Let me preface by saying we fully intended to honor our nation's fallen heroes at the cemetary memorial service this weekend.  Then….stuff….happened.  A couple unnamed children decided to camp out the night before.  At 3:30am I got a text from the neighbor explaining child one had an intestinal upset and was coming home.  At 4:15am child two bailed.  You can apparently be scared…..um… "witless" in a tent in the dark even if you are used to RV-ing all over.  So these tired parents stayed home Monday but made a great day of it. On to the update…..

Outside:  Sun, sun, sun.  We are into the upper 80's once more.  The yardwork has begun for the season. The first load of landscaping dirt has filled in the eroding bed in front of the house and more will follow.  Lots more.  So much dirt.  I have high hopes this dirt will net us both an updated tidier landscape and with any luck – ground something can grow in.  

In other outdoor news we have given the hand me down patio furniture a fresh coat of paint. New $5 and $8 (I swear, yes!) cushions from Walmart made me super happy.  There are so many fabulous colors to choose from today!  In the end I got primary colors since they go well with our dishes and inexpensive party supplies.  

Creating: Birdhouses.  It's been a slow project like many of our projects go BUT this one is nearly done.  Just waiting for sealing now.  The children picked up the Home Depot kits at the environmental field trip a few weeks ago.  I came home one evening to find them hammering away with their dad outside.  And Monday, we painted.  

Wearing: my reading glasses.  Truth be told I have had them for several years now.  Initially they mostly came in handy when in dimly lit scenarios, to read labels or thread a needle. This morning as I sat down to the computer I found them to be especially helpful.  There are wonderful tools for this natural consequence of aging.  We are lucky to have them.  Yet, moments such as these are unavoidable reminders of the relentless passing of time. 

In other 'wearing' news I've purged my closet once again.  The sewing machine is making a more regular appearance and hemming and altering is in full swing. Today's outfit – chambray tie top, black knit skirt, black sandals. 

Listening to: piano practice.  Abbie Rose is calling out "B! G! A!"  Tess has her first and possibly last piano competition under her belt now.  She is naturally fearless and was not the least bit nervous.  She also was not terribly driven to perfect a piece she didn't love and wasn't any more compelled to "beat" anyone else. The evaluation was helpful however, upon reading her marks and comments, she and we all remarked that there were no surprises there. She memorizes well, has her techniques down, needs more metronome work, and should strive to play more dramatically.  Her lack of passion for the piece and for the event was evident.  She absolutely adores playing the piano however.  This seems to be another in a long string of lessons for our family that our passions need not commercial nor competitive to be validated. Her momma is working on learning this one as well.   

From the kitchen: lots of fresh food and grilled entrees are saving me right now.  Chopped salads, roasted veggies, melons, and chicken or beef or sausages on the grill are staple dinners. 

From the learning room:  two finished their curriculum early, two running late, one is about on target. Even in a large family no two students are just exactly alike.  They are all on their own journey.  This was especially pressed on my heart this weekend talking to one of my adult children.  This child, who was not an avid pleasure reader growing up, came to me to express regret over years spent doing only light reading and requesting some titles to ease into more sustantial works.  It was one of the best gifts I've ever received.  You truly cannot predict how your kids are going to grow and change.  

Thinking about: Aaron Ames' article in Circe, because I am often thinking about articles from Circe. Much food for thought relating to the principle of delight and the principle of efficiency. Of utility versus community. (Comunity can and ought to also refer to the community we build in our family)

"For the adult, work is not play, but for the child, play and work might as well be the same thing. The child relishes the opportunity to work, even calling this play, but the adult relishes the opportunity to play, if only he can manage to take a break from work."

His thoughts echoed our own as we discussed what was lost by the adult child who could not see a way to marry academic and income earning productivity with literature and by the mother (me) who gets caught in assigning restorative and challenging creative opportunities to others while diving further into utilitarian tasks herself.  

"Milton counseled us generations ago that our ever-increasing lust for utilitarian productivity and self-sustaining independence would be our destruction."

Reading: I read Jane Eyre this month.  I have shuddered and wept and rejoiced.  I have mulled over the similarities and differences between Jane and Kristin Lavransdatter from last year's reading.  Similar themes in some ways –  desire, self government, morality.  Similarly meloncholic but devout and introspective women. Similarly intense male characters.  Both reflect on the will of God – how we honor it, where we go astray, and the very real consequences of both.  I am sure I will be thinking deeply about all of this for some time to come.  

Towards wellness: Talking T-Tapp with friends.  I wrote this off some twenty years ago but am revisiting after a host of biohacker and paleo folks have discovered these old school exercises. There is plenty of opportunity for cardio around here in summer.  For the next several weeks I am taking 15 minutes a day to strengthen and tone. The muscle isolation work hurts like heck fwiw.  

Plans for the week: Another road trip.  This time we are blessed to be heading to the meeting ground for east coast and west coast friends.  It is a beautiful thing when your long time 'virtual' friends become dear 'in person' friends.  

The past few months have been full of training for my husband's 2017 project – the triathalon.  A long time distance runner, he decided to stretch himself and try something different.  This weekend we are on the road doing his first competition, a 750m/20km/5km (swim/bike/run) triathalon sprint.

The day started early with a 630am arrival.

We got the bike checked in and he suited up.

Then it was time to dive in.  The water was a cool 60 degrees this morning.  

The swim portion proved to be a lot more challenging than expected. Consensus was that more opportunity to train in open water is needed before the next competition.  He was a lot happier when he got to the biking and running which was far more familiar territory.

He finished and has a lot of ideas now of what the specific challenges are and how to address those.  We were really impressed with the team of teens who competed today and inspired some of ours to consider some joint race efforts.  Them, not me lol. 

Someone asked last week how I felt about 50.  Midcentury, as it turns out, is proving to be full of possibilities and new horizons. So my answer would be encouraged.  We are encouraged and grateful going forward.  We aren't ready for the rockers yet. 

Another track season is on the books. As it turns out track is nearly ideal for this mom viewer.  Not too hot, not too cold.  And bleachers.  Lots of perks. Not the least of which was that what turned out to be a just ok first season last year became a really respectable second year of the sport. I'm glad his coach convinced him to sign up again. It's often hard to predict what you will excel at at the beginning. I hope that's one of the life lessons he takes away. 

Tess has been enjoying her pack of art cards from Christmas.  We randomly pulled the top card today to hang up and discuss. It was Munch's The Scream.  Not my fave but we remembered some perspective drawings saved on Pinterest and decided to do those instead of a strict copy.  I think they came out exceptionally well, though Tess' looks a little more angry than frightened.  

This project combines several different media and techniques so lots of bang for your lesson time buck.  Links here and here    Related projects here.

The pages of our virtual scrapbook here are filled with adventure.  Our family has been blessed with many opportunities I could never have imagined.  Never think for a minute though, that they come without sacrifices or compromises.  That can be difficult.  For every wonderful project I say yes to there are a dozen others that must be set aside.  Sometimes it can be difficult to know for sure if the right choices are being made.  If the tradeoffs are worthwhile.  Sometimes saying no is exceptionally difficult, especially when it is saying no to something more pleasant or with more accolades attached. Sometimes even after screening out any extra thing there is still list longer than hours in the day.  

But then again, often when I get stuck there is a timely reminder of just how to order things.  That happened this weekend.  My planner is at large (no, that irony is not lost on me either) so I have been writing notes to myself so I don't forget things I need to do. When I walked into my bathroom last night I saw one of those to do notes on the sink had been carefully cut into a mom love note.  I have the best kids in the world and even when one or more is driving me absolutely nuts – and they definitely do at times – they are also continually doing things like this which quickly ground me again. 

It did not escape me that my little artist used my to-do list.  Carved into my schedule of chores and commitments and opportunities passed over, is this reminder.  THIS is my priority.  Other plates may occasionally stop spinning.  (fall, crash, shatter…)

I have this awesome day job though.   I am ok. 

Two exerpts from my reading found their way into my journal today.  The first was from the gospel reading of the resurrection of Lazarus.  We get a glimpse of Jesus' deliberate pause in the face of urgent prayers for rescue. The story also provides valuable insight to the mind of God:

"Now, Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary, and Lazarus.  When He had heard therefore that he was sick, He still remained in the same place two days."

The evangelist makes certain we understand that it was no lack of affection, no ignoring of the pleas.  Jesus knew.  He cared. He cared so deeply that upon seeing Mary's distress "He groaned," from His heart and wept with her.  It wasn't indifference that caused Him to tarry.  It was love.  He loved them therefore He still remained.  

The two sisters once more have different responses to their circumstances, as we all do at different times and places.  Martha has resigned herself to the will of God and presumed He willed her brother's death.  Mary cries out to God in frustration for not coming sooner when He could have helped. Both of them have great faith yet, both miss the mark a bit.  There was a plan but they misinterpreted what that was and when/how it should have unfolded - as we all do at different times and places.  

Patience. We tend to think of it as a passive, helpless stance on our part. Reverend O'Reilly explains it differently especially when it concerns God's delay in answering our prayers for those dear to us.  The hard cases. It may be a wayward child, a spouse, a close friend.  He tells us to be patient:

"Not only when you are suffering from aching limbs and heart, but WHEN YOU DO NOT SUCCEED in making your dear ones all that you would wish. There are certain dispositions and characters which seem naturally to defy all control or teaching or improvement.  They will learn more than you think, much more than you can see, by your lessons and especially by your example. 

Even should a son or daughter of yours turn out to be everything but what you trained them to be,  the memory of their gentle, patient, loving mother will remain in their souls to their dying day, like a silent voice from the past bidding them to return to God and the paths of their childhood."

Sometimes the answer to our prayers is: Hold Fast.  God does not always act within our preferred timetable but He is always active in response to our needs. He will not ignore our pleas, but He may well tarry, even long past the time any natural solution seems possible – because of love.  He may choose us to demonstrate steadfastness and patient intercession, to be the face of Christ to those who hold such a dear place in our hearts.  

If your momma heart is breaking, or your prayers seem to fall on deaf ears, take courage.  You may never know what impact your faithfulness has this side of heaven, but be assured it is tremendous. 

St Patrick's day arrived with few plans this year.  I did sit a while and read his autobiography this morning during my quiet time and have been scribbling down bits of it into my notebook.   What especially strikes me this time around is his deep regret over wasted time, idle words, and lost opportunity.  With the midcentury mark looming I find myself sharing those regrets.  It is an embarassment of riches, these many years I've been given, and yet have I made the most of them? Has my speech been edifying?  My hours fruitful? My way steady and focused?  And if not, how can those regrets be channeled into new resolve?

He also tells us to be amazed by what God can do with our imperfect efforts:

With him "I pray God that he gives me the gives me perseverance, and that he will deign that I should be a faithful witness for his sake right up to the time of my passing."

A round up of ideas for you from previous years:

random good stuff 

trinity shamrocks

Drawing for kids here and here and here

Crafts here and here

Reading and Eating

Listening to the rain fall and watching the snow melt. 

Our new traction cleats have been a huge success. The maiden climb was to the top of Waterfall Canyon to see the frozen falls. I don't know why it didnt occur to me that you could do such a thing.   So far we considered hiking a warmer weather activity.  This was just magical though and has opened all sorts of new doors for us. 

The little girls both got point and shoot cameras for Christmas so I borrowed one of theirs for the hike:

You can see who got a Mom and Dad date this time. : )   It's so much fun to spend special activity time with one or two and it is also super fun to for the others to spend fun time doing something with an older sibling at home.  They are all individuals.  

Here it is up close!  It was well below freezing this day so no worries just yet but I wouldn't want to hike this closer to spring thaw.  

We were told the easiest way down is um….. seated.  Brendan was all in for that idea and slid as long and far as he could.  

I hope midwinter is as bright and shining and full of new ideas for you! 

“Our favourite amusement during that winter was tobogganing. In places the shore of the lake rises abruptly from the water's edge. Down these steep slopes we used to coast. We would get on our toboggan, a boy would give us a shove, and off we went! Plunging through drifts, leaping hollows, swooping down upon the lake, we would shoot across its gleaming surface to the opposite bank. What joy! What exhilarating madness! For one wild, glad moment we snapped the chain that binds us to earth, and joining hands with the winds we felt ourselves divine!”  - Helen Keller

On Dad's day after Christmas holiday we got it into our heads that we should find the best sledding hill nearby. It was cold but the sun was shining and so were their faces before it was through.  They trekked up and down the hills for a good long time.  Then we loaded up three very wet and happy kids for some hot baths and hot chocolate.