Holiday in May

Summer is on the doorstep!

This is how I found them Monday morning. We slept in, the kids played board games. It's a love story. 

Today is the kids' last day of school/daycare. They can't wait, not only to be on their break, but to be able to spend every waking hour together.

Examining a worm at the Price House. There will be many more days like this for them very soon!

They go straight from their last days into their dress rehearsal (tonight) for the dance recital (tomorrow). Expect at least a few pictures coming very soon of costumed kids, and video clips of their numbers being performed on the Big Stage.

Last week was Pentecost. I enjoyed teaching Children's Chapel that day on the subject, "Pentecost is Best Celebrated Outside." Pentecost is the season when we go outside our comfort zones, full of the Holy Spirit, to meet people who are different from us-- and, miraculously, be able to speak to them and understand them in return.

Even ragdoll Jesus, who lives in the chapel room, knows to wear red for Pentecost

That evening, we attended this miraculous ecumenical Pentecost service (incidentally, the service was held in the street, outside) that included several of the churches on our street: Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal, Church of God and United Methodist. The Methodists led a hymn sing, the Church of God pastor did a lot of extemporaneous praying, the AME pastor preached the sermon (whooo what a sermon) and the Episcopal church led the Eucharist and I got to help serve it! That was one of the more moving church services of my life, certainly.

I made Pentecost crowns for all the little kids.

And for some of the big ones!

Monday gave us a family day, which we needed badly! We took a leisurely hike and picnic at a park. There were waterfalls and caves at the park, but for some reason, I liked the meadow best. 

We're still waiting, by the way, for any positive news about jobs. I've started to look at apartments and houses for rent here in town, just for something to do. Some we can afford at our current income level, some we can't. I think what bothers me most is the way other people respond when I tell them I don't know if I'll be here next year, or that we're moving but I don't know where. Unless I tell the whole story, I feel like they think I'm just flaky. When I'm actually consumingly obsessed with the question, and terribly stressed out that it has no answer. It's started to wake me up at night, and in the mornings. I covet prayers, either for Helpful Developments or for my own sanity in the uncertainty. 

Last night I said to Miles, "I am really having a hard time being patient to know where we'll live next year. Let's pray that we find out soon." After a bit of thought, I corrected, "Actually, let's pray that Mum has more patience." And Miles said, "You are patient, mum." And I just want to wear those words around my neck. For as long as it takes.