Photo Journal - Josie Boettcher

IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF FALL!!!! WOOHOO!! I wasn't sure we were going to, but we went to Wild & Free this morning. It was misting when we got there, and for about 1/3 of our time there, but it was nice. I got to catch up with Anne a little bit, who is struggling with her HC again...just because life right now is making it difficult to go. It's also so tough for her to have this weekly thing she does at night when her kids are back in school and she doesn't feel that she can trust David to help them get bathed, homework done, and in bed on time. She's feeling pretty sad about it. We were just a sad pair today! But glad to be with each other and our group. It was only 60 degrees and it felt magical being out in the green, drippy forest, finally in cool weather!  In the afternoon, I finished my book, worked on my puzzle for a little bit, and moved the wood from behind the garden to the picnic bench. I can't believe I let it sit there for 3-4 months, getting all b...

I had another day of mostly just sitting around. It's all I want to do right now. The thought of HC crossed my mind, but then I remembered we were supposed to get together with Colin and Christina. We did school in the morning, then I took Jonas to BJJ and we went in to hang out for a little bit toward the end. I got to catch up with Julia a little bit, who is definitely struggling on her homeschooling journey right now. I'm hoping to find some good resources I can send her.  In the afternoon, I just worked on my puzzle and read, really. I need to have this book done in time for book club tomorrow, so I'm kicking it into high gear! Not that there's anything high-gear about reading. I made some soup and bread for dinner, which I was very excited about. The first soup of the season! It turned out pretty well, even though I had to replace or omit a few of the ingredients because I did not have them.  I ran some errands with Ben in the evening. I've been distracted and ...

I literally just stayed home relaxing all day long. We didn't go to church. I almost went to 4th Street, but I honestly didn't feel like getting dressed or leaving the house. I'm definitely still in my bad mood phase of the month, in addition to be upset with small group. I hate everything. I hate that I followed Ben over here, knowing that it wasn't right for me. I knew from the beginning that I'd never be able to invite people out to Meadow Park, and especially not the small group. How can I be an effective evangelist when I'm 1. not in step with my husband or 2. not in a church fellowship that I can be confident in?? This has been such a trying six months or so. Just grrrrr.  Ben went to play MtG and was gone for most of the day, then Jonas and Clem went to group tonight. I'm feeling some motivation to start on home projects again, now that the forecast is showing cooler temps coming up. It's time for the kids' bathroom next, even though Ben just ...

Today was pretty chill. We just hung out for most of the morning. I got out a new puzzle and worked on that for a couple of hours and also read intermittently. In the early afternoon, I took Clem on a date to American Eagle and some other places. We had a nice time.  The Shauls came over for dinner tonight and it went smoothly. We had to be inside because of the weather, but the kids mostly hung out in the basement, and we eventually turned on a movie that had them all zoned out. Dinner and conversation were both good. Ben and Travis left in the middle to take Jonas to Max's house for a sleepover, and I could tell that Kylienne was really trying to get some new conversations started. It didn't work all that well, but I was proud of her for attempting! I can't really think of any other times she has taken the lead on conversations, in all of these years! She ended up saying something at one point that was really sad. It was something like, 'Nobody has any answers about a...

So glad this school week is over. It's so hard for me to cheerfully do school with the kids when I'm in this headspace! They're such good, sweet, hard-working kids though. I try really, really hard to still be loving towards them, even when I feel like I'm going to explode on everyone.  I got my dresses that I ordered today! Of course, now I have to worry about how I'm going to return two of them. 😬 But that's beside the point. This is just the first one I tried on. I don't think it's flattering on me, so I don't think I'm going with this one. It's crazy because I'll feel like I'm thin and beautiful, but then I try on a dress like this and have a picture taken and it becomes so clear how lumpy, and overweight, and blah I really look. It's kind of sad. Probably sadder that that's how I see myself than that that's how I look, if that makes sense. But, alas, my body is what my body is, and this dress makes me feel worse abou...

We had our first day back at CACH today! I am so excited about my new, full-time role as Yearbook Committee Lead. I had the three kids join me today, whose applications I approved, so that we could brainstorm ideas for a newsletter, some new additions to the yearbook, and our new color scheme/theme. It was a good time, but very quiet. The girls are clearly nervous and not quite getting that they're not in class. This is a club and I want conversation! It took a long time to get them all signed into all of the different accounts though. All of the kids said they had an awesome time today. It was so good to be back. I also talked through my Yearbook Committee dilemma with the leadership team today. I feel like a traitor, in a way, but I cannot have Christina be co-lead on this. She is super negative, hates CACH, and has no stake in this yearbook at all, considering she doesn't care at all about this co-op. Yet, she insists that she is the person I need to choose to be co-lead in ...