The Mundane Daily Stuff

We are down to the final week of cross country.  It has been a lot of fun, but I am ready for it to be over.  The weather this fall has been perfect for running.  Our last meet in Lewiston was warm but not too warm, and it had rained which kept the dust down.  The girls are doing well and getting stronger every week.  It will be nice for them to run for fun, and not to be chasing someone every Saturday.

I have had the opportunity to meet with a couple of friends this past week that I usually only talk to on the Internet.  One friend invited me up for dinner.  We were musing that this is the first meal we have had together in eight years.  At our last dinner we both had five children, now we have seventeen between the two of us.  We didn't really want to guess what the next eight years would bring.  I had coffee with another dear friend yesterday that I hadn't seen face to face in several months.  It was so nice to sit and have a conversation with these lovely women.  It has got me thinking about how important older women are in our lives.  I know that sometimes they feel like they are not important, or that they are being frivolous with their time.  I think we forget how important it is to have people around that can revive the weary.  Sometimes a cup of coffee and a good conversation can get things back on track like nothing else.  It is so helpful to have someone notice that you need help, and to lend that extra hand, or gift card, or encouraging word.  I think our culture could benefit from a few more ladies, "wasting their time" loving their neighbors in these tangible ways.  I hope I live long enough to see that season of life, and remember how important it is.

School is clipping along as well.  Our first quarter is wrapping up, and grades will be coming home soon.  I have to get my first graders graded in PE which I procrastinated far too long with.  The weather was just too fabulous to be stuck in a gym.  We have a play coming up this week, and speech meet presentations are rapidly approaching.  I will be happy when those are finished and we can focus on baking cookies instead.  Nectarine and Jalapeno are finally getting that letters can blend and make words.  It is always exciting to see your children start to read.  Jubilee is doing well.  She is still frustrated with spelling, but honestly I am okay with where she is.  I love that she has an accent, and I want her to keep it.  I think it helps people to understand that she is not a native English speaker.  There are some sounds that are going to be difficult for her for a long, long, time, and that is just part of learning English this late in life.  She is very good at math, and she is a very bright girl.  I am hoping that she will learn to love to be read to, and love to hear a good story.  She does look forward to school which is a wonderful blessing all of its own.

Life has been very full, and keeping track of it has sort of fallen by the way side.  I hope that this winter will provide more time for reflection and writing.  I may be dreaming.  It seems like the pace of life is increasing much more rapidly than I had expected.  It is all wonderful, and I love every wild minute.  As my focus shifts from teaching children to raise their hands before they speak to planning for college, I realize how very brief my time with all of my kids at home is.  I am starting to fear the days when they will be scattered to the wind, and I will miss them terribly.  I hope that some will stay close, but our little town doesn't have an abundance of opportunities for families.  I am struggling with how to prepare for the next phase of life.  I want to see my grandchildren grow up, and not on the Internet.  I know that God has this story written for me, and that it is good.  I need to trust that He has written me into their lives past their high school years.  So many things to pray for, and so little time.