After Labor Day Check-In

Hi ya'll,

It's our first full day of "school" in our home.  We are always dabbling in some form of education but today is our first day back at it full throttle. Things are going well so far.

Last week was a busy one for us. I'm not sure how much detail I'll get into about the week but I'll give it a whirl for a few minutes.

Last Monday I made my first confession. I know some of you might balk at this. I can't begin to share a good apologetic right now but the proof of the sacrament's validity is there in scripture. "It's in there." I agree with the sentiment that a good confession is better than psychotherapy. I think, perhaps, that so many of broken relationships are due to the inability to admit our own faults.  I would put money on the idea that a good  number psychoses are also due to the root problem of not owning up to our own sins. Would you agree that many in the world today do not even believe there is a such a thing as sin? So anyhow, besides the importance of the sacrament of confession in general, I see such a wisdom in learning to come to that humble place of examining my life, owning my sins, and naming them aloud. I pray that this practice will grow in me the virtue of humility.

Last week my sister and her family from Minnesota came to visit. They camped at Devil's Lake and we got to spend some time together most of those days. It was so very good to be together again. We just don't see enough of our families. Always working on that. We ate some dinners together, swam in the lake, went hiking, and also went to the Baraboo River Rendezvous together. Good times.

One evening I was out very late for a girl's night. Phew. I'm getting old. It was so very good. Our friend, Ann, is back in town for spell. Ann is the one who lost her husband to cancer this last January.  We got to meet Paul and Ann's super cute son, Blaze, and hear lots of stories of  their last year. It was a tearful but good evening.

On Sunday I was confirmed and received my first Eucharist at Camp Gray. It was such an amazing, joyful, beautiful day. I'm not sure how to process it here. It is such a joyful time for me but I know that some of you don't share that joy with me.  So what does one do with a beaming joy that can't be reflected in their loved ones? I really don't know. I have no idea how to move forward. So for any of you that find this painful, please know I love you so much. Our relationship means so much to me. At the same time I am so very happy in this new beginning. So I will probably share some of my joy here but I'll try not to overdo it. Would that work, you think?

Sunday was amazing in so many ways. I'll just share a few things because I have to go make the kids' lunch. It is pretty neat how it worked out for this to take place at Camp Gray. Camp is an important part of both Doug and my spiritual formation. I went to camp every summer as a child. Those weeks meant the world to me. Not only were they fun days but a great place to grow in my faith and experience the joy of faith. Doug worked at a camp in Minnesota during the summer breaks during his seminary years. I know that camp holds a special place in his heart as well. We are a bit familiar with Camp Gray (although our kids haven't attended yet) because our friends are the directors there. Our homeschool group also met there last year.

It was so amazing to begin the mass with the song, "Come, Now is the Time to Worship."  You wouldn't normally see this at a Catholic mass but I'm assuming this was a little different in this regards because of the camp environment.  It was perfect. It was such a perfect way to bring my past into my present and look forward to my future. It brought it all to completion. God uses everything in our lives for His good purpose.

Well, I'm tempted to share more but not today. I really must make lunch and you know, I think some things are just better kept to oneself to savor privately. "And Mary pondered all these things in her heart."

After mass we had some delicious brunch fare at the Broadway Diner in Baraboo. I've always wanted to share this little spot with my family. We celebrated my big day but also another year of education with our three oldest.

On Monday we played and worked in the kitchen. We've had produce piling up in our kitchen from all the bounty outside. So Doug and I got to it and made some things to enjoy this fall and winter. Doug made three batches of vanilla pear jam, we made some pear applesauce, and a batch of marinara. More to come when we can fit it in. Salsa!!

Now for the fun part: pictures!!

Basil's model of Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon.

Mace talking to the dinosaurs at the library.

Canadian Toad

From Basil's garden plot.

Umm yeah, so there's not much fear of big bugs around here.

We visited the rope maker's tent at the Rendezvous. All the kids got to help make their own ropes.

We visited this lady last year too. She is the the blacksmith's wife. She was telling us about this new loom she acquired.

After showing us the spinning wheel, she went on to show Nutmeg how to use a simple loom. Doug stayed with Nutmeg as used the loom. I didn't see her but she stayed a long time and was very interested. 

blacksmith

Doug's pear jam. 

beginning our school day



We work the chalkboard action around here. 

this week's memory verse.