Its been a long "stretch" since I last posted. No, it didn't take over a month to get my computer back. The Mac came home safe and sound. By some miracle, I lost absolutely nothing on the computer, but we did purchase an external hardrive to back up everything - especially those priceless pictures that I don't have backed up anywhere else, just in case the "Click" happens again. I really don't want to experience that heart failure of fear again.
Other ways I'm stretching: First a definition, courtesy of Webster.
Stretch (verb) -
to extend in a reclining position. Nope, doesn't really apply.
to reach out. Well, yeah, this one applies. Our family is stretching - Kate's marrying John. John's in Iraq. Kate's moving this weekend to make wedding plans. Yep. We're stretching out our family.
to cause to reach or continue (as from one point to another or across a space). Oh! That's a good one. See, we're reaching to another point. Moving back to New England. Yep. That qualifies.
to pull taut. Now we're on to something! You see, the reason why we're moving is for my amazing husband's job. Except that his employer isn't very forthcoming with information regarding the move, the job, the money, etc. Also, I'm trying to be there for my oldest daughter, you know, to help her plan her wedding. But I have this cute little almost 4 month old baby who demands some attention. Oh, and I have 3 other children who occasionally like to be noticed, and whose education is entirely up to me to provide, so I need to pull together our school curriculum for this year knowing that we'll be moving at some point during the semester. And I need to make it easy for me so I actually keep up with it and interesting for them so they actually do it. It needs to be accepted by college admission departments for the one in high school so he has a decent chance of getting into the college of his choice should he choose to attend college and that way he won't blame me for the rest of his life for not teaching him something really necessary. And then there's the task of preparing the house for sale. In a down market. Where every bit of clutter equals $1000 less and an extra month on the market. And I really didn't think we'd be moving, so I have a lot of stuff. (Come on, what homeschooling mother of 5 doesn't have a lot of stuff?)
So that brings us to the next part of the definition -
to cause the limbs of (a person) to be pulled especially in torture. Oh yeah. I'm there. Torture. Like on a medieval rack. Crank. Crank. Crank. Yep. The joints are getting ready to pop. Fortunately for me, there's yet one more part of this definition of stretch:
to become extended without breaking. Ok. So I won't break. God promises me that. So, knowing that He's on my side, I can get through this. Hopefully maintaining some grace and dignity. And sanity. But I'm not sure I have any sanity to maintain. I lost it all long ago.
I think Zach and Maddie illustrate pretty well how I feel.
