Monday, March 16, 2009

Bears, Oh my!

I normally go to bed before the rest of my family. Usually, by 9pm I'm dragging myself up the stairs. Because we homeschool, the earliest bedtime for the children is 9:30pm. It works for us.

I came downstairs to check on sleepers and get a little yogurt. My way was blocked by a veritable forest of snow boots! Carefully tucked inside each boot, facing forward to the next adventure, was a Beanie Bear. It looked as though I'd caught them tobagganing across my family room floor. I wish our camera worked - I'd love to post a picture with this entry.

This was definitely my daughter M's doing. I can hardly wait 'til morning, when she'll tell me what she was imagining when she dragged all the boots out of the closet and put her bears in them. It's going to be good!

I love my children!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Lent

My Lenten sacrifice, the main one, is not going well this year. I'm a hypersomniac, and I'm trying to give up my daily naps. It is not going well. I'm just so fatigued - and besides, I like naps.

Last year I gave up shouting for Lent. That worked very well. My children were the chief beneficiaries of that "sacrifice". But I was highly motivated to change that behavior; I didn't like it. Our Father, in His wisdom, gives us the long winter days of Lent to make a habit of our little sacrifices. However, I caught myself shouting at my children just this week. I wish I could say it was a momentary lapse.

Perhaps, I'm trying to stretch this year's sacrifice too far. I'm giving up naps for Lent, but I'm also putting them toward my husband's intentions. Did I mention it's not going well?

Lent does begin with long winter days when things seem gray and cheerless. It also includes spring days, when hope rises with the sun. The Triduum is Lent in a nutshell: except on Easter our hope rises with the Son.

I need to just keep trying to make my bit of sacrifice; it will get easier to face just as the days get easier to face. I'm hopeful that what isn't going so well at the moment will be time I can spend in the Word and with my family as Lent continues.

I love Lent...I love Lent...I love Lent...