is it friday already again?

I know I shouldn't complain.

Fridays are fun days.

But my oh my, the weeks are just speeding by.

School begins for us on Tuesday.

I'm excited. 

And nervous.

And in full planning mode.

Trying to wrap my brain around schedules.

And three.

Three kids at home for school this year.

And how to attend to their needs.

And one on one time.

And how to keep the others occupied

while one or more need that one on one time.

Without losing their attention.

It's enough to send my heart racing a bit.

Cause I have one who if you lose her, you lose her big time.

And the emotions and the reeling back in.  It's tough.

And it triggers anxiety in me.

Which is good for no one.

So I try to keep it to a minimum.

And then I realize that I may not be able to wrap my 

brain around how all of this will work until I'm just in it.

And I find my way as it unfolds.

Because so often we can plan and schedule and map out

and then we realize our plans don't really work.

But my tendency is to map out.

Because my brain needs a map.

I like guidelines.

I'm a rule kind of girl.

Tell me the directions, and I'll see it through.

Every last detail.

And right now, with our new curriculums 

and adding a SIXTH grader.

My brain is feeling a bit like it needs to read the map.

But I've learned I need to be flexible with that map.

Because life happens.

And life very rarely stays the way you imagine.

And that I think has been a very important lesson in my life as a mom.

In learning to let things go, and to go more with the flow.

So my planning nature is planning, but with the caveat that

all those plans have wavy margins and wiggle room.

Cause with three young-ish wigglers, a dog, a trio of chickens,

doorbells, spills, hunger, fights, tears, make ups, you know, life. 

With interruptions galore we need lots of wiggle room 

so that my well laid plans can be a guide, but a guide

with breathing room.  

And space to play, so that prayerfully we have margins in our schedule

to keep that peaceful pace I so desperately want to hold onto this year.

So ... here is a little bit of my insta friday update.

I didn't do much posting this week I've realized.  But it's ok.

Life has been busy getting organized!

And making things pretty.

I think I mentioned a bit ago that I am loving

the vintage sellers on instagram.

I came in at the very end of this insta sale.

And these were the last vintage postcards being sold.

I initially thought that I'd put a couple in my daughter's

room.  But that girl with the bird in the bonnet.

She just felt too right in this little spot on my side of the office.

 I can get completely side tracked in organizing with making things pretty.

And you know what, I'm ok with that.  Because having little bits of inspiration

fuel my creativity and help me be more productive.  Yea, I may be justifying a bit.

But it's true, don't you think?

Soon I'll share our curriculum choices for this year.

Things have evolved and changed a bit even from where

I thought we were heading.

But that's ok.

It's all part of that unpredictable life thing.

Here's one thing I'm super excited about for my son.

A study for just him and I and to do together.

I know without a shadow of a doubt that 

at the end of this, it'll be powerful and he'll have

learned a lot.  And that is what he is hungry for.

He loves studying the bible and sometimes

gets so frustrated when things are dumbed down for kids.

So that is part of why I chose this.

I know it won't be dumbed down at all and it'll

equip him with solid backing for when he is challenged.

And if I have one goal for him out of homeschooling.

Well, I have two.

One is to regain his love of learning.

The second is to channel his already attorney/lobbyist 

strengths into being a warrior for Christ.

There are things about his personality that can be exhausting

as a mom.

But I've always said I know God has made him

this way for a purpose.

And it's my job to stand strong,

unemotional,

and to channel his strengths and determination

in positive directions.

Oh that and I also always pray

Lord help me train him well for his wife.

Let me help him see the hows and whys women

need what they need and why they work the way they work.

Because we are confusing creatures I know.

But being understanding and compassionate to all of that.

It's important.

But I digress.

Let's get back to insta friday!

My sister lives in New York.

Sigh.

And we see her now only a couple of times a year.

She came out for a visit with her son, husband, and his brother and sister.

My parents came up and we made a trip to the Getty

for their family concert and a picnic.

It was a beautiful day.

And my kids LOVE playing with their cousin.

Little discoveries around my house... a baby

hawk making lots of noise.

And a mama swooping around

quite a bit.

Commotion in the kitchen led me to 

find her where she very much knew

she shouldn't be.

Busted.

Look at her trying not avoid eye contact.

And this guy has begun physical therapy for his 

wrist.  From the break and the sprain that

they thought could have been a fracture or

a torn ligament (praise God it wasn't) he's

just a bit weak.  So he has to strengthen it

before he gets the green light to play sports.

Which I know is killing him.

But should be motivation to

do the work!

Meanwhile she's trying to show me

how strong her hand is.  

Putting your face into it,

that seems to help.

Happy Friday everyone!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.