Daybook: Saturday, June 22

I am thankful for...  Sixteen years of marriage to Mark.  We celebrated by going away for two nights together.  I keep thinking of God's presence with us throughout these sixteen years- how faithful He has been, how many prayers He has answered, how He has held us and comforted us so many times, how He has transformed us and grown us in so many ways.  I am just so thankful to be married to such a fine man, one who fears God and loves me so well. 
   

I am thinking about... the chocolate mousse leftover in the fridge.  Last night I made a triple-batch so that we could share our anniversary-dessert with the kids.  I am so having some more tonight.

In the schoolroom... nothing is happening.  Well, we're still doing our read-alouds, but other than that we're doing nothing.  We did get the kids' test results in, though- and of course they're brilliant. 

In the garden... lots of lettuce!  Everything else is looking good and growing as it should.  The rhubarb is winding down.  Our strawberries are happily growing and the kids are munching on them daily.  Our raspberries are just beginning. 

In the kitchen... lots of jam.  We went strawberry picking today as a family, and brought home 25 lbs of strawberries.  We filled four big trays of strawberries to freeze and then bag up (for smoothies) and ended with 14 jars of freezer jam and 10 jars of canned strawberry-rhubarb jam.  We also have a huge bowl of sliced berries in the fridge to eat within the next day or two.  Next up: raspberry jam! (my personal favorite).

I am creating... Well, I'm trying to create a sweater for Ella (by way of knitting it), but I am having a lot of trouble figuring out this new-to-me pattern.  I've lost count of how many times I've had to rip out whatever progress I'd made.  So I'm on a break from creating that for now.  And before I start it up again- (I'm giving it one final go before I search for a different pattern)- I am going to pray over it and ask God to help me see where I've erred in my previous attempts or just miraculously allow me to end up with the correct stitch count on certain rows where I'm not.  ~sigh~ 

I am reading... The Hiding Place to the kids.  Oh, how I love this book!  I am just so encouraged and inspired by the ministry of the ten Boom family and of the wisdom of Father ten Boom.  I love him.   And the kids are loving the book so far, too-- always pleading with me to read just a little more, which is always the sign of a good read-aloud.  

I'm also reading Laying Down the Rails, which is an excellent resource on instilling good habits in your children, Charlotte Mason-style.  One of the goals I have for next year is to choose one habit per child to really work diligently on with them.  (I'm planning to choose one for myself, too!)  I'm also reading Lynn Austin's latest book (fiction) and reading through the book of Matthew right now. 

I am praying... for Cutzi, who is having her baby early- at 33 weeks.  For family and friends who are struggling.  Always for wisdom in parenting, and patience, kindness and a gentle and a quiet spirit, for me.


That's it for today! 
Blessings to all of you~
~Stacy