The 3rd Worst Thing About Your Child Leaving Home! : )

It's bound to be 3rd, or at least at the top~  You have to do their chores!!  Man.  There are a couple that I have been able to divide up between Marissa and Daniella, but they already had their own list and some they can't quite manage yet.  And, don't fool yourself into thinking that there will be less mess, so it's not as much work.  Nope.  One almost 19 year old girl does not create that much mess~just a few slightly smaller loads of laundry and dishes.  However, before, SHE unloaded the dishwasher twice a day, and she helped with laundry.  There is still just as much dust and just as much trash and dog hair on the floor to be swept/vaccuumed, almost as many socks to sort..... 
I divided up most of the dishwasher unloading between the 2 "little ones".  Some of the casserole dishes and heavy bowls, etc they can't get put up yet, so that's my job.   Daniella took over sweeping the foyer, Marissa will sweep their bathroom (once they have one again), and they are taking turns bringing the dirty laundry down to the laundry room.  Ashley will be left with cleaning the rest of their bathroom for now. 
Speaking of which, she went "home" with Briana Monday morning to stay for a week, so now I"m doing HER chores this week, too.  I think it's a conspiracy. 
Tuesday night I got to go out to eat with 2 homeschooling moms from my church.  One has been homeschooling a long time, and one is new this year.  I'm just getting to know both of them.  The one new this year is actually a public school teacher.  Still.  She had planned to quit this year, but some health issues made them still need the insurance.   He's self employed and doesn't have insurance.  So, she leaves the boys (ages 15 and 13) with their work to do.  I think Dad checks on them during the day.  Whatever they need help with, she works on with them in the evenings and on Saturdays.  Anyway, we had a great evening, and it was nice to get out.  Due to some conflicts, I do not go to our monthly Mom's Night Out that our homeschool group has.  It's been a while since I've had much consistant fellowship, so I'm looking forward to meeting with these ladies once a month.  We're discussing doing a Bible study, too, and asking 2 other young moms in our church with preschoolers who are considering homeschooling.  I'm pretty lonely for friendships right now, so I'm praying the Lord will work in this.  The ladies that were my closest friends are no longer homeschooling, and I rarely get to see them anymore. 
After not having my younger girls particpate in outside the home activities much, this year is quite busy.  Marissa has taken ballet and tumbling in past years, but nothing for the last few.  The only thing they have been involved in on a weekly basis is Awanas.  In the spring and fall they play baseball every other week with our homeschool group.  This year, however, in addition to those, Daniella is thrilled to be taking ballet on Tuesday nights (a 35 min. drive each way).  We are going to find out if the tumbling classes on Tues. nights are Marissa's level, and if so, she will take that.  And, on Friday evenings through Nov., they are each taking horseback riding lessons.  They are so excited.  Actually, Ashley is taking them, too.  I am so thrilled to have found someone close by~ as in this is 3 min. from my house.  In the past, the only ones we could find were at least an hour away, so we've never done it.  Ashley is pretty excited to take, too, I think.  She longed for a horse as a little girl.....would cry herself to sleep at night.  She still wants one.   Daniella has begged me for years to take ballet, but I wouldn't give in.  The studio here is not an atmosphere that I want to endure through another child, and I was resistant to drive to the next town for these.  But, I think it's time.  And, this studio uses all Christian music and conservative outfits.  She had a ball this past week. 
The bathroom remodel is coming along in spite of being out of town a LOT, or day trips.  Not to mention the typical surprises you get when you remodel.  What started out being a 2-3 week project is now on about week 6 or 7.  But, as I said, he hasn't had a lot of at home time to work on it.  I can't wait to show you the finished product.  All the new sheetrock is up, the ceiling redone, the tub is in, the shower is tiled, and the floor is tiled.  The hold up right now is them deciding on a paint color.
Okay, I guess I should go get busy on my new chores! 

Tisha