Not Quite Ordinary Observations

For Today...Monday, March 19, 2012

Outside my window...clouds, but not gloom. Although I prefer sunshine when it’s not raining, the clouds are much easier to handle when it’s still bright!

I am thinking...that it can’t be possible that March is two-thirds gone! I have two more weeks of break. Making steady progress on the list, but still much to do.

I am thankful for...plenty of clothes for the kids, yet again.

I am wearing...black knit capris and a maroon top. Yep, the Monday color’s back. Although this one is short-sleeved, so it’s at least a different shirt!

I am creating...nothing. Just tackling The Big March List. When things get back to normal, I’ll hopefully get back to creating.

I am remembering...last year when it was still chilly right about now and there was no real hurry about getting summer clothes out.

I am going...to finally get to open the Sonlight box that came last week! It’s part of the March list, but other things were higher on the list. But a whole week?!?! I’ve never waited anywhere near that long! Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever waited more than a couple of hours. That’s what I call self-control, folks. But I think tomorrow will have to be the day.

I am reading...just finished Beauty for Ashes by Dorothy Love for review. Next week’s review book is a children’s Easter book, so I think I’ll take this week to read another “just for me” book – Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer.

I am hoping...for a productive week.

I am hearing...the quiet hums of electricity and a few dishes clinking as the girls empty the dishwasher for me.

On my mind...my next blog post for the Home Educating Family blog, due tomorrow. There are some great posts going up over there! Click on over and check them out. Even if you don’t homeschool, there are still some encouraging posts.

From the learning rooms...it seems that Latin is the only thing we’ve kept up with over the past few weeks. This month has been much choppier and less routine than I expected, so it’s been harder to keep up with the other things like Polish, piano, and typing. What a blessing that we took the month off. Think God might have had something to do with that?

Noticing that...it’s warm in here. I think the fan is going to have to come back out.

From the kitchen...broccoli, chicken, and rice casserole, made mostly by the kids.

Around the house...projects coming together.

A favorite thing from last week...the projects that were accomplished on Saturday. I think that deserves its own post, though, so be looking for it over the next couple of days.

A few plans for the rest of the week...lunch with the Gleaners Sunday school class tomorrow, a birthday party on Saturday, and just plugging away at that list!

A picture worth sharing...from a few weeks ago.

Just Pictures

Once kids start getting bigger, it’s hard to remember to pull out the camera. They do a lot of awesome, fun stuff, but somehow it’s not the same as when they’re little and everything they do seems picture-worthy. I really want to try to take more pictures just because they still change so quickly!!

Here are a few from our trip to Judsonia last week.

Angie, Abigail, and Steven playing

She said, “Cheese!” How could I resist?!

Steven & Angie enjoyed the game box.

They love each other!

How did I not get any pictures of Olivia?!?! I think it’s because she was always hanging around with the adults. She’s in that in-between phase where she’s still a kid but is really drawn to grown-up things. I remember that phase. I am trying to give her opportunities to be a little more grown up while encouraging her to still be a kid, too!

I intended to take a lot of pictures of the kids playing on Tuesday, but somehow I let the day get past me. Here, though, they were all in one place watching Bugs Bunny for a few minutes – well, all except the youngest who was taking a nap…

And no, Steven didn’t feel excluded. He just needed a few minutes of down-time – and uncontested control of the remote!

Then there’s this one…we’d gone up to the church to play away from the swamp that was our yard. Olivia and Angela walked little Joey all the way home. So sweet!

What a Week!

Every day this week I have intended to sit down and write a post. Yep, it’s been that kind of week!

The baby girl who was supposed to arrive by c-section on Thursday decided to come two days early. So, her four big brothers arrived Tuesday morning instead of Wednesday night. It was a lot louder than usual in my house with five boys and two girls than it typically is with two girls and one boy, but it really was a good day. They were such well-behaved boys, and we hardly had any fighting or clashing of wills at all through the day. That’s pretty amazing for a day when seven kids are cooped up under one roof for the day! We were all pretty tired by the end of the day, but we were thankful for a good day.

The rest of the week has just flown by. Last weekend my task was spring cleaning in the kids rooms (which are still clean a week later! That might be a record!). This week it was pulling out summer clothes. We went from mild winter where lightweight long sleeve shirts were okay to warm and sticky pretty quickly. The kids always have short sleeves in their drawers, but this week even long pants have been too warm! So, getting out the summer clothes was urgent!

In all honesty, I expected to have to do a good bit of shopping this year because I knew many of their clothes were hitting their limits last summer. Or so I thought. As we started going through their clothes, things that I just knew were going to be too small still fit beautifully!! Even with all of the massive and measured growth spurts! I can’t explain it! I think God miraculously grew the clothes with the kids. Needless to say, they were as thrilled as I was because that meant some of their favorite clothes still fit. Steven needs another pair of jean shorts, and each child will probably need one new pair of shoes of some sort before the summer’s out. Yep, that’s it. I’m still in shock! And so incredibly thankful!

I think I have some pictures from the week on the cameras – I’ll try to post them tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I’ll just keep smiling with thankfulness. God’s provision truly is perfect. Now if I will just continue to remember that before the evidence comes through!