Spring Is Coming

"For everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
                                                                        -Ecclesiastes 3:1

 It's in the air.

We can feel it, see it, almost taste it.

Spring approaches.

While the calendar still tells us it's winter, the longer hours of daylight combined with milder weather lead us outdoors.

Tonight we ate dinner while the birds sang their chorus in the background.

 And while he screamed with delight as only a five year old little boy can.

And while Matt and I finished our dinner, the rocks provided endless entertainment.

She thinks she is grown. Moments like this make me both happy and sad.

And when it was all over, one went in while the other stayed out and they laughed and laughed like the glass wasn't there to divide them.

A Song of Ice and Fire

I've often referred to the books I've been reading as the Game of Thrones series. That's not its official name.

"A Game of Thrones" is the first book in the series, and it is the name of the HBO show, but the books are actually part of the series called A Song of Ice and Fire.

I'm currently reading the third of five books. Two more books, which would bring the total to seven, are supposed to be published before this series ends. The only problem is that a lot of die-hard fans are worried the author is going to die before he can finish them.

He's not sick. He's just getting older, and it's taking him forever to finish the books.

That's the reason I started reading this series in the first place. A tad morbid, but true.

I figured if readers are so ticked off at him because they are afraid someone else is going to have to finish the series because he isn't going to live long enough to complete it, or, goodness forbid, the series just ends without the completion of the final two books, they must be worth the read.

They are.

EXCEPT, I can't stand what he is doing to the Starks.

I want him to be able to finish these books to restore the Starks. And if he doesn't finish them or has no plans in mind to restore this family, I think I just might have to burn my copies (just joking, I would never burn a book - though I did come close to chunking "A Storm of Swords" last week).

Getting to Know You

Sometimes I forget to listen to them.

Often, I forget to look at them when they speak to me.

I'm constantly nodding my head or saying yes, or more often no, and not thinking about why I'm answering that way or what the question even was.

Work, sickness, and life in general have led to too many hectic days around here, and I feel like I've lost touch with them.  

That's why during this spring break that we are spending at home, I am resolving to get to know these children of mine better.

When It's Not More You're in Search Of

Too many times I've gulped the waters from the cup of this world and been left with the bitter aftertaste.

In a week, month, year when I've been searching for so many answers and doubting much, I've begun to question the worldly notion about getting more out of life.

What if it's really less we're after?

Less rushing?

Less anger?

Less fretting, especially over the multitude of things we can't control?

Less yelling?

Less time apart?

Less blame?

Less sweating over the small stuff?

Less self-loathing?

Less time on Facebook?

Less hostility?

Less pain?

Less regret?

Less disease?

Less disaster?

Less poverty?

Less injustice?

Less red tape?

Less extremism?

In a world where the cliche that less is more doesn't often ring true, it's a mantra I'm ready to loudly applaud.

When Momma Gets Sick

I've been visited this week by an unwelcome guest.

If anyone else out there has dealt with the norovirus, you know exactly what I mean.

Today is the first day since Tuesday that I haven't spent what seems like hours in the bathroom. I've never had a stomach bug that lasted longer than 24 hours before. This one is a beast.

I'm now just biding my time waiting for it to hit everyone else in this household. It's strange because it usually works the other way around: the kids bring home the nasty bugs to infect all the other family members.

Life as a mom is demanding and challenging enough, but when you throw sickness into the mix, it can feel downright unbearable.

Mattie has spent much more time screaming and crying this week. Jack has spent much more time glued to his DVD player and the I-pad.

And, to top it all off, no reading this week.

I did have to call in some reinforcements a couple of times. Thank goodness for wonderful family members, including my sweet husband, that have picked up much of the slack.

National Geographic

They came in the mail last week.

Three month's worth of National Geographic, each bearing his name.

I got the idea from a site called Little Passports, a monthly subscription that teaches kids about geography. At first I was going to subscribe to it and pay the monthly fee.

A few days later it hit me. Wouldn't Jack get just as much out of a subscription to the holy grail of geography?

As cute and fun as Little Passports seems, National Geographic has been teaching THE WORLD about the subject for years - 125 to be exact.

I thought about ordering the kid's version, but in the end decided to go with the original.

The pictures are super cool. Today we flipped through February's edition and learned a whole lot about snake venom and river otters.

His favorite so far almost prevented me from keeping my breakfast down earlier this week.

January's edition had pictures of animal scat (aka POOP). I kid you not, there was a whole chart that listed the contents and texture of the poop. He kept asking me to identify which scat belonged to which animal and what it contained, all while I was trying to swallow my pancakes.

He's discovered a map of the continents on Matt's I-Pad, so I'm thinking about using that next time he's going through the magazine to show him where the animals or buildings in the pictures are located.

For $15, a subscription to National Geographic is a good way to travel around the world while sitting on your couch.

Partied Out

In the past month there's been a taste-testing party, two children's clothing shows, two jewelry shows, a mother-daughter tea party that I hosted here at the house, a shower for a couple getting married and a Duck-Dynasty themed birthday party.

Matt and I dressed up as Jase and Missy from the reality show Duck Dynasty - our cute photo bomber in the background

I don't think I've been to that many parties in a month since I was in college!

While I'm give out at this point, not to mention running low on funds, it was nice to enjoy the adult company and conversation that is often lacking at this point in our lives.

Life as a mom, especially a homeschooling mom, can be isolating. Match those things with introversion, a love to stay home and a natural tendency to be withdrawn and you sometimes end up downright lonely.

Being surrounded by the people I love most in this world everyday is a blessing, but I still crave girl talk and female companionship.

It just seems there is so little time for it during this season in life.

That's why these parties this past month were such a treat. Attending many of them was me making the effort to make more time for friendships, both old and new.

I also found that February is a great time to party and keep the mid-winter blues at bay.