In the Heart of my Home

Intentional Weekend: The Free Balloon at the Grocery Store

~magic~

    

On the Feast of St. Martha

I clearly miscommunicated with the Quilt Camp lady when I went with Katie to purchase fabric. We had over five yards of "extra" sunny, yellow fabric. What better project on the Feast of St. Martha, patroness of homemakers, than new aprons for all the little girlies (and mama, too)?

I'm going to use an old apron as a pattern and make simple reversible aprons with ribbon ties. But I did do a little apron tutorial research this morning, so if you're interested in stitching in honor of St. Martha, here are some ideas:

 

Stumbles and Stitches child's apron tutorial 

Meg McElwee's Montessori Child's Apron is here as a PDF. 

 

Michael Miller's Classic Reversible Apron PDF.

For me, I'm going to re-visit a pattern I used four years ago. I've grown to love this apron and it's truly a wardrobe staple. So, I'm thinking I actually need two or three more.

Come back later. I'm sure my girlies will be eager to pose for pictures in their pretty new aprons, so I'll update this post with more color and lovely later.

Whew! Just had to say that!

Take a day that began chasing imaginary turtles and giant monsters from my two-year-olds bed at 3 AM, throw in a 4:45 airport run, add two giant iced coffees, and I'm still awake (and apparently very talkative) at 2 o'clock in the afternoon for a very lively podcast.

This week on the Faith & Family Live Cast (click here to listen ), Lisa, Sarah and I share a topic inspired by Lisa's recent “unplugging” for a moms’ retreat. Together, we look at the tricks and treats related to becoming less “wired” and share our own struggles and experiences. 

This week’s Faith & Family Feature Product is the amazing book Weightless: Making Peace with Your Body by our good friend and fellow podcaster Kate Wicker.  I think you'll find  Kate’s book lifechanging. Really:-).

In our final segment, we talk about the “Judgie McJudgies” - We find them in comboxes, on Facebook, and in our inboxes—the finger-pointing Catholic “judges” who are eager to point out all the ways in which other Catholics are “failing.”  We discuss some positive ways to influence people toward the good and the importance of setting a positive, good example of living the faith. And we share frankly what has helped us get through times when you are feeling “judged” unfairly online or in real life.

Really worth a listen. Find a knitting project or a couple of baskets of laundry that need folding and pull up a chair and join us.

 

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual.  Photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Full Circle Indeed

Once upon a time, Bobby Convey was the oldest "brother" in our home and Michael was jostling with him for position. They rubbed up against each other and refined one another in many ways. Bobby played big brother to the big brother Michael was. It was Bobby who brought everyone to the hospital after Katie was born. And then it was Michael who did exactly what Bobby did four years later when Kari was born. Bobby, Michael, Bobby, Michael.

Now, Bobby is a Major League Soccer All Star who has played in the English Premier League and Michael is a new sports reporter for USAToday. In a quirk of serendipity, the first interview assigned to Michael was Bobby Convey. Something about this whole article makes my heart nearly burst. I love Bobby dearly and I know the peace he speaks, at long last, is genuine. And it just swells my mama heart that it is Michael who framed the words.

The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: a bit more of Habit 1

We're discussing The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity. The first two conversations are 

Part 1(discussing Habit 1)

Part 2 (still discussing Habit 1)

Before we move on, I wanted to pick up a comment from last week and offer some encouragement. Someone left an anonymous comment and wrote, "What does one do who does not feel she has any real talents or gifts? Or any that would have any use to the world?"

I think we all go through periods where we feel  as if we have nothing of value to offer the world. The opening assertion of this book is that we have value in our homes. Great value. While talents and gifts that are of use to the world aren't readily apparent, it is my prayer for you that you start small and you see the value--the gift, the treasure, the unmatched jewel--you are to you husband and children.

God knows your value in your home. You are mother to the very children for whom you were created. He intentionally put those children in your life and entrusted you with mothering them. He knows the gifts you bring to the job and He is certain they are exactly what is needed.

The first suggestion Dr. Meeker makes towards making this habit stick is to make a list. Think of the things you do well and write them on paper. Pretty paper, I think would be best;-) You do have talents. What are the things you do that make your husband smile? How do you bring comfort to a child? What do your friends value in your friendship? What makes you happy, brings you peace, offers you the sense of a job well done at the end of the day? 

Write it down.

And then begin to replace the negative thoughts with positive ones. Dr. Meeker writes, "Start being the kind of friend you want to be and stop thinking about how your friends let you down, Tremendous amounts of energy leave us daily because we exhaust it in trying what not to be rather than embracing what we want to do."

The second way to make this habit stick is live to impress no one. It may seem as if the girl next door has endless gifts and talents that she pours like golden light over the whole world. Thank God for her and then, quietly, without comparing, light a candle in your own home. I think that blogs, for all their good and for all the community they foster, are particularly detrimental to helping women stop comparing. It's so easy to compare when it pops up right in front of you day after day.

Here's the thing: most bloggers sweep some powder across their noses and put on a little lipstick before they open their virtual doors. Even when we're honest about our bad days, most of us are conscious about how appropriate it is to put things in print. If the blogger comes from a print journalism background, even  more so. She understands the power of the written word and she's inclined to be prudent. We put on our company manners so to speak.

This summer, I lived one of my most challenging parenting weeks ever while I had a house full of company. I assure you that I would have moved about my house and carried myself differently if there had not been people other than family members in my home. Maybe that timing was providential. It brought a certain reserve to my demeanor 24/7. That's the reserve most bloggers bring to their writing and pictures. It's well-intentioned. It's not about impressing as much as it's about good manners. There is a time and a place for everything. The blogs I most like to visit, like the women in person around whom I'm most comfortable, are the ones where women accept themselves for who they are and live their lives authentically and graciously. 

In order to make the habit stick, we have to be women who are comfortable in our own skin, who live to answer God's call on our lives, and no one else's. "Women who have a healthy sense of their own value are delightful to be around because they never play games, put on airs or try to impress anyone. They don’t need to because they have   a sense that they lack very little. It isn’t that they are enamored with [sic] themselves—quite the opposite. They are humble. They are so comfortable with who they are that they are free to elevate others. Mothers who constantly badmouth others are profoundly insecure but mothers who feel secure speak with an ease and joy that lets the hearer see their confidence. One of the best ways to feel better about who we are as mothers is to push ourselves to accept who we are.   We do this by refusing to pretend with anyone."

Also from last week, Cheryl left a comment drawing attention to a Toolbox prepared to help focus study of the Habits. You find that here. Thanks, Cheryl!

Comments are open, but moderated, so it might take a moment or two (or three or an hour) to see yours appear. Please do share your thoughts. We all benefit from the discussion.

Lord willing, I'll have some thoughts on Habit 2 for you later today.

Yarn Along: Bright, Bright Sunshiny Day

Great news! It's only going to be 90 degrees today and it's only going to feel like 90 degrees today. Excellent. I have been knitting sunshine lately. I was gifted some sock yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts in a lovely shade of  Chamois. Mary Beth chose the color with a pair of legwarmers in mind. When the yarn came, she decided that she really, really wants those knit from Amy Butler Belle Organic Aran in poppy, the yarn I used for Sarah's summer sweater. So, I tucked the yarn into a basket in the studio and figured we'd find a use for it. 

I had planned to make the girls Tiny Tea Leaves cardigans from Rowan Calmer, but I just couldn't get gauge. On a whim, I tried the sock yarn, held doubled and totally fell in love. I love the color. I love the stitch definition. And I really, really love the ruching. Oh, this pattern has wooed me! It's a good thing, too, because if I'd read the pattern to the end and known that I'm going to have to, "Pick up 2 stitches for every 3 rows. Knit 3 rows" I might have never started. Now, I'm just going to keep falling in love and worry about the big finish later.

In honor of the abundant sunshine and our beautifully blooming sunflowers, I went to pull out the sunflower books for today. On my way to finding them, I was distracted by our Thoreau picture books. I'm in a Thoreau mood. Indeed, I think it's a Thoreau kind of day.

Walking with Henry: 

A fictionalized account of Thoreau for older children. The text is based on Thoreau's writings and the art is light-filled and majestic and absolutely fitting for the message

Henry Hikes to Fitchburg:

Henry Builds a Cabin:

These two are darling picture books for the younger set. Henry is a charming bear who lives Thoreau's life in the wilderness, collecting flowers, gathering blackberries, taking leisurely strolls. He builds his own house and he even nods to his neighbors, Emerson and Hawthorne.

Henry David's House:

In this beautiful book, the life of simplicity on Walden Pond is conveyed with Thoreau's own words and exquisite water color and oil paintings. In this one, he borrows an axe from his neighbor, Bronson Alcott. These books are such good food for thought and talk. I'm in the mood for one of those conversations today and I know just the children with which to have it.

 

I hope your day is all yellow and sunshiney, too!

 

Do go visit Ginny for more summer knitting and reading inspiration.

 

Stitch by Stitch: We're Learning to Sew

 “The human hand allows the mind to reveal itself.” 

Maria Montessori

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

1. The end-product should be useful. The children should not “be employed in making futilities such as pea and stick work, paper mats, and the like.”
2. Teach the children “slowly and carefully what they are to do.”
3. Emphasize the habit of best effort. “Slipshod work should not be allowed.”
4. Carefully select handicrafts and life skills to challenge but not frustrate. “The children’s work should be kept well within their compass.”

Charlotte Mason from Simply Charlotte Mason

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After several poorly-timed efforts to learn to sew and to teach my daughters along with me, I'm finally on a roll. All the girls have sewing lessons written into their "school" plans this year. And the boys, too, are gaining basic skills. We are really rolling right along. As we've happily stitched away this time, I've considered what our stumbling blocks were in the past. There is no doubt that one of the impediments for me was distraction. Try as I might to hit a rhythm and to understand, there were too many other things taking up my time and brain space. And then there was that lemon of a sewing machine. Another detriment, I think, was the wrong books by which to learn. There is a difference between a book full of good projects for beginners and a book which deliberately sets out to teach beginners to sew using good projects. I'm not terribly interested in analyzing the "wrong" books too much, particularly since they weren't bad, just wrong for my needs. Instead, I'm happy to report on the right book.

I've read every word of Stitch by Stitch now and stitched several projects. The book is friendly, conversational, infinitely practical and--so far--it delivers. Written in the warm voice of an experienced sewing instructor who has learned a great deal from books on hand and who has clearly taught and observed countless beginning stitchers, this is the book--the book that has  gotten me going. When I read the story of how the author, Deborah Moebes,  blossomed as a sewist herself, I could understand better the voice of her book. She seeks to be that sewing muse for the rest of us. (Go ahead read her story of Sandra--really cool.) Deborah has obviously carefully noticed the mistakes beginners make and the questions they ask and she addresses them in the book. I hear myself conversing with the author as I work and I think that is the mark of an author who has communicated well. With every project, I feel more confident in the skills I'm learning. I've promised myself to do every project in the book in order (though I am waffling on the curtains). Each project builds on the next.

I'm staying a project or two ahead of my children, sewing them myself first and then stitching them again alongside the girls (and an occasional boy). So, in the end, I will have sewn everything two or three (or maybe four) times--good practice, I do believe.

One of the great joys of home education is learning alongside my children.This summer, that joy has budded in our sewing room and I look forward to it continuing to bloom for many years to come.

Our first project together was fancy napkins with mitered corners. We chose some autumn-themed fabrics (mostly because I didn't know how long finishing this project would take). Everyone got in on the stitching and they were all quite pleased with their successes.

Skills we built:

stitching straight lines

mitering corners

pivoting

edge finishing with a zigzag stitch

I chatted with Sarah the other day. Remember? It was Sarah who got me into this sewing thing this time around. Anyway, she's promised that any minute--just as soon as the all day long morning sickness isn't all day long any more--she will join us in this endeavor. A Stitch by Stitch sewalong! You want to sew with us, too? It's just us and the book. A casual sewing circle, if you will. No competition and no hurries. Just a friendly gathering and a place for you to brag on small successes and be assured that we will ooh and ahh over your finished objects. Leave a link below after you finish your napkins, or just drop a note in the comments and tell us all about it.

 

Next up: A Pocket Mat with Bias-Bound Edges

 

And Then There was Quilt Camp

While Nicky was a golf camp, Katie was at quilt camp. They spent a week in Charlottesville together with my dad and stepmom.  I think I might have been as excited about this opportunity as Katie was. I left a note for Katie to read the first morning of quilt camp

P.S.  Katie, when you get to camp on the very first day, you'll find a sewing machine there for you. To keep. And bring home.

Really! That might be the second hardest secret I've ever kept. The first one was this one.

Grandpa said to tell you it's Christmas in July;-)

Sarah missed Katie terribly the whole time she was gone. On that first night home, the very special quilt found its intended owner. And Katie, who chose the fabric and stitched every stitch with Sarah in mind, snuggled right in next to her for a well deserved good night's sleep.

 

Daybook: Hot Enough For You?

Outside My Window

The heat index is 115 degrees. 

 

I am Listening to

A huge crowd of children from 2-16 playing a Wii dance game. Indoor exercise. Lots of giggling. Rather loud, really.

 

I am Wearing

Shoes. I have received two new pairs of shoes in the last couple of weeks. After Katie was born, my first time up after the c-section and epidural, I felt a shooting electrical pain down my left leg and around my arch. The anesthesioligist swore he had nothing to do with it. It hurt more or less, off and on, for about three years. In that time, I learned to love shoes with excellent arch support.  And I never went shoeless. "Barefoot and pregnant," cute as it sounds, is not a good idea. Lately though, I've gotten a little lazy. Shoeless or flip flops or even a cute pair of dress shoes.--none of them good ideas.

My shin swelled in a weird way. My foot hurt. My knee hurt. I whined a lot. My child with a Nike connection presented me with these one fine morning. In bright pink. He was so dear and so proud of himself for listening carefully to my whining. So sure he'd solve my foot problems. And, oh yes, these shoes are awesome. Really, really good!

But they look a little weird with skirts and such. So, another package arrived with these. Aren't they darling? And they do everything they promise for arches and ouches. Because my husband is awesome, too.

So, there you go. I'm wearing shoes. All. the. time. (I was going to take a picture, but my pedicure looks like it was painted on by a two-year-old. Because it was.)

 

I am so Grateful for

air conditioning.

 

I'm Pondering

 "Wait the kids set the table at your house? You mean like in the movies?" 

~spoken by a dinner guest of Katie's at our house one night last week. And she has me thinking, really thinking, about what the kids "get" to do around here.

I am Reading

10 Habits of Happy Mothers. Good stuff here. Really good stuff.   Actually, I am re-reading.  Thursdays, here on this blog, we are digging deep and getting to know this book, these habits, and each other.  We've started talking here .

My current, fun, treat-after-massive-housecleaning book is Signature Styles: Twenty Crafters Stitch their Look. I don't really--ahem--have a style. It's pretty much a look in the closet and wear what fits kind of thing. There's no budget for it and for so many years I've been pregnant or postpartum or nursing that complete utility has dictated what I wear. Furthermore, it's hard for me to spend money on my own clothes for some reason. I always head out to buy myself something and end up at a kids' clothing store. Since what fits right now is often eight years old or older,  I'm guessing I'm dated. But I'm going to work on it and this book is lots of fun!

And I'm carefully reading Stitch by Stitch and hoping that when I figure out a style, I'll actually be able to make the vision come to life. We shall see...

I am Thinking

about whether Sarah meant forever when she told me she was "all done with nunnies" last night. Actually, I'm trying not to think about it. Guess I'll know tonight. Yeah. Trying not to think about it. It's nearly bedtime, though. So we shall see. 

 

I am Creating

knitting:

just finished a sweater for Karoline (details on Ravelry)

sewing:

a reversible tote bag

or two (Mary Beth)

or three (Katie)

 

On my iPod

Pinterest.  There's an app for that! I may never read Facebook again. I've got Pinterest on my iPod for filling boring moments during which I otherwise would be mindlessly clicking through Facebook. Instead of random status updates, I go to Pinterest and get a visual fix. Pinterest is highly addictive. Don't say I didn't warn you.

 

Towards a Real Education

Christian all registered. Patrick all registered. Everyone else all planned and purchased for the fall term. Feeling rather relaxed about the whole thing. Fancy that. 

 

Towards Rhythm and Beauty

Michael has a new real life job. He's working the overnight desk at USAToday. That means he leaves for work at 6PM and arrives home around 4AM. Moms have trouble getting to sleep until all the chicks are in the nest. Trust me, I'm working hard to overcome instinct in this case. 

To Live the Liturgy...

We'll celebrate St. Anne this week.

 

I am Hoping and Praying

for Elizabeth deHority. She is constantly on my heart and in my prayers. She needs you now. Please, please pray with me. 

 for all the people who have written me recently to ask for prayers.

 In the Garden

I dearly hope that when this heat breaks we will be able to breathe life into the garden once again. Poor, wilted lovelies.

 

Around the House

Now that I know who will be home for the fall (everybody), it's time to draw up a new housekeeping list.

 

From the Kitchen 

Peaches. Peaches. Peaches. Can't get enough of them. Can't keep them stocked in the fridge.

 

One of My Favorite Things

Homecomings. Oh, I know I've said it before, countless times. And I know I said he wasn't going to travel any more. But travel he does and so homecomings are still one of my favorite things. 

 

A Few Plans for the Week

St. Anne

various doctor and dentist appointments

knitting, sewing

heavy duty yardwork as soon as the heat breaks

 

Picture thoughts:

 

 

Intentional Weekend: Farmer's Market

Steamy Saturday morning,

 children carried along on the promise of apple cinnamon bread for breakfast when we return home, 

gathering supper from the hands that grew it.

 

 

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 onion, minced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 ounces pancetta (or we substitute nitrate-free bacon)

1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and diced (we substitute two pints sungold tomatoes, halved but not peeled)

1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1/4 pound Japanese or Italian eggplant, unpeeled in a neat 1/4 inch dice.

1/2 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, in neat 1/4 inch dice

1/4 pound zucchini, in neat 1/4 inch dice

salt to taste

1 pound dried fusilli

2/3 cup freshly grated romano cheese

Heat olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over moderately low heat. Add onion and arlic and saute until onion is soft, 8-10 minutes. Add pancetta and saute until it renders some of its fat, about 3 minutes, then add tomatoes and hot pepper flakes. Raise heat to moderately high and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes collapse and begin to form a sauce, about 10 minutes. Add eggplant, bell pepper, and zucchini. Season with salt. Saute 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, readuce heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if needed to achieve a saucelike consistency. Uncover, taste, and adjust seasoning.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain. Transfer to a warm bowl. Add sauce and cheese and toss well. Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings. If you have a big enough pot, this recipe doubles or triples well.

From Fresh from the Farmer's Market

This moment needs a dozen pictures or more

When you are the youngest brother of five boys, you grow accustomed to hand-me-down cleats and previously worn jerseys. You retrieve banged up baseball bats from the garage and happily play with tennis balls that already have had the fuzz beat off them. But one day, you face a seemingly insurmountable challenge. You want to play golf. 

You desperately want to play golf.

You are obsessed with golf. You talk about golf every day. All day long. There is a full set of junior clubs sitting right there in the garage, next to all the other athletic equipment you've always had right when you wanted it. But you have a problem. A big, overwhelming problem. Your big brothers are lefthanded. And you are not.

You eye your father's right-handed clubs. He's 6'4". Chances are very good that, one day, you will be very tall, too. Right now, though, those clubs are too big. And right now you want to play golf.

You hatch money-making schemes: lawn mowing, dog walking, lemonade stands. This is a maddeningly slow process. You begin to worry that the summer is slipping away and you will never have the right clubs to play golf.

And then one afternoon, you are sitting in the restaurant at your grandpa's club, just eating your french fries and gazing out longingly at the greens beyond the big picture window.

And a strange man approaches.

Are you Nicholas? {You nod, tentatively, and wonder why this strange man is standing so close to you and why he's dragged golf clubs into the restaurant.}

I'm Jack. I'm the golf pro here. {Um, nice to meet you?}

Do you like these clubs? {You nod again.}

 

Would you want to keep them? {Who IS this dude and is he crazy? Keep them! You let yourself look at them a little harder. Whoa, those are amazing clubs!}

Your grandpa says you can have them. {This is some sort of dream. Some sort of really, really good dream. Shake yourself a little. Those are your clubs!} 

And that golf course just beyond the panes of glass? That's where you'll spend the week learning to play golf.

 

Every little boy should have that once-in-a-lifetime perfect day that comes of a grandpa hearing his heart's desire, dreaming his dream with him, and making his fondest wish come true.

The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Joy, Peace, and Contentment

{The second post in a book study series on The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity.}

Last week, as our discussion of  The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers began, I was struck by something Andrea wrote in the comments. I sort of carried it around with me all week and let it run around in my head and bounce off my heart. She wrote:

Elizabeth it is very helpful to have your perspective, as the homeschooling mother of many, to add to this book.
I just finished reading this first habit and came away feeling as if I can actually give myself permission to investigate my other gifts. I was married at 20 with a baby along 9 months later, I have been nothing except a stay-at-home mama for my entire adult life, the children have come steadily since then and I see no end in sight now - I'm not even 30 yet. Immediately I had to stuff down all of my personal talents, goals, & things that I enjoyed to give myself to my children and husband at 100%. Now that I'm in the legitimate throes of homeschooling as well, it's become even harder to remember the gifts and talents that God gave to define me as a human being. It's really something to pray about.

 
I don't find competitive thinking toward other women or moms that challenging, I am actually not a very competitive person. But I loved her thoughts on humility, it has encouraged me to have peace with the kind of mom that I am, verses the kind that I think that I should be (perfect in all ways, of course). 

To Andrea, I replied:

Andrea, I've been thinking about this comment pretty much nonstop since you first posted it. I think that for me, my gifts outside of motherhood collided with motherhood pretty neatly. I was a kindergarten teacher before having children and then I quit to stay home and homeschool. Now, I'm on the brink of not having a kindergartner in my home in just a few years. I'm feeling a wee bit of panic. I won't go back to teaching any time soon--I still have lots of children left to raise and educate. But I can see that it's time to begin to explore other gifts or other venues for my passions. And I can see that my passion for early childhood may have to be put on hold for a season (until I return to the classroom or have grandchildren;-).

It's not that I suddenly have oodles of free time because my "baby" is nearly three, but there has been a significant shift and I'm trying to find the grace in the shift. I think for you the challenge is finding ways to utilize your personal talents within your home and mothering, not to stuff them. Don't stuff them! We are warned not to bury our gifts.

I think the other point this brings to light is that everyone's mothering and everyone's homemaking and the crafting of each family will look different--should look different--because we do bring different and unique gifts to the task. So, now matter where you are in your mothering, the challenge is to find the you God created and bring it to your home.

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that this notion of bringing our unique gifts to our mothering and homemaking experience--whether we are working fulltime outside the home or homeschooling ten children--is necessary and vital to our peace and contentment within ourselves. If we take the time to understand our unique gifts for what they are--God's instruments for us to use for His glory--and then we pour that into the daily round of our loves, we will be content. He will bless that faithfulness. Furthermore, we won't compare and we won't compete. How could we compete? Understanding that we are each uniquely gifted and that we are mothers of children who are each uniquely gifted, we embrace the diversity in our friendships and learn from one another.

At the end of the first chapter, Dr. Meeker shares the wisdom of an older woman. I am learning to see the value of such wisdom more and more. I truly appreciate a mom who has seen this job of childrearing through to full adulthood and who can honestly help me to see my current stage of life from her perspective. When asked how she has the energy to serve cheerfully, Carol, Dr. Meeker's example, says, "It isn't about age. It's not about ability, talent, or even personality. Doing what I do--and I've been doing this for a number of years now--is about attitude. I'm good at helping these folks. I fit here. I was born to help and to love these people. And they need me. I believe that when you love the life you're supposed to be living and you happen on the deep meaning of your life, it works. The energy comes, you get bolder, and you live less fearfully. Knowing who you are and living what you were born to do, that's the good stuff. This is it, right here, right now, and I'm not going to miss it."

Here's the thing: what is the life you're supposed to be living? What is the big picture? To what vocation does He call you? But what are the little pictures, too? What are the things that happen every day that God allows in our lives for our good? Joy--deep down, peaceful joy--comes when we stop struggling against God's will. It comes when we see that though we may be hit over the head with crushing adversity, with things like illness and death and poverty, He is there. It's not that we don't feel disappointment and sorrow. We aren't called to be plastic people with no depth or dimension. We do feel it. We do sorrow. We are empathetic.

But we are faithful. We know, because we have been open to seeing it again and again, that He is always and only good. And that He always and only brings great good out of a bad situation.

I got in the car yesterday and it was literally 100 degrees outside. I can't imagine what it was in the car. And the car stunk. It stunk like cleats, and sweaty shirts, and dirty socks. And McDonald's trash. I had a little pity party. Why am I always surrounded by stink? Why was I  35 minutes late getting into the car to run errands that would certainly require me to stand in lines with grouchy people in ridiculous heat? I reached over to hurl (yes, I'm sure I was going to hurl) a shinguard into the back seat. And there, God had left me a love note:

 

{Patrick's shinguard.

9/1 was the day Bryce Mitchell died. And it was the day God reached down and made Himself known very personally to Patrick.}

He has a plan and we are at peace when we trust that plan and seek to know His will. Even in the little moments. Even in the car that broke down and threw off the schedule for the whole day. Even in the bad news on the job front. Even in the lost passport that means you can't catch that flight. All grace. The difference between living a life of bitterness and anger and a life of quiet, genuine joy is being receptive to the abundant grace that He pours out to those who trust in His plan. As women, we are uniquely gifted and exquisitely created to be receptive. Can we open ourselves to the Creator himself?

Can we allow Him to truly make of our lives what He intends?

~*~*~~*~*~

Feel free to chat below (comments are moderated, so it might take some time before you see yours appear), either adding your thoughts here directly or linking to a post on your own blog. Do take a moment to thoughtfully consider the comments on last week's post. There's much to think about there and several links to more food for though.  Now it's time for me to go about the rest of my day, peaceful in the knowledge that God created me for these children and this good man. And that's enough. Really.

Yarn Along: Filling Up

I have a bajillion posts in my head: lovely kindergarten ideas for the 3-6 year old bunch, carefully crafted learning plans for everyone else (including a plan for Nick that literally kept me up all night, I was so excited), a very happy boy and his new golf clubs, sewing success for an 8-year-old at quilt camp, a pair of favorite jeans that I love even more, sewing projects all stacked up and pretty...

 

Sigh. 

 

There is this gap between doing and blogging and it's wide these days. Because doing is just so full. I had a beautiful day yesterday with my best friend from college. We filled up on girl talk and early childhood education talk and mom of big kids talk. It was a whole day of filling our tanks. I'm brimming over. 

Happy.

And I finished this sweet sweater last night (Sweater details on Ravelry), knitting in bed with my big girl while she told me all about her time at the Franciscan Youth Conference. She made a mistake on her blue sweater that left her 57 stitches short at a critical juncture. We worked through it together (I even did the math) and her sweater is going to be even lovelier for the mistake (now fixed). I'm certain there's much, much more to say there.

I'm reading Mere Christianity these days. Simply God. It's good to visit with old friends again and remind oneself of essential truths, no?

It's good. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Go visit Ginny for more knitting and reading tales.I've settled into a Wednesday afternoon tradition: a big cup of tea and enough time to myself to click through a big bunch of the links at Ginny's. I am enriched by the yarns shared there.  Might not happen today, as I scramble to get out the door to register teens for dual enrollment credit at the community college, but say "hi" to everyone at Ginny's for me.

Before the Feast of St. Anne

I meant to share this post from the archives with you yesterday, so that you could begin the novena then if you liked. But the day got away from me. You can still begin the novena today and finish on the feast. I did want to post one update to the post below. I shared here how fruitful my novena to St. Anne was last year, with regard to the nitty gritty of our lives. I think that mothers are naturally considering the management of their homes and their schedules this time of year. For me, forever more, that will a St. Anne thing. I heartily encourage you to offer it all o St. Anne to bring before our Lord. 

Sometimes, a saint finds you.

And those are very, very special times, indeed. Two years ago, around this time, St. Anne found me and I will be forever grateful.   There is no saint more dear to my heart, nor more frequently invoked by me than the grandmother of our Lord. She walks beside me, whispers in my ear, and makes sure I get my laundry done! My binder of St. Anne prayers is well-worn and nearly memorized.

July 26th, the Feast of St. Anne and St. Joachim,was a Sunday last year and it found me in a beautiful new church at the baptism of my godson, John (Marisa never did blog the day--I might have to do that for her;-). And every prayer we prayed there went to Louisiana, too, where Bryce Mitchell was being baptized.

July this year finds me taking up my binder of prayers once again, not for a pregnancy this time, just for the comfort of knowing that such a dear mother is listening and praying and interceding. Tradition teaches us what we know about St. Anne and her husband, St. Joachim. I think though, that some saints come to be known even more dearly in our prayers. It is in praying with St. Anne that I have grown to love her.

I've included here for you a copy of my favorite, now very familiar prayers. There are short daily prayers, a chaplet explanation, a litany, and two different novenas. Depending on whether you want to finish on the feast or the day before, you want to start a novena on the 17th or 18th. My St. Anne chaplet broke a few weeks ago, so I do plan to spend these days of preparation for the feast repairing it. Alice Cantrell provides a lovely illustrated tutorial here,should you want to try your hand a crafting this beautiful aid to prayer. I have found that handwork that aids our prayer are the crafts that are most treasured and beneficial in our home. We don't always bead a chaplet, of course, but decorating a vase to fill with flowers next to a saint's icon, or pouring or dipping or decorating a candle to be lit on the feast are also favorite, simple, meaningful family traditions. And sometimes, there is no craft at all.

In our family, we celebrate a name day on St. Anne's feast. There was considerable argument around our dinner table when we discussed what to name our baby girl. It was settled by giving her both names: Sarah and Anne. (To this day, two of her brothers have yet to call her "Sarah." They only call her "Annie.") My mother, Mike's mother, my stepmother, and I all share Sarah's middle name. But only Sarah Anne gets the extra "e":-). And oh, how we love to celebrate Sarah Annie!

Our family looks forward to feast days with quiet, familiar joy. As a child grows, the day takes on its own traditions because the child begins to make it his own. For instance, the Feast of St. Michael around here always smells like incense and a kahlua devil's food cake baking in the oven. That has been Michael's preference for as long as I can remember. For the longest time, we had pizza on the Feast of St. Patrick because Paddy insisted on it.

St. Anne's feast will begin for me as all days do, with the Liturgy of the Hours. I'll pray the Morning Prayer and Office of Readings by myself in the quiet of the dawn. Both prayers bring me into the celebration of the feast with the universal Church. I will light a special candle, put her statue and her icon on our little prayer desk, and make sure that the children notice when they awaken. Then, it's up and out the door. The true "feast" is the Eucharist and we are fortunate to be able to go to daily Mass on feast days, where we celebrate the feast with the community of God. Father delights our children by always, always speaking about "their" saints. Usually, there is a special blessing after Mass for the name day child, as well. And there might be donuts on the way home, too;-).

Sarah Anne is just old enough that she might be able to express her preference for dinner and dessert as is our family custom. Already the lobbying has begun as certain brothers try to persuade her that her favorite dinner resembles their favorite dinner. Almost certainly, there will be chocolate for dessert. Sarah Anne is a big fan of chocolate. 

The day will end for my sweet Sarah Annie with more of that heavenly scent, this time it's St. Anne soap and lotion (as much a treat for me as for my baby). Sweet dreams, my darling girl; your heavenly grandmother continues to be so very good to us. Blessed, we are, those of us whose name means "grace."

St. Anne prayers and devotions:

Download Prayers to St Anne

 

Working Outside the Box (or cubicle)

His "Office" Tonight

 

Production truck on site at the LA Galaxy versus Real Madrid soccer match

 

My "Office" Tonight

 

 
 

~home~

 

Intentional Weekend: Nature Center

A visit to the Nature Center is always time well spent.

 

Checking out the snakes and chatting with the naturalist to see if he thinks the snake at Bull Run last spring was a Cottonmouth. (He doesn't, phew.)

 
 
 

Watching turtles and waving at fish.

 

Trusting that the glass is sound and secure.

 

Examining the garden and marveling at new growth.

 

And maybe the most fun of all: singing and dancing on the outdoor stage. We're looking forward to going back and being spectators when the Arts in the Parks take stage. See you there?

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual.  Photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

 

Passing These Along: UPDATED and EXPANDED

All of these resources are ever so gently used. They are all hyperlinked below so that you can read more about them. We have finished with them and hope to pass them along to some who can benefit. Please add $3.00 shipping to each item.    If you want a bunch, email me and we'll work out fair shipping. Payments can be made via Paypal to 

elizabethfoss DOT reallearning AT gmail DOT com

Books will be sold on a first come, first served basis and will ship out on Mondays.  I'll update availability as items sell. If you want to think on it, you can come back and find this listing as a page under the tab "Passing These Along" above.

ADDITIONS

First Language Lessons For the Well-Trained Mind Level 4 Instructor Guide by Jessie Wise & Sarah Buffington $20+ shipping 

First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 4 Workbook by Jessie Wise & Sarah Buffington $10+ shipping 

Alpha Phonics by Samuel L. Blumenfeld $10+ shipping

The Story of the World Activity Book Two: The Middle Ages  Susan Wise Bauer $20+ shipping 

Teaching Textbooks Math 7 CD-Rom Set (Still shrink-wrapped) $75+ shipping 

Teaching Textbooks Math 7 Workbook $50+ shipping 

Intermediate Language Lessons by Emma Serl $10+ shipping 

Lingua Mater Primary Language Lessons by Emma Serl $8.50+ shipping 

 Lingua Mater, Language Lessons from Literature an English Course for 7th Grade by Margot Davidson w/answer key and Teacher's Guide $35+ shipping

Highschool of Your Dreams by Nancy Nicholson $38+ shipping 

Our Island Story by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall $13+ shipping

Around the World in 180 Days: A Multi-Grade Guide for the Study of World History & Cultures Using the Notebook Approach to Study the Geography, History, Culture and Current Events of all Seven Continents by Sherrie Payne $15+ shipping 

Renaissance and Reformation by Christina Miller $19+ shipping (like new)

The Story of the Middle Ages by Christina Miller $19+ shipping (like new)

Tapestry of Grace

Year 2 Full Year. Unit 1 in a binder with tabs. All other tabs included. 3 Units of Pop Quiz CDs and cards for all the Pop Quizzes.  Price : $160.

Math:

The Book of Think by Marilyn Burns Price: $30.00 + shipping

About Teaching Mathematics by Marilyn Burns Price: 20.00+ shipping

A Collection of Math Lessons by Marilyn Burns Price: 12.00+ shipping

Writing in Math Class by Marilyn Burns Price: 13.00+ shipping

The Magic of Mathematics by Theoni Pappas Price: 5.00+ shipping

The Write Tool to Teach Algebra by Virginia Gray Price: 7.50+ shipping

Faith:

Woman of Grace by Michaelann Martin Price: 4.50+ shipping

Catholic Morality by Fr. John Laux Price: 7.50+ shipping

Chief Truths of the Faith by Fr. John Laux Price: 7.75+ shipping

Latin:

Prima Latina Instructional DVD Set by Leigh Lowe Price: 22.50+ shipping

Prima Latina Teacher Manual by Leigh Lowe Price: 7.00+ shipping

Learning Latin Through Mythology by Jayne I. Hanlin and Beverly E. Lichtenstein Price: 8.00+ shipping

Latina Christiana Introduction to Christian Latin Teacher Manual Book 1 by Cheryl Lowe Price: 10.00+ shipping

Latina Christiana Instructional DVD Set Book 1 by Leigh Lowe  Price 35.00 (Still shrink wrapped)+ shipping

Latina Christiana Teacher Manual Book 2 by Cheryl Lowe Price: 8.00+ shipping

 

Literature and Grammar:

Tending the Heart of Virtue by Vigen Guroian Price: 12.50+ shipping

Pagoo by Holling Clancy Holling Price: 4.50+ shipping

Good Music Brighter Children by Sharlene Habermeyer Price: 7.50+ shipping

Geography A Literature Approach by Rea C. Berg Price: 6.00+ shipping

Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling Price: 5.00+ shipping

Caught ‘ya! by Jane Bell Kiester Price: 6.00+ shipping

The Chortling Bard by Jane Bell Kiester Price: 7.50+ shipping

Mother of Divine Grace:

MODG Natural History Syllabus using Fabre's Book of Insects Price: 10.00+ shipping

MODG Geography Syllabus using Ultimate Geography & Timeline Guide Price: 10.00+ shipping

MODG Concepts and Challenges in Science 1 Teacher’s Manual using Concepts and Challenges in Science 1

Price: 12.50+ shipping

MODG World Geography Syllabus using Ultimate Geography & Timeline Guide Price: 10.00+ shipping

MODG Biology Syllabus using All Creatures Great and Small Price: 10.60+ shipping

General Education:

Teaching the Trivium by Harvey & Laurie Bluedorn Price: 17.50+ shipping

Lesson Plan Guide Middle School Years 5th-8th Grade by CHC Price: 25.00+ shipping

The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis Price: 5.50+ shipping

The Gift of Learning by Ronald M Davis Price: 5.00+ shipping

What Your 1st Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr Price: 6.50 (Hardcover)+ shipping

What Your 2nd Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr Price: 6.50+ shipping

What Your 3rd Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr Price: 6.50+ shipping

What Your 4th Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr Price: 6.50+ shipping

What Your 5th Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr Price: 6.50+ shipping

What Your 6th Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr Price: 6.50+ shipping

Please Understand Me II by David Keirsey Price: 7.50+ shipping

Catholic Geography Bee by Kerry and Nancy MacArthur Price: 5.00+ shipping

A Child’s History of the World by V.M. Hillyer Price: 10.00+ shipping

The Complete Home Learning Source Book by Rebecca Rupp Price: 15.00+ shipping

Autumn Nature Activities for Children by Irmgard Kutsch & Brigitte Walden Price: 11.00+ shipping

The Heart of Anger by Lou Pridolo Price: 7.75+ shipping

 

Family:

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff with Your Family by Richard Carlson Price: 5.00+ shipping

Neat Mom, Messie Kids by Sandra Felton Price: 3.00+ shipping

Kid Cooperation by Elizabeth Pantley Price: 6.00+ shipping

Real Food by Nina Planck Price: 5.00+ shipping

Real Food for Mother and Baby by Nina Planck Price: 5.50+ shipping

The 7 O’Clock Bedtime by Inda Schaenen Price: 6.75+ shipping

Family Matters by David Guterson Price: 5.50+ shipping

Critical Thinking:

Developing Critical Thinking Through Science Book Two by Paul Eggen and June Main Price: 10.00+ shipping

Book One Critical Thinking by Anita Harnadek Price: 8.00+ shipping

 

 

The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Let's Begin to Cultivate them Now

{The first post in a books study series on The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity.}

I've been reading parenting books for 23 years (more if you count the ones I read in college). It's pretty rare for a book to come along that offers anything new and transformative these days. The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity is transformative. I firmly believe that. Dr. Meg Meeker makes a pretty bold promise at the book's beginning:

If every mother in the United States could wrap her mind around her true value as a woman and mother, her life would never be the same. We would wake up every morning excited for the day rather than feeling as though we'd been hit by a truck during the night. We would talk differently to our kids, fret less about our husbands' annoying habits, and speak with greter tenderness and clarity. We would find more contentment in our relationships, let mean remarks roll off our backs, and leave work feeling confident in the job we perfermed. And best of all--we wouldn't obsess about our weight (can you imagine?), physical fitness, or what kind of home we live in. We would live a life free from superficial needs because we would know deep in our hearts what we need and,  more importantly, what we don't need. Each of us would live a life of extraordinary freedom.

And peace. These are 10 habits towards peace deep within ourselves, the kind of peace that radiates into every sphere of our lives, that spills out into the ordinary everyday and colors our world a beautiful hue.

Sound good?

Dr. Meeker implores women to wrap their brains around the fact that they have enormous value.  She writes about the higher calling to which women are called and muses that she doesn't think most women have a sense of this greater purpose. In Christian terms, she is referring to vocation--the reality that God created us for a specific purpose and that living according to that purpose and embracing that mission is why we are here. That's pretty heady stuff. Many of the moms I know have a pretty good grip on the theology of vocation. But they get tripped up in the humility department.

Humility is not self-effacement. Indeed, if we embrace the very real truth that we are created by our Lord in His image, we are humble and confident. Dr. Meeker uses an extraordinary example to point out just how readily women are able to see the good and accept with love the faults in other people, but cannot extend that same grace to themselves. She writes that "we are supercritical of ourselves because we heap unreasonable expectations on ourselves...No matter how well we do in one area, we always feel that we're falling short in another. [And] we continually look to the wrong places to feel valuable. We look at how well we perform at various functions rather than accepting that we are valuable simply because we are our kids' moms and we are loved and needed because of that."

How do you judge yourself? How do you determine your worth?What is the yardstick against which you measure yourself? Do you ever feel like you measure up?

I think that in the community of mothers who are primarily committed to being mothers at home and often, to home education, we can lose sight of the fact that "in addition to fulfilling our purpose as good moms, we were born to do more, in time. ....we have lost this sense of being because we are afraid (my emphasis) of what lies beneath the superficial in us. If we set aside the energy we put into fitness, dieting,[creating the perfect homeschool?], trying to be a better mom tha the next mom, what is left? we wonder. What we find below the dieting, working, running around in the car, and exercising is a deepness that has been undiscovered." To that, I would definitely add that we can bury our authentic selves for a very long time if we are mothering a large family. We can throw ourselves into our work--far more work than a mother of two can begin to imagine--and we can tell ourselves for years and years that we are dying to self in service to our families. There is, however, a real possibility that we are not dying to self at all. Instead, we are failing to look self in the eye and get to know her. We are running from her in the running we do all day (and night). One day, maybe far into the future, we will still be moms, but we will not have the intensity of day-to-day child care and nurturing that we do now. We will be called to utilize our gifts in other ways. Will we be such strangers to ourselves and our talents that we cannot even recognize what it is He wants us to use?

Are we afraid? If we believe that we are created in God's very image, why are we afraid? Why do we keep so busy that we don't allow ourselves time to catch up with ourselves? Is it possible that there are talents yet discovered, plans He has for us that we are ignoring because we won't still ourselves long enough to have a frank conversation with our Maker about why He made us?

Dr. Meeker is not by any means saying that we shouldn't throw ourselves wholeheartedly into mothering. Indeed, the example of Julianne illustrates contentment in a role that is primarily and perhaps solely that of wife and mother. Of Julianne, she writes, "When a mother really understand her value, she has more self-confidence. She sets boundaries with her kids, her husband and herself and this makes life more palatable. She is less anxious and feels less inclined to compete with other women, because beneathe everything she likes who she is."

Competition is a running thread throughout the book. I think Dr. Meeker really nails the biggest detriment to genuine friendships and to to genuine contentment within when she looks competition squarely in the eye and calls it out for what it is. It's a cancer.

Enough words for today. We're only on page 15:-). Please do join me in reading and thinking. Please offer your perspective and bless us all with your voice.

Feel free to chat below (comments are moderated, so it might take some time before you see yours appear), either adding your thoughts her directly or linking to a post on your own blog.  Now it's time for me to go about the rest of my day, peaceful in the knowledge that God created me for these children and this good man. And that's enough. Really.