Good friends!
I’m about to become a spy of sorts…
And this photo may seem unrelated, but it’s not.
My son had a play date!
When you have a child with developmental struggles, then you might understand the underlying meaning of my excitement. We have entered a new season here at the Meyer home. A season of a new school, and new friends, and new hope.
You see… Last year was hard.
And this new season–a season of play dates!!!–has my mama’s heart, and my writer’s mind headed in new directions. All of my creative energies, all of my practical, and emotional, and physical energies… much of my spiritual life has all been pointed in one direction these last two years. Toward one little blonde boy, whom we adore with all our hearts. But finally I have help. Right now, he has a whole team rooting him on, teaching him things we have tried to share out of sheer instinct. He’s on a new road and progressing well. We are on a new road together.
I’m so grateful that the baking, and the giving have become second nature to me. I don’t mix one loaf, I mix two. I cart the other off to a neighbor, to someone hungry on the street, to a new mom, or someone struggling with illness. I get asked to bake for potlucks, and to add to the homeless meals on Mondays. I’ve felt my heart stretch and have been thankful for this online community who has cheered me on… Thank you!
Thank you.
But I’m ready for my giving to go underground. For it to be between me and my family, and between me and my God. I’m ready to write about other things. To write about others who give. And to write about one little boy and this home that supports him, and my friends who pray for me, and to allow those other words, struggling to come out, to find a place.
This is not the end. This blog will continue to grow and stretch. I’ll still post baking tips from time to time. And recipes. And I’ll find ways to share, but there will definitely be a shift. Just wanted you to know, since you have only offered me encouragement these last many years.
Thank you for being such lovely supporters of my giving, and my blogging about it. I’ve enjoyed sharing with you some of the ups (mostly ups!) and downs.
And I thought it’d be nice to put in some links to some of my favorite posts over the last four plus years. Maybe I’m just sentimental, but I sure have enjoyed this space…
Thankful for family. November 2009
A trip back to the family house in France. November 2009
Struggling to give. December 2009
On Silliness. December 2009
Learning from the poor. January 2010
Making salt from scratch. April 2010
Asking reluctant children to give. June 2010
Musings on blogging publicly about my giving. July 2010
A very large, sloppy cake and a birthday party in the forest. November 2010
One of my favorite ways to bake–rolls in the round. March 2011
On being a better giver. March 2011
It really does snow in the mountains above Santa Barbara. March 2011
Changed through giving. April 2011
Morning light. May 2011
The best scone recipe in the world. May 2011
On not blogging, but just giving. August 2011
All about Saint Brigid. January 2012
Slowing down. January 2012
Staying thin. February 2012
Planting wheat berries to grow wheat grass. May 2012
Learning from those who leave us. September 2012
Giving with teens. November 2012
The beauty of Simple and Slow. November 2012
Recipe for making prosphoron. December 2012
At the monastery–the best way to start a new year. January 2013
Making butter from scratch. January 2013
Two reasons I don’t often blog (my children!). March 2013
A short trip to Paris! July 2013
Sending you all love and good cheer, my friends. And happy baking!
In the meantime, you can always find me on instagram, facebook, sometimes on twitter, I log all the books I like and read on goodreads, and you can always contact me through my website.
jane
The Woman and the Wheat 
Change can be good! I always thought one day you would go underground and this is good and beautiful. Glad also that you will still be here too! God bless and keep you! And you beautiful son! PS: I baked bread today!!! 🙂 ~ Elizabeth (http://eroosje.blogspot.com/)
Go, Elizabeth! Keep baking!!!
I, too, have a son with unique challenges. I am glad you have found a supportive team! I look forward to hearing more about your endeavors.
One of our coping strategies has been diet modification. I just started a blog about our food journey and all we have learned along the way. This year’s challenge is to share what we eat right now and learn how to celebrate the liturgical year with our dietary restrictions. I would love input from the Orthodox community and hear your culinary traditions as we traverse our first liturgical year in the church.(http://seasonallyvegan.wordpress.com)
P.S. The kids love their signed copy of “The Hidden Garden.” Thank you so much!
Ruth, we have changed so many things, including our diet. I’ll have to stop by your blog for some more ideas and to share a few things we’ve learned–thanks for posting the link. 🙂
i have been blessed by this blog and am glad it will continue in whatever form. so glad you have found a good place for your special little man.
Lovely – you need to cultivate your little one, who is growing by leaps and bounds. And we will continue to enjoy your journey. xxoo
Jane, gving your son what he needs is without doubt the greatest gift you can make to him, to yourself, to your family and indeed everyone, because living this way gives your love and life purpose and will radiate outwards, always.
Radiate outwards. Love that. Thank you, Kevin, for your kind words. And to all of the rest of you for your thoughts and support.
Glad things are going so well for him. Enjoy!
Great news, Jane. I am so happy to hear that “the team” is having success and that our special boy is enjoying play dates! Yay! I look forward to whatever changes you’ll be making to your blog. Your photography and writing are always interesting, whatever the topic!!! 🙂
I’ve loved reading your blog over the years and will continue to do so. All the best to you and your family.
I can’t believe I just found your blog….. I really should have found it when I met you last spring at the homeschool conference… but I wasn’t blogging so much then myself. Congrats on all your accomplishments. God grant many years to you and your family!