Yikes, I can't believe I haven't posted on my blog in a whole month! I was convinced that I'd stay good about posting, but I know that at the very least my mom is pretty skeptical of that now. (Love ya, Mom!)
Well, for one, I can't find the cord that connects our camera to the computer, so I have a good month-long backlog of photos that need to get uploaded and posted. I just need to find some time to look for that cord.
And I've been working on a freelance design project! Some old friends will be planting a church in Valparaiso, IN and I've been working on a logo and visual identity for the new church. It's been great stretching my design legs, so to speak, but I found that once I had deadlines to keep up with, all else fell to the bottom of my priority list. Such is life, I guess.
A Day in the Life
Let me tell you about our life in Stellenbosch.
It begins with Auggie and Eland waking between 7:15 and 7:45am. This is right around the time that Dan leaves for work. (He used to leave earlier but recently figured out that if he works from home from the wee hours of the morning until around 7am, and then eats breakfast and heads to work, he is very productive. I like getting a chance to see him before he leaves, which is an added bonus.) Anyway, the boys wake up.
Within the next three hours I proceed to fetch the boys their morning cup of milk, throw a load of laundry in the washing machine, feed the boys and myself (usually eggs or oatmeal--I'm a firm believer in the train of thought that little minds need protein in the morning for good learning all day), wash all dishes by hand, dress everyone, wash my face, brush my teeth (and the boys' teeth if I'm feeling extra-capable), hang up the laundry on the lines in our living room, and usually change one poopy diaper courtesy of Master Eland Billingsley T. Whew. Most mornings there are one to two imperative crises that take place while I have both hands covered in dishsoap or have something cooking on the stove. On a very, very, very lucky day, I can be done with all of this before 10am, but usually with the various crises that happen, we're not out the door until 10:30am.
Errands include walking to the grocery store for as many things as I can carry home while holding Auggie's hand and pushing Eland in the umbrella stroller. (We've graduated from the stroller-wrap combo thanks to Auggie's willingness to walk!) We also go to the library on occasion, to the mall for phone airtime or diapers, and down the street for a very special treat of smoothies, among other places. Sometimes we stop and look at sculptures (Stellenbosch wants to be known for outdoor artwork and it already has quite a colleciton) and I ask Auggie what he thinks about what we're looking at. Responses include: There are trains going around his stomach; It looks like a cat!; That's a penis (yes, some of them include genitalia--but I think it's good to be able to talk about these things with kids); and Mama, what are those faces?! Sometimes we go to the botanical gardens to look at the koi fish.
On Tuesdays we will be going to the Kayamandi township with our friend Pam to participate/volunteer in a free play group for kids whose parents can't afford to send them to preschool. We've gone once, but then the Easter holidays came so we were off for several weeks.
Wednesday mornings are spent with Sandrine, who is pretty much the boys's South African grandma. She's amazing, and I will write a post just about her sometime soon--hopefully. ;)
After our morning activities we get home around noon, eat lunch (typically peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because Auggie begs for them daily--I know, I know, not much protein), and Eland heads down for his nap between 12:45 and 1:20pm. While he sleeps, Auggie plays while I do more dishes, laundry, or general cleaning up. At some point if I'm feeling extra ambitious I'll start thinking about or even preparing dinner, while Auggie keeps playing or reading. Occasionally we'll bake together, although so far it's usually been too hot. Auggie and I read stories or work on letters, too.
Eland wakes between 3:30pm and 4:30pm. When Dan gets home and if dinner can wait (or simply just hasn't been planned yet!) we'll all go for a bike ride or hike.
Evenings are fairly simple but surprisingly full. On a good night we're done with dinner by 7pm and get the boys ready for bed afterwards. After potty, brushing teeth, and one or two books, they're ideally in bed by 7:30, but often 8pm. Then Dan or I do dishes, fold and put away laundry (and I do laundry about 6 out of 7 days a week because our machine is small and we don't have a whole lot of space for lines--it's the only way I can keep up with it all), shower and find just a bit of time to read, work, or knit (just me, not Dan ;) before bedtime.
Dark turns into light, and another day begins.
Our days are not always very exciting (not unlike this blog post--sorry it's not a terribly entertaining one), but they are full.
I'll end the way I started: Yikes! It's gotten late. To bed I go!
1 comment:
So excited that you're doing the design work for B&S's church plant (at least I'm thinking that's who you're talking about)! Can't wait to see your work!
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