March highlights
(Saturday, March 28,2026)
Stan Rogers plays on the JBL for the benefit of the *Guests in the Den, (read: Baskets of laundry) and for Lottie and me while we listen to Daddy and Bella scrape pots, and talk over the noise of running water and the clanking of dishes. A breeze stirs through the screen doors brother Tom put in for us.
We’re in that stage of -
(Monday, March 30,2026)
And the entry above is a case in point: Saturday I began typing that we’re in that phase of having a baby where you get to things in tiny amounts before needing to switch gears. I’m now able to keep house and do school and what not, but figuring out how to do it with a little papoose is a learning curve. It’s almost like the first time doing it because if you were to ask “how did you do what you need to when the others were this small” I’d tell you: I don’t remember. I do know that somehow, you get done what you absolutely have to. Everything else is a cherry on top for now. And I also know that somehow I managed to carry Lottie in a Target bathroom, use the bathroom and pull up, zip and button my jeans with one hand. I still don’t know how that happened.
Highlights from March:
Sister Kathy came and spent some of spring break with us, teaching music to the kids and introducing us to her favorite outdoor cooking youtubes.
Daniel then took inspiration from the cooking videos and made french fries that same afternoon.
Ellen came for a quick visit and as always with her, somehow time stretches itself in an unhurried way and she leaves having brought thoughtfulness and laughter and good cheer.
Dutch’s Pasta! A crowd favorite here that she introduced to us at New Years. It’s a delicious example of a few ingredients coming together for a simmeringly tasty dish: chicken sausage, butter, white wine, tomatoes, garlic, fresh spinach. All of this over pasta. Yum.
One more thing to love about Lubbock is its surprising network of whatever it is you’re looking for. I feel like there are so many creative people here, just doing their thing. You only need to reach out a little and most likely you’ll stumble into what you were looking for. I’ve wanted to go to some picking and grinning sessions as I have a soft spot for bluegrass. In the days of my youth I attended a few festivals in Blue Ridge Mountains. It was at one of those festivals that a man gave me my first mandolin. I think once bluegrass gets in your blood, there’s always going to be an itch to listen to and to take part in it. Live music stirs a person in a way not many things can. So I asked brother Elton Bass to come play for us a couple of weeks ago, and did. While here, he told me about the garage jamming sessions that a homeschool family in Lubbock hosts on Tuesday nights. Last week I took Bella, our mandolins in tow. It ended up the family (also with 5 children) lived just a few blocks from us. (Again - Lubbock surprises me in the best ways). The garage with alive with music when we pulled up, guitars, bass, fiddle, mandolin, auto harp and several banjos. These were mostly old timers, fellows with a sense of humor and the ease of playing a wide selection without a second thought. Of course, it’s Lubbock, so you walk in, and everyone treats you like they’ve known you for ages. Without you knowing their names they’re already teasing and giving a hard time. A few men helped us with chords and one of the girls from the family held Lottie while I played. (And by play, I mean “painstakingly plucked a few notes and tried to make sense of where to find myself in the music on the instrument). Arabella and I made a list of songs they played that we wanted to revisit and practice along to. As I sat there on the edge of the circle my fingers fumbled across strings, but my heart was brimming. We do live in a good world and it does get better than this in the end.
had some friends of Bella’s over for flower arrangement and tea
My sweet Mother In law coming and taking children to her house for Friday night park-and-a-movie.
Lottie-
calm, wants to be held always
loves taking a shower with me
wants to be in bed with mama by nine but won’t fall asleep for real until after midnight
daddy has made her smile several times
not crazy about wraps or car rides
is crazy about milk and cuddling
It’s strange with the fifth child. There are times I’m going about chores or routines and am thinking about the 20 open tabs in my brain, when I become aware, “I’m holding a baby. Is it a boy or a girl? What’s the name name?” And I actually have to take a moment and remember. It feels so much like having Phin (and she looks like Phin in some ways) that I can barely believes she’s a whole separate baby. Sort of feels like it’s just an extension of Phin. She is the most happy bonus baby surprise and I’ve told JB so many times, “I cannot believe she’s really here. That we have five children.” I’ve enjoyed our last couple of babies so much. Probably because JB and I both are more relaxed. There was a lot I was adjusting to in life with our first 3, and if I could I’d go back and give myself a chill pill. (But I should probably just do that now ;-) )
Happy March End to All!