the power of a list...

I think I've finally figured out how to stay sane while not working...it's called a list. Sunday evening, with the help of my oh-so-handsome hubby, I sat down and wrote out a list for the week. On it are things like "call so-and-so," or "check mail," but it also includes very important things like "organize the filing cabinet" and "order pictures for my photography portfolio." (My favorite is "practice signature" for when I get pictures printed off so I can sign them...) Because of this wonderful thing we call a list, yesterday was so much more fulfilling than the past couple weeks combined (ok, that's maybe a bit of an overstatement...but not much.) I was able to check several things off the list, and even do things that weren't on it!

The most exciting part of the day was when I got to go to the high school and help with the band and choir classes. The piano player at our church also plays piano for the high school choir. The director was to be gone yesterday and she asked if I could come and help since I have expressed an interest in substitute teaching and possibly being the accompanist for the junior high choir in the fall. The director was very open to that idea and "he is very anxious to meet" me (according to my piano playing friend.) So, today my list of things to do includes another trip to the high school to meet him. I am really hoping to work there in the fall, so keep your fingers crossed! Anyway, the classes yesterday went very well and I am proud to say that I was not as intimidated as I thought I would be. The kids were very respectful when I asked for their attention, and they seemed to like me. As much as substitute teaching is out of my comfort zone, I think it will be fun, and a good way to meet some of the young people around here.

Even though I may have found the trick to avoiding insanity, this has still been a rough few days for both of us and a rough couple weeks for me. We were both really homesick this weekend. We miss our family. We miss our friends. We miss our 380 square-foot cabin. We miss living at Summit and all the community we had there. The saying is true...you don't know what you got till it's gone...