Good afternoon to all...just checking in from Fort Cook.
My sojourn here is coming to an end and thanks be to God...all are safe and I believe that we have fulfilled all requirements. I did have a "moment" this morning however. The 3 oldest boys have been taking their IOWA tests and this morning was the final test. We were all ready to leave and I could not find the keys. I had been absolutely scrupulous in placing them in the same spot in order to avoid this type of situation. We all joined in the search...unsuccessfully... and I was just getting ready to ask the neighbor if we could borrow her car, when as a last resort, I took a look on Dan's dresser and there I found an extra set of keys! We quickly (?) buckled up and left and I was audibly touting my joy/satisfaction that even with the delay in leaving, we would still arrive early. Then, when we were almost to the CHURCH (we had already been to the church for 3 different events this week)....Joe, my navigator, piped up and said "why are we going there?" (so reminiscent of Emily as a child...not too observant of where she was at any given moment, her head being buried in a book). We were supposed to be going to the testing sight which was in the opposite direction!! So, around we turned and headed in the right direction and you won't believe this....we were STILL early! Shortly after we got home, James came down squeeling with glee that he had found the keys on the floor in their room. Now, if you have ever seen the floor of their room (4 brothers sharing the same room WITH all their toys, a rat, 2 guinea pigs, a parakeet and a rabbit), you will understand why we did not locate them earlier. I do not know who confiscated the keys from their "safe site", but I am grateful that the mystery is solved. I am going to recommit myself to planning to leave early at all times in the future in hopes of arriving on time.
We are going to the Greek Orthodox fesitival when Claire wakes up and then celebrate at Orapax, the local Greek restaurant for dinner. Dan and Em are due to arrive sometime after 10pm tonight. She called last night and although she did not give details, she said they were having a wonderful time!
I picked up a literary journal (yes, at Goodwill) published by the Cistercians and have been reading an article about the Rule of St. Benedict with a particular focus on serving each other in charity. It develops the "ethic of reciprocity" which is "based on faith and not on common natural dispositions". It goes on about serving the other... "the other, whoever it is or however disfigured, is in some way the sacrament of the Wholly Other". I do not know why I am writing about this...I guess just as a bit of respite from spilled yogurt, dog hair, dirty dishes and "what can we do now" requests. This re-emersion into the life of young children has reaffirmed both the joy received and the persevance required when parenting little ones. You have all received a gift of inestimable value in being the guardians of the souls placed in your care. And I get to join in again as the Nana who's heart continues to be stretched by love for each of you and your children.