One Day = 15 Hours

Steve and I recently at the Paris themed fundraiser Ball for the hospital.

Steve and I usually have a time every morning when we sit down and tell each other what we have going on for the day. It helps us plan out what we have to do and it lets the other one know in advance what we are thinking the day should look like. If we don't do this most days we know we are headed for disaster! Because of what we do for a living, every single day looks different. Steve teaches for 5 different Universities online, and one in person on Tuesdays. I have the goat milk soap business and am doing different things with it each day. I also homeschool the boys, cook, sew, straighten the house, check the garden, collect the eggs, and oversee that the animals get what they need when they need it. It makes for a crazy day and sometimes I don't know which way is up.

This morning Steve, the boys, and I went for an hour long walk in the parking lot of the grocery store down the street. We are lucky to live so close to Ingle's if we need a quick trip to the store, or to pick up creamer for tomorrow morning's coffee, but lately I thought, what about walking there? It's close, paved, there is a section no one drives in, and it's free! We decided to make it our fun time most mornings before we get the day started. Steve and I were talking about how busy we are with a multitude of things and I wondered if it was healthy to be so driven. I mean we each have half a dozen things we love to do, plus the things we have to do in a day. We are also very competitive in our hobbies. Steve said we probably couldn't be us without our drive. That's just the way God made us and we wouldn't be happy just sitting around waiting on the day to end. I agreed. I do wish I had about 10 more hours in the day. It would help me get finished with all those half done projects waiting to be finished.

Now that we have a 4th and a 6th grader the kid gloves are off with homeschooling. Dorian has math, grammar, vocabulary, history, science, Latin, Spanish, art, and homeschool band. Isaac has math, history, theology, literature, Latin, grammar, vocabulary, Spanish, science, homeschool band, art, and writing. That in itself takes up most of the day. With Dorian entering 4th grade, it's a milestone that pushes him into big boy work. Lots of books = lots of work and extra reading. With Isaac we are entering the realm of Middle School...que the scary music!! Who doesn't think of Diary of a Wimpy Kid? Even though we homeschool, the work load is pretty scary. He starts off the day with his subjects and usually finishes after supper. We have to find a peaceful middle ground. You know why? Cause that's how we roll! I want them to do good with testing, but more importantly I want them to long to gain information. That's one reason we homeschool. Information is power and it helps you have a fulfilled life. We want them to know what they believe and why they believe it with religion. We want them to be hard workers and problem solvers. We want them to work with their hands. But they have to want to do all these things. There's a fine line between working them to death and spuring them on. LOL! So this part of our lives continue to be tweaked for now.

When we were walking this morning, I realized something that I've known all along. I can only do so much in a day. I get up and start doing and at some point it gets to be bedtime and like it or not, I will be laying down to sleep. What I do with my day is what I get done. I can have a list, but what I check off for that day will be all I will ever use that time for. When it's gone, it's gone! It won't come around again. I am acutely aware of this with the change of each season. As I'm out in the garden looking over all the things we have grown for the year it hits me: There isn't any more time and now it's Fall. It will be next year before we can begin again. Each homeschool year is like that as well. We study what we study and learn what we learn and that's it. Each day that we put to bed is the end of a chapter in our lives. How did we do as a spouse, a mom, a daughter, son, father, whatever? Did we make it count? Did we love those around us so passionately that they long to be with us? Did we do the little extras that make people feel welcome as they spend time with us? Did we do something for ourselves? Something really fun? Did we laugh? Did we rejoice in the fact that we had enough to eat, and somewhere to lay our heads, and a healthy, happy family? In the end, it's just lists and hours. We do what we can, making every moment count, and lay our heads on the pillow looking forward to the next day. What will it hold in store for us? It's like a beautiful present just waiting to be opened. Sleep well my friends and unrap that gift tomorrow. It will be waiting for you.