Today I feel like I am back in the world again after a week of feeling helpless, angered and heartbroken. After anything disastrous it always takes a while to wrap your head around the enormity and figure out what you can do to help make things a little bit better. The Crafters United fundraiser has raised over $12,000 for the people affected by Hurricane Katrina, which is astounding!

But, like after every disaster, we need to remember that everything doesn’t go back to normal after the television coverage stops. If you don’t have money but have a minute, consider volunteering your time to places like Life List and People Finder, where you can help people find their loved ones.

Originally this post was going to be up on Friday, but given the events of last week, I’m posting it now. It’s from my first “Craftivism correspondent,”* Kerri Williamson. We have been friends since high school, and she and her husband are raising their 4 year old child and keeping in touch with DIY ethics. I’ve asked her to contribute 4 posts (4 Fridays) and to write about the challenges of raising a child ethically in this world. So here’s the first installment, a bit about fall, leaf art, and learning the word “now!”

Hi I�m Betsy�s friend Kerri. For the next few Fridays you�ll be enjoying the amazing but true, crafty adventures of my life with a super rad four year old (and darling husband too)! Since Kaleb was born I have lived a much more intentional self-crafted life. A life where I feel more awake and pay more attention to the choices I make. This week has been a pretty normal week for us.

Sunday Kaleb had a friend sleep over. Monday morning they played Lego’s and cars while I did some chores. Tuesday afternoon Kaleb and I were off to Little Gym where for an hour he jumps, tumbles and balances and I sit on the other side of the glass knitting or writing or sometimes just watching. This week was the beginning of a new semester and much to my delight there were two other moms there who homeschool! We “unschool” Kaleb, meaning he is free to learn what he wants when he wants. For more information on unschooling please see unschooling.com or check out any book by John Holt (I recommend How Children Fail or How Children Learn). So this week I sat in Little Gym gabbing with these moms (one of whom I knew in high school) about homeschooling. Tuesday evening I started crocheting a hat with earflaps for my nephew who will soon be one.

Wednesday morning Kaleb and I went out bright and early to pick up our super fresh and yummy veggies from the CSA we belong to. On the way I commented on outrageous gas prices. Kaleb thinks we should go to the President’s house and tell him what we think, or at least call him on the phone (K LOVES talking on the phone. I pity the telemarketer who has him answer). Then we headed over to my younger brother’s house to hang with his wife and kids. Kaleb played trains with his cousin for hours while my 5 year old niece danced and performed CATS for my sister-in-law and me. After returning home I began to work on the hat again. Kaleb sat with me for a bit holding my hand and helping me crochet. I finished the hat and think it is entirely too big, oh well�

Today, Thursday, when I�m actually writing this while Super K slumbers, was a perfect late summer day. We awoke around 7:30 and were very excited because today was the day to flip the page on the calendar! September a whole new month ahead of us with adventures yet to be known! We have a Peanuts calendar and so we also got to read the new cartoon for the month. K and I started talking about autumn and how it will be here in 3 short weeks which leads us to what fall makes us think about. Halloween of course, and leaves and apples & pumpkins and cool weather too.

We decided we want to go canoeing this Saturday with daddy. Maybe pick apples this month too, perhaps on the trip to Asheville we have planned with previously mentioned sister-in-law. However, for that moment a walk around our yard and the neighborhood looking for any leaves already fallen was in order. The leaves we collected turned into an art project for all the people we love. Afterwards I fiddled with the compost pile while K sat on the deck listening to music and looking at books. We came back inside and started making sourdough bread. Followed by reading The Curious Adventures of Jimmy McGee, chapter 8, by Eleanor Estes. Kaleb has recently begun to read the word “no” which lead to also reading “on” and as of today “now”. When I read to him (which is often, he LOVES reading) he picks out any word starting with no and yells out “no!” Later on he was coloring and wrote “now” multiple times on his paper. We were excited for daddy to get home to show him this new word. It is amazing to me how naturally and easily he makes connections. How ready he is to notice EVERYTHING and to share it with me. Now I am off to look at the stars with my beloved husband.

*Want to be a monthly correspondent? Or want to help Kerri in her quest to learn more about unschooling? Or just tell me that you are happy to read someone else’s thoughts on here besides mine? Let me know! I am always for being a correspondent as well, ever since I was the special London correspondent over at Antifolk. It’s not just too much CNN gone to my head. Thank you, Kerri! xo