It begins...

A friend recently forwarded an email to me titled "The Invisible Mother," a short essay comparing the tireless and often thankless job of a mother to the builders of Europe's great cathedrals. Both give their whole lives for a work they will never see finished, both make sacrifices and expect no credit, and both are fueled in their passion by the faith that the eyes of God see every detail. The writer of the essay was inspired by the thought that our endless efforts in motherhood, invisible as they may seem, are worth it and can make an enriching life.


For many of us, the way we choose to hold our invisibility at bay is by creating something tangible. For me, my days often end with knitting - my love of fiber and the need to do something relaxing end up producing something I can hold and look at. Nobody will know how many times I swept under the high chair that day, or how many toys I picked up, or how many times I tried to coax a "please" or "more" or "sorry" out of my 5 year old. But a darling, handmade infant hat? That you can see.


I start new projects every day, and my 10 year old does the same. In this process of creating (and yes, often not finishing our projects!) we connect with each other and a bigger picture of ourselves in the process. My plan for this blog is to share the projects that excite me and bring some accessible proof of my existence in this invisible world of mothering!


So, this blog is dedicated to the mothers out there whose days are filled with the minutia of tasks that build our children and our families. I often tell people that I haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up. But for now, I am the builder of a great cathedral. With every shoelace tied, lunch packed, and forehead kissed, I build.


And I can hardly wait to create something new...


Monday, September 19, 2011

Fall Campout

Campout success!  Our weekend was filled with fun, friends, learning, and lots of crafting. Rowan and the other Brownies earned 2 badges for their vests: "Outdoor Adventurer" and "Ready, Set, Go Camping." I've ironed them on - they are the ones with the yellow and orange suns. The girls also earned a "First Campout" fun patch!
To earn the badges, they had to fulfill a list of requirements including sleeping at camp, taking a hike, learning fire safety, building a shelter in the woods, doing a sensory hike, making their own 'storm' and learning different ways to use a bandana (we came up with at least 20!) Here is a photo montage of our camp weekend.
One of the girls' favorite activities was working on their Fairy Houses...
Little by little, the houses multiplied and grew more complex.
You can imagine the state of their fingernails!
Saturday morning we crafted! Here's Rowan working on her splatter paint camp t-shirt...
...and painting her camp picture frame.
The completed shirts, hanging to dry!
Next, we gathered for a morning hike.
Into the woods we go, girls in the lead.
After lunch, the girls build their shelter...
...and get it rain-proof.
Then we take another hike to Sunset Rock...
...where we have our "Cowgirl Sodas." Yum! 
We love Sunset Rock!
The girls helped make and watch the fire, helped cook and clean up the meals, and learned a lot about teamwork and being responsible! They were excited to earn the different colored beads for their camp hook!
We got pretty soggy Sunday morning - the rain was in full swing as we tried to break camp and pack up for home. It was nice to take a shower and sleep in a warm, soft bed...but we're already talking about when we can camp again...
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2 comments:

  1. KathySeptember 19, 2011 at 11:27 PM

    Memories that will last a lifetime for those girls, I am sure. I can remember my 4-H Camp-outs from 50 years ago, and they weren't half as exciting! Bravo to you for the excellent planning and guidance.

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  2. KimSeptember 26, 2011 at 8:29 PM

    It reminds me of my girl scout days! So much fun. Looks like you do an awesome job. I wish I could find a troop like that here for Emma. We tried one and it was, let's just say not so great!

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