brownies for new friends!

"do the next thing."

~elizabeth elliot

i just heard this quote recently, but it's one i've been inadvertently living by ever since lucas was born. it comes down to thinking on today and letting tomorrow take care of itself. personally, i break it down ever more than that. for example, when lucas was born it was things like, "let's get through the next feeding, let's get through the night, let's just make it until tonight when i get to watch so you think you can dance." i would only think of little chunks of time because the minute i started to think about the months ahead of me of not sleeping through the night, i wanted to cry and then die. but with this mindset, those months flew by so quickly and i continue to look back on them as "golden days."

since moving to our new home, i've taken that quote captive again with a vengeance. i think of one week at a time. when should i do my studying? when should i do my shopping? when do i put everything down and just play with my kids? i have lots of plans for this week and absolutely not a single one for next week. i'll make those next week. (i couldn't start to make them yet anyway b/c my plans next week may depend on how much i get done this week!) when i start to get lost in the thinking of "years" and "terms," i'm all too ready to go hide in my comfy bed and sleep the day (or term) away. i HAVE to focus on one week at a time. that's my survival technique.

the next quote i need to work on is from elizabeth's infamous husband:

"wherever you are, be all there."

this one's a little tricker. for the past 2 years, i've been living a lifestyle that was waiting for the next step: the next move, the next piece of furniture being sold, the next family visit, the next conference, the next training, the next plane ride... what's the next step now?

live.

that's not in the future. that's right here in my face. i need to meld together my two lifestyles of "do the next thing" and "be all there." it requires a lot of mindset gymnastics.

so, andie, what's your next thing that you'll do as you're being all there?

going to ikea (LOVE that place) to search for storage containers to organize the kids' toys. this is my project for the week. i'm not thinking of another project until it's done. :)

what's your next thing?

fast food

delicious!

jetlag

curtains!

behold, my favorite part of our new apartment: the curtains. long, flowy curtains. curtains in every room. on every window. beautiful, grown-up curtains.

i've never had real, grown-up curtains before, in all our variations of living spaces. these curtains just shout out to me, "welcome! this is your new home! we're here to make you feel comfortable! feel free to open the windows and watch us dance!"

i love my curtains.

don't even think about blowing your trumpet around these parts.

bummer

i needed shower gel. i didn't know what the label would look like or say, which makes buying things particularly tricky. i started reading a label of a bottle that looked promising.

i understood the first sentence. could it be?

i kept reading. i kept understanding. what i had in my hand was shower gel with vitamins and protein and hydrating elements. i thought i had been given the gift of tongues b/c i definitely don't know those words in this language.

then i realized i was reading the spanish. the other language was down below. i had no idea what those words were. but it's good to know that apparently i'm fluent in spanish. who knew?