The Fruit of our Labors

After we left the D-Day Memorial, we went strawberry picking at Scott's Strawberry Farm in Bedford, VA. They were having a "Strawberry Festival" with blue grass music and rides and about six stands for funnel cakes and lemonade. The kids did great picking berries; we got 5 buckets that emptied into three flats. We went picking last year near Appomattox, but these berries were much better- bigger, growing more thickly, juicier. Yum! I think there were strawberry stains on ALL of our faces before we were done- proof that we were working and having a great time, too. Here are three of our pickers and a photo of our berries that Owen took. Ooh la la!

Memorial Day

This morning we attended a Memorial Day service at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA. (This is a soldier storming the beach.) One of the first speakers mentioned that Memorial Day has fallen out of popularity, that there aren't many parades or services or decorations laid anymore. Braden and I agreed with her. (In fact, I couldn't find ANYthing going on within 2 hours of our home, and we thought we were only coming to a "wreath laying" ceremony!) She mentioned taking a "moment" at 3 pm today, and while I admit that is a nice idea. . . it just isn't the same as OBSERVING Memorial Day.

Both of my grandfathers served in WW II and I grew up with a father who insisted that we attend our local Memorial Day service every year, and then attend to our loved one's graves afterwards. I admit that I didn't look forward to these services (except that almost every year someone in the band fainted, and about this time the lilacs were in bloom, which is wonderful) and the importance of the memorial seemed lost in the droning voices and repetition of the same things year after year. The reading of General Logan's orders was standard. Today, I picked out part of his orders in the service here. It made me smile and I was warmed the way one is glad to hear an old hymn. Memorial services now bring a tear to my eye and the significance is not lost. Braden and I choose to go, to take our four small children and observe the spirit of remembrance and gratitude. The solemnity of the occasion was due; it is the one time a year that I pause to reflect so deeply on the sacrifices made by valiant, loyal men and women. Here are two of Braden's pictures from the D-Day Memorial.

Belt Traps

Livia was upstairs with Braden and Tate tonight while Braden was changing from his school clothes (generally a suit or button down shirt and slacks) into his evening attire (more relaxed!). She watched him put on his khaki shorts and told him:

"Dad. I can help you put your belt on. You need a belt 'cause your shorts have belt traps."

"Belt traps" seems such an appropriate description for belt loops, doesn't it?! I LOVE this age; 3 year old say the BEST things. It definitely helps to keep them endearing while they are also requiring such intense training and discipline.

"No Time For". . . a Shower?!

It was kind of a joke to me last year, and I didn't want to mention it on the blog for fear of portraying my husband in a less-than-glorious light. The truth is, however, that I found it inconceivable that his first year of law school was SO rigorous, SO demanding and time consuming. . . that he gave up taking showers. Not completely, of course, but a man who used to shower daily or every other day began to go many days without a shower. Frankly, I was a bit disgusted.

Here it is, a mere year later, and I find myself in the same situation- only the tables have turned. I have passed up a shower here and there (okay, maybe more than that!) and chosen to use that time for other things (like catching my breath, meeting deadlines, or sleeping). What once seemed preposterous (not enough time to bathe), now makes perfect sense in my world. I have a limited amount of time and when I prioritize, a shower sometimes gets knocked out of the picture. That's really simple; I'm not sure why I wasn't so gracious (or sympathetic and helpful?) to Braden before. So, if you live near me, I'm sorry. I probably don't smell as good as I used to. But there is hope! Just like his first crazy year of law school ended, I suspect this crazy season of life will pass for me, too. . . eventually.

It also reminds me of something great I heard last summer about prioritizing. You have probably heard it before. It goes something like this: we all have a glass jar of time (our life) and sand and rocks (our life events, tasks, etc.)to fill the jar. If we put the sand in first and it fills up the bottom of the jar, we won't be able to fit as many rocks. We ought to put the rocks in first, the biggest, most important things in our lives. We MAKE time for them because they HAVE to fit. Then we pour the sand in, and so much more fits because the sand is able to fill in the cracks and spaces between the rocks.

I'm sure I should be learning a lesson from myself. For now, though, showers are SAND.

Croutons

I made delicious croutons today for our Salmon Caesar Salads. (Whole grain bread lightly spritzed with oil and sprinkled with salt and Italian seasoning.)

I loved that Livia repeatedly asked me for more crouCRUMBS.

A Little Bit Is Enough

We're in a nice little place of rest.

Tate is doing much better. Without such intense ear pain, he is sleeping soundly from 7pm until morning. I feel so refreshed after a few hours of sleep! I've actually had time to dream- and it has been months since that happened. (I'm one of those who remembers their dreams.) The kids' coughs have subsided, so everyone is sleeping better.

Braden's "intensive" class isn't as intensive as I feared it might be. He has actually come home by 4pm every day this week- and the change has been dramatic! It's the most time we have had with him this year. The kids are loving play time with Daddy and he and I are thankful for the extra time together AND for all the things he has been able to get done.

We now have bikes hanging in our garage (two of the seven!- but that's another story). This project has been on the list since we moved in two years ago! He has also replaced some screen on the back porch, helped with the garden, and been a general handy man. Boy, am I lucky! He's an intellectual AND a handyman. (I really feel loved when things around here are taken care of.)

Just these little bits of time have made a huge difference. After groaning to the Lord for weeks that I couldn't really bear anything else, He has provided some moments to recover. Just this little bit, I'm thankful for.

Who Needs Sleep?

It seems that I should add a post about what our life is like right now. Truthfully, though, I can't even come up with anything decent in my head, so there hasn't been reason to bother typing. Lack of sleep is doing a number on me (finally! After 8 months you would think something had to give!). We've had coughs run through the family, so all of the children have been up in the night. Livia still needs help using the restroom at night. Tate is teething, and now has ear infections (which started as the cough that everyone gave him.) He's recently cut back on night nursing, but still needs some help resettling. So... I'm pretty sure I haven't slept more than an hour or two at a stretch... and that is really starting to wear on me.

Usually my afternoon chocolate sustains me (while this is partially true, I'm also joking around. It seems obvious that the Lord is sustaining me; I clearly am in over my head!). I don't drink coffee (though maybe that's what is helping Braden?). I've an aversion to artificial alertness. . . but am beginning to need something to make it through these days! We've lowered our standards yet again and I consider it a good day now if I'm managing to speak kindly and not cry more than a few times. ha ha. I think I'll catch up on other things- maybe when the kids are all grown?

So, my friends, you can pray for us. We would appreciate that very much.

Happy Mother's Day!

I was so grateful to spend time this Mother's Day with my family, picnicking and hiking at Crabtree Falls, here in VA. It's something I've been asking to do for a long time. Even today, when we planned to go, the weather was supposed to be 60 and rainy. Thankfully, God held off the rain through our picnic and most of our hike. I'll fondly remember sliding down the mountain in the rain with my family. What a beautiful day! What marvelous creation! How blessed I am.

Loping

Not every four year old says things like this to his mother: "Do you know why I'm walking this way? It's my slow lope for climbing hills."

Indeed, we were climbing a large hill at the park. It was a sweet moment of walking uphill in the sunshine with two children holding my hands. These moments make my days delicious in unexpected ways.

Tirelessly

I just finished reading some thoughts by Elisabeth Elliot. To tell you the truth, they made me uncomfortable. The gist was that we ought to pray about everything but still work tirelessly.

Ha. I admit I'm not feeling too bad right now (though I attribute some of my pep to our FOUR+ mile walk this afternoon and two JuicePlus+ Complete shakes!). But TIRED describes me far too often. Not just lack-of-sleep tired (I've got that covered!) but the kind of tired you feel when you lack sleep AND you realize that all you are responsible for is much more than you can even attempt. You realize that someone has to rock this crying child, and it is you. Someone must start the dishwasher, and it is you. Someone must fold the laundry that has been in the dryer for days... and it is you. Someone must make food and clean up food and buy food and unload food and then see food safely through the other end. . . and it is you. And on and on. . .

At times, I confess, I want to pity myself and cry. If I cry out, instead (i.e. PRAY), E.E. is saying that I should then be able to work on "tirelessly."

I see glimpses of that.

This is the second week of finals. Then Braden has a 2 week intensive class. Tate is teething (I think?) or has an ear issue. Livia has been having nightmares and today complained of a sore throat. Owen had a few days of coughing, now Rhyle is coughing at rest and bedtime. I'm up to my eyeballs in work to do- and I want the joyful willingness to do it that she (E.E.) talks about, and the "tireless" part of it, too. But I'll settle tonight for peace, for glimpses of God being enough and ALL. I wouldn't trade this hard place that I'm in. Yes, maybe if I had fewer children or older children or a husband not in law school, or adequate finances or any number of other different variables. . . things could be easier. Easier is not always better. Whether or not I should have things easier is not, therefore, a determination that I can make for myself.

I suppose my prayer tonight, then, is that God would redeem this season, even if I'm tired and fall to whining. After all, there is still much dross to be removed from my life so that His beauty can better be displayed. I'll keep on keeping on (that means I'm tireless, right?), and I'll turn in early tonight.