September 30, 2014::september gone already?

Can it be? October tomorrow? Already?

It seems that the summer flew by this year. Maybe because we homeschooled through. Maybe because the kids are at the age when time is picking up speed for me. 

Now, October is here, and with it, the wild rush that is the holiday season. Next time I look up it will be January...and bitterly cold and sparkly white here in Kokomo, I am sure.

Here's a little of what we've been up to in September...

We have purchased and used 40 lbs of clay this month. Brice is quite the prolific sculptor.

I was asked to serve as the interim Vice President during the first few months of our new yarn guild. I have really enjoyed getting involved and meeting so many nice people and talented knitters.

Reeves turned twelve. Here comes puberty! 

Todd turned 48. 

We attended the Festival of Machines at Conner Prarie with Theresa.

Where we went on an authentic hayride, pulled by an antique tractor.

We've started making breakfast a big deal around here.

Todd took Reeves to a Magic tournament...that started at midnight. They got home at 4:30 am. Is it really time for our kids to be attending midnight openings? We are too old!

Embree and I substituted for a friend in her art class at the local community center. I really love teaching kids who are eager. I think I see some volunteer work here in my future.

We followed this little bug...

to the annual VW Cruise-in at Oktoberfest.

We attended a very special wedding in Kentucky. I was lucky to be able to do the flowers (with the help of a talented friend and her marguerite-making skills) and Todd helped in the ceremony. Beautiful night. Great to spend time with some of our Kentucky family

And now, we are preparing for Todd to travel to Southeast Asia for most of October. South Korea, China, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam all on the agenda. Packing, vaccines, electric converters, travel guides...and practice at dinner with chopsticks. What an adventure he has in store.

Happy October to you.

Namaste

September 21,2014::sentimental sunday

sentimental sunday::a weekly reminiscent post

March 2010 - Brice goes off-road and chocolate milk dirt-track.

Namaste

September 19, 2014::in my mind...

This morning, I can't stop thinking about...

all the new firewood stacked in the garage

at the farm

in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The mountains are calling and I must go.    John Muir

Namaste

September 14, 2014::sentimental sundays

sentimental sundays::a weekly reminiscent post 

September 2010 - impromptu art lesson.
We were on the Georgetown College campus sketching trees for our nature study. A former student of mine just stopped and pulled out his charcoal.

September 10, 2014::twelve

Twelve years ago today...

Todd and I were preparing to travel to UVA, in Charlottesville, VA, to defend our comps for our doctoral program. Long hours studying, beginning our dissertation proposals, the fear of failure, and life with a three year old all combined in a perfect storm of nail biting, snap your head off, paralyzing stress.

Little Bess would go to Nana and Poppy's the next day and Todd and I would check into our hotel for a last minute study binge before comps on Friday. We probably wouldn't even be able to speak to each other until it was over.

Then the phone rang.

"Your son was born today. I need a name. Meet me at the hospital in Martinsville tomorrow. Bring your daughter."

Wait, what?

No name, no car seat, no baby clothes...our brains were full of Thomas Jefferson. 

Screech!!!! Nothing like an unexpected, life changing phone call to bring priorities into focus.

That night, we ran to the store for baby supplies. The next morning we packed up our daughter, our diaper bag, and our dry cleaned suits and left for Martinsville, VA.

On Thursday, we met our sweet son, loaded him into the car, stopped half way to Charlottesville to let his big sister hold him, and checked into our hotel on the UVA campus. We never cracked a book. We sat in a circle on the bed and stared, dumbfounded, at this baby who was suddenly our son.

The next morning, after a sleepless night, we dressed our kids in orange and blue, and took turns parenting and defending our comps. 

Then, we dragged ourselves home and took the whole weekend to just marvel at our little miracle.

He's never stopped surprising us.

Happy Birthday, sweetheart.

September 9, 2014::nearly three months

Wow! It has been nearly three months since I last posted. 

A combination of too busy and too unsure of my own direction has caused me to go so long with nothing to say. Recently, I found myself looking at posts from years past. This blog used to be such a good record of our family history. I especially appreciate seeing the great adventures we've had homeschooling. 

It's been a very frustrating school year, so far, and I need some of that great adventure to remind me why we have taken on this awesome responsibility. I need reassurance when there are tears, and hair pulling, and gnashing of teeth...all on my part. There are so many wonderful, teachable, rewarding moments. There are so many successes. It is so easy to let the frustrations take the focus away from the damn wonderful-ness of being in my children's lives. 

So, I am recommitting to this space, just for my sanity and for future reminiscing. 

It will not be a place to work through the hard moments. It won't be a space for self doubt. There's plenty of that in the wee hours of the morning.

No, this will be the space I come back to when all of those things take over and I need to be reminded. 

A space for gratitude

A space for beauty

A space for "this is wonderful and wanderful"

A space to remember all the things that make this backroad special.

In the end, it's the small moments of gratutude that make happy memories.

Namaste