The most important things..

I still haven't gotten around to downloading some photos, but I will soon. We've had a busy few days around here. Last Friday, I walked with the kids into school and enjoyed the smell of wood and lavender that usually greets us. I looked around the beautiful rooms and, for a moment, had a period of doubt about if we were doing the right thing. A couple of hours later, I went on a bushwalk with AJ's class. "Hold your partners hand...stay together...don't go there, that's out of bounds....that's too far...AJ, get back here...(AJ finds an 'acceptable' activity, gets deeply engrossed and then..)...time to go back now...AJ, you need to line up with your partner now...AJ!" Ah yeah, no doubts at all now. On the walk back, AJ and a friend wanted to look at a tree that was dripping dark red sticky sap but they were told to get back in line and not hold the rest of the class up. That afternoon we stayed late at the school as Sami recently joined the adult choir that practices then. So while we were waiting, I helped tidy the Kindy room in preparation for the big Spring Festival coming up and AJ and Nicholas ran around with friends.

Saturday we had a clean up day around here and then some friends came around to celebrate the mama's birthday. Great fun. Sunday we went to the markets for our weekly fruit and veg and then went to the Spring Festival at the kids school. It was lovely. Sami joined her class for a performance, but then refused to join the kids choir performance which she is also in, as she only wants to be part of the adult choir now. She always looks so confident and comfortable onstage. When she was singing with the adult choir, she was in the front row and was loving it. When she sings with her class, she's in the back row as she's one of the taller kids and isn't as impressed by the experience.

Yesterday (Monday) was a no-school day so we caught up on washing, made a chocolate cake and some friends came over for an afternoon of playing in the pool. A good time had by all.

The kids have less than a week of school left and have not said a whole lot about that. With the warmer weather coming and the opportunity to spend most of the day at the pool or on the beach, I don't think school will be missed. AJ will probably miss some friends, but they can still have playdates. Sami will definitely miss her teacher and the Main Lesson work. But I'm going to see if she can still be a part of the adult choir while we're in the area and we can always pop in and say hello if she wants. Sami and AJ have been fighting a lot lately, but hopefully it won't take long to rediscover that they are actually good friends and like playing together.

Both children have been a little sad that we sold the "big car". After recently moving out of the house and into the camper, putting most of their things in storage, Cary leaving temporarily, selling the favourite car, and soon to be leaving school...that's a lot of change in a short time. I take it on my role as Mama to try and protect my children to a certain extent from sad and uncomfortable feelings at these ages, and to try and provide a sense of security. Cary sees my point, but also thinks that this was a choice, not like it was suddenly all taken from us by fire or flood. They are learning at these ages that the important things in life are not material things...they are impermanent. But the most important and constant thing in their lives is the love of family and the adventure of living.