Peace

In the hectic pace of a normal week, I've been forcing myself to find places of peace.  This is fairly new for me, but, oh so welcome.  

So, this week brought the completion of our bathroom renovations, then cleaning, then carpet cleaning, then moving furniture back into their proper places, (at least the proper places we've decided for them now because putting them back where they were before the carpets were cleaned wouldn't make any sense), gymnastics, vege pick-up, planning and preparing for birthday parties, and a number of fires to put out at work!  It's been busy...

But, I found that peaceful place - right, smack-dab in the middle of the week in the middle of an errand I had been asked to run.  It was found in a moment that I wouldn't normally have had in the course of a week.  It was found in a quite familiar place.

and I stopped and a I breathed . . .

for about 10 minutes . . .

and then I went about my life, all the better for this moment.

Veges

We joined a Community Supported Agriculture this summer (because I'm a working mom and couldn't tend a full blown garden if I wanted to).  We do have a small garden and a love of home grown, fresh vegetables.  And we live in an area ripe for buying locally grown produce, eggs, meats.  Thank goodness for that!

So, Wednesday is Vege Day in our home - almost as exciting as gymnastics day or library day!  Vege pick up invites the surprise and anticipation of the week's offerings.  Whatever is ripe is what we get.  Then, the trick of learning what to do with this bounty.  

The kids are involved in this, too.  That's the point, really...

When I arrive home from work on Wednesday evening, they are lined up with my grocery bags and ready for the road trip.  They love to select the perfect cucumber or choose from the variety of herbs.  Sometimes they pick the prettiest herb - like pineapple sage - which I have NO idea what to do with.  They are very pretty, though.

My kitchen has become something of a culinary lab with new (to me) concoctions such as strawberry/rhubarb crumble, garlic scape pesto, and haluski.  Up this weekend is apple oatmeal cookies, garlic green beans, roasted potatoes with chives.  Delicious!  

I've enjoyed the discovery, the adventure, and learning all wrapped up in a few simple veges.

Something New

Something new . . .

Do the words excite you?  Make you curious?  Does your heart race a little with anticipation?

For many of us, the idea of something new sets are blood moving, puts a spring in our step, and keeps us up the night before the big event.

But, for some of us (my son, especially) something new can be debilitating, crippling, terrifying.  He's grappled with this fear of change since we moved to our new home now five years ago.

I digress . . .

Yesterday, we tried something new - a new church.  My early posts shared much of my frustration with the church and a deep yearning for a more spiritual connection than the traditional church can provide.  I have read (and will continue to read) a few books, lots of web sites, and explored other not-so-traditional options.  I've begun practicing meditation - regularly.

This morning, though, we finally did it.  We stepped outside our comfort zone and traveled to a nearby Unitarian Universalist Church.  I knew going in that this was not the kind of church I've always known.  It would not be the liturgy and ritual that I have always loved.  

I've come to believe that there are multiple truths and have written about this new paradigm before.  This church seems to offer a place to explore this multiplicity while providing support and understanding of each person and their personal spiritual journey.  I love this!

We enjoyed our morning, the warm welcome we received by the 35 members attending.  It was small, informal.  The speaker (who shared her Buddhist journey) was engaging and educational.  My spirit felt more at home than it has felt in years.  

The children were swept off to religious education where they watched a few scenes from Harry Potter and connected those to traditional beliefs of the UU church - love and dignity of all creation.  There aren't many mainline churches that would bring Harry Potter into their curriculum!

This was a big stretch for us - filled with excitement and curiosity, but also with fear and the realization of what we may give up moving forward.

While personally excited and hopeful, I'm mostly proud of my son.  He went off to religious education with the look of terror on his face, looked back at where we were sitting, and said "I can do this, Mom."

And he did!

Cooling

I've been quiet this week.  Fortunately, I've somehow mustered enough self-control to refrain from moaning and groaning about an awfully hot week, with no a/c at work, too much to do, yada, yada, yada.  I chose silence (and a little brooding and self-pity) and thought it better for everyone.

But, today we figured out how to deal with this heat wave and even found a few little friends who are soaking it up!

We started by moving all the beds down one floor where it is cooler.  Having had little to no sleep, I and the three little ones slept almost 11 hours each!  Good call . . .

 

Then, we played a little - inside.

Yes, I love that my oldest daughter wanted to capture the moment with her camera (just like her mamma!).

Then, we ventured outside with the promise of water play.

 

While we were outside, we found those creatures - the few on the earth - that love this scorching heat, hovering humidity, and stormy rains.

So, we tended them.

 

I read somewhere, some years ago to Choose Your Attitude.  I read it again on facebook this week - my dad's advice to my little brother.  I think our growing garden plants have done that well.  Hopefully, I will too!

How are you handling the heat?

Strength

If there is one message I hope to share with my daughters, it is that obstacles often placed before women do not need to be seen as obstacles.  I hope for them to be strong and to realize that there is nothing that they cannot do.

It seems this message might be getting through. 

I find that as I look for photo ops of my children, there is one that can scarcely be found.  She's too busy playing soccer, running, jumping, climbing, and simply moving.  She doesn't ever stand still.

Even when her body is not moving, her mouth is (and I say that with the kindness and admiration!).

But I love to watch her moving with grace and confidence.  I love that she will try anything, at least once.  I love that she keeps moving.     

No matter what . . .

She is certainly strong . . .

and proud of it!