It’s a busy time…farming and home schooling and livin’ life. We’ve had a full Fall already with difficult funerals and happy weddings. We’ve tried to slow down. I’m beginning to think that is not possible.
So we’ve been hitting life full speed ahead and making progress some days…and other days not so much.
As the day winds down and our family takes a seat at the family meal table, I look around at all those sweet faces. The older boys and girls have worked hard all day. The younger ones…not so hard. The baby…was hard work. It’s loud and busy. They’ve all got something to say about something that happened that day and when we ask them, “So, what did you learn today?” They are eager to talk about all the things they learned.
I’m blessed to know my older sons learned something new in math and figured out how to castrate one of their lambs and ring the pigs noses without adult oversight. My younger boys figured out how to fix the broken electric fence and informed me that their school notebooks need new notebook paper. I’m thrilled to know that my daughter learned her Latin words all by herself, started reading a new book and finished writing her historical letter to a friend at church.
I always enjoy hearing what the little ones learned. Whether it’s the 3 year old telling us that the kitty cat doesn’t know how to eat peanuts or the turtle likes his food washed…. or something a bit more vague, like our 7 year old boy announcing what he learned, “I learned how to turn that black thingy on with that switch thing ….you know….but I didn’t have the right tools to skin it.”
Hmmm…!!! We eventually deciphered what he was trying to say and told him not to bother the power tools and to forget about skinning the dead bird he found…just bury it.
In the midst of a busy life, are we really taking the time to slow down and savor those moments with our children? I’ve found that those little children grow fast. Time is never still. It’s always progressing and passing. I’m trying to capture the sights and sounds and find complete enjoyment in spending these days with my children.
