Daybook

.

 Outside my window...

...more cold -- 13 degrees to be exact, but some sun. There is hope that the temps will reach 32 today and maybe some snow might thaw, but I doubt it. There is rain in the forecast tomorrow (or slushy rain if the temp doesn't get very high). It's hard to believe it hasn't even officially been winter for a month yet.

I am thinking...

...about my son and his girlfriend. We've had some situations in which I know he (and I) is being manipulated by a teenage girl and I'm having a hard time not pushing back and cutting off my nose to spite my face, to use a phrase my mother used on me for many years. Have I mentioned that teenage girls are very manipulative? I thought I had.

I am thankful for...

... a day off school (yes I know we just had a two week break, but it's my inner child thinking "no school!"). Because we're a mixed family (school/homeschool) the homeschoolers get the day off when school is out. Today it's for Martin Luther King Jr Day.

From the lesson plans...

...this week is testing week for Noah, so tomorrow we push hard, which is unfortunate because tomorrow is the first day back after a three-day break which are notoriously not good school days. Should be interesting.

...Faith is enjoying reading and spelling and phonics. Currently there are papers all over the house with hyphenated compound words written on them, some of which are not actually words, but she "gets it!"

From the kitchen...

...trying a new recipe for Shipwreck Casserole. It sounds oddly good to me, and is cheap and easy.

I am wearing...

... khaki trousers, a black fleece shirt and Miraculous Medal earrings.

I am creating...

...a scarf for Faith, and I'm anticipating a shipment of yarn for a scarf for my niece -- something special to send her before her surgery.

I am reading...

...Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. She wrote Girl With A Pearl Earring and I enjoy her style.

I am hoping...

...for a peaceful day; so far I haven't achieved it.

I am hearing...

...Faith chattering to her dad who his home for a while this morning.

Around the house...

...not laundry! On Saturday, Doug cleaned my laundry room while I was at the grocery store. Then he brought me all the dirty laundry, load by load, until there was no dirty laundry left (at one point I was ready to clobber him). Except for a few things still hanging dry in the basement, all the clothes have been washed, dried and put away. All the ironing is done and I can honestly tell you we have waaaay too many clothes! Cheryl left a comment in my "To-Do" post saying by the time we get through all the laundry and put it away we're so sick of laundry we vow to never bring another article of clothing into the house. Yup. That's just exactly where I am. Urge to buy completely cured. ;-)

I am going...

...to take my high schooler to a neighboring library for a piece of research material and then home for the remainder of the day.

One of my favorite things...

...a day with no particular plans for a change.

I am praying for...

...my children, my niece -- her surgery is scheduled for February 4 and they will take out the tumor and test it, three soldiers, in particular, and all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion today -- especially this week, the week before the anniversary of Roe v Wade.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

...taking dinner to a family in need, homeschool gym and drum lessons, and that's about it, baring any unforeseen circumstances.

Thought of the day...

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."
— Martin Luther King Jr.

Let's rise above "I have a dream" and remember this one.

.