Wow, I got so much done today!  It all started when I decided to put together the metal shelf Jerry left sitting in the entry way.  Evidently, in the same spirit of the mouse with the cookie, if you give Belinda a shelf she will reorganize her whole house.  One thing led to another and I am now sitting at my desk, which is miraculously cleared off and I am typing this in the new school room/sitting room/very organized (for me) back room.  It is a thing of wonder.  At one point I was completely surrounded with chaos and I yelled to Jessica in the next room, "I'm stuck!"  She stuck her head in the room and said, "Put the copiers on those shelves, move the table that way and push the bowflex into that corner."  And she left to feed one of my grandkids.  Four hours later (and I am guessing) I had a beautiful place to be.  I moved the loveseat from the living room into this room and organized all my school stuff onto shelves.  You can't really understand the wonder of this if you are an organized person by nature.  I am thrilled. Everyday I am bringing order into another part of my home.  I mean I ORGANIZED this room.  I separated the plush toys from the plastic ones...the legos from the duplos...big books went on a shelf and toddler books went in a basket that went on a shelf. ..I even organized the plastic and wooden food in our toy kitchen. From a room full of buckets and baskets overflowing and no room to walk to an orderly, homey room filled with peace where I can gather my thoughts and accomplish my goals.  Can you tell that I'm excited?  There is no telling what I can do now...I'll let you know. 

What's really important?

I started the day in the freezing sleet with my daughter's black and white daschund, Lucy.  I love the cold in small doses and enjoyed watching the little green birds search through the sleet looking for food. They were so cute jumping around on the frozen ground. While Lucy found the exact spot she needed, I picked up the trash the dog left across the yard in the night and the paintbrushes frozen to the ground that my husband and kids left out after finishing their latest "project".  I found the birdseed and tossed a bunch outside my window so that they could eat it where I could watch them.  My kids were sick today so I did all the chores by myself.  I feed the three cats and the dogs. Sam is a Rottweiller and you already met Lucy. Started the dishwasher, switched a load of laundry.  Just an ordinary day in my life.  Then I got a phone call from Ruby.  "There's just no easy way to say this."  I held my breath.  "Stephannie was in a car wreck today; she didn't make it."  The air was pulled out of me.  I can't really describe what I felt in that moment.  My friend, Jennifer, was just living her life today and now her daughter is gone.  My heart is broken for her.  I am lost for her. When I told my husband and my children and they were stunned.  I felt guilty that I hadn't gotten to know Stephannie better.  The years ran through my mind and I thought of all the times I could have spoken to her, prayed for her, listened to her.  Now it's too late.  Final. No more time.  She is with God now where time can not touch her.  We are still here, living our lives, standing in the sleet and freezing wind waiting for the dog to go.  I can't wrap my mind around it yet.  But I know it has changed me.  Tomorrow we bake and take food to the church.  We pray.  We cry.  We love.  And we live our lives.