Post Category → family

hazy days

A couple of weeks ago, our church hosted a one-day women’s conference. I was asked to be one of the workshop speakers, and to share on the topic of mothering little ones.

I was so honored. And immediately so stumped. I was sure I had something to share, I knew that God had been faithful to teach me and show me things these past several years, but my head was fog.

It’s really hard to put together a clear message about the haziest season I’ve ever lived through, you know? Seriously. This is what my brain perpetually looks like:


— and I was supposed to think and speak coherently?

Ryan said, Well, that’s what you should talk about. Seeing through the haze.

So I pondered. What does it mean to have a vision for mothering? For our children? And how does that get lived out right now?

This season I’m in — it’s a season of multi-tasking. Of simultaneously developing big God-sized vision for who I am, what I’m doing, who these children are — and marrying that vision to possibly the most “mundane”, repetitive days I’ll ever live. Both need to happen, and one without the other just doesn’t get the job done.

Vision: I guess I hear that word and think “future.” But vision doesn’t have to be about seeing what’s ahead (though it sure helps to have an idea of where you’re headed!) Sometimes the vision God wants to give us is just a matter of seeing today through His eyes.

He gives meaning to each moment, every breath.

Isn’t that amazing?

So even if all around seems to be just fog, that’s okay. Where I’m standing, right here, in this moment: there is sun. Because there is Jesus.

(More thoughts from my sharing to follow.)

interruptions and rest.

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee
Ev’ry hour I need Thee…

So true. And some hours, the needing is extra-strong.

There have been a few of those the last few days. Thursday evening, as I was putting dinner on the table, I realized that a part of me was still just waiting to get the day started. I had been “catching up” on the stuff of life all day, just waiting to get things caught up enough to begin our day’s routine. And it never happened.

Huh.

Good thing we get to try again every 24 hours!

But the really, really good thing?

That those days that never get “started” because they’re so “interrupted” — those days can still count. Interruptions and unexpected happenings are only interrupting and unexpected to us. God knows our days. Our times are in His hands. And His beautiful, good, profound work in our hearts and in the lives we touch — that doesn’t get interrupted by any curve balls life throws our way.

And when our cranky response to those curve balls does threaten to stall His work? We don’t have to wait 24 hours to try again. Repentance, grace, and help are always right there. Wide open. Just waiting.

*****

Some goodness:


Stop. Are you kidding? Those perfect fingers, plump cheeks, sweet lips? Beautiful.


Jameson left our second freezer wide open, and I discovered it 24 hours later. Yup, that was my Thursday. London broil for dinner, chicken baked and stashed in the freezer for another day, roasted turkey and lamb for the work crew down the road at my Mom’s. And interruption that worked out to be a blessing.


Me, feeling badly about not getting the school books out while cleaning the mess of a thawing freezer and cooking meat like a madwoman — look over and realize Jameson has created a football field from paper, duplos, and Lego men, and he and William played all day. That was way more creative than any lesson plan I had.


Two handsome boys. Two. Ready for the first day of Friday School. So big.


And so cute.


Beautiful CSA bounty. It feels like the best gift, every single week.


Cooking. I like to be in my kitchen.


And this? No matter how busy the day, no matter how little I get to just sit with my baby, I know that this will eventually happen. I love my Fiona-girl.


Her aunties love her, too. Her sweet face popped up in my feed last night. I said to myself, Yes. Yes, she is beautiful.


This morning, she woke up and celebrated her 6th week with us. It’s raining and cold and very October-ish. So she wears the sweater knit just for Dunphey #4 by my friend, Carol. It’s just the thing for a sweet babe.


And while Daddy and Jameson showered and dressed and headed off to church, the rest of us got wool socks and sweatshirts to layer on our pj’s. Vitamin C, chicken broth, afghans, and rest.

Rest.

Even on the busy days. The interrupted days. The I-can’t-quite-catch-up-days. There is an invitation to just rest.

autumn in the adirondacks

I love Upstate New York. (And by Upstate, I mean upstate. Westchester County doesn’t count.) I love living in the wide space of the St. Lawrence valley, I love the rhythms of farm life all around me, I love the seasons and colors and variety of the year, and I love the blue haze of mountains in the distance.

This weekend, we got to celebrate autumn a bit.

First, apples. The first Cortland of the season, just picked that day, with locally made fresh cheese curd. Enjoyed at a picnic table with these favorites:

And apple cider donuts, still crispy from the hot oil bath from whence they came.

Second, mountains. Yesterday, we packed up our four kids, our friends packed up their four kids, and together, we shocked the world with our small-human population! With lunches packed, we journeyed a short distance into the Adirondacks and enjoyed trails just perfect for young explorers and strollers alike. We passed lean-tos and bridges that brought back fond memories from my childhood days, and watching my kids enjoy the world in the same way was just too fun. The sky was blue, the temps warm (thus the white undershirt gang!), and the trees at their peak of color. Three hours later, we parents were warm and tired — and the boys were ready for Round Two.

pause

I just go. Non stop.

So do you, I bet. You know. You fall into bed and wonder where the day went, remember how you meant to do this and that, and somehow you never even had half a chance to remember. Does it count as forgetting if you never had a fighting chance??

But some days, I get to pause. And sometimes, in highlights, it looks like beautiful sunrises during early walks, homeschool opportunities right out your own window, babies who love each other, simple lunch turned into a end-of-summer hurrah, a spontaneous trip to the playground with friends, and beautiful boys who play their hearts out and enjoy each day until they just can’t keep their eyes open another minute.

them

And while she grows and sleeps and wins our hearts…

the others have begun the grand adventure of another school year!

We jumped back into our routine of chores and such on Monday, just to get our souls back in shape, and then Wednesday was the Big First Day.

Jameson began second grade, and Yo. He is just Too Cool For School. At least, that’s the vibe he’ll give when you ask him about what grade he’s in.

How cute is that kid??

He loves math — again. He begins any writing assignment with gusto, and rather quickly tires of it. He’s reading SO well, which is just plain old fun for me. I love hearing him read things out loud, imagining what it must be like when suddenly the world is full of WORDS that you can READ! I don’t remember that moment in my life, but it’s been so fun to watch it happen for him. He’s proudly reading his first chapter book at rest time, and loves to report to William and me about what’s happening in the story.

He also loves Legos, so (don’t laugh) two days into our first week of school, I ditched the morning routine and let them just keep building. He came up with this tractor trailer all by himself and was proud as anything.

Then there’s our kindergartener. Is there anything as fun as a kid proudly holding up their first work book?

For two years, he’s sat at the table and done coloring, puzzles, dollar store workbooks — anything I’ve asked of him — with total enthusiasm. But to finally be doing school!

I’ve been scared silly of his left hand and teaching handwriting, but after talking to some lefties, I finally decided to just take a back seat and let him sort of find his way — and he has!

And of course, we have a new pre-schooler with us this year. She sorts pencils and crayons, does her best to instigate fights with William, and just loves being with us.

And so we’ve gathered for several mornings in a row, Fiona included, and excitedly zipped through the first hours of book work and projects and read alouds. Legos and football in the backyard and washing our hands a bit more thoroughly are all a part of their learning, but those shiny new books and freshly sharpened pencils (all done by Mama, who is still the pencil sharpening Queen around here) sure do take the cake.

When not in school, these kiddos can most often be found checking up on the Red Sox.

Or actually watching the Red Sox.

It’s fun to be a kid, Yo.