Monday, March 23, 2009

I Love Laura and some odd Randomness

Have you ever picked up a piece of clothing on the laundry room floor, thinking it has fallen from the clean pile you're carrying, then you smell it, just to make sure...and it's not?



Today we were having our Art Class outside, so that the kids could draw roses from life, when a boy from church came walking his bike down the street. I asked how he was doing, and he said, "Well, I'll probably have to get stitches." Then he showed me the 6 inch gash on his calve where his bike chain had sliced him open! It was at least an inch deep and as wide! Gross. Thank goodness DH had just refreshed my first aid skills a couple of weeks ago when he taught us first aid to prepare my young women for Girls Camp, and left his first aid supplies sitting in the living room (Gosh, I knew there had to be a good reason). I had him come in, cleaned the wound, wrapped it up, and called his grandma to come get him, so she could take him to the emergency room to have it sewed up. I'm feeling very Clara Barton.

Why I LOVE Laura Ingalls Wilder and Little House on The Prairie (I'm reading it to the Babies every night before bed.) -


"Then his (Pa's) eyes twinkled at Ma and he told her to open the square
package on the table. "Be Careful," he said. "Don't drop it."

Ma stopped unwrapping it and said: "Oh Charles! You didn't!"

"Open it," Pa said.

In that square package there were eight small square of window glass. They
would have glass windows in their house.

Not one of the squares was broken. Pa had brought them safely all the way
home. Ma shook her head and said he shouldn't have spent so much, but her whole
face was smiling and Pa laughed with joy. They were all so pleased. All winter
long they could look out of the windows as much as they liked, and the sunshine
could come in.

Pa said he thought that Ma and Mary and Laura would like glass windows
better than any other present, and he was right. They did. But the windows were
not all he had brought for them. There was a little paper sack full of pure
white sugar. Ma opened it and Mary and Laura looked at the sparkling whiteness
of that beautiful sugar, and they each had a taste of it from a spoon. Then Ma
tied it carefully up. They would have white sugar when company came.

Best of all, Pa was safely home again. "


::Big sigh::

Here's another great excerpt that made me just wish for a little cabin in the middle of nowhere.


"Pa turned the chair upside down, and he pegged the curved pieces to it's
legs to make the rockers. And the chair was done.

Then they made a celebration. Ma took off her apron and smoothed her smooth
brown hair. She pinned her gold pin in the front of her collar. Mary tied the
string of beads around Carrie's neck. Pa and Laura put Mary's pillow on the
chair-seat, and set Laura's pillow against its back. Over the pillows Pa spread
the quilt from the little bed. Then he took Ma's hand and led her to the chair,
and he put Baby Carrie in her arms.

Ma leaned back in the softness. Her thin cheeks flushed and her eyes
sparkled with tears, but her smile was beautiful. The chair rocked her gently
and she said, "Oh Charles! I haven't been so comfortable since I don't know
when."

Then Pa took his fiddle, and he played and sang to Ma in the firelight. Ma
rocked and Baby Carrie went to sleep, and Mary and Laura sat on their bench and
were happy."


It makes me so grateful for all the blessings we have, and yet when I read those books, I crave that kind of simplicity. Gratitude for all the little things we take for granted, like windows, is such a huge part of being happy in this life. Making celebrations of everyday events can help our children learn gratitude and optimism too.



How did we all become programmed to believe that the world owes us video games, Tivo, newer cars, bigger houses, and a Wii fit?

14 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I crave the simplicity but not having to churn my own butter.

Crystal Renee said...

Thanks for the comments. Yours are adorable too. I found your blog, through my joyous stalking.. lol.
I am Crystal BTW, I am a mother of 3 kids, we live in Wilmington, NC, my oldest will be 8 and my twins will be 5 Wednesday. I can't wait for them to start KINDERGARTEN! Yay!

Ter said...

I used to read the books when I was much younger but I do not remember them. I may have to get them and read again.

(Kristina, don't tell me you wouldn't want to churn butter while wearing a snuggie?!)

carrhop said...

We've read the Little House books over and over and I'm always so struck with the purity of their lives, the joy in the simple.

So glad you were able to patch Gash Boy up--way to go!

Blessings!

Are You Serious! said...

♥ I love Little House too!!! :)

Michelle said...

Oh, a simple life. Often I think how much better that would be...

Mamarazzi said...

i heart Laura too! i will never get tired of those books...i even teared up a little reading those excerpts!

Cindy Price said...

The Little House on the Prairie books were my absolute favorite to read as a little girl. I used to think it would fun to live in those times. Now, that I'm older and have a different perspective on things I'm not so sure. However, you make a good point about how we have forgotten the simple things in life and to have grateful hearts for so many of the things we take for granted. I will look a my windows a little different today. Thanks for sharing.

janna said...

I am thankful I live now, even with all of my problems. Thanks for the uplift!

LOVE you

michelle said...

I love this post! I agree 100%. I am not sure when life bcame so complicated. I am almost sure though, it was when the computer came out, that led to video games, cell phones, etc. More more more, is the pattern life has taken. I LOVE simplicity. Seeing the rose you posted makes me think about, Stopping, to smell the roses! :)

Jules said...

Compared to what my kids are going through, even the 70s & 80s of my childhood seem simple. I am definitely not one to envy the days of "Little House". I like my washing machine, eczema cream, and contact lenses too much. :)

Lindsay said...

I started reading Little House to my 3 year old, too and I love it, but I think she's a little young yet. I'll wait a few more months - and actually maybe get the DVD :-) to let her watch, first....you know, cuz she didn't even know what a WAGON was or what the PRAIRIE was!! LOL. Hilarious. But yes - I'm with you - appreciative of what we have, but often crave that "simple" life.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

I have these feelings too. Love the Little House books, started reading them to the twins, but I think they are still a little young to appreciate them.....

Jaina said...

Aww, I haven't read those books in ages, I love them! What a great post. I'm glad you were able to help that little boy from church!

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