Settling in

We've started to get into a little bit of a groove here. Dan started school monday and we're on our own during the day. In some ways things are different...we're in a new house in a new state with new people around us. But in other ways things are just the same. We're all together during the day, learning, playing and eating together. We eat the same sort of things and learn from the same books and try to get outside as much as possible. I have realized how blessed we are to homeschool and have the freedom and consistancy that comes with it. Had the children been in school, we would either have had to switch schools mid year or stay back in Ohio. While we love ohio, it's so important to be together as a family whenever we can.

Yesterday we went on a walk to check things out. We found the library a couple of blocks away and the park one street over. The children found sea glass at the beach and dug with big shells in the sand. The library was not open mondays, but we're excited to go back today and check it out. There was a big display of children's books in the window so that seems promising. I'm a little discouraged with the weather. While it seems like it should be so nice out, it's still cold! The blue sky and sun sure had me fooled until we started our walk and I realized we should have been in winter coats. We survived though...we just had to walk fast and play hard at the park.

I'm starting a new book called The Mission of Motherhood, By Sally Clarkson. A few years ago I started it and loved it, but stoped reading it for whatever reason. Now I'm starting it again and find that I need it much more in this season of my life! She talks a lot about giving our whole heart to our homes...and to being a mother. I love it. In my daily struggles I often feel tempted to want to just escape instead of deal with what's going on around me. This book has really encouraged me to apply myself to mothering instead of just try and survive the day! What we do as mothers is so important. It's worth dedicating our lives to it.

Being in a "beach house" of sorts with minimal toys, clothes and things has certainly been wonderful. I love having less laundry (or at least less clothes in general to deal with, clean up and look at), cleaning up fewer toys and not having to constantly think about organizing, decluttering and aquiring more of the things I think we need. Each time we live like this I am inspired to make our perminant home more simple. Before we left I was able to get rid of a lot, but not nearly enough to make this possible! I think I'm going to make a written plan of how to become more simple in our house in RI. What a joy to not be drowning in "stuff". I think the reason I have time to write this thought out post is that I don't have as much to worry about as I would in our perminant home.

That's about it. It's quiet around here right now. The boys watched America's Next Great Restaurant and are busy with plans for their own restaurant idea and the girls are snoozing. Mr. Gideon has just eaten lunch and is busy with eating his hand. I think I will get everyone up for library fun!!