What this blog is about

It's Monday again, which seems to prompt my musings. As I mentioned before, I told a few people that I was starting this blog and when I did, several asked me, "What is the blog about?"

And maybe it's because I'm not too trafficked in social media, but I didn't know a blog had to be about something. Does it? If it does, do the thoughts of my day count as the thing it's about? I don't know if that qualifies, but that is what this blog is about.

So, thoughts for today:

When we were having dinner last night, my always thoughtful husband asked me if I had the "my weekend is over" blues. I responded that I didn't, really. Which then made me think, why is one Monday so different from the next? Why was I blue and listless just a mere seven days ago and I'm not today? Nothing has really changed, which you would think might in fact make me even bluer. And yet, I feel different; better, somehow.

I guess that just goes to show you can't trust feelings. I knew I was a T on the Myers Briggs Personality Type indicator for a reason.

Becoming Home Debtors

Two months ago, we bought a house (with the investment of some very generous parents). It was a very exciting, very scary process. We absolutely love our new house. For the first month, we had about twenty conversations that started with, "What is your favorite thing about the house today?" It has been such a fun journey of making the house our home and it is truly a wonderful feeling to know it's permanent.

It has also been a lot of work, mostly of our own choosing. And since I know have this great resource with which to chronicle my life, I thought I would keep a running tab of what we've done so far to the house (some of you may be thinking - "Wouldn't here be the perfect place to insert some photos?") And yes it would, but alas, I have not taken a single picture of the house since we started working on it. Other people have, so if we're lucky, one of them might have pity on me and send me a picture of my own house. Until then, words will have to suffice.

So today, here is what my husband and the faithful folks we've hired are doing:

• Scrapping adhesive off our cement where Ian pulled up gross red tile
• Stuccoing the side of the house where there used to be a room (it's funny, when you pull down a patio, then one of your inside walls because the outside of your house and then requires LOTS of work to be outside ready)
• Fixing the roof where we pulled down the above mentioned enclosed patio
• Laying down sod (that's right! Our patch of dirt will soon be no more)
• Planting drought-resistance plants

This may not get all done today, but it's pretty exciting every time I come home from work and see the progress that was accomplished that day. It certainly makes you think twice about switching to a career with measurable results.

If you look to the right, you'll see projects we've already completed.

At first we were worried when we bought the house because we thought it would consume us and become the topic of all our conversations and the place all our money went. Now we don't have to worry because we already know that is the case, and we're strangely okay with it.

Next up, completing our patio furniture!

Why I didn't blog sooner

When I told a few people that I had been wanting to start a blog for a while, several asked why it took me so long? As I thought about it, I realized it's because so many blogs are full of pictures. And I never take pictures.

So, consider yourself warned. There will be very few (if any) photos in this blog.

Why am I starting a blog?

Why am I starting a blog? I've thought it about it for a long time. I frequently read other people's blogs, even people I don't know. Why? Because I like to read, because I want to stay involved with my friends' lives, because I like to hear other people process and because I like to take a break from work.

But why am I starting my own?

Well, on this particular Monday, I feel listless and blue. In the spirit of my usual cheerfulness, I'm sure it's nothing serious. But today, as I sit at a computer for 8 hours, I wonder about my purpose these days. What am I doing? What should I be doing? What if I am doing just what I should be - is this what that feels like? How will I know if I'm "being about" what I should be about? Faced with these questions, I thought having a creative outlet, a place to muse if you will, might help.

On the one hand, I've never been happier - being married to Ian is wonderful, I love our house, we feel really happy at our church, our family is overflowing with the blessing of babies, and Ian and I are both healthy. On the other hand, life feels a little monotonous.

Does this mean I should shake things up? Or wait for God to shake things up? Or just carry on, waiting (for what?), trusting, seeing the blessings that are so evident in my life.

Hmm, I didn't really intend for my first blog to be so serious, but my mood today prompted its inception, so I guess that makes sense.

The experiment has begun - we'll see how it goes.