Hoarding!

So, I have neglected my blog this summer, but I am back.

I recently finished reading a deliciously fascinating book called Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Randy Frost and Gail Steketee. I don't remember what prompted me to request the book from the library, but I did months ago. (It was probably a story on NPR.) Anyhow, the book was difficult to put down, and I got through it very quickly, and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind.

Do you have any hoarders in your family? I remember visiting a great aunt, who I had met occasionally at my grandparents' house; she was a cat lady. This is considered a type of hoarding by the writers of the book, and the chapter on animals did bring Auntie Marianne to mind. I will never forget that visit and the little apartment full of cats, with newspaper covering every surface. I can only imagine what my mother and aunts went through when they cleaned out Auntie's apartment!

There was a section in the book on childhood hoarding. This brought one of my dear children to mind, but since I have finished the book I have been remembering my disorganized childhood (no reflection on the parenting I received).

Then today, while purging a perfectly good white (ish) t-shirt and perfectly good white (ish) pillow case I couldn't put them in the giveaway bag. I set them aside and thought, "I will tie-dye them, they'll be really cute." Keep in mind, I have never actually tie-dyed anything, don't have any dye on hand, and don't really want to undertake a tie-dye project at this time. Then the hoarding book popped into my head. I immediately put the shirt and pillow case in the bag! Whew, that was a close one!

The well-researched book taught that compulsive hoarding has a relationship with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and that people with this tendency have some interesting other issues. I am not a compulsive hoarder (I don't think), but in the past few days I have realized I do have some of the thought patterns of a hoarder. This has been insightful and enlightening! Hopefully, this will help me continue to purge.

On that note, I have erased my 100 Things--Again list, since I have gotten rid of many more than 100 things this past month. I am sure I will need to do it again, since I have probably brought in nearly as many things as I gave away.

Nursery Note

Sunday we had 16 kids and it was hectic. It was as if I had had a gigantic workout when we were all done. It was a good day, though. The only thing I have to report is that I got caught by a member of the Relief Society Presidency with a floaty green scarf about my head and shoulders, hunched over to the level of a 1-year-old, animatedly munching on a pretend piece of toast. She said she wished she had a camera.

Speaking of which, should I start bringing one? Feedback appreciated, moms of nursery kids.

Nursery News Update

Our nursery has grown from 4 in January to 14 regular attenders at this time. (We have counted up, and at least 4 more are on their way before the end of the year.) Most of the children are young, so we have restructured our schedule and activities to accommodate everyone's needs. Especially ours! No more coloring/crayon-eating; and let's just wait until the last minute to have our lesson and snack. Play as long as you can, little ones.

P, one of our newest arrivals, has had a bit of a hard adjustment. A very little while after he was dropped off on his first official day, he realized his parents had abandoned him and he stuck his little blonde head behind a stack of chairs and cried inconsolably. He had to return to his dad because he was beginning to upset other children and adults in the room. This past Sunday his dad stayed for the first hour and snuck (sneaked?) out when P wasn't looking. After about 15 minutes of playing he noticed the vacancy, hurled himself at the bottom of the door and sobbed hysterically. But this time he COULD be consoled. I snuggled him on my shoulder for a while and held him on my lap until he was ready to play on his own. By snack time he was okay, and then it was, blessedly, time to go.

We have twin girls who have to be identified by the color of their dresses or even hair ties. I post who's who on the chalk board when they are dropped off so we all can get their names straight. They spend most of their time putting the little cars down the circular track. They are generally so happy! S particularly likes shouting, "A BALL!" whenever she throws one around.

C continues roughing up her peers when they are playing with something she takes a fancy to, but she is improving each week. T has had a couple time-outs, and now a simple threat of one keeps his behavior appropriate.

P's mom comes in and does a singing-time with all of us in a circle of chairs. It's a wonderful break during play-time. She's so good....

I appreciate my nursery workers and everyone who is helping in our nursery! Since the influx of newbies we have needed to borrow helpers from other meetings. Thank you, all.