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Before we had been in our new house a week, I had purchased crocus, daffodil, hyacinth, and muscari bulbs for the yard.  A toddler joined me in putting them into the ground, although I had doubts about whether or not they would “work.”  Were they deep enough or too deep?  It was a really hot, dry fall. Did the bulbs get what they needed before the arctic temperatures set in?  Then busy-ness of our days set in, and I didn’t spare them another thought until I saw some crocus leaves peeking above the mulch!  How thrilling to have these sweet reminders that spring will arrive, and soon!  In our last place, we were delighted to find the yard covered with muscari and daffodils our first spring; the same flowers here feel homey, too.  Despite all of the snow we’ve had, both last month and now this month, the crocuses and daffodils are here!

The boys have been hard at work in our backyard this winter.  On warm days they’ve been digging and clearing and playing a game they made up, called “pole-ball.”  They’ve built clubhouses and balance beams with the spare wood our landlord has all over the place.  Looking at the backyard makes me twitch: there’s so much junk and dirt!  I wish I could get out there and clear everything out, but when I see the boys out there, collaborating, building their own Roxaboxen with the mess, I’m happy to be patient.

It’s no secret that this year of homeschooling has been...stressful.  I spent the spring and summer of 2017 carefully planning out our days and breaks, and then we moved to a new state in September, one which has much more onerous homeschooling regulations.  Switching directions midstream is a huge challenge for me, and I’m not much of a risk taker. Tried and true, that’s what’s for me! I have been pushing for us to get all of our requirements in rather than focusing on the importance of mastery and cultivating our souls.  Sometimes it’s hard for homeschooling mothers to give themselves permission to slow down and not finish the book or curriculum for the year, but the pace we’ve been working at has exhausted all of us.

Being in a state of burn out and frustration, I found that the message of Teaching From Rest, a message always acknowledged with my head, reached my heart.  I’ve slowed down my pace, and I’m pulling books for next year now, with a refreshed mind.  I’m even exploring the option of a once-a-week co-op, one that has developed its own Charlotte Mason curricula.  It sounds like a wonderful thing for our family, especially my extroverted children.  But I’m also giving myself permission to say “no” to the co-op if it will add work and strain to our already hectic schedule.

This Lent I set the bar very low: my only goal was to keep the fast.  I remember all of the plans and goals I had last year, to fast (I made a six week meal plan), to participate in several Lenten studies and activities, both for me and the kids.  We got so ill, right before and right in the middle of Lent, that those goals weren't met.  So this year, I decided to keep things simple.  I didn't even plan our meals out until I sat down to make my weekly shopping list!  Do you know, Lent this year was more fruitful than any have been in the past several years? By God's grace, we experienced far more unplanned spiritual growth than in the years that I've had elaborate plans!  One thing that really helped me (although it was meant to guide my children), was listening to this podcast every night at dinner.  My children were really excited to hear it, and they were far more attentive than if I had read it myself.

I didn't keep onions skins this year, as I have many times in the past.  I wasn't even planning to dye eggs because I thought we wouldn't have room in the schedule.  But an unexpected pocket of time on Holy Friday with my little kids opened up, and I decided to try just a regular food dye with brown eggs.  We had such a delightful, low-intensity dying session!  Don't you think the eggs turned out well?  I read the little boys the stories behind dying the eggs red, too.  I hope we can make this an annual tradition!

Christos Anesti!


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