Lots going on

There's a lot happening in my world right now. I know, at any time in the last 2 years I could have said that, and it's true I've been busier than ever before since Ben's surgery. But the next week has a few challenges:
1: I'm working on an essay about home, in response to a contest at Virtual Tea House. I started it as a throwaway; I just wanted a break from reading. But it's turned out to be thought provoking. I'll post it here whenever I finish.
2: I'm reading--a lot--in preparation for my time at Drew this summer. 3 complete books and about 200 pages in other books. And that's just the prerequisite reading. My eyes may bleed by the time it's done. The eye doc told me last year that any time I spend reading or on the computer would make my vision even worse, but as long as they can make some kind of corrective lenses, I'm good.
3: I'm trying to get ready not only for 3 weeks at Drew but also Annual Conference, which of course starts the week before I go to Drew. I'll be away from home for almost 4 weeks, with one brief visit in the middle. I've never been away from Ben for more than a week...it will be interesting to see how this goes. And in hopes that I might come home to a reasonably orderly home, I'm trying to get everything "shipshape" before I go.
4: I'm driving to New Jersey. This seemed like a better idea 3 months ago, when I decided to do it. I will fly home for my one weekend visit, but this is turning out to be more of an expensive proposition than I planned. Gas cost a lot less when I started this, and so did airfare. And did I mention I'll have to fly back in October?
5: It's a busy spell at church (aren't they all?). Tomorrow, we have the Senior Luncheon (honoring high school grads), a funeral, youth group, worship team practice, and the evening service. The evening service is really the only thing for which I will do heavy lifting, but it's still a lot to do. And there's a lot happening this week as I prepare to be out of the office.
6: There are lots of random blogs I pop in on from time to time. Sometimes I follow a link from one to another to another and find someone I'm interested in. Today I read a post by one of those, and tried to respond in a non-churchy, non-preachy way to a conversation about spiritual issues. I'm not sure I was satisfied with my response; that's something else I want to write about and will post here if/when I get to it.
7: I won the (random) drawing at the poetry party! This is happy-making! It wasn't on merit, of course, but that's not why I play anyway. I play for fun, and to work on crafting phrases (rather than poems), and as another way to interact with a different group of people. I'll be excited to get my prize. Thanks, Christine!
So all that said, I'm tired, busy, and happy.
There's a lot going on but I wouldn't have it any other way.