Gathering my Thoughts
/::outside my window
Six baby bunnies nursing while their daddy stands guard! Last night, just around sunset, my girls came running. "Mommy, Mommy! you have to see this. It's the cutest thing EVER!" There in our backyard, six bunny babies laid on their backs and nursed away happily. I went to get the telephoto lens and carefully lifted the window in order to take pictures. Even though we were up on the second floor, that much movement was too much. Mama hopped away. Daddy followed. The poor babies just stayed there wondering what in the world happened to dinner. I have no pictures. But my girls are unlikely to forget.
::listening to
Dishwasher swishing and washing machines spinning. Domestic day here.
::clothing myself in
a FitBit and running shoes. All day, every day. More on that tomorrow.
::talking with my children about these books
Divergent. Mary Beth really liked the first one. Second and third one, not so much. Definitely for older readers.
::thinking and thinking
what to do in the fall. "Extracurricular" activities take time and money. I don't really think there is such a thing as "extracurricular." Life is the curriculum. Life is how we learn, especially if we're homeschoolers. Our family grabs life with both hands, jumps in as a family, and then learns what we can in whatever the setting. So it has been with soccer and basketball, where my kids have gone all kinds of places and done all kinds of things. While Mike was in Rhode Island with Stephen and Nick and Christian and Stephen was winning a regional soccer title, Michael was wrapping things up in Brazil. After the trophy ceremony, the boys headed to Connecticut to watch the game at ESPN Headquarters. Way fun.
And Michael's incredible World Cup experience came to a close. He wrote about that-poignantly and personally--here. Even if you don't like soccer, read it.
Anyway, I digress. It's hard when you have so many children and you limit them to "just one thing" to feel completely confident that time and money is being invested wisely. I'm leaning heavily into God on this one because I really don't know...
::pondering
::carefully cultivating rhythm
I returned from Colorado very full. Also, very sick and with very little voice. And, nearly three weeks later, I'm still fighting something.
::creating by hand
I have a few little things for Lucy cut. I must sew them now or she'll never wear them. Pictures of those and last week's project at needle & thREAD on Saturday. I promise.
(Gosh, this is awful. I wrote this nearly three weeks ago. Nothing has changed. Not one thing. Will do better. I promise.)
Wait, no. That's not quite true. Kristin and I made a quadruple batch of healing salve last week. That's creating with our hands. It's also good for our hands.
::learning lessons in
Time and money management.
::encouraging learning in
Staying in the race and finishing well.
::begging prayers
Please pray for people struggling with doubt and faith and fear and hopelessness.
The Pope asks us to pray for this intention in July:
That sports may always be occasions of human fraternity and growth.
I don't know if dance is a "sport" --but I'm seriously praying for human fraternity and growth all around.
::keeping house
Just this. I'm telling you, it took four days.
::crafting in the kitchen
::giving thanks
for friends who listen when I think too much. I'm really super grateful for them.
::loving the moments
When everyone comes home, safe and sound, from traveling afar. Tonight, we'll gather and celebrate safe travels and happy homecomings.
living the liturgy
I have children who cannot start their day without Morning Prayer and will not go to sleep without Night Prayer. I'm so grateful that's the case.
::planning for the week ahead
Well, it's already Thursday and I'm just now getting around to writing Monday's post. My plan for the rest of the week is blog a bit. And to sew a bit. And to celebrate tomorrow with my gang. And then to go watch Paddy play and bring him home for awhile.
