Birthdays and the Elevation of the Family

Phoebe turned 14 this week! 

She had talked about going to one of those Old-Timey Photo places to get some pictures taken. But everything is closed right now. So we had her meal of Stromboli, her cake of Boston Cream Pie, her opening of gifts and the watching of her choice of movie. She wanted a funny Western. We found several suggestions, but she decided on a familiar one.

Maverick

Phoebe has been doing some sewing lately, embroidery, drawing, listening to books, reading books. She's gotten Harrison to listen to Harry Potter. Phillip and Jon got Phoebe to read Lamour's Down the Long Hills. I'm trying to get Phoebe to read Love Comes Softly. Liz is going back to Mere Christianity because when I had her read it a few years ago, it was a little over her head. I enjoy a little book swapping and chatting amongst the family.

Snowball fight! 

Jon's fake snowballs gave them a few minutes of fun this afternoon. 

It's been surprisingly cool this past week. I was glad because I've been wanting to have one last backyard fire. It was a good fire too ~ we aren't always successful at building one. We cooked bacon. Campfire bacon is the best. 

Our neighborhood found out this week that their schools are shut down for the rest of this current school year. We weren't too surprised at the news. Our family has 5 weeks of school left, and we're keeping at it like we were before Corona. Except I do half a math lesson with Harrison per day instead of a whole one. That's my one little concession to lighten up our days. 

I feel bad for all the high school seniors who are really celebrated their last year of school. No proms or Skip Days or graduation ceremonies. If I had been looking forward to all of that, it would be such a depressing bummer. Liz wasn't going to have a graduation ceremony. She was going to attend a prom, and that's up in air as to if it will happen. She also had a graduation party date picked out, and we'll have to see if that can still happen. Her college is getting kids registered early for classes, so they'll be calling her soon to get her college freshman classes set up. She's out shopping with her dad right now for a car. Life is moving on, if a little differently than planned.

Around our house I see old advertisements for daycares and preschools promoting early education and such. It made me so, so happy that the family is being elevated right at this moment of crisis. When it came around to hunkering down, they didn't separate family units and put them under an authority the government deemed a better fit. They actually said that the family, the home was the best place for everyone. What a testimony to the reality He put in place from the very beginning. I don't like quarantining. But I'm super thankful for my husband and kids and our home.