The past two weeks have been a good kind of crazy.

Last week started off with me feeling very overwhelmed.  More activities were starting up and school was still taking way too long each day and I felt like I was drowning in all the stuff that wasn’t getting done.  I dropped the only thing I felt like I could drop (one morning run) and prayed for strength through the rest of it.

On Wednesday we got the incredible news that our dispensation had been signed and our time in IBESR was coming to an end.  We also confirmed what I had come to suspect – that two of our children have pertussis.  A strange relief came from finally figuring out what was causing their unrelenting hacking.  I’ve decided that it’s just not Back to School around here unless we have some weird infestation or illness that forces us into relative isolation for weeks on end.

As we reached the end of last week, it finally felt like we were finding our rhythm with school and activities.  On Thursday, I finally made my family dinner and cleaned the house and we did school.  This week has continued much the same, keeping our heads above water for the most part, and it feels really good.  We turned the page on Week 6 of school this week, so it definitely took some time, but hopefully we’ll be able to keep it all in balance in the coming weeks and months.

Last weekend we celebrated my birthday.  Matt took me out for a wonderful dinner and we sat long outside on the patio enjoying a glorious evening.  They all treated me well and spoiled me royally.  I am blessed!

This week has rolled along quite smoothly and for that I am thankful.  A third child seems to be coming down with whooping cough, so she is on antibiotics.  Hopefully it will stop with her and not work its way through the entire family.

This is a “recovery week” in my race training, so a friend and I did my long run this morning and we rocked that trail.  After an entire summer of struggling up the same hills on our normal route, it was very encouraging to see how much easier a flat route was!  I’m looking forward to not having a long run to do this Saturday – like giddy excited.  Hopefully we’ll be able to go to the local Farmer’s Market and I can tackle an organizing project, then we’re going out to dinner with friends.

That about sums up the past couple of weeks around here.  Below I’m sharing a couple of links I’ve found worth reading recently….

The semi-annual clothing swap is my least favorite time of the year.  As the days begin to turn cooler, that dreaded event looms closer and closer.  For a couple of years now I have been praying about how to simplify this process by refining exactly how many clothes came into the house to begin with.  This post is fantastic at laying out fairly specifically how to help your kids maximize their outfits while minimizing the number of articles of clothing they need.  Love!!!

I shared from this one of Ann’s yesterday.  I just love it.

I think that’s it for me today.  The girls are all watching the third (very, very long) Lord of the Rings movie.  I may go take a nap!  Have a glorious weekend!

For His Glory ~

~ Sara