Simplicity in the Midst of Complexity

::noticing God's glory

We have some okra in our garden. We also have mold, mildew,  and root rot... Not the best gardening year:-(

::listening to 

Nick and Sarah singing while they draw in the sunroom. Nicky is making up new lyrics to the Signing Time Rainbow Song. It drives him crazy that the colors are out of order on the video, but he does love the song. He's keeping me very entertained. And it's nice to hear him sing again. He's been sick for a week now. I've missed his cheerful singing voice. 

::clothing myself in 

Denim shorts, crochet trimmed T-shirt, these awesome shoes. 

::talking with my children about these books

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning Thief. We've had some interesting conversations about ADHD and dyslexia around here lately. And, of course, reading Percy Jackson inevitably leads to someone reading D'Aulaire's Greek Myths...

The One Thing is Three: How the Most Holy Trinity Explains Everything I have just started reading this one, but I find myself wanting to share something with Mary Beth about evry other page.

::thinking and thinking

(Still;): about battling back from burnout. I have to admit that I'm burned out. I tried to deny it, tried to defy it. Now, I'm "battling back." Actually, I plan to retitle that chapter in its new edition."Battling back" sounds like so much work. Instead, I'm embracing renewal. I've got lots of new ideas about burnout. When I wrote that chapter a dozen or so years ago, no one was emailing with team updates every ten minutes. There was no constant barrage of social media. My phone didn't go with me when I left the house. I was thinking about survival in the near term and not necessarily sustainability over the long haul. It just seems like there is so much more noise, so much input.

Ah, but I was also unable to pray the Liturgy of the Hours while sitting in the waiting room outside an college IEP meeting.  couldn't text a friend when I got stuck on the renewal journey. So, it's not all bad. Can the internet be a tool in renewal? I'm pondering that.

::pondering prayerfully

"The woman is at the heart of the home. let us pray that we women realise the reason for our existence; to love and be loved and through this love become instruments of peace in the world."  ~Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

::carefully cultivating rhythm

The Screen Rules are doing good things for rhythm around here. So is the fact that I don't have to drive hardly anywhere this week. There is definitely more time for the important things. The screen rules stipulate that some things only happen after chores are finished. Next up: create a practical, functional chore chart.

::creating by hand

We're kind of on a sewing binge here. My hair is crazy curly out of control. Katie and I are making as many of these as we can without having to go to the fabric store. Fortunately, we have an abundance of elastic and seemingly endless fat quarters. We are planning to invite some friends to help us create...

::learning lessons in

Simplicity Parenting. Always learning those lessons, always needing a refresher course.

::encouraging learning 

Have you read this? Please do. So, so good. 

::begging prayers

In the last three weeks, 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!

::keeping house

Michael and Kristin came over the other day to make T-shirts for Shawn's family. we had to drag the whole production into the living room because the three of us couldn't turn around in the sewing room together. This prompted me to deep clean the sewing room after they left. And that makes me very happy! It's so nice to be there now:-)

::crafting in the kitchen 

Green smoothies every day and all kinds of variations on "beans and greens." My favorite smoothie this week was watermelon, spinach, cucumber, ginger, lemon, and mint. It's the perfect breakfast after a holiday weekend of eating.

::loving the moments

when the news isn't as bad as we feared. Of course, the flip side is that the other news is so much worse than we feared. Life is hard sometimes.

::giving thanks 

 for a friend who just happened to be in the same place where John Paul II's intercession was begged for the second miracle at the same time I was texting her that Shawn needs a miracle. I struggle sometimes frequently with my inability to talk to Colleen whenever I want, like I used to when she was in Louisiana. But I do know that God knows what we need and He does provide.

::planning for the week ahead

More revolving doors, but a little more relaxed these days.  Mary Beth and Stephen are Stuebenville-bound. Some of the rest of us are going to wander a bit, too. There's a date night on the horizon for Friday night and then on Saturday we'll go to Richmond to watch Paddy play and hang out with my friend Jan and her family. And I think hear Charlottesville calling my name.