Baby steps, day fourteen

Yesterday, after getting home from hanging with the kid, I had NO energy left, and it was nice to say Okay, I can just rest, because my house may not be perfect, but it's in control, and I had already completed all my to-dos except the 15 minutes of decluttering before I left. Today, I'll get back on the decluttering wagon.

( Previous days )

Day Fourteen: Today, go read the essay that Kelly wrote about using a calendar.

As it happens, my work calendar, which is the online calendar I use for scheduling doctor visits, etc. (since I have to use the darn thing anyway) just got switched over to Google calendars. I don't have a personal Google account, for a few reasons, and I have been missing how easy that calendar is to use, so I'll actually have a little fun today putting all my reminders in there.

For decluttering, I had choice paralysis, so I asked James to pick something. He pointed out this box...



( cut for length and photos )

My kid

Four years ago last month (June 13th), wtfpotatoes arrived on our doorstep, delivered by the stork of oh-my-god-my-sister-is-useless. She (my kid, not my sister) was sixteen at the time, scared and tired and rejected.

We offered her a loving home with disorganized weirdos, and promised not to reject her. We gave her not enough space to stretch out in, and way too much seitan. But we never hit her, and we never rejected her, and we never threatened to stop loving her or told her she was the reason for all our problems, unlike other people in her life. When we decided she needed to move out at age twenty, we gave her time to get herself situated, bought her some furniture, helped her put it together, and remained faithful to our family bond.

Whenever I feel inadequate (and I'm not imagining this -- I am an inadequate parent in a lot of ways), I look at this marvelous young adult who has managed such a tumultous and difficult existence and come out of it as a kind, intelligent, generous person who loves her family deeply and lives her life responsibly. I am not the one to credit for that -- the kid is -- but I am so glad that my inadequacies were not enough to beat that goodness down.