The Weekly Ramble – May 22, 2026

This last week has just flown by! I’m not sure how or why, but here we are at Friday again.

Okay, maybe I know why: the week was really, really full!

• On Monday we said farewell to Miss19 as she headed off to serving at a summer camp for the next two months. She’s been such an independent traveler for years with a mission focus to boot. She’s gone to Guatemala twice on work trips and will be serving with the Navigators this summer.
• Tuesday I struggled to get anything done because there was so much to do! My brain was so overloaded.
• Wednesday was Miss 17’s last final, so we celebrated her high school “graduation” and the very last day of our homeschool with Costco pizza at the park with Papa and the brothers.
• Thursday our fourth son turned 22. We grilled steaks, made his favorite sides, and celebrated quietly.
• And today Miss 17 took her driver’s test. She passed! That just freed up my summer as chauffeur.
• Today and tomorrow I’m trying to tie up loose ends and figure out what needs to be done before Sunday when a few of us leave for Sac. There’s much to be done to pack and get ready!

Lots of stressful things and lots of celebrations all wrapped up in one. And we’re not even done celebrating!

My birthday is next week and then two more FishBoys have birthdays in June and there’s Father’s Day, so we’ve got all kinds of partying it up in here still to do.

Here’s what else I’ve been doing, eating, listening/watching, and/or reading this past week:

What I’m Learning

I need to readjust how I spend my time. Now that my chauffeur and homeschool jobs are completed, it’s time to readjust.

I’ve found myself spinning my wheels and missing opportunities to enjoy my life or do good work because I wasn’t more purposeful. I’ll be gone from home until this time next Friday so I’m hoping for some introspection time and a chance to reboot my system.

I could say that some of my problem is distractions; but you could also say it’s just good old fashioned disobedience. God has given me good work to do. Even with a houseful of high school graduates, I’ve got no shortage of things to do.

What does faithfulness look like in this season?

That’s one of my questions, along with “What am I building?” While my answer a couple months ago was a multi-generational home, I think there’s more nuance and versatility that needs to be baked in.

God may call all my kids to other places in a short amount of time. I have no idea. I listened to this podcast this week that reminded me of that.

What I’ve Been Doing

Surviving and celebrating, I think that’s what I’ve been doing. I always have much bigger visions of celebrations than I’m actually able to pull off. That was evidenced this week.

I didn’t have to wait in a big line at Dollar Tree, though, when I remembered that we had a helium tank buried in the Room of Requirement (aka the linen closet). The balloons didn’t last very long, but they added a festive flair.

Now that homeschooling is behind us, there are a few boxes of curriculum and a microscope to find homes for. That closet is due for a makeover this summer.

I saw these tests on Instagram and they were humbling:

1️⃣Counters are never empty. Clutter always comes back.

2️⃣Some rooms feel “off-limits.” Closets, garages, guest rooms… you avoid them.

3️⃣Cleaning feels endless. You’re moving piles, not really cleaning.

4️⃣You can’t find what you own. Lost scissors again? Yep.

5️⃣You keep “someday” items. Projects, broken things, old hobbies… still here.

I’ve been talking about a big Clean Out, but haven’t gotten to it. June is the time, my friends!

What I’ve Been Eating

What I’ve Been Listening/Watching

Not sure how I stumbled on this, but I watched season 1 of Cassandre, a French police drama set in the Alps. I enjoy brushing up on my French and the scenery was gorgeous.

The morals of most French TV are questionable at best. We just shrug our shoulders like Colette in Ratatouille, and say, “They’re French”. I’m sorry to broad brush an entire country, but c’est la vie.

We’ve been going over our data with Cox so we haven’t watched much on the big screen. Miss 17 and I huddled around my iPad to watch the first episode of Sally Lockhart.

It was a tad dissatisfying when we googled and learned that Adelaide isn’t found until the 4th episode and then under very dubious circumstances.

Bryan has developed an affection for The Brokenwood Mysteries so we will likely get an Acorn subscription after our trip so we can watch the new season.

What I’ve Been Reading

Now that CBS is done for the year, I’ve doubled up my daily reading in the Chronological Bible. I’m currently on Day 178, which is a slog through 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, but earlier this week enjoyed some Psalms scattered in the middle of all that.

We did Psalms for Community Bible Study this year and it was really good. I got a lot out of the questions and the study in general.

I’m not sure I will continue with CBS as the local class skews much more liberal, both theologically and politically. It’s not supposed to show, but it does. At least that’s the sense that I get.

I didn’t have a good experience with the local BSF when I did it a few years ago, on a social level. I found the culture very gossipy and there was a general cattiness in the air that felt off.

If you think of it, please pray that I would have wisdom for next year. I have loved diving into the Word. I need ears to hear the Lord’s leading.

Okay. I’m late getting this up, so thanks for your patience. Take a minute to delurk and tell me how you are!