Simple Woman #11

FOR TODAY March 23, 2009

Outside My Window... darkness. I forgot to post earlier, not that anyone is keeping score.

I am thinking... about family friends. When I met them, almost 15 years ago, the wife was in the early stages of MS. She walked with a cane, but could still drive a car. We went to a Bible Study together, and she always had insightful things to share.

Of course, her condition got worse as time went by. Her husband has cared for her all these years. She could no longer walk, keep house, cook, feed or bathe herself. Her speech was hard (or impossible) to understand.

I've never known him to complain or even to seem discouraged - he just carries on. He loves to work with children at church and has a wonderful, natural rapport with them. And he helps with just about everything. When we bought our first house, with apple trees in the back yard, he came over and showed Kerry how to prune them.

A friend called a few days ago to say that the wife is in the hospital. Infection. Heart attack.

Now, I think she must be dying. But that isn't a question one calls and asks. Still, tomorrow I'll call someone. Find out what is happening. They've requested no visitors at the hospital.

We pray for them. The husband, the wife, the (grown) son. For their comfort.

I am thankful for... health, friends, for faith to be sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

From the learning rooms... the boys are asleep. We changed the sheets, (off with the flannels, though the nights are still cold), and cleaned and moved furniture in their bedroom. The school room is tidy also. Lessons are waiting for tomorrow, a day that will be happily disrupted.

From the kitchen... only the hum and gurgle of the dishwasher.

I am wearing... I ought to eliminate this category, because it's so repetitious. Jeans, a t-shirt, a sweater, socks and slippers.

I am creating... planning yet another quilt, but have not begun it yet.

I am going... soon to BED.

I am reading... "Winter Birds", by Jamie Langston Turner. I love her writing. She uses actual chapter titles, and they are clues to the characters and events in the story. This one has double clues. The chapter titles are all quotes from Shakespeare (of whom I am woefully ignorant), and descriptions of birds and their natures. One bird, I've forgotten the name, is known to hide in a thicket and gorge itself on grubs - fat hairy caterpillars. Her husband had a wicked secret.

I am hoping... to get more done tomorrow than will be possible, what with a meeting with Tate's HoH teacher, a piano lesson, and friends visiting from Siberia. The boys are intrigued. I don't think they remember meeting them before, and are even more interested now that I have told them that many of the people where our friends live are descended from actual Mongols, who came up in our history studies earlier this year.

I am hearing... blessed silence. I have a Catholic friend who told me she once went on a weekend retreat at a monastery or convent. And it was silent. Their may have been certain hours when they were allowed to speak, but mostly it was silent. We both had toddlers and preschoolers at the time and I, at least, felt as if my entire life was being narrated. Her retreat sounded absolutely blissful.

Around the house... order, for the moment anyway.

One of my favorite things... boys that can load the dishwasher.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: after tomorrow things look pretty calm. Gunnar goes to AWANA on Wednesday evenings, but other than that the week looks pretty clear.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is the eyesore in my backyard a sign of my boys wonderful creativity.
This is another view of the backyard wonderland known as Dino-opolis.

Yes, that's a little fire.
Yes, I was right there watching.
Yes, they put it out.
Though the notion of it spreading, in our damp mossy climate, is a bit laughable.