What is this blog?

Friday night is my favorite time of the week.  It is consciously slow, simple and quiet.  We have pizza for dinner (in fact, when we got a coupon for $10 Tuesday special, my youngest daughter said,"Who eats pizza on a Tuesday?"), and we veg out with movies, books, journaling, or some blog reading.  It's OK if I wander around from link to link, just read a few chapters, or on rare occasions, binge watch one of Shonda Rhimes' creations.  It's Friday night and I relish the freedom.  Even our dogs know the routine.

I guess before I go on, I should introduce myself and describe what this blog is about.  My name is Lynn, and I have three entertaining children (12, 11 and almost 10) who I was able to adopt six years ago, although they've been with me since 2005. We love animals and have several of our own, plus we foster kittens for a local rescue we adore, called Second Chance.  Outside the home, I work in a high school, where I teach reading classes and work on building-wide literacy and cultural relevance training with our staff.  I am an avid reader of professional books, self-help anything, and lots of YA lit.

This blog is a journey into a more simple, intentional and balanced life.  It's an attempt to pull the threads of my life together, honing in on what is essential and what needs to go.  I thought about a teaching blog, or an adoptive parenting blog, or a simplicity blog, but for me, it's all my life and it all feels important, so my plan is to weave it all in.  Just writing all this makes me wonder, "Is simplicity in my life even possible?!"

I say yes.  And, I'll admit that we've already started in many ways.  We down-sized houses; we declutter regularly; and I am a huge fan of prioritizing and planning.  We are healthy eaters and get lots of exercise (most of the time), limit technology and TV (except Friday night), and typically keep to a reasonable schedule, limiting activities to those we really value.  I'm not an over-stressed, over-weight, over-cluttered mess.

But, I am also not at the top of my game.

I have goals and dreams that drift in and out of my mind, but get forgotten because the laundry needs folding, the dogs need to go out, or I have lessons to plan.  I have fleeting glimpses of a more meaningful life outside my well-organized kitchen.  And now, it's time to move ahead to the next level.  My kids are not babies who require a bone-tiring level of care any more.  They're also not yet teenagers with all that will bring.  So, it's time for me to get focused, clear and model living with my priorities in order.

And right now?  Well, it's Friday night, and I'm settled in with some tomato and artichoke pizza.  I've eliminated going out, having friends in, or anything else that requires more than yoga pants and a pony tail from me.  My new goal is beginning, starting with this blog post from me, documenting wherever the journey takes me me next.  Henry, lover of laps and laptops, is ready too.

I hope you'll join me on this possibly crazy journey, which may meander in ways I have no idea about yet.  Please, as I post stories, ideas, problems, or maybe even a solution I've worked out, let me know your thoughts, questions, and above all, suggestions!





Happy Friday!
Lynn





Location: Missouri, USA

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