Recovery Mode

It's not my computer or any of of our other technological devices that is in recovery mode.  It's me.

I know I'm supposed to be doing a post "Who Am I?" but that is going to have to wait.  It is half started and I will get there eventually, but I am in recovery mode.

From what you ask?

Well, currently it is bronchitis.  I am entering week 3 of being sick.  And I mean, mostly in the bed sorta sick. Fortunately, it could be much worse.  Alot worse.  As in the flu. As in the death stomach bug I have had. Twice.  But it is enough sick that it has put this momma down.

And unfortunately, I was in recovery mode when I got sick.

From what you ask?

Oh, you know...the fall season, Christmas, life.

See, around here from August until mid-January it is just plain nuts.  Seriously.  Happens every year.  You would think by now I would see it coming.  And I do, it's just I can't plan enough for it.

Here is what happens....August rolls around:  I am frantically lesson planning, looking forward to a "normal" schedule, not a summer schedule, seeing peace in the school routine.  And that is good.  Change is good.  But then, my husband's busy job season begins.  Phone rings off the wall, working dawn till dusk planting, getting land ready to hunt, eager hunters seeking advice.  So we are both pretty busy, but manageable.

Mid-august comes around and I begin looking at the calendar and dang it, wouldn't you know, the kids birthdays are coming around. Again.  Ha.  My man-child's birthday comes "first" in our birthday season. Then baby of the family is next, 40 days later.  The almost grown girl has hers a mere 3 weeks later.  It just about kills me folks.  So, mid-august I start getting into birthday gear.

This happens every year, but then this year....throw in a 10th birthday and a 16th birthday.  Yeah.  Ok, totally into panic birthday gear.

Take those events and add in....swim meets, the typical homeschool mom October panic- "I can't do this anymore!", hubby working dawn till dusk, hubby and son on a few out of town trips,  Christmas shopping, Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, wrapping, Christmas decor, panic again over spending, etc, etc.  You get the idea.

So by Christmas time I am looking forward to Epiphany.  You know the actually 12 days of Christmas thing, that begins Christmas day.  Those are my relaxing days.  The hub-bub is over, not many places to be, hot chocolate, games in front of the fireplace, etc.

Which I did get to enjoy this year.  I post-Christmas sale shopped.  I painted.  I baked.  I cooked.  I read. Went on dates.  Took each of the kids somewhere.  Went to a bowl game.  I enjoyed it, knowing that the first weekend in January was a weekend swim meet, we were taking that Monday off and between that and an early ending meet on Sunday I had plenty of time to get everything together to start school and make a grocery store run.  A day and a half people.

Sunday...I got sick.  During the meet.  The whole swaying sort of thing, where you come home, get straight in your pj's not caring where your other clothes landed.  At noon.

So, that is the start of our semester.  Of my January of not too busy.  Of finally getting caught up from the fall.  Ha.  Ha ha.

Here it is, the end of January is in sight.  And I am still in recovery mode.  From August.

The upside to a busy fall work season for hubby is that January is that it is slower for him.  So he has been around.  Doing the driving, the grocery store runs, the picking up playdates, etc.  While I stayed at home and made him to-do lists.

I am in recovery mode.  From being sick.  Which put me behind from the holiday recovery.  Which started from behind cause of birthdays.  Which is just crazy cause it's fall. But, this too shall pass onto another crazy schedule.  Which actually comes in about a week and a half.  So I better get to catching up.  And lowering my expectations.  And realizing it could be worse.  Way worse.

So, I will start this Monday thankful.  Thankful that I have eggs, bisquick, venison, and old milk.  I can do anything with those.  That I am in recovery mode.  Not still very sick mode.  Well-mode would be nice, but hey, you can't have everything.

Thankful for sweet friends for my kids to play with.  Especially the kind that fit in so well you forget that they aren't even yours.

Thankful for great swim meets for big kids out of town and for great times and for hard work paying off.  For chances for championship meets.

Thankful for a husband who loves me unconditionally, snot, phlegm, coughs and all.

Thankful for a God who floods me with grace.  Each and every day.

And for dogs who are cuddly.  Annoying, but cuddly.