The 40 bag challenge is well underway at Casa d'Ikesters. So far, it has only been clutter. I feel a bit guilty about that.
While it is unnecessary clutter that takes away from the focus on the things that are truly important, I feel like I'm "phoning this one in." It is supposed to be a sacrifice. Getting rid of some of the magazines I hadn't quite gotten around to reading all the way through did leave me questioning if I was missing out on a great fashion tip or some fabulous recipe. But my paying attention to fashion is well-known and the instructions are clearly printed on the mac and cheese box.
So, it is time to ramp this up a bit. It has to be a sacrifice. I have done a bag a day, but just don't feel like I'm doing enough. I still have a hard time walking into my fabulous closet (those overseas will understand how fabulous actually having a closet is) and finding exactly what I am looking for because there's just too much stuff!
I have a gorgeous black evening dress that I wore to the Marine Corps ball when we were here attending ACSC - 11 YEARS AGO! Three kids and over a decade later and I somehow think I am EVER going to get back into that thing is just downright laughable. One of the local dry cleaning chains here is collecting dresses for high school girls who wouldn't otherwise be able to attend prom because of lack of funds for a dress. Today, I dig through my closet and see if there are any relics that will never fit. So, today's bag will feel like a sacrifice. Just as it should.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Lent
The Lenten Season reminds me again of how so very different things are than they were a meer year ago.
Last year we lived in a country whose national religion is Catholic. We were a short days drive from the heart and seat of our beloved Church. Church bells rang out several times each day from various churches. Different tolls for different ocassions, calls to Mass, funeral chimes, and hourly chimes. Long before we left Italy, I knew that was going to be one of my most treasured memories of our time there.
I was right. I still get a bit sad at 7:30 am. That is when the largest church in our town rang the morning call to Mass bells. Taylor and I had usually just arrived back home after walking her sisters to the bus stop and I would leave the front door open so we could listen. On warmer days, we would stop and look at all the flowers blooming or see what fruits we could find in the orchard. The bells would begin before we reached our gate.
Oh, how I miss the bells.
One thing that won't be different this Lenten Season is the 40 bag challenge. I did it last year because we were moving back to the US and I we had too much stuff. I am doing it again this year, because, just like last year we have too much stuff and we are moving again courtesy of the USAF.
I am not committing to one size bag. I know somedays I will be able to fill a commissary bag, and some days I will be able to fill large black trash bags. Some will be clutter that will go to trash curb, but I hope to be able to do more purging of overage items that can be donated and used or sold by The Salvation Army or Catholic Charities.
I hope to actually post some of my progress, but, no promises. My posting is sketchy at best!
Last year we lived in a country whose national religion is Catholic. We were a short days drive from the heart and seat of our beloved Church. Church bells rang out several times each day from various churches. Different tolls for different ocassions, calls to Mass, funeral chimes, and hourly chimes. Long before we left Italy, I knew that was going to be one of my most treasured memories of our time there.
I was right. I still get a bit sad at 7:30 am. That is when the largest church in our town rang the morning call to Mass bells. Taylor and I had usually just arrived back home after walking her sisters to the bus stop and I would leave the front door open so we could listen. On warmer days, we would stop and look at all the flowers blooming or see what fruits we could find in the orchard. The bells would begin before we reached our gate.
Oh, how I miss the bells.
One thing that won't be different this Lenten Season is the 40 bag challenge. I did it last year because we were moving back to the US and I we had too much stuff. I am doing it again this year, because, just like last year we have too much stuff and we are moving again courtesy of the USAF.
I am not committing to one size bag. I know somedays I will be able to fill a commissary bag, and some days I will be able to fill large black trash bags. Some will be clutter that will go to trash curb, but I hope to be able to do more purging of overage items that can be donated and used or sold by The Salvation Army or Catholic Charities.
I hope to actually post some of my progress, but, no promises. My posting is sketchy at best!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Olympic coverage
This is for me the most enjoyable Olympic coverage. Of course, I react with utmost enthusiasm when Team USA wins a medal.
Thanks to our three previous years in Italy, I have found myself finding excitement in seeing certain competitors not from the US win. I nervously watched as Magdelena Neuner skiied across the finish line to win the gold in the biathlon. I let out a little "whoop!" and the girls asked who won what.
"I know why we were happy about the Italian winning a medal in the scary sled thing, because we lived in Italy. I get that. But, why are we happy about the German lady?" asked McKinley. "She's from Garmisch," I replied. "Where we went on those vacations? And, stayed in the cabin and built a snowman for Reagan's birthday!?" she asked with a glint in her eye.
Once it sunk in to all three of the girls that we had been in her hometown, probably at least once while she was there, that we had built snowmen from the very same snowfall that blanketed her family home's yard, we had to rewind and watch her performance.
The girls were riveted. I see skis and guns in our near future. Now, if the Air Force would agree to send us to Garmisch for the next several years, I could have some future Olympians on my hands.
Thanks to our three previous years in Italy, I have found myself finding excitement in seeing certain competitors not from the US win. I nervously watched as Magdelena Neuner skiied across the finish line to win the gold in the biathlon. I let out a little "whoop!" and the girls asked who won what.
"I know why we were happy about the Italian winning a medal in the scary sled thing, because we lived in Italy. I get that. But, why are we happy about the German lady?" asked McKinley. "She's from Garmisch," I replied. "Where we went on those vacations? And, stayed in the cabin and built a snowman for Reagan's birthday!?" she asked with a glint in her eye.
Once it sunk in to all three of the girls that we had been in her hometown, probably at least once while she was there, that we had built snowmen from the very same snowfall that blanketed her family home's yard, we had to rewind and watch her performance.
The girls were riveted. I see skis and guns in our near future. Now, if the Air Force would agree to send us to Garmisch for the next several years, I could have some future Olympians on my hands.
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