The highlight of my day was getting a postcard in the mail from my far-away dear reader! Yay, Katie!! You're in Europe--the real one--the amazingly beautiful one from the postcard!! Thanks for thinking of us here in boring old Ohio!

Today it is humid, but not terribly warm--well, compared to Dresden, very warm (80). But my Secret Screen allows a lovely breeze to blow through the kitchen which keeps us comfy. We have not succumbed to AC yet--yay, low electric bills!

I worked on two of the four weeks of reading lessons for UV last night and got them done except for typing them. Two more to go before next Thursday when we meet again. It wasn't too hard since I had already done most of the work last summer.

Today I started to clean and then took Hannah to the dentist and to get her antibiotic for Sunday. She has to start penicillin two days before she gets her wisdom teeth out--Dr. Brockloff said he's noticed that really helps with reducing infections later. Then I came home and finished cleaning. I have time to think when I clean so I tend to come up with ideas then.

I had actually thought of another "business" idea a few nights ago from reading this book about "relaunching" one's career after being home with kids. It was talking about the need to hire out some household work when you go back to work to enable you to spend more time with your kids when you are home. I thought maybe that I could help out women who work with some of those things: cleaning, cooking, errands, and call it "Second Self--Household Help" because all moms sometimes wish there were two of themselves. Then today when I was cleaning, I thought about how Abby and Hannah would like to earn some money too and it would be way more fun to do those things with them. So I pitched them my ideas, and they said, "Why not? Might as well give it a try!" So I will work on some flyers and see what Dad says. I DO NOT want to get in over my head with all of my ideas--teaching, tutoring, etc. But at least this would be something we could say no to if we were too busy. And with them helping, we could add babysitting, lawn mowing, plant watering too. Could be a crazy idea, but I'm just trying to go with ideas as they come! I AM a professional homemaker after all!! THAT at least I'm qualified for!!

THEN, just after I got done cleaning and before I could even talk to H and A about that, Tijana from Arbonne called and invited me to an event next Wed. that I had thought about going to from a postcard she had sent me, but had missed the deadline to sign up. It was kind of weird timing actually. She is becoming a regional vice-president I think and wants me to come and hear these two women who are the top sellers in the world. And she wants Dad to come too--she knows I won't make any decisions without him!! Anyway, I have thought about Arbonne as a possibility-at least I've never ruled it out for sure, and maybe this would be a good opportunity to hear about it--and have a nice dinner out with Dad. I told her I'd have to see how Hannah is doing after her wisdom teeth too...

My head is spinning with things that need to be done and with possibilities...I think I'll actually feel less tired mentally when I know what I'm doing and can just do it. Work is fine; making decisions and exploring options is exhausting!!

Tonight we get to go to Caleb's grad party! Tomorrow is Relay for Life (which we'll try to stop at, but aren't fully participating in this year), Emily Baumhoer's grad party, and then Kevin's party after that. In there sometime we have to get presents for Amy, Nancy, and Jackie--that's Hannah's job for the dance seniors. But that means I don't have to cook tonight or tomorrow (lunch or dinner!).

Well, dear far-away reader, we are praying for you and hope you have a fantastic trip this weekend--have you really been there for THREE weeks?? Hope all is going well in classes and in all other ways too. We miss you!! Love you lots!

And to all my other readers who are nearby, I am grateful for all of you! Love you lots too! (I mean my family because, of course, they are the only ones who read this!) MWAH!