some confusion between not doing anything and not doing everything

I read an email wrong yesterday morning, and we arrived at a much anticipated event just as it was ending.  The good news is that it’s a weekly thing.  We’ll have another chance to go next week, on time, and enjoy our friends while learning something new.  I had two very disappointed children, though (out of five, I’ll take it!).  One of the disappointed parties accused me of "never letting them do anything."  I let that comment rest a minute, and then I said, "I think you’re confusing not doing anything with not doing everything."  I may have proceeded to list all of the activities we had participated in in the past week, which probably didn’t help in our discussion.  This child was speaking from a place of exhaustion (due to all of the recent activities and late nights!) but I had a couple of realizations while I stewed about the child’s comment and the activities we do.

If we think we’re "not doing anything," it comes from a place of ingratitude.  We can be thankful for what we are allowed to do, however little or much.  We should be thankful for the time we spend with our friends, the different activities that we can pursue, and the things we have.

The activities that we participate in as a family and because of our obligations might not always be the activities our children love, or that all of our children love.

We have limits, and with those need to come boundaries.  Time, our own energy, the energy of those around us, health, other obligations, finances (and a limited number of drivers in the family)-- all play a role in how much we can fit in to our schedules.  Sometimes we just can’t.  

This has been a season of illness and exhaustion for some of my kids.  I’ve had to be home with them more than usual, my husband has had a fuller schedule than usual, and therefore I’ve been having to ask others for rides for my big kids.  I’ve never had to do this before, and honestly we’ve never had so many activities to attend, so it’s quite humbling!  I prefer to be the help-er, rather than the help-ee.

It’s feeling more like the Christmas season, now that we’ve celebrated St. Nicholas and St. Spyridon.  I ask my husband every year, "What’s that Greek saying about St. Spyridon and the days starting to get longer?"  Usually I text him, and I can hear him sighing and rolling his eyes as he types back: Απ’ τ’ άγιου Σπυρίδωνα σπυρί-σπυρί μεγαλώνει η μέρα...From St. Spyridon (Day), seed by seed, the days grow longer.  It’s a hopeful proverb!  The sun sets so early now, it’s dark before dinner is even laid on the table.  My Christmas cactus has bloomed, through nothing I have done, and one of my orchids is sending forth new buds.  It’s strange to see bright blooms when the trees are all bare, the sky is habitually grey, and the sun wakes late and retires early.
The kids have off from their Thursday school, so we are fitting more into the week, but also finding time to rest. I’ve got two things 99% finished for my sister’s baby, but I’ve gotten a little sidetracked by Christmas knitting.  Little M will be getting some knitted doll clothes for a new (to her) doll.  One of our focuses this term is memorizing scripture and poems, and I knit while everyone works on them.  G just finished memorizing the one below, which is fitting for a newly-minted six-year-old.

The End
by A. A. Milne

When I was One,
I had just begun.

When I was Two,
I was nearly new.

When I was Three,
I was hardly Me.

When I was Four,
I was not much more.

When I was Five,
I was just alive.

But now I am Six, I’m as clever as clever.
So I think I’ll be six now for ever and ever.