The Fair opened for business the following week so the girls and I had to stop and shop (what's not to love??? Beautiful, well-written books being sold to benefit the school. It's a win-win). It wasn't hard for either of them to find several books that were perfect for our collection. I'll admit I picked up a few myself, mostly for them but one for me.
On the top of a side bookshelf this caught my eye.
I guess the word, ordinary, and the subtitle, "A Mother's Memoir" were enough to make me think I may like it. I started to carry it around with me to dance class, speech sessions and the short wait at the end of the school day.
Katrina is a usual mom who decided things were getting too complicated. The process of self-discovery led her and her family to leave suburban life and find a quaint hilltop on which to rebuild a new life of simplicity. She also reminded me of how quickly kids grow up. Her two sons were entering and then finishing high school. Mine are just starting school but I know it will quickly be time for graduation...yikes!
I've been itching to clean out, organize and simplify our home in preparation for a fun summer. I've also started to think it would sure be easier to clean, keep things neat and organized if I just didn't have sooooo much stuff!
I also try to remind myself all the time that its really the everyday moments that I (and the girls) will probably remember instead of the big productions that we sometimes put all our effort into. I love the morning cuddles when our kindergartner wakes earlier than we do and we get a few minutes of quiet time. The toys, crayons, hand-drawn artwork and school papers that clutter my home now will someday be gone and I'll wonder why its so neat around here. Walking through every water puddle and pile of dirt is really not that big of a deal. Eating sometimes requires spilling on the floor and very sticky fingers. Learning to read is a process and a certain mother needs to remain patient even at the end of the day when all I would like is a few minutes of peace...a few minutes one way or the other won't really matter.
I'm grateful for whatever it was that drew me to this book. I've finished it now. I've already sorted through the office and taken a load of stuff to the church's rummage sale. There's more to be done but not so much that I can't enjoy a quiet, simple moment here and there.
