patio rebirth and other monday thoughts.

i've neglected it for 2.5 months, as in, done NOTHING. but the weather is cooling, and i'm not largely, uncomfortably pregnant so the time has come to work on the patio(s) again. there are a few plants -- begonias, various cacti, lantana, geranium, cone flower etc. -- that have survived the choking heat without my help, and i plan to add a bit of fall color here in the next few weeks. we're starting a new beth moore bible study tomorrow night, and i'm pumped to study out on a pretty patio in a sweater (hey, i can dream, right?) with a cup of coffee.

speaking of beth moore, i'm super excited to start this new study. i love small group, and i love learning more about the Word.

i got up at 7:30 to run this morning. the weather was great. quite cool. i won't bore you with too many details, but i want to know who else is keeping up the good work. i'm determined to make it to the capital 10k. my progress has been (very) slow but steady this month. i'm hoping to pick up the pace in october. i've only been officially cleared to begin work outs for a week and a half, after all. stay updated here, if you're interested in that kind of thing.

i'm having to miss it this year (*sad*) because of a nursing baby, but i'm already getting excited for next year's breast cancer 3-day. i think it's because i walked last year's in HORRIBLE shape, and the idea of doing it in good shape is appealing. and even though i was in bad shape last year, it was a freakin' awesome.

i wish i was closer to laura to help with wedding planning, among other things.

i know we've all posted this at some point in the past couple of weeks, but....I'M SO EXCITED IT'S FALL! ah! like, so. cinnamon-y candles, warm cookies, wreaths, football, cool morning runs, long sleeves, taco soup. i wish there was a way to type "satisfied sigh."

i'm almost 26.

my black, $30 ikea coffee table is looking a little beat. i'm not contemplating buying anything new because i know the beating of childhood has just begun. but i'm thinking of trying to spruce it up a little. i wish i had the guts to paint it something really bright. maybe i'll try a pattern or something fancy like that.

kylah's house is gorgeous.

i am all of a sudden having a super intense urge to sew. i have no idea how to sew. but i want to learn. i want to make things for my house, things for my babies, things for other people's babies, maybe even clothes at some point. it's likely been inspired by my discovery of this site some months ago. *sigh.* i have a super simple hand-sewing project on deck. i have all the supplies, but need to borrow someone's fabric shears. i have a sewing machine on my christmas list. landon thinks i'm nuts. there's just something inside me that identifies with the green/eco-friendly/old-fashioned/simpler-time idea of making things by hand. i don't get all preachy about fair trade practices and ethical work conditions for the people who make and sell most of the cheap stuff i buy -- mostly because i can't afford to. it may just be good marketing, but i'm shamelessly on the bandwagon.

there are so many blogs i want to read every day, but a.) i forget half of them because there are so many and b.) i do need to feed my children at some point.

i got my hair cut today. yay!

i'm thinking of putting some of ellie's nicer baby clothes on ebay. we sure could use the money. it's just that i'm tragically sentimental.

i don't get this economy situation, but it's kinda scary. i'm glad God's wealth and power are not dependent on our economy. i like what it says at the end of habakkuk: "though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls--yet i will rejoice in the Lord, i will joy in the God of my salvation. the Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills." (3:17-19.) it's just a reminder that He has saved us. that alone is reason to stand up straight and rejoice, nevermind our earthly situation.

i've been praying and thinking a lot lately about priorities and how to go about feeling like i'm accomplishing something with my days. my meditation has led me to begin making a list of things i really want to do every day. for example, spend time with the Lord, run, shower, feed my children, bathe my children, feed my husband, straighten at least one room of the house, work for a few hours, complete two items on a forever-long to-do list, have at least a couple hours in the evening to be with landon and go to bed by 11. pretty basic, right? i'm feeling the need to simplify and streamline for my own sanity. i've basically given up the idea that i'll ever have an immaculate house. (i know, funny i was ever contemplating it.) i tend to get motivated, make long lists, am unable to complete the whole list in one day (who could? oh. i know. angela.) and then revert to chaos. i know it sounds sort of slacker-ish, but i want to locate my "good enough" in the day-to-day so that maximum effort can be focused on my relationships -- with the Lord and with my family and friends. i want to do those things that are most important and fill in the gaps with "other stuff." pushing out the "important stuff" with the "other stuff" is just no longer an option. this may seem elementary to some, but i'm truly recognizing it as a significant step on my journey to growing up in my salvation. maturity, some may call it. it's about dang time.