7 Quick Takes Friday - #15

Gotta make this quick, lots to do!

1. After the mold problem, and hitting many different dead ends, we decided that instead of committing to an apartment and paying rent on it while we're gone, we'd rather head back to the US a bit earlier than we'd planned. So, we'll be heading back in March, just a matter of weeks! Wahoo! We're all excited to see family & friends, to partake of all the delicious foods Texas has to offer, and see that wide open sky... with lots and lots of grassy fields... once again.
   
   (By the way, I did get all of our family favorite recipes posted, so if you're interested, check them out!)
   
2. Praying with our eyes open. The other day, we got together with a large group of friends and while we were praying for each other, I (of course) had my eyes open, watching Moses since he's now in full "get-into-everything" mode. As I watched him, I noticed that the two other moms of little ones were the only other people in the room with their eyes open as well. It seemed to me to be a very good analogy for this season of life... praying with our eyes open. Seeing the everyday, physical things of life around us while trying to keep mentally focused on eternal, Godward things. Moms of little ones, praying with our eyes open. (I suppose here is where I ruin the analogy though, and admit that I've never really liked closing my eyes during prayer, LOL.)
   
3. Packing up a house isn't a fun thing to do. But I do think it's easier, having sorted and purged regularly-- since we've moved so many times in the last 5 years-- than it would be if we were just doing it for the first time in. Do you sort & purge regularly? It's becoming a way of life for me.
   
4. No S Diet. Sometimes I'm getting discouraged these days, but the other day, I weighed myself and noticed I'm down a bit more. I can't quite remember anymore where I started, but I think I've lost a couple pounds in the last couple weeks. I am noticing huge differences in my amount of self-control, and my cravings for sweet things. I just don't WANT sweets so bad these days... whereas (have I already shared this?), I often normally feel just like Chris Farley in this old SNL skit.
   
5. Style. Culture. "The Latest". Though I love Project Runway & What Not To Wear, I'm not personally a fashion person, but ya know, we've been out of America for basically 5 years, give or take (we were back for 7 months in 2007). So I need your help. Anything you want to share? I finally looked up a Larry King interview with Lady Gaga so I'd know who she is. And it seems like 80's fashion is coming back in style (can I say "yuck!"?). Anything I need to know? Any new things in American culture you want to tell me about so I don't feel so out of sorts?
   
6. I've been wanting to write a few posts lately, and just don't have time- one about how Doug & I came to the decision of me staying at home, even while I was working at a dream job in Washington D.C., another about how to help young kids do well in travel situations (boy have we had experience with that!). I also am remembering that I still need to write up my labor experiences with the last 3 kiddos (sorry I didn't get those written up in time for some of you who live overseas and requested that I do that last year!). One is already half typed up, and I just need to finish it up. Anything else you might put on my suggested writing list? I'm thinking that while in the States, I may have little pockets of times with not much to do. (Maybe that's a fantasy dream-world; I've never lived there with 5 kids, ha!)
   
7. Love, love, LOVE this song! We've all been dancing (even Moses, he bounces up and down on his little hands, ha!) to this song the last week or two. Lecrae is one of our family favorites!