Daybook: First of July
/Outside My Window
It’s hot, humid, and horribly sticky.
I am Listening to
The sound of vuvuzelas. It’s all
soccer, all the time, around here lately. When there isn’t a match being
played and it sounds quiet, there’s an app for that;-) and Nicky appears to
have downloaded it to every iPod in the house.
I am so Grateful
for
I’ve always meant to join Ann’s
gratitude community but never got organized to do the posts on time. Ann told
me that this Daybook is my gratitude journal. So, with that kind of encouragement,
here’s my list for the last few weeks:
1)
Morning quiet
2)
Mike had two days off in a row.
3)
Date night at a new Asian Fusion
restaurant with amazing tuna sushi
4)
A clean house
5)
A clean heart
6)
A clean slate
7)
Gracie. Gracie is spending the summer
with us. We’ve created a new blog category called “Summer of Grace.” It’s
especially for Gracie’s mom, who is in Colorado, missing her something fierce.
I don’t know how long Gracie will be here. Maybe just for the summer. Maybe for
much longer. And so, I seek to cram everything I can into this summer—to make it
the little-girl summer of our dreams-- because I know not if we’ll pass this
way again. And even as I hurl myself headlong into living life to its fullest
with this child, I brace myself because I know the sting of goodbye and it
might be right around the corner. Come to think of it, this summer is a
microcosm of every intentional life with children, isn’t it?
8)
A long, long talk with Bobby, where, among other things, he shared with
me some lessons on public criticism and perfectionism and friendship. He’s
grown such much and I am ever grateful for him in our lives.
I'm Pondering
Blessedness does not lie in knowing something about
God, but rather in possessing God within oneself. ~St. Gregory of Nyssa
I am Reading
Praying the Mass—this a must have for every Catholic
household as we look to embrace the changes in the Roman Missal.
Rome and the Eastern churches—not an
easy read, but a necessary one.
I am Thinking
That taking time away from the internet
was a very, very good thing.
I am Creating
A
haven at home, one that welcomes big kids and little kids, both my own
and the ones that come my way for a just a little while.
On
my iPod
My Audio
School. What a blessing! What a huge, huge blessing.
Towards a Real
Education
‘reading, ‘riting,
‘rithmetic and a Family Bible Study. Simple. Worthwhile. Enduring. And yes, we
are going to share the Bible Study. Look for it around the beginning of
August.
Towards
Rhythm and Beauty
Dear Sweet Lord, You have impressed
upon me how important the rhythm of sleep is. Please teach me how to get it.
The rhythm, I mean. And the sleep. Amen.
Here’s the deal: Michael trains until
10:45 and then drives home, arriving around 11:30. Paddy trains until 10 and
Mike brings him home, around 10:30.Christian leaves for work at 6:45 some
mornings and comes home as late as 9:30 some evenings. Nicky is up at 7. He and Stephen going running at 7:15. Sarah
follows shortly thereafter (with the waking, not the running). I’ve taken to rising around 5, sometimes even a
little earlier, in order to frontload my day with quiet, prayer, and exercise.
There are an awful lot of us, each with his or her own rhythm. Makes it hard to
sleep. Ever.
To Live the Liturgy
I have been reading and reading and
reading about liturgy. But more than that, I have been praying liturgy. Really,
the praying is more fruitful than all the reading about in the world.
I
am Hoping and Praying
For Gracie’s mom.
In the Garden
We’ve picked our first Sungold tomatoes. It looks like our
basil has dodged the dreaded blight, so far. The roses are rockin’! Oh my
goodness! They are glorious! We have vases of roses all over the house, all the
time. We have a never-ending
supply of fallen rose petals for our mudpie kitchen. And I never tire fresh
roses.
Around the House
I’m puttering. The house has been clean
since the internet break began (hmmm, is there a message there, perhaps?). So,
I’ve been puttering and tinkering and thinking about big projects, but not so
much doing them, because Mike has some huge projects going on at work. I need
to hold off on creating chaos at home until they are well in hand. January, I’m
looking at you!
From the Kitchen
The summer menu is happening around
here. And there’s an abundance of summer fruit. We haven’t done too much
picking this season. Our van is not so road-worthy that it wants to carry us
all out to the orchard and we don’t all fit in the other car. But Costco is well
stockedJ
One of My Favorite
Things
Thunderstorms. I love thunderstorms in
the summer. I loved them when I managed swimming pools and it meant we got to
shut it all down and hunker in the guard house playing…I love it now when it
means certain respite from the heat and a cooling darkness in mid-afternoon. I
love the sounds and the wind and the fact that my plants can always use the
rain. Bring it on!
Sarah
Annie this week
It’s been
two months since my last daybook. My baby isn’t so baby any more. She walks and
talks. She flirts. She plays “babies” with her sisters. She “helps” me cook
dinner. She burrows herself ever more deeply into my heart.
A
Few Plans for the Rest of the Week
We’re
planning a 4th of July bash on the 3rd of July. Our neighborhood fireworks are
that night and they are very well seen from our backyard. Cookout, hangout,
lookout.
My house
has a revolving door lately!
Stephen and Paddy spent a week at soccer camp. The day after they came home,
Mary Beth left for the beach with a friend. When she returns, Michael will go
to the beach with a friend. When he comes back, Christian will leave for the
beach with a friend. And then, I think Paddy goes again. There’s a whole lot of
missing going on with these little ones.
Picture thoughts:
Michael's biggest fans critique his latest piece for USAToday
