Summertime.....

Summer is quickly approaching here in the south and I can tell by the tiny fruit on my vegetable plants, the lush herbs outside my backdoor, the smell of fresh cut grass, the occasional thunderstorm, the constant puddles from children playing with the water hose and the many creatures my children keep bringing in from the creek. Just today they've captured a snapping turtle, another variety of turtle, a crawdad, minnows, and a frog. My favorite part of summer is that life seems to slow down a bit. There seems to be more time for stopping and smelling the flowers and enjoying the world around us. There are more opportunities for sitting around, sipping iced tea and visiting with friends and family. I feel the freedom to let go of the agenda and take whatever the day brings. This morning I had really hoped to get some math done with the kids, but before we got to that they were outside exploring the creek. God and His creation has much to teach them, so I can relax, let them enjoy the blessing of exploring and making a mess and when that afternoon thunderstorm arrives we can review our multiplication tables, work a few problems and settle down to read a great book together.

"To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Missing CR

Yesterday we attended a homeschool function at a park here. I was really excited about getting to connect with other homeschoolers and making new friends. Fond memories of time spent at the park in CR with all our wonderful friends filled my head. I arrived at the park with much excitement and anticipation, which quickly diminished as the kids and I walked up completely un-noticed and not seeing a face we recognized. Suddenly my excitement was gone and replaced with a longing for CR. I missed walking up and being greeted by familiar faces. I missed the lush green grass and big shady trees. I missed the laid back, casual atmosphere that resulted in long leisurely days fellowshipping. Here I was faced with strangers, glaring sun, red clay, a crowded park and rushed moms who came only to rush off to the next event of the day. I resisted the urge to run and found the opportunity to chat with a few moms. That is how friendships begin. I know God has a purpose and plan for us here! He surprised us with my Mother and Grandmother showing up at the park just as we were leaving and inviting us to lunch. I then had the opportunity to spend a leisurely afternoon visiting with my Cousin-in-law, while the kids played in her large, lush fenced back yard and we ended the day cooking out with them.

Thank you God for the blessings of new friends to be made, family so close, and the wonderful memories of past park days in CR. Thank you for giving me a purpose and plan and revealing it each moment of every day. May you be glorified in it all.

(This is in no means meant to reflect badly on my new friends here, or the homeschoolers here, it is only a journaling of the emotions I'm dealing with as I adjust to leaving my life in CR behind and beginning a new life here.)

Ode To The Laundry

This week has been Spring Cleaning, aka Reclaim My Domain. I have spent the week rearranging, reorganizing, decluttering and in general just catching up all the things that have been neglected over the last few months. The most overwhelming task of the week is the laundry. I have plenty of excuses for why it has taken over our home, like moving cross country a few weeks ago, being in my first trimester stupor, switching out seasonal clothes, just returning from a week of vacation...but rather than waste any more room with all these excuses, which aren't much of a justification for letting the clothes rule, I'll take a few moments to ponder my plight before I begin the process of taking dominion over the clothes and putting them back in their place and space.

Ode To The Laundry

When it comes to the laundry,
Oh where do I start???
There are piles of clothing
in most every part.
Clean mixed with dirty,
That's not too smart.
Heaps in the bedroom,
Mounds in the bath,
Stacks in the den,
Socks in the garden,
Do I even want to know how???
Hangers swing empty,
drawers are bare,
Closets look like
A bomb burst in air.

Time for reflection has ended for now,
Armed with a basket,
It is time to plow!
Out with the excess,
down with the past season,
Sorting the dirty,
Hanging the clean.
Refilling drawers with socks and underwear!
Little by little the piles will shrink!!!

I had some pictures of my chaotic mess, but unfortunately someone deleted the software to my card reader, so they are still in my camera.

Time to sort and fold.

Living Free In Him despite the chaos!

If you....

give a pig a pancake...That is the kind of day we are having today and my frustration level is on the rise. I had one plan for today. Change my laundry room from a family closet into a mudroom. The constant piles of clean and dirty laundry all over the laundry room, mixed with the monstrous piles of shoes, books and jackets that keep collecting in the kitchen have pushed me to the limit and I decided that I must cut some clutter and redistribute the remaining in a way that is easier to manage for all of us. A daunting task, but my goal for the day none the less. Before my plans could materialize into action I found myself cuddling a sick child, refereeing so many battles and fights that I can't even count them, and looking over a pile of boxes that my son, trying to be helpful, drug in from the garage so that I could unpack them. I now cannot walk through the dining room or get to the kitchen table. The washer and dryer are no longer accessible because of the amount of things piled in front of them and on top of them. It is already 1:00 pm and the hopes for a shower have vanished. My children's ability to stay focused on a task and follow through to completion seems to have gone with the wind, or I should say gone with the appearance of the sun and my patience with them is very thin. I'd love to run away from the mess and the chaos, but I must persevere and have hope that soon order will return to our home and day. Surely God has a plan amidst the chaos and His goodness and mercy shall overcome.

A New Chapter

The last week and a half I spent clearing out clutter, sorting through boxes of momentos, reminiscing about the good and bad of our nine and half years in Iowa and visiting with dear friends who have blessed my life immensely and who I will miss tremendously. Friday morning as we pulled out at at 5 am with the trailer loaded with our worldly treasures my mind was filled with wonderful memories of long, sunny days lounging at the park with friends, all the prayer, support and encouragement these same friends poured into my life, the many opportunites we had to serve and minister to others here but as the sun began to rise and I took in the beauty of the dawn as it bloomed over the open prairie my mind turned to the new opportunities God has waiting for us in the south. Over the last year and a half I have wrestled with God over this move. I knew it was coming and I appreciate the time He gave me to adjust to it. I now can rest in His perfect peace that this is where He has for us at this appointed time. I look forward with anticipation to the relationships and ministry opportunities He has for us here, not the least of which is the new child we will welcome into our family in November.

March Madness

This morning started as a normal day with me opening my eyes to the all too familiar question, "Mommy, what's for breakfast?". As I mumbled "oatmeal" I began to formulate the plan for the day in my mind, lessons to finish, a history test, music to practice, laundry to put into motion and maintain, read out loud a couple of chapters and a couple of appointments that required being out the door around noon....Yes, it was going to be a busy morning! I quickly directed the children to their different tasks and we were off and running. First interruption of the morning...a smelly dog and kennel. The dog just couldn't wait for the boys to decide exactly who's turn it was to walk him. So my first load of laundry was decided and the dog got some TLC from some kiddos.



The rest of the morning progressed on somewhat chaotically with a slightly damp dog in the middle of it all, but we did manage to get everything accomplished and out the door on time. Let me rephrase that, we finished up the school work that needed to be done, but the housework got neglected as we had to rush out the door.


While out I decided to pick up some chocolate so that I could attempt PW's Mocha Brownies. Upon returning home we ignored the previously neglected housework and set about making this treat. Let me tell you they are dangerous! Dangerously delicious. Dangerously fattening with a pound of butter hidden in there. Dangerously messy with the help of a toddler and preschooler, especially when the chocolate covered toddler grabs the spatula and runs through the house! I had to call in reinforcements as I pursued her giggling self down the hall. She thought getting to play in the running water of the sink was just as fun as licking and smearing chocolate every where.



Despite the fact that they day didn't go as previously planned and imagined we did accomplish all that the Lord had planned for us today...a mountain of laundry folded and put away, dinner cooked, the kitchen put back in order, a sweet treat, and a some good reading time before bed. My kitchen floor still needs to be mopped as traces of the chocolate covered toddler are still visible...I'll think about that tomorrow, after all tomorrow is another day full of adventure and opportunity, which is quickly approaching bringing with it the standard greeting of "Mommy, what's for breakfast?"

Learning with Life

Each and everyday presents numerous opportunities to teach our children and expand their horizons without ever opening a textbook. Here are a few of the opportunities we took advantage of in the last few days.

 

Baking with Mommy

 

Looking for locations on a map

 

Pedicures

 

Spelling words on the driveway