Today was a quiet day. A normal day.
It started at five minutes before 6:00. I was about to hop in the shower in hopes of a few quiet moments before my little girls awoke. But at 5:55, my towel-clad husband carried in my very awake one-year-old. As I snuggled and nursed her in bed, the other two came clamoring in. So much for morning quiet time! :) Erik needed to be at work early, so after a quick shower, I helped him put together breakfast and lunch before meeting the needs of the girls. By 7:00, everyone was settled at the breakfast table with eggs and toast. I read about two pages of Beth Moore's "Praying God's Word," while sipping PG Tipps tea.
After breakfast, I managed to clean up the kitchen(including a massive cinnamon and sugar spill which occurred while I was trying to read :)) while simultaneously playing "driver" for the older girls' morning adventure of "traveling to Nana's." For this adventure, Elisa was dressed in a sleeveless white blouse, long john pants, and corduroy jacket. Sadie was wearing her blue Cinderella dress over the top of a watermelon print swimsuit. Raina was still in her pjs - and a stinky diaper.
After arriving at the imaginary Nana's house, we headed upstairs. Big girls were instructed to make beds, brush teeth, and finish dressing while Mommy settled Raina-bean for a nap. After Raina was asleep, I sat my Sadie-girl down for some instruction and correction regarding the fact that her bed was unmade and she was still wearing a swimsuit. This time, we got the job done right, with a little help from Mom.
School-time! First - our morning calendar, shapes, weather, and counting reviews. Devotions. Elisa's phonogram writing practice. Reading. While I worked with Elisa on her reading, Sadie got to write in a pan filled with white rice. Yup. That required vacuuming when we were done! :) Sadie reviewed the letter E with me, singing the alphabet song and reading an elephant rhyme. We played a rhyming word matching game. Then, we located Bolivia on the world map and read about a boy named Oscar who lives there.
Ziggy Zebra joins us for Sadie's alphabet lessons. He makes things fun!
Right about then, Raina woke up. It took some time to clean up, and the girls worked on some coloring as I changed Raina and put last night's chicken carcass in a pot to boil into broth.
Outside! We checked out the progress in our greenhouse, noting new arugula and cucumber shoots and then lightly watering. Raina loves dirt! We splashed in mud puddles, and swung, and Mom pulled the wagon around the yard. We found a bird's egg and speculated about how the fragile shell had made it's way into the middle of our grass. We went for a short walk - Raina on my back.
Lunchtime. Bananas and peanut butter. Another mess. :)
Stories. We read a few more chapters in "The Long Winter", #6 in the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. Raina sat in my lap and read a board book upside down.
While the younger two slept and Elisa rested, I checked email, quick-cleaned from lunch, folded a load of laundry,
and started dinner.
Elisa got up, and we finished the book. My throat was hoarse, and I somehow burned the edge of my cookbook. :)
Raina joined us, and found the pan of rice from school that I had left in a too-accessible spot. Vacuumed again.
Sadie woke up, and it was time to head back outside. This time, we loaded up the stroller and walked down the road about 1/2 a mile to a neighbor's. "Miss Patty"'s kids are junior high and up, now, and she invites us to use her swing-set and sand box.
Back at home, we rode bikes in the driveway until 6:00.
Dinner. Erik pulled in just as the pasta was going on the table.
Okay. So you're probably thinking - if you made it this far :) - "I get the mundane. Where's the miracle?"
You know what?
It is a miracle that I have three healthy children to love and nurture.
It is a miracle that I have food to nourish their bodies with and clothing to wrap them in.
It is a miracle that I have materials to teach them with, and Bibles to read.
It is a miracle that the sun was shining today and we could play - safely - outside.
It is a miracle that our bodies are strong and we can run and jump in puddles and explore.
It is a miracle that I have a husband who loves me and who adores his three daughters. Who provides for us and protects us.
All of these mundane, simple, quiet, and normal things are made possible because of miracles.
