{around the house} ~ changes, progress and a dying refrigerator

I can't tell you how happy

I am with this basket.

Mr. Husband is very kind and considerate,

so he seeks to be quiet

in the early morning when I am still sleeping

and needed a basket

to keep things in so he is not opening drawers 

early in the morning.

I found this one on my trip to Princeton a while

back and it works perfectly!

Our breakfast of choice, I admit it!

Our pantry is almost all done.

A good friend sent me these big labels!

I can't remember if I blogged this picture or not.

Cleo is waiting for dinner, sitting in my seat

as if she gets to eat it!

A friend came over recently and gave me lovely

ceramic measuring cups as a gift!

Our fridge has been dying for over a month

and we did not realize it.

Milk was not as cold as it was once

and then yesterday when we went to get a bit

of ice cream from freezer, it had turned to soup. :(

Turns out we even lost some of our meat,

it was totally thawed.

Mr. Husband did a great and gallant job of it all

and he found this fridge and I ordered it on the phone

last night, it comes Friday.

Still trying to decide on the extra 5 year protection plan.

We have 90 days to decide.

I am hoping it is magnetic, as many of this kind are not....

A few weeks back a friend gave me this ornament for our Christmas tree!

I can't wait for Christmas and to find a Christmas tree!

Recap of an usual week...

I knew this week I would need a lot of quiet.

I don't know how Moms do it, but I can see why this

article would apply.

After two months in Lent of buying our new home,

in which my husband refers to a few people involved as crazy...

(I still remember the night hours after the close when I realized

how very stressful it had all been)

and then the packing of our old home, 

at least 2/3 done by myself and then unpacking, again at least 2/3 by myself,

with the very real, true and stalworth help of my parents in the move

and preparing the house to be move-in ready,

then 3 weeks about of 24x7 kid-loving (and I did love it)

and then almost 2 weeks of again most needed, good and heartening help

from my parents-in-laws, a time that I treasure,

{esp. remembering my Dad in law's reading of the Book of Acts

that they were reading out loud after a somewhat late breakfast,

how alive it was and how well he understood the story and how to read it};

after all that socialization, plus dinner parties, house blessing

and all the whirl of blessings of the last months,

I would need at least two days of solitude, which thankfully 

Mr. Husband can be with me in without taking away deeply of the solitude.

*

Well, I got it.

The solitude.

Mr. Husband had a crazy 12 hour or so day on Monday,

a later but not as late day on Tuesday

and a quiet but intense work day Wednesday.

And by Monday night I was feeling ill

and by Wednesday feeling mostly better.

So my solitude was inwardly and outwardly imposed

and through it all I've had church hymns mainly playing in my mind

and the silence has been delightful.
And in the midst of it all,
I was able to go out with Mr. Husband on a daily walk or two... 

*

Kathleen Norris wrote of a child saying to effect of

silence is what allows one's soul to catch up with oneself.

*

I am still missing Kathleen Norris, as in a new book by her.

I do wonder if she will write another....

*

This link took me to two new blogs of artists

and I am feeling more and more the need for quiet

and some reading time.

*

Meanwhile our futon apparently is not hinged properly in assembly

and as of Wednesday does not want to stay upright.

My lovely peaceful quiet chapel. Sigh.
I blame myself, as I had wanted Mr. Husband to move it
according to my sense of space for the room...

*

That chapel I can say is the quiet centre of this home.

I am re-reading Gentian Hill as I mentioned earlier in this blog

and Elizabeth Goudge is good at naming homes
and what is in them.

The chapel-library, when it is not as a guestroom,
is my space of quiet,

the circle of quiet that so beautiful titles
Madeleine L'Engle's book.

*

We are working slowly on getting some new icons for the chapel;

will take most possibly a year or so as they 

are not yet made and are being made overseas.

*

I am endeavouring to start a new thing:

Sunday School at my church.

I love the children there.

We are a small parish and there is currently no Sunday School.

So I volunteered.

This means I need two things from any of you who want to offer them:

1. PRAYER. Please. You can't imagine. I do have a partial

personal awareness of my inward poverty and yet have

the idea of volunteering to teaching children in church.

It's a very serious thing and while on one hand I can be very well with children

and children tend to love me and know that I love them

but to teach.

Anyway, prayer please anyone and everyone.

2. Experiences in this nature.Please share. 
Comment, email, FB snail mail if you have it

whatever and what-have-you.

I hesitate to ask for ideas rather than experiences just as
my sense is that there is a lot of choice in how to do things
and I know I have to teach what I am able to
and in a way/manner/format that will work for me.
But your stories and what worked for you are very welcome.
I am going to a half day conference on this,
am reaching out to the people in my life who I know best
who have done Sunday School and am reading as I am able...

*

Sister Magdalen's book continues to be of help;

I hope to order her other book soon...

One of the helps of this book is also 

that she admits that she, to which I take to mean, 

all of us, do not do everything perfectly as we wish or mean to...

*

One thing I know:

I wish for a lot of time to prepare but August is looking like a lot of

family and friend visits and not as much time

as I would like.

Perhaps this is good as it is true of real life.
But I also trust that God will give me the time, information, people,
and things needed for this task.
And I must trust Him for mercy as I think
of the Bible verse about those who teach others
are more heavily judged.
*
Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me!

Today's Progress and an update...

 

I am almost done with the top
of this baby blanket.
*
My cousin sent me some pictures of his
little boy.
He's so little!
I am so excited to make things for him,
this new little one;
such a miracle, the birth of a new human being.
The baby is doing well and is still in hospital.
*
So, I had the doctor's phone consult.
Got some things discussed that were really needed,
so that is good.
But let's just hope that the naturopath can help me with this
chronic mono / post-severe mono sickness.
My bio-medical doctor pretty much said
she know of nothing for it other than rest,
adjusting your life to account for the crazy fatigue
and that it is hard.
My naturopath believes it can be cured and has me
on a anti-viral supplement and other things.
*
So I will keep praying,
rest when needed and knit lots and seek to pray.
*
Thank you to each of you who took the time to comment on my blog
yesterday as I asked for prayers.
You are all such blessings to me. 
*
I am about finished with the top row of yellow on the blanket.
I am going to try to teach myself the technique of
picking up stitches.
*
Liked this post on making friends.
It's funny,
the line about don't assume if you are mother that
someone who is single and childless would not like to be
your friend.
My goodness.  
My sister-friend in Ottawa has three children and we are
really close and I used to read to her oldest two
boys before bed on a regular basis!
I talked with her the other day and my godson,
who will be two in October,
is talking and doing little prayers that go like this:
LordhavemercyMama
LordhavemercyDada
LordhavemercyBrother's-name.
I know, CUTE. :)
And good, so proud of his Mommy for instilling prayer
like this....
*
I can't wait to see them again!
I miss seeing my godchild on a regular basis!
*
Well, I best get on with knitting.
Not only do I have my cousin's godchild to knit for,
I have things for my three munchkins in Ottawa,
including the above mentioned godson,
to knit for.
Did I mention I have 15 nieces and nephews too? :)
Lots of scarves to make and hopefully
more complicated things in the future.
*
That elephant is hopefully going to be started next week,
once I get the baby blanket done,
not to mention more stitching for the September School Blanket...
*
Oh, was meaning to mention...
am doing a series of posts starting today
on marriage ~ just what I have learned.
I get a bit worried that somehow someone would think I
know more than I do ~ or something odd like that ~
so I have put a bit of a small print caveat for these posts...
Just to try to stay
hey! I love being married and this is what I have learned so far
but remember I am newly married and am not an 
expert!  
I've written the posts and they will be posted over the
next month...since I have lots of  "going-ons" in August
with family visits happening, etc...
*
So, how is your day looking??
Anything I can pray for you for and light a candle?
So wonderful to have a blog community that
prays for each other!

Another Day in November

Please keep praying for Noah.
He is really struggling
and needs our prayers...

 

I am going into NYC tomorrow.
I sometimes love
and sometimes am overwhelmed
by the City.
However,
I am feeling a renewed hopefulness
and know in time that
this will all be
as they say
old hat
and I will be at home.
*
Or at least more at home...
one can alway hope...
*
After all,
the books I read about NYC always
spoke somehow of home to me
so there is hope to be had.
*
Wish me luck or whatever you
want to say the Orthodox equivalent is
and say a prayer
as I am also determined to go to
try out that pool
and begin to make a routine for myself...
*
One step at a time...
*
Oh, and can I mention that
Mr. Husband and I just finished reading
the Hobbit.
And that I am really very glad
to be married to Mr. Husband?
I may be in a lot of transition but it is worth it all
to be with the man I married.
*
Life has many challenges
but God is with us
He will not abandon us.
He is gentle, patient and kind
and is with us
waiting for us,
for our prayers
for our repentance
for us to turn to Him for help
comfort, solace and protection.
Oh for us to remember our Lord's
love for us...