Small Success Thursday

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week:

Reduced the email clutter – I got our email inbox on our home computer down from more than 11,000 emails to under 400. You read that right – 11,000! And that’s an inbox I tended to daily, deleting spam and various other messages and filtering others into appropriate folders. It took a couple of weeks of daily devotion, but I did it. I plan to maintain the comparatively low number of messages by regularly purging. Continue reading →

Small Success Thursday

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week:

The end of summer stuff – The final days of summer vacation included the usual consultation of lists and running from store to store. School supplies, uniforms, shoes, and a backpack were purchased. It doesn’t seem like a lot when it’s condensed into a nine-word sentence, but with four kids, summer uniforms and gym uniforms, it becomes a project. We also turned in our summer reading packets to the library. I failed at listing books and counting minutes for the little kids, so only the older kids and I were able to collect our free books and prizes. Continue reading →

Small Success Thursday

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week:

Vacation Bible School – For the first time, my three youngest children all attended our parish’s Vacation Bible School. (My oldest son spent the week at Boy Scout camp.) For a brief moment, I envisioned having fifteen glorious hours to myself in the span of five days. My dreams were quickly snuffed out by my friend’s invitation to help out by organizing the snack craft. So much for alone time. And while I missed out on all the things I thought I’d get done while my kids were at Vacation Bible School, I did enjoy helping. Our youth minister does a fantastic job. It’s well-organized and the kids, including mine, love it! I got to spend time with some interesting little people assembling cookies in a jar and doing all sorts of fun things with blue frosting.
Under the Sea Graham Crackers

Small Success Thursday

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week:

Finished a novena – This is a fairly large success for me. I’m notoriously bad at completing novenas, which are simply nine days of prayer with a particular intention, usually through the intercession of a particular saint. I’ve tried all sorts of tricks, and remembering to spend about two minutes with a prayer nine days in a row is barely shy of miraculous for me. But, with the help of the free Pray app, I did it! And I’ve even begun another novena. The app is simple and clean. Choose a novena and tick off the days as you complete them. You can even invite friends to pray with you. A once-daily reminder is the key for me. I could do with more nudges, but apparently the reminder and seeing a little notice by the app icon is enough.
Pray: The Catholic Novena App

Small Success Thursday

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week:

Visited the township recycling center – Before you roll your eyes at this minuscule task, let me explain why this is an accomplishment of any sort. First, after weeks of tripping over the overflowing box of plastic caps and bag of used batteries along the basement stairs, I have to get said recyclable stuff – along with the old UV bulb encased in bubble wrap – to the car. Without spillage by little hands. Here’s the big challenge: Our township recycling center keeps arcane operating hours, changeable at any moment. It’s open something like the third Wednesday following the full moon and the hours between twilight and dusk on Fridays equidistant from the nearest solstices. Continue reading →

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week.

Thank-You Notes Done. I facilitated the kids getting their Christmas thank-you notes done. Then the notes from my oldest daughter’s birthday. And Valentine’s Day. And my youngest son’s birthday. Seems like a little thing, but with four children, generous family and friends, and multiple occasions, it becomes a protracted task.
Toddler Bathed Without a Poop Incident. Don’t know how or why this started, but for three consecutive baths, we had “incidents.” I’ll spare you the details, but is unpleasant, to say the least. To top it off, the culprit is terrified of the whole scenario. Continue reading →

Carolyn Astfalk, Author