It's been a crazy week

Thanks to all who have been asking about my first boutique last friday! It went great!! I sold more than I expected to, got great positive feedback, and most exciting to me was that I had a really good time meeting people. I sat next to a young mom who makes silk-flower decorative pieces, and has been working over the last year to build her own business so that she could stay home with her 22 month and 1 month old daughters. I was amazed at her energy! I could barely get dressed and out of the house when my girls were that age, much less run a small business! She shared lots of helpful tips with me, and we agreed to stay in contact.

I also met another professional beader - and contrary to some of the horror stories of how beaders can treat each other that I had heard about, we hit it off great and had a wonderful time talking beads. She told me about a local beaders artist guild that she is a member of, and I hope to be able to attend some of their meetings next year.

So it was a very satisfying, though exhausting, experience. My parents were going through some more mild crisis times with my dad's health at the same time, but thankfully, my brother (who lives near me) was able to drive down and help them out for a few days this time. My dad had his gallbladder removed last Thursday, and his recovery is coming very slowly. Right now they are trying to work out some bad combinations or timings of medications that seem to be causing excessive weakness, disorientation and some hallucinations. My mom and dad have 24-hour assistance right now, and hopefully my dad will recover more of his strength and clear-headedness, with rest and the proper medications.

So it's been a packed and exhausting week, with more custom jewelry orders to fill, art presentations to give in the classroom, gift shopping, gift making, children's holiday productions and parties - I have had to pack all my holiday preparations and more into this one week! It has been stressful, and we are all pretty tired, but we are almost through this week now. Tomorrow morning I just have to make my family's "traditional" yam casserole (the only holiday food that my family cares about), to bring to my 6-year-old daughter's "International Family Luncheon", and attend the luncheon. Then we should be able to relax a little - at least after swim lessons, and the sleepover on Saturday night, and church on Sunday, and the gingerbread-house-making party on Monday, and then traveling to my parents house...

I've been so busy that I haven't had much time to sit quietly, or read, or think, or pray. I miss not having a little more contemplative time during Advent. Besides wishing I wasn't as disorganized and scattered as I have often been, I'm not sure what I would have changed about how I spent my time this last month, though. It has been a good, though challenging, time. I'm trusting that there are things for me to learn in this time of busyness, just as there are during times of quiet contemplation. It just takes me longer to recognize them, I think...