Thinking about... the nations of the world; buying more music by Peter Gabriel; my one year old and Velcro; differences in world views; calling my brother; warding off guilt for not having called him sooner; noodles; when (if ever) do I ditch grains altogether - or just most grains (I LOVE oats)

Also thinking about the rest of today's busy schedule... Asking for wisdom and creativity from the Great One who freely supplies...

Getting tugged on by a toddler!

Ciao

"B" is for Butterfly. "K" is for King.

"B" - is the second letter in the basic modern Latin alphabet. It is used to represent a variety of bilabial sounds (depending on language), most commonly a voiced bilabial plosive. (see Wikipedia for more).

Butterfly - any of numerous slender-bodied diurnal lepidopteran insects including one superfamily (Papilionoidea) with broad often brightly colored wings and usually another superfamily comprising the skippers (see Merriem-Webster for further description).

"B" is for butterfly.

My preschooler is learning about the letter 'B' & for some reason (I'm still trying to decode this one) it seems as if butterflies are trying to tell me something.  It started when I planned a birthday party using butterflies as the starting point.  Butterflies weren't the theme but that's where I started. Ever since then, they are everywhere. I can't get away from them. I look up and see a butterfly. I turn the page, another butterfly. I kiss my daughter, she says, "butterflies!" I blindly pull out pajamas for the wee one. Butterfly print!  While doing lesson plans for my first grader this week, I came across two different  butterfly references from two different publishers. Science highlighted the life cycle & migration of a butterfly while the reading comprehension lesson detailed nothing other than those same slender bodied insects. So I don't really think the butterflies themselves are trying to communicate something to me. I think my Creator is trying to convey something and right now the symbol He's using is butterflies. It's the glory of God to hide a matter and the glory of kings to search it out. Consider me a 'king'.

yep, I'm thankful

it's a little thing.
it's a big thing.

I can run up the staircase again.

Yep. I can do it again. And I am so thankful!

today: a little bit harder

Sometimes I wish I could instantly access greater perspective. Instantly. I guess that comes with a renewed mind. A strong, sound mind. Anyway... I am in the current of what feels like insanity sometimes. I am the mother of three small children and I'm home with them. I home school too which means that I am pretty much always with at least one of my children at a time. Pretty much always. This was our decision as a family. We looked into the future and from that perspective we decided schooling our kids at home was the best decision for our family. Now we live with that decision. Every day. Most days are great. Some days are a little bit harder. Those days I wish I could instantly access the perspective of our futures. Until then, I close my eyes & breathe deeply or leave the room where all the other family members are to have a moment of quiet. Quiet. I just need to type that again: Q.U.I.E.T.  *sigh*  That's in my future somewhere. I'm sure of it. Well, until the future arrives...

constant...

the stream of questions that my children ask me is a constant stream... because i home school, i am with my children constantly. there is no trickle of questions.

within the last 60 seconds: when are they coming? when will they get here? when will it be winter time? and when is ballet?

there is no break from being a parent. it really doesn't matter if you home school or not. the questions will likely come with great frequency. a constant stream, howling wind, torrential rain...

i am thankful that my children think, reason, ask...

i am thankful for patience. ha! i am thankful for my treasures.

may my thanksgiving be a constant stream, howling wind, torrential rain...

Shareworthy!

I know I've mentioned it before. I have an incredibly talented family. Many of my aunts, uncles and cousins are very talented artists, musicians, photographers, painters, athletes, film makers, interior decorators, sculptors, designers, etc. One of my extremely talented cousins (I think she fits into 90% of the catergories listed above) was in town very recently and offered to do a photo shoot of our newest family member. I MUST share her link with you! Do check her site (click here) and if you are so inclined, send her an email and book her to do a photo shoot for you or someone you know! You won't be disappointed.

my new life

Here I am at my desk.  The newest season of my life/our lives has begun.

Sweet Little Bird

my view this afternoon... birds from the cieling. my baby is here. my sweet little bird.

Looking Forward

This really is me, looking forward...  For such a while now I have been looking forward to not being pregnant anymore.  But now I am looking forward to holding my newest little treasure in my arms.  I am looking forward to being Mommy of a newborn again.  I am looking into my future.  And I look MUCH better than I look right now!  ;)  I am also quite a bit more physically comfortable in my future than I am right now!  Ha!

I am looking toward the future with GREAT expectancy and joy and peace.  I am looking into my future of love ever increasing.  For I am not of those who draw back, but of those who press forward!  And I will be doing that very soon... pushing. Pushing my future into now... Literally, eh?

I am full.  I am joyful.  I am peaceful.  I am full of life!  HA!!!

seeing

Greatly Loved

I lived an incredible day today. I experienced love. I felt love today. I sensed it. Acceptance. Strength. Safety. Desire. Covering. Loyalty. Appreciation. Encouragement. Needed. Valued. Truth. Lies displaced. Beauty. Tears. Laughter. Peace. Joy.

Just to hear it... choose to believe it.

Thank you friends/family/sisters.  I am loved by you.

Pieces.

I home school. I like order. I like productivity. I like action. I like structure. Today all structure is struggle. By 11am everything was in pieces. Not orderly, productively, actively, structurally working together - at all. I kind of don't like today right now. It's 11:21am. At least I have hope. Whether or not things return to structure or productivity, I can choose to like them. Well... I don't really like the pools of spit that one of my children deposited for me (to prove a point). I don't really care for the stacks of books and paper at my feet or the torn wall hanging or the crevice in the table that my other child left for me... but I can get over all of that. I have to, in fact. Put the pieces back together... or just walk around them.

She has gone.

My sister has gone.  She is on her way to the airport even now.  I have a sad six year old in my home.  I too am sad to see my sister go.  It was a wonderful time.  And now it is gone.  I have only the memories (impromptu viewing of Salt in the cinema) complimented by a few photos (like Freddos on Fridays) and some beautifully colored furniture.  Everyone should have a sister that is a FRIEND.  She is one of my best friends.  I don't know when I will see her again, talk to her again, squeeze her again, laugh with her again, drink a creamy-cold-coffee-drink with her again or cry with her again, but... again.  It shall all happen again.

Perhaps.

lots of thoughts... all the time.  For some reason my thinking evades me as soon as I sit down to type.  Why is this?  Feeling quite tired this evening and really should be resting.  I know that I have pockets of time when I know how to do this (rest) well and then there are all of the other times.  I have company coming over tonight.  It was rather impromptu so I haven't put a lot of planning into it and I haven't cleaned my house at all.  I am trying to take it in stride.  I am looking forward to seeing our friends who live too far away but are in the area today.  I must away to the kitchen to prep dinner.  Perhaps I will get a few of the dishes washed before they get here.  Perhaps. Perhaps. Perhaps...

Thinking of Baby Girl Tonight

Today we received a package on the stoop.  The girls were thrilled to squeals/screams when I told them the package was from Grammy Di (all the way from Thailand!)  They tore into the package with gusto.  Out rolled four dresses all from Mom's recent trip to Bali.  Four.  One for my oldest princess.  One for my second princess.  One for me.  One for baby.  It's the first gift specifically for this little girl that has arrived.  It's kind of weirding me out... not in a bad way.  Oh no.  It's all good.  It's all very... surreal.  I have been working so hard these past several weeks (with GREAT assistance from my sister) to get things ready before this next little princess arrives that I haven't really thought much about who she is, who she will be.  And now she has a beautiful yellow dress from Bali.  I need to get her closet ready.

Saturday Morning Tease

Saturday morning. Children on the couch next to me are watching old Sing-Alongs. Decaf coffee, instant oatmeal peppered with chopped apricots is my breakfast. Leftover camp food. The smell of dish soap wafts from the kitchen: hubby is washing dishes! I continue my curriculum search. School starts in four weeks; much earlier than I had anticipated. I am pretty excited about it though - we have guidance and have decided to enroll our first grader in a charter school. I can't even begin to go into the breadth and depth of what this means and how long this decision has taken us to make, how we have poured over it (OK I’ve done most of the pouring) and the implications for our family... so I won't. Look, I'm done.


My sister will be back shortly from a morning of helping our grandmother with her to-do list. And then it’s the continuation of my to-do list, unless we bail and purchase cinema tickets to see Salt. Wouldn’t THAT be fun and out of my norm. Perhaps we should give it a go…

The painting projects are nearing completion. Well, maybe they’re simply getting further away from inception. Regardless, I am full of hope that these projects will be finished by the time my sister heads back home. This is a good thing a very, very good thing.
>>>>>
btw - sister returned. we purchased Salt tix & bailed on more painting.  Thoroughly enjoyed the cinema as only the two of us could as a couple (got EXCELLANT seats too) and then had very salty pretzels.  Couldn't end the day without SOME sort of producing so purchased needed supplies for the school room.  She headed to a party and I painted into the wee hours of the morning with my hubby.  Grand, grand, grand!

Sooo Pregnant

That's pretty much how I feel right now.  Soooo pregnant.  And it really is wrapped up in feeling for me right now.  Exhaustion.  Moodiness.  Odd unexplainable pains.  Swollen feet mid-day that don't fit into the shoes I wore out of the house (although having swollen feet is more than a feeling).  It's kind of unpleasant.  I am not one to jump on the complaining boat, so... I guess I won't.

I actually really enjoy being pregnant.  Most days and most of the time on those days.  These past couple of days: not so much.  I have ten weeks to go.  There are still lots of things to busy myself with during those weeks to prepare for this baby.

I am hoping my husband will get home soon.  And maybe I will "feel" loved and lovely and not sooo pregnant.  Maybe.  Or maybe I ought to pour myself a glass of ice cold sparkling water.  Maybe then I will feel better.  Not sure how my husband and a glass of ice cold sparkling water are in the running against each other there...  I'm soooo pregnant right now.

She is here!

Her flight arrived last night. My sister made it from "good ol' Chiner" (as she would say). She is here with me and the girls. We are relaxing, enjoying each other's company and the warm weather. We made waffles. We swam in the pool. We are eating waffles again and learning Chinese (Mandarin) words. We are all very happy that she is here. Her luggage didn't arrive with her. I think it stayed in Hong Kong but it should be arriving here at the house SOON (maybe this evening). Perhaps then we will venture out. In the mean time we are enjoying being home.

Journal Entry 20100628AM

It's morning still (barely) and I find that I'm reading about the conventional approach to water protection (don't ask me why right now, OK?), listening to my daughters fuss at each other, needing to do some shopping for upcoming camping trip, trying to figure out which flight my sister is arriving on, looking longingly at the pool, thinking we'll go to the library soon and kind of wanting to start this day over already or end it... these kids of mine... I think we all need to get out of the house BUT I find that I have very little to wear these days that I feel comfortable having on when I'm out and about in public.  Oh boy.  I just heard my four year old shout: "Shut Up!"  Clearly I am attempting to ignore them hoping that they'll miraculously fall back in love with each other and want to play like the little lovers I know they are.  ~ great-big-heavy-sigh ~

OK. Time to rally!  Gather camping menu, change into... SOMETHING appropriate for a public place, gather library books and movies for a return, head to library.  Hm. Walk or Bike?  Walk. Think ahead for lunch today... and (in the words of Dora) VAMANOS!

A Few of My Favorites

These are a few of my favorite things.