New Week

So it was a full week - one of those "something every day" weeks that can feel like a lot.  The best part was getting together with our friends - once on Monday for a couples dinner (at the restaurant to redeem the gift card they gave me for my birthday) and once just the two of us women.  We were gone for almost four hours and somehow it never feels like we've talked enough. 

The piano sounds so much better after the tuning, the play at Hale wasn't our favorite but it was fun to get out, and we're always feeling a bit more presentable after our haircuts.  We had a consultation with a new (to us) team of  financial advisors.  We have so little money that it seems overkill to have an advisor, but we are completely un-equipped to handle what we do have.  We both walked away from the appointment feeling hopeful/relieved/at peace and more confident.  We'll meet with them again when they've worked up a plan.  Fingers crossed and prayers being said that it will be a beneficial arrangement, we can make the change without issues and we won't run out of money before we leave this earth.

The storehouse was pretty calm for a couple hours.  Then we were totally busy.  We were down about 7 people but calls were made and we were up about 5 and still it was "all hands on deck".  The conversations we have with the people who come in reveal many heart-hurting situations.  Feeding their bodies isn't the only feeding going on.  Sometimes the real benefit is their sense that they matter and someone has their best interests at heart.  Soul (and heart) hunger is real.

I took a bunch of pictures of the moon this morning.  It was so pretty.  The one that's on here is very dark, I turned off a bunch of the automatic settings on my phone's camera.  It's kind of broody and almost sinister.  I'm putting it on here to see what it looks like when it's large.  Maybe a total failure.  But I'm putting it on here anyway.

That's the moon.

One of our ongoing projects has been the new tree.  We learn something new with every single thing we encounter.  We rushed out and bought a tree - the house hasn't looked right ever since we lost the Blue Atlas Cedar to borers.  Discovered we can't plant the new tree in the same spot.  Even though they ground the stump, the roots are too big and extensive.  No, they said (and lots of theys were telling us) you can't plant in the exact spot, you have to move out 6-8 feet. The rock border around the cedar was the problem.  Those were big rocks, settled inches into the dirt.  The internet provided a couple companies willing to take away the rocks but at such a high price, we simply couldn't manage it.  And I didn't want the heavy equipment ruining our lawn, driveway and sprinkler system.  Back we went to the internet.  This morning was the scheduled removal.

I told The Husband on our early morning walk I wouldn't be at all surprised if the guys showed up, took one look at the rocks and said no way, not doing that.  Three young guys showed up with a trailer and a heavy duty dolly.  They used their heads.  Didn't rely on expensive equipment.  40 minutes later, the rocks were all loaded on the truck and they were driving off.  Job done well.  

And it would be hard for me to express the lightness in my mind from the weight of that project done.  Some days things just seem overwhelming and this has taken us more time and energy that I felt like was warranted.  Life keeps trying to teach me patience but apparently I'm a slow learner.

This morning I'm feeling deep gratitude that for once something went off without a hitch (at least as far as we know).  I'm grateful for the new tree ready to be planted.  Grateful that the spot from the previous tree doesn't have to be perfectly fixed right now, The Husband can take his time.  I'm grateful for a tiny bit of hope - that emotion has felt sort of absent of late. I'm grateful that my turn on the organ yesterday went mostly well - the substitute chorister was pretty good, and in the process of leading four songs yesterday, he figured out that the cue for beginning and ending the verses is important.  I want to be a kind person, one who is doing their best to be a disciple of our Savior.  I'm grateful for the chance to try again every day.