The Ability of Combating Chaos Through Small Spaces of Beauty

hmmmm... not sure what I want to blog about usually means I wonder what has been going on. Mostly parent/teacher conferences. This week has filled up with those. But also coming home each night to the home I curated and built over years and years, wrapping me up like a hug each night.  

Looking at what I've taken pictures of is also like a hug. Warm cookies baked for my family, scenes of comfort from our lent home, places of beauty all around me even on really full days. 

I love this quote so much and believe in every word of it: 

"In times of exhaustion, grief, or trial, holding on to a sense of order and lovliness is essential. Those many trials of life can not be fixed with a pat answer, the difficulty of walking through them is often eased if it can be experienced in a lovely environment. 

The idea stems from being made in the image of a creative God. Just as God looked into the void and created our orderly, lovely, magnificent universe, we are able to look into the messiness of our lives and create spaces of meaning and beauty. A simple way to combat chaos is to focus on creating small spaces of beauty." ~ Sally Clarkson 

Little vases of flowers on my dresser 

A cozy chair with a view outside filled with all I need for prayer and quiet

Artwork from a local artist - the saints of my daughters 

A cozy quilt rack

Zucchini lasagna 

A little view of the jelly cupboard in the background and the teacup I use every morning this month in the background 

Homemade oatmeal brown sugar bread for the week 

Proof that I sat down last weekend - my teacup in this scene 

This utility bar is the perfect addition to these open shelves... I love it so much

This space in March - no big holiday - just simple 

I added to this collection of pewter - the little rounded creamer and sugar 

Ideals of Then and Now

It was such a gift to be home for 13 years. A precious time bubble that I knew wouldn't last forever but that I was in. I knew it every single day. Of course mothering my two little ones at the time was at the forefront of my mind. The days felt ordinary then; most of the tasks were repeated over an over. Wake them up, cook their breakfast, get them ready for the day. And on and on the day went. I loved it all - knew I was meant for 'such a time as this'. I relied heavily on my strong organizational skills, and a strong sense of ideals on how I wanted them to be raised - in read alouds, wonderful books, first picture books then chapter books (and still I read aloud to them - working on finalizing my list for this summer), in wholesome play - open-ended toys that allowed them to create 'worlds' and delve deep into their imagination, time to talk talk talk with them. Not TV shows, screens, or even movies. 

And even now ideals in mothering are very important to me. I have filled a notebook throughout this school year with ideas for the summer to connect with my daughters now almost 23 and 19 I have Bible studies planned, tea times planned, outings planned, questions I want to ask them, find out what is deeply on their hearts, and mother them. I still believe this mothering that I do is the most important work in my life. 

There are days since I went back to the classroom that feel too full and messy to me. But I hold on to those ideals. And when Anna's days are so full (full time program graduate school and math tutoring in a school) and Abigail is too far to talk to some days (away at college), I still put my effort into mothering. I pray for them (oh how I pray for them), I plan for our times together with my very best friends that they will be intentionally life giving, and I create places and spaces in our home that are a delight for them. There are often frozen homemade cookie dough balls ready to pop in the oven for a warm evening treat and a stolen moment away together. I am ready. 

Naps and Home from College

I am so glad that Abigail is home for college spring break. 

She came home fine on Friday evening. By the time it was time to go to sleep I knew she was feeling sick. 

Just a cold thank goodness but it hit her hard. 

The same thing used to happen to Anna. Exactly the same. 

More than just a few times Anna would be keeping it together for midterms or finals, going going going to classes, doing the college thing, writing papers, studying, and then she'd come home and her body would shut down. Fever, colds, always the day she got home. 

I'm grateful that Abigail is home sick than in college sick. And yes, it's just a cold that with a few days of napping, sleeping, good healthy food, and care she will be all better. 

How many times have I taken a picture of her sleeping in this bedroom? Oh maybe a million. 

Love this post 

This one too

Sweet 

Oh my love love love 

Home

 

Prepared

Today when I left my classroom I was so ready for tomorrow and super organized. It doesn't always happen like that, math lesson ready to go, literacy lesson ready to go, and all of the other things that fill in ready to go. 

I guess I've always been like that, organized, ready to the best of my ability. 

Sometimes when I run across an old photo like these I think, wow! I'm the exact same person. I can guarantee that everything in that backpack was selected on purpose. That snack that she's eating, picked. Those little summer shoes, I know I thought though that. 

I don't know what zoo we are at. I'm not exactly sure how old Abigail was here... maybe 3. My arms and heart were full.  

A New Time

Our family has gone to church at 10:00 am always. We found our parish just around our first anniversary. That means we've been going to this church for about 29 years.  29 years!!!!! How is that possible? 

When we were first married 10:00 suited us just fine. I think we enjoyed sleeping in then. 

When we had babies and toddlers and elementary aged girls 10:00 was the only option really. They were awake early but there was a lot to 'wrangle' in that stage. (although happiness, pure happiness and I loved it) I can remember laying out their church clothes with them the night before (oh how I loved that). I can remember cooking breakfast, cleaning up, helping them get ready, doing their hair, helping to brush their teeth, putting on their coats, shoes, and getting them into the car. I remember packing their 'church' bags with fun and quiet things to do during Mass (I miss that). 

When we middle school and high school teens 10:00 was again the only option for us. Those teens needed to sleep in and we accommodated of course. 

But now, we have one in college going to church on her own, and one young adult. And so we've changed our church time to 8:00 am. 

Here is why we love it so much more:

⛪Getting up and going without doing lots of things first helps make it feel more holy to us. It's first and we like putting our faith first. That time just feels like the day hasn't started yet and so our minds are clear and our hearts are open to hear the Word and participate. 

⛪When we get home around 9:15 we have soooOoooo much day ahead of us. It feels good to have all of Sunday to go. 

⛪It's less crowded and so I find it more peaceful 

⛪This might sound strange but the 10:00 has a certain feel to it. There is a lot of music and a lot of families. When I've been to 10:00 since our girls have grown it's actually kind of hard. I see all of those young families with their 'church bags' and I want just one more time to be that family. So going to an entirely different Mass feels like an entirely new time in our lives and we need that. We can't stay in that stage forever! 

This past Sunday Scott decided to entice Anna and give her a spring in her step to going with us to the 8:00 by making a homemade waffle brunch when we got home and it was so so good! Hot tea, turkey sausage, and warm buttery waffles... yes please! 

Friday

I had a great two days in my classroom with my fourth graders. A two day week!!!!

Last weekend of February: 

❄piles and piles and piles of snow outside

❄a warm and sunny day coming tomorrow - I heard it might even hit 50!!!!!! I can't wait for Scott to take the twinkle lights from Christmas off the bushes. Our pots are still frozen so the Christmas remains in there for now too... bummer! 

❄and this is how it started. I came up from my workout (Peloton) and found this coziness. If you've been on this blog long enough you know this one always has a book in her hands. 

Cheers to a happy, healthy, productive, relaxing, prayerful, cozy weekend ahead!