Things I Love (February Edition)
bunny love, progress in slow things, pancake night, and the coming of spring
The bunny that loves us: We have had a wild(ish) rabbit that has chosen us as his family. It is a Rex rabbit that someone must have had as a pet and let go, because, though it is wild, it is trusting enough to come close to us. It won’t let us hold it, but we can reach out with a carrot and it will eat our of our hands. Sweetly enough, it will let the littlest of our children pet it a few times before hopping away. Randy named it Bunny Wunny. It looks like a rabbit that forgot his little jacket and shoes before hopping right out of a Beatrix Potter book. It eats my flowers and will likely eat things that I am trying to grow this spring, but how often are we going to have a magical season like this with a wild bunny that loves us?
Daffodils: The girls were at a friend’s house yesterday and gathered a grand bouquet of them. These flowers are the promise of beautiful things to come, and fill the kitchen with a sunniness that makes my heart sing.
Air Fryers: I didn’t know how much I would love an air fryer. When my knock-off Instant Pot died under warranty, the company was out of pressure cookers and said I could choose any other appliance they sold. I chose the biggest air fryer oven they had, hoping I would find uses for it. We use it multiple times every day. So far, my favorite thing is the way it turns raw chicken breasts into a gourmet entree in 15-20 minutes. I just pour some olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper over it, throw it on the racks, and it transforms it into something that is restaurant quality. Also, the way it crisps up potatoes and makes sweet potato fries. Kebabs. Also brussel sprouts. Also, appliances that help me make food fast make me happy, because about half of my waking hours are dealing with food around here.
Pancake Night: Wednesday evenings have become pancake night here. It’s one of the few meals that all of my kids like. I don’t love making pancakes in the mornings because it takes a really long time to flip enough for a family of 10. But in the evenings, it’s different. It has been a fun little tradition for the last few weeks, and it is nice to not think about what we are eating, and to know that everyone will enjoy it. I am also more patient with “help” from the little ones in the evenings, when I’m not desperate to get hungry mouths fed before morning meltdowns. (And people always love to help when we make pancakes…) I have found a delicious gluten-free pancake recipe that has become my go-to on the Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Blog.
1000 Hours Outside Podcast: My older kids and I really enjoy this podcast, and it always brings up lots of good conversation about living a more human life. While the premise of the show is getting kids outside and giving them a more analog childhood, it also is a great resource for parents who are asking questions about how technology is affecting children and our culture in general. We listened to three episodes this week about AI and technology that were fascinating (Episodes 248, 249, and 250.), eye-opening, and the catalyst for great discussion.
Randy’s Music: As I am typing this, I hear Randy working on a new song on the piano in the other room. Nothing makes me love him more than to see and hear him doing the work that God has put in his heart. If you haven’t heard his new album, you can listen on Spotify or Apple Music or purchase the album for download on iTunes. My favorite song was inspired by a bird he heard singing in the front yard. He transcribed the notes the bird sang, and they became the first notes of the melody. I will be singing this song all through my labor. There is also this love song that he wrote for me.
Seeing Progress in the Slow Things: Sometimes it feels like nothing is really being accomplished in life. We are caught in holding patterns, repeating the same rituals of waking, making food, trying to patiently love and teach our children, nourishing and clothing them, cleaning up after them, teaching them to clean up after themselves, helping them to establish habits that will serve them. So much of the work of motherhood is slow. It is so beautiful when one day, you realize that these children are becoming the people they were created to be. When you see God’s hand in all of the slow work, and how it is all adding up to what you have been hoping for all along. I see this also in my own life. I aspire to so much, have so many words that want to come out of this mind and heart… But it is only small bursts of ink here and there. And yet, this last year has shown full fruit of so many seeds planted. I finally published my book. I have written weekly here on Substack for 16 months. I now have over 50 episodes on The Sacred Everyday Podcast. I have created a Resource Room for journaling and creative family culture. All of these big goals have come slowly, mark by mark on the page, season by season. But it is encouraging to see when slow work pays off.
The feeling that comes a split-second after a baby is born: There is nothing else like it in all this world. I am so looking forward to that moment, when the hard work is over, the baby is being gently placed in my arms, I am laughing and crying, saying “thank you God, thank you God, thank you God” over and over, and a new chapter begins in the story of this family. This is the focal point of my joy in the days ahead, along with the moment that our two-year-old son first lays eyes on the newborn baby, finally understanding that this is the tiny baby we have been talking about for nearly half of his precious life. The thought of his coming smile and his little fingers reaching out to touch his new baby brother is the image I am keeping in my mind for courage when birth threatens to shake me to my core. These joys are really coming. I cannot wait to store them up, to ponder them in my heart.
Sending so much love to all of you. Thank you so much for being here.
Mackenzie
From the Blog:
Get outside! Touch, taste, smell, experience the coming of spring with this free printable from the blog.
From the Family Archive:
This song was recorded two weeks before my fifth baby was born.
Love grows quietly,
A small seed will one day be a flowering tree
We took a drive
I was happy to be alive and have you with me
The dogwoods were blooming
Wisteria hung from the trees
You did something to me
Like winter is touched by the spring
In every chamber of my heart there is room
There is room for you
We are rearranging every part to make room
To make room for you