Each morning I get up to say goodbye to two of my boys as they go to school. I don’t love that part of my day. I clean the kitchen and wake up Mark, and home school begins.
I have no amazing educational activities to post, but I teach him every day. He reads a lot; I read to him. There are library trips where we fill the book bag until it is so heavy that I can hardly carry it. We talk as he does math problems and I let him doodle on his assignments. I ask him to write essays and book reports, label maps, and write history summaries. There are drawings, diagrams, and charts for science. Some grammar exercises are really difficult for me, and I don’t have a teacher’s edition. In fact, I erase Paige’s old 5th grade workbook so Mark can reuse it, one or two pages each day. There are spelling words to learn and cursive handwriting to practice. Sometimes he has a terrible attitude about writing. Some days it takes hours to do what should take 20 minutes. Sometimes I fall asleep when I am reading aloud to him or I get a phone call from someone who is upset and I ignore him for 20 minutes. We take a break from each other at lunch time.
We have this whole school life that no one really acknowledges. Even I don’t talk or write about it most of the time. But it’s my life’s work, however unseen and unrecognized. We simply sit in the basement, surrounded by books and colored pencils, studying and writing.
Today I remind myself that the small, consistent efforts in life are the the most real, because they make us who we are.
I kept a big secret this year, a quilt I have been working on since January. I took part in a “Block of the Month” opportunity in my neighborhood quilt group. Each month, we learned techniques to make a new square. I decided to sew two of each and make a quilt for Paige. I learned a lot, and it was a big challenge. Every month when I would complete my squares, I wished I could share them with you. I would hide the fabrics and all evidence of my project whenever Paige would visit. I finished the quilt in time to give it to her for Christmas. Here is how it turned out:
It is a twin size quilt, cheery and bright. I chose each fabric with Paige’s tastes in mind, although my penchant for red might have won out just a little. There are several 1930’s fabric reproductions mixed with some more modern prints. My friend Kaye did the machine quilting. Sarah took a picture of me at the family cabin when I was binding it. My sister Susan joined me in my final efforts.
I have learned that no one has time to quilt. If it makes you happy, you must make time to do it. I have learned a lot from the neighborhood quilting ladies, not just about sewing, but about life, generosity, and work. It was a good year.
I have been cleaning up the Christmas mess and neglected corners. This is a collection of the books I found today, in various stages of reading, throughout the house. It’s been a full few months.
One thing I love about the week after Christmas is that I can start catching up on regular life. The books, the routines, and the basic meals are a comfort. I take time to assess what happened during the year. With the sorting of gifts and cards, clothing and books, I see where we have been and where I want to go. I certainly want to finish most of these books this week. Wish me luck!
Daniel’s choir performed at the Assembly Hall at Temple Square. The music was inspiring and beautiful. Daniel accompanied the choir on the piano for I Saw Three Ships arranged by Mack Wilberg on a Steinway. He loved that piano!
My cousin came and she brought my Great-uncle Dwight. I was so touched that both of them came.
How are you? Have you had your first winter cold yet? I won’t ask you if your Christmas gifts are all ready, but I will ask, what are you loving about your Christmas celebration this year? I am adding more lights everywhere and asking my boys to cook with me almost every night.
Richard went with the youth last night to see the lights at Temple Square and everyone was thankful for the heated parking lot across the street.
On Monday night we held Sloth Family Home Evening. One boy just stared blankly at the wall when we asked him questions. I looked around the room and we were all slumped over in our chairs. We are working on helping our boys articulate the things they learn and spiritual impressions they have as we watch General Conference talks each week. Some weeks we have great answers. This week it was painful. I think that the cold that we’ve passed around to one another has affected our morale.
We watched Elder Andersen’s talk about sharing the gospel. As I watched, an uncomfortable feeling came that I should share a recent blog post on social media, so I did. You know how I don’t like public comments about my writing, so this was not a fun thing. Richard saw my grimace as I hovered over the “post” button and asked what was wrong. It was not a perfect post I was sharing, and not really developed, and it didn’t have the perfect ending. There was no photo. But I told people that the Savior loved them in it. Some people have reached out to me because of it on social media and elsewhere, and the discussion has developed in many directions, from funny stories about the kids, health, service, and avoiding comparisons with other mothers.
Have you tried the little battery-powered LED lights? They have the tiniest wires so you hardly see them wrapped around things. I have seen them used in centerpieces and wreaths. I have some wrapped around some pine cones down the center of my table that my friend Charlene collected and spray painted gold as a Christmas gift for me. It is really pretty.
My Aunt Jeanne sent me some photos of my grandmother who passed away earlier this year. I framed one of them. She is holding me near a Christmas tree and I am about three years old. I love it!
Today there is a party with my quilt group. There will be food and some of my favorite people there. I’m really looking forward to that. Also, since December is so busy, I have canceled all Relief Society presidency meetings and all we are doing is visiting sisters. Tonight we are stopping by 8 houses. This is one of my favorite memories from last Christmas in Relief Society, the marathon delivery nights where we stopped in just for a few minutes at each house to spread some cheer.
Our annual Christmas video production is underway. Instead of a lip sync, we DANCED! The same boy that stared blankly at the wall when we asked him questions on Monday, stared blankly at the wall when we told him it was time to dance. But then we blasted the music and even the blank stare child danced, danced, danced. Richard and I aged about 5 years during the filming, but it’s going to be worth it. Yes, I think it will be worth it. I hope it will. It better be.
I found the perfect Christmas card, but the store only had 30 of them. If you want one, tell me on Facebook. Just kidding. I really dislike that trend of making people ask you for invitations to events through Facebook. Addresses aren’t that hard to find. It’s not a deal breaker for me, though. Sometimes we do what we have to do. And sometimes we have to use Facebook.
Mark and I are studying the tensions over religion in Europe during the 1600’s-1700’s. In a recent essay he wrote, “James II was a Catholic. *GASP!*” and I probably laughed out loud. He is writing an essay this week about the things he would do to improve our house. He thinks we should raise the ceilings, paint his room, and make everything bigger! He obviously doesn’t have to vacuum the house often enough.
The crowning of James I. Long live Lego history projects!
Daniel and I are working on the Piano Guy’s arrangement of O Come O Come Emmanuel for church on the 18th. Our friends are returning from their mission and speaking in church that day. I realized that I played at their “farewell” sacrament meeting, too. What are the odds of that?
I should be sewing, but my fingers are sore. My Christmas gifts are almost ready, but I have to pace myself.
Timothy’s 14th birthday is coming soon. All he wants is to go to the opening night of Rogue One. Richard took him to the midnight premier of the Star Wars movie last year and apparently, it was life-changing for Tim.
Paige is in her last day of classes before finals. How quickly the semester goes when you’re not the one in classes. We are looking forward to having her home.
I wish you the best of days. Let me know how you are doing.
This Advent activity on LDS.org is a beautiful thing and I am going to follow it each day, but if I decide to share what I do, it will be in vague terms. Today to “lift a burden” I spent time on hold with customer service to fix something for a family member and visited someone who was in bed. I feel my life is pretty standard and not exemplary in any way, but I still feel God’s involvement in the details, and that means so much to me.
My craft room shelves are full of soft, colorful, whimsical gifts for Christmas. I wish I could post some pictures, but my projects are top secret. This year I am giving to my brother Joe and his kids. The goal is comfort and joy for this precious, buffeted family. As November turns to December, and until Christmas, you will find me embroidering and hand sewing in the late evenings. Heaven.
Last night I gathered with my presidency to package our Christmas and 2017 birthday gifts for the sisters in our ward. The Christmas gifts are not quite ready to show, but the birthday gifts are ready. We will give each sister one of these lip balm packages on her birthday. They are so pretty. Richard helped me make the labels to stick on these little jars that we ordered from Bulk Apothecary. I found the “Charity Never Faileth” graphic on Pinterest. These gifts are less than a dollar each with packaging.
I like to watch the kids set up the Nativities each Christmas. One thing I have noticed over the years is that children often set up the figures in a close circle around Jesus, each figure as close to the Christ Child as it can be without excluding anyone, even the animals. This simple arrangement makes sense to a child and gives us a view of the backs of shepherds and wise men, and very little view of the baby.
Tonight I watched Mark set up a Nativity like the figures were in a huddle and then change his mind and open the circle a little bit. He turned a few figures so they were in profile view, allowing us to see not only their expressions, but the one they worshiped.
Perhaps there are times when we need to huddle in close and focus on our faith, but more often, I think we need to open our circle and share our reaction to the Savior’s presence in our lives with others.
I want to be really good at being a shepherd, welcoming others into the circle. I want to be like the angel who gets to tell the good tidings, “Jesus lives!” and, “He loves you!” I want to be like the wise men who study and have a true understanding of their King. I want my life to point to Christ, just as each figure in the Nativity looks to Jesus.
Thou gracious God, whose mercy lends
the light of home, the smile of friends,
our gathered flock thine arms enfold
as in the peaceful days of old.
Wilt thou not hear us while we raise
in sweet accord of solemn praise
the voices that have mingled long
in joyous flow of mirth and song?
For all the blessings life has brought,
for all its sorrowing hours have taught,
for all we mourn, for all we keep,
the hands we clasp, the loved that sleep.
The noontide sunshine of the past,
these brief, bright moments fading fast,
the stars that gild our darkening years,
the twilight ray from holier spheres.
We thank thee, Father; let thy grace
our loving circle still embrace,
thy mercy shed its heavenly store,
thy peace be with us evermore.
