Days Ordained: A Saturday afternoon post.

For a Saturday, today has been a nice mix of work and moments of quiet and rest. We ran a few errands this morning while Jon was at church working, then we came home to a what the kids call a "work day." Michael mowed the grass, then he and Jack trimmed some ivy. Andrew and Olivia carried all the furniture off the veranda to be washed, and the veranda was pressured hosed and mopped by Olivia. The boys organized the bikes and scooters, and the bricks were stacked against the garage wall. I packed up the art supplies that were being housed in an old Ikea armoire in the garage. That armoire hardly made our last move, and it has been held together by duct tape. Since it's going to be demolished, Michael had fun hacking away at it with a small saw and knife.

I've just finished assembling an ice cream cake, and decided to pay a little visit to Jack who is playing alone outside. He didn't know I was behind him so I listened to the conversation he was having with the ants before smashing them with the knob of that old armoire. He has a baby lizard clinging to the front of his t-shirt. Earlier in the day he kissed me on the lips, then lifted the lizard up to his mouth and kissed it too. I've heard they carry salmonella...

It's hot out, though not nearly as hot as it was last weekend. The lawn has large areas where the sun has burnt away the grass down to the dirt. My skin is parched. My finger tips feel like sandpaper, and my knuckles are all wrinkly. It doesn't help either that on our last day at the beach I got a sunburn and now my legs are peeling. We really need rain. And I need to drink more water, use lotion more often, and wear gloves when I clean.

The dining room, kitchen, and hallway are lined with boxes. I still feel like I've only scratched the surface of what needs to be done, but I am thankful for a friend who came over yesterday and spent time with me pruning rose bushes and packing boxes. The company was especially nice!

I recently read this quote and it fits perfectly with my packing philosophy:

"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."--William Morris

I'm a slow packer. I want to make sure that I'm not packing things I'll get rid of shortly after the move, so there are piles of things to give away to certain people or to donate. I don't like packing items that are in disrepair, so I've spent extra time gluing toys and taping the kids' favorite books. Also, frames need to be dusted, drawers wiped down, etc. Then there's the problem of making sure things are in the right category so that unpacking will go smoothly. And there are many moments when I come across items that make me get all sentimental and I lose track of time. It's not a simple matter of just throwing stuff into boxes.

It could also be that I have a touch of OCD.