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4 lads mom
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but has anyone else had a kinda rough summer? We have....no camping, not any fun trips for everyone..it has been hijacked by the pertussis outbreak, and now, before we could barely catch our breath, we need to get two kids off to college in two weeks. It has truly been a sick ward of a summer. 
How do you plan to regroup and recharge before the “start” of school? We were planning on doing quite a bit of school during the summer, but that didn’t work as planned, given the large amount of steroids and meds everyone was on it was awfully hard to focus on “school” and breathe at the same time. 
So.....I plan on charging our batteries with a lot of Fall beauty focus, God willing. I want to take a lot of walks and really do some tree identification this year, like those leaf books I’ve been meaning to do for oh....15 years. My guys don’t like to “draw” in a nature journal, so I am going to encourage them to take pics of things on our nature walk, (I got that from someone else, not my original idea) and make a few journal entries. I also plan on focusing on our poetry reading. We did that last year, and it was definitely a big win!
As many have mentioned here and other places, oftentimes when things get crazy, we drop the art and music components of our curricula. For our family, it is just the opposite. Beauty leads to Truth...and Truth leads to Him...and that is where I am going to try to re-focus after a trying time on the tundra.
Anyone else looking to recharge when your “charging” summer time sort of got yanked away?
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Mom of four brave lads and one sweet lassie
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Betsy
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YES!!!!!!!! 
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When handcrafting my work, I always pray that it will raise your heart to all that is true, modest, just, holy, lovely and good fame!
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Bridget
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The first part of our summer was busy but 'fun busy'. Then we had quite a bit of upper respiratory illness, then I had a late miscarriage. Just knocked out the summer. Now, as you said it's time to organize the college kid and focus on organizing our lives for the new school year. I was just thinking about how to get that rested, recharged feeling one gets after relaxing at the beach. (Not that I actually relax at the beach, I just count heads continuously but I hear it's relaxing.  ) I am longing for beauty and peace. I think your idea of nature walks is perfect. Our metro parks have some beautiful trails. I must schedule that in and prioritize it.
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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MichelleW
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Yes. Our summer has been nonstop but NOT fun! I am dreading school because we haven't had any good downtime yet. I like your ideas!
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Michelle
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MichelleW
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Oh Bridget! I am so sorry to hear of your miscarriage! What a difficult summer you've had!
I too am longing for beauty and peace.
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Michelle
Mom to 3 (dd 14, ds 15, and ds 16)
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4 lads mom
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Bridget!! I am so sorry!! I didn’t realize you had a miscarriage. Yes, lots of nature time for you and yours...lots of Grace in that beauty. I wish we lived closer 
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Bridget
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Thanks Michelle and Diana. You know, everyone I talk to has been through the wringer one way or another lately. Searching for beauty and peace seems to a very real, deep need for so many of us right now. But it mostly won't happen without a thoughtful plan. Nature study walks, the sacraments of course, reading, music, quiet one on one conversations with a child, flowers...
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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MarilynW
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Bridget,
I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage.
Hugs,
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DominaCaeli
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I'm sorry to hear as well, Bridget--prayers for you.
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Celeste
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MarilynW
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4lads my friend - I feel kind of the same way. And I feel bad about complaining. We have not had major illness - but it seems that the summer has just flown by and I don't feel rested or rejuvenated. I feel that I am constanly busy and fighting some fire or the other - and I feel that I have done very little that is fun with the children. I had great plans for nature study and poetry and art - but I get to 11pm each day and wonder what happened to the day. Seems a lot of doctors appointments and dental woes etc, endless paperwork - time drains and energy drains.
I did relax for the 3 days in June we were at the Eastern Shore - nothing but birds and wildlife and beautiful sunsets and being on the bay meant no big waves or riptides.
I did my main school buying in June - but have not even sat down and written schedules and figured it all out.
And ...my first baby bird is getting ready to fly the nest in a couple of weeks. She just finished up her summer job and we are focusing on getting ready for college - she is focusing on which of her huge literary masterpiece favorites to take with her, and how to make hot tea, I am hung up on shower totes and vitamins....
We planned on starting school on Aug 26 - but I feel like I need to have some sort of a rest - and I just want to have some time for read alouds and star gazing and birdwatching and catching fire flies.
Just to say after all this complaining...despite the stressed feel, I know He is in control. I try to remember that we are called to "take up our cross" - and I am setting myself little goals. Today I spent 15 minutes doing waterbrush watercoloring with my 4 year old (who has been begging for days) - small victory.
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MarilynW
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To make up for my complaining - I wanted to mention a couple more positives:
- we spent some of our wedding anniversary at the Lourdes grotto in Emmitsburg, Maryland - just beautiful and peaceful
- I have managed a lot of Holy Hours/Adoration this summer. This has kept me going.
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guitarnan
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Praying for everyone who's had a stressful summer, especially you, 4LadsMom, and you, Bridget...
Our summers always tend to rise up and take over the known universe, but somehow this time I was ready and I'm not cringing in fear. (NO, I have not ordered the pre-calc book yet, but that will happen and math will continue to torture my child, I mean edify us all.)
Marilyn, we adore Emmittsburg...truly a peaceful, God-filled place. No wonder St. Elizabeth Ann Seton felt content there...
Two summers ago, I really felt overwhelmed by "family fun" travel, work, DH's work, etc. and I planned a four-day cottage stay in a place we'd never visited. It was great...we totally relaxed and enjoyed everything we did.
This year, our son is 600 miles away...I've seen him twice this summer and hope he'll make his way here before Labor Day, but with his school and work schedules, that might not happen. We won't be taking a family trip that includes all four of us this year, and might not in 2014 either. I think I am at peace with that.
What I miss is the chance to do nothing, all together, but time marches on and my children are young adults and teens. I need to find joy in any time we can spend together, because that is how the empty nest life works...and my nest will empty in 3 or 4 years. Not long!
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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pumpkinmom
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I completely understand this and have been in this situation before. It usually makes a very rough start to our school year. I would hold off and wait to start school after you have had time to relax and refresh however you can get that. This was a huge problem last year! I worked extra hard to make sure it was avoided this year and we were still busy this year but I had more of a plan and I planned out our days and so we had routine and a general game plan. This helped a lot! It was also a great help when unexpected things came up. I was able to handle them better. Learning to say no to people and activities was a great help too.
all around to those who had a stressful summer.
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SallyT
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Prayers for everyone who's struggled this summer, especially you, Bridget, with your loss. And all of you who've dealt with illness.
We've actually had a fairly nice summer, but that's not always been the case. It has been busy, with lots of back-and-forth for our big kids, and making of travel plans, and stress surrounding travel plans. I don't exactly feel rested, and I'd love to call the time back in order to do more lovely things with my kids, but it has been a pretty full summer, and I'm ready to be back on our school schedule again.
For what it's worth, I think getting kids off to college is HARD. Especially the first time, it just takes over the world. And to get two kids all in order . . . whew. I find it a lot less stressful to plan school at home than to help somebody get launched for a semester away from home. So many moving parts, so little control.
Hang in there, everyone.
Sally
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*Lindsey*
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I'm so sorry for your loss, Bridget.
It's just been a difficult past 12 months around here. I am really praying for mercy and grace!
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Lindsey
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MarilynW
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guitarnan wrote:
What I miss is the chance to do nothing, all together, but time marches on and my children are young adults and teens. I need to find joy in any time we can spend together, because that is how the empty nest life works...and my nest will empty in 3 or 4 years. Not long!
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This is the hardest thing about kids going to college, getting jobs etc. It will be very hard to get used to doing things without dd - as our family is so close knit. I am sure I will be very used to it by the time my youngest is ready to leave home (thank goodness she is only 4!!)
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StephanieA
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This has been a tough summer here too. I have been helping to take care of my ailing mother-in-law. My sister-in-law with Down's Syndrome has come to live with us on and off because of MIL's condition. That meant moving children out of their bedrooms...like camping out in their own house where they could find a couch or lay down a sleeping bag. Meanwhile, the college boys were home with all their friends in and out (good kids-but gosh, how these kids keep going and going and going!). The other 6 children kept busy asking who was coming here next . Then we found out a month ago that DH might likely be unemployed this fall. So, the resume/cover letters and interviews have taken precedent over any date nights that would have been planned. I am still working on school schedules, but I never finished up last year's work - and I promised myself I would get the two dyslexic children at least through some work this summer. It just didn't happen.
So...I thinking that I REALLY have to make Sundays - holy this school year. (Like I should be doing that anyway That could be a thread unto itself.
I yearn to be more Mary than Martha and some days quite a lot like Mary, so I need to figure out how to fill that desire without the house going too far downhill.
I didn't get that "big" summer break, but I think little maintenance breaks will do just as much good for refreshing myself during the school year. I just have to think of how to make that happen.
Blessings,
Stephanie
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Booksnbabes
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Not much to add other than feeling much the same way here. Many and  for everyone as we carry our various crosses. 
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Bridget
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4 lads mom wrote:
I plan on charging our batteries with a lot of Fall beauty focus, God willing. I want to take a lot of walks
As many have mentioned here and other places, oftentimes when things get crazy, we drop the art and music components of our curricula. For our family, it is just the opposite. Beauty leads to Truth...and Truth leads to Him...
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Words are powerful. Just these phrases gave me the direction and impetus I needed to find my way towards peace and beauty.
The girls had a friend over and we headed out for a nature hike. we have a marvelous resource so near by. It was a good beginning. Just wanted to share and say thank you.  Nature Walk
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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MarilynW
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I thought I would share Pope Emeritus Benedict's words on nature and on beauty
Nature - Take Your Kids Outdoors
Beauty - On Beauty as a Way to God
Also the quote that I have on my school room wall to inspire me daily
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Marilyn
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Topic: Not to complain.....
