Ian, our 16 yr-old, is 2 hours north of us working on the summer staff at a Christian camp for a few weeks. It's a familiar territory. We have been to the camp many times and Ian goes to the winter youth conferences there every January. Also, our oldest daughter worked there on summer staff when she was 17. He is in his element up there: he is on the maintenance crew (he loves working with his hands!) and making new friends. But oh, how I miss him! He and I have such good conversations - everything from politics to theology, so I miss our chats. I miss his being in the kitchen and reaching things on high shelves for me, as I am vertically challenged. ;) I miss his presence at the table when we eat and in the evenings when we have family devotions. I miss his chauffeuring me around on errand days. He will be coming home this Saturday, but he will be here for just 2 weeks, then he will head back to the camp to serve 2 more weeks in August. After that, he will be home for good and my separation anxiety will go away. ;)
Our school books for next year are slowly trickling in. The arrival of new school books always makes me eager to begin the new school year. And in my eagerness and excitement to begin our new year of AO, I am wondering if we should begin lessons earlier than our original start date. Of course, we can't start until Ian is home. But it's ok to daydream isn't it? ;)
One of Ian's books for next year is Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. I had heard of this book, but never read it. And since I usually try to pre-read most of the children's books before they read them, I started with this one. I read the first two chapters before hubby saw it lying on the coffee table and asked whose book it was. I told him it was Ian's book for next year. I gave him a short summary of what I had read so far, and he decided to read it, too. He read to chapter 2 and caught up with me. At his suggestion, we are reading it together every evening. I read; he listens, then we discuss it. I love it! But back to the book...it is very sad...very, very sad. I am dumbfounded - and angered - at the way the Americans Indians were treated by the white men. I knew they were mistreated, but I had no idea it was to the degree described in this book. I can hardly believe what I am reading, and sometimes, afterwards, we just sit there and try to take in what I just read. As much as I love spending time with my hubby this way, it is not an easy read. But I do hope that our reading together is the beginning of a new tradition with us. Maybe next time we'll read a more joyful book. I am open for suggestions for our next read, friends. :)
Speaking of books, hubby and I went to our local used bookstore recently. Last time we were there, they had very little to pick from. But their inventory has really grown. Have a look at the gems I found. :)
Natty and Mimi are making a quilted wall hanging for their room. They picked out the material and cut the squares with my mom's square cutter and mat. Now they are ready to sew it together. The question is...what kind of pattern to arrange the squares in. Their goal is to finish it before school starts. Hopefully this winter, we will be doing more quilting, possibly making a twin-size quilt. Hubby and the boys will be making bookshelves, so our fall/winter handicrafts are all lined up.
Remember Banty, our Bantam hen? Well, she's done it again. She has hatched 6 chicks. Adorable, aren't they? But we don't need more Bantams! Hopefully, we can find a good home for them.
What do you do when life inundates you with daylilies? You eat them for lunch, of course! (With egg salad in this photo.) :)
Hope you all have a wonderful week!
