Hello, friends. Here’s what’s happening these days…

answering: why? All. Day. Long. It is Charlie’s favorite question. He likes it so much he doesn’t even care what the answer is. Because he’s just going to ask it again. A sample conversation:

Me: Charlie, it’s time to put away your toys.
Him: Why?
Me: Because it’s almost bedtime.
Him: Why?
Me: Because it’s getting dark outside.
Him: Why?
Me: Because the sun goes down at night.
Him: Why?
Me: Because God made it that way.
Him: Why?
Me: God is supposed to be the answer to everything! Can’t you just be satisfied?!

trying: a new routine. We’ve been working on bringing a bit more structure to our days. I started implementing new after-breakfast and after-lunch routines this week and so far it’s been going well. It get us out of our pajamas, give us time for school and play, and builds in a little time for cleaning up the house as well. Somedays that’s all that gets done, but at least it’s something.

learning: more letters. Our new routine has given us a regular school time and Charlie’s been doing so well on learning his letters. Someday soon I plan to do a post sharing all the activities we’ve been doing.

reading: “The Journey” by Mary Oliver. My husband shared it in his newsletter this past week and it left me nodding and murmuring things like, “isn’t that the truth.”

The Journey

by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do—
determined to save
the only life you could save.

leaving: you with these pictures my husband took, because you can’t have a blog post with out pictures, and I didn’t really take many good ones this week. I feel like they capture life around here so well.

Enjoy your weekend!