Joy

Hello and welcome to a warm-hearted Saturday here at the Hruba/Hruby household at the Wannaskan Almanac. Today is  December 14th.

Just a short note today because our day is filled with house prep for the holidays. (I've got a linen closet project I'm determined to finish!)

The Fourth Grader's Sick Days turned into a sick week until Thursday night when College Kid 3.0 came home and announced, "You're not sick!" The Fourth Grader agreed and *kapoof* has been good and fever-free ever since. Win!

With our golden-retriever college kid home, it feels like our home is slowly coming back together. We are giddy with glee for College Kid 1.0 to come home tomorrow. The Great Return has commenced and runs through the rest of next week. By next Thursday night, everyone will all be back home and we will set off for our next family adventure on Friday.

I've been bursting with pitch-and-purge energy while the hubs has been away. We've been steeped in a prayerful, spiritually restful Advent season, lighting candles at night and watching Christmas movie classics like White Christmas and A Christmas Carol (which frightened the pants off the kids with its ghostly wisdom and Jacob Marley chains.) Yes! We WILL be generous and kind towards others! 

The Fourth Grader being sick has meant a week working from home, which wasn't all bad. It's been two years since I've worked from home and it brought back memories of that time in my life. The Good: a slower pace, more quiet, more focus, less stress, homey comforts, laundry breaks. Now that the sickness has passed, I can appreciate this extra time kids got with mom while dad is away. And me, with them. I continue to notice that as the older children go out in the world having their own adventures, my circle gets smaller, tighter - cozier - around my remaining kids who are still home. Simply put: I love being home in a way that is new for me. The adventure is not out "there," but right here in our own living room watching episodes of The Middle.

We've even gotten a leg up on some Christmas baking. Nothing crazy intricate or hurried. And what I noticed is that the kids enjoy sitting around the table putzing patiently with the almond bark.

This third Sunday of Advent we'll light the pink candle representing Joy. And that is exactly what I feel today.