Bits: Just Another Hair Raising Day

So, if you choose a word like peace to mark your new year-- it is quite likely you're going to get a lot of practice straight away in showing that you mean it.  Especially if you seem to be a slow learner like, oh I don't know, me.  Don't get me wrong; there have been times in recent years that amazing peace has taken over, and I've dwelt in that precious place to weather some of this life's bigger storms.

Simply put: it's usually the more every day of annoyances that evict me from my peaceful residence to it's evil next door neighbor's joint.  Madwoman Manor. Ever been there?

It's not pretty in those try-hard, own-strength rooms.  The ones where you hide because you think the Landlord Upstairs might have forgotten to have your best interests at heart.  It's up to you to work and work to put pieces together, to constantly straighten up around you-- in essence-- to wear yourself kind of out over silly details.  All the while right there in  your lease, Section Matthew Chapter Six,  it reads:

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Own it.  Own it.  This message is for all who believe.  Tell God your desires, ask Him for what you need.  Then lay it down.

Lay it down, Katrina. 
{Like you don't talk to yourself.}

Then hear Him whisper, "Peace be still."
*****

The best homeschooling days are the ones where we are simply present.   A loose framework, fueled by a little energy and coffee and desire to learn.  I have been reminded of this, even in the verses above, to live in the now-- the day that has been given.  Stopping that useless waiting until this or that happens to do what we really love.  Yes, sometimes life gets in the way and things have to be scrapped or altered from the original plan; but, more than likely, there is plenty of good to be done with exactly what I have and exactly in the moments I have been given.

That's why I love reading this series and since we started a new semester, the new year bringing in a fresh wind of beginning again, I thought I'd pop back in with another "day in the life."  These are so helpful to me as we grow and fun to read as the years skip along.

Without further adieu, another hair raising day in the Martins' House-- Madwoman Manor boarded up, with fresh nails nearby in the event of a break out.
 
It's a Friday which, when at all possible, is an extension of the week-end in some ways.  The biggest being that it's a slow going kind of day and, as I usually try to do, we have nowhere specific we have to be.  The girls trickle into my bed one by one and soon a pet show takes place under the blankets.
 
The leftover mound of stuffed animals as evidence.

We all come downstairs and Hope announces, "Let's celebrate! It's the first day of February."  So comes the chocolate chip pancakes (with extras made so I can be lazier the next morning), the smoothies left by Joe for the girls, a cup of coffee for me. 

Girls head upstairs for morning chores-- beds made, clothes on, teeth brushed while I set out things for "Circle Time."  This is our new way to begin our official learning time, and I really dig how it starts us all off together.
 
Weather graph, calendar math, memory verse, devotion, and a second hand book I picked up that I wanted to share with the girls

After Circle Time the girls head upstairs while I cut up cantaloupe for a snack tray of that and some pretzels. Also throw some pizza dough ingredients in the bread maker, Maddie's choice, since Family Night is to come later on. I crank up the "JJ Heller" station on Pandora.  Fill my soul, Lord.

By the time I get upstairs I let the girls finish playing "family birthday parties" and then we snack as we do, what I call, our "Literacy Block."  Word work for Hope, sight words for Maddie, coloring this week's letter for Alysse.  Leesie soon skips off to play for a long time in their bedroom with Polly Pockets and (shhhh!) Maddie's new mini Rapunzel Doll.  Maddie is really into what we're doing so she sticks around for the rest of the time.

Then "Reader's Workshop," which is just a fun way of saying that we read self-selected books and learn how to do readerly things.  Typically this is followed up by "Writer's Workshop," but Hope and Maddie got so into the "Henry and Mudge" series that they read through that and through our Math/Science time.  Far be it from me to stop voluntary, happy reading.  So, I don't.

Instead, I grab some simple things to make lunch and the girls eventually all make it downstairs to eat.  I read aloud as they munch and Alysse steals all my kiwi.  As the sun shines through the back door and the continuous soft music plays, I can feel it heavy... blessed.


Next is a "Fun Friday" activity... sometimes we bake, sometimes we do an experiment, sometimes we answer the question, "What do we want to learn more about today?," sometimes I sit on the couch while they spin circles around me.  This day we play a math game about time since that's what Hope is currently learning.
 
Rest time!  New policy: each girl in a room of her own for the hour.  This is, pardon me, but brilliant.  Since all my girls share a room, this plan is a good break for them... and me.

Since I did not get up extra early I use this time to do my CBS study (LOVE!) and have a date with Billy Blanks.  I throw in some healthier oatmeal cranberry cookies for snack and to have as dessert for after dinner.  (Typical oatmeal cookie recipe-- just sub applesauce for the oil, throw in a couple TBSP ground flax seed, and use just about 2 TBSP butter instead of a whole stick as many recipes call for).
 
Two of the three are asleep so I pass Hope the new National Geographic Kids that came in the mail as she builds with Legoes.  I use the added time to, thank God, grab a shower.  And a much-needed load of laundry. And check out some of my favorite blogs and check e-mail.  You know, all that jazz.
 
Sweet Angel Cakes

Afterwards I wake up the only remaining sleeping beauty and all three play: some draw, some build with blocks, some look at books, some argue and drive me crazy, etc.  I get the stack of dishes that have been progressively piling all day into the dishwasher.  Finally I call to come help with the pizzas and girlies about break their necks to get there.

Throw some veggies on two rounds of dough for Joe and I; make a Caesar Salad for us all.  Eat dinner, do the always anticipated "Mad Libs" from the NG magazine, watch Maddie's selected family movie (while Joe and I fold a few rounds of laundry), a family story and prayers, and try to get everyone to bed.  Gonna pay for those long naps, but hey-- at least I got a shower.  And in Maddie's words, "My favorite part of Family Night is being together!"

Agreed 100%; now just go to bed already let's look forward to more time together tomorrow.

Sometimes I think of the other jobs I could be doing, the great life-changing work that I could be investing in, the big dreams that lay just a closed eyelid or two away.  Then I remember, this season is short.  Much too short, even if the days sometimes feel a bit long. My heart is here, in the two and four and six year-old now.  

Then my soul lies at peace in this gift.  This hair-raising, memory-making, patience building, peace-seeking gift of NOW. 
 
Tomorrow can worry about itself.
~Katrina

Other Days in the Life: Here and Here and Here