Beach Notes
/::noticing God's glory
We are at the beach this week, noticing flowers that look like great peppermint candies, and magnificent sunsets over the bay, and horseshoe crabs that are "stuck together."
::listening to
Ann Voskamp's blog. Did you read her note to Kate, Duchess of Cambridge? I wandered over there to read it and decided to hang out in the neighborhood and enjoy the music?
::clothing myself in
PJs. It's actually fairly early Monday evening, but we've been going and going and going all day and we have to be up and out the door tomorrow at 6:45 to start a new day of dance.
::talking with my children about these books
I only packed two books for bedtime read-alouds this week. Karoline is determined we will read every story in The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter and Katie is happily choosing at least a story a night from the Random House Book of Humor for Children.
::thinking and thinking
about the value of homemaking. It really does amaze me that an art so vital to the health and welfare of every one of us is given so little thought. We do a deplorable job of training young women to makes homes. Instead, they come of age in a state of cultural confusion over the value of such things as cooking, cleaning, or even the thoughtful rearing of children. And it shows. I wonder if we aren't a generation or two away from "home" being a quaint concept one reads about in old stories.
::pondering prayerfully
"When your ordinary work or business is not specially engrossing, let your heart be fixed more on God than on it; and if the work be such as to require your undivided attention, then pause from time to time and look to God, even as navigators who make for the haven they would attain, by looking up at the heavens rather than down upon the deeps on which they sail. So doing, God will work with you, in you, and for you, and your work will be blessed. " ~St. Francis de Sales
::carefully cultivating rhythm
There's that careful balance of relaxed vacation time and competition time and just plain eating/sleeping/living time. I'm trying to maintain some rhythm while still getting the girls to the stage on time for a week's worth of dance performances. We're squeezing in every minute of outside time we can!
::creating by hand
I planned to bring some knitting along, but I think I left the bag at home in my sewing room. I did bring a wee bit of embroidery. I have plans for an embroidered headband...
::learning lessons in
traveling without my big boys. So strange to be here without my veteran travelers! I miss them terribly. And I am reminding myself all the time to soak up the wonder that is these six still left at home. Such a different rhythm when the majority is female.
::encouraging learning
Ah, those podcasts. What a great little conference I designed for myself:-)
Several of you asked for links to good listening. Lately, I've been listening to Andrew Pudewa:
Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Make Forts All Day
Nurturing Competent Communicators
Fairytales and the Moral Imagination
::begging prayers
Recently, three people very close to me have confronted a cancer diagnosis. I've told you a little about Shawn. And my friend Carmen is recovering from a double mastectomy. The third one I'm holding very close for now.. Please, please pray for all!
::living the liturgy
The end of the July truly is the liturgical celebration of homemakers. This year, we began with the gospel story of Martha and Mary. Then we shall celebrate the feast of St. Anne on July 26 and the Feast of St. Martha on July 29. Lots of notes on those here in this post (along with some wonderful St. Francis de Sales wisdom). Sarah Annie is very happily looking forward to her name day celebration!
::keeping house
This week, we are sharing a condo with another family. Housekeeping is so different at the beach. It's always fun to play house in a new neighborhood! Still, I really need to do laundry tomorrow.
::crafting in the kitchen
I brought my blender, so smoothies are still happening every day. I cooked ahead last week and brought most of our main dishes out here frozen. And we stopped at a produce stand on the way to the shore and stocked up so that we have plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. Well, plenty enough to get to Wednesday, at least. After that, we may be a little on the less green side because fresh fruits and veggies at the grocery store here are outrageously overpriced.
::loving the moments
when she swims to me!
::giving thanks
for safe travels.
::planning for the week ahead
Swim, sun, dance, eat, sleep. Repeat.
