Hello there! It's been a while. The truth is, I just haven't felt like blogging lately. It's summer and I'm on a break from teaching. And, we've been spiraling downward. Our finances are out of control due to several circumstances, one being that the man of the house wasn't getting a regular paycheck although he was working regular hours (plus some). So, we fell behind on some bills. Several, actually. A few weeks ago, our internet and cable services (along with our home phone but who uses that anymore?) were disconnected. That's right. Cut off because we haven't paid the bill. It's embarrassing but the truth can set you free.
Unless you have teenagers.
Then it's a catastrophe.
Or not.
The first few days were horrible. Two teenage boys in the house - one apparently needs his internet, the other needs his sports channels. One 9 year old girl needs her Disney and OnDemand movies. One Etsy and Pinterest-addicted mom needs her internet. The man of the house needs his movie channels and internet. Or so we thought.
Before our cable and internet was disconnected, I had actually read 2 books in 4 days. I love being able to read in the summertime. After we mourned the loss of our beloved internet and cable, the girl and I went back to the public library to return those books for some replacements and we checked out some DVDs. For free.
Yes, I've done this before but, in the busyness of life, I forget that there are hundreds of free movies and books at that wonderful place called the library. And my daughter loves it too. So we were able to reconnect our common love of books and reading.
I was able to get some DVDs of movies that my children had never seen. Classics. Like Mary Poppins, Schindler's List, Schoolhouse Rock. It's been great. Teaching and sharing ideas with my own kids.
We've spent more time together. On the front porch, in the yard, at the track across the street. We've used this time of "unplugging" to plug back in to one another. I feel I've connected with my older boy more these past couple of weeks than I have in a while. My daughter and I have painted together, created things together, sang and danced together.
And I've been daydreaming again, which is a good thing. I've been reconnected with the writer inside me that longs to get out and put words on paper, or the internet! (Oh, the irony.) I've spent more time with extended family as I visit their restaurant to bum their internet and watch a little television in the dining area. I've read more books which are inspiring me to continue writing and pursuing my dreams.
As of this post, we still don't have it turned on but, through prayer, the man of the house was able to find a job that actually pays him and we are working on our debt. We are spending more time together as a family where we would normally be doing separate things in different rooms of the house. We will need internet once school starts in a few weeks so the kids can do research and, of course, the cable so we can watch football on Saturdays. But this has been a nice break. A nice reality that these things aren't necessities, really, but wants that we have become used to in our lives. Wants that are disguised as needs because of the importance society places on these things.
Do we really need it when school starts? Probably not. But the harsh reality is that my children will be at a disadvantage if they don't have it. So, I will do what I can to get my services turned back on by then so my family can reconnect with the outside world.
I just pray it doesn't disconnect us from each other again.
