Wishful Wednesday--Summer Rhythm

I wish that...

I would have done this years ago.  This summer, we have established a prayer rhythm that has eluded me for 11 years.  Our family dynamics are more than a little unique.  I don't have any parenting books out there for me like: "How to Manage Homeschooling, a Home, Therapy, and a Large Family with Two Autistic Kids...Without Losing Your Mind!"  If anyone knows about this book please email me;)  Unfortunately, it is trial and error.  It  has been a slow process and we have made some pretty big decisions that have allowed us to establish our summer schedule.  The first and most difficult was not to put Willow in ESY(extended school year).  I knew that I needed to have her home and simplify our life.  She is obviously the most difficult to manage, so this was my biggest area of concern.  Managing Willow on a daily basis is no small task.  She is sweet but she can be so, well, um...messy:(  The second was to revolve our day around prayer and fill in the gaps with schoolwork and activities.  Not vice-versa.  This is the change that is bearing the most fruit.  I resisted temptation to bite off more than I could chew and we did things slowly and added them one at a time.  For example, the first prayer we added was the Angelus.  I set my alarm on my iphone and the kids knew when they heard the church bells ringing it was time to pray.  Right afterwards we do a lesson from the Baltimore Catechism and do our daily scripture memorization.  We do the same scripture all week, until the know it by heart.  After that we do lunch, quiet time, and then start getting the house ready for Dads arrival.     We eat, clean up, do a family Rosary and get ready for bed.  This week we have added adoration Monday afternoons and daily Mass.  Willow has been nothing short of inspiring and the kids are thriving. I am planning on separate posts on both of Mass and Adoration.  Both were amazing.  God has been blessing us abundantly this summer.  Hope you are doing well too.
Blessings,
Tosha