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Today was a good day, I say. Faith, Noah and I schooled this morning and then we went to lunch. I realized when I got in the car I had not been anywhere but the library drive-thru since Sunday. The kids had not been anywhere. Not a bad thing, but kind of unusual, and I think the kids need to get out. That's one reason why they get so testy -- same four walls same five people.



It snowed quite a bit here today. It was just flurrying when we left the house and by the time we got out onto a main road it was really coming down. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and then went into Target for just a few things. Noah had money burning a hole in his pocket and he bought a very large bag of Jelly Bellies. I don't know why he buys them because he is very particular about the flavors of candy he likes -- mostly just citrus fruit. He shared the rest with Joshua and Doug and they are gone now, just five or six hours later. Yuck.

Faith also asked for a small bag of Jellies and I said, "Yes" but only if she worked for me this afternoon. We had to stop at JoAnn's after Target so that I could hunt for some tiny glass beads I need for a rosary and while we were there Faith asked for no fewer than five things. Each time she asked I said "No" to which she would say "You never say yes." Each time she said it I responded "I just said yes to jelly beans at the last store." You would think by the fifth time she asked she would know the answer. One would think she is a spoiled child by the way I talk, but she really isn't when we're at home. She almost never asks for things. But when we get out.... That's the reason I try not to take her with me.

I got some beads, not the ones I went for but an acceptable substitute, and we came home. After Faith finished her school work she asked if she could clean the bathtub (she has never asked that before). I said "sure" -- am I crazy? -- and she went up to clean the tub. It wasn't until Doug got home close to an hour later that I realized she had changed into her bathing suit to "clean" the tub. Fortunately no cleaning products were involved. Just water.




I made some Oatmeal Banana Bread yesterday and at half a loaf today, with hot coffee (not in one sitting). Not a good diet, but not half bad either. I could think of worse things to eat. I guess a little moderation was in order. Huh.




I was sitting at the school table this morning, with a load of laundry in the washer, the breakfast dishes washed and dried, beds made, everyone dressed, combed, teeth brushed, and I thought to myself "What should I be doing?" I do that all day long -- think there is something else I should be doing. Usually there is something else I should, or could, be doing. This morning I realized there was nothing I should be doing except what I was doing, coordinating school, keeping the children on task. It was a really nice feeling, knowing I had done everything there was to do. I read Leila's latest post yesterday and this morning I realized that there is great peace in just accomplishing a few small tasks when they are meant to be accomplished. It takes a great deal of diligence sometimes to stay on task, to not be distracted by what we want to do. But truly it is worth the effort, for the peace if not for anything else.



And on that note, now I must go see what it is that my daughter says I need to see "right now." 



G'night.