The Easter holidays have begun! I love all holidays for different reasons, but the Easter ones seem to signify hope; a change from winter to spring, and more importantly the life giving hope of Easter. However, after some warm and sunny weeks, the weather has turned cold again (a dusting of snow on the hills), we have been sharing a cold round between us and I’ve struggled to cope with some challenging behavioural issues. This last week has seemed a bit of a slog. I thought I could either write about the marathon nature of mothering, or about some of the days we have enjoyed in the spring warmth. I’ve opted for the latter. G K Chesterton wrote that the world will never starve for want of wonders, only for the want of wonder. So, in the midst of an ordinary life, these have been my moments of wonder and thankfulness.
Digging our veg patches. After a year of neglect, our big veg patch has reverted to its field state. The digging is hard work. Our smaller veg garden at home needs a lighter touch and Dancing Toes has done a great job on her allotted ground.
We’ve had fun sorting through our seeds and ordering some more.
We’ve bought seed potatoes and put them out to chit.
We spent a lovely few hours at a National Trust property, with a home ed friend and her children, and met her new, adorable baby.
While we wandered around enjoying the signs of spring, Rhythm Dude spent the time with a team of bodgers. Yes, really. Bodging is a traditional woodworking craft, using green not seasoned wood. I thought this might dovetail his carpentry course with his love of bushcraft and outdoors pursuits. He made this excellent dibber, having started with a big chunk of tree.
We enjoyed the blossom in Granny’s Cathedral City. (And I spent a couple of blissful solitary hours reading and writing and drinking two cappuccinos…felt I really had earned the second one!).
I’m very aware Mother’s Day is a hard one for many, touching on deep pain. I think we were able to acknowledge this at church as well as celebrate mothers. Our boys’ band was playing, which is always a tear jerker for me. I feel so blessed when I see them leading worship. There are no guarantees with parenting, but it is a precious gift when we see our kids living out a firm faith. I then enjoyed these beautiful tulips at NT Montecute House.
We are starting Monday mornings with nature study, which seems as gentle a way as possible to slip into the week. Later on that day we walked through the woods to a new friend of Dancing Toes. Another home educated girl in our small town.
We have acquired three new point of lay hens to add our existing two, who just weren’t producing enough eggs. As we meandered down some tiny lanes to collect them, we remembered back the precious day we spent with Sally Clarkson, driving down similar lanes. So, we’ve called one of them Sally! She’s a beautiful hen, has an independent streak, and has already made a couple of bids for freedom, despite clipped flying feathers. Needless to say I have a soft spot for her.
And finally, my moments of wonder and thankfulness for the boys. They are both studying hard for exams, and I’m so humbled by their commitment and perseverance…even my dyslexic, rugby loving and drum playing boy who can’t sit still for two minutes! Lanky Dude has been offered a conditional place at our Big City university. This is such an answer to prayer and I’m so very relieved. But, he needs high grades at A level, so it’s going to require a lot of hard work. Rhythm Dude had a couple of interviews at college, and has been offered a place on a sports course. This is also an answer to prayer, that they looked at his character and not just his academic qualifications. Our home school journey has been such a step of faith, but God is so very faithful.
A verse I pray many mornings is “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.” Psalm 133:1. I’m praying this for our Easter holidays, that despite the revision and all the necessities of daily life, we would have space to rest and find those soul restoring moments.
Mothering through the seasons 