The Sly Fox

The neighbors said we had them.

Fr. Justin said he caught a glimpse of one a few years ago.

But it wasn't until we got chickens, that one showed his pointy face.

After seven years of waiting to see one, Fr. Justin finally caught a bold fox snooping around our back yard tonight.  I guess we'll finally see how critter proof our chicken coop is now.  

Organization update

Well, if there was a time to start our new well organized life, it was not this week.  Fr. Justin took a trip to Holy Archangels' Monastery for a few days and left us girlies here to organize alone.  Hmm, does this sound suspicious to anyone else but me?  :)

Anyhow, I was a little disappointed (not at Fr. Justin, but just at not being able to dive into our new well organized lives).  You know, when you've got the new rearranged living room idea all set in your mind and your just waiting for your husband to get home so he can flip it all around for you?  Then he calls and says he has to work late.  

Anyhow, at first I thought I'd just wait until he returns (because this is a family affair mind you) and then I realized that I couldn't wait (a weakness).  So, we implemented a few things this week that have been really great.  It's amazing how just a few small things make a really big difference.  

For example, the girls now have to pick up their room twice a day.  It only takes a second, since they are doing it twice a day.  And you know, they haven't complained once!  Also, they now must put their shoes and coats away the minute they come in the door.  Some of the times I've enforced this rule and but more often than not I've let it slip.  It is so nice to have all coats and shoes out of the way all day long!  Also, before dinner, the girls have to help me clean the living room.  

When Fr. Justin called to check in with us today, I gave him the update on "Our new plan".   I told him things were moving slowly, but surely.  That I've decided that we should put a few things in place, make them work and then add more slowly.  

Our conversation reminded me of a discussion I had with Geronda Dositheus of Holy Archangles regarding changing  bad habits and sinful behavior.  He said the key is to start with one thing and work on it until you have overcome the sin or bad habit-or at least until you have control over it.  He said that if we wake up one day and say "I'm going to be a better person or mother," then this doesn't really help us.  He said by  praying and working daily  against a particular weakness will enable us to be mindful of it and to cry out to God when we feel we are struggling.  Then we can slowly begin to work on other things as we are able.  This was invaluable advice for me.  

So, I applied this wisdom to our lives this week and decided that since the girl's bedroom is a struggle for me (it's always messy with clothes and toys and we homeschool in their too), we should start there and get it functioning well, and then add on other chores after they've master a few responsibilities.

Of course  I must pray to keep a proper perspective here.  I am tempted to throw our lives into a whole new routine.  To have the girls wake up one morning to charts everywhere.  (I'm still not sure about that one.)  But I realize that I have to recognize my own weakness to want it all 'perfect' now!  It sounds really good, but I see chaos and failure in that plan.  

Like I said a couple of posts ago, I'm on the twenty year plan.  

I give you my word, we do homeschool around here!

Zoe's godmother, Eudokia, gave the girls a basket filled with crafts and craft ideas for Nativity.  Included were paper plates and string for masks.  

"The primary goal in the education of children is to teach, and to give example of, a virtuous life." St. John Chrysostom

Although I have only just begun schooling Katherine, she is in the first grade, it seems like I've been working at it for years.  What I've really been working at, however,  is how to homeschool, attend to my little one's, attend to my husband, attend to my home (and that huge list), attend to my spiritual life, etc.  The list goes on and on.  

I bet Fr. Justin wishes that he had a dime for every time I have walked in and said "OK, we have a new game plan!"  I am always trying to figure out how to fit it all in.  A friend who successfully homeschooled her two boys told me that I would always be changing the game plan, and that I would never be able to fit it all in.  I believe her.  I just want to fit some of it in.

I have been reading "A Mother's Rule of Life" by Holly Pierlot.  This book was recommended by Sophia over at susansophia.blogspot.com and I am glad I've taken the time to read it.  I am almost finished with Holly's book and I have been inspired to put some serious structure into our lives.  She has convinced me that what has been missing is a rule of life.  Before she married, Holly was considering the monastic life.  What came to her was the idea to order her home in the same way monastics order their lives.  So, she assigned chores and responsibilities with charts for every child, every hour of the day.  (Of course, I'm sure I need not mention that she does not make her children work all day.  She just has everything scheduled, including play and free time, etc.) 

At first this seemed overwhelming to me.  I am not one to schedule the entire day.  I will confess, however, that I probably wing more than I should.  Nonetheless,  I have experienced firsthand how peaceful and orderly monastic life is.  There is a reason that the abbess assigns daily chores to most of the sisters every day.  Among other reasons, this removes any confusion of who's responsibility it is to do certain chores.  It also frees the sisters of the burden of worry about what needs to be done, when and how,  and allows them to focus on prayer.  Of course, this also teaches the sisters humility, detachment and obedience.  

Children need structure too.  I don't care what style of teaching a mother chooses, children need structure.  I believe that an orderly and well structured home allows a child to feel safe and at peace, which actually frees the child and creates a good environment for the teaching of  virtues.  This also gives the mother the peace and the opportunity to live these virtues. I personally  believe this to be the single most important part of parenting.  For me, when I am stressed about the house, laundry, dinner, not praying, it's really hard for me to be the example to my children that I must be, not that I should be, but that I must be, for both our sake.  

Children also need responsibilities.  Momma and Papa should not be the only one's cooking, cleaning and feeding the cats.  How else will children learn how to care for themselves and to be hospitable to others?  Kids love having responsibilities.  They feel part of the team if they are contributing and helping in the home.  They experience firsthand the dynamic of a well functioning family when they are allowed, and expected, to help.  I see how my kids respond when I ask them to help me cook, fold laundry, feed the cats and chickens.  They even love washing the car!  Of course, it's takes much longer to include them.  But as our beloved Metropolitan Jonah told me recently, mothering is the perfect place to work out one's salvation.  It offers every opportunity that monasticism does-well, except those wonderful long, quiet, services.  Indeed, no one will make you die to yourself quicker than your children.  

So, I took clean week off from school to think, pray, clean and plan.  I plan to start work on our new schedule this week.  I'm sure I'll be tweaking it for the next twenty years or so, but that's OK.   This whole experience is for my salvation as much as it is for theirs.  May the Lord grant us all strength, mercy, love and repentance!  

O Lord and Master of my life, the spirit of idleness, of despondency, of love of power, and of idle words, grant me not.

But the spirit of continence, of humility, of patience, and of love, do Thou grant unto me Thy servant.

Yea O Lord and King, grant unto me to perceive mine own offences and not to judge my brother; for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen

Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim

Looks like we have an emergency!

There is one toy that my girls have never gotten tired of:  the medical cart.  They each love this thing and have played with it non-stop for years.  You can't really see the cart in this picture, but you can see the medical tools that came with it.  I am always walking into an emergency operation on one of my kids, a baby or one of their stuffed animals.  

A present for Poop

Last night as Zoe was perusing her books for a bed time story, she got very excited as she spotted just the right one.  "Look mommy, let's read Poop and Tubble with carrot!"

It took me a few moments to recover from a good belly laugh as I saw the book she was referring to.  Surely you all know the Holly Hobbie characters Toot and Puddle?  They are two pigs who are best friends and live together in Woodcock Pocket, a cozy little home in the woods. Well  Zoe charmingly refers to them as Poop and Tubble.  The books are so great and the illustrations are wonderful.  

Anyhow, the story that Zoe was referring to is called "A present for Toot".  Puddle spends the entire book looking for the perfect present for his dear friend and finally settles on a parrot.  And yes, you guessed it, Zoe calls this bird a carrot.  I've tried to phonetically explain the difference between a p, p, parrot and a c, c, carrot, but it's like asking a two year old to say y, y, yellow and they say y, y, lellow.    

If you've never had the good fortune of reading about Toot and Puddle, the next time your at a book store, pop over and have a look through these books.  They will bring a smile to your face.

Forgive me

On this Forgiveness Sunday, I humbly ask each of you to please forgive me.  

May you all have a fruitful and blessed fast!

Matushka Michelle