I don’t even know what that volume/issue stuff is–I just thought it looked serious and professional. Which is, ironically, the antithesis of Swirly Saturday. Here’s the deal: This structured blogging gig has been good for me. I know I’ve only been at it for five days, but I already feel more focused and less overwhelmed. My days are a bit more purposeful. A smidge more defined.

However.

I’m not naive. I know better than to think that anything could ever bring the perpetual swirling in my brain to a screeching halt. You creative types (whatever that means–we’re all creative types) know what I’m talking about. All those ideas and thoughts and dreams and opinions and troubles and crazy notions jostling each other for prime real estate in my brain matter. At its best, it’s a happy jumble of delightful meditations and pensive reflections. At its worst, it’s a nasty civil war in my head cavity, leaving a slew of casualties in its wake.

So much to mull over…so little time. Enter Swirly Saturday!

All week long, I’ll collect my thoughts. Then I’ll pick a few choice ones to share and just spew them out into the blog-o-sphere (on the weekend when less people are likely to notice). I won’t attempt to share any brilliant insights or solve any global crises. I won’t even try too hard to make sense (it’ll be good mental exercise for your lazy day–trying to figure out what in the heck I’m talking about). I’ll just let a little air out of the balloon that is my noggin, so I can tie it without popping it, figuratively speaking. See, I’ve already put your mind to work!

So, without further ado… I present to you Swirly Saturday! (And by the way, if anyone else is already using this alliterative title on his/her blog, I apologize. I didn’t do my google research. As far as I know, I didn’t steal the idea. It came to me late last night upon my bed.)

Now, without further ado (and I mean it this time)–my friend and yours, Swirly Saturday!

~~~ Conversation with my older two girls at bedtime Tuesday night: Me–Who wants to pray? Livi–I do. Dear God, please help us not to have school tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Ava: Can I pray too? Me: Of course. Ava: Dear God, please help us have school tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Livi: Can I pray again?

~~~ Note to self: When your husband is a web designer who works from home and video-chats frequently with pastors and clients, you need to make sure that he’s not in the bedroom talking to someone on his laptop when you come out of the bathroom fresh from the shower. (Thankfully, I paused when I heard him talking and jumped back in the bathroom before flashing some pastor from Michigan. Could’ve ended Hubby’s career in one fell swoop.)

~~~ I’m reminded of a story my dear friend K told me right after she’d read Is That All He Thinks About? She was in the kitchen making dinner, and her hubby (a pastor) was in the backyard. She went up to their big picture window, caught his eye, and in her very pregnant state, pulled up her shirt and flashed him a little full-frontal nudity. She expected googly eyes, a grin, a wink. Instead, she got a horrified look and hubby furiously shaking his head “no!” She pulled her shirt down, tears pooling in her eyes, and thought, “Am I so huge and disgusting that he can’t bear the sight of me?” She was crushed. Two seconds later, her hands still holding on to her shirt, a young couple from their church popped in front of the window and waved.

~~~ I don’t think I have ever used this key (~) on my keyboard until just now. All I know about it is that it looks like the little thingy I’d put over the second “n” in Nina to change her from Nee-nuh to Neen-yuh. (I paid very little attention in high school Spanish.) I’m so excited to have invented The Swirly Bullet. Should I patent it?

~~~ At supper a few nights ago… Livi: How much is your new book? Me: Well, it depends on where you buy it. It’s $14.99 in stores, $13 on my website and $10.19 on Amazon. Livi: I’m going to buy it on Amazon. Me: (trying not to laugh) Honey, you don’t have to buy Mommy’s book. Gabe: She can buy it if she wants.

And that’s all, folks! Stay tuned tomorrow for a little thing I like to call Word Sabbath (again, if somebody’s already using this, forgive me). A little break from all the words. Just a handful of photos from our week. Happy Weekend, friends! Stay Swirly!