Yes, please.

(cottage photo from somewhere in google-land)

An ordinary day

'At Breakfast' by Laurits Andersen Ring, 1898

Some days seem more settled and in control from the get-go.  This was one of them.  Partly it's because I got a decent night's sleep---the first in longer than I'd care to admit.  I guess it was because only one boy was out late, getting in from the restaurant at midnight and he got quiet soon after---ate his dinner and went to bed.  There wasn't any nonsense with laughing and carrying on late from the others either.  That was nice for a change.  I like them to be happy, but earlier in the evening, if possible. :)

Took the three youngest on errands after our schoolwork was done soon after lunch.  We stopped off at the library to pick up some astronomy books and then went to the grocery store for milk and a couple of other things. We're so ordinary.  Nothing big and important---just plain living.

I like days like today---quiet, run-of-the-mill and refreshing.  When there are too many things rubbing up against me, I get antsy.  And this was definitely not one of those days.

First day of school

Resting now.  It was a good day---getting the school books organized, filling out some last-minute paperwork, and thankfully the kids are sort of excited about it. That's a huge help.  If I had kids that dragged their feet and made teaching them a misery, then this tale would have a very different ending.

And there's something settling about having the schooling to be a centerpiece of our days (with Latin being the center of the schooling itself, as I said yesterday).  After summer-time has passed, we need more structure and it seems lots of homeschooling moms say the same thing.  Reminds me of the scene with Julia Child (Merle Streep) talking about wanting "something to DO!"  My sentiments exactly.  No more 'chickens with their heads cut off' in our house, least for awhile.  Now, keeping the housework caught up with now that school is in session is another story......

(looking up school sites online w/ violet helping out)

Late Sunday

'Terrace & Observation Deck at the Moulin'-Van Gogh

So I'm wondering why my shoulders have been tense all week.  It's not been over-busy, though the 'would-be' truck theft was a wash (thankfully) and caused a bit of a rustle in my feathers.  Then first born called this afternoon and said he'd be driving in from Chicago to arrive after dark tonight.  Ah, that's the reason for the stress.  Makes all kinds of sense now.

Nice to have all my chickens under my roof tonight.  Our oldest spent a week in Chicago visiting friends, and he got some wonderful shots of the museums there.  You're allowed to take photos inside without flashes, so he got lots of beautiful pictures to share. We just watched a slide-show of about 200 of them.  My favorites were some Aztec pieces, but many Impressionist paintings and Egyptian art. Fabulous.  And truly, I've never seen so many Monets in one place. The painting at the side was one at the gallery as well.  It just popped out at me since it's one Van Gogh that I'd never seen.

Now off to bed.  First day of school beckoning and am slightly excited about it.  We're going to make Latin the centerpiece of their work, and since we did that years ago, I remember the year went so smoothly because of it. Art, lots of reading and Latin, with the math tucked in somewhere.  Maths aren't our strong point---sad, but it's true.  And in another perk...just teaching 3 of them this year with youngest son in 10th grade, middle daughter in 8th and the least one in 5th.  Not sure how our youngest child got that old...must've been when I wasn't looking!

Happy Labor Day

Fynn

Resting for a bit.  Got some groceries for a day or so, and have chicken poaching and yeast roll dough in its first rise.  Newly-graduated son is having his dinner tonight along with a few presents.  That'll be nice, especially since he's trying to decide whether to keep his current part-time job.

Two of the older boys work in the same restaurant, but this son is squirming a bit.  Doesn't really suit him and, while we've both given him our take on the situation (we'd both prefer he wait it out and try to maybe adjust his hours, if possible), the final decision is his whether he keeps the job or not.  The manager there is trying to convince him to stay, but unfortunately he's not an employer who keeps his word.  There's little incentive to continue on there, at least for this son who seems to need verbal encouragement more than the other boys.  Simply put...he's frustrated.

Well, we'll see.

Razor

But tonight's good.  Had a bit of thrill today when Gary sold his Fynn vapor.  It'll go up to Pennsylvania tomorrow.  And another person is taking Razor out for a test drive this week as well.  Funny what makes money, and Gary's tried lots of things to make money woodworking.

Just have to do today.  With most pressing bills paid, food for two dinners in the house along with toilet paper and milk, plus school starting tomorrow, I've got enough on my plate.  Not borrowing ANY trouble. :)

Channeling my inner C. S. Lewis

Church was excellent, as usual, and the confirmation class as well.  Could I be any happier there?  I really don't think so.

I still (repeating myself) am amazed at God's provision in my prayers for a church home.  Such delightful details have been provided for and I look back on how long I prayed so specifically and here I am.  The Anglican part is a bit of a surprise, but it fits so well.  Nobody in our family on either side is Anglican or an Episcopalian.  We're more the Methodist/Baptist/Presbyterian persuasion.

And interestingly enough, the priest talked about the sacraments today in class.  I was very pleased to hear that the Anglicans accept baptisms outside the Anglican church, even if performed by one who's not a minister, and the location of the baptism doesn't matter either.  The priest was pretty adamant about it.  The emphasis is that the baptism is said in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  That's key.  The one performing it is just a vessel for the Lord to work.   I won't go into sects that don't recognize the Trinity, because really, it goes without saying that those baptisms wouldn't be valid.

Am having to re-learn or adjust some of the things I've been taught in the past.  And it's not that I've been taught anything wrong, but it seems that so much legalism creeps in even when we're not watching out for it. That's missing with the Anglicans---at least what I'm seeing so far.  And fortunately the confirmation class gives such a thorough teaching on the history, etc. of the church.  I keep tripping up on their free usage of the word Catholic, but then again, when you've been brought up like I have---well, the thing is, it's okay to learn that all things outside the fundamental/evangelical protestant church world aren't evil! ;)

My contentment at this church experience runs deep.  Never in my life have I felt such a peace and right-ness at being in church.

And they're (or rather, we're) having a fish fry next month (doing happy dance).  It just keeps getting better and more Mitford-like every week. :)

Saturday before dinner

Got out for a bit with oldest daughter today. Lunch and a trip to a local Indie bookstore to pick out something for fourth son who graduated high school back in May. He wanted to postpone his celebratory dinner until everyone could be here, which is why it'll be on Monday night. And yes, it does seem as if we've delayed it long enough, my goodness.  The restaurant will be closed, and hopefully oldest son who's been vacationing in Chicago will have gotten back home by then as well. Everyone needs the time off...just to quit DOING SO MUCH.

Now onto other things.

I wish you could see this dumb dog we've got, and I mean it kindly. He's the stray oldest daughter brought home from work before Thanksgiving last fall. We think he's at least part Catahoula, which accounts for his coat and part of his personality. The maddening thing is that he's just like the dog, Dug, in the kids' movie, UP. Not smart, but sorta sweet.

Now, must go.  We're having breakfast for dinner.  Need to help the least one measure out for biscuits.

(clickable photo from pinterest)