Linger in the center of it...

This week started out pretty rough: Dave was away all day Sunday and then again all day Monday and I had the snottiest cold ever!  I must have gone through three Kleenex boxes!  Thankfully the boys still had tons of fun in the dirt in the warm weather.  We helped gather river stones for a prayer labyrinth behind our church.  We couldn't stop.  It was very compelling to work with your hands and help build something.  Even though I was sniffling and headaching, I wove and bowed some branches to indicate the archway entrance.  I love that it was all made of earth, sticks and stones, and centered on a tree.  Alex Hart, a first year student initiated the idea for Earth Day chapel and I championed it as his teacher.  But I was surprised how much the boys took to it.  They knew right away how to "do it."  There's something so inviting about it, and it felt good to do something so natural and worthwhile.

It's fun with the labyrinth because you can't really tell when you're going to get to the middle.  Sometimes you turn toward it, and other times away.  It's so fascinating.  Of course it's so much like life.  You want to get the center and linger, but all the while you are journeying closer or further from your greatest purpose and rest.  The stones marking the boundaries of the path are interesting, but you can't rest along the way, you're compelled to keep moving.

The labyrinth is a wonderful place to retreat to alone out here.  I hope we can keep it for a while.

Well... after two days of fatigue, snot, and chapped face I'm finally doing much better.  (Thanks to Davey letting me sleep in a bit this morning after Donovan got on the bus.)  -Back to Lettice and Loveage today with a reasonably large house.  I was so happy.  But after the show, guess what?  It was snowing!! Huge fat flakes and white everywhere!  'Course it was too warm to do much lasting damage, but I thought it was beautiful.  Many local Albertans were cursing it, but my native Oregon instincts thrilled at the wonder of it.  It's still new to me.

The boys are asleep now (late again), but I'm glad for their full days.  Dave and I are struggling to recover our kitchen and reclaim the rest of our house with all our commitments, but it really won't end.  We keep doing what's in front of us and stealing moments of spontaneity or creativity or connection where we can.

I ended up having friends over for dinner both nights while Davey was gone.  It just worked out that way.  People don't really mind crumbs on the table; they're just glad for a seat, food, and company.  They just want to linger in the center of it all, never mind all the rocks along the way.