The INFCF

Click here for Jessie's take on Tennessee and more photos!

Last night, Ty took us to downtown Nashville to see the sights. Jessie had already been twice, so we didn't feel too badly that she had to miss it (though we missed HER!).

When walking down Broadway in Nashville, there's an entire section that is nothing but music venues. Of course it's all about selling liquor, but one can hear blaring band after band in this one city block.

How cool is THAT?

Wherever there's money or liquor, there's sure to be vagrants and panhandlers. Last night was no exception. There were signs everywhere warning tourists to not give them money as "panhandling is NOT the solution!" I was thankful to have Himself as my bodyguard and blocker, and Ty kept his sisters close.

Some of them simply sat with their guitars and played while their opened guitar cases did the begging for them. Some of them stumbled unsteadily toward us and blatantly asked for money. One gentleman, however, topped them all in his cleverness and approach.

As we crossed a busy intersection amid a small crowd of sight-seers, there was suddenly a middle-aged man loudly joining our group with, Warning! There is a black man now approaching on your port side! Do not make any sudden moves nor panic at his appearance - he is mostly harmless.

Since we naturally laughed and made our own jokes, he fell into step with us and continued what became his most flowery speech.

Because of the jovial nature of your persons, I wonder if I might inquire of you a response. I have been pondering a particular oratory, resounding and resplendent with adjectives of which I have yet to describe. If I could impose upon your person for this pondering of which I'm about to inquire, it is my hope that by with this oratory resounding with adjectives of which I am yet to describe that I would be able to secure further funding for the INFCF which, as I will henceforth enlighten you, is the IndePENdent Negro Fried Chicken Fund. As the current accounts for the, as I mentioned, IndePENdent Negro Fried Chicken Fund is completely depleted, it is my hope to convince you . . .

By this time, we were laughing so hard we couldn't really hear what he was saying. It was HILARIOUS! I seriously wish I had a few dollars to give him. It was worth at least five dollars of entertainment!

Some Smiles

Here are just a few things that brought a smile to my face this week. Details to follow! (click on images to make larger)

Monday

Photos coming soon! Having a wonderful time and beautiful weather in Nashville. Soooo good to be with all my babies at the same time!

What a Wonderful Day!

Today, the journey that started 2 years ago is coming to a close. My sweet niece is having her last chemo today!




You did it, Taylor! Now get out there and be a normal kid, will you? I love you so much! Come see me!

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

This time, there's a heartbreaking post. I share it here for further awareness as I have heard of this "child training" method, but thankfully didn't buy it. If you have time to read the comments, there was a tremendous outpouring of grace there.

I'm Late, I'm Late . . .

Sorry that I've posted later today.

I have a cold.

I am sluggish.

However, I did get a lot done today! I'm also counting the days on ONE HAND until I see my son! Hello, Tennessee! We're leaving on Friday. Some friends of ours in Georgia have been gracious and kind enough to let us arrive at their house at midnight, or later, stay the night, then get an early start to Nashville.

I can't wait.

One good thing about having a stuffy nose: I discovered it was a great time to clean out the refrigerator. Now our house-sitter won't have THAT to say about me, at least.

On another note; I have often said that March is the best that Florida has to offer. March 1st did not disappoint. What a GORGEOUS day! It was so hard to stay indoors and do school. I did, however, take Missy for a walk (Jack is not welcome until he gets some better manners). For one month, I live in such a beautiful state.

I hope it's warm while we're in TN.

Clap, Clap!

We're listening to a satellite-type radio through Himself's phone. This means that we can type in an artist or genre, and it will play only that music without commercials. I think the application is called "Pandora."

ANYWAY . . .

We're all cleaning the house (and I'm mucking our our bedroom) so he has it connected through the house speakers. The current selection is Chris Tomlin.

It gets a little awkward when some of his live stuff is playing. There was a song with a girl praying at the beginning of the song, so all of us felt like we had to stop our conversations and not interrupt her. Seriously, we felt rude.

Personally, I don't think anything kills a song faster than making it into a choir arrangement. He went through it a few times, let the choir sing without him, then there was the key change and the Big Finish.

To top it off, he continued making comments and remarks during the applause. We couldn't stop laughing when Glenna put in her casual input.

Chris Tomlin: Amen. Amen Lord. That's it, right there. That's what it's all about.

Glenna: The Hokey Pokey?

This and That

Signs that it's too cold inside the house:

The dogs are huddled together.

My daughters stand close to me while I'm ironing, then place their hands directly on the warmed spot of the shirt.

Kelly has the sunniest room in the house, so she puts on her jacket and sweat pants whenever she has to leave her room and venture into other parts of the house.

I feel like Mr. M, keeping the house at 68. The problem is, if I were to make it warmer downstairs the girls would be roasting upstairs! I can actually feel the temperature drop as I head down the stairs.

I love old houses with poor insulation.


Auto news:

As I picked up Glenna from her volunteer time at the library, I noticed my car was idling roughly, but then fine during acceleration. I tried to keep it moving but of course hit every red light between home and downtown.

Himself came home and called our son. Time to put that TN education to work! He was so helpful with the diagnostics, but now we're at the point of trying to figure out the next steps. I dearly wish he was here.


Travel news:

We leave in ONE WEEK! I can't wait to see Ty and his world. We're taking his brown-eyed girl with us, and she'll fly back to her piano practice the following Monday. I'm making reservations for our room today. Happiness!

Then, more time with BA! We'll arrive at their house on Wednesday. I hope TN decides to warm up just a bit for me. Brrr! I may have to bring the iron and ironing board for warmth. ;-)


That is all.

Wednesday

I have been thoroughly enjoying BA and her family, visiting from Tennessee! It's hard to believe that in two weeks, I will be at THEIR house. Well, after a stop to spend time with this fella, that is.

Wait a Minute . . . Say That Again?

Sunday after church, Glenna came into the kitchen. She was brimming with the excitement of discovery.

Mom! Rachel gave me a Beach Boys song, and I finally heard the words for Little Deuce Coup!

[Cue the flashback music and wavy dream sequence]

We were in our second Florida house and were probably cleaning the house with the music blasting. I started to pay more attention to what my five year old was singing and heard, She's my little loose tooth, you don't know what I got . . .

I sang the song to Himself the same way that evening, only to be corrected.

No, Mom, it's "SHE's my little loose tooth, not IT's my little loose tooth.

I stood corrected and sang it that way ever since.

[Cue the flash forward music and wavy wake up sequence]

I can't believe it, Mom! I finally get what that song was saying! I'm so embarrassed!

Honey, don't be embarrassed. That's what family lore is made of! And Darlin', you can bet I'll still sing it the other way until the day I die.

This Girl . . .

. . . has been there all along. From Mrs. R's Middle School writing class . . .




. . . to campouts, displaying mad fajita cookin' skillz . . .





. . . to making sure Kelly was thoroughly soaked on Water Day, she was there.



And now?


Well, and now, this girl. . .



. . . is his girl.

He describes her much better than I ever could.

Happy Birthday, Jessica!

Whoops!

Ok, remember how I said I love how my children get along?

Remember how I love to hear them laughing and talking?

Last night, Himself and I heard hysterical laughter coming from upstairs. We couldn't help but smile and be thankful.

Then Glenna came downstairs.

Mom! Kelly cut my bangs for me. Look at them!

What?

Kelly came rushing down the stairs.

They're fine! She just doesn't know how to wear them yet!

Yeah, but you cut them and then said, "Whoops."

Kelly! Tip #1 when cutting hair. Never say, "Whoops!"

Das Boots

For Christmas, Kelly was given a guilt-free shopping trip with her mother to buy a pair of boots.

And there was great rejoicing!

The "guilt-free" part was not so much the cost involved (I set a dollar amount) . . .




. . . it was the fact that she would want to look at every single pair of boots in the mall.


We took pictures of them so we would remember what we had seen.



At the last minute, Himself and Glenna wanted to come along. We warned them that this was a guilt-free expedition and we were most definitely going to look at each and every store, and each and every pair.


Not only did they have to feel right and look right, they had to go with her porcelain skin and not look too yellow. This is so she can wear them with dresses.




She's so purty.








Just when we were about to go back and purchase the first pair she had tried on, Glenna recalled passing a store that was full of boots on sale. A girl after my own heart! Half off, even!


The winners!

The Receiving Line

My father and his wife gave us this beautiful nativity set when we lived in California. It has survived many, many moves since then, but unfortunately, the "stable" where each figure was posed was found by rats and destroyed.



Still, every year we bring out the nativity and put it on the piano or buffet. Part of this tradition includes putting the three kings/wise men in a different part of the house so they can slowly march their way to the young Christ child and arrive on the day of Epiphany, which is January 6. That's right, folks! The wise men were never there at the manger scene!



When my kids were young, they would wake and look for the wise men to see whether they had advanced in their journey along the kitchen cabinets, living room shelves, or china hutch.






Since moving to Florida, specifically the house we're in now, we've noticed a few vagabonds have been joining the quest. The funniest part about this is that it usually takes me a few days to notice.
















Is this the line for "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride?




This year, I had found these Christmas Crackers at Costco. Each came with a wise saying, a token gift, and a paper crown!

I wonder what Junting thought of all of this? I wonder if he knew there were cowboys and frog princes in the nativity?

Hey, You! . . .

. . . No, not YOU . . .








Yeah, YOU!


Happy Anniversary, my darlin' man.

I love you.

Trek Games and Bible Bowl

Today was my 9th Bible Bowl and Trek Games!

Our church made a great showing in Bible Bowl . . . 3rd place out of 9 teams. Kudos to Calvary Baptist and Brush Arbor Baptist for their respective wins! Those teams were SO prepared!

To win Bible Bowl, the team really has to be able to memorize scripture and repeat verbatim. Many teams try to ace the multiple choice and then lay low on the speed round, but scripture memory is worth 40 points!

At one point the quiz master started with, "Recite 1 Corinthians 13: . . . " and a team buzzed in before he could give the rest of the reference. The young man bravely stood after conferring with his team, said, "I'm going to go with 1 Corinthians 13:1." He not only proceeded to recite it perfectly, but it WAS the right one! A lucky shot!

In the Trek Games, there were only 4 teams. We always pray to be in front of a slow team and behind a fast one on the game circle. The games are SO much fun! When we were down to our last two events, I happened to look at the score board. I was stunned to see we were in a three-way tie for first place! We ended up taking second place - on the Balloon Relay, one of our girls had her heel on the line and we were disqualified.

When they announced the winning score, we lost to the first place team by only two points. Had that heel not hit the line, we would have won first place for the first time ever. =)

As fun as the games and Bible Bowl are, I'm thankful they're over. They take a lot of preparation and stress, but they're so worth it. Now, however, I feel I can relax and enjoy my JV kids for the rest of the year.

Next year? Still praying about that one. Glenna will be in high school so all my kids are out of JV. We shall see what we shall see!

Nothing Better than Sibs

It had been a rough week for her, and life was changing too rapidly. She came back from Mexico, turned 17, began her senior year, and her brother moved to Tennessee for a year. Tyler was her closest confidant and understood her so well. Glenna was right next door, but it would take more explaining and background than she had the energy to give at the moment.

For the past couple of days she had been fighting tears. She wanted to call Ty, but she didn't want to impose on his already overwhelming experiences of a new school, new roommates, and new environment. To top it off, her Grandfather had just passed away and her mother had gone to New Mexico.

She sat in the quiet, darkened house and idly looked for entertainment or conversations on the internet. It was 1 a.m. and there's not a lot of action at that hour. Suddenly, she heard a familiar car pull up in the driveway. Within seconds, a door slammed and a key was inserted into the lock.

Oh, she thought. Tyler's home.

She watched as her brother opened the door and entered the house. He was halfway across the living room before it actually hit her.

OH! she realized. TYLER'S HOME!

His arms opened and she was sobbing long before she fell into them.

********************************

I wasn't here to witness that scene, of course, because I was in New Mexico, but Kelly told me about it later. Tyler had planned to come home as a surprise, but he let me in on the secret before I left. Though I would miss seeing him, I knew God was sending a special gift to Kelly that weekend. For a few days her world would stop spinning long enough for her to get her balance!

The relationship my children have with each other is one of my greatest treasures. I've worked so hard to make sure they understood the value of their siblings from the beginning, so they wouldn't miss out on this great treasure as my brothers and I had done. We had so much fun together as young adults and missed so much with our petty fighting and arguments! We wasted time hating and arguing when we could have had the full benefits of love and support. What a team we would have made had we stuck together, encouraged, and cherished each other.

We get along so well now. I know my brothers will always be there if I need them, and hopefully they know they can count on me, too. Even so, I think this is what made me so purposeful with my children's relationships.

I hear Kelly chatting on the phone with her brother and my heart sings.

I see my girls head out the door for a "Sister Day" of slurpees and shopping and I want to do back flips.

I watch Tyler go to extreme lengths to download music on Glenna's iPod and I want to grab and squeeze them both. He sees how much Glenna is into music right now and made a point of showing interest and encouraging her. Oh, Glenna, my baby-sister heart was right with you that day!

This is not the good stuff.

This is the great stuff.

I'm Thinking About It

Yesterday was science car-pool day. Today I can hopefully stay home and get some work done, because this weekend is the Trek Games.

Every year, I become overwhelmed with the amount of work it takes to get a team ready for both the Bible Bowl competition and the Trek Games. Every year, I'm so glad I made the effort because it's so much fun!

This is Glenna's last year in JV and her last Trek Games. I would say it's also my last Trek Games, but I'm not so sure.

Himself and I feel so strongly about being an active part of our church body. He's still serving with the music ministry, and I teach the JV kids. Should I stop doing this, simply because I no longer have any children in this age group?

There's a couple at our church who are empty-nesters, yet they continue to serve in AWANA and Sunday School. I'm so thankful for them and their service. I don't take their example lightly. AWANA has been difficult this year without a commander, but not impossible.

Much to think about!

Trying Again in Twenty-Ten

I've been blessed to find a friend willing to walk in the mornings, a few days per week. Since she's my senior by more than 10 years, I figured I wouldn't have a problem keeping up with her. I was wrong.

That woman could pull a skier behind her.

This week, she cheerfully handed me a set of hand weights. Today, I feel the effects.

You know, I think people would enjoy exercise more if it weren't so strenuous and painful!

Don't tell me it wouldn't be strenuous and painful if I did it more often, because I'm not listening.

I'm pleading Romans chapter 7 on this one:

For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. . .

. . . For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.

For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. . . .


What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Twenty-Ten . . . the year of murdering all excuses and simply getting to work.

Hands: They Come in Pairs

Sometimes, I wonder if my family hates water.

I've asked them to rinse out their cups and rinse off their plates. Nothing is more irritating than milk left in the bottom of a plastic cup! Normally, they comply with a swish and a rinse and we're all happy.

Then comes the ice cream cup.

For the past 23 years, 3 weeks, and 4 days, Himself has loved to have his nightly ice cream in a cup. He used to choose the largest cup in the house and pack it with ice cream, then pour milk over the top.

I'm begging you not to try this. Once you do, you won't want your ice cream any other way. It's that wonderful.

Lately, he's shown restraint and uses a smaller cup. Kelly enjoys her ice cream the same way. The problem with this is that the swish and rinse doesn't work.

When you eat your ice cream in a cup, there's chocolate left on the sides. This must be wiped out, either with the sponge or the brush.

This means that they'll have to get their hands wet.

I've noticed that they don't do this. They do the swish and rinse and leave all that lovely chocolate for someone else to deal with. Since I figured it must be because they don't like touching water, I bought a long-handled kitchen brush expressly for this purpose.

Maybe it's not the thought of getting their hands wet that is the issue. Maybe it's the fact that they'll have to use both hands.

Stepping Lightly

When my friends, Ben and Angela, were married, I was thrilled to direct their wedding. I had know Ben and his family since we moved here to the Sandbar and was so thrilled when God chose Angela to be his wife!

One of the most comical things that happened at the wedding, at least to me, was the response the groomsmen had to my requests. I had known many of them since they were pre-teens and I still had that "Mrs. W"/authority figure thing going on, so they would readily and respectfully comply.

When directing a wedding, I often have to scramble back and forth between the Bridal dressing room and the area of the groomsmen. Time is usually running out and I hurry as fast as I can in heels and skirt. During one last minute instruction, I clicked my way back to the groomsmen waiting in the foyer. They couldn't see me but I had to stop and double over with laughter when one of them heard my shoes and said, "Here comes Mrs. W!" I could just imagine some corrections of posture and tie-straightening going on before I rounded the corner!

At a recent women's event at my church, I walked from the Fellowship Hall into the kitchen. Glenna had already turned with a smile to greet me. "I knew it was you, Mom. I heard your shoes."

Ok, am I the only woman on the planet making noise with high heels? Am I the only woman left wearing heels? Am I walking incorrectly and that's why they make so much noise? What's the deal?

Input welcome!

And Another One

I know that I've already had a guest star day, but this article is SO worth reading. I especially enjoyed the common sense from a professed pro-choice feminist. At last, someone is pointing out that the Emperor is not wearing any clothes! While I certainly don't agree with her life choices, I applaud her stance on true choice!

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

Last week, when I had my hair done by the fabulous Ruthie, I picked up a People magazine.

I had NO idea who any of those people were, save a few stars from the 80's.

This timely post gave me such peace and affirmation. Yes, we now have a digital converter and can get some channels on TV, but more often than not the TV is off.

Let's face it - TV takes away from blogging time, both writing and reading! ;-)

The Cat's Away . . .

...and the mice are sad.

I had to take Himself to the airport this morning. I don't want to name a specific hour because sure enough, some morning person will let me know how that's not early, just like people in the cold places of the USA will say that Florida is not cold.

Well, the heater's running tonight, folks!

Still, I am genuinely thankful to be in Florida. After a previous post about childhood homes, Mom wrote in to say they hadn't had power from Thursday to Sunday but at least they were warm because of the fireplace.

Did you know the well pump runs with electricity? Yep, no water, either.

Tyler was able to experience his very first ever snow day in Tennessee. The joy! Can you imagine? First of all, he was a home school kid and didn't really get the regular school holidays. Now he gets those PLUS a snow day! Here's his latest post, not about snow though.

Lord, please keep him safe and warm. Amen.

A Birthday

Today would have been my step-Dad's 89th birthday.

=)

Yep. 89 years of ornery would have been too much for anyone to handle.

Come and Get It!

If you have a weak stomach, do not scroll down.

If you are an expectant mother, don't scroll down.

If you get the heebie jeebies easily, don't scroll down.

The explanation is this - I ordered a dish from Dinner A'Fare. When this had first appeared on the menu, I noticed a side note that read "These did not come out great" or something to that effect. When I asked Lisa about it, she told me that one customer decided to ignore that advice and loved it. I read the list of ingredients and decided that it would probably be good, so I ordered it.

It has a name: Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowls.

Now, I've been to B.D.'s Mongolian place before. It wasn't bad, just a glorified stir-fry place and a bit over priced.

The most hilarious thing about this dish was the facial expressions of each family member when they first saw it.

Kelly, stopped in her tracks: Whoa! What is that?

It's Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowls.

Kate's coming over, and there's no way she's eating that.

You're right. She should eat before she comes.

Himself comes to the table ready to eat. He does a double-take. I hastily feel a need to relate the whole conversation with Lisa on the dish. He sits down, barely disguising his apprehension.

Glenna comes to the table with her nose in her new phone. Her reaction was much less subtle.

WHAT? WHAT IS IT???

Gamely, and because of a previous post about the rules in our house, we all sit down to eat. Pretty soon we're each reaching for more bread and more water.

Son, you'll be glad you missed this one. This is where the aforementioned persons can stop reading.

The Let Down

Ok. One good thing about steroids is the energy boost. Oh, and the reduction of swelling in the ear.

Here's the bad news:

I want to eat continually.

Now that I'm no longer taking them, I'm exhausted.

Did I mention that from now until the end of February, it's my busiest season? Actually, make that from now until May.

Ear-igation

Over a week ago, I went to the doctor for my annual physical. As I mentioned before, that's where he found my ear infection and that my left ear was blocked with infectious matter. It wasn't blocked with ear wax. That would be too easy and less gross.

When he asked the nurse to flush out my ear, I have to admit I got a happy feeling inside. I've had it done once before in California with a waterpik and it was my closest experience to heaven besides being married to Himself and having three children and watching a cute little baby James once in while.

She filled a container with warm water and put this huge, metal syringe in it. She then asked me to hold a container under my ear and informed me that this may be a little uncomfortable.

You know when you're scratching a dog and you hit a sweet spot and its back leg begins to go up and down in a rapid-fire motion?

Well, I get that now. It was all I could do not to groan.

She filled the syringe a second time and that time, the infectious matter dislodged.

Well, that's it, but I'm not sure I've got it all.

You do have plenty of water left.

You're right. I'll go again.

Suddenly, I was three years old and wanted to keep shouting, "Again! Again!" like I would on a merry-go-round or swing.

My ears have been a constant source of literal irritation, related to environmental allergies.

Where can I get one of those things, and how often may I use it?

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

This post is exactly why Ann Voskamp is loved by so many.

Her writing is a definite gift.

Whimper

I thought that being on steroids for swelling in my ear would be a good time to start an exercise program.

I am fortunate in the fact that I am at a healthy weight for my height. My clothes fit. Sure, I'd like to lose a couple of pounds so they'd fit a little more loosely, but I really have no complaints.

The problem with this is that I rarely feel a need to exercise. After all, isn't exercise for people who have weight problems? When I watch The Biggest Loser, it's only the obese ones who are sweating and grunting and puking their guts out. The trainers, the ones without the weight problems, are the ones inspecting, directing, and encouraging.

That's me. The Inspector, Director, Encourager.

This was all well and good until I took a very short bike ride with Glenna to the video store. My legs were screaming after two turns of the cranks. By the time I got to the store, I was breathless and wanted to puke.

I've also been noticing that I become breathless if I do anything the least bit strenuous, so there you have it: I may be have ideal shape, but I'm horribly out of shape.

So, I did what all exercise programs recommend; I went to my doctor before starting any exercise program. It was there that he discovered an infection and swelling in my left ear, which would of course would explain the deafness. I have been given a regimen of antibiotics, steroids, and ear drops for ten days.

My first day of steroids, I actually felt . . . well . . . energetic. I headed off to Borders to use the gift certificate from Himself that had been burning a hole in my wallet since Christmas. I courageously/foolishly picked up the 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels. Wednesday was the first day, and my thoughts were immediately I don't ever, ever want to be face to face with this woman. Lord, I don't ever, ever want to be on that show.

Still, the words she was saying rang true - This doesn't come easily. You have to work for it. Quitting is what got you where you are. You can do this!

Never mind that after a measly 20 minutes of exercise at the beginner level, I collapsed on the couch for an hour, whimpering.

Just never mind that.

All Things Warm and Wonderful

I had posted here about all things shower, tub, and shower cap. Since tub baths were something we didn't have the pressure or hot water for, they were a longed-for luxury in my life.

About every two years, I would make the trip to New Mexico to visit grandparents and other family members. My paternal grandparents lived in a double-wide trailer with a huge master bedroom and an enormous step-in tub. When I was 10, I distinctly remember asking Grandma if I could possibly, if it was ok, take a bath in that tub.

"Well," responded Grandma, "I don't mind, but only on one condition."

Here goes. I'm going to have to heat water on the stove or go out to a well and hand pump.

"You may take a bath, but I insist you use bubble bath."

Ok, I want to put this into perspective. Those of you who grew up in Southern California will know exactly what I'm talking about here. What if the conversation were actually something like this?

"Grandma, could you please take me to Disneyland?"

"Well, yes, but on one condition. You have to take this extra money and buy only E Tickets."

I still remember that bath. Wow.

When I married and moved to the desert, water, especially hot water, was something that came cheaply and easily. I must have spent the first 3 of twelve months in the tub. I couldn't get enough of that hot, bubbly, wonderfulness. My cousin's family has coined a phrase for this. Each time they see Vicki, his wife, heading off to the bathroom with a good book, they'll holler out, "There goes Mom! Tub-ernating again!"

And who wouldn't want to spend an hour or two in the tub?

Many will think that the stay-at-home Mom soaks in the tub because it's the only place she can be alone. Those who think that are obviously not stay-at-home moms. Believe me, my mind is fully aware of the pulse and happenings in my home.

I thought I would be safe last night by taking a later bath. As I sank into the hot water, each of my muscles groaned aloud and sang my praises at the city gate. I had no sooner settled into "tub position"* when my mind began to go through the checklist.

Ok, Himself is fed. Rats, I forgot to buy creamer again. It's so cool that Glenna is hanging out with her Dad and enjoying a show. I know Glenna did her Algebra and Spanish today. Wait . . . what about . . .

"Glenna?"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"English?"

"Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhh!!! No!!!!"

I sigh and snuggle in a little more. There's no hurry to get out now because it's going to be a long night.


*Tub Position: Head leaning back, toes shoving wash cloth against the annoying round overflow, knees sticking up. Occasionally sift to sitting up more with knees covered. Repeat.

What to Do . . . What to Do . . .

The Women at my church are starting a new Bible study this week. It looks SO good. I'm intrigued and would love to be a part of it.

BUT . . .

The Women at my church are also starting an 8 week Apples of Gold study to encourage wives and mothers in a Titus 2 fashion. I'm definitely going to be a part of this one.

AND . . .

Our pastor is starting a study of the book of Romans on Sunday mornings! We have started it in our Sunday School class (Pastor is the teacher) but from his outline handed out on Sunday, I can't WAIT for the sermons. Did you know they're on the web now?

PLUS . . .

Until Bible Bowl ends for JV Trek in February, I spend extra time at church with the team. Oh, and I home school.

SO . . .

Have any of you ever had too many excellent studies as choices? In one month?

I sure hope so.

A Moment of Reflection

Sunday, my Chargers lost their run to the Super Bowl.

I can only now bring myself to talk about it.

Glenna had a JV night to attend and I left them. I LEFT THEM! I left them in their time of need.

First the Gators, now this. Makes a fan want to hang up her hat.

Don't worry. I wont.

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

Here's a small taste of the excellent post by Mary Grace:

For me, the cost of that kind of life is more that I care to pay. Even though it is tempting, when I begin to see my life through the eyes of those who "have more," to begin to feel discontent with my surroundings or my stuff, I am brought back to the image of my hulking sofa, circa 1980. By the world's standards, it is an item that--like full-time mothering--has outlived its usefulness. But it is beautiful. Not for the sake of itself, of course ... but for how it has served. There is no glamour, no fame, and no show in patiently tending to a small flock of souls days after day. There is no honor or glory associated with serving hot meals and putting the laundry on hold long enough to fit in a game of UNO. -Books and Bairns

I know, I know, yet another blog supporting the stay-at-home Mom. I needed these words. Perhaps one of you need them as well.

Snake Steak and Turtle Soup

Whenever I would ask my mother what was for dinner, Dad would reply, "Snake Steak and Turtle Soup." I learned pretty quickly to eat what I was given and be thankful.

The result of this: I'll eat just about anything.

Friday, I was preparing our meals at Dinner A'Fare. I was next to these two ladies, one who was there for the first time, and of course couldn't help but hear their conversations.

Will you give this to your kids?

Oh no. I wouldn't expect them to eat this. I'll probably just give them a taste and then fix them something else.

Me too. I'm so thankful that little Janie loves Steak-n-Shake! Just about every day she asks me to take her to Steak-n-Shake.

I tried giving mine a casserole and they didn't like it. I guess they just don't like the food when it's all together like that.

I bit my tongue. Literally. Good thing I have a blog to let it all out!

Why on earth would a mother not expect her child to eat nutritious food? Since when is a daily craving for Steak-n-Shake a cause for celebration? And if they're not eating the nutritious meal prepared, what on earth are they fed instead?

The rules for food at our house was/is simple.

1. You must taste everything.

2. You don't have to eat it if you don't like it, but you're not getting anything else.

This is not to say that my children are perfect eaters. In fact, many meals had Glenna asking, "Will this be a meal with bread? (We then limited her bread intake to two pieces, the little buggar.) However, my kids are not, for the most part, picky eaters. I certainly never played restaurant with them and fixed them a meal of their preference instead of the meal I had already prepared.

When Ty started eating solid food, I read in our favorite childcare book (lovingly called, "The Owner's Manual" by Himself) that as long as I offered nutritious food to my children, they would not starve. I also read that if they were not hungry now, they certainly would be by the next meal! Glenna would eat a huge breakfast and lunch, then almost nothing for dinner. Poor, deprived kid. Kelly spent the year as a three year old spitting food out in the sink (she remembers this vividly and at the time thought to herself Why am I doing this every single night?). Tyler ate pretty much everything we put in front of him until one day he decided broccoli wasn't his favorite. It's just one thing, Mom, out of all the food you make. Just one thing!

I can't help but think of Phyllis's children eating pumpkin curry soup and loving it. Why? Probably because they weren't told it was gourmet or fancy or icky or any other adjective that may turn them off from it. They gobble it right up!

Why do so many moms choose to make the dining table a battle ground? I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but I've yet to see one. When I see a kid who's a picky eater, I have also seen a mom who indulges.

While these two mothers gushed over the poor eating habits of their children, I suddenly felt like a mean, mean mom.

Then I smiled.

Maybe they just need a taste of Dad's Snake Steak and Turtle Soup.

The Sock Whisperer

Milestones

I live in the city.

Himself argues that we are not in the city because we don't live downtown.

Remember Reserve, NM?



Let's just say that where I live, there are many, many more streets and buildings.

I live in the city.

Today is Glenna's first day volunteering at the downtown library. As I navigated the streets and observed the people downtown, I could finally see the appeal to living there. There's a heartbeat and life to downtown that would certainly make life interesting! How cool would it be to leave my building, walk to the local bakery for breakfast, stop at the store for some fruit, and then head upstairs to prepare it all?

How fun would it be to join the group exercising in the park?

How soon would I know the names of the strangers sipping coffee in front of the cafe?

When I dropped Glenna off in front of the library, the doors hadn't opened yet. It took a supreme effort of my will to give her a kiss and drive away. I had already given her the lectures about stranger danger, given her my cell phone, and given her my prayers.

Don't strangers look much more dangerous in the winter when they're bundled up in coats, gloves, hoodies, and knit caps? My girl saw a woman with a baby and stood near her.

That's my girl.

Still, her face looked so pale and young and alone in that little crowd of people. I think it was obvious that we're new to this.

Kelly just called down the stairs, Hey, Mom! Glenna just texted me and she's still alive.

=)

Nine from the Canine

Jack had to have nine teeth pulled.

Did you know dogs have 42 teeth? I didn't know that. Each morning I get to pry open his sore mouth and give him a pill.

I'm so glad he's not a cat.

I also get to crush up his soft food and spread it out on the ground like I would for chickens.

Remind me again why I have pets?

Speaking of teeth, I have a dental appointment tomorrow and the rest of the family is jealous. If you can't say that about your dentist, get a new one!

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

People who think that homeschoolers are confined simply to the set of skills that the parents possess are missing the beauty of an amazing array of curricula, online classes, community resources, tutors, mentors, instructional CD-Roms, apprenticeships, lessons, clubs, and--one of my favorites--DVD instruction. Homeschooling, as it turns out, is only limited by the creativity of the parent-facilitators responsible for identifying resources for their children. - Mary Grace from Books and Bairns

Though the above link will lead to a home school product review, I just loved what Mary Grace said on this post. Even though this is our 12th year of home schooling, I still get mixed reactions when people find out we teach our children at home.

The truth is, the biggest struggle for home school families is to STAY HOME and do school! The second biggest struggle is choosing which wonderful resources to say NO to so we're not driving all day. I am thankful that I was able to limit my driving to one day per week this year with Glenna, and Kelly can drive herself to her college classes. (Poor girl has one class each day this semester!)

So, with all this home time, the house should be perfect, laundry caught up, and meals on time, right?

Yeah. I thought not.

Common Ground

My father and my oldest brother have several things in common.

They were both born on January 9th.

They were both wiped out with back problems on their birthdays this year.

They both wouldn't answer their cell phones.

I was finally able to track them both down (a quick text to my niece brought the desired results) to wish them a happy birthday.

Here's praying that the first day of their new year is no indication of how the rest of the year will go!

From Christmas

This is us with Junting Li, our student from China who stayed with us at Christmas. It's the first time we've hosted a male student during the holidays. Funny, because we've only hosted male students from France or Spain but when it comes to the Christmas experience we've always hosted female students from Asia! I'm guessing a female from France would be another story?

Anyway, Junting (sounds like "Hunting" but with a "J") was so great. He's already earned his masters in chemistry and is attending school in South Carolina for his phd in chemistry. His grasp on English was excellent. We hope he stays with us again! It was his first time ever in an American home.

If anyone is considering hosting an international student, I highly recommend it! It's an outstanding cultural experience for you and your family, especially the children.

Sister's Revenge

The heat woke me at 2:30 this morning. I guess we really need to turn the thermostat down at night because if I'm too hot, then the girls are roasting upstairs.

As I tiptoed with bare feet through the house to grab a drink of water, I couldn't help but think back to my visit to Mom's in October. Walking barefooted through the house at night is simply something that isn't done in the country. Walking barefooted through the house without a flashlight is just plain foolishness.

When the girls and I went out there during the summer of '06, We noticed this strange paper on Mom's fridge. Beginning with 2001 and going to 2006, there were columns with tally marks. We quickly found out that this was the indoor scorpion count. We also found out that scorpions glow bright green when a black light is present!

Each night before bed, Mom would grab her black light flashlight and scan the bedrooms. We found a total of six scorpions during our visit (one had me standing on top of the toilet seat, hollering for my Mommy - but we won't go into that).

That first night during our visit in October, I helpfully mentioned to my brothers that they might not want to walk through the house without shoes. They thought I was kidding, but Mom was there to verify the story. I then explained how none of the bedding touched the floor so the scorpions wouldn't climb up onto their beds.

The next morning, both brothers stumbled out of their bedrooms looking a little haggard. When I asked them how they slept, my brother Mark replied, "Not too well, actually. All I could think about were scorpions. Thanks for that, Sis!"

I think Dad would have been proud.

A Fine Tune

He reached forward and did a most unusual thing.

He turned the stereo volume down.

It was Labor Day weekend and I was driving Ty to the college where his brown-eyed girl was about to play piano. Normally, even at an early hour, I knew he'd enjoy listening to the band that was playing. I was so puzzled when he turned the music completely down.

"Too early for this?"

"No. Don't you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Your tires. There's a hum."

Of course I didn't hear it. I wouldn't know what I was hearing even if I did hear it.

Flash forward to Thanksgiving weekend. Ty is home once again and changing the alternator in his truck. He takes out the old one and gives it a spin.

"Hear that? Bad alternator." He gives the new one a similar spin. "Hear? No sound. Good alternator. I hear that stuff now."

Mind you, he hears it while the engine is running. If I don't hear out and out banging or clanking, I think everything's fine!

I had always known his hearing was amazing and did everything I could to protect it. I insisted the band wear earplugs when practicing in our living room and kept them in ready supply. Tyler quickly realized that any career in music would require acute hearing and soon protected his ears on his own. It would boggle my mind to watch him play and then suddenly stop because there was a slight "rattle" that needed attention. This while playing a drum set, mind you, not something soft and quiet like an oboe! We would drive down the street and his hand would suddenly shoot out to stop a rattle, one that had already shifted to the back of my consciousness and wasn't even noticed by me.

At the time and because of his passion and pursuit of music, we thought God had given him a gift for a profession in music - either playing, or in sound and recording. It would appear, however, that God is showing us His true purpose. One of the most important tools a master diagnostician will need . . . are his ears. I think we have definitely moved from a fine tune to a fine tuning, although great music will always be as appreciated as a smooth-running diesel engine; I hope.

One Bad Hombre

Himself and I went to stand in the milk line.

It was 45 degrees outside. I don't want to hear from anyone NOT in Florida how that's not cold. I'm here. You're not.

Needless to say, we were wearing layers. I had on a teal beanie, white cable scarf, and striped mittens with my black jacket. Himself was wearing a his dark jacket, jeans, and an Ezekiel's Eye beanie/skull cap.

We huddled together and tried to stay warm. It was going to be a long wait.

I turned to speak to Himself and then stopped. After perusing his outfit, I stated, You know, the only thing keeping you from looking like a real Bad A are your glasses.

He quickly whipped off his glasses and stuck them in his pocket. Full effect.

More waiting.

From the woman in line in front of us to one of the milk men, I heard you complaining about an ailment. I'm a massage therapist and I study blah blah and I can tell right away that your face is not even.

Himself leans forward. I'd say something, but I don't want to frighten her while I'm looking like a Bad A.

You would. You'd totally scare her granola-eatin' heart.

More waiting.

Behind us, the line grows longer. The weather feels like it's dropping a few degrees to everything except my toes, which I can no longer feel. I turn once again to Himself and notice his exposed neck. I promptly place my frozen nose there.

Hey! That's a cold nose!

Mmmmphmfpmmfp.

You know, I'm getting my pistola tomorrow, he whispers, for the third time.

I know. I'll feel so much safer in this milk line just knowing you're packing some heat.

The boxer dog who has been there every week is making her rounds up and down the line, trying to see who will kick her very slobbery, very deflated soccer ball. We all take turns trying to psyche her out on the direction of our kicks, but she's a pretty good blocker. She can read any direction we choose.

The yuppie (do they still call them that?) husband in front of me points to the residue of slobber left on his shoe after kicking the ball. I look at my own shoes and see she's left her DNA there as well. Oh well. Mine aren't spotlessly clean to go with my leather jacket, leather gloves, and striped skull cap, like his are.

After contemplating all of this, I turn one last time to Himself.

Are my glasses the only thing keeping me from looking like a Bad A?

No. Your danglely turquoise earrings are.

Thanks, Dad. Really. I love them.

Finally, it's our turn to pay the piper and grab the white gold. We pass many characters on our way back to the car and I laugh to myself because I certainly look like one of them today. We load up the Escape and quickly jump in, cranking the heat full blast.

Nose running from the cold, Himself requests a napkin from the glove box.

A napkin? A real Bad A would just hawk it onto the sidewalk.

I wondered if they could hear his laughter as we drove away.

The Shower Cap Chronicle

I wrote about a certain rite of passage a while back. When my son was first reading it, he thought I was going to say it was cable TV that I was struggling to avoid and then caved and bought. I'm still resisting cable, but we did get a digital converter and an antennae.

Some people were unsure what the big deal was about a measly shower cap. Some people understood my dilemma immediately. Shower caps were worn by grandmothers or mothers, not hip and happenin'gals!

Perhaps a little background is in order:

When I was growing up in California, I had wash-n-wear hair. Who didn't? There was a brief stint with the curling iron when they became popular in the late 70's, but for the most part hair was worn long and straight and parted in the middle. Since I had long and VERY straight hair, this was simple!

Also, I must confess, I hated taking showers.

The main reason for this is that our house was always cold.

Not really, Mom! It was great!

I could see my breath in my room.

Only on the coldest days, Mom. Most of the time, it was just a little chilly.

I couldn't wait for the spring thaw.

Because our house was mildly chilly (Eskimos built igloos in my closet), I learned how to avoid exposing any skin to a cold and drafty shower for as long as possible. See, not only was our house mildly chilly, we never had real water pressure or lots of hot water. The water pressure in the shower was so low, we practically had to run around in the shower to get wet!

Baths were a luxury. I remember once heating water on the stove to try to have enough hot water for a nice, long soak. Mom soon nixed this and told me to just get in and get out. Moms have a way of getting to the point like that. So, I showered only when I absolutely had to and the other times I would do a spit and polish at the sink with the space heater full blast.

Ah, the memories!

Mom always had a shower cap hanging in the bathroom and I'd played with it once or twice, but I never saw the real purpose. Mom bravely showered daily, but didn't wash her hair each time. I never really thought much of it but remembered the times she would dry her hair at night and then put some curls in it in the morning before work. All this at 5:30 a.m., plus putting out lunch money or lunches, making her own lunch, then heading off for her work day; I still don't know how she did it.

Since I no longer have my wash-n-wear surfer girl hair, I found a new reason to avoid showers. I hate having to dry and iron my hair. I would try to keep it from getting wet when I showered, or I would try to wrap it in a towel (cumbersome and usually slipped off). Since I was already a pro at the spit and polish at the sink, I once again kept showers to a minimum.

Don't judge me.

Since washing hair daily is actually harmful to hair and scalp, I guess one day I had an epiphany - what if I were to get some kind of cap to keep my hair dry while I was in the shower?

Ok, those of you who have figured this out long ago can go ahead and laugh. Some of us take a little longer.

Now, with my handy-dandy shower cap, life has been a dream. It works so well, in fact, that Himself thinks it's an every day solution.

I have to take a shower and it's a hair day.

Why don't you use the cap?

Using the cap won't help in this case! I actually have to wash it.

But the cap! The cap!

On New Year's Eve, I used the cap. I was thrilled when a teen girl turned to her companion and, after pointing to me discreetly, whispered, "See? That's how my hair was SUPPOSED to look. Instead, I got this horrible haircut!"

If she only knew.

Running Over

My son is on his way back, chugging along at a mom-approved speed up I-75. I'm praying he'll avoid any traffic back-ups this time.

What a vacation this has been. I really don't think I have the words to describe how wonderful it was, and any attempt will come out drippy and sappy.

Could we just say my cup is not only full, but it's overflowing?

Careful. You may just get some on you.

Compatibility

A stroll through our local Ikea has revealed what I've always known: Himself and I don't really have much in common in the way of personal taste.

I tend to draw toward a lot of wood furnishings with woven rugs, plump sofas with loose fittings, and a distinct western feel. Himself oohs and aahs over sleek, modern lines with a high gloss or polish, leather couches, and dark colors.

He'd like a huge personal recliner that he can claim as his own. Most likely, it would take up a quarter of the living room. I like smaller pieces that don't overwhelm the room.

I like to arrange things with a little thought into what would be pleasing to the eye. He tends to go right for convenience. I've had to keep a close eye on him over the years or our home would have beer labels (only from the imports), moose heads, hats tossed on any pointy surface or statue, and pictures stuck willy-nilly about the house.

Home decor is only one area where we don't agree. When driving, he gets right into the fast lane. I get into the lane I need to be in. (He'll get there faster than I will, but I avoid the stress of having to switch lanes quickly.) He watches intense action movies. I keep my nose in books. He loves to eat tons of meat. I usually take a lighter meat portion and fill up on sides. He thinks a flannel shirt over a t-shirt with jeans is acceptable to wear out of the house. I don't. =/ He listens to talk radio. I often drive around in silence.

In fact, there are so many things that we don't agree upon (covers vs. no covers, smooth jazz vs busy jazz), I guess it's safe to say we're pretty incompatible. I wonder how many people would come to this conclusion and decide to end their relationship?

We have nothing in common.

We can't agree on anything.

He/She's too different.

I suppose I could dwell on the areas where we differ, but I know that when I do, it stirs up discontent. Instead, I try to find areas where we agree.

We both love a tasty meal, and we both eat too much!

We both hate clutter.

We both want a home where people feel welcomed and relaxed.

We love music.

We have three amazing children.

We love to watch movies.

We hate onions on our pizza.

We like to make plans for home renovation (though can rarely afford to do anything about it).

We love our family, near and far.

Ice cream = bliss.

We love our Sunday School class.

We love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul.

We struggle with our sin natures that keep us from spending daily time in His word and prayer.

We both would rather be with each other than with anyone . . . except our children!


Bottom line is, of course, that contentment is a choice. I have a million irritating habits. He has a million . . . and two. We can focus on what makes us tick or what makes us ticked. Daily, hourly, moment by moment, we choose to love.

It's a wonderful, compatible choice. At least, it's worked for us.

So far!

Oh No She Didn't!

I did NOT buy a JUMBO Reeses's Peanut Butter Cup and eat it on the way home from Walmart. I especially did NOT do this in light of recent resolutions to eat well.

Oh no, I didn't!

Morning Musings

Countless analogies run through my head and wake me at 3 a.m.

Either that, or it was something I ate.

Still, a quiet house gives birth to quiet reflection. It has been such a wonderful week.

When my children were newborns and infants, my jaws ached continually. It wasn't some odd postpartum symptom that wasn't listed in the pregnancy books. Rather, I was so overwhelmed with the love that I had for my children that I had to clench my teeth in order to keep myself from squeezing them too hard!

I have felt that way this week. My jaws don't ache, but I feel like I'm so . . . full . . . that I don't think I can contain it any longer. Something is about to burst! Whatever it may be, I am full to the brim. I'm thankful that Glenna is such a hugger and cuddler. I can grab her just about any time and whirl her about the room or simply wrap my arms around her.

Thankfully, she's not so fragile anymore. I can squeeze as hard as I want. It's much easier on the jaw.

As far as being up at 3 a.m. goes; seriously, I need to watch what I eat.

It's All Good

When I would visit my grandparents as a young girl, my grandmother would offer treat after treat for our enjoyment. Most often, I'd be full as a tick and couldn't possibly eat another bite. At this point, when Grandma offered yet another slice of home made key lime pie, I'd wave her off with the phrase every kid in my generation clearly understood; "That's OK."

Grandma was always gently instructing me in the ways of a politer society. One day she finally asked, "What do you mean by that, J? It's OK and you want some more or it's OK and you don't want any? Have you thought about just saying 'Yes, please' or 'No, thank you' so you would be more clear?"

While I didn't agree with Grandma on all of her instructions (like the thought at the time that I should be reading more of the newspaper than simply the comics), this made good sense.

With my own children, I have taught them to say "No thank you" or "Yes, please." It makes it even more amusing, therefore, when our student from China uses a particular American slang and seems so proud when he does.

Junting, would you like some more potatoes?

Oh . . . I'm good.

Kelly hides her smile.

We wonder who taught him this? Dude, if someone offers you something and you don't want it, just say I'm good. That's how they do it here.

He speaks English so well and understands us so clearly, so it took me by surprise the first time I heard him say it. He's here studying for his Ph.d in Chemistry, uses articulate speech, and then he comes out with I'm good.

Should we tell him? =)

Today

Three sleepy heads
Upstairs in beds
(plus one guest more
put Kelly on the floor)

The sun is bright
My world is right
Himself is here
I'm so glad he is near

Our student's great
We easily relate
The house is clean
The tree is still green

And now my Friends
must dry my head
I'll write real soon
When not in a rhyming mood.

Because, let's face it; that's pretty cheesy.

With Days Like These

True story.

I had just finished putting flea medicine on the dogs and wanted to wash my hands. I grabbed the glass oil/vinegar bottle that we keep our dish soap in, just like I do a thousand times per day.

This time, I must have knocked the edge of it on the sink because soap sloshed all over the sink, counter, and my shirt. I quickly dug around the cupboard under the sink for a container to hold the soap and found an old water bottle. Once the soap was contained, I cleaned off the counters.

I knew I didn't want to toss my shirt full of soap into the laundry. Glenna was upstairs in the shower, and no one else was home. I quickly took off my shirt and started to rinse it in the sink.

That's when the UPS man pulled up.

That's when I noticed a few windows were opened to let in the breeze.

I did the only thing I could do. I hit the deck! I squat-walked over to my sweater in the dining room and threw it on, then ran into my bedroom.

Fortunately, the UPS man was for next door.

I am way too tempted to go back to bed for the rest of the day.

All Rite

I put it off as long as I could.

I knew that once I made this step, there'd be no turning back.

I argued with myself for half a year, weighing the pros and cons. I'd lived without it for this long, and surely I could continue to live without it! It just seemed that my pro list was growing larger than my con list.

I found myself searching for it, deliberately, in stores. Today, I picked it up and put it in my shopping cart.

That wasn't so scary. Still, life was about to change forever. The line was about to be crossed. Maybe I could just keep it to myself for a while and no one would know. This resolve was forgotten, however, when Glenna starting to unload the grocery bag.

Mom? What in the world?!? A shower cap????

Too Much?

Glenna, on Christmas lights:

Some of these houses look nice. Some of them look like a kindergarten glitter project.

Book It

There are so many blog pages I want to read or linger over. I quickly hit the "bookmark" button and there it goes, right into my favorites.

Now I only need to set a day aside to read all the sites I've saved! Maybe one per morning?

Kelly and I were talking about personality differences. I'm fine with doing a little at a time, whereas Himself is more of a "right now or not at all" type of person. This can be frustrating at times, but I have also seen this used to great advantage in his life.

Says Kelly, "Yep, there's not a gradual bone in Daddy's body."

We received a phone call from our son this morning. Another day, another A. Way to finish out the diesel module, Ty!

We've also heard that his new roommates have arrived. Gone are the John Deere tractor sheets and loud commentary (his new roommate has plain black sheets, thank you very much). Jury is still out, but there's hopeful optimism that these two boys from the mountains in Virginia will work out just fine.

Lastly, I am hoping Florida will make up its mind on the weather. We go from sweaters to AC, often on the same day. Today the windows are open and we had a pleasant rain . . . who knows what tomorrow will bring!

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

What a belly laugh this brought to me this morning!

Mrs. R, it looks like your writing classes have paid off once again, even down to the clever title. Thank you!

Playing School

Hands in soapy water, I field one question after another from my daughters as they work on their school tasks. A spelling question, a historical fact, a question of logic; all of these flow freely back and forth in a natural dialogue. This is the learning lifestyle I had longed for 12 years ago when we first began our home school journey.

Of course, I don't always have the answers. This leads to some questions of my own:

I don't know. How could we find out?

Where would you look for that information?

What do you think?

Is the dictionary nearby? What about the thesaurus?

Learning by osmosis keeps a level of anticipated discovery in all of us. When we go to the encyclopedia to look up a fact, we can't help but read a few tidbits surrounding our quest. I love when I hear, "Hey, Mom! Did you know that . . . " or "Hey, Mom! Check out what this says!" or "Hey, Mom! This says one thing, but I'm pretty sure the other book said another thing. Do you remember?" This would be missed if we simply hit up Google or wikipedia! They only display one fact at a time!

So what if my encyclopedias are dated 1988. As long as we're not looking for current events . . .

This same principle applies to map work. Any time spent looking at a map will teach volumes more than a textbook with a workbook. At the R Zoo, they have a map placed under the glass of their dining room table. Perfect! I can't tell you the pleasure we've all had at their home, pouring over countries and continents. I can't tell you the stories of travels and peoples that come up in conversation because of it.

The part I hate about home schooling is how quickly I become the enemy. Unfortunately, I must also ask questions such as "Have you finished your science?" and "Did you do your vocabulary?" and "Have you started your math?" I have been reassured countless times that they're not mad at me, per se, but they're angry at the fact that they have slacked off and have fallen behind - again.

My favorite part of home schooling, however, comes when God shows me a glimpse of the work He is doing in the lives of my children. I am privilege to watch Diligence triumph over Laziness. I am a witness to Selfishness dying to Service. I watch intense spiritual battles turn into spiritual victory, and I want to sink to my knees in thankfulness. (I may have to do this one time, just for effect!)

How much I would have missed if my stubborn will had not given in to home schooling.

I had no idea it would be like this.

I had no idea it COULD be like this.

It has, unequivocally, been worth it.

I laugh with my fellow home school moms and count down to the day I will be finished with all of this and free from the tyranny of schedules and grades (four and a half years left, to any who are wondering). Still, there's a stronger voice telling me how precious and sweet this is. I'm not to wish it away or count it down, for just as that 9 pound, downy-soft infant became a 6ft tall man too soon, so this will end.

Too soon.

The Pain of Loyalty

Becoming a rabid college football fan can be extremely painful!

When I lived in California, we rarely paid attention to college teams. We had so many professional teams to enjoy! I will ever be a Chargers, Padres, and Lakers fan. Forever!

Since moving to Florida, we have caught the passion that comes with being the fan of a college team. There are three sides to choose - Miami (bleh), Florida State (meh), or University of Florida (roaring crowd noise here!). We have pretty much become Gator fans!

For tonight's game, Himself went to a friend's house to watch while I stayed with one-who-needed-to-finish-school-on-a-Saturday. About the third quarter, I decided to see if I could catch the game live on line.

I was in luck, but I didn't like what I saw. Gators were behind!

I knew I needed to hit the shower, so I thought I'd be super clever and put the laptop in the bathroom and take a tub bath. I had everything safely away from the water and tilted at just the right angle. I hopped into the tub and looked triumphantly up at the screen on the bathroom counter.

I couldn't see a thing.

I definitely can't see any distance without my glasses! Since I was already in the tub and my mother's warnings through the ages were ringing in my head, I did NOT try to move the laptop closer. Instead, I fumbled around for my glasses and decided to wash my face last.

I'm sure everyone reading this knows what happened next.

Yes, after 10 minutes, the screen saver came on. [sigh] Fortunately, I could still HEAR the game. UNfortunately, the Gators did not come through with a win. By the time I got out of the tub, I was fighting tears along with our quarterback.

Thank you, Tim Tebow . . . for everything.

I hope we see MANY MORE just like you.

Oh Lord . . .

Dear Lord,

This has been a great week! I don't hate anyone, I don't blame anyone for the trials of life, and the house isn't overwhelming me.

But, Lord, I know the hormones are coming around again soon. Would you please protect my mind, my family, and my friends?

Thank You.

Well, What Do You Know?

After we stood in line in the third world country to buy our raw milk, I was curious to see if I could skim the cream and make butter.

It worked!

I put it in a Tupperware container used to mix protein shakes and shook it for all it was worth. I'm not sure how long it took, but my arms certainly got a workout! The end result was enough butter to put in my butter bell.

Now I know why the man who invented the butter churn, on a rocker, was popular. During the entire shaking process, I was trying to think of easier ways to make the butter. After all, I'm a modern woman living in modern times!

I also wonder what on earth families did with all that milk when they milked a cow daily.

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

It's been a while since we've heard from Jess at Making Home.

I like the attitude adjustment she gave this morning! Moment by moment, we can choose the way we think of others.