I am not sure if I actually lived the month of September or simply free-fell through it. We are in what is possibly the busiest season our family has EVER experienced, and while our version of busy may look like a casual stroll compared with the schedules of other families, it has felt like an Olympic sprint for us. I am tired and overwhelmed. At the same time, I am grateful for every one of the activities that are currently filling our days—I wouldn’t change a thing. Both things can be true, and this is just one of many dichotomies I’m holding this month. Another one? I am sad about all that is happening in our country at the moment (most notably Charlie Kirk’s assassination) AND I am in total awe of the ways that God is redeeming unfathomable evil, taking what man meant for evil and using this devastation to usher in spiritual renewal and revival. It’s incredible!
Sitting in the tension of disparate experiences and emotions does not come easily to me, but I’m getting plenty of practice. . . so if practice makes perfect, I’ll be a perfect both/and thinker in no time.
|| READING LATELY ||
I got stuck behind this novel early in the month (great premise, poor execution), but otherwise had a great month of reading. I am absolutely delighted by this series of Victorian novellas that are unlike anything I’ve ever read. I spent more time in the Victorian period with this time travel mystery; that book involves swapping identities, as does this contemporary thriller that I couldn’t put down. In nonfiction, I read this powerful/heartbreaking/beautifully written eating disorder memoir that felt like it was lifted straight from my own journals, and I explored an intriguing societal framework through Ben Shapiro’s latest. As a family, we read this classic (a reread for me) and listened to this one (that was new to me, despite its 1906 publication). I’ll be reviewing each of these titles in a Quick Lit post next Thursday.
|| WATCHING LATELY ||
Bridge to Terabithia—Whenever possible, the kids and I enjoy watching the film adaptations of our family read-alouds (the DVDs are usually available at our local library). We’ve had some pleasant surprises, and this is one of them! Though my impressions of the book were just mediocre, I really enjoyed the movie version that stays true to the source material while softening some of the book’s harder edges and rounding out a story that felt a little flat in book form. While the film seemed to be a little confused about its own time period (with cars and some outfits matching the book’s 1970s setting, but with the inclusion of some distinctly early-2000s outfits and technology), I enjoyed the cinematography, especially the way that the movie makes the imaginative portions of the story come to life. And the casting is absolutely perfect! I was intrigued to read that the screenplay was written by Katherine Paterson’s son, whose life events also inspired the original novel. What a fascinating full circle! My Rating: 4.5 Stars.
There are a lot of things I love about my kids’ big age gap, but there are some things that are tough. Case in point: Luke and I have been wanting to watch some more “mature” movies with 10-year-old Charleston, but didn’t know how to make that happen since his siblings are always around when the television is on (which is only on the weekends). Our solution was to start doing Friday night movie nights with Charleston once Nico and the twins have gone to bed. We began with the The Princess Bride and the final two Harry Potter films, followed by the first Pirates of the Caribbean. Up next are The Sandlot, Apollo 13, and The Mask of Zorro. We are making a list of movies that are appropriate for a 10-year-old boy but not for the littles; taking suggestions if you have any!
|| LISTENING LAETLY ||
Some podcasts that I’ve found informative or inspiring this month.
Candace Cameron Bure Podcast—All of season 11, Body and Soul with Lisa Whittle (beginning here). I needed to hear this powerful series of conversations about body image, eating disorders, beauty standards, and a theology of the body. Great content, and Lisa and Candace have excellent chemistry.
Everyday Educator—Building Lead Learners: How Big Families Create Natural Mentorship
The Andrew Klavan Show—Seven Virtues That Will Make Your Life Better
Focus on the Family with Jim Daly—Teach Your Child How to Have Meaningful Conversations
Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey—Charlie Kirk: My Friend
The Unshaken Faith Podcast—#54 6 Ways Charlie Kirk Should Inspire Unshaken Faith
Though I’d heard episodes here and there, I was not a regular listener of The Charlie Kirk show prior to his assassination, but I was deeply moved by the series of episodes hosted by Charlie’s friends and colleagues reflecting on his memory and legacy. I especially loved the episodes hosted by Megyn Kelley and Allie Beth Stuckey. I think everyone has heard Erika Kirk’s powerful speech at his memorial; if you somehow missed it, it is an absolute MUST LISTEN.
|| MONTHLY KID-ISMS ||
CHARLIE-ISMS:
+ When Kali said her favorite food was cotton candy: “That can’t be your favorite food. It’s not really food. It’s just sugar and food coloring.”
+ “The world is a strange place. If God created the heavens and the earth and then decided to go on a business trip, He’d come back and be like, ‘what happened?!'”
+ When he found out that I write down all of his -isms: “You could make a book about our sayings! It’d have to be a series of a thousand pages.”
+ “I’m not even sure Sully and I are related after the events of today. First, he gets sad when you say you’re skipping math. Then he doesn’t want any BBQ Doritos. And third, he chooses regular over extra-cheesy Goldfish crackers!”
+ “It sounds like most homeschool families are pretty flexible. We’re not very flexible. I like that.”
KALI-ISMS:
+ In response to a joke from Luke about Sully falling asleep in the shower. “I can’t make Sully sleep in the shower! He’s my best friend, and I won’t sleep in the shower!”
+ While the boys were on their Trail Life campout: “I’m tired. It’s hard to do everything by myself without Charlie and Sully.”
+ Me, asking about granola bars that came in a two-pack: “How did those bars taste?” Kali: “Good! But I just ate one because I didn’t really care for it.”
+ “I like having three brothers. One to make me feel better, that’s Nico. One to look out for me, that’s Sully. And one more is Charlie.”
+ Kali, to Sully before their birthday: “Are you going to make me a card?” Sully: “No, I don’t think so. I’m not sure if I have enough time. Sorry about that.” Kali: “I would like it but it’s fine, it’s fine. I can’t really read. . . .”
+ Seeing nude paintings in Renaissance art: “Back then did they not have clothes?”
SULLY-ISMS:
+ While playing Duplos with Nico: “Me and Kali are worried Nico might have choked on one of the flowers.” Me: “You’d know if he choked, he wouldn’t be breathing.” Kali puts her hand in front of Nico’s mouth to check for breath (he was babbling and playing as she did this). Sully: “Um…yeah, he’s alive. Because if he wasn’t breathing he’d be dead.”
+ “When I wake up in the morning on my birthday, I already just feel like I am SO much bigger.”
+ “Nico has the super power of cuteness. He is SO CUTE!”
+ Me, the day after their birthday: “Happy second day of being six.” Sully: “We still feel five. It’s probably because we’re not used to being six yet.”
+ (This last one is from the cutest conversation that the twins and I had on the night before their birthday, documented word-for-word since it got recorded on their monitor!)
Sully: “Mom, do some people, like, in a family—they’re not twins but they have the same birthday?”
Me: “Yes, that happens! I actually know of a family with two sets of twins and they ALL have the same birthday. When her older twins were turning eight, she had another set of twins, on their birthday!”
Sully: “Oh that sounds sad!”
ME: “Why, because they all have to share?”
Sully: “No, it sounds sad because the mom doesn’t get to visit the older kids on their birthday.”
Me: “Actually their mom DID get to be with them on their birthday because she had her babies at home.”
Kali: “Why didn’t you have us at home?”
Me: “Because I had to have a c-section with you guys, remember? So I had to be in the hospital.”
Sully: “But why can’t they just bring the knife to your house?”
|| HAPPENINGS & HIGHLIGHTS ||
The boys went on their first Trail Life campout of the season (held at The Museum of the American G.I.), and they had an awesome time shooting guns, throwing axes, exploring the museum, and more. It was Sully’s first-ever campout, and he camped like a pro!
The campout was the first time the twins have been apart for more than a few hours. They definitely missed each other, and it was weird for me to have just Kali and Nico for the weekend. I was glad we had a Heritage Girls event to keep us busy on Saturday. And it was great to have our boys back, the twins were SO CUTE running into one another’s open arms when they were reunited.
Kalie and Sully turned six this past weekend! And we had a lot of fun celebrating them. The day started off with a fun scavenger hunt set up by Charleston that led them to their birthday presents. I love that Charleston thought to do that for them, and they loved it! For breakfast, we went out for donuts (and chocolate milk, since September 27 is not only their birthday but also National Chocolate Milk Day).
Later that morning we met up with the cousins for some play time at Chuck E. Cheese. The twins each had fun in their own way: Kali spent nearly an hour on the tiny merry-go-round (riding side saddle like the princess she is), then another little girl (not someone we knew) asked Kali to join her in the Chuck E. photo booth where they spent at least half an hour posing for pictures (Kali finally met her match in the photo-taking department!). Meanwhile, Sully tried out every game in an effort to rack up as many tickets as possible. As part of their party package, the twins got a birthday song as well as time in the ticket blaster, both of which were fun for them and fun for US to watch; it was clear they both felt a little nervous with all the attention, but played off each other’s silliness and managed to have a great time.
After Chuck E. Cheese, we came back to our house for pizza, presents, and birthday cake with the family. Among other gifts, Kali and Sully received their first real Bibles! They were excited about the Bibles, but Kali’s Moana and ballet costumes and Sully’s remote control car were the biggest hits. We ended the day by Facetiming my parents, followed by a dinner comprised of all the snacks they’d picked out for their party (translation: they ate oreos, Doritos, fresh fruit, and cheetos for dinner). I’m so glad that we got to celebrate these two special kiddos with a day that they loved.
|| ICYMI: SEPTEMBER ON THE BLOG ||
BOOK CORNER
Bookish Considerations: What is your stance on DNFing books? “On an objective level, I have no qualms about DNFing a book. Although I do think some readers are a little too quick to DNF a book that MIGHT be a great match if given more of a chance, it’s simply true that not every book is for every reader; it makes sense to quit a book that is obviously a mismatch.“
REFLECTIONS
Fruitful “It’s easy to see the incongruence between a living tree and imitation fruit. But when it comes to our spiritual lives, many of us settle for artificial fruit in lieu of the real thing.“
A Case for Memory Work, and 28 Things to Memorize (as a family or just myself!) “This new foray into hard core memory work has me thinking about some things that would be fun to memorize—either as a family, or just for myself (I’ll let you guess which of these items fall in that just-for-me bucket).“
Kalinda Joy & Sullivan Luke || Now we are six!
A Love That Grows “The inner critic is loud, but on good days—when I remember to tune out the guilt-laden inner monologue and tune into the Truth—God’s voice is louder. I believe that God equips us to handle everything He asks us to do.“
Maybe your September was a little like mine, or maybe it’s been totally different. I hope that you can look back and recognize the beauty and God’s presence in every moment of your month—the busy moments, the tired moments, the joyful moments, and even the hard ones. Wishing you a lovely October—I’m so glad that it’s here.