The New Year Vacation

Hello, world. Happy New Year, 14 days in now. Which means the first month is nearly half over!?

I guess I've been on a vacation from my blog. It wasn't really intentional. I've just had a lot going on (hard to believe with 5 children, I know). One thing that's been eating up a lot of time that I might ordinarily use to blog a bit is that Liberty has been pretty cranky. She was such an incredibly pleasant little soul until not too long ago. She has started teething and hasn't let up, but has progressively gotten more irritable and clingy. Sigh. Hard to tell what may be developing into habit and what is just her feeling yucky at this phase. I think she's mostly feeling yucky. Poor little thing. She's cut two teeth now, and it seems she's working on more. She's been very sleepy, but is having trouble sleeping. AND she's very determined to master mobility. She's pulling up completely now -- actually STOOD by herself for a couple seconds the night before last (at seven and a half months!?!) -- and she's figuring out how to crawl on all fours instead of on her belly. She's a good reminder of how dirty my floors are. She's constantly finding some small thing and quickly stuffing it in her mouth! Ack! So she's literally been wearing me out in a way, but I know it's a short phase (even though in the moment-to-moment it sometimes feels like it's becoming a norm that will last forever!) and I want to enjoy it. There are so many fun things about this age. They are so determined and so excited about life, and learning so fast! It's inspiring, if it is sometimes draining. ;)

I've also spent time lately evaluating both myself and the children and the direction all of our learning/life is headed, setting goals for the rest of the school year, etc. I try to do this every year around this time (ideally before the year is completely out, but things were just too hectic for me to get it completed by the end of the year this time, largely due to Liberty), so it's nothing unusual. Just time-consuming.

This post is basically just to let you know that I'm still here and haven't forgotten my blog entirely or fallen off the face of the Mommy Earth. I have been slooowly working on some things in snatches, some of which I hope to have up before long, but there's no telling when they will actually get done. This isn't really an apology because I don't feel bad about my blog being in the priority place it is. I do frequently long for more time, though -- for many things, not just this. But I know God set up time the way He did, and I must work within its limitations. Just one thing I need to learn how to do better.

Have a lovely day.