Delighting in the Journey {Daybook - July 29th, 2016}

Chasing Slow
journaling my days as I delight in the journey...
July 29th, 2016

Chasing Slow

I took this photo to remember Bo's love offerings this summer. he has picked me bouquet after bouquet of wild flowers on our little homestead in Montana. 
Chasing Slow
bedrooms are clean and pretty. well, Bo's side of the room may be a mess by now, and my teen is at camp for the week and that explains why his room is clean (I cleaned it), but I've been working hard to get rooms clean since we moved rooms around after two boys moved out. In the master bedroom, we have new cream colored sheets and the softest blanket on a foam mattress topper that makes it so comfy. several matching decorative pillows that were given to us sit on top - I saw the very same pillows on an episode of When Calls the Heart! they are charming and old fashioned (and maybe old, but I don't know). also in the room is a hundred year old arm chair with a foot stool, a treadle sewing machine for a nightstand, and two old fashioned lamps on each side of the bed that were also given to us. It's old fashioned in look, but pretty and clean and modern in that it is very minimalist, bright, and clean. 

we moved elli into the little boys old room. we put a pretty light seafoam quilt on her bed - I bought it for our log bed at our home in montana, but she loved it and it will get more use here. she is moving away from hot pink and is into coral now, which i love. they will be pretty together as we can afford to make her room pretty.

Chasing Slow
by enjoying the little things.
"it's the sweet simple things of life that are the real ones after all." -Laura Ingalls Wilder 
Chasing Slow
I've been spending some time with the kids at our place in Montana this summer and was able to establish a wonderful daily rhythm. we had meals at regular times, we cleaned up together, the kids spent a lot of time playing outside while I worked, and most importantly, we had a regular bedtime routine and read aloud time. it was all so peaceful and slow. my husband wants routine and structure in our home, but I realized that he is the one that upsets our rhythm the most. at home, kids are busy in camps and sports. we have late dinners. and instead of an early bedtime and read aloud, we watch an episode of Heartland on up.tv. it's all good, but when I get out of a steady rhythm, it's hard to get it back. 

Chasing Slow
that today is my husband's last day of summer term. he took two online courses through our local college: macroeconomics and western civilizations. he has two more classes to get an associates degree and will then start working towards a bachelors. I will be happy to have my husband back until soccer season starts. maybe we can watch an earlier episode of Heartland as a family, and then I can tuck the kids in bed with a book. :-) 
Chasing Slow
we finished reading Plum Creek a good week or two ago, but we have one small project to finish up - a 9 patch quilt square. fabric is ironed and cut, but I'm wondering if it would be a better winter project. that's when Laura and Mary worked on their quilts. 

Bo is off to a great start with All About Reading Level 1 Second Edition! I'm so pleased with the new edition! 
Chasing Slow
by focusing on what's good about today. it's been a season of change, and change - even if it is positive can be stressful and emotional. choosing to let go of the pain and focus on the good is helping me cope.
Chasing Slow
by learning that trusting God = resting in God. {{{game changer!!!}}} I say I trust, but do I then REST in Him? no, my heart is filled with worry and anxiety the whole time. I want to rest in God. 

Chasing Slow
my garden is not looking good, so I'll focus on our place in Montana - 22 acres of forestland. we have the prettiest blue birds! we looked them up and they are probably mountain bluebirds. each year we see more and more signs of life. the pine trees are abundant with pine cones (a first since we've owned the land) and we have lots of little (and some big) critters. the land is healing, and the slash piles we created are homes to many small animals. 

Chasing Slow
letting go of Jordan was easy. after two years of college and him living as an adult child in our home, he was ready and so was I. it has been much harder emotionally letting go of Nathan. the good: he is in a much better school, is playing soccer again, and is happy. we are happier. and after graduation, he will have in state tuition to attend the University of Montana. 

Chasing Slow
of the delightful Burgess books. we are currently reading old man coyote. we have heard his howls when the moon is full and know he lives close by, but we haven't met him yet. :-)

of terra firma. very interesting. it has grounded me even more in my faith and will undoubtably change my homeschool.

of QBQ! The Questions Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life. This is a quick read (or listen on audible), but it changed me and has made my marriage and relationships better. instead of trying to change anyone, it has me asking "what can I do to make things better?" What can I do to make my marriage better, for example. I was intentional about one particular area of our relationship and it had a profound affect on our marriage. I can't wait to listen to Parenting the QBC Way

oh! and of my trim healthy mama plan, cookbook, and membership this summer. it took me about a year to get the place that I was ready to lose the 10 pounds I gained during a pregnancy that ended at 12 weeks, but I made up my mind it was time and I did it. ::yay!:: now I am holding steady and enjoying being closer to my trim. a new favorite: crepes with cottage cream, strawberries, and whipped cream - and all on plan! oh, and thank you to a few of you who shop through my thm store link. :-)

Well, I suppose I will do my sabbath meal prep and think about working on posts for Plum Creek. :-) Have a great weekend!

Until next time... 

4 comments

  1. A beauty full love offering from Bo! I know that you have had to endure a lot of changes and finding that "rest" in the Father is hard. Your post here shows that you are :) Your school year seems to be off to such a wonderful start with the Prairie Primer. My daughter "E" still remembers our audio book drives listening to all the stories.

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  2. Beautiful post. I just finished reading a few books about Laura and her life. I'm always fascinated with all she experienced. From covered wagons to cars and I want a Rocky Ridge farm of my own someday but I don't think that's in my life plans.

    I didn't know you had a thm link. I'll have to use it next time I order. I had a membership but didn't use it that much. I did at first but then it dwindled. I hope to sign up again and get motivated.

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  3. I'm not sure why this post went out (it was from July!), but thank you, Linda! Our house in MT is on a ridge, so I thought about calling it the Little House on Rocky Ridge. :D

    Me too! I let my membership go this month after a 6 months subscription. I used it more my first month or two then only occasionally. I probably won't sign up again, though I loved the printables and menus. I didn't find the forum as helpful as I had hoped (since I'm not on FB anymore).

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  4. How funny, I didn't notice the date, lol. I was wondering why you were writing about summer in Dec. I thought you maybe had a catching up post.

    Miss you on FB but I understand. At times I want to close my FB acct.

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