one It’s my usual Friday morning of lying here covered in children knowing that I should get up and feed them but once I do that the cascading work of the weekend will begin to tumble forward and I won’t come up for air until Monday morning. two And you know, that’s how I feel on Tuesday morning–just a few more minutes before the Sisyphean tasks of the work week begin. Because once Tuesday starts there’s not breath until Friday... Read more
We’ve been chipping away at our school year for many a week now but I finally settled on some scripture memory, a hymn and a poem for the fall and winter. Last year we memorized John 3:1-17 and Numbers 21:4-9. Well, memorized might not be quite it. We said it often enough so that when we review everything we all basically remember it but only if we say it altogether. These two passages were felicitous choices because VBS this year... Read more
So I stupidly and blithely, several weeks ago, said to the really super nice person who gently and kindly cleaned my teeth, “Oh yes, my husband and I could both come in at Two O’Clock on Monday, September 9, 2013, me for a filling and him for a teeth cleaning.” I smiled and beamed all around, like some benighted village idiot. Yesterday I remembered. “We have to go to the dentist tomorrow,” I said. “Who’s ‘we’?” inquired Matt, with interest... Read more
Or maybe COME to Sunday School at COGS (Church of the Good Shepherd)!!!! If you can possibly manage it. Why? Because we’re ready for you to come! We have seriously and laboriously prepared a place for you. BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER And then really AFTER Good night all! If you want to know what it all is and what it’s for come on Sunday and ask for a tour. Better yet, bring your favorite youngish person to hear... Read more
I had this post up all yesterday as I wandered around the day trying to do all the stuff I was actually supposed to do while typing at the same time. But then when I was standing in the church kitchen at the end of the day, staring at the disaster of the century (see below) and the Internet cut out, I just gave up and put it away until this morning. I’m trying to find a word for what... Read more
I think I mentioned off hand last week that I’m supposed to be spending every waking minute writing Sunday School Lessons for the fall, which I believe for all practical purposes, starts today. Blech. Fall. Just kidding, I love Fall. I love all the pictures of cute children with their cute backpacks and their Euphoric Parents leaving them off on bright sunny mornings with nice looking teachers. But the official total start of school signals the beginning of Regular Sunday... Read more
Begin with a flakey and gorgeous pie dough. 2 1/2 cups flour Pinch Salt mixed thoroughly into the Flour 2 sticks Unsalted Butter Hand cut the butter into the flour until its crumbled and crumbly. Add cold water bit by bit as you mold the flour into a light but finally unsticky dough. Form it into a nice ball and shove it, covered, into the fridge while you make the filling. A pound or so of ground beef sautéed with... Read more
one It’s possible that our first week of school has been a success. I remain cautiously optimistic about even getting through today in a moderately industrious manner. This morning Elphine came down to breakfast carrying her school bin and announced that she had already done a bunch of stuff. She named what it was but I couldn’t really hear what she was saying due to me not being fully awake. two I’m pretty sure I enjoy homeschooling but its hard... Read more
After celebrating my birthday for nearly a whole month (Best Birthday Present Ever from a wonderful friend who has so devoted herself to reading this blog that she can quote it on a meme!) and throwing myself a little party I finally let go of the dream and started school yesterday. Boy, too bad everything was out of focus. Stupid me with my smudgy fingers. Day One was charming. So now on to Day Two. Also, I still have quite... Read more
After exhausting ourselves with so much resting in the Shenandoah we pressed south for something like ten hours to Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina. I’ve always believed in the back edges of my soul that the south is a place of fascination and romance, what with the lichen covered trees and the heat and the butter laden food. Certainly, the longer we drove, the more desirous I was of acquiring for myself a peach–well, more than one–and adding... Read more
Preventing Grace
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