these and other maladies.  

Unfortunately, some medications have side effects which hinder brain power.  For example, some allergy medicines cause drowsiness.  Make sure you buy one that specifically says it is non-drowsy or daytime. (I use loratidine, and my children use chewable Alavert.)  

Some pain medications and anti-depressants can make you more tired and foggy brained.  According to friends who take it, Wellbutrin, an anti-depressant stimulant, doesn't seem to have that effect.  It is known for helping people with ADD focus better, as well as promoting energy level and weight loss.   For pain, I use ibuprofen (not every day since it has long-term side effects), Icy Hot arthritis lotion, chiropractic adjustments (every several months) and occasional massage therapy.  Muscle and joint pain can be a huge mental distraction to me, so I have to deal with it in order to concentrate well. 

Other health factors which commonly effect brain function include high blood pressure, vision/hearing problems, smoking, alcohol or drug use, migraines, brain injuries (even mild ones), and neurological & psychiatric disorders, etc.   Be sure to go in for regular physical exams, and, if needed, ask for referrals to a specialist such as a nutritionist, optometrist, audiologist, allergy doctor, chiropractor, endocrinologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, or cognitive behavioral therapist.  This goes for your kids, too!  If your child has a health issue which impairs learning, better to catch it and treat it early!

  

Other supplements are also used to increase brain power.  Vitamin B complex, vitamin E, fish oil, potassium, magnesium, calcium are all ones listed in the No More Brain Drain book.  Gingko biloba is another one commonly used, but I don't know much about that. Caffeine can be either positive or negative.  I only use the sugar-free drink packets when I really need to be able to focus for a few hours. It's not good to drink a lot of it, get dependent on it,  or use it within a few hours of bedtime.

Stay tuned!  Next time, I'll write about the mental, emotional, and life management factors of boosting brain power.

Virginia Knowles

www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

Downsizing to a Mini-Van

Dear friends,

I've got new wheels!  Well, maybe not NEW new, but new to me.  We finally downsized to a mini-van, a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan that I call my Grand Cherryvan.  

Most families have to UPsize to a mini-van, but I've been driving a full-size (11 or 15 passenger) van for the past 16 years since the sixth of our ten children was born.  Until last week, that is.  Now I'm only ever driving around 5 kids, and our big van was a gas hog, so it was time to scale down to something with much better MPG.  My husband put an ad on Craigslist to sell our old green Ford van, and it was promptly claimed by a home schooling family who is expecting their seventh baby (all under eight years old!) and moving to Tennessee to live off the land.  Godspeed to them.

Then came the work of finding wheels for me.  We looked on Craigslist, CarMax, AutoNation and a bunch of other sites.  We researched which vans had what features, and which models were most reliable.  My husband spent a full Saturday visiting dealerships.

On Monday, we ventured out together as a team.  He'd been looking at Chrysler Town & Country vans and wanted to take me to see one at a dealer he had visited about a half hour from us.  Unfortunately, it was in the service bay and couldn't be seen again until the next day.  So we headed down to another dealer to look at another T & C.  My son-in-law, who is a mechanic, even came over to look at it.   The price was right, and we nearly bought it, but...

Something in my Mama Radar wasn't happy.  First of all, it was supposed to be a seven passenger van, but the rear seat was actually two bucket seats right next to each other with a third seat belt spanning the gap and some hard plastic joints jutting up.  In other words, it was possible for three to sit there, but only comfortable for two.  That would not be good if we were running at full capacity, such as when I take six kids on a 2,000 mile vacation next month.  Then, too, you couldn't move the two middle row seats forward to make more leg room for the back ones, and it was pretty tight.  There was very little storage space behind the back row.  Where would we put luggage?  And the only air conditioning vents were in the front.  Oh, I could imagine the whining that can ensue from lack of space and fresh air on even a short trip.

So... I held out.  The dealership had wi-fi, so I popped onto my handy little iPod Touch and looked up one last dealer, Greenway Dodge, a bit further away.  They had a Dodge Caravan in our price range, so off we went.  I'm glad we did.  The salesman, Craig Kennedy, was willing to work with us to bring the price down, throw in a warranty, and even top off the gas tank for us.  And I love this van!  My kids are SO excited with it, even after several days.

This van has a comfortable back bench seat, with air conditioning vents on each side.  The seats (in two sections) can fold and flip backward into the Stow and Go back storage area to make plenty of cargo space.  

When the seats are not flipped down into the Stow and Go area, there is ample room back there -- both horizontally and vertically -- for suitcases or groceries or whatever else I'm hauling around.  

See?  I told you so!  I can't wait to pack for vacation!

The two middle row seats slide forward and back.  They, too, can fold down and flip forward into a storage area underneath the flip-up floor panels.  This gives a LOT of cargo space if I want to haul something bigger. That's good, because I'm known to pick up free furniture off of curbs. :-)

Grand Caravans come with different features.  This is just how ours is configured.  There are automatic sliding doors on both sides, too.  Sweet!  I've heard that the Grand Caravans are more reliable than the Town & Country vans, too.  That makes this Mama even happier.  I'm glad I didn't settle.

Now that I've bragged on my van a little, I'm thinking philosophically about the downsizing part of the story.  Wow.  I now have five "kids" who are adults, including two who are married.  I even have two small grandchildren who live nearby.  My youngest is almost eight.  Two more of my adult daughters will probably move out this year, and we can shuffle the bedrooms again.  Two of my older kids will even get their own rooms for the first time. Glory!  Where did the time go?  I spent nearly 20 years pregnant and/or nursing, with only short gaps in between nurturing babies inside or outside the womb.  That took quite a toll on my body and my soul, and still I'm feeling the effects now. 

We were so idealistic starting out, but it hasn't been easy. There have been a lot of twists and turns and potholes along the journey.  I still have a good many years of mothering to go, and with the help of a Christian counselor, I'm learning to pace myself and rethink my paradigms about what it means to be a good enough parent.  I want to finish well, for my family and for me personally.  It's not exactly going to look like my original ideals, but life changes.  At least I've got a sweet Grand Cherryvan to ride in! 

How about you?  Leave a comment and tell me...

How has life changed you?  Are you upsizing or downsizing?  Having more babies or are your adult children moving away, or both at the same time?  How have your views shifted since you became a mother or entered a new season of life?  Or, on a more practical note, what are you driving and do you like it?

Grace,
Virginia Knowles
www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

25 Years Later, Looking Back on a Miscarriage

Twenty-five years ago today...

I miscarried our second baby at six weeks.

I wrote about this five years ago and a relative told me how much it meant to her, since she had just experienced a miscarriage herself.  Here is an updated version of it...

~*~*~

Several of my dear friends have had miscarriages in the past year or so. I know at least a little of how they feel, because I miscarried our second baby on April 22, 1988, when our oldest was about ten months old. 

I remember my friend Darlene warning me, "You may feel fine now, but in a couple of weeks you might have a hormonal backlash. You may feel really horrible for a while, but it's normal. Don't think you are going crazy." I'm not sure I believed her at the time, but she was right. Two weeks after my miscarriage, my emotions went wild for several days. I was edgy and angry, like a monster case of PMS. So when I hear of a mama who has had a miscarriage, I pass along that helpful tip. Most of the women I have talked to have confirmed it to be true. If you have a miscarriage or stillbirth, do allow yourself to grieve your loss, even as you learn to accept it. Get your rest. Your body and soul need it. 

If you have lost a little one, I also encourage you to be comforted by the testimonies and counsel of others who know what it is like. You can find many web sites and books on the topic of pregnancy loss. I find that even now, I have a very soft spot in my heart for wee little children and their mommies. When I see them suffer in any way, it pulls at my heartstrings. And I still grieve the miscarriage now and then. I don't think about it often anymore, but when I do, I allow myself to feel it and to receive God's comfort. As I was thinking about writing this article, I couldn't sleep. I got up early in the morning and paced the kitchen floor, weeping. But it is a good kind of mourning, the kind that knows joy will come again. I will hold my little one in Heaven, where he or she is already safe in the arms of Jesus, waiting for Mommy and Daddy to catch up! That's the truth about God's grace! 

Bolivia Trip #2, 2009 

And there was joy after our mourning. Just under a year later, our second daughter made her grand debut, followed by eight more children after that. I thank God for granting me this precious baby just a year after my loss and growing her up into such a lovely young woman.   I realize that if I hadn't lost our second pregnancy, this daughter would never have been born, and she is a treasure.  She has a very soft spot in her heart for people who are suffering.  She and her husband are active in ministry to the homeless in Orlando and to impoverished regions of Bolivia, where they are leading a short term missions team this summer.  (It will be her fifth trip there.)



Not every grieving mommy will have another baby.  I can't promise sunshine and roses.  The ache may linger for a lifetime.  But God knows the End from the Beginning. We can trust him to work out all the details in between. 
Grace and peace,

Virginia Knowles
www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

Organizing First Aid Supplies, Medicines and Supplements

Dear friends,

Falling off the shelves and scattered around the house - that's the best way to describe the status of my health supplies this morning.  Something had to be done, especially since I had just replenished some of our medicines. (Why yes, I did find Claritin non-drowsy children's allergy chewables for $4.50 a box on the clearance shelf at Walmart -- a day after spending $11 on the exact same thing at Walgreens.  We go through the stuff pretty fast, so I bought two more boxes.)

My first step: gather up everything
and bring it to the dining room table.

I sorted it all out into the bins I already had labeled

for different types of supplies.

In my main medicine bin,
I keep respiratory meds (for allergies and colds) on the left,
digestion and stomach meds in the middle,
and pain meds on the right.
This makes it easier to find what I need.

I labeled the edges of the boxes and the tops of lids.
I also clearly wrote the expiration dates.
I got rid of a lot of items that were past due. 

I divvied up the adhesive bandages by size and shape,
and put them in labeled boxes and zip bags.
A pouch with a real zipper holds antibiotic ointment,
disinfectant wipe packets, small scissors, and other supplies
like medical tape and steri-strips.

Here is everything ready to be put back in the cupboards.
Front left: stuff to go back into the bathroom.
Middle left: supplements to be sorted into daily bags.
Back left: ear and eye care, plus thermometer supplies.
Front: first aid bin.
Middle right: medicines in bin.
Back right: herbs and vitamins bin.

Most of our medicines and first aid supplies
are stored in the kitchen on a top cupboard shelf.
The box with herbs, adult vitamins and other supplements
is behind the medicine box.
After I took this picture, I put the kids' vitamins 
in front of the first aid box for easy access.

Extras and items that I need handy at nighttime
(like chewable antacid tablets)
are in the bathroom medicine chest.
We always keep chewable aspirin close by.Taken quickly after symptoms start,
chewable aspirin can greatly reduce the severity
of a heart attack or stroke!
Yes, my husband and I are both at risk for that
due to age and family history!

For quite a while, I hadn't been taking my nutritional supplements
like vitamins, evening primrose oil, and thyroid boosters.
I portioned out daily amounts onto two divided styrofoam plates 
and stored them in baggies labeled for each day of the week.
(While looking at this picture in the blog post,
I just realized that I forgot the little white round ones!)

Later, I bought a nice roomy pill box
and put it on my desk with a water bottle
so I can remember to take them
when I sit down to work on my computer.

So anyway, I'm so glad I organized the first aid box this morning, because we sure needed it after dinner!  I'm relieved I could find what I needed so quickly because...

My little girl rode her scooter in bare feet, and got her big toe stuck between the wheel and the frame.

The first thing I saw, after hearing her piercing screams, was the trail of blood down the hallway.

Steri-strip

Big sister Rachel (in nursing school) attempted to calm Mely's little girl hysterics and apply pressure to stop the bleeding, while I held her foot still and muttered under my breath about the virtues of chloroform.  Rachel cleaned off the wound as best she could (under the circumstances), closed it with steri-strips, and wrapped it in gauze.  (I sure do love steri-strips! They are a thin strip of reinforced gauze with adhesive on the back.  You cut off the length you need and stretch it across the wound, pinching it shut a little and securing on each side.  They stay on until the cut is healed, acting like stitches. We've saved lots of trips to the doctor with those.)  Unfortunately, this cut looked a little intense, so we decided "better safe than sorry" and hauled her off to the urgent care clinic. (The CentraCare at Aloma and SR 436 in Winter Park is open until midnight.)  Another big sister, who is great for consolation and amusement, came along to help.  What a godsend they both are.  Big sisters don't fit in my first aid box though!

What did the nurse and doctor do?  Pretty much what Rachel did: cleaned it off as best they could, closed it with steri-strips, and wrapped it in gauze.  They did add betadine with liquid adhesive to the routine, to simultaneously disinfect the wound and glue the steri-strips on more securely.  I gotta get me some of that stuff for my first aid box!  They also gave me the scissors and tweezers they had used, since they discard them after each use.  I needed some good pointy scissors to cut gauze and steri-strips, so I was pretty happy about that.  I'm also happy that Mel'y calmed down and cooperated.  I guess it helped that she didn't need needle-and-thread stitches!  And maybe she'll remember to wear her socks and sneakers the next time she rides her scooter!

Mel'y with her nurse and doctor,
blankie and bear

How do you organize your medicines and first aid supplies?  Share your ideas in a comment!

To your family's health!
Virginia Knowles
www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

P.S. I just bought more stuff at Walmart: Bactine and New Skin for the first aid kit, since Betadine was really expensive.  New Skin is a sort of liquid bandage that you brush on to protect a wound.  It smells like nail polish!  I also stocked up on Loratidine for my own allergies, as well as other OTC meds from Walmart's 88 cents bin.  They also had simple elastic ankle, wrist, and knee braces (2 per package) for the same price.  

P.P.S. In this post, I forgot to mention that in our storage room, I keep a large labeled bin of assorted splints, sturdy reinforced braces (knee, ankle, wrist), slings, a cervical collar, etc.  We've collected these from various sports injuries and car accidents that my kids have been in, and they come in quite handy when someone else needs a little extra support.

P.P.P.S. I found out that a friend is ministering in a migrant worker community with 20+ families, and I thought it would be pretty neat to assemble simple first aid kits: bandages, anti-bacterial wipes, antibiotic ointment and pain reliever packaged in gallon size slider bags.  I'll have to talk to her about that and see if I can enlist some friends to help with the cost!

Other organization posts on my blogs:

• A Place for Everything

• Organizing with Plastic Zip-Style Bags at Home and On the Go

• "Bin There, Done That" (Or How to Keep School Clutter from Turning You Into a Basketcase)
• Let Our Ordered Lives Confess the Beauty of Thy Peace...?
• Menu Planning Tips & Links
• Organizing and Laundering Your Linens
• First Steps to a Tidy Home / Children & Chores

• Busy and Creative at Home

On Clouds, Hands, Oysters and Messy Humanity

Dear friends,

On the way home from an appointment: clouds.

I lucked out with the sun rays on these, hastily taken at a stop light...

One of my hobbies is watching clouds and photographing them...

They are a symbol of hope and God's providence for me.

I pulled over into a parking lot for some of these 

so I could could get the maximum view of clouds 

while avoiding the visual interference of power lines.

I usually crop out any remaining signs of messy human existence (power lines, buildings, light poles), and I sometimes use saturation to brighten things up, as you can see from these two versions of the same shot:

Another cloud of sorts,

another sign of messy human existence:

My appointment today was with my hand specialist.

Now that I'm out of my brace,

I have to buddy tape my fingers 

with a wad of gauze in between

in hopes that the pinky

will stop twisting against the ring finger.

Tape and gauze, for two more months, 

is not exactly what I wanted to hear.

It's necessary for recovery, a good thing,

but an inconvenience nonetheless.

But I will count my blessings

that I could see on the new x-ray

that the fracture is healing neatly,

even if there is a loose end

that will take two more years 

for new bone to completely fill in.

As I waited for the doctor to enter the exam room, I read from the chapter "Oyster Bed" in Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh:

"Each is fitted and formed by its own life and struggle to survive. It is an oyster, with small shells clinging to its humped back. Sprawling and uneven, it has the irregularity of something growing. It looks rather like the house of a big family, pushing out one addition after another to hold its teeming life... It amuses me because it seems so much like my life at the moment, like most women's lives in the middle years of marriage. It is untidy, spread out in all directions, heavily encrusted with accumulations and... firmly embedded on its rock."

My life, too.  The needs of my family, my friends, my students, my community, my own interests.  Commitments.  Opportunities.  Interruptions.  All piled on, seeming unseemly at the first glance, even the second glance.  Messy, messy human existence at times that I can't (completely) crop out of my real life.  Like the oyster, I hope I am firmly embedded to the rock, and maybe even growing a pearl inside.  And despite the demands, my beloved peeps do give back, too. Joy. Compassion. Understanding. Chocolate.  Relationships, even complicated ones, are a blessing.

Sweet gift from my sister-in-law Dana, who also sent dark chocolate toffee!

Grace and peace,

Virginia Knowles

www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com

P.S. More to read:

A lovely, candid blog post by Tsh which I found in my Google Reader this afternoon.  Life's answers aren't always perfect, but there are still "Partial Solutions" in our complicated lives: Making Friends with Imperfect People. 

My own series on Advocating for the Vulnerable, dealing with the human messiness of elder abuse, homelessness, child trafficking, and more to come.

The story of the injured hand: Many Ways of Coping with a Fractured Hand and Arthritis

Clouds, more clouds, and the realities of life: 

• One Sky
• I Dreamed a Dream
• Is My Head in the Clouds? (And Notes on Beauty)
• Shimmer and Shadow
• Weekend Gratitude: Lake Sybelia at Sunset, Lake Lily at Dusk

From I Dreamed a Dream

This post will be linked at:

(In)Courage

 P52 Photo Project  this week's theme "Hobbies"

(Yes, I confess that I submitted two photos to P52 this week!  You can find the other on my www.ContinueWellHomeSchool.blogspot.com here: Ripstick or Rat?)

Domestically Divine Tuesday 

Raising Homemakers 

Funki Planet