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Asia was surprised to find me up and running this morning when he got out of the shower. Usually he's trying to say goodbye to me when I'm still in a sleepy stupor. He prays and I hear him, but I'm really just wishing he would be quiet and leave so I can get a few more winks in before the kids wake up. He asked why I was up, especially because I got into bed so late last night... I responded simply with "My brain is full"

And full it is. After my three hour marathon catch up session with Corey last night, I read her entire blog, searched the library online for book recommendations she gave me, read and read and read my bible, prayed (dang - the kids just got up) and then finally rolled into bed around 1:30 - and immediately fell into peaceful sleep. I am invigorated this morning.

Some random thoughts I've processed in the half hour I've been awake:

• the house is FINALLY at the perfection mark of 70 degrees. It is my daily goal to start off these hot summer days with the house cooled down to that point - only then can I bear the heat that warms my house all day. I'm giddy thinking I may still even get it down to the 69 mark. I hear the kids in the living room burying themselves under blankets - they're freezing because of my strategically placed fans in my effort to reach the shangri-la of my maniacal personal cooling system.
• Sometimes I come up with what I think (at the time) are clever food storage solutions - we have a basement pantry, and apparently I got the bright idea awhile back to hang onions down there... you know, it's cool and dark like a cellar and the air can circulate around them when they're hanging... problem is, they've been hanging there a LONG time. I went downstairs to replenish my supply of Nature Valley Fruit and Nut Bars (my morning ritualistic breakfast) when I smelled death. My first thought was that maybe I was finally going to find Peanut, our hamster who disappeared two plus years ago. I searched through the pantry... what was that smell??? Then I saw it. A bag of black goo, hanging off a hook. It used to be onions. Now it was nothing short of repugnant. Thank goodness today was garbage day.
• On my walk out to the garbage can, I had to cross my front yard - my non-sprinkler systemed yard, which has the hugest dead patches it's ever had in the six years we've lived here. I'm appalled and embarrassed and annoyed by it. I've watered. I've researched proper watering technique. I've lovingly talked to it. It's not going to turn green, I just know it. It's really bad. My only consolation is that there is a house up the street whose entire front yard is straw-yellow. At least we have about 75% green - and we're not the worst house on the block.
• I get email from Oprah. Now you all know - my secret is out - I'm an Oprah junkie. I'm pretty sure she's the anti-Christ, but I'm fascinated by her. I love her heart and her wisdom and her shoes. I'm amazed at how this woman who looks truly ghastly in the morning (and has the courage to show bazillions of people how ghastly she looks in the morning) can pay a team of people to make her into one of the most beautiful women on the planet each day for her show. So anyway - I'm on an email list that tells me when she's having a show that meets my particular list of interests, and then I can decide if I want to tivo it to watch while I fold my laundry. Oprah is my laundry motivation. I only watch her while I fold - and sometimes I have to DO laundry just so I can watch my backlog of shows. I love my Oprah email, but hate it, when, like this morning, it's the only email I get.
• I'm LOVING 2 Corinthians right now... imagery like unveiled faces reflecting God's glory, Paul's lists of hardships, treasures in earthen vessels, new creations, letters written on our hearts by the Spirit of the living God in the form of others... WOW - all great stuff. Read it if you haven't for awhile.

Okay - those are some of the little bits and pieces that are spilling out of this full brain... take them and do what you will with them.

Off I go to face the day.