what is victory?

I walked today. That's a victory.

I didn't want to wake Miss Camille up this morning. She still looks like my baby when she's sleeping.

New flowers, and pumpkins from the garden...my little girls helped decorate the house for fall. They are going to make decorations when they get home from school....I realized that for 25 years or so now, I have had little kids making these lovely creations...and these two last little girls are growing up. In a few years, they won't be cutting out construction paper leaves and making teddy bears with googly eyes. wah.



Kathryn is my lovely 15 year old daughter, here with Camille.

Anyway. I was walking this morning, thinking of what it is to have victory. Real-life victory. I went for my walk today, that was a victory. I didn't fit it in early, as I fell back to sleep because I was having an interesting dream about going to the bathroom in the night in someone else's house in just my bra and undies, then the sun came up and there were people in the hall, and I was stuck in the bathroom, but anyway. I overslept, then reasoned away the walk. I love my walks, but also love to reason things away. But later, I fit it in. As I walked, I thought about how by now, I should be walking way farther, or running, and was feeling pathetic. Then I stopped myself. I had gotten out the door, and was taking a brisk walk (I also jogged a bit today, which was wonderful). It was a victory! I have struggled so much with dieting, eating right....have felt so defeated....but I have not given up! THAT is a victory!

In the spiritual it is the same. Real-life victories seem so insignificant. In proverbs 21:2, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord ponders the hearts..." So when I realize and admit that perhaps I am not right about something, that I am really really proud...then isn't that a victory? It doesn't seem like a great thing, but it is.

It has been fine weather for drying clothes and bedding outside, so I have been taking advantage of it. I love when the sheets smell like sunshine. Oh, I am such a housewife. Two days in a row of staying home, so far. I do need a trip to the library to get Jonathan some books. And we are running out of milk, ugh.

Mirielle made pumpkin spice pancakes for lunch. I made a two-egg omelet and split it with Jonathan so that I wouldn't eat too many pancakes, and so that my sugar wouldn't jump as much. Eating protein seems to balance things out. I probably shouldn't have had ANY, but I did, and they were so very good.