Thinking of home

We've been on vacation this week. I haven't had time to really blog as I've had very little private time with access to a laptop. In fact, right now I feel a little furtive and I can hear someone walking around. So I don't know if I'll get to write this out now anyway.

We've been having a pretty good time but it has been overshadowed by some bad attitudes especially from my oldest beloved daughter, who seems intent on having a parallel vacation as opposed to actually vacationing with us. I'm a little fed up with the distant attitude, the constant irritation with everybody and the as constant attempts to make everything go her way so that she can do whatever she wants with complete disdain for everybody else. Not fun to live with! She's a good girl going through one of those bumpy self-absorbed phases. In my head I call her the Paris Hilton of Catholic homeschoolers! She is a party girl. Everything is about friends and having a good time. I am so glad we homeschooled her as I think she'd be soooo attracted to the party lifestyle. She is so very extroverted.

Here's why I like St. John Bosco's quote so much: Enjoy yourself as much as you like, if you only keep from sin. There is a balance there that is needed. It seems we, as a family, and some of us as individuals, really need to keep the two elements of the quote in mind. You can do whatever you like, but if it makes you petulant, inconsiderate, manipulative, and self-indulgent, then you may not do what you like, for you are not keeping from sin!

So I'm kind of looking forward to home again. This is our last day. I've always thought that the sign of a good vacation is the desire to go home again. Poor B does not want to go home though. She's been having a blast.

At home we will get into a healthier routine. I think this will help a lot in reducing petulance (not at first, mind you, because it is hard switching gears) but clearer expectations and keeping busy do wonders for children's attitudes.

They'll be some structure to the day since we're starting up LCC and the older kids need to begin reading some assignments.

For me, psychologically, it will be good. In my head, summer will be over, and summer is always hard for me, and fall will be coming, my absolute favorite time of the year, and we'll be busy learning and involved in activities and all that is good for my soul!

I'm a bit nervous about getting home tomorrow. I might have to drive because a very unfortunate accident occurred yesterday. We had a little 3 car collison. R's car was damaged pretty badly, rendering it undriveable. We had to rent a car but H can't drive it because you have to be 21. So it may be that I drive one car and R drives the other. I hate, hate, hate driving so I'm pretty nervous about it.

Anyway, today I'm going to let the kids pick what they'd like to do before leaving. It looks rather cloudy out right now. I'm going to take the puppy for a walk, shower and then try to make it to the 9 0'clock Mass here. I really need to focus on prayer! Then today will also mean packing up and cleaning up which is always a bit depressing at the end of vacation.

Alright, gotta run.