Thursday, March 17, 2011

March Madness

Last year, I wrote about my March Gladness. This year, it's a bit more March Madness, though this post is not about college basketball (which I happen to really like -- Go Irish! Go Muskies!).
This post is about why I haven't written in almost a month (longest break ever in history of NTB). Loyal readers know that we tried to sell our house last year. We just put it back on the market again last week and the past month or so has involved a massive effort to clean, declutter, and generally spiff up our house. I do most of that kind of work in the evening after the kids go to bed because not much of significance can be done (without being undone) while they are awake. Hubby's work and travel schedule heated up there for awhile, complicating things. My mom came in town to help me make the final push, and I am pleased to say the house is in good shape. It all seems and is petty in light of recent world events, but I have been fairly close to completely unraveling on several occasions the past few weeks and am finally feeling more like myself.
We left behind a clean and finally-ready-to-show house last Thursday morning and drove to the airport in the darkness with a gas tank on "E" and slightly behind schedule. Despite a stop to fill the tank with a few gallons less than a mile from the airport, we made it to Florida to visit Grandma and Grandpa.
We spent the last week watching Bub learn to swim underwater and without his vest, Little Bit test how far he could venture into the ocean without getting yelled at, and Sweet P try her hand at eating sand.
Also, I turned 36.
All in all, life is good. I have at least 36 unwritten posts swimming about in my brain and hope to find and make the time in the coming evenings to share them with you.
For now, I'm getting my blogging feet wet again by passing along two Irish blessings that came my way today and sharing a few of my favorite smiles.

May God grant you always . . .
A sunbeam to warm you,
a moonbeam to charm you,
a sheltering Angel so nothing can harm you.
Laughter to cheer you.
Faithful friends near you . . .

***
May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more
And nothing but happiness walk through your door.
My wish for this next year of my life is for more laughter, more time spent with faithful friends, and even more happiness walking through my door.
I'd also love it if a buyer for our house walked through my door and welcome any prayers and positive vibes toward that cause.
What have you been doing this March? More glad than mad, I hope. Please share in the comments.



To all my blogging buddies: I've missed making my rounds and checking in on you all. I'll be stopping by soon, I promise!

15 comments:

Stacia said...

Look at your gorgeous family! I'm so glad to hear your voice tonight, however exhausted and scattered you might feel. (And you still sound perfectly eloquent, just so you know.)

I am sending all kinds of house-selling vibes your way and am waiting anxiously for more discussion on the edible nature of sand. (My kids think it is, too.)

brainella said...

Wonderful picture. Happy family. :-)

We are also in the process of getting our house ready to sell. What a painful process. Bah. Good luck!

Heather said...

We've missed you, too! LOVE that picture of you and your family...you two make some cute babies!

My March has been fairly crazy with school and work and kids and Joe quitting one job to head up his own company. I know right where you're coming from.

Love the Irish prayers! Hoping for an IRL meeting with you soon!

Steph said...

Isn't it an odd thing to go on with daily tasks and have such tragedy in the world. I, too, find it unsettling. A task for me in life is to hold both joy and sorrow at the same time.

Sending you good wishes for your house sale, and belated birthday wishes!!!! March is a great birthday month.

Actchy said...

So glad you're writing again. I, too, have been slacking big-time, and need a little kick in the rear. (Not that I've blogged for a year, but still...I do need to write before I forget the madness in my house.) Although more on topic, this March has brought order to my family, thanks to yours truly and a month of sleep training.

E... said...

Glad to have you back. Missed you, as always! Looking forward to you being on the "stay away from the clean house tour" and getting to see you!!
All that sun and swimming talk sounds divine, though I'm glad you reminded me of the frantic trip to the airport. I won't be too jealous, because I know we are not quite ready to swing that quite yet.
I am looking forward to hearing the story of that missing tooth on Bub. We have a loose one in this house, but everyone is still a little too queasy to yank it quite yet! Also, am not quite sure I am up to the Tooth Fairy pressure with a fanatic like N. in the house!

Colleen and JJ said...

Good luck with the house!! I know it can be super stressful. Aren't you supposed to bury a saint in the front yard to help with selling?!?!?
We settle on our new house on Monday! Exciting times for all. Love the family pictures. Miss you!

Anonymous said...

glad you're back!!!! march has been a good month indeed for my crew. it's a lot more glad than mad! rita

CaraBee said...

I missed you! Glad to see you're back and that life has calmed down a bit. I can't imagine the stress of trying to prepare a house for sale. And with three mess-making kids to boot. I know that the perfect buyers are just around the corner. Sending all sorts of good vibes your way.

My March has been busy, as evidenced by my own blogging absence. Don't know how my days seem to fill up so fast but they do and somehow I blink and another week has passed.

Love, love, love the family photo! Despite seeing pictures often, I'm still surprised by how big they are all getting. Sweet P was just born, forcryingoutloud!

Looking forward to all 36 of those posts, friend!

LAP said...

Love the pictures! Glad to have you back:)

Teachinfourth said...

Here's to more laughter in the future and smiles on a daily basis...

PITA said...

great to see bub's toothless grin and tom-tom lovingly looking at sweet bib!

Unknown said...

I love your family picture. And I so hope you find a buyer. I do know how stressful that can be.

cake said...

what a beautiful family! I wish you the best with your house this time around!

Wesson Family said...

Beautiful family pic! Good luck!!

 
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