Admiration

Fall is here. At night as I lay awake whispering last thankful expressions to God, I hear the acorns tumbling off the roof and landing with a soft thud on the ground next to my window. When I drive anywhere, or even walk around my neighborhood, I am awed by the glorious autumn splendor that is bursting colorfully from the trees and fluttering on the fingers of the wind downward to the leaf-strewn ground. The air is crisper, the sunlight is flightier. The days grow tired of holding winter back, and are slowly beginning to sleep in and go to bed early.

This is the time of year where stories start flying through my head and it is all I can manage to type them up before I forget them. There are also a lot of good opportunities for reading in front of the fire, and my mum, dad and I have just started the Little House books again.

Reading these books as an adult is drastically different from hearing them as a child. As I read, I am constantly reminded of families in my life that remind me of Laura Ingalls' family. And in particular, as I read about Mary and Laura's days with Ma, I am increasingly reminded of a lovely lady I know by the name of Sarah Snyder.

Sarah herself blogged once (and I will always remember this) that she believes anything a child CAN do, they ought to learn HOW to do. I remember being struck with the brilliance of this concept; and thought back in my own life about how my mum did this with me and my sibs.

So it is no wonder that I was reminded of Sarah and her girls as I read that:
1. Laura and Mary made their own bed every morning;
2. They helped Ma with the dishes each day, and each wiped off their own cup and plate;
3. On baking day they each made their own little loaf of bread, and once Laura even made a pie in her patty pan;
4. Mary made a doll's dress for Laura's birthday (she couldn't have been more than six-years-old) and Laura knew how to knit when she was four;
5. Mary helped churn the butter;
6. The girls were expected to be polite and use manners.

Sarah is every bit as innovative as Ma in finding ways for her daughters to help. I can picture them doing these same sorts of things right now - minus churning the butter, perhaps.

So, Sarah, if you read this, know that I feel privileged to watch you and Erik raise your family, and that I am taking many notes as I watch so that, like you, I may someday be a woman who is as wise and creative at leading her children each day as Caroline Ingalls was.

If you, my readers, feel that you simply must find out more about this neat family I've mentioned, feel free to visit their blog: http://erikandsarahsnyder.blogspot.com/