The last couple of my days have been sucked out of that mysterious window that leads to a place called days-gone-by. And never to be gotten back. Tuesday was out-of-town meetings for work. Wednesday was a doctor’s appointment out of town.
So today finds me wishing I could clean the house from top to bottom AND get all of our lessons done and then some. (Tomorrow is a work day.) Alas I have to choose. I’ll do some of both, in addition to having a talk with my children about how I expect a little more from them here at home when I am out running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
I did clean up my living room and swing the love sweat around to a different spot. Ahh, the joys of living in an old, old house that looks HUGE but has tiny, oddly-shaped rooms. For those of you who live in an old house, I know you understand. For those of you who have no idea what this means, I am unable to take the time to explain because we are about to go into the clean living room and read some more of Hamlet.
Over the last few (plus) evenings I have really enjoyed going through old pictures and organizing all of our family pictures into albums. Talk about days gone by! I am so glad that the Lord put it in my heart to truly enjoy the children when they were little. They grow up so fast.
We’re talking well over 2000 pictures here that were placed into albums. I knew if I didn’t just bite the bullet and do it soon, I’d likely never get caught up. We are now taking more pictures than ever.
There were old pictures, new pictures, happy pictures, funny pictures…
There were pictures that made me close my eyes and try, really, really, REALLY hard to remember exactly how baby Daniel or baby Joseph or baby John felt when they snuggled up to me, smelling like cheerios and apple juice and soft baby skin. If you have a baby in your home, go hug him now!! Let me know how that feels, okay?
Princess of the Universe still snuggles constantly, so there’s been a continuum of hugging with her and I have adjusted in a motherly fashion to its change, loving all of it.
If you knew baby John, you’d know what a brave and daring act of look-at-me this was. Can you make out that this adorable, dark-headed 2-year-old boy is reaching out to touch the tree bark with his tongue? Okay, okay, he was going to lick the pine tree.
Anyway, Baby John was quite shy, and was usually hiding behind a tree. This was no small act.
Last of all comes a picture that warranted being actually scanned into my computer files. This is one of my favorite pictures ever.
Do you see that demure my-daddy’s-got-me look? And this was the year that Princess of the Universe would ONLY wear white cowboys boots. All the time. Even to sleep. I guess that’s from having three big brothers?
As I thought of all these days gone by, I was reminded that we all only have today. Even then, I knew that and lived with that in my heart and mind. It’s so important to just be clear in this one day and live this one day and enjoy this one day, and, of course, do right this one day. It’s all any of us have.
Well, I must peel myself away from the computer and get lost in some Shakespeare for a bit. Speaking of peeling oneself away from the computer, I really think you should check out Betty Blonde, a comic strip written by a very bright, homeschooled young lady named Kelly. The theme of the comic strip these days is, well, you just need to check it out.
Lynn
for you to leave a comment, but you can also e-mail me at lynn AT thehealthyhomeschool.com
Thanks for the great plug for Betty Blonde. Kelly is going to very, very happy with you for that. That last picture of the Princess is fabulous with the white cowboy boots and a Dad that loves holding her like that.
Ken, I am loving Betty Blonde! I probably don’t have to tell you that I have been guilty of working way too many hours at the time on a webpage or trying to figure out why my html is not working just right or blah blah blah. In that respect, I’ve been no different from someone who gets caught up in something like Nosybook.
It’s been a help. And hilarious too.
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
I am so happy to see you have a son that enjoyed licking pine trees! My baby Mark (20) used to lick trees and would sneak to taste the dreaded handle on shopping buggies. Those days just seem so long ago and oh how I miss my guys. Anyone with children still at home give a “bear” hug they will be gone before you know it.
Susan, what makes children do that?! I’d have to say baby Joseph was my worst for tasting stuff. I think John just decided to show us this day that he was very brave, in spite of what we all thought.
Lynn
My Princess had bright pink boots!
lol But, she never slept in them.
Hi Lynn,
My babies are 31 and 33 now but it seems like yesterday we were learning to share toys, taking trips to the library for picture books, and picking out pretty ribbons for their pigtails. It is true that life moves quickly and if we don’t savor the moments the memories will be lost. You are amazing! I am impressed you were able to organize all your photos.
A project I will get to someday as well!
I was searching the web for resourses and ideas for a new writing unit I am working on and stumbled across something I think is awesome. Have you ever heard of “The Flat Stanley Project”? Go to http://www.kid-at-art.com/htdoc/lesson71.html you may find this is a project you and Princess could do in connection with other lessons. I think my ninth graders might be a bit old but it is so cool that I am still thinking of a way to adapt this to a lesson or unit of some sort for the future. Maybe a unit on community and how communities grow and thrive? Or traveling, or a career exploration, or …!
Let me know what you think of the idea.
Enjoy every moment of today!
Diane
Kate, Michaela would have loved pink boots too, I’m sure! I, of course, would take Michaela’s boots off after she went to sleep, but it was just too big of an issue to try and fight with her over the boots and going to sleep. They must not have been too comfortable because that portion of the stage didn’t last for too long. The actual wearing boots to play, however, lasted for awhile!
Diane, it just goes by so fast!! Well, we have wonderful memories, don’t we? I love the idea of Flat Stanley. We’ve had homeschooling friends to do this, but we have not done it yet. I think Michaela would love it, so thanks for that link. I will definitely be looking at this again.
Hamlet is going well. Joseph said prior to starting that he didn’t want to read it, but he is really enjoying it now and said he had changed his mind about it being something he doesn’t want to do.
Lynn
If she’d like to do Flat Stanley I’d be happy to participate as a friend in the Mid-West. He could go to school with me, show some of the sites in our area, etc.
I am just so pleased Joseph has found Hamlet a pleasure. You may have started something! Another really good play to read with him might be the comedy Mid Summer’s Night Dream. It could be a lighter
piece to enjoy after the intensity of Hamlet.
Have a wonderful day,
Diane
I loved looking at all your old pictures. Just last night I was looking at some from when Kambric was a newborn. I just cried as i looked at them. He has changed so much in the last nine months. I was trying to remember his smell and how it felt to have him sleeping in a ball on my chest. It seems like it wasn’t too long ago when your were as small as him. It all goes by way too fast!!!
Jessamy, I always think of you when I look at pictures of the boys when they were little. I see Kambric changing too, but you are such a good mommy and enjoying all of it! And he is SUCH a cutie pie!! I’m so glad you are able to be at home with him. That makes me happy.
Lynn
Beautiful post. You are a wonderful writer with wonderful words for us. Your crocuses are beautiful too. Here in the deep South we are seeing littel tidbits of spring also. Great job with your photo albums. That’s a project for sure. And as someone who lives in an old house~I completely understand!
Awww thanks for linking to my comic strip!
I am really enjoying reading your blog, especially hearing about the Princess of the Universe! 
Beautiful post friend. I try to enjoy the days – and some days do better than others. A reminder is always good (esp when I was grumping tonight about playing Monopoly instead of just enjoying it – don’t like that game, it’s too long!).
Holding and snuggling my sleeping girl right now and I love having her right here.