I could have titled this post, “The Perfect Day,” because it felt appropriate.  If you follow my blog, you know that I love Monday’s because I claim it to be whatever I want it to be.  I let the kids sleep in (generally), I have extra time to read the Bible, write in my scripture journal, and sometimes even get to post a blog.  I did all of that this morning.   When the kids got up, Joshua built us a warm fire.  I went outside in the cold and snow and did the farm chores, instead of asking the kids to do them.  I took my time making sure all the animals had their water (the troughs were not filled with frozen water), and food.  I collected the eggs from the chickens nests, gave them their clean water, and feed.  I filled the tub for the ducks with the clean water.  I actually like doing this stuff in the cold, snow, and sleet.  It must be the nurturing side of me surfacing.

When I came in, the kids had drawn close to the crackling fire.  Ruthie had her entire American Girl collection all set up around the clinker brick fireplace.  On the coffee table in front of the fireplace, the boys had their army toys and tanks all laid out.  The snow falling outside and the cold weather made me grateful to be tucked inside with my children playing contently by the fire.  Its’ moments like these that I cherish.  It’s moments like these I want to stop and enjoy and let them sink into my soul for an eternity of memories.  I know all too well that these moments are racing by me.  I pray often that He will help me to slow down time (in the way of not over-hurrying my schedule; stay at home more; enjoy my kids.)

After looking at something with Rachel on the pc, I told her that I needed to get going on my busy schedule of all the things I needed to accomplish for the day.  I stood up and walked across the room.  I looked at the piano, and the thought came over me, “I want to play the piano.”  This was certainly not on my to-do list, in fact, it’s something I rarely do unless on a Sunday morning church service for accompanying the hymns.  I sat down, opened a book of classical music, and began to play.  From my peripheral vision, I could see that all the children had stopped what they were doing.  They were staring at me in disbelief.  See, I haven’t played classical piano in maybe three decades, way before they were ever born.  They didn’t know I could do this!  I stopped playing.  I wish I’d had a camera with me, for I would have snapped a picture to capture the moment.  I think I might have even seen some of their mouths just hanging open in disbelief.  I said, “You guys didn’t know I could play the piano like this, did you?”  To which they all affirmed a clear agreement that I was right in my assumption.

 I began to play again, and I began to think about how I really haven’t played in so very long.  Just what did cause me to choose this moment to do so?  I think the answer to that is that I have been feeling rather melancholy since Thanksgiving Day, and inside of me I think I just needed to soothe my soul with music.  I began to recall playing as a young girl, in junior high, about 12 and 13 years old, and music such as this would soothe my soul.  It was strange; this music conjured up within me long ago forgotten feelings of certain sadness during that age.

I played and played.  Rachel came and sat down beside me.  I stopped again, and started telling the kids that I hadn’t practiced these songs in decades, yet I could still play them.  I chose this moment to encourage them in their own music lessons.  It is said that our fingers have memory – yes, it is true! Just like our brain has memory, our fingers do, too.  I told the kids that when they practice their music, whether it is guitar or piano, it’s time wisely invested.  What their learning may very well be lodged in them forever.  I must have played for hours.  I could feel that by the very act of playing these notes and expressing emotion in the music, I was working out what was bothering me in my heart.  Then, I began to be happy that I had been experiencing my unpleasant emotions, for they had led me to this lost love of playing the piano! 

I took time to email a good friend.  In fact, we corresponded several times during this day, a rather unusual thing for me to do, also.  I ventilated my unpleasant emotions – that’s what friends are for, right?  She helped me to see some things in a different light, and this too, helped lift my spirits.

I felt like having something hot to eat, but nothing that was labor intensive.  I came up with a soup recipe that absolutely everyone in the house liked, even those that said they didn’t like potato soup (my husband) or my boys that are generally not soup lovers anyways.

I cut up about six or seven potatoes and put them in the crock pot.  I covered the potatoes with a few cans of chicken broth (it would have been better had I used homemade broth) and enough water to cover the potatoes.  I added some shredded carrots, and some chopped onion.  I wanted to add Lipton onion soup, but I didn’t have it.  Instead, I found a package of Good Seasons Red Pepper and Basil seasonings, just like the Italian seasonings.  It was just a small package, so if you don’t have it, I don’t know it would make a huge difference.  But it is a new product just on the market, so you can see if you can find it.  Anyways, I then added a can of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken and Mushroom soup and a can of Campbell’s Pepper Jack soup.  I cooked it on high.  For the cheese lovers, add extra pepper jack cheese (Rachel did this).  I didn’t add the extra cheese to save on the calories, but it does make a better soup if you do.  It was a hit – not a person in the house didn’t like it.  Now, that rarely happens around here to get a 100% approval rating!

We did have school time, too.  In fact, I myself learned a ton!  I love it when we have class time and I learn new things right along with the kids.  I learned something new that I never knew before in Bible class; History class; and science class.  Now that’s quite remarkable, too!

Dad got home late this evening.  Because our morning had started all so slow, this helped me to fit the extra things in that I might not have had time for.  I even got some exercise in. 

Now, that’s what I call a great day.