etc.

I am wiped. It's been an intensive week. The good news is that I am slowly overcoming my "joining things'" phobia. You are now reading the ponderings of a book club, church outreach committee, and homeschool co-op member, the co-manager of coffee hour, a coach's wife, etc., etc. This is great for me, personally - becoming a more integral member of our community and parish, but it makes for a longer lag time between snapshot of the day posts and for some random, rambling, hardly cohesive reflections - like this one.

The pictures are from a homeschool lesson I did with the kids on North American Saints (yes, Ben does wear that bowling league looking flame shirt fairly often). I have been really trying to include them in our Lenten experience. They are old enough now to participate in our Lenten readings, prayers and Church Services. Homeschooling has given me an opportunity to discuss at length, with the older three in particular, why we fast - why we prepare so intensely for Christ's Resurrection! Talk, talk, talk - I just keep trying talk about it conversationally and to answer honestly all of their (many) questions. It's an exciting time and a crucial time, I believe, for seeking constantly God's wisdom and patience!

Today we made birdfeeders out of peanut butter, bird seed and pine cones. We hung like a dozen of them up in the two trees on our front lawn and then we waited for the red birds, blue birds, finches, sparrows to fly back to Indiana en masse in order to feast on our irresistible "all you can peck" buffet but not one single bird showed up. We tried not to take it personally. Maybe tomorrow...

The sun has been out - hurray, hurray! It's lighter longer. I've been sleeping well. I've been enjoying immensely listening to all of the Ancient Faith Radio podcasts I've been wanting for months to catch up on. I found out that when people call you on your cell phone, you still get charged. ouch. I am 3/4 of the way through the three mountains of laundry that have been sitting in my living room since Saturday. I apologize in advance for any misspelled words as I am too tired to put this through spell check. It is thirty-three minutes exactly past my bedtime.

I owe many of you a phone call (outside of peak hours of course) , a letter, an e-mail, a telegram. It weighs on me, to think that my warm and loving and appreciative thoughts can't always find enough minutes in the day to express themselves by way of consistent correspondence. Please know (I hope you know who you are by now) that you are certainly on my mind and in my heart. I pray for you by name while vacuuming and while lying with Mary until she finally stops squirming and whispering, falls asleep for her afternoon nap. I pray for your health and that a peace which transcends all understanding will overwhelm you, will strengthen your faith and bring your courage.

Tuesday, with its ballet class, library run and eye appointments, is awaiting. Good night, my friends. Sweet dreams.