You know how sometimes everything your life stacks up all at once, and you just go into "survival mode," moving from one task to the next as quickly as you can? Trying desperately not to let yourself get overwhelmed, because wonderful things are happening, and you don't want the details to get lost in a blur of busy-ness?
That's been my life lately. But for wonderful reasons.
Photo above by Elisha Snow. Bonnet and dress handmade by my mom. I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures!
1. On Saturday, April 23, we scheduled Keira Jane's baby blessing (the LDS version of a christening) and temple sealing (the spiritual version of "finalizing her adoption," to follow the legal finalization from a couple of weeks ago).
2. Hence, my sister's family was in town from California.
3. And my brother's family was in town from Arizona.
4. And my grandparents were in town from Idaho.
5. We also scheduled extended family portraits (with the fabulous Elisha Snow), since all 23 of us were together for the first time in a long time. Two parents, six children, and 11.5 grandchildren.
In said family photo, I finally understood the concept of being more concerned with how one's children look (binkie out, blanket out of the way, boogers out of nose) than oneself.
6. I coordinated a family potluck luncheon after the blessing, with 40-50 people expected to attend. My mom's famous potato salad and homemade mustard. My mother-in-law's famous ham. My sister-in-law's famous orange cake. My sister's famous cheesecake pudding. Costco's famous rolls. And the green lime slush I was so fond of from childhood.
7. I tried to set aside as much time as possible from Thursday through today to spend time with family and friends. Meals, walks, drives, shopping excursions, Easter-egg hunts, and simply time spent together.
8. Keira got her first fever and her first ear infection the day before the family was set to arrive. She was not a happy girl, but she was sweet and calm and cuddly nonetheless. And she was in a wonderful mood all day Saturday, which was a huge blessing. She'd only been on her antibiotic for one day.
9. Naturally, it was Easter the following day. No eggs were boiled or dyed at my house, but Easter baskets did manage to get filled and set out the next morning. (16-year-old boys still do care about these things, as much as they might pretend to be too grown up.)
10. In my work life, I've been madly preparing for Ella Publishing Co.'s very first online event, Spring Training 2011, which launched yesterday. It's been a huge undertaking, but Wendy and I have been having a ball!
In hindsight, I might have scheduled things a little bit differently. But I can't complain. Saturday could not have been more perfect, and Easter Sunday was a lovely respite from the mania of the previous week.
And Spring Training is going along swimmingly. We're having a blast! And since I've certainly neglected the journaling and writing topic here on my blog recently (I can't resist talking and talking about my baby girl!), you can get your word-nerd fill in three extremely useful and meaningful journaling lessons from me. I have to say, these feature some of my best writing tips ever.
p.s. How could I have forgotten? I also ran a half marathon the Saturday before. I'll post about that later this week! Probably. Right now, I need a nap.
