how I'm wasting my time instead of working

We went to the car show yesterday and I fell in love with the VW Routan. Love at first site. It looked like a lounge inside. I imagined for myself a very nice life with a car like that.

The reality of it is that we will probably have to buy a used car. Normally I would say there's nothing wrong with buying a used car. It makes sense. But a used minivan is another story. I see what abuse these things go through and it makes me really, really want a new one. Rich's side of the story: WE are about to put a van through all of that anyway. Does it make sense to buy a new van that we might end up trashing ourselves? My answer: yes.

I have a lot of lobbying to do. I think I might end up driving around an old van filled with somebody else's cheerios and french fries and juice cup spills and poo poo accidents.

I still have a million things to do but I haven't been very good about doing them. Mostly what I've been doing is

cataloging all the things that need to be done

spending hours searching online for things I would like to buy (for instance, combing ebay for a set of brio tracks to make a train table out of a coffee table or searching endlessly for a stroller built for 3) but never really committing to buy a thing

Worrying about how I'll ever manage to really take care of three children at once

Thinking about all of the things I really should do now before they come like use the spa gift certificate Rich gave me for my birthday almost a year ago which probably expires soon

Fretting over the living room wall some more

The list goes on and on. There's nothing really productive on it. Although I did manage to finish one thing today...a sparkly sweet that's something of a surprise.

My friend Lorraine said that I shouldn't feel bad about whiling away a day doing not much of anything. I should glory in the quiet stillness of it all, savoring this very moment...the calm before the storm.

revision

Everyday when I looked at the arrangement of stuff above the sofa in the living room, something nagged at me. It just didn't seem right. Maybe it was Rich's sticker comment...but it just seemed like too much of a jumble with no room for your eye to move. And it got worse everytime I looked at it. It just looked more like a mistake.

So today, I stripped off the wall sticker (it's repositionable so I'll find another place for it) and I'm starting over...for now it's just a merry little neighborhood and the cuckoo clock.

I have about a month to get the house ready. Today we are going to the car show to look for a new bigger car. And I have to paint Pinky's room (pink of course!), get the kitchen fixed up with some sweets shoppe inspired decor, and fix up the family room to make it ever-so kid friendly. Pam's coming over next week to help with painting the room. Yay!

magic sleepy hands

This weekend was the first that the children spent with us. They are in another foster home now but they are transitioning to live with us, probably in March.

Everyone, including Rich (but not me), napped today. We went up to their room and they each got in their beds. I read a little of Curious George and put on some soothing music. Then I used my magic sleepy hands to cast a spell on each of them. I didn't realize that I had such magic sleepy hands but as I cradled each of their little heads in my hand and whispered hush, they slipped off effortlessly, and almost instantly, into sweet slumber. I impressed myself. And then I went downstairs to test my magic sleepy hands on Rich and they worked a 4th time. Magic!

On Saturday, while the boys napped, my girl and I had a pink treat...pink hot chocolate, with clouds of marshmallows and drizzles of rainbow sprinkles. It was as delightful as it looks here. Did I tell you that she loves pink as much as I do? Oh yes. I love this little girl. And I love those sweet boys. They just left a little while ago and I miss them already.

p.s. We all went to church today and they were perfect angels.