Winter Activities

I am so thankful that this winter we have found a healthy balance of activities for our kids.  So many families struggle with feelings of business when it comes to after school activities.  So far, my tendency has been to stay away from activities outside of school.  This is largely because the kids get so much activity and enrichment as part of their school day, and I want to prioritize time together as a family outside of school.  Also, I know that whatever we start now sets somewhat of a precedent that will set expectations for the future.  With a family of four kids, we need to pace ourselves.

This winter, though, I knew we would need some afternoon activities to keep us from getting cabin fever.  My priorities were to choose activities that could either be enjoyed at home or could be enjoyed by most of the kids at a single destination.  Preserving dinner time was a must.  In the end, we settled on piano lessons for G-Bear (continued) and E-Bear (first time!) and swim lessons.   We have been so thankful for both sets of experiences.

Piano continues to be a real treat. We love our piano teacher, Mrs. H.  She comes to our house and does a fifteen minute Kinder lesson for E-Bear followed by a thirty minute lesson for our more experienced G-Bear.  Thankfully, both bears enjoy Mrs. H's instruction and, at least so far, are happy to practice with only a little weekly cajoling on my part.  Both T and I love hearing the piano as playroom background music.

Our second activity has been twice a week swim lessons at the Foss Swim School.  Wow.  We are so fortunate to have one of their pools nearby.  These swim lessons are totally different than anything we have experienced.  The pool is warm, really warm.  Think bathtub warm.  So, the kids are very excited to hop in the water when we arrive, even my littles who don't like cold water (just like their momma).  Second, the teachers and teaching methods are excellent.  The kids are drawn to the enthusiasm and out-going friendliness of the instructors.  Everyone is known by his or her name.  And, the class sizes are no larger than 3 or 4 kids.  The best part is that each of our kids are improving by leaps and bounds.  G-Bear is swimming like a real swimmer, E-Bear is swimming alone and getting rings from the bottom of the pool, and Buddy Bear is swimming assisted with his face in the water.   The price feels a little steep when I am writing a check for three kids for four weeks at a time, but by the end of the swim session I always leave feeling like it was worth every penny.  I have my fingers crossed that we will have three swimmers by this summer!  Now that would be a winter activity well spent.

Happily Ever,
Queen B

Daily Works of Mercy

Occasionally, I am tempted to feel overwhelmed by all the needs and hurting in the world.  The overachiever in me sometimes feels restrained by the demands of daily, family life.   Really, can I do any good for the wider, broken world in the midst of meal prep, laundry loads, potty training and nap time?

In those moments, I need to settle my restless heart with a reminder from Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta:

"Do ordinary things with extraordinary love."

To help this needy, hurting world, I need to change the way I see the work in my day, not shirk my responsibilities within it.

Mother Theresa also once said,

"What I can do, you can not.  What you can do, I can not.  

But together, we can do something beautiful for God."

Which reminds me of one of my favorite prayers from Saint Teresa of Avila:

Jesus has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ must look out on the world. 

Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good.

Yours are the hands with which he is to bless his people.

So, with new eyes I review the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that we, as Christians, are called to bring into the world:

The Corporal Works of Mercy                                   The Spiritual works of Mercy

Feeding the hungry                                                   Admonishing the sinner

Giving drink to the thirsty                                              Instructing the ignorant

Clothing the naked                                                      Counseling the doubtful

Hospitality to the homeless                                            Comforting the sorrowful

Caring for the sick                                                         Bearing wrongs patiently   

Visiting the imprisoned                                                      Forgiving all injuries

Burying the dead                                                      Praying for the living 

                                                                                                       and the dead

When I reflect on these works of mercy with new eyes, they suddenly sound remarkably similar to many of my daily responsibilities.  God, grant me the mercy to complete these great works with great love.  Then I would be truly helping to change the world.

Our Super Speller

Recently, G-Bear confessed to us that she likes to get 100% on her weekly spelling tests.  She is working really hard in first grade this year.  Her hard work is paying off.   We have noticed amazing milestones in her reading and spelling abilities.

But, I have to admit, G-Bear's spelling prowess causes me some problems too.  Up until now, I have enjoyed the luxury of being able to communicate privately with T in the presence of our children by spelling out words to make our conversation harder to follow.

"Should we get a T-R-E-A-T?" 

"Do you know if it is D-O-N-U-T S-U-N-D-A-Y today after Mass?"  

"Yes, today we'll see the doctor and get V-A-C-C-I-N-E-S this afternoon."  

Well, now our Super Speller's ears perk up when she hears a word spelled out.  Not only is G-Bear able to decipher most words that I am trying to spell for T, if she finds a word too challenging she'll draw everyone's attention to our conversation by asking me what I just said!  Clever girl!  

I am trying to accept the fact that our days of private conversations, at least when our kids are around, are over.  We'll adapt, I am sure.  But until we do, I'm determined to celebrate the spelling successes rather than pout over privacy matters.

Little Eyes Looking Up

This weekend, while we were up at the lake, Papa took a moment to sit and enjoy the view.

Unless you look carefully, 

you might not notice Buddy Bear's shadow in the chair next to Papa.

He was enjoying the view too, right next to his beloved Papa Bear.

This quiet, precious moment reminded me that there are many, many moments in life

when a young person's admiring eyes are upon us.

Unless we look carefully, we might not notice.  

We might not know that we're being watched, learned from, admired.

 Thus, we have all the more reason to pray for the grace of a loving heart and worthy actions,

that little eyes might behold us in moments of grace, and embrace a path of love for their own lives.

Surely, Buddy Bear beholds that in his Papa.

May little eyes behold the same in each of us.

A nice thank you

Recently, T and I were braving the TSA line at an airport on our way to a family reunion.  The kids knew their routine and were doing a great job following instructions.  As I came through the security line, a gentleman who had watched us pass through leaned my way.

"You are raising a very nice family there, Mom."

"Thank you very much," I answered.

"No, no," came his sincere reply, "thank YOU."

The stranger's affirmation was one of the most meaningful compliments I have ever received.  As a family of six with four young children, we draw frequent comments from strangers.  Some are encouraging, some are expressions of wonderment, and occasionally we encounter baffled bewilderment.  Such comments are an expression of the varied cultural perspectives toward children these days: from worthwhile challenge, to foreign concept, to social and environmental burden.  There is a broad commentary on our lives!

The reason this stranger's compliment meant so much to me is because it resonated with the wider mission that T and I see for our lives as parents: namely, that we are serving our neighbor, society, the world, through our parenthood.  Our children are gifts we treasure.  We strive to raise them to also be gifts to the world: beacons of hope, soldiers of peace and laborers of love.  

The stranger's sentiment of gratefulness for our parenting was touching; one I intend to pass along to other parents in the future.

Happily Ever,

Queen B