Haven Heartbeats: Just a Day in the Life at Our Hearts' Haven

All day long yesterday, I was cataloging the productiveness of my day. I could not believe I was accomplishing what I was.......and yet, I know for a fact, my day was bit disordered, and I felt a little like a butterfly, flitting from one thing to another. Using words from Willa’s blog post: I know I did not truly redeem my hours, the one’s entrusted me by God, to fulfill His will for me. Today was different than my usual flitting days, as I actually finished much that I started. Maybe I was energized by being able to launder seven loads of laundry in less than 24 hours the other day. :) Maybe the energy has carried over. Especially since I scrapbooked at Louise’s house last night, forgetting I have a kid to get to the local college at 8 am every morning, and started out the day early, but tired. Let’s see what I did here….

~Cleaned the mirror and toilet first thing in the morning…..returning, spontaneously, to an old habit of keeping the bathroom clean by doing just one bit each morning......I hope I keep it up........makes things easier and I am tired of looking at the daily to-do list on the bathroom wall, and ignoring it......for at least a year. :)

~Drove child to school, 25 minute roundtrip

~Morning drinks to hubby

~Gather trash with kids

~Eat quick breakfast

~Read emails

~Help teach Garrett how to clean the kitchen…..he just took over the breakfast meal chore on Monday due to his sister becoming a high schooler

~Morning prayers with kids

~Read story of saint of the day: Saint John Eudes. We did not do this hardly at all last year. I pulled out our favorite book. The little kids need to hear what their older siblings heard forever

~Prayed the Rosary traveling in the car to and fro

~Went over Matthew’s Latin curriculum with him, as well as his government

~Quick phone call to my friend Willa, to see if she would be able to discuss a few of the Summa questions with Matthew via phone, since we are short on “educated” folks around here :)………she cheerfully agreed

~Introduced the Latin curriculum to Sarah and Maddelyn and we accomplished the first lesson…..I was going to have them be more independent, but I think it will be best if I go along with them

~Answered lots of questions of Garrett and Malachy, all day long, of course :)

~Organized a science notebook for Sarah and wrote out the syllabus for the first chapter, and then spent time introducing it to her

~Lost my temper with one of the kids :(

~Made many chess moves for the board Malachy has had set up for days: I do not really know how to play chess anymore….but I think I am being forced to learn again. I was just making any move, to keep him happy.....but at some point......I seemed to need to know what I was doing. I resisted, because I do not like to do much that requires much logical thinking. :) It hurts too much. But.........it was apparent I needed to apply just a little attention. So, I got my handy, dandy Usborne Chess book out….it helped a lot……sometimes when I made a move, Malachy would say: oh, he can’t move that way…he is not allowed that direction. So cute. I know how Willa feels playing games with her 5 year old right now :)

~Made a quick lunch for Malachy and I

~Chatted with my dad on the phone for a few minutes

~Ate my lunch in the car as I drove Matthew to his American Literature class at the college

~Apologized to child I lost temper with…..

~Did spelling assessment with Sarah & Maddelyn

~Reviewed phonograms with the same

~Quizzed Garrett with the phonograms

~Helped Maddelyn to some up with supporting sentences for a topic sentence

~Began organizing for this year’s work with the Spell to Write and Read program…….I just LOVE this program

~I made a list of plans and schedules I need to make up on the computer......maybe on Saturday?

~Was blessed to have Patty call and offer to bring two kids from college to my house, since she was going that way anyway (okay, this was not something I actually did, but I wanted to give some credit and gratitude to Patty)

~Cut watermelon for an afternoon snack for half the kids

~Chopped about ten different kinds of vegetables for double stir-fry (enough for two meals)

~Cooked rice

~Called an old friend from college

~Talked to my dear friend Gloria, on phone....…who must be feeling the effects of our prayers :)

~Stir-fried three batches of veggies

~Tried to call Maria couple of times

~Worked on cleaning the garage, putting away groceries as well

~Gathered outside trash

~Spent time getting the outside pantry back in shape

~Threw the balls for the dogs, several times

~Chatted with my husband by phone

~Helped Anne with some online purchases for a class

~Cleaned my room for about 15 minutes......needs LOTS more time than that!

~Read about 35 pages in my book: Random Harvest by James Hilton……definitely did not go the way I expected

~Read a chapter of The Horse and His Boy by CS Lewis to the little boys

~Read through and deleted a bunch of emails

~Read Willa, Clare and Lissa’s blogs……added a comment here and there

~Watched one hour of a movie Anne found at the library yesterday, with three older kids: Bee Season with Richard Gere: oddly filmed, we are still trying to figure the storyline out....will finish it tomorrow

~Typed up this list........while watching (listening to?) the movie

~Looked around the house at what I should have been cleaning up, but wrote this instead. :)

~Got ready for bed, read for a few seconds…..drifted off to sleep



I guess this is a typical day at Our Hearts’ Haven........maybe no..........maybe I do not usually get as much done :) We KNOW I left something out...........like directing the day.........because I am so forgetful

Hmmm…..looks like I need to add in some exercise for mom.

So, I need to get the little boys going with their schooling…most of it is being done with me, so I have been getting the olders ready with their independent studies.

Now, off to go live this next day, this next opportunity.......already messed up because I am here :)


God bless,

Chari