Chaos...

Ever have that feeling that you're just surrounded by chaos?  That at every turn something is falling down around you, or on the verge of exploding?  Whether it's a relationship or your laundry pile...there's something ready to burst.

That is my life right now -- not so much the relationship piece (moving in a positive direction on all fronts) -- there are little piles of chaos swirling all around me.  Files that aren't wrapped up which lead to chaos/slight anxiety about making sure everything is lined up for the coming months at work.  Making sure my house is spotless for when MIL & GMIL come to town next weekend...definitely reveling in our chaotic house over these next few days, before we dive in to a DEEP clean this weekend.  Trying to round up a couple of middle schoolers to share a little bit about their camp experience for a concert on Saturday...ever try to get a 13yr old girl to talk in front of a crowd? Yah not exactly the easiest thing in the world.  Dealing with the impending "official" start date of football -- football changes every dynamic in our household, changes how things get done, how things work, and where a lot of the focus & attention goes.  It's always an adjustment. But this is our 3rd married season, so we'll see how it goes.  Yet even having gone thru it 2 other times, you just never know quite how to handle that adjustment.

But despite these little tornadoes of chaos swirling around me I'm trying to choose positivity and thankfulness.  Trying to hold on to the small moments of goodness and fun.  Like moments that took place this last weekend....
Exhibit A: Friday night double date with my parents...dinner at a nearby hole in the wall (aka Wooden Nickel..in the Salem/Silverton area, check it out!) & drinks/dessert at a new Silverton brew pub partly owned by one of Isaac's friends (Seven Brides...check it out! GREAT strawberry shortcake!)

Mom & Dad at the brew pub -- sorry for the dark lighting!

Exhibit B: Gabbing with my friend Rebekah at The Bridal Gallery -- throwing out ideas and plans for her potential wedding.  And her asking me to coordinate it for her! GASP! Talk about pressure & fun! 

Exhibit C:  Saturday night date with Isaac...dinner at our favorite Hawaiian plate lunch spot in Beaverton & a Hawaiian concert.  Friends, drinks, and good music...well, the first band actually sucked, but the people we went to hear were GREAT!

 Isaac at Kauai Island Grill -- DELICIOUS. The ONLY legitimate Hawaiian food place in Oregon....beats every other place out there, hands down!

Exhibit D: An extended trip to Ikea with mom to try & plan out a potential kitchen remodel for the cabin.  My gran lived in her cabin until she passed -- and we always joked that her kitchen was a one butt kitchen.  Terrible counter space, terrible cabinet/storage space, overall just terrible.  But I think mom & I came up with a pretty good plan.  It'll be a couple years before anything happens..but it's a good jumping off point.

Exhibit E: Reading aloud from a new book Isaac & I just got -- "Love & War" by John & Stasi Eldredge.  I have loved every book I've read that they have written.  Just started last night, but it's nice to have the TV turned off and be reading with one another.  I'm excited to see what God shows us thru this book! :)

 

How do you keep your sanity when tornadoes of chaos are swirling around you??

<3