Not Quite Ordinary Observations

For Today...Monday, June 24, 2013

In the great outdoors...summer. Although it has been a nice summer so far. If summer was always like this – low 90’s, moderate humidity – I might not dread it so. I’m so thankful that we’ve had such a pleasant June! 

Within our four walls...bags coming out to get the girls ready for camp. They’re leaving us for four days. I always thought that wouldn’t happen until they were teens – well, other than trips to spend a few days with grandparents. Am I really ready for this?

Anyway, it’s a music camp at Ouachita. They are so excited, and I’m excited for them! Can’t wait to discover what they do and learn!

A heart of thanksgiving...for big sisters who recognize that their little brother needs some sister time today before they leave him for the rest of the week.

A heart of prayer...for the girls and camp, Steven without them, and me as I spend the week as the mother of an only child. How do you only children parents do it? You have my great admiration!

My silly children...need no audience – they can enjoy performing just for the sake of it!

Thoughts from the kitchen...there are brownies in there. And ice cream in the freezer. The fact that it’s all in there and I am in here thinking about it does not bode well for my productivity.

On my bookshelf...Joni & Ken, The Smell of Evil (book two in a YA fiction series about penguins – better than I expected), and Defending the Faith.

Projects...new gowns to put in the girls’ camp bags as a surprise. Not that they really need them. And not that there isn’t plenty of other stuff that I should be doing today. But, the gowns are so easy and I figured out how to make two that are mostly matching, but different enough to suit personalities. I just couldn’t help myself.

Sounds of the moment...the performance going on in the living room. They stop when I walk in. I don’t know if they are practicing and I will be invited later or if they are just going to enjoy each other.

From Hibbard Academy...I’m changing “what we learned last week” to this heading. I don’t know what all will end up in this spot, but it will be fun to find out!

We did have to change our school name. We’ve been Hibbard Elementary for six years. But, we’re about to have a junior high student! So, we had to be a bit more all-encompassing in preparation for the new year.

A favorite thing from last week...Steven’s baptism! I’m so proud of him. Pictures coming!

The planner...say goodbye to the girls tomorrow morning. Take Steven bowling or to do something else fun this week. Pack up last year’s school books and get next year’s on the shelf. Enjoy the company of a friend (Steven’s) on Wednesday. Go hear the girls’ end-of-week performance on Friday.

Because visuals are fun...Steven has had these little blankets since he was born. Well, he’s had the ducky one in his right hand. My mom got him the Pooh one on his shoulder, and then we found an extra ducky one online. Well, he lost two of them months ago. We never really knew when he lost them because he didn’t tell us for a while. All we could figure was that it was related to one of our trips. After he lost them, Doug did find another ducky one online, but Steven really missed the Pooh one. Then came today! He pulled out a little camel backpack and just happened to notice that it didn’t feel quite right. Sure enough, there were his silkies!! Can you tell how happy he was?