Disclaimer: all photos of vacation are from last year. (Camera trouble.)
Out my window: Beach. And lots and lots of rain.
In the kitchen: Sam. He’s cooked every meal. (I admit to frying myself an egg and cutting a watermelon, but otherwise, it’s all him.) We did make the kids swim to “earn” lunch out– together they had to swim 100 lengths (of the world’s smallest pool).
In the school room: lots of planning. The kids each got some money to spend at the used book store before we came, and they were all able to find some of their favorites. Jonah bought some Redwall books, Owen some of Erin Hunter’s Seekers series, and Moriah found a whole bunch of Roald Dahl books. Phoebe found a Rosemary Wells we didn’t have, and a few others that are a mixed bag. I’m reading Simplicty Parenting (Payne and Ross) and Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child (Esoleson). Then I have to read To Say Nothing of the Dog (Connie Willis) to assuage my conscience after realizing how our complicated lives are ruining my children’s imaginations.
Nature Study: A crazy worm fell to the sidewalk in front of us from a live oak the other day. It was the worm equivalent of someone on PCP. (Remember: sometimes I work in the ER.) We all squatted there, afraid to pick it up with a stick lest it jump on our arms. Finally, I tossed it into the grass. It disappeared into the earth in 30 seconds.
Tonight Phoebe and I heard a cardinal singing. We don’t get cardinals in Colorado. He was beautiful. Sam took the girls for a walk at low tide and found tons of starfish. And Phoebe found a conch. His name is Ranch. If he’s still outside our door later, we’re going to take him back down to the beach.
On the needles: I forgot to bring the second skein of baby alpaca, so the baby gift is stalled until we’re home. Duchess Catherine and Prince William will just have to wait. But my red autumn sweater (remember, the one I had been calling a spring sweater?) is coming along swimmingly.
On the TV: we’re on vacation, remember? That means a TV in every room. 200 channels and nothing to watch. We did catch The Blind Side for the first time. It was good. The rest of it: terrible. IMHO.
Grateful for: cousins. And aunts and uncles. Two years of running (revisiting where I began). Sam. GNO. A breakthrough on the chapter edit that had me stuck for five months.
Praying for: Mandy. Justine and Jen. Maddie’s and Emmaline’s families. Pam. Lala’s family. Our closing (rescheduled for the third time tomorrow). Will you join me?
Learning As We Go 
Lala’s mama came to church for the first time on Sunday. She attended the adult bible study – which just happened to be on the hard work of forgiveness. Whew. God, help. Amazingly, I think her heart was soft enough to hear a word of grace. Thank you for praying.
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