Thursday, October 3, 2013

October Dress Project - 2013

Let's talk about yesterday.  Yesterday was October 1st.  Normal day.

Except that it was October 1st.  The first day of the October Dress Project and I didn't have a dress.  And I had promised to participate.  Problem.

Also, I had agreed to let my oldest son go participate in a computer ministry at the church first thing in the morning and had forgotten to warn him.  He wants to learn computers, so this would be fine if I had let him know more than five minutes before time to leave.

Let's back up to three days earlier.  I knew I had procrastinated to the last minute to make a dress for this project.  So I went ahead and washed my fabric. Only, when I went to get the fabric from the washing machine, it had unraveled quite a bit.  And shrunk.  For the next three days I alternated between denial (easy given the weekend schedule of soccer) and contemplation about ways to make this work.

I considered going to buy a dress, but that seemed wrong given the whole anti consumerism flavor of the month.

I considered doing Jen Hatmaker's Seven fast for clothing.  That required WAY too many decisions.

Jeans?

Nope.  Not a dress.  I was mentally prepared for a dress.

Dress?

Nope.  The ones in my closet are just too old.

So, here we are on day one at 9 am, my son is getting teary and yet unplugging the old computer to prepare to go walk into a church ministry I signed him up for and forgot to tell him about, and I need to get dressed....for the next thirty one days.  Paralysis.  Family breakdown.  I blamed it all on Michael for talking with the head of the computer ministry.  Smooth move on my part. We ended up not leaving home, and I ended up sitting in the fetal position in my closet in my pajamas.  Key (the eleven year old) came to get me, helped me up off the floor, and told me to let it go.  I assured him he was smart enough to learn how to scrub computers by simply watching YouTube.  See how supportive I am?

The above ridiculousness is why I need this month.  Focusing has been difficult lately.  Homeschool, soccer, church, meat orders, corn planting, food preservation, Historic Brattonsville, pottery classes, boys' club, art club, MNO, etc.  I feel pulled in too many directions.  Too many choices.  Unsettled. Not focused.

So this month clothing decisions are simplified and I am making a conscious decision to prioritize.  I do know homeschool comes first.  It is simply our way of life.  Homeschool chaos means our whole life is thrown into chaos.  So homeschool must be first in line. Period.

Church, soccer, Historic Brattonsville, and nutrition are all important to us.  Lots of times those main events collide.  We need to look at that issue.

Me.  I want to work from home and I have been writing for an online news site which doesn't actually pay me after all.  I mean they would if I convinced everybody I know to go like me several times a day for the next six months, but otherwise, nope.  No pay.  I have looked into bidding for jobs, but I am not sure I need to be focusing on that right now.  I thought about starting this sewing gig I have wanted to do for years.  I watch my friend, Allie Mac, get her fashion on and feel lots proud for her and a little jealous for me.  But if I really am honest with myself, my heart isn't there like it used to be.  I love food.  Whole food.  Healthy food.  And the farms they come from.  But is that a place to start a career?  Clueless.  Letting God deal with that one.  So this month this is yet one more place that needs me to focus.

God.  Church.  Prayer time.  Sunday school.  All sadly lacking in my daily routine lately.

Hence my October Dress Project = Focus.

So.....back to me on the floor of my closet.....Did I ever get dressed?

 I did....eventually.  I chose jeans and a white tank top because I own two identical tank tops.  The main challenge is not the tank tops.  It is wearing the same pair of pants for a month.  Did I mention I forgot they don't have any pockets?  I was so relieved to make a decision, I forgot that detail.

Maybe I will make a tunic covered in pockets....and homeschool....we need to get in homeschool...........