"Forever is composed of nows." ~Emily Dickenson

We said goodbye to September with a bang.  Children and I had a full week studying, reading, cooking, partying, and enjoying each other's company.  September weather has been so refreshing with its cool air in the mornings and at nights, and that has facilitated our need to relax and rest from a hard day's work.  During the day, the sun kept shining its warm rays upon us, so much so that swimming was still a pleasurable past time.

I've thoroughly enjoyed every minute I've spent with my very interesting children this month, whether by listening to Gillian's voice grow more and more beautiful with each lesson, or observing how hard Jefferson works on learning new pieces on the piano, or encouraging James to finish his goal of reading all Roal Dahl books, and even taking pleasure in the sweet creations that Charlton's little chubby hands are making these days.  Motherhood is truly such a fun job!

Here are a few other highlights that made September an ever so enjoyable month.

James and Jefferson have been in fierce competition with Gillian every week this month.  It started off with a book... of course, right?  Well, a few months weeks ago I found a used Better Homes and Gardens Junior cookbook at the library.  I gave that randomly to Jefferson, since the other book finds for that week appealed mostly to Gillian and James.  On Mondays and Tuesdays I take care of Gillian's extracurricular activities, respectively voice lessons and piano.  On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the older boys have piano, soccer, and cub scouts.  While I'm taking care of Gillian, my boys do homework, piano practice at home, and playing and reading to Charlton.  The past few weeks they have added another activity to their schedule: cooking.  Gillian didn't want to be left out, so while I took care of the boys on their respective days, she would cook.  In short, Elijah and I have been enjoying a myriads of cookies, breads, salty snacks, and other desserts every week, from the hands of our sweet, but very competitive children.  What a tasty rivalry!

I have to mention, however, that all of this started in the summer when Elijah involved Gillian in his pie making process.  To date, this month only, they've made together 7 pies, and of course not all of those were for us only.  Now that I think of it, Elijah and I must be in a "competition" too.  He makes pies for others, and I cook meals.  Heavenly Father must be having a field day with all of this service coming out of this house :)

There is a harmony in autumn,

 and a luster in its sky, 

which through the summer is not heard or seen, 

as if it could not be, 

as if it had not been!

~Percy Bysshe Shelley~

There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/autumn.html#lYHHrTe4IY0dRg3Z.99

There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/autumn.html#lYHHrTe4IY0dRg3Z.99

There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/autumn.html#lYHHrTe4IY0dRg3Z.99

We've taken advantage of autumn's warm, red sensation, and enjoyed the the ever-changing pink hues of this season's sunsets by playing outside, having picnics in the park, and inviting friends over for lunches and dinner. (Just this past week we hosted five sets of friends, who in return made our hearts full when said they loved the spirit they felt in our home. And what can bring more happiness in our lives than brightening each other's days.)

 

Gillian has been enjoying her voice lessons tremendously.  She has gained such confidence, that at a minute's notice she is able to perform in front of an audience.  Just this past week, she performed at a baptism, for my Relief Society class, and a solo in the Primary Program.  Quite beautifully, I should add.  What a blessing to be able to develop your talents!

In actuality, all of the kids performed well in their Primary program.  Gillian and James each had a talk, and Jefferson's class sang all by themselves.  Charlton shared his one liner "I love my dad" with much gusto, although that wasn't what he had prepared to say during practices. He had practiced "I love my sister," but had gotten bored saying it over and over again during the primary program practices, that he had decided last minute to change what he wanted to say.  My independent soul.

I've read a great many books this month (more of that to come), and amongst them I've had a chance to read a marvelous selection of poetry by Dickinson, Frost, Keats, Whitman, Shelley, so mostly classical authors.  However, let me leave you with a contemporary poet and his feelings about autumn that suit this post and my mood just perfectly. Enjoy!

Leaves

  by Lloyd Schwartz

                        1

Every October it becomes important, no, necessary

to see the leaves turning, to be surrounded

by leaves turning; it's not just the symbolism,

to confront in the death of the year your death,

one blazing farewell appearance, though the irony

isn't lost on you that nature is most seductive

when it's about to die, flaunting the dazzle of its

incipient exit, an ending that at least so far

the effects of human progress (pollution, acid rain)

have not yet frightened you enough to make you believe

is real; that is, you know this ending is a deception

because of course nature is always renewing itself—

        the trees don't die, they just pretend,

        go out in style, and return in style: a new style.

                        2

Is it deliberate how far they make you go

especially if you live in the city to get far

enough away from home to see not just trees

but only trees? The boring highways, roadsigns, high

speeds, 10-axle trucks passing you as if they were

in an even greater hurry than you to look at leaves:

so you drive in terror for literal hours and it looks

like rain, or snow, but it's probably just clouds

(too cloudy to see any color?) and you wonder,

given the poverty of your memory, which road had the

most color last year, but it doesn't matter since

you're probably too late anyway, or too early—

        whichever road you take will be the wrong one

        and you've probably come all this way for nothing.

  

                      3

You'll be driving along depressed when suddenly

a cloud will move and the sun will muscle through

and ignite the hills. It may not last. Probably

won't last. But for a moment the whole world

comes to. Wakes up. Proves it lives. It lives—

red, yellow, orange, brown, russet, ocher, vermilion,

gold. Flame and rust. Flame and rust, the permutations

of burning. You're on fire. Your eyes are on fire.

It won't last, you don't want it to last. You

can't stand any more. But you don't want it to stop.

It's what you've come for. It's what you'll

come back for. It won't stay with you, but you'll

        remember that it felt like nothing else you've felt

        or something you've felt that also didn't last.

A week with my darling Charlton

Charlton Donal Garmon is a sweet 4 year-old whose favorite thing to say all day is "I love you!"  This makes it very hard for me at times when I need to discipline him, but fortunately he rarely needs disciplining.  Charlton loves his parents, his siblings and his friends.  He is learning how to communicate well with all of us, but then again when you know the language of love, you don't need many words to share what you feel.  He is very thoughtful and kind, loyal to his friends, observant to the smallest detail, and a great retainer of memories.  He  has not only a fantastic memory for non-ordinary things, but above all he values and remembers kindness.  It has been a joy as well as a beautiful lesson on the meaning of pure, Christlike love to watch and raise this child of mine.

Here are a few events and stories that I wrote down through out the past week.  

Every morning this angelic face greets me as I try to wake him up for the day.  The older boys bike to school, but Gillian's middle school is a bit far, so we have to drive her there.  Charlton doesn't whine or complain about waking up early; he just gets dressed and comes downstairs to eat breakfast with his siblings.  He is the first to remind me about our morning prayer, in case we forget.

On preschool days (MWF), we stay home either cleaning the house or doing other chores.  We invite Charlton's friends to play with him.  On Mondays, Mckinley comes to visit.  She is fun and sweet, but according to Charlton talks too much.  This is what he said the other day:

Charlton: I'm sorry I was mean to Mckinley.  She bores me, mom.
Mom: Why is that sweets?
Charlton: She talks too much.  All girls talk too much.
Mom: Do you talk back to them?
Charlton: They don't let me.
Mom: That isn't a reason to be mean, though.  I think you need to ask Heavenly Father to forgive you, and help you be kind to Mckinley.
Charlton: Okay, mom.  I promise.

He had a chance to prove me that he was kind this Wednesday when we took Mckinley to our weekly pilgrimage to the library with its fun story times, interesting puzzles, and of course myriads of great books.  I think after preschool, this is Charlton's favorite little tradition.

We read a lot of books on theses days.  Charlton's favorite are Dr. Seuss books, the ones that look like novels and totally drain the spit out of my mouth with its many tongue twister words.

After preschool, Charlton plays with his brothers while I take Gillian to her voice lessons.  The boys love playing together, and Charlton doesn't mind being at times the center of attention, and at times a follower.  He loves being read to by his brothers, and they try to finish their homework fast so they could do that with him.

On Tuesdays, Charlton and I try to have fun field trips together, or do service.  It usually is cooking a meal for someone or taking flowers to people we want to share our love with.  At times, Charlton comes up with his own ideas of love sharing, and he writes letters to his grandparents far away.  This week, he wrote a card to his grandmother and great-grandmother.  He took his time in coloring a few Halloween pictures and chose the best for each one of them.  He had a lot of questions on how those letters got to Georgia, so our field trip for that day was going to be at the post office.  He was really amazed at the process of letter delivery. 

This past Tuesday, we threw a little fall party and invited all of Charlton's best of friends:

William is Charlton's best friend.  He comes and plays with Charlton on Fridays.

Ezra brings out the silly side of Charlton.  He is full of energy and I love it that they run and jump together.

Claire is the most loving girl I know.  She is happy and outgoing, and always speaks with superlatives.  When they are together, they count the many beautiful things Heavenly Father has created for us and express their happiness at the stunning creations that surround us.

Suzanne is younger than Charlton, but they play well with each other.  Charlton gets impatient at times, but being with her he is learning to control his emotions.

After picking Gillian up from school on Tuesdays or Thursdays, we go shopping or hike around the area.

Fruit is Charlton's favorite food.  He loves strawberries, bananas, any other kinds of berry, grapes, and cantaloupe.

Charlton wanted some Halloween decorations, so I let him choose these lighted pumpkins and lantern.  He calls them his pumpkins.

This Thursday, we also went to the park, celebrating Autumn's arrival by climbing trees, running down the green hills, and hunting gorgeous fall leaves. 

Saturdays and Sundays area spent with his family, attending church, visiting with friends, and watching Mormon messages.  His favorite thing to do on those days is to follow his big sister around and be part of her wildly imaginative plays or games.  

We are so happy to have Charlton in our lives!