The Simple Womans Daybook 16 April 2012

Outside my window...the sky is overcast and the wind is blowing.  The weather man is calling for severe weather later this afternoon.  Temperatures are supposed to get up into the 80's.  Looks like we might be in store for a taste of what the mid-west has been subject to for the past few days.  Well I guess we should just batten down the hatches, hunker down, and ride it out.

I have been thinking...about these pesky illnesses that seem to run rampant through families.  We have never had a lot of trouble with that kind of stuff when the kids were little.  Now though it seems like every stray bug that comes along makes its way to our door.  MK started in after Easter with cold and flu symptoms.  Now Melissa is sick and this morning I think Layn is falling subject to the same bug.  Time to break out the defenses.

I am thankful...for a husband who has such a deep and abiding faith.  In the coming months his faith and strength is being tested and I pray that it stays firm against the onslaught of the devil and family ties that wish to rip it apart.

From the kitchen....there is a hearty and nourishing soup on the menu for those who have fallen prey to the bug that is in this house and for those who have been exposed.

I am wearing....my night clothes.

I am creating...a brilliantly crafted research paper on the evolution of the three little pigs (after my computer gets repaired that is)

I am going....to visit my favorite geeks today to see what they can do for old reliable. 

I am reading....The Confessions of St. Augustine

I am hoping...that the repair on my computer is easy, inexpensive, and can be done while I wait.  (is that too much to ask?)

I am hearing....Layn playing with his motorized Thomas the Tank Engine.  Everytime Thomas runs into a wall or a chair he howls with laughter.

Around the house...everything is as it should be.  Melissa is resting, Alex is reading a book (yes you read that right!), MK is doing kp duty, Matthew is taking his father to work and Ian has been at work for several hours all ready.

One of my favorite things...in spite of the allergies involved, inclement weather, and mud I love to watch the maturing of the seasons.  The apple and pear trees are coming into bloom along with the dogwood across the creek.  The leaves on the maples and boxelders are just beginning to unfold and the air is pungeant with what I like to call the smell of green.

A few plans for the rest of the week....continue research and writing for my paper, keep up with my usual responsibilities around here, and try to finish a couple of sewing projects that I have started.

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you...

Yesterday was Layn's birthday.  MK gave him a set of wooden puzzles.  The amount of concentration that he displayed while putting them together was fascinating to watch.  He really liked that gift.

A Holy and Blessed Divine Mercy Sunday!

For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!

This was sent to me by a dear friend.  She wrote it as an assignment for school.  It is not only beautifully written but the sentiment touches something deep inside.

Horizon
The sun on the shores warms the sand,
The waves rock gently when the wind blows.
Against age-old stones, again and again
The cold spring water crashes and creates music.
The birch trees blow, blow against the blue sky,
Anxiously I sit astride the rocks, awaiting my friend.
The rough moss remembers, it remembers from
Time immemorial those who tarried by this lake,
Those whose wailing hearts with words, words unpsoken,
Waited upon these waves for one to come.
The shadows of seagulls dance upon the shoreline,
Flitting and floating, like falling leaves in the sun.
The chiaroscuro catching my eyes and clearing my senses.
Is my friend to be found? no, for it is only the foul
Teasing me to think they are the thought-of one.
The sun begins to sink, and so too does my soul,
Like falling stars in far-off skies, floating to the ground.
The birch trees breathe one last bold sigh
Before the breeze dies at the bidding of the night.
And on the horizon a human sillhouette walks here to me.
                                                                 by Veronica Arntz

Who said that men can't multi-task?

Happy birthday

Happy birthday Layn from Grandma Peggy.

Stop and think about this one.

The youngest child

As a parent one cannot help but wonder what each child is going to be like as they come along.  Then there is the whole birth order thing.  I know it plays a part in the development of personality but I refused to dwell too much on that when my kids were little. 

When it was announced to us that there would be no more children I did begin to think about the birth order thing.  Specifically about the youngest child.  For one thing I know myself and I was bound and determined to keep that one a child for as long as I could.  By that time we were already taking in foster children so there was little chance that he would be spoiled in that sense of the word, by being the youngest and being treated as such.  But I did get a lot of heat about not letting him grow up as soon as I let the others. 

Still he managed to grow and mature and become a pretty good individual.  Sure, he likes to zip his nephew into his sleeping bag.  (you don't see Layn protesting do you?)

But he is also a very responsible guy too.  He can dig with the backhoe like no one's business.  Okay, maybe he likes it a bit too much and would dig all day long if you let him.  But boys will be boys and there are plenty of places around here that need to be dug up so it's all good.

And he is safe so that's always a plus, right?

Of course he does get a bit testy when someone else takes over. Not really but he looks like he thinks he could do a better job.  This is one hard-working young man inside and out and I think that being the youngest hasn't done him any disservice.

http://dignitasmagazine.com/

I  would like to encourage everyone to check out this new magazine the my nieces are putting out.  It is professionally done and much in need. 

The Simple Womans Daybook 9 April 2012

Outside my window....it is overcast and gloomy.  The wind is still blowing though not as fiercely as it did last night.  Ian would say that's a good thing, that it is drying the newly plowed ground out and making it easier to disc and plant.  I look at it as a good day to stay inside and clean the house and get some laundry done.  There has to be a silver lining to every cloud, all you have to do is look for it.

I am thinking...about division of labor.  I don't like that term and think it should be stricken from the language.  Too many people are too concerned with how much work they have done compared with how much others have done.  The concern should not be how much have I done compared to others but how much have I done compared to how much I should do.

From the kitchen....many leftovers from yesterday's sumptuous Easter repast.

I am wearing...sleeping atire.

I am creating...poetry. It just seems to flow from my mind and heart lately.  All that bottled up inspiration is finally coming forth.

I am reading....Forks over Knives.  It is an interesting read and worth cogitating over.

I am hoping....to spend some of this day in a little tactile creation.  My fingers are itching feel fabric running through them.

I am hearing....Jason Mraz on Pandora, the dog going up and down the stairs trying to find a place that is both comfortable and free from Layn's interferance, and the usual appliance noises for a Monday morning.

Around the house...a great bit of normal is going on.  MK is on her laptop checking her assignments for the week, Melissa has the day off so she is playing with Layn, Savannah is here and playing with her toys, and Matthew is sitting in the rocking chair doing his usual Matthew things.  I have learned to like Monday mornings around here.

One of my favorite things...the fact that each of my children is able to attend to their responsibilities without direction.  I love to watch them get themselves going in the morning. 

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you...

My heart did a few extra beats and a lot of extra swelling with love and pride over the weekend.  To see my oldest son continue to consult his father for advice about when and how to plow, plant, and generally run this farm.  That is not only love for his dad but a great deal of respect as well.

Easter treasures

Easter is a day for rejoicing.  More than any other day of the year it is a day to celebrate family and faith.  This past Thursday I shocked the kids in my fifth grade religion class when I told them that I considered Easter a greater feast day than Christmas. 
It is true that without the Incarnation there would never be a Passion and Resurrection but the Incarnation was a relatively easy act.  The Passion and death of Our Lord was a monumentally greater event.
Anyway, that little lesson aside what fills my heart most during the contemplation and celebration of Easter is family. 

The treasures of our family are both young and old alike.  There are those who automatically gaze upon the infant and small child and see the hope of the world in their eyes and tottering steps.  But I see the treasure of the family in the experiences and wealth of love that is represented by the old.  This is our Kay.  She is the treasure of our family.  True she repeats herself and is becoming more and more dependent on those who love her.  But it is love and listening that will help us all unlock the secrets to long life and happiness that she holds.  She has the gifts that need to be passed on so that we can carry them and pass them on to the young generation and on into the future.

This little man spent his Easter afternoon coloring eggs.  That exercise, whose meaning is long forgotten by others in the pagan rituals of Easter Bunnys and an excess of chocolate, has become in my mind an exercise in parental patience.  The real meaning of childhood and love can be found in letting the little ones color their eggs the way they want to.  Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder as strangely colored eggs emerge from the mugs of dye.

The little gem is too young to care about eggs or to be taught the reality of the Resurrection.  She merely sits in her chair and reminds all of us that the Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection are all unavoidable truths.

I don't know how this one got in here but he keeps us all entertained.  I suspect another project is in the works.  More to come.



Little ones and the love of God

Holy Saturday I sat at mass in front of three of my favorite little guys.  The mass started late in the evening and was long, very long for such little folks.  They were very well behaved and tried bravely to love God and worship the way that grown-ups expect them to.  But sitting still and being perfectly quiet is just not their way.  This little poem was inspired by their brave efforts.  I "borrowed" this picture from their mom's FB page. I hope she doesn't mind.

Charlie, Isaac, and Nick

When all is still and silent

                   they cannot be.

That is not their way

                                        not how they worship or love God.

When everyone stands

                     to sing or recite;

proper and all on key.

That is not their way

                     piping baby voices

ringing true and clear.

Just high above the rest

                     singing so God can hear.

When all kneel still and soft;

                    in adoration of the Lord.

They do not.

for that is not their way.

He made their wiggles

                     for His glory.

He made their cries

                     for his praise.

That is their way.

                    

I somehow see Layn coming up with this all on his own in a few years.

This bears thinking about

Changes

     Every day changes occur.  There is really no avoiding them and yet I find myself resistant to change, or at least I used to be.  In the past year I have been forced into so many changes, both personal and otherwise that I find there is no resisting any longer.  The greatest changed that I have experienced is the fact that I have changed concerning change. 
     In the past month or so I even find myself embracing change as it comes along and I have come to the conclusion that the presence of a small child in every household is an absolute necessity.  The daily growth and progress that they make tends to rub off on the grown-ups in their lives.  It is this constant change that makes us all strong.  I am learning to dislike the phrase, "I'm too old!"  I cannot think of a single thing that I am too old to be doing.  My age may change how capable I am of doing some things but I am beginning to refuse to be too old. 
     I hit a bump a little while back and got too old.  Too old to crawl around in the dirt and play in the sandbox.  Boy did I miss it.  My body didn't for sure but my mind sure did and that is way more important.  I got too old for laying on the floor and putting my feet in the air while I watch a movie.  My hips sure didn't mind letting that little exercise go but my mental health declined as a result.  The belly laughs ceased for a while and so did the cartwheels (sure I can do a cartwheel).  My body began to rejoice and relax a little thinking that I had finally matured past the need for such antics.  My mind started to atrophy and my heart actually shrunk a couple of sizes (just like the Grinch).
     Then Layn and Savannah came into our lives and I am happy to report that the legs are in the air, the belly is aching from all the laughing, cartwheels are back on the menu and this Grinches heart has grown back to its normal size.
     Change: bring it!

The Simple Womans Daybook 2 April 2012

Outside my window....the sun is shining and the forecast is for warmer temperatures this week. With fewer classes to work on maybe the weather will let me out to work in the gardens.

I am thinking...about music and the way that different kinds of music can touch people.  In the morning when I sit here Layn will climb up on my lap and ask to hear various YouTube videos that I have played for him.  I like to study his reactions as he listens to The High Kings and the nursery rhyme songs.  He is enthralled with the bagpipes and the fiddles and truly enjoys the fine harmonies.  By the same token he only tolerates the nursery rhymes because of the bright colors. It is interesting to me anyway.

I am thankful for...the start of this most holy of weeks that we have entered into.  I look forward to immersing myself in meditation of the passion and death of Our Lord this week and then finishing up with the celebration of the Resurrection.

From the kitchen....there is enough leftover lasagna from yesterday to satisfy a small army today.

I am wearing...my nightgown still.  Not really ready to shower and start the day yet.

I am creating...a couple of other versions of the dress that I entered in the contest.  It gave me some ideas for changes both to the pattern itself and to the way that I had it trimmed.

I am going....to stay home today and get the week's worth of schoolwork done.

I am reading...Kreeft's Making Sense Out of Suffering

I am hoping....that the weather does stay nice this week so that Ian can get his corn in as well as his oats.

I am hearing...Melissa chatting with Layn as he gets his diaper changed.

Around the house...all is quiet, far too quiet.  I love that my kids are growing up but the downside is that they all leave and take the noise of small children and home away with them.

One of my favorite things...having MK come home yesterday to eat with us and enjoy a little family time together.

A few plans for the rest of the week....have to run to town tomorrow to pick up my sewing machine and a special order of fabric then it is only to church that I will be going all week long.

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you...

He already has the intense "farmer" look down and he's not yet 2.  This is Layn on Saturday watching Matthew dig with the backhoe.  You can bet that he was making sure that Uncle Matt did everything right.

The girl may be getting her groove back

My creativity has been a bit gone lately.  Part of growing up I guess.  Anyway I was reading some of my favorite blogs awhile back and came across a contest.  Use a certain pattern, enter a picture of your creation and you could win a prize.

My first thought was, as usual, negative.  No way anyone is going to look at anything that I make and think it worthy of a prize.  Then I shoed the bad thoughts away, (that's what I have been working on this Lent) and ordered the pattern.  When it came I searched through my stash of fabrics and trims and did what any creative person would do, I let everything sit on my table for about two weeks just kind of stewing.

This is what I came up with.  Did I mention that the due date for entries is March 31? or that I started sewing on Thursday of this week? Nothing like a little pressure to get the creative juices flowing.  When I got the whole thing done I realized that I had one issue that I couldn't so easily solve, Layn is a boy!  I needed a model.  So I searched through my mind and this cutie came immediately to my thoughts.  She's the daughter of a dear friend and she is stunning in this little dress.  I knew when she got it on that it was made for her and no one else. 

Now my fingers are crossed time will tell.

The Simple Womans Daybook 26 March 2012

Outside my window....our strange weather patterns seem to have resolved themselves into normal March weather.  It is cold, windy and cloudy out there.  I don't think anyone is going to be hanging any laundry on the line today.

I am thinking....that there is a lot of work to be done this week.  It is finals week for three of my subjects which means a lot of writing to be done.  I have also gotten the fabric, pattern, and trims to make a dress to enter into a contest which closes this coming weekend.  To quote Mary Poppins, "Best foot forward!"

I am thankful for....good friends.  We had a reception over the weekend for the woman who served as parish secretary for over 40 years.  The preparations came together seemingly effortlessly and it went off without a hitch.  That could only have happened with good friends and people who respect each other and care.

From the kitchen...the policy will be get what you can.  The cook is going to be very busy this week.  Fear not, there will be no starving in this house just not a lot of gourmet cooking going on.

I am wearing...a long flannel nightgown.  It has turned cold and the fire has only just taken hold and started to warm the house.

I am creating....a winning entry to the contest that I am entering. (I hope)

I am going....to work very diligently on my final works this week.  This means that I am going nowhere until I am done or I absolutely have to go out.

I am reading...Making Sense out of Suffering by Peter Kreeft

I am hoping...to write inspiring and brilliant work so that my professors are compelled to give me good grades.

I am hearing....the fan on the furnace working to warm the house, Layn chattering to Melissa in the next room, the High Kings singing "The Fields of Glory" and the birds calling to each other outside my window.

Around the house....everything is pretty neat and clean since no one was home much yesterday and when we were home we were outdoors.

One of my favorite things...looking out and seeing the pastures and hay fields getting greener by the day.

A few plans for the rest of the week....finish up school, work on my entry for the contest, snuggling with Layn and Savannah in between to help maintain my sanity and just generally getting to the end of the week.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Savannah a year ago

Savannah now.

There are days when the sun is shining.
Lunch must be eaten out of doors.
Peanut butter has to be mixed with jelly
and the cheese on the nachos
needs to be peeled off before it is eaten.
When the sun shines and the birds sing
milk has to have ice cubes in it
and sand should be between the toes.
Indoors is the wrong place to be.
Babies have to put grass in their mouths
while two-year-olds dump sand
in their hair
laughing as it flows down their chins.
Mamma turns away because
the sun is shining and it must be done.
In the spring the breezes blow and baby
arms are chubby and cold, but
that's okay when the sun shines.
Spit up sinks into the soil
and no one cares. 
Chins don't get wiped, the sun is shining
and dirty faces are right.
Later it will be bath time.
Then fingernails will be scrubbed.
Toes will be found
deep in the sand.
Peanut butter will be parted from the jelly
and the nachos will grow stale.
By then the sun will go down.
Night will descend and everything will
be right because
the sun was shining.

She Let Herself Go

Katherine was an average girl, to the rest of the world but to her husband she was everything.  They were married right after they graduated from high school, the ceremony was low budget but big on sentiment and earnestness.  They were in love and no one seeing them together could deny what they saw.  A few months later it was no surprise when they announced that Katherine was pregnant.  Talk about glowing with life, Katherine gave that phrase new meaning. 

     Matt was a good provider and Katherine made his small paycheck go as far as she could.  It was only a matter of time and they were able to afford a down payment on the home of their dreams.  Granted it was a fixer-upper but Matt was handy and what Katherine didn’t know how to do already she would learn, you could count on that.

     Thrift shop clothing made-over, there was really not a lot that wasn’t transformed in Kathy’s clever hands.  Second-hand furniture, a few yards of fabric bought at a discount and visitors had no idea that what they were seeing wasn’t the latest style.  Gourmet meals prepared on a budget with a healthy helping of coupons and the garden in the back yard went a long way to helping stretch their money that much further.  Matt was so proud of his wife he bragged about her abilities everywhere he went.

     It was at an event for the office when Matt was bragging, as usual, that he saw the hurt enter her eyes. It was that night that he vowed he would do all he could to make it leave and never come back.  One overheard conversation, one hurtful phrase that hung in the air, she should never have heard, and why did they say it, Matt didn’t care why should anyone else? 

     “Sure she can stretch their money and keeps a nice home.  But look at her!  Seven kids in 10           

     years.  She certainly has let herself go!”

     He saw the tears well up in her eyes as she sought his gaze for, what confirmation of what she’d heard, denial?  His eyes did meet hers across the room as he slowly and deliberately made his way to her.  When he reached her side he made this declaration in a voice that was loud enough for the whole room to hear:

     “She did.  She let herself go.  My wife let herself go to our life together.  She let herself go to pregnancy and back.  Not once but seven times for me and for the glory of God.  Each of those times she let herself go to the service of the love of me and our children.  She let herself go to school plays, soccer games, PTO meetings, and piano lessons.  She let herself go to meals that could be prepared on a budget so that we could live within our means.  She let herself go, all out, when it was time to celebrate our family; births, Christmas, baptisms, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, promotions and all the other things that mean family.  She let herself go because she never took time for the gym or working out or any of those other things that meant selfish to her.  Rather all of her time meant husband and children.  So if the way that she looks means something bad to you than you all need to examine how you use your own time.  I am proud of my wife and the wise way that she has used her time and how she has let herself go.”

     After this long speech Matt took Kathy, who was sobbing into his shoulder by this time, by the arm and took her home.  He wanted her to know that the opinions of others mattered not at all to him.  To him she was still everything. 

     She had let herself go.  She had let herself go through life right beside her husband.  She had gone where he had led her and he was happy with the woman that he had walking beside him.  When they got home and he looked into her eyes he saw that the pain that had been there at the party had left and had been replaced by a look of love and wonder.

     “I have often wondered,” said Kathy, “what you thought about the way that I look. But you have never complained. You are always telling people you are so proud of me that I never gave it a second thought until I heard that comment tonight.  It didn’t bother me for myself but I was embarrassed for you. I didn’t want you to be ashamed.”

     Matt just looked at her and smiled.

     “I could never be ashamed of you.  Looks are not what I married you for.  You are what I married you for.  If you could love me all these years in spite of my deformity….”

     Matt’s voice just trailed off there.

     Kathy just knelt on the floor in front of him and kissed the place where his arm should have been. 

     “You are perfect and I have never thought of you otherwise.  Why can the world forgive you such a ‘defect’ and condemn a few extra pounds?”

With that said they both prepared for bed.  After climbing under the covers Matt buried his face in Kathy’s hair and silently thanked God that he had met her so many years ago.  While he was thinking that Kathy was thanking God for the very same thing.

    

Happiness is chatting with Veronica

These are a few of my favorite things....

Little girl giggles when I push her on the swing.  I couldn't catch it but she would sign "more" if I stopped or slowed down.

Face pressed up close to the side of the playpen.  I love that distored look little kids get when they play with the texture of the mesh.

Layn's bare toes in the sand.  He was actually given a choice to go see Daddy or stay and play and chose to play in the sand. I don't blame him that sensation is one of my favorites.

It's great that the sandbox is situated so he has a ringside seat to everything that is going on around the farm.

I don't know who was more whistful, Archie wanting in or Savannah wanting out.

There are those toes again.  Grandma cannot get enough of them.

Bow season is a long ways away!

Tonight after supper Matthew brought out his bow and the fake deer that he uses for target practice.  I think he is just doing it for more practice since bow season is a long time from now (like next fall).

But it is always fun to watch him and to see how often he actually "kills" the deer and how often he only wounds it.

Savannah got a kick out of sitting in her stroller watching her Uncle Matt too.  She doesn't know what the big deal is with shooting all those sticks at a fake deer.  But she knows that watching her Uncle is something that she enjoys.

That poor deer has been through a lot of target practice from a lot of shooters and it is still standing.  Makes me wonder if maybe it isn't tougher than it looks.

The Simple Womans Daybook 19 March 2012

Outside my window....the sun is coming out and the temperatures are already in the 50's.  We are having quite spring like weather for the middle of March.  I don't know if I should be apprehensive or just take what is given and be thankful.

I am thinking...about my family.  Specifically about submitting to the unpleasant for the good of my family.

I am thankful for...my uncomplaining husband.

From the kitchen....I don't even want to think about it.  After a day spent on clear liquids yesterday and fasting today in order to be ready for a colonoscopy the thought of food actually makes me ill.

I am wearing....tan capris and a blue tee shirt.

I am creating...a bubble of peace and harmony around myself and my family.

I am going....to OHC to have this test then home to rest and recover.  Maybe later this afternoon I will get the floors scrubbed and some schoolwork done.

I am reading....folk and fairy tales in order to do a camparative analysis.

I am hoping.... that the doctor finds nothing but normalcy inside my nethermost regions.

I am hearing...birds chirping, the laundry equipment performing their Monday morning duties, and Matthew running his sewing machine.

Around the house....everything is blessedly normal.

One of my favorite things...the return of the peepers Saturday night.  I could have stood out there all night just listening to their voices as they called back and forth to each other.

A few plans for the rest of the week....school, family, two holy hours, a trip to town to the fabric store, and a lot of blessed normalcy.

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you...

Matthew and Brett spent the weekend in the Adirondacks camping this weekend.  This is their reproduction of the famous Lewis and Clark explorer pose.  We are glad that they had a good time and even happier that they are home.

We miss you Uncle Matt, I think.

 Matthew and his friend Brett have been up north camping this weekend.  I personally think the two of them need something more to occupy their time but no one asked my opinion.

It looks like MK misses her brother so much that she is beginning to languish. (I love that word!) But looks could be deceiving.

Layn looks excessively upset. Maybe he is missing his Uncle Matt and Uncle Brett.  I doubt it though.

I happen to know that Layn's angst (another favorite word) is due to the fact that he had to stay with grandma while daddy backed the tractor up.  It took daddy so long I am sure that Layn thought he could do a better job.

Maybe Archie misses them? 



I love Wednesdays!

I love Wednesdays.  I love my family too but Wednesdays are the best.  It is the day that, though Melissa has off from work, she and MK go shopping.

They take Layn with them and Savannah isn't here.  Matthew has to work too.  So I have the whole house to myself.  That means that it is going to be very quiet today.

Actually I shouldn't say quiet in the conventional sense of the word.  My music will be playing throughout the whole house and I won't have to worry about waking any babies up.


No one will be saying, "I don't like that song," or "I don't like that guy's voice!"

I can write without interruption! When I need to get up and walk around to ease my back no one will assume that I am done and ask me to do anything.  The biggest bonus of all; there is enough leftover from last night so I don't have to worry about making anything for tonight's supper either.

The only thing to do today beside writing is doing my laundry and there are only two loads of that.

Yep! I love Wednesday!