We have Internet!!!

It has been some long weeks for us. Our internet service comes from a router in our church next door. Apparently the router got old and died. David and I are not tech savvy, but our brilliantly professional techy friend Jeff Waggoner has installed a new router and restored e-life to us! Thanks, Jeff, for doing what is not your responsibility and making us one very happy family! And thanks, Mom Fry, for taking the initiative and buying us a new router. We are officially spoiled.

It is always interesting to me to evaluate things after one of these extended internet outages that we seem to have. One thing that always kindof shocks me is that the internet isn't what makes keeping a home challenging. Sometimes we mommies think...well if I'd just work harder and stay off the internet things would be a breeze around here. And although I don't doubt one bit that time is wasted on the computer that could be spent folding laundry or washing dishes, I am again amazed/pleased/dismayed that getting the evil internet out of our home doesn't make it any easier. It is still constant work. Although I do think that not being able to check my email or blog makes it easier to maximize my mornings. My schedule has had lots of happy highlighted pink. That's good. But several times I have looked back at the day and thought...wow. I worked my tail off all day. Wasn't on the internet for one second. And I'm still exhausted and didn't get everything done. That's all I'm saying. It's about balance and priorities. Lord, give me big doses of both with lots of wisdom sprinkled in!

I have missed that feeling of being connected to the entire universe at the touch of a button. But I found that when I had a moment at my in-law's to check email or facebook, there wasn't really anything too exciting to do. I could quickly check my email. And having been absent from facebook made it easier to not be drawn in, I guess.

I very, very, very much missed the business side of internet! I use google for so much. I use online recipes. We pay our bills online. I order books from the library and check my due dates and keep track of our reading lists. I use the internet for my music lessons and church music. We buy gifts online. We use internet for our wedding photography uploads...We check schedules and due dates and driving directions and phone numbers and hours of operation and EVERYTHING online! Not having all of that has been the biggest challenge.

And Odyssey. Oh, how we've missed our daily dose of free Odyssey episodes.....And Pandora.

But I guess it's kinda like running water. You think you can't live without it. And it really is a challenge to try. But you can do it. Our family of six humans and 3 dogs spent a week at our cabin without running water during Spring Break. And we survived that beautifully - as we also survived about 3 weeks without internet. But all in all, I'd prefer not to be a pioneer woman. Bring on the google and the running water any day for me!!

It is oh-so-good to be back. I am oveflowing with blogginess. I have summer pictures and Hawaii pictures and Wedding pictures and Autumn pictures....all sitting in folders waiting to be "blogbooked". But my schedule doesn't have a stitch of pink on it yet this morning. The clothes need switched to the dryer. I'm missing a perfectly quiet time to do my run while the baby naps. There are still Morning Waffle Remains lying about the kitchen. I couldn't resist a quick blog or two...but now I'd better get the highlighter out and get busy!

(I just have to laugh...after my talk about how internet isn't evil, I finished my little blog post.....and I'm STILL on here and haven't got my work done! I'm remembering....wow. So THIS is what happens if you don't time yourself on this crazy thing. The morning disappears! Good grief! But I had blogs to catch up on and THINGS to look up! Maybe it is evil, after all. Bad, internet, bad. I'm going now. For real. It may be weeks before I'm back. Just kidding.)