There are days

that I feel like homeschooling is about as exciting as watching paint dry. There are days when I feel like homeschooling is about as futile as trying to catch water in a net. There are days when I feel like friendship is this elusive relationship that looms just beyond my grasp. I laugh and talk and enjoy people but there is a lack of depth and connection that goes beyond the surface. There are days when I feel like the tasks at hand are mundane and routine and not inspired or creative or even ending in accomplishment.

Then there are days like today.

Days that I wake up and as I set my feet on the floor beside my bed I can see the sunshine peeking through the curtains. Before I make it all the way down the stairs I hear the giggles of well rested children.

We schooled on the go today because I had so many errands to run. We went to the post office and stood in line spelling words and reading signs. My breath caught in my throat as I watched Joshua studying the signs. His eyes are the exact same color as the line on the horizon where the sky meets the ocean and his expression nothing short of determined excitement. When did my baby become this big ole, Mohawk sporting, Lego building, sign reading kid?! I love that Kaity didn't feel lost in this moment, she didn't pout over the attention her brother was receiving as he tested out his newly found skills, she beamed with pride. We stood in line and got our packages mailed and headed back to the van.

I started giving Kaity and oral spelling test and one of her words was "enemy". She was thinking and Joshua tried to help her out. If ever she doesn't know exactly what the word means she will ask for it to be used in a sentence. He asked "What kind of 'emm-inn-ee' do you mean Mom? The bad guy kind or the candy kind?" He has called M&M's 'M&E's' since forever. She didn't correct him or laugh at him, she accepted his offer of help with a smile and set off to spelling.

Sitting in the waiting room of the bank for any period of time with children of any age is not my idea of a good time. It's usually a matter of crisis management, bartering and threatening and praying for behavior that won't deem anybody *that* kid or *that* parent. Today I sat in a lobby filled with random recruits and schooled while we waited. Kaity worked further on her spelling (she's almost to the end of the textbook and really eager to finish a subject for the year) and Joshua worked on subtraction. I looked up from our seats and saw 2 recruits watching the children. One guy was spelling along with Kaity as she was given words and the other was using his fingers to show Joshua the math as we read the problems out loud. Neither was showboating or distracting, it was kind and thoughtful. It made my kids feel important and made those guys feel connected. They eventually started talking about 'back home' and were called to have their banking needs met, as was I.

I came home to a long rambling beautifully eloquent letter from my kindred spirit. She is truly my Diana Barry, the kind of friend that no matter how long it goes from visit to visit or call to call it seems like minutes the moment I hear her voice. It made me weep and made me thankful.

There are days. Days when I can be muddled. disappointed. disconnected. discouraged. I can. it's all my choice. or I can remember (or be reminded) that the Creator of my days is a giver of good gifts. of clarity. of joy. of connection. or encouragement. The days are the same...the filter is mine.