Life Lately ~ November 2020

We find ourselves at the eve of another year, and the dawning of a new church year. Despite the trials of the past year, the first Sunday of Advent always fills me with hope and anticipation. Longing to fill my childrens' hearts with similar sentiments overwhelms me, and I resolve to try again the customs that I may have decided against just last week.

I decided not to do an Advent wreath this year for several reasons, which sounds very Grinch-ish. But I didn't get candles ordered in time and I struggled all last year with the Advent wreath...candles tipping, wax dripping. I may have already donated the ring back to the thrift store it came from, I don't remember. But the unseen Hand of God was at work as always and my thoughtful mother-in-law gifted me a beautiful, simple gold Advent wreath--along with candles. It was meant to be, and I'm relieved now that this tradition has not been neglected. 

Gavin put up the Christmas tree today and Liam and he decorated it. I was relieved. (We'll call that the theme of this post.) It's not a pleasant task for me, and if I had my choice it wouldn't go up until Christmas Eve. I'll discreetly straighten a few things out tomorrow, and that will be that.

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of the most peaceful of the year for me, in contrast with the busyness and toil of the last few weeks. I always dedicate the month leading up to it to home improvement projects, deep house cleaning, and purging. I never spring clean, but fall cleaning puts summer vibes to sleep and helps launch the household into winter mode. Baskets in the front porch are emptied of sandals and filled with hats and gloves. Snow pants are hung up. Boots set out. Cracks are filled and paint touched up. Appliances are rolled out and dust bunnies harnessed. And then we host Thanksgiving for Eli's family, and it feels a lot like a celebration for the end of project month.

On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, pumpkin pie and coffee are for breakfast and the only things on my schedule are delving into a good book and a nap. The kids raid the fridge, which is deliciously stocked with leftovers, at meal times. Our mission does not have Mass on the 5th Sundays of the month when they happen, and since Addie has been getting car sick I've been avoiding taking her on any lengthy car trips.

I've been reading Let Them Be Kids lately by Jessica Smartt. I love the message driving this book: children need creative play time, love, adventure, lots of nature, and very little, if any, screen time. Too often young children are thrust unnecessarily into adult problems and scenarios and it does so much damage. But the author uses a lot of words to say that and more words to explain why she used the words she chose to use. It's wordy.

In the times between when I can't sit and read I've been working through The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy on Audible. It's one of the most pleasant ways to spend an afternoon, folding laundry while feasting with Tom Bombadil, running from orcs in the mines of Moria, lost in the woods of Lothlorien, riding the shoulders of Treebeard with the hobbits, or galloping into battle with Aragorn.

Tomorrow we will start the St. Andrew Christmas novena. We will resume school as well, after the little break we took last week. Christmas preparations are underway, though it feels like a very short time to transition from Thanksgiving prep to Christmas prep. I vote Thanksgiving be officially moved to September!