Decided

I pondered on my inner turmoil for some time before chatting with Bobby. It was a good thing I ran it by him when I did (i.e. after identifying my most pressing issues) because that's when I needed tipping point advice. Bobby is good for tipping point advice. I was sure I would agree to take on the additional responsibility, but the wage was still bothering me somehow. He suggested that I simply exchange the money for goods and services that I value more than the money...like buying some of our weekly produce from a local, organic farm.

*ding!*

Add that to the fact that my favorite local farm now allows you to view and order their produce online over the weekend (Saturday is my menu planning day) and pick it up nearby on Wednesday evening. I don't have to go to the Farmer's Market! No eye contact with strangers selling their wares, no braving the hip crowds with my gaggle of children begging for stuff, no temptation to buy items off my list, no purchases with "I'll think of something to do with this" pipe dreams. It's the best!

Decision made. So happy.

I still love spending time at Sola Gratia. This morning, I finished weeding half a row of baby spinach (it took me a total of 6 hours over 2 shifts) and got started on the next row. I listened to a couple episodes of my favorite podcast "The TED Radio Hour" from NPR. Today, I got to hear to an episode entitled, "The Meaning of Work." Loved it. Some of the very things that motivate people in their jobs  directly apply to my experience at SG: autonomy, learning something new, time to become expert at something, social capital, work that feels meaningful and appreciated. It applies to my work as a mom, too, mostly. The kids don't seem to get the "appreciated" bit, but I know they will eventually ;)

I also tasted field-fresh purslane for the first time. Tangy.

And I took all 4 kids grocery shopping. First time of the summer. Not my favorite.

And we met friends at the big pool and played for a couple hours. James learned that he's tall enough to play in the whirlpool feature on his own. He spun and spun and spun around in that thing most of the time. Matthew played chest-deep for a while, then came out to shallower water and proclaimed with surprise, "I feel a lot heavier in the air!"

Not a bad summer day, overall.