Do you ever pay attention to all the things that happen in a two week period?  I would guess that most of us go about our days in a normal routine doing the same things day after day, whether it's work, school, kids, or wasting time.  These past two weeks have been filled with events.  Canning, shopping, watching Hailey grow, trying to get Joel's computer working, company, and much more.  Here are a couple things that were out of the ordinary.

Ryan Marsden, my best friend from Fort Collins came up with his brother to visit.  They were in Yellowstone and figured Yellowstone was closer than Fort Collins, even though it was still a 6 hour drive out of the way for them.  It was great having them stay the night.  I was grateful for the friendship that we have cultivated over the years.  I was grateful that even after not seeing each other for more than a year things hadn't changed much and it seemed like we picked up right where we left.  I was grateful that our friendship meant enough for him to drive across the state just to spend a few hours together.  Thank you Ryan and Eric for showing us true friendship and what's important.

Joel's computer... that's an irritating subject so I'll just jump to the thought that came because of it.  I was standing in line waiting for someone to tell me what was wrong with the computer when I looked around at all the gadgets and lights and things... most of the things that we really don't need in life to survive but have come to depend on for comfort and pleasure.  I looked around and then looked down at Hailey.  Was this really the type of world I wanted her to grow up in?  NOPE!  Where were the trees, the dirt, the things of nature to fill her mind and spirit?  The things that lift and enlighten?  Technology is great and has it's uses but I have a problem when a two year old is consumed by an iPhone or some type of notepad that's not made of paper.  It was then that things started coming together.  Wheel one in place and ready to turn.

Wheel two.  I've been doing a lot of canning with the fruit that we got from the orchard...  I had a garden growing up and didn't really appreciate it.  But being older, wiser and poorer, I want a garden, an orchard and a place for the kids to play and run and learn all at the same time.  Joel's been saying this for a while.  He wants to live more in the county and outside of the city.  I'm finally starting to agree.  Do I like the city and culture.  Yes.  But more than buildings, things and places I'd like to have the trees and space and freedom.

Wheel three.  Learning and education.  Joel and I have sat up many a night discussing the things that we want to teach our children.  With my mom and sister in the school systems I've heard lots of the inside drama.  No thank you.  I've been in large city schools and what did I learn?  Not a lot.  I had some great teachers but only very few that pushed me and encouraged me to actually learn something not just do homework.  So our thought?  Home school.  Not just teaching at home the things they teach in school but more of a hands on learning approach.  The things that I remember from school and college were the hands on classes, not the lectures.  They're taking recess away from kids, I say give them more.  Make recess a learning time as well though.  I know that I enjoyed field tripsas a kid because I was out of the classroom and could touch or see what I was learning about, it wasn't just a picture in a book, it was right in front of me.  Explore the museums, exhibits, culture all around us in our cities.  Hands on learning.  Now, not to knock teachers and formal schooling.  It does have it's place.  I know that I couldn't teach trigonometry, geometry, calculus, physics, chemistry, etc so that's where I'd work with the schools to do half and half.  Some school actually allow that!  We have lots of hopes and dreams and it's going to take work to employ them.  My life as a mom will be a full time job, but at least it will be a job that produces not just good results but creates a well rounded individual with heart, passion, and knowledge.

Where do a lot of these thoughts come from?  They are mostly inspired by Hailey.  Canning, so she can eat.  Education, so she can learn.  Garden, so she can play and work.  Country, so technology and things don't become what controls her life.  She's learning and growing and she reminds me so frequently of the small and simple things.  One of her favorite things to stare at and "play" with are light fixtures.  She stares and smile at them for a good long while.  Lately she's actually started to coo and talk to them.  When she did that I turned and said, that's new!  Dana said, "she's been doing it all morning."  Each day I'm sure there's something new but I don't always catch it.  Again, while Dana was here, Hailey was playing on the dome mat.  It has toys that hang for her to play with, watch, touch, hit, rattle, etc.  She's learning finer motor skills now and loves to hit the hanging toys.  Again, she'll do it for ten-fifteen minutes or even longer.  It doesn't get old.

The greatest lesson I'm learning from Hailey is that she understands our vibes and emotions.  Joel got some bad news this Monday as he was watching Hailey and it put him in a somber mood.  Dana and I were at the grocery store and when we came back, Hailey was still on her play mat where we had left her.  Joel was doing his best to listen for her cry so he knew when she got tired and could put her down for a nap.  Well, she was exhausted to the point that she just fell asleep on her back right on her mat.  She never falls asleep on her back.  So what was the difference this time?  I believe that she knew that Joel needed her to be quiet and sensitive and let him process the news he had just received and she gave him that.  It's not the first time.  There have been times when the mornings are just rough or I get bad news and she doesn't fuss or squirm or require a lot of attention like normal.  She it quiet and somehow understands that she can't be the focus because there's something else more important.  I hope to cultivate that in her.  I wish we could more easily learn from these little ones.

Mathematics, science, technology, numbers, letters, shapes and colors... those are things that we eventually learn.  I hope to be able to also teach the important things in life that sometimes get overlooked--love, passion, emotion, empathy, spirituality, creativity, simplicity, contentment...  May we all be better able to learn the things that are of true value.  Look to a child, they'll teach you.  Thank you Hailey.  You make our days and lives more than we could ever have.