Ordinary Time

All I've really done this week is make market bags. They're not difficult, I'm liking how they're turning out, and goodness knows I have an endless supply of feed bags, but I find making the same thing (even with slight variations) over and over and over to be dispiriting.  I gave myself permission to spend yesterday working on a weaving project because I desperately needed something different. I threaded the loom yesterday and was able to start weaving this afternoon. I'm going to show you just a little sneak peak, but then I'm going to have to be good and not show any more for the time being. But how can I not share just a taste of this? It was so much fun to weave because I love watching the cloth that appears. But now that I have gotten to this point, I need to force myself to finish the bags and get everything ready for the artisan sale before I go back to it. I think that it will prove to be very motivating.

It's always nice when children create things that I can share and use as a blog post.  K. has become interested in video editing, so I decided to take advantage of that fact and asked him to create a video with some of the animals here on the farm. I think he did a terrific job. K. also decided that he would like to learn to do watercolors, so has been doing a bit of painting this school year. Here is the painting he did this afternoon. And Y. has also been making things. Here are a few of the pumpkins she crocheted so our church could use them as centerpieces for their monthly community dinner. This is her own design. She has an amazing ability to look at something and intuitively understand how to crochet it 

It's late, so this will be short. One thing J. and I absolutely love is spending time with our adult children. Tonight W. and MC had invited us over to their house for dinner. We had a lovely meal and a chance to visit with them both.  As much as I loved raising my babies and young children, it's just as wonderful to enjoy them as adults. And as for all those dire warnings that are thrown at parents about how you only get 940 Saturdays with your child and other similar statistics... well, they lie. Sure there might be 940 Saturdays until your child turns 18, but that doesn't mean your parenting role is finished. It just means that it's different. I still get to spend time with my children, it's just different. Different isn't better or worse, remember.  Relationships don't end when a child turns 18, but fear mongering statistics can make a parent so stressed, they can't appreciate what is in front of them. Appreciate the child you have right now. 

This was the view that greeted me when I turned around to head to the barn after gathering hay nets. Though it wasn't quite sunset, the moon was huge and bright, just hovering over the tops of the trees. It was beautiful.  Here's my reminder for you as we navigate the future which looks increasingly grim. Don't let the worry steal your joy of the present. Appreciate the small things... those minor miracles of beauty and joy... that are all around you throughout the day. Pause and acknowledge and appreciate them. Just breathe for a moment and be thankful you get to experience whatever caused you to pause.  Also remember that you can be angry and fearful while at the same time you can appreciate the good around you. You are not less committed to making the world a better place for all people by doing this. In fact, this will be precisely the thing that makes it possible to continue doing hard things of fighting against injustice and hate. In fact, to not do this, allows those

I was at the local big box store last week buying important things such as dishwashing liquid, olive oil, and mayonnaise, when I noticed an end cap highlighting a sale item. Normally I don't pay much attention to the end cap sales became usually Aldi is still cheaper per item. This time however, I realized it was a very, very good sale.  For years, we have made our own hot chocolate mix. I bought the items we needed in bulk and it was cheaper per cup of cocoa than if I were to buy a mix. This past year I was informed that the farmer who hosted the bi-yearly bulk order was no longer going to be doing so. I'm general, this would be okay. I wasn't buying nearly as much with half the numbers to feed as in earlier years, but there were going to be some items for which it was going to be challenging to find an alternative source. Bulk cocoa powder and dried milk... essential ingredients for cocoa mix... were among those items. (Hard white wheat berries are the biggest casualty. W

After 3 months, 41 sessions, and 7 families, I am happy to report that I am done with the hands-on research portion of my action research project. There is still all the number crunching and writing up to do, but that is what January is for. It feels like a major hurdle has been overcome and I am definitely feeling a great sense of relief. I have learned a lot and feel as though I have a very workable program for helping families with sibling conflict. I am definitely feeling very positive about the whole thing. Of course, it doesn't hurt when I receive comments such as, "I feel capable now with the tools your provided," and "I really enjoyed it at a personal level and not only for my kids' conflicts."  And yes, my records and notes are all handwritten. When I start actually writing up the research project I will use the computer, but in order to think I need physical records and I need to take handwritten notes. I'm sure long time readers aren't sur