Eventful Autumn

Life has settled into a new kind of cycle with 4 days at home (like the old life) and 3 days at work/school (of the new life). I find this cycle refreshing, by the fact that it gives me weekly things to look forward to (which I LOVE to look forward to things). It seems like you can get more out of the "something-you-are-looking-forward-to" by revisiting it in your mind, feeling the excitement and anticipation, going over what you will be doing and how wonderful it will be. I don't see work as "wonderful " as Christmas might be to anticipate but work is GOOD. Its a breaks in the norm of mothering and its fun for the kids to get social time and a chance to learn from someone else and gain school skills. So the cycle continues and our Wednesday, Thursday, Friday looks busy, but we try to make things easier by less fussy breakfast and dinner (less time, less mess). Plus I am always amazed at how tired I am after work, but God always gives me that second wave of energy to get me through dinner and clean-up before I collapse. I am too thankful for all he has done to complain about being tired! Reese and Knox are doing great at school and also love their days at home. We have had some wonderful mornings and afternoons in our leaf laden back yard. They love to jump and lay in the leaves. We dont have a rake but our duplex has a snow shovel, so we have been snow shoveling leaves in a pile and also tossing them in the air with it. It does seem a bit untraditional and ahead of the season, but it works! The days get grayer and today it actually snowed from lunch til dinner! Of course this happened the day I wore a silky skirt, no tights, and peek-toe wedges! When I got home I was out of those and in pjs and wooly socks before you could say "Winter"!! With the heat on, mornings and evenings are cozy. I love getting the kids ready for bed in the winter. Zipping up sleeper pjs and pulling thermal sets over heads, fluffing down covers to cacoon them with, its all so perfect. I feel a compulsion to listen to Christmas music as soon as I smell the heat. I actually managed to wait til the middle of October to start this year, but I have begun and let me tell you fellow Christmas lovers, Pandora's internet radio for Classic Christmas is fantastic! Aaron has been spending alot of time at the studio and really diving into some new ideas. He is just back home so I am going to sign off, love you all!

Apple Orchard

I forgot to mention. Last Monday before the new work and school schedule started we were blessed to visit Aaron's Advisor Anne Currier's house to pick up some clay and to walk the property and pick apples! It was the first sunny morning in almost a week, appropriately brisk and cool, so we layered up and went! The property was gorgeous and so picturesque with the quilt of fall colors gracing the rolling hills. The kids were thrilled to eat the apples they picked right then! Reese enjoyed romping around ahead of us, through the tall grass and around the pond. We were thinking of all the commercial places you can go pick apples and pumpkins, and here we were in a friend's backyard having this beautiful experience with the kids, simple and good ( and even better than going somewhere commercial). Seems we are opting for the "simple" alot more these days when it comes to traditions and events.... practical and less gifts (no gifts on holidays other than Christmas and birthday), small family birthday parties, less toys and clothes in our house overall, just simple. The kids dont miss it and get more of the actual experience because the focus isnt on getting treats, toys, and souvenirs for every little occasion. Its more about getting the parents to embrace this and it took me a while to realize the value of having less, until I actually did have less and saw how FREE it made me feel!

So our morning was from somewhere magical and its a beautiful moment that I will remember always. Its the kind of memory that while you are making it, you wish you could make it last for hours or even days. I knew it was going to be over before I could soak it all in, and etch in my memory how the light was streaming through the golden leaves onto the foreheads of my angelic children. Hearing them munching apples as we stood still in the wet, tall grass feeling as if we were the only ones in the world. Brisk wind blowing against our pink noses, while birds sang their fresh morning songs. Knox was heavy on my hip as I followed Aaron to find the perfect spot for a picture to remember our beautiful morning. I wanted to live in that moment, and somehow freezing my children in time so they would grow a minute older. Seems like everything is going so fast, and I need more time to just focus and soak in where we are. I keep looking to the time where we will be settled in a home, and somehow feel like that will be the beginning of our family. But no, its NOW. The moments I am looking forward to are what I am experiencing everyday, its just happening without my knowing so often. I cant savor enough these days, these early years with my kids and my husband. The rich moments are now and not in the future. When I am settled in my designed and completed home, one day, with quiet surrounding me because the kids are in school, seeing a clean house and a full pantry, with security of a good job and good pay, I KNOW i will long and pine for these years, when my babies were young, my house was a wreck, we were on food stamps and medicare, and had small jobs with little pay, and only plans for a year at a time. I will want the little voices, the messy house from hours of play and cuddles, the sweet free time together before obligations and school schedules fill up our lives. To have everything ahead of you and not behind is thrilling, so many possibilities and potential. But as I move ahead, I hope to savor every minute, so that when I am looking behind, I see sweet memories and feel contentment of having lived intentionally and fully.

First week

Well we have survived our first week of part-time work and school! It went so much better than I expected. Reese was excited on the first day and still loves going every morning. Knox cries at drop off but calms down quickly and really enjoys social time with the two other (younger) babies in his class. Both kids have wonderful teachers and the Montessori school is INCREDIBLE. Reese's classroom has lots of space. There are great Montessori style learning areas and "skill" trays to work on, along with art, books, slef serve snack and wash station. Reese's favorite thing is getting to serve her own snack and wash and rinse the plate and cup when she is done. The independence of Montessori is just right for her and the structure and nurturing is just right for me. She also loves getting to spend time outside on the playground, which they do first thing before going inside for "circle time". Knox is in the infant class which began this year. There are only two others that come, who are younger. He has a simple "soft" classroom with a "no shoes" rule. They have a little table with chairs for their meals and cribs and cots. Reese and Knox nap after lunch on cots. Both will hopefully nap better as they get more used to the new space, it was hard for both to get in the nap they get at home (but they sure slept well at night!). Knox gets to go on walks in the stroller with his teacher around our town. In fact I was distributing the new Ceramic Museum letter and almost ran into Knox and his teacher. Fortunately she saw me and we both turned around! But the glimpse I did see, Knox looked like he enjoyed being outside. Strollers always have a numbing effect on him, especially if he is already tired. I pack everyone a lunch box on Wednesday Thursday and Friday. I get to eat with Aaron everyday I work, which is wonderful! It will take me awhile to adjust because its so emotional to "leave" my kids and be working for 8 hours doing fun ceramic museum work, lunching with Aaron, and then switching back into mom mode, who does dinner, baths, bedtime, and cleanup. The transition from school to home is something we are still working out the kinks on. After all is done I can do nothing but pass out in the chair and prop my feet up! Its hard working and being a mom ( i dont know how the full time moms do it! you all are a rare breed!) I am truly thankful that I have 4 days together at home and then 3 at work. It they alternated I think life would feel alot more chaotic. BUT....I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY JOB! Its incredible to come to work, wearing real clothes "not pajamas", hair and makeup, talk to adults, talk about art, and handle ceramics in a lovely space, and have a mini-date every lunch time! Seriously it couldn't get better......oh wait it just did.. I have a parking permit! Awesome job. So my official title is Museum Assistant/Membership Coordinator of the Schein-Joseph International Ceramics Museum at Alfred University. My boss is great and I like the variety my job presents. It will be some juggling of tasks but nothing motherhood hasnt taught me to handle. I have my own office/ supply room, along with access to the Museum and Ceramics storage spaces (which have some amazing things). Just a glimpse into my world...my first week I put away an Akio Takamori pot, touched a Voulkos, and browsed pots from 400-600 AD.....and went to Val Cushings house to pick up a soup tureen. You ceramics people are all drooling arent you?? I know its NUTS! So I am loving it and feel so grateful that God saw fit to open this kind of job for me! What a gift. Aaron is continuing his research in the studio and attending classes on Tuesday nights and all day Wednesday. He has weekly meetings with Anne Currier (his faculty advisor this semester) to talk about his work. He has been working on some new concepts and will continue slab-building. The sky is the limit in grad school and he is eager to push his work to the next level. He is grateful not to be working an outside job ( its prohibited) and enjoys getting to live and breathe STUDIO while he's here. He is being challenged alot in the reading/writing arena. The material he has to read you seriously must have a dictionary beside you to get through it, its really obtuse language and complex thoughts. But it gets you thinking and I have enjoyed talking to Aaron about what he's learning and editing the papers he writes. Well I am tired and will end. Thanks for the prayers and support. We are blessed and grateful! Love you all