Decluttering My Life

November 2, 2021November 2, 2021 tcowieLeave a comment

Getting Rid of Excess

Learning that less is more

When I quit my job as an Employee Health Nurse, I assumed I would go from one job to another. There are hundreds of job openings, so getting another job shouldn’t be that hard….

But, God had other plans.

I am the type of person and will go with the flow of just about any plan– but I want to know what the plan is. I knew God was giving me permission to leave my job. It was VERY stressful and grew into a toxic work environment. I was bringing that stress home and it wasn’t fair to my family or myself. I need to get rid of it. I am very thankful to be in a position where I knew we could live on one income. We had done it for 7+ years before. We could do it again if we needed to.

What did I want to do with my life? Did I still want to be a nurse? I wasn’t sure. I am still not sure. I enjoyed having my own office at work. I enjoyed working with the spreadsheets I used to track everything. I loved being organized. And I was. At work. At home, my life was a mess. I never knew where anything was. The laundry and dishes were a never-ending monster I just couldn’t get on top of. I was a terrible housekeeper. Or was I??

What I have learned is that a good majority of my problem was that I was trying to do too much. I had too much to manage. Schedules, work, things, people. We are not made to do it all! This reminds us that we are not God. We need him and we need someone to constantly clean up the messes we make in our lives.

I have begun to try and get rid of excess in my life. Excess commitments, excess things, excess stress. Getting rid of excess has allowed me to begin to focus on what God has for me. What God wants for me. He wants me to take time every day with him. To read and listen to his Word. To spend time in prayer. When we have every minute of our day filled with commitments and things, it is easy to drown Him out!

I have been going through my house, room-by-room, getting rid of excess. Making my home a beautiful place that brings rest and peace, instead of chaos and clutter. I have listened to hours of the podcast by Dana K. White called “A slob comes clean”. She has taught me powerful insights on how to manage your home without losing your mind. (Which is the title of one of her books and it can be found on Amazon).

kids

Who am I now?

October 31, 2021November 2, 2021 tcowieLeave a comment

Who am I now?

My Journey of Identity

A lot has changed since my last post. Actually, I had forgotten for a long while that I even had a blog. Clearly, I am not a writer, or a blogger, or an author. Who am I now?

That feels like a trick question. I am not really sure. I am recently quit my job as a nurse– and not really sure I still want to be one. I AM a wife, a mother, and a child of God. I find myself thinking “that’s it” at the end of that last sentence. I am a wife, a mother, and a child of God. That’s it. But….. isn’t that wrong thinking?? THAT’S IT??? Those three things are HUGE! I am a child of God. He has given me a purpose. He has given me a mission. To be the best wife I can be and to raise my four humans to love the Lord and become amazing, awesome adults.

One of them is almost there. I have spent this past year realizing that I am experiencing a lot of lasts. His last first day of school, his last cross country meet, his last prom, his last homecoming, his last Parent’s Day at school, last, last, last. But– we are on the cusp of many firsts, too! He is growing to be an amazing young man and I am so very proud of him! Because I have been given the chance to lose my identity as a working-mom nurse, I have been able to enjoy these moments more freely– and for that I am thankful!

I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. Right now, I am decluttering like crazy my entire house. 60+ garbages to donate and a trailer full of garbage. I didn’t even know we had that much we could part with! But– alas, there is much more I could do! Re-inventing– or maybe rediscovering who I am and what that looks like for me and my family.

Need help decluttering?? I’m becoming quite the pro! Give me a call– I’ve got the time to help!

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Homeschool Plans Change

March 19, 2019 tcowieLeave a comment

I think a lot of homeschool parents spend as much time planning what they are going to teach as they do teaching it.

I plan. Then I change my mind. Then I plan something different. Then I change my mind again.

I buy calendars like this one on clearance for $1.00. Plan out my whole year a bazillion times then do something different all together. I plan out each subject for each kid. Then we do something else.

This is our last year of attending a homeschool co-op called Classical Conversations. We have been in it for two years. I am thankful for my time there for a few reasons but glad to be done. We have made many friends and I have learned a lot about myself and my homeschool style.

When we decided to leave, I decided to partner with a few friends to start a different co-op using Claritas as our core memory work. If you have never checked it out– do it!

Www.claritas-publishing.com

It is beautiful. I was truly looking forward to the new co-op being a better fit for my family and our current needs.

But– something in my spirit just didn’t feel right. If things go as planned (though they never do) this is my last year to homeschool my second oldest boy. My oldest started in a charter this year and my second son would like to follow suit.

I want rest. I want scholè. I want a restful year to enjoy time with my kids enjoying beautiful things. I have been listening to Sarah MacKenzie’s book Teaching From Rest on Audible. It is worth it to read or listen to it.

God is speaking to me. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10.

Next year? We will rest in the knowledge of God. We will rest from the frenzied pace and rigor of CC. We will learn together and hopefully grow closer to Him in the process.

homeschool

Ohio Weather…. changes

January 23, 2019 tcowie1 Comment

We waited for winter FOREVER this year! Christmas was green. New Years was green. Until, we finally got our first winter storm. My kids LOVED IT, though it does not afford them any snow days. We take sun days instead.

Sunday church was cancelled. Hubby had to work. The kids and I made sugar cookies and snow cream for lunch. It is super easy.

SNOW CREAM RECIPE

1 cup milk

1/3 cup sugar

1 T. Vanilla extract

8 cups FRESH snow

Mix the first 3 ingredients together then add snow until its the consistency of ice cream. We used about 8 cups.

Of course, you add sprinkles!!

As in life, nothing lasts. Today it is almost 40 degrees, raining and nasty out. Too wet to play outside.

Guess it’s time for more school!! Next up — science research paper for my freshman kiddo!!

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Life is ALWAYS changing

January 22, 2019 tcowieLeave a comment

I am a home school mom. I am a nurse, a chef, a house cleaner, a teacher, a maid, an accountant, a wife, a mother, etc. My list could go on forever. So could yours. We are busy. And the busy is always changing.

I can remember thinking, “I can’t wait to be an adult.” Then it was, “I can’t wait to get married.” “I can’t wait to have kids.” I have to remind myself to STOP waiting for the next phase. The next event. The next class. The next season. Life is ALWAYS changing.

I will never get back today. I will never have THIS moment again. Enjoy it. Enjoy the messiness of life with kids. Enjoy the chaos that comes with homeschooling. And just when you think you got this figured out – it changes.