These days are awash in their own slightly off-kilter rhythm. A week of cold and rain followed by a brilliantly sunny and warm day sends my kids scattering from their completed lessons, out into the yard to grasp these last few golden moments of Fall. I find myself a bit scattered, forgetting a ballet lesson, staring blankly at a meal planning page, letting packages intended for the post office accumulate dust before they are finally sent on their way.
I've entered the second trimester so once again I can stay up late, talking to my husband, eating snacks and knitting with quiet fury. My priorities seem to spasm when I feed my family popcorn for dinner and fret about Halloween costumes more than the plumbing mishap in the downstairs bathroom. I drink spiced cider in the afternoon and read a novel in less than 24 hours.
We start the slow and easy transition of moving Peter into the boys' room, easing just a bit at a time while still babying him as much as possible. The girls pull out winter clothes and dress for a blizzard on the first cold day and leave a mess of mittens, scarves and hats all over the kitchen floor a mere 5 minutes after heading out the door. Over my head, I hear Jonah jumping on my bed.
I second-guess our homeschool decisions and stay up late, figuring out a new plan. I decide we are quitting the virtual school, and then change my mind. Back and forth and back and forth. Ben finishes his first ever big book and we celebrate by buying him the next one. I marvel that I (I!) taught that kid to read, over hours spent on the living room couch coaxing, encouraging, fretting. I stick it in that trove in my heart that holds the treasures of parenting triumphs.
Yes, these days have been scattered. Messy. Disorganized. Spun right out. With grace, I can see that they are ours, moments marked in time when Mama was a bit insane with the hormones and Fall just seemed to explode all over us. Moments in this family life where we are doing just what we need to for today, even if it seems a bit crazy. Moments that we'll never get back, moments that we'll never forget.
Just these crazy days of ours.
How are you all doing?
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Matthew 6.34 Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble if its own. Amen? Congratulations on your wombling!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the verse - definitely meant for me today! And for your congratulations. Every day, we are just more thrilled :-).
DeleteNice post and adorable boy! However, I just thought I'd share the emphasizing of "I" in teaching Ben how to read seems to be a small dig to those who send their children away to school. We too teach our children how to read! Learning to read in school is a re-emphasis as well as practicing what you learned in school at home. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog posts and respect your decision to home-school your children; more power to you! I just occasionally feel as though you belittle the work parents that choose to send their children off to school put into educating their child as well as well as "locking them up" in a prison where no creativity is expressed.
ReplyDelete-Lisa
Lisa - I am so sorry that my words seemed belittling to anyone at all - I must rush to assure you that never was and never will be my intent. I wasn't thinking about homeschooling when I wrote that bit about him reading. To me, teaching a child to read is akin to potty training - definitely something that heavily relies on parental involvement, no matter where the child goes to school. My emphasis on "I" was not in contrast to other parents, but more shock that I was able to help to make that happen. It was absolutely not a dig at parents who send their children at school. I'm not sure how to assure you that the thought never crossed my mind and I am very sorry you took it that way. I have never said and will never say that sending children to school is akin to locking them up. I apologize if you got that feeling from this blog. It is neither my opinion of out of home schools nor my view of the children and parents who benefit from them.
DeleteThank you for your comment and the reminder to be sensitive to everyone who may stop by here!
I perceived it as more of a statement that "A-Ha! I have the affirmation that not only CAN I educate my children, but they can be inspired by it even to kick it up a notch on their own terms". Speaking from a place where public school, parochial school & homeschool have all been attempted in a desire to want to do the very best we can for our babies, those moments of confidence-builder type things like that are very nourishing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Davi. It took years, tears and much second guessing on my part. I guess I am just thrilled, proud and encouraged.
DeleteThank you for your comment!
I know the feeling of accomplishment you feel by teaching your kiddos! I have taught 3 to read, and they amaze me everyday by their eagerness to learn and ability to read really big books/words!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard work, self sacrificing and very rewarding!
And every now and again we need to pat ourselves on the back and say,
"I did this"...all with God's help
You are being a light here, keep up the good words!
You are a constant encouragement. Please do not be discouraged by those who do not understand the lifestyle your family (and our family) have chosen. You should take credit for teaching Ben to read because YOU are the one who did with no help from anyone else (except perhaps his Father). You put in the hours, during the day and in the evening. God bless you Lydia and I hope you continue to blog just the way you have been. I think yours could become a very popular blog, you are easy to identify with!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the encouragement! Your words lit up my day.
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