Spending a lot of time nursing, during the day and in the wee hours, really makes one think. Here’s what I’ve been thinking about:
**Homeschooling. Aviana’s only just turned four, but we’ve been homeschooling from the start. I love to read and research and am continually looking for new activities and ideas to implement. At the core of our homeschool is Sonlight, with a Montessori bent. I came across these two books while perusing Listmania on Amazon (I love Listmania): Montessori Play and Learn and Beyond Survival: A Guide to Abundant Life Homeschooling.
**My family. My grandma who recently had to move in with my aunt and uncle all the way down in Springfield MO and said aunt were here for a short visit. It was delightful to see them, but I felt much like Aviana who cried and cried when they had to leave Saturday morning. We probably won’t be seeing them again until 2009.
We celebrated Grandpa Gary’s (Kevin’s dad) 76th birthday yesterday with some fishing (Cadrian and I stayed behind), some farm raised rib-eye and some German chocolate cake.
**Food. Now that Cadrian is nearly a month old, it’s high time for me to be figuring out how to once again be the Mistress of My Home (and by mistress, I mean, when I say it’s Pizza Night, you better believe we are breaking out the Pizza Pizazz!)
I made three cookie sheets of meatballs today to freeze for future use and soup for dinner is ready. Of course it helps that the girls are over at Grandma’s today.
I can’t seem to manage getting big projects done when I have all three of my lil cherubs. I operate under the premise of “Ignore it and maybe it’ll go away”, liberally sprinkled with, “I’m only going to do it if it can be done one handed”.
So on my list of things to do is make a grocery list–and actually get to the grocery store for a real shopping trip, not just a ‘milk run’ wherein we dash in to pick up whatever we can remember we are out of. Right now we are out of cheese and tortillas, and at my house, it’s heresy to run out of cheese and tortillas!
Also on the list is cut up a couple of melons and make some peach cobbler with farm fresh peaches. Both of which require two hands.
**The Corner. This is a depressing book I am reading right now. Depressing in that it’s true. Depressing in that there seems to be no help for it. Depressing in how clueless I am as I sit here in my spacious, well-lit Midwestern home with absolutely no idea what it must be like to struggle so vainly to simply exist in a ghetto neighborhood in Baltimore. Depressing in how this journalistic rendition of a year in that neighborhood makes me not want to read anymore.
Makes me want to deny that my fellow American lives with such despair and hopelessness.
Makes me feel a bit guilty that all I’m thinking about is making my menus and educating my children when to just survive the day is an accomplishment for the inhabitants of these neighborhoods.
**My children. I’m thanking God for their uniqueness. Praying for wisdom to deal with each one’s foibles and weaknesses. Enjoying their giftings and points of view. Loving how Cadrian is getting chubbier by the day (and well he should as the boy eats about every 90 minutes!). Loving how Brielle is better able to express herself and verbalize her thoughts. Loving how Aviana is so loving and thoughtful, caring so tenderly for me and her siblings.
**My husband. I’m thanking God for all his help, his ability to work hard for our family and still be a most amazing dad and wonderfully terrific husband. Praying for him to continue to love us and care for us and grow in his relationship with God. Enjoying his sense of humor and handiness at all things around the house and farm. Loving how he’s been so attentive and caring lately.
Just wanted to let you know how much I love your blog and hearing about your family. I found your blog after reading about your family in Country magazine. Keep up the good work and your wonderfully positive attitude!!!!
First off, let me tell you that I think you are SuperMom! You have three kids, under the age of 4, one of them being a newborn, and you’re already doing all the stuff you’re doing? Girl, you got it together!
I can imagine that you’ve got lots of time for thoughts. How you remember them when you’re running on so little sleep is even more amazing to me!
Having had 2 back surgeries since October, I can so relate to the “milk run” trips – it is rare that a full grocery shopping gets done in this house. I’m sure it’s wreaking havoc on our wallets, if we just shopped normally we’d probably be saving so much, but it’s hard. And I can’t stand PeaPod.
Pizza Pizazz? Do tell – you have me intrigued!
I’m sorry that you won’t see your grandma and aunt till 2009 – hopefully it will be sooner!
Sounds like you’re having a wonderful time keeping up with celebrations, though! And, quite impressive with 3 sheets of meatballs AND soup –
regardless of whether the girls were at grandma’s house! I would have been napping!
You are doing fabulously, my friend. Just from reading your blog over the past few months, I have come to know you as a laid back, go with the flow, wonderful person who was just born to be a mom.
I love hearing all about your life and family!
I know…you’ve heard this MANY times by now…but just so you don’t forget (like you could! Ha!) enjoy these days because they really do go by fast. I’m just getting my “freedom” back and even though pugsie (Micah) isn’t walking yet (at 18 months!) I still am able to get a lot done now. AND I’ve noticed that the girls have really grown up under my nose since Micah was born and both…Abby especially…are huge helps to me. Emmy (3) can throw clothes in the washer for me. Abby pulls Micah away from the oven when I need to open it and she can sweep the dinning room floor with a little wisk broom and dust pan. Just to bane a few. So it comes…just slow the first few months. It’s tough when your mind is thinking about everything and you just can’t keep up with it! Hang in there! I’m thinking of you from the east coast!
The biggest jump in learning to deal with time differently was definitely going from two to three kids. Granted, I only have three kids, but talking to my friends who have 5, 6, 7, 10, and 12 kids, it seems to be a fairly across-the-board thing. It takes time to adjust, so don’t kick yourself for taking that time.
It can get so frustrating, but take heart. And then go read Ecclesiastes 3, and know that there’s a time for everything.
And oh. my. goodness!! Please keep posting pictures of your babies! They make my heart happy; they are just so adorable!
Also, thank you so much for your kind words on the events of last month. It was an awful experience, but also a blessed one that has brought me closer to God, my husband, my kids, and my friends and family.
I’d love to share my cobblers with you, and I’d really love to take you up on your pear-picking offer. We LOVE pears!! Unfortunately, I think the money I’d save with free pears would be canceled out by, you know, the gas prices to drive from Texas to Iowa. But if we ever take a road trip that direction, look out! Because I’m headed your way! 🙂
In Him,
~Brea
Beautiful post! I got a Sonlight catalog but didn’t order anything for this year. I’ll probably end up trying to buy them off ebay or someplace cheaper next year.
By the way, thank you for all your homeschooling info!!! I don’t always get back with people right away but I truly appreciate all the help I can get!!!
Your kids are soooo cute. Mine would love the dessert once a week for dinner.