Summer Challenges

Well... we have nearly wrapped up another year of home schooling... and so I am finding myself in need of another challenge... not that my life doesn't have enough challenges on its own but I think it might do me some good to have a project. I have several to choose from... always things on the to do list I don't have time for but I have decided to choose the challenge of Angeline's Baby Book. David's is done... though I think I may add a few things here and there. Rebekah's is done (because I did her's online... one month at a time). But Angeline's and Samara's remain. I would do theirs online too but I already have the albums, paper, stickers and pictures printed so all I need now is a little determination. I'm not setting a timed challenge because I really don't know how long it will take me to complete it. But I want to have it done by the end of summer if I can manage. The challenge really is to get started and make time to work on it. It is nice to have some uninterrupted time where I can feel like I am accomplishing something. Lately I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the "lather, rinse, repeat" duties of motherhood. To complete her album will be a big check mark off my list, a sure sense of accomplishment.
I am also hoping to host a book club for 8 weeks in July and August on Monday nights from 7:30-9:00pm. We will be discussing Kevin Leman's book, "Have a New Husband by Friday."Don't worry... I'm not actually planning to trade Jonathan in. Truth be told it has more to do with changes we can make as wives to better our marriages but if there is enough interest it should prove to be a fun and informative weekly girls night out.
When I think about challenges there has been one thing in particular on my mind lately that really challenges my heart. Samara (our 3/12 year old) is schedule for surgery to have her tonsils and adenoids removed on June 13th. It is a routine day surgery but because of her age I will be staying with her overnight and I am grateful that they will be monitoring her at the hospital for the first 24 hours. You might say I am struggling with it because she is my first child to have surgery. Or maybe it is because at the adorable age of 3 1/2 she pulls on my heart strings a little more strongly then her syblings. But I think the real reason is I'm afraid my decision could turn out to be the worst thing for her when it is meant to be the best. There is the complication of the anesthesia and the possibility of bleeding for up to 3 weeks afterwards though the odds are in her favour that she will recover quickly and be as good as new in no time. Like any parent I just can't bare the thought of having to say good-bye. Unlike most parents I have had to do it before. I know the reality is that each and every day could be any one of our lasts. I am trying to be logical and remind myself of all the ways she will benefit once she has recovered and somedays I can almost convince myself but my reality remains that sending her off into the hands of her sergeant will be the second most difficult thing I have ever had to do.