Getting it together!

With our first few days of Kindergarten behind us, we are excited as this first year of school begins.  This is not only new stuff for my big little girl, but this is all new to me too.  Preschool and Kindergarten are two totally different ballgames.  Twice a week is nothing compared to every single day!  Not to mention, there were so many forms to fill out and turn in, online policies to review, and so much to take in the first few days, I honestly felt overwhelmed.  How will I remember to turn in lunch forms every Friday, two other forms are due once a month, homework is every Mon, Tue and Thur, and send something for "share-time" every Thursday?  The lists of papers and things to remember seems long!   I needed a system and I needed one fast!!!

Organization will be key in remembering and completing everything expected of us in the year ahead.  As I have briefly mentioned, we are staying in our current home and have taken it off the market, so I am in the midst of a major revamping and organizing.  This coincides perfectly with the organization needed to start Kindergarten. I hope to be able to share things we have done to make our small house (but one that we love and feel blessed to have) into well-working, organized home of two busy parents and two very busy girls.  :)

I have ordered cheap organizing materials from amazon.com and hope to start making things more efficient with these products. I also have a monthly calendar with lots of writing space on our refrigerator and a large weekly wipe-off calendar on our laundry door.  There is also a responsibility chart on our pantry door, but I have not implemented that as of yet...that will be in the coming weeks after settling into an established routine.

I've got to get it all together to make this work and work well.  I would like to keep stressful mornings and evenings to a minimal.  Besides the preparation and planning that occurs everyday, the main way we as a family hope to accomplish this is to make morning devotions a priority.  I have written about the girls' devotions before.  Now instead of having them in the living room at some point in our morning routine, we plan to have them during breakfast everyday.  Our books and Bibles are on the table ready for us each morning.  I am also striving to get up a few minutes earlier to read and pray by myself before waking everyone else up.  This will help me to start my day on the right foot by seeking God's guidance everyday first thing.  And a quiet cup of coffee is a definite helper also :)  I will still strive to still spend my normal quiet time with God and with posting as much as possible on Mon-Thur.  But unfortunately posting will now have to move a little further down on my priority list.

I can't get it all together on my own.  I am fully aware of that.  Nothing will go smoothly if I am not totally relying on the Lord for guidance through our day.  Not just in the morning, not just when I am stressed or frustrated, but all throughout the entire day!  I pray for everyone that will be having little ones and big ones beginning school in the coming weeks.  I pray for a smooth transition and happy, organized mornings.  I pray the Lord will bless us as we get it all together!

Today's Verse
"Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which... leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go."  Isaiah 48:17