Is Every Day a Birthday?

Outside My Window

Cool, gray baking kind of day. Again:-)

I am Listening to

quiet. It is early morning and the house is nearly silent.

I am Wearing

Not my phone. I usually keep my cell phone in my pocket. Last Friday, it wiggled its way out, unbeknownst to me. I think we got two inches of rain on Friday, while my cell phone waited in the grass for me to notice I was without it. Karoline found it after the rain stopped. Poor phone. So, I'm currently on a cell phone fast.

I am so Grateful for

 sharing hearts with Julie in my sewing room.

I'm Pondering

For of all the utter falsehoods, the most false, I think, is this notion that men can be happy in movement, when nothing but dullness drives them on from behind. . . . [If ] ever there was a whisper that might truly come from the devil, it is the suggestion that men can despise the beautiful things they have got, and only delight in getting new things because they have not got them. It is obvious that, on that principle, Adam will tire of the tree just as he has tired of the garden. G.K. Chesterton

I am Reading

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, at the suggestion of Tonia, who recommended it while we were discussing all things internet on Facebook last week.

I am Thinking

About this post and the full article linked there. While I agree with all his observations and premises, I don't agree with his ideas for solutions. I admit that I couldn't even discern if they were all hyperbole or not. But I am devoting a great deal of thought and prayer to my own life with electonics and how I want it to be. One thing is certain, I don't want it to be the way it is.

I'm thinking that life is short, surprisingly so, and that we will be held accountable for every moment we've been granted to live, every gift we've been given. Accounting aside, when you sit in a doctor's office and look at the shadow that should not be there on a radiology report, your first (or second or third) thought is not "I wish I'd spent more time surfing" or even "how am I going to blog this." 

I want to live my life intentionally with the blessings of my first thought.

I am Creating

birthday surprises. Shhh...

I'm thinking birthday crowns (not the wool felt kind) and twirly skirts... (But not for Michael and Paddy)

 

To live the liturgy:

I love this time of year, as the feasts of special saints mingle with the celebrations of of the births of many of my children. We just celebrated the feast of St. Matthew (Matthew Christian's name day) and the feast of Padre Pio (the day Sarah was nearly born at 28 weeks). Now, we will march onward to St. Michael (and Michael's birthday--September 29), St. Jerome (and Katie's birthday--September 30), St. Therese (October 1), the feast of the Guardian Angels (and Patrick's birthday-October 2), the feast of St. Francis (and Karoline's birthday--October 4th). 

Towards a Real Education

We added the final component to our slow ramp-up of a full-blown school schedule yesterday as another family joined us for Bible study. We all read together and talked a bit, then the little ones worked on a craft while the big ones discussed things more deeply. Conversation was so lively that we never got to the planned picture study before it was time to go. These teenagers are going to keep things interesting all year. I'm sure of that.

 

Towards Rhythm and Beauty

Sigh. Every September, the rhythm is rocky as we try to settle into all the activities we've chosen for the children. I have long adopted the attitude that if I trust it all to prayer, it will all work out. And it always does. This year, it's taking a very long time and we keep hitting bump after bump. The logistics of it all is overwhelming. But we're getting there. Literally.

I am Hoping and Praying

For two dear girls who are learning to trust that God has a plan and His plan is always good--and for all the people who love them and their parents. I really hate cancer all the time--this week has been particularly awful. 

 I am learning

to use GQueues. My friend Ann sent me the link. It was in my box on a day when I'd just finished entering every book we owned (so it seemed) into the Charlotte Mason Organizer. I took a quick look and sent the link to my friend Linda. I thought it would be perfect for Linda, but I doubted she would pursue because Linda is mostly unplugged when it comes to online anything. She's one of my best friends, but she doesn't even read my blog because she recognizes that she can easily get sucked into a huge time-waster here. Anyway, Linda thinks GQueues is amazing. She came to Stephen's soccer game on Sunday to tell me all about how awesome it is. I think that if Ann and Linda both sing its praises, it's probably worth my investment of time. 

Around the House

I am stymied by the sheer volume of laundry.

I am also well on my way to getting help, at the urging of my sister and several in-real-life women friends who are as smart and beautiful as Rachel is and who get help:-). I wonder? Does getting help make one smart and beautiful? 

From the Kitchen 

Well, there will be birthday cake. Lots of it. Four birthday cakes between now and next Tuesday. What's your favorite cake? 

Have I mentioned that I don't eat wheat and have sworn off sugar? In all seriousness, if you have a prayer to send on my behalf, I have no plan to forego making and decorating cakes for my kids, but I can't eat them. I'm working so hard to get back on track after the latst thyroid slip--there's no wiggle room for random wheat mistakes. Pray this all goes well, please?

 

On my iPod:

Jack Johnson I love this album. It's one of the reasons I don't understand why the author of the article I mentioned above thinks we should get rid of iTunes. Is he opposed to music altogether? Or is he just a big fan of CDs that get scratched and lost and broken?

One of My Favorite Things

Soccer friends who make weekends schlepping all over northern Virginia and the far reaches of Marlyand a fun family adventure.

A Few Plans for the Week

Ballet, birthdays, soccer, birthdays, more ballet, more soccer, more birthdays.

Picture thoughts: