It was supposed to be Lazarus Saturday. We got strep throat and the flu anyway and missed everything, so in a way it was providential. But Father wants to get in touch with DH to make sure he's permissive of this whole deal, but hasn't yet. So we'll see. I'm not all earth-shattered or anything, but discouragement creeps up on me from time to time. Thoughts like, how am I supposed to do this without the support of the Sacraments? Reading about the desert people helps, though. <insert smiley face here, lol>

Truly He is risen!! I'm doing.

Arizona Cypresses. Or yeah, the Thuja Giants.

What everyone else said, although I think we can understand God's love in a general way even without Scripture. We have all of creation to testify, and it is why St. Paul says that those who never hear the Gospel will still be judged fairly by their hearts and actions because they had creation to point them to God's existence. The love of God is sacrificial, unwavering, impartial, undemanding, and humble. It is such that we often don't notice it, and take it for granted, maybe we even want it to go away. It's too bright, or it ruins my complexion. But no, I don't "feel" like God loves me pretty much ever. It's a "knowledge," a thing of faith, a trusting and reliance, an understanding that is never deep enough, because if it were, I don't think I'd ever get up off my face. He says Himself in Scripture, "Be still and know that I am God." Not feel. Know. In your gut. Unfortunately, it's not measurable or provable or this faith thing would be really simple, but less free. God loves us like the sun shines on us. Most of us just take it for granted like it's something we're owed, something that should be there, instead of a gift. Many of us think it's too bright and we turn our backs. What does the sun do then? It keeps shining. As far as brainwashing goes, you could put it like that. But there's a personal culpability, a disposition of the self that plays a huge role in that. We're not computers that just spit out whatever input we run across. We're organic souls with free wills. It is a notion that is both liberating and scary all at the same time. ETA: God rescued everyone. I don't believe there are saved and unsaved people. All people are saved--"Christ died once for all." But that is not what eternal life is. Christ said, "This is eternal life: to know You, the One True God." Again, to know. Look up James 2. The salvation unto Heaven is a relationship, a stepping into that salvific work which He completed, a turning toward that blinding sun and realizing maybe our "complexion" needs "ruining." To begin to love Him back with sacrifice, humility, and submission. This is hard, because we do not want to be changed, or often even admit how deeply we need to be changed. It is a lifelong work, but that's the path to Heaven. And I'm sorry; I know that may rattle some cages and that's not my intention. ?

Praying!

Notice he's fine with speeds in the 70's, though. Georgia's nuts. I'm not surprised by those speeds, but on our highways, I go 10-20 over (I try to stay under 80). It's not really safe to go the speed limit. Atlanta's a lot less stressful when it's creeping and bumper to bumper, ironically. Of course, I'm rarely on a schedule when I go through... But I'll say, from what I remember of 400, if there's no traffic, it's easy to speed on.

Me too, me too!

get back on track, basically. chores: laundry, dishes, kitchen, vacuum, tidy seatwork: all the usual subjects lift weights, hopefully

Whenever I need to freeze spending, I ask myself a couple of variations of the "Do I need this?" question. 1) What's the very worst that could happen if I didn't buy this thing? 2) Will I die (literally die) if I don't buy this? Helps me draw a hard line when my will power is weak and the bank account is dry. :D

That's how my life goes, too. ::hugs:: I'm glad your mind is settled, though. That's important whether we use it or not.

Go on the Georgia Compass website and apply for Medicaid. I'm not sure how the fines are working out with taxes in the future, but when we fell in the gap, the fine was waived for us. Children under 9(?) have higher income eligibility brackets than older children and adults, for what it's worth. All three of our kids have been on it, but DH and I never have. Now no one's eligible and only DH is covered through work, but the premiums would be too much of our income, so we got an exemption for that. And if you end up self pay, shop doctors. Everyone in the world is open to you; call them. Some will cut their list price by 50%, some by 20%, some not at all. Some knock 70% off lab prices if you pay up front in the office and some just let the lab bill you (not recommended!). Two pediatric cardiologists in my town charge a $2k difference for the same tests. It's annoying!! Medicaid got my youngest's birthday wrong, and it took a year and a half to fix it. There's no central "Medicaid" office to call here, and no one has the answer to your questions or the power to do anything. It's super irritating. Good luck!! ETA: Oh gosh I didn't check the OP date. ::embarrassed:: Still, FYI for anyone potentially dealing with this now or in the future! It's all a sad mess.

((HUGS))

Just replying to OP. I both stay on top of them AND give them a lot to do. And before I launch into this...our house is not clean. It's a training ground, I'm human, and they're learning. Nothing is done perfectly. I'm just trying to drill habit into them more than accuracy. and your DH sounds similar to mine, don't feel alone! But...they help with pretty much everything, especially if it has anything to do with them or their stuff. Everyone has a dish day, everyone does their own laundry, everyone helps with general cleaning, groceries, serves their own food, etc. I'm still helping the youngest with some things, but not a ton. Toys are reorganized weekly, and I don't find people's lost stuff. They're also all in one location which is NOT the bedrooms. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of redirection and recognition that this is a sloooooowww burn. And that eventually, when they actually care to do all of this well, the mechanics will at least be a habit. And I point out pretty often that they don't treat their things like they actually like them. Broken stuff is thrown away, and not replaced by me. If it was someone else's, they pay for it. If they want another one, they need to use their own money. I'm mean, though. I've been told so. :)

::party:: Congrats!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Oh man...well those came after the first six things anyway, lol. This is as good as my faulty memory can recall: talked with DH a bit (no, that's not a euphemism!!) let dogs out got kids moving morning prayers with kids started breakfast made coffee That's a pretty typical morning minus the chat with DH; sometimes the coffee comes before getting the kids up.

::party:: :D Happy birthday!

Memory eternal. I can't imagine...

As many books as possible, bedding, photos/albums, religious stuff, umm...? Stuff I needed for daily functioning and didn't want to or couldn't buy in the new place. Then I'd just rebuild, assuming I was doing the same thing there as I do here. If not, I'd rebuild around the new circumstances. I guess. Hard to imagine, really! ETA: I'm saying all of the above assuming all the living things are already coming with me. :D

I don't know when to return to our regular activities or see the grandparents (one of whom is caretaker for a great-grandparent). DD has recurrent strep, which I didn't take her to the clinic to check out until a week ago (3/30). Youngest had a constant runny nose for almost two weeks, so I wanted that checked out. I had them go ahead and just make sure me and middle were fine, lol. He had ear pain, and I've felt like I had sinus pressure for months. We were both fine, though. Until Sunday, when both middle and I got sore throats, and started to feel weird and "floaty," as well as beginning to cough and have nasal symptoms. I'd say cold, but Monday he spent half the day vomiting and complaining of nausea. By Friday the sore throat was gone for me (still lingering a little for him), but the cough and nasal stuff persists, with some upper respiratory congestion as well. No fevers. DH got it a day or two after we did, but DD and youngest are fine. So am I right that this is a virus, and not just a cold? And the internet says we're contagious for 5-14 days (depending on age?). ??? There was stuff starting tonight that we really wanted/needed to be at (would be day 6 1/2). It was a bad week to be sick. What says the Hive?

/shrug. I like beards. :) But it's not something I get worked up over--especially when it's someone else's face. :D I guess I wouldn't like a beard on my face...

::PARTY:: :D

That would change my response, though having already agreed to deal directly with her, it's sort of a moot point?

We need a new leach field and I have a suspicious feeling they're going to tear up one of my two plots. So I'm sort of waiting to see how that goes before making plans. We'll start some seeds indoors soon, though.

I deadtivated years ago, reactivated recently for doggy FB groups, but I just hate the layout and the social feeling. Like I'm connecting with people I don't/won't even have coffee with IRL? Feels weird. I don't know why, but here feels different in that regard. I'm logically inconsistent. :D