Just a normal day through someone else's eyes

So when the Home Depot deliverymen come in to deliver the washer I'm (1) wearing a dress (because most of my "regular clothes" are dirty after not having a washing machine for a week), (2) baking a chocolate layer cake (because Jack's birthday is in two days), (3) have bread rising on the counter (because I'm too lazy to go to the store to buy any) and, (4) the kids are watching "Leave it to Beaver" (because it's raining and they like it). I've been caught in a Donna Reed moment.

I laugh a little when they leave, but it makes me wonder how many times I've made a snap judgement on someone else when I've only caught a quick snapshot of their life.  Have I been irritated by someone's bad-dream-induced-lack-of-sleep, jealous of someone's one perfect moment in a month, taken offense at an off the cuff comment and then refused to let that moment go?

Brandon Heath's song "Give Me Your Eyes" http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=DL6Z7LNX needs to be more than just a song that I like, it needs to be the way I live my life. Perhaps if I could see the lives of those around me through the eyes of Him who created and loves them I would offer more compassion.  After all, maybe next time I won't look so much like a model 1950's housewife and more like Cruella de'Vil.... 

Budgie in the Backyard

Among the usual finches, chickadees, blue jays, titmice and cardinals visiting our backyard feeder is one unusual addition. A pretty, little blue, yellow and gray budgie (have to confess I love the British word for him rather than the American "parakeet") has joined the crowd. He arrives with a flock of small brown finches every day and, while clearly not a member of the family neither is he a total outcast. I wonder where he's come from. Is someone mourning the loss of a pet or was he a lucky escappe from a not too attentive pet store employee? No way to know, but he is a delightful surprise each time I see him.

He also reminds me of myself. My colors may not be as bright nor am I as cute, but most of the time I feel an outcast in my own world. A Christ following, homeschooling mom with one child on the autism spectrum is not exactly what the rest of my metro D.C. neighbors look like. Ours is an environment where intelligent people are "tolerant" and "coexist", parents who "truly care" about their children either go into great debt to send them to exclusive private schools or prove how open minded they are by sending them to multi-cultural public schools. And forget having a child with special needs. Triple scholarship athletes and outstanding AP classes are the bench marks for local progeny.

Hence my love for the budgie. An anomaly among the other birds, he reminds me that's it's okay to be myself. Ruffled feathers and all.

The beginning of the end and beginning

Today is the last Monday of the school year for my sons who attend a small parochial school. It is the only school my boys have ever known and this is their last week there. Next year they will be homeschooled along with their older sister who has just survived (dare I say thrived on) her first year of homeschooling. There are a lot of loose ends to tie up this week. Goodbyes to be said, teacher gifts to be purchased, one last field trip, a birthday party to attend, a final day of car pool and then the end. Right now any sadness they (and may I say I as well) may feel is completely overshadowed by the euphoric relief signalling the end of the school year. We're almost free!

As for next year, right now we're all looking forward to it. Sure, it will be a little strange when friends and neighbors are uniformed and headed back to class (Im sure we'll remember them as we're enjoying the beautiful September sunshine and lounging by our fellow home-schooled friend's pool...)but I am very much looking forward to this next adventure that we are headed on. God has provided both a passion and opportunity to school our children in this manner and I know that as this is His plan it is best for all of us.

Perfect Job

5:30 a.m. - wake up

5:45 a.m. - alarm goes off

5:50 - 7:25 a.m. - shower, wake the boys, make coffee, make breakfast for boys & gluten-free husband, feed cat, referee breakfast bickering, give meds, get dressed, wake daughter and remind her of day's homeschool assignments, shoo the boys out to the car for school

7:28 - 9:30 a.m. - drive boys to school, run errands at Target and Trader Joe's, catch up with best friend via speaker phone while on the road

9:30 - 10:30 a.m. -put away groceries, miscellaneous other items, start a load of laundry, oversee home school assignments, chat with daughter, switch laundry to second load, make bed
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - mow, trim, weed, water front and back yards

12:40 - 1:10 p.m. -LUNCH!

1:12 - 1:45 p.m. - shower (again) and get ready for round two of carpooling

1:50 - 4:15 p.m. - Marshall's to look for new swim suit for oldest son, end of year teacher gifts and maybe shoes for me (leave empty handed), to school, pick up boys and other carpooling family, listen to other siblings squall annoyingly in my car, drop off carpoolers, pick up dry cleaning, arrive back home

4:20 - 4:50 p.m. - distribute snacks, help youngest son do quick report on Patrick Henry (which is due tomorrow but he's swearing was just assigned today...), remind him to put on lacrosse practice clothes, remind him again, and again....

5 - 5:50 p.m. - help oldest son complete social studies project due tomorrow

6 - 8:47 p.m. - make dinner for 5 people to eat in two different shifts, with several different nutritional requirements, and clean up same

8:55 - 9:02 p.m. - pray with boys and kiss good night

9:15 - 10:30 p.m. - start movie with husband and daughter. Actually make it through the first 45 minutes before nodding off

10:40 p.m. - off to bed

I have the perfect job for someone who has a short attention span or low boredom threshold!