Signs of Spring

*1*

My goal is to have something to read every time our writing group meets. It is good discipline, but it has been challenging to find time to write.  I really read and write and study best with no distractions. My life is full up with distractions.

*2*

I've been writing about the fire, and my Dad and sister, and memories. I had been writing a  book, and actually have over 20,000 words committed to it. It is not at all about the fire or my family of origin or of loss. In fact, quite the opposite.  But, gosh darn it, I continue to be distracted by the events of the past year. Death is so uncompromisingly final. On this side of eternity I am left with ambiguity.
I read St. Patrick's Prayer yesterday. Meditating on God above and beneath me, beside and within me, despite unchanging or difficult circumstances. I was nourished. I have felt parched and hardened and unsure of so many things. But He is sure and true and unchanging. "Christ shield me today..."

*3*

Math- Singapore and LoF, flash cards, minute drill
History - From Sea to Shining SEa. The book has been nice, with beautiful pictures and terrific maps. But it has really rocked as a curriculum because of the workbook that my irl friend, Ana, wrote. The workbook pulls out information from the text and solidifies. Perfect for grammarians. American Lit for Feeche. We started SOTW Activity book IV this week.  The note taking is going to be challenging for Flower but we found our 1 x3 white boards in the attic, which will help. We are looking forward to some fun projects together! VP flashcards
Writing: WWE,  ETC 8, Writing Tales and IEW's American Lit..
Science: Chemistry, Anatomy for Cub.
Misc: Shakespeare for Feeche and poetry for everybody. Weekly co-op includes art, choral and unit-study.
The 2nd meeting of NAP was held Thursday afternoon. Feeche and Flower baked flourless p.b. cookies and brewed tea. Feeche read 2 poems he'd written and recited one. Flower and Cub recited a couple each, including this week's poem, "The Psalm of Life" by Longfellow.

*4*

We received our copies of Above Rubies #81today. In it is an article I wrote about being able to afford a large family. I showed Flower the picture of us. She exclaimed, "Hey! How did we get in here!" The boys both grabbed a copy and sat down to read it and had positive comments. Very sweet!

*5*

Japan. Oy vey.

*6*

The weather has been delightful and we have been out in it! We saw an adult beaver and a beaver kit on the river bank this week and Feeche spotted them again today. 60 degees is a heat wave, especially as it was 18 degrees last Sunday and the Feeche is taking full advantadge by going barefoot! The river that borders our property is so full it's bursting at the seams, flooding our southern pasture. On Wednesday there were huge ice chunks, 2 feet thick, 6 feet across, blocked by the bridge. By Thursday the ice was gone and the water deep. The kids walked, rode bikes and came in flushed with fresh air,  their pants soaked and full of  mud and the promise of spring clinging to their boots.

*7*

It's week 4 of NO COFFEE and still every afternoon I hit a slump where I am so unreasonably tired I am literally falling asleep sitting up. Can caffeine medically support my thyroid script? Does the sacrifice count if you've slept through it?

What are you reading? Writing? Sacrificing? Praying? Meditating on?

Join the conversation by linking up at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. or at Conversion Dairies