Just When You Think You're Caught in a Rut

• Who can find a virtuous woman? Her price is far above rubies
• She is like the merchant's ships, she bringeth her food from afar
• She looketh well to the ways of her household

When I wrote my last post I was feeling so very "unvirtuous", and I have to confess, this week is not much better in that respect. I have a unique and happy set of circumstances facing me, though, that I'm hoping will serve as a challenge (in a good way!) for me to step up my game and actually walk daily in my calling as a virtuous woman.

Last week at this time I thought I was leaving on Friday for a 10-day trip home to Louisiana, both to bring our son back for his next semester at college and for a much-needed family time at home (officially a vacation, but for my hubby that means a week of intense repair and maintenance as he tries to do everything in a week that needs to be fixed or replaced at our house). I was planning on packing one bag, my computer, and a couple of books for myself--"traveling light" for once!

Then I got that unexpected middle-of-the-day call from hubs, "Better pack heavy, we're gonna be at home for a while". "What do you mean, 'for a while'?" All the while thoughts raced through my head--what was up, was he telling me he'd been laid off or let go from his job?? No, thankfully, just sent to a different job site for a few weeks so he could have some time at home! Whoo hoo!

Meanwhile, new thoughts flooded my head--"Oh my goodness, have I got a lot of packing to do!"

And so, less than 48 hours later, we started off, loaded to the gills, headed home.

Next week, when he goes back to work after his week off, will be the first time my husband has lived a regular, everyday go-to-work-and-come-back-home life at home in six years. Six years.

Wow. Have I got some homekeeping to do.

Right now we are still surround by boxes and tubs and stuff--trying to integrate our "on the road" stuff with our home stuff. We live in an older house, so there is a lot that needs to be done, inside and out, to make it home-like again.

I definitely have less options to choose from when it comes to shopping, unless I go to larger cities at least an hour or more away in any direction. Compound that with somewhat less money coming in during these weeks, I'll definitely be looking for creative ways to stretch what we have even further.

Did I mention that we live in an older house? That means a few less of the modern conveniences, too. (When I say, "Where's the dishwasher?", I'm looking for person, not an appliance!)

But I'm excited. Things are different. And yet the same. Just not too much.

I'm ready to begin.