making crayons

YAY for a “normal” weekend!!!  This is the first weekend in awhile that no one in our family has been sick or spending a night at the homeless shelter or working long hours on the house…  It was a much-needed and thoroughly-enjoyed break.  We watched a movie as a family, ate exceptionally normal fish and chips (gluten-free, but not that anyone could tell :), 

(I used club soda in the batter, but it seemed too thin.  So, I added some besan, which is chickpea flour I get from the Indian grocery store.)

took a trip to a bulk food store and a butcher shop in Amish country, visited with the grandparents, spent hours on the floor as a family, gathered with friends who have become family to share joys and struggles and life, 

made some crayons to nourish their creative minds, 

and tried a hand at boiling down some sap to make maple syrup, which made me thankful for those this is "normal" to.  Ours turned out more like "maple juice"...

(We didn't even do the hard part of tapping the trees, collecting the sap, boiling it down for days.  Alls I did was the finishing boil, which made me appreciate all the more the hard work that goes into making the liquid gold we pour on pancakes.)

There’s a hope stirring in our hearts of things to come.  Jack has jars set out, ready to catch the first bugs of the season (somehow we found him with a muddy hand-full of earthworms the other day…and his ornery grin.)  Miles has our spring break trip to Lego Land all planned out :)  We walk outside today (it’s 30 degrees), Jude hears the birdies chirpin' and declares “It is spwing mama!” 

While I look forward to warmer days, there is so much to love.  Right here.  Right now.  The list of His goodness goes on...  

Hope is the thing with feathers 

That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all.

Emily Dickerson