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We have our boy at last. At birth, a healthy 10 lb baby boy! He was born, at home, at 6:41 a.m. on Feb 9th. We have named him Mark Edward. Now, at two weeks old, he’s nearly 11 ½ lbs. At a week overdue, this was my quickest birth yet from start to finish; first contraction at 1:00 a.m., and delivery at 6:41. I waited 1 hr before calling the Dr., since I really wanted to make sure that I was in labor first, but then before I knew it, I was wondering if Paul and I would be having a baby on our own. Half an hr. after speaking to the Dr. for the first time, he called again just to confirm directions and try to gauge when to come out. I told him that I've been shaking like a leaf, and he said... " Actually... I think I'll come right now." :-) And, the nurse and Dr. arrived in plenty of time. Our older girls came into our bedroom once the baby was really arriving, and so this was the third time they have had the opportunity to see their new baby sister or brother come into the world! It’s amazing how they take it all in stride. My 5 yo told me well before the birth that she did not want to be there, though. She knows what she’s ready for. So, as soon as the baby was born we woke the little girls to come see. They are so thrilled. Actually, of course, we all are. I still have to catch my breath sometimes as I take it in. In the time after losing Gregory, I prayed fervently to God that I would be able to have another baby, and that the baby would be a boy. Actually, I more than prayed, I begged. Of course, I know very well that many people were also praying for me, and that the gift of this baby boy for our family may actually be an answer to their prayers even more than my own. Here are some pictures of our angel.
Here is is at 4 days old.
And two picures taken by my daughter when he was 10 days old.
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Last semester, my 16 yo began taking her first college courses. The large community college requires that “early enrollment” students take just one course their first semester. She was able to take a second one as well because it was just a two-credit course, and we were using it as the lab portion of our Apologia chemistry at home. The class was just lab/computation so there was also plenty of math. So, she spent two days on campus each week. The other class she took was Digital Photography. Her experiences were very positive. In the chemistry course, students were quite friendly. The instructor/course seemed to have scared away a good percentage of the students originally enrolled, since the first quiz sort of shocked a lot of people (being tougher than they expected). There were quite a few non-traditional age (older/returning) students in the class as well, and I believe that they were sort of anxious about doing well. My daughter noticed the shrinking size of the class, and picked up on the anxiety of some of the other students. We talked about the class dynamics a good deal and I coached my daughter to pay no attention to the vibes she was picking up on. She also complained that the students had so many basic questions that she felt that the class was not allowed to cover all of the material for that day. But, the work she was doing and the grades she was receiving nade it clear that she was doing very well. Towards the last quarter of the class, a student even asked my daughter if they could meet to study together. The student was having some difficulty and wanted my daughter to help her. So, they met and studied for several hours, and the student was so grateful. After that, the same student arranged a group study day with other people from the class, so my daughter went to that as well. All well and good, I say. The digital photography course was also a good experience. The interesting thing was that the class, of course, would involve a lot of critique. Assignments are completed, the work is put before the class, and the photographers have the opportunity to talk about their own work and to comment on the work of the other students. My daughter said that each critique day she was the first to talk. Actually, she would wait to give the others a chance to be first but nobody ever spoke up! I know that critique can be a scary thing because you put yourself on the line, and express your opinion. But, my daughter felt comfortable doing that. I have to admit that we had a little chuckle about “so much for the 16 year old un-socialized homeschooler”. She noticed that many students seemed not to take assignments very seriously, and turned in work that she felt could have been so much better if they had put more effort into it. For example, some students included very distracting things in the background of the photos, and seemed not to be aware of it. Another thing was the use of poor quality printers and paper, which took away from what could have been a stronger photo. Again, the class turned out to be a very positive experience. One comment that the teacher made about her written work (critiques of various photographers etc.) was that her written work was as beautiful as her photographs. At the risk of being a bragging mom, I will include one of her photographs below. She submitted this photo and a couple of others to a publication called American Photo on Campus. It is a nice little glossy magazine. They responded to her via email and said that they would like to publish the following photo, and asked that she answer biographical questions, and her goals for the future etc. Her photo and the bio will be included together in an upcoming issue. I assume the next issue. Isn’t that cool! |
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Some months ago I had a very unusual and powerful dream. Actually, I thought of writing about it then, but was hesitant to speak of it to a broader audience (my blog readers of two or three ;-) But, I decided that now would be a good time to finally reveal it, thinking that after the birth, I might not find it pertinent. When I was about three months along in this pregnancy, I had a dream, which actually caused me to wake up, and sit up. There is a radio station that I listen to while driving in the car, and around noon, the host is a child psychologist. He is a Christian, and has a huge family, and a sense of humor too. Well, the format of the show is that callers are to call in to the show, and he answers their questions. However, in my dream he called me! His head and shoulders and the telephone receiver appeared like a hologram just to my right. In my dream I said “hello” and, immediately realizing who was on the other end, I was perplexed. I said, “Did I call …you?” And he said, “No, I’m calling you because your baby called out to me and said that he’s going to be just fine, and he wanted me to tell you.” After that point I was wide-awake, and sitting up. I went over the dialog in my head, several times, just to make sure that I wouldn’t forget it. I felt that this dream was such a gift. I also felt that obviously the dream was about the baby I was now carrying, not about Gregory who we lost. After all, I know where Gregory is. And, then, I wondered, is this a dream telling me the sex of the baby I was carrying, too?? We shall soon see. People have asked me...well actually, many people have asked me whether we know the sex of the baby yet. I've told them that we've always wanted to be surprised. One gal said, "Oh my gosh! I can't believe you're not dying to know!" Believe me, I am dying to know. (But I still didn't ask to be told the sex of the baby, though I will admit I have been tempted.)
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I have been locked out of my blog for some time now, but just asked again for help, and this time the trouble shooting tip worked for me. Yay! That’s it for the present moment, though I plan to be adding a few more entries ASAP since I feel like I’ve got a lot to catch up on. Barbara |
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The Mission… Sort last seasons clothes (Or clothes from several seasons because I didn’t know what to do with them earlier.) I keep telling myself, I’m a reasonably intelligent person… I should be able to do this. But, I continue to stare at the baskets of off season, and outgrown, and worn, and stained, and maybe will fit next season, and maybe I should give away… and then I just get overwhelmed and walk away in a daze. Last year, in moment of clarity, I got an idea. Bins! I know, I’ll use bins! Then, I’ll label them with tape on the side with things like 2T, 4T, 8 - 10, 12 -14… things like that! What a brainstorm. I tell you, where do I come up with this stuff. |
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Just a quick note to say that I am blessed to be carrying another dear baby, and look forward to the end of January/beginning of February for the due date, and to hold our baby. We have ALWAYS had a “fall harvest”, so this will be my first winter baby. And, you sure can’t get any more winter than that, here in Chicagoland. But, there is surely NO wrong time for a baby. My birthday is in mid January, and Paul’s is in Feb, so the baby will be born cradled right in between Mama’s and Papa’s birthdates. I like that picture. I finally found the link to this cute pregnancy counter I remember seeing at other's blogs. It is at http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com Baby's due date is Feb. 3rd.
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I was recently having a telephone call with a good friend, and she was
talking about the new season starting… that season of the new school year. She was saying that her oldest is doing
well, but here we go, sort of starting all over with the next one down, and
seeing the youngers coming up and knowing that the feat of “education” will
need to be “performed” again and again.
Sounds a little daunting. She
was wondering… “Can I pull it off again?
Maybe my first child was just a fluke.
Maybe she was just easier?”
This reminded me so much of when I was in art school. I so remember the feeling that I had when I
was finishing up a large piece. (In
grad school, I worked on large pieces and they took perhaps a full semester to
complete.) In the beginning of work on
a new piece, I would have some degree of apprehension, but mostly adrenaline as
my idea began to take solidify, plans were made, materials were purchased
etc. Then, the real labor would begin…
the art making time. I would live and
breathe that piece. As the piece began
to take shape, it was quite exciting… the form emerges and the concept reveals
itself! But then came the questions and
the need to face the fact that this piece is wrapping up… and you know what
THAT means. Another piece… that’s
right. With each piece, the ante is
upped. (I’ve pulled it off again. And, now, more will be expected of me.) Towards the end of my work on a piece, as
all of the fine touches were to be put on, I always remember slowing down a
bit, almost not wanting the time to end, because, after this, it will be time
to venture into the unknown again. .
It’s a dramatic thing when an important job is completed. I always felt that after I finished a piece,
I was, in a sense, saying to the world “This is the best I can do. This is all of me.” That’s pretty scary, and humbling. And, how much more monumental is our job of
raising our children. Add Homeschooling
to that and you’ve really got a whopper.
But, I think September is the time that many people go through a down
time before the intense work on next school year takes shape… before the real labor begins. It’s a time to look at our past works and wonder
if we can pull it off again. Or, maybe
“the best that we can do” doesn’t look that great. “All of me” maybe isn’t too impressive. But, here comes the next wave… the next school year. Ready or not, we are called to do it.
Let’s jump off the cliff, into the unknown, and try to pull it off
again. |
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Over the next few months, I will be sharing a small collection of full
page, one-of-a-kind, coloring book pages.
For the time being, they will all be supporting your ancient history
studies. A medieval set will follow
sometime after that. The thumbnail image, and available in PDF, is
of a Neo-Assyrian Tree of Life. Symbolically,
a tree can be a symbol of the resurrection in that in the winter, a tree
appears to be dead, but emerges with new growth in the spring. Also, we are given many images of trees in
the Old and New Testaments. One
compelling image is of knowing a tree by its fruit. Luke 6:44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of
thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. Here
are a couple more. Psalm 1:3 And
he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his
fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth
shall prosper. And, also, Jeremiah
17:8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that speadeth out
her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall
be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease
from yielding fruit. Neo Assyrian Design Coloring Page |
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I am so excited to announce that I have two new History Portfolio products. The first is the Teacher’s Guide for the Ancient History Portfolio. This new guide has been complete for a few weeks now, and I've just been trying to deal with glitches with the printing part of the operation. So… I can only take pre-orders for this next week or so (after I add the info to my website). I have also just completed another set of Full Color Maps. And finally, I will soon be launching all of my new and updated web pages, which my husband and I have been working on. If you think of it, check back in a week or so and see the new look. Barbara |
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Well, it’s been a while since I’ve written
about our baby Gregory, and about my healing process. Bottom line, I’m sure not healed. And who would expect me to be?
Nobody. But, knowing that my
baby has entered into eternal life, that Kingdon of Eternal Life is less far
away to me, because he is there. There was so much I never wrote about
during the months from September to now, having been in transition, nearly
visibly so, as I moved from crawling to standing, to walking. I do have a few “phases”, and revelations from
those months documented, so to speak.
Maybe one day I will add them to my blog and stick them in a category
regarding Gregory. I’ve got to figure
out how to do that. But, a few things this week have caused me
to re-live, or re-visit, some experiences and thoughts of the past months. This week, a death of an elderly neighbor,
an infant adoption, along with some other things really dredged up my
memories. I sure have been crying a
lot, though not from reaching the bottom, but from seeing the top. One particular thing I would like to recall,
and talk about, is my experience, and revelation, while reading a lovely
picture book to my 4 yo. It was Moses
in the Bulrushes by Warwick Hutton. The
events of the week made me think about the book again. We own a copy, and we’ve read it plenty of
times. But, shortly after Gregory died,
my 4 yo picked it up and asked me to read it.
I knew it would be a tough read for me, at that point. But, I began to read. I reached a certain point in the story, and
slowly, with all I had in me, gathered enough control to read the words aloud. The hard part began with the page where
Moses’ mother sits on the water’s edge and makes a simple ark for him. Carefully, thoughtfully she makes a vessel
to carry him away. If you haven’t seen this book, I want to
give you a picture of the beautiful watercolor full-page illustrations. The colors are gentle and the overall
expression is of stillness and quietude.
The text is quite spare, reinforcing the elegance of the images. On each double page spread, there are
typically just one or two sentences. As I continued to read, I watched myself,
and allowed my thoughts to move in and out about the story. I felt myself overwhelmed with emotion. There was the obvious… Moses’ mother letting
go of her baby. That is why I knew
reading the story would be hard at this point.
But, as I read, I thought about adoption and thought of the awesome
beauty of it: The Pharoah’s daughter taking and raising a baby, knowing why the
mother was unable to raise the baby herself. And I watched myself some more as
I struggled to say the words. I
wondered, “why am I so upset?” Well, I
knew to a degree, but just felt there must be more. Reading on… a double page spread shows the Pharoah’s daughter
carefully unfolding the covering, and cradling the baby in her arms. The image on the next page shows the baby’s
sister speaking to the princess. But,
the next page is overwhelming in the simplicity and power. There, we see Moses’ mother sitting alone in
a room, next to an empty cradle, with gentle noises about, but the mother lost
in thought. And, through the door we
see the young girl running towards the door with the wonderful news! The mother will have her baby back! And the story revealed itself to me. I realized, that I, too, will have my baby
back, in God’s time. After this reading, I was telling my friend
about it all, and about my revelation.
I had just recently, as per request, lent her my copy of Christine
Field’s book, So You Want to Adopt. She
reminded me of Christine’s words at the end of the book, about how one day, the
mothers of the adopted children will be united with their children again, and
there will be no separation between the family members: mother and father,
children, and adoptive parents. I can’t
quote exactly since I don’t have the book back yet. Just this week I got out the Warwick Hutton
book again, and thought about my sister in law and her husband who just adopted
their first baby, after waiting many years, and I was, and am, so overwhelmingly
happy for them. And I particularly thought about the birth mother, and felt for her,
and felt kinship with her. But I was
consoled in knowing that she and her baby, and me and my baby will not be
separated forever. Since I love the picture book so much, I
did look around in case you wanted to look for it, and I found many copies at
Alibris. Thanks for reading. Barbara |
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I so clearly remember the shock of having my first baby. I was so used to going to bed when I was tired, and waking up when I was finished sleeping. I also so distinctly remember the notion that I had, and the ideas that others seemed to have as well, that it is so important to get a good night’s sleep. But, what is a good night’s sleep? It seemed that people felt that a good night’s sleep was a solid uninterrupted block of time, where you would fall asleep, and not wake up until morning. Hmmm. Whenever I am confused by advice that seems contradictory, I put on my historian hat, and ask, “What did people do 1000 or 2000 years ago?” Wouldn’t having a newborn, and having other children in the house as well, naturally impact that “ideal” pattern of uninterrupted sleep? How could we “go forth and multiply”, but yet at the same time, “need” uninterrupted sleep? Well, 1000 or 200 years ago, I picture mothers and fathers, and children, and grandparents, and an aunt or so, living in close quarters. Families would not be isolating themselves with the goal of preserving a full, uninterrupted, night’s sleep. But, today there seems to be a premium placed on it. The reason this subject interests me is that I think the issue here is “self protection.” To a degree, yes, I think we need to protect ourselves from harm, and keep ourselves from evil. But, the notion can be taken too far. I ask, protect ourselves from what? Aging, struggle, discomfort, pain? Well, OK, I’m not crazy about pain. But, struggle can be good. Discomfort? Who said life would be smooth sailing? I’m not saying “Toughen up.” Instead, I want to emphasize the special gift that struggle brings, and accept that it is through the trials that we grow. Our burdens, that special gift to us, can be a tool, which we can use to perfect ourselves. But yet, we so often want to run away from it, and “protect ourselves”, when, in actuality, we are depriving ourselves of opportunity. As an aside, the subject of “needing” uninterrupted sleep reminds me of another thing I have heard. Namely, that it is so important to sit down, and calmly enjoy your meal. I remember hearing this discussed during a call in radio show. But I kept thinking that if it is so essential for us, why are little children so active? And, then I picture mothers serving food, and grabbing bits during a meal, finally finishing up after everyone else has been fed. That seems like such a familiar scene. Another contradictory notion… Don’t get me started. I think we’re a lot tougher than we often times give ourselves credit for. |
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Homeschool eStore is a brand new business dedicated to providing PDF versions of many popular Homeschooling products. The beauty of this business is that you receive the desired lesson plans etc. in just the time it takes to download it from their site. I think their slogan is so great… Homeschool eStore: Tomorrow’s Lesson Today. Be sure to look into my new PDF product at Homeschool eStore. On my website, I offer the History Portfolio books as a coil bound book, which includes numerous Black Line Maps for coloring. Separately, from my website, you can download a set of Full Color Maps to use as a resource while working on the books. But, at the Homeschool eStore, I have a unique product that combines the Black Line Maps and the Full Color Maps into one convenient product. So, if you want an instant download, and a sample of what the History Portfolio books have to offer, click on the following link. Barbara |
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I recently finished my unit study for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and sent it off to Julie Nott the editor of the Free Unit Studies e-newsletter. If you are not familiar with the History Portfolio books, or use them and would like a supplement, by all means check this unit out. The unit covers the time of Westward Expansion in the U.S. The subjects are The Louisiana Purchase, The Lewis and Clark Expedition, the St. Louis to Santa Fe Trail, The Alamo and the War with Mexico, The Oregon Trail & the California Goldrush, The Great Plains Indians, and Indian Wars. The free unit includes a chapter from the Modern History Portfolio, which you can download, plus, the brand new “Teacher Guide” to correspond with that chapter. The teachers guide contains numerous black line drawings of people, plants and animals, items of transportation, and art and artifacts, which can be colored and pasted into the portfolio. Additionally, the unit contains multi-age word search puzzles, a plan to make a small booklet, vocabulary lists, and ideas for written reports and narrations. This is a great opportunity to try the History Portfolio books, in case you haven’t yet, and further, an opportunity to view the first chapter in the upcoming Teacher Guides for the History Portfolio books. By the way, I am making steady progress on the Teachers Guide for the Ancient History Portfolio, and it will be available this spring. To receive the free unit, all you have to do is visit http://www.theoldhomeschoolhouse.com/devotional_door/subscribe.php
Pop your email address in the bar, and select “Topical Unit Study of the Month”. My unit to you will arrive in your inbox in March.
Barbara
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When I was little, I loved to color in coloring books. In fact, I still
do. But, what I especially loved was to color intricate designs.
With so many fond memories associated with coloring, I have created the first,
in what I plan to be many more, coloring book pages that will perfectly
compliment any world history curriculum. This first coloring book page, a
Byzantine Ornamental Design, is perfect for your medieval studies notebooks, or
your Medieval History Portfolio books. Click on the link under the thumbnail
image of the design to access the file. You will need Acrobat Reader.
Feel free to print up as many as needed for your family. Also, at the right on
this page, I have a place for you to add your email address if you would like
to be notified when I
post a new blog entry. If you are interested in receiving more of my coloring
pages, please subscribe there.
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Oh Boy, am I excited!. I just discovered a book from a "click through" ad on my sponsored version of Eudora (my email program). The book is called A Little History of the World, and was written by E.H.Gombrich. It has been recently translated from German, and was just republished in 2005. It was originally written in 1935, and was recently updated, by adding some extra chapters, by the author himself towards the end of his life. He died in 2001. Many of us may be familiar with The Story of Art by Gombrich. I know I've had an old copy for years, but I must admit that I do rely on the glossy large art survey books instead. My favorite is Art Through the Ages by Helen Gardner. Perhaps the Gombrich book may have been a standard college text in days gone by. But, anyway, the newly published Little History of the World seems to be right up my alley. In one review at Amazon I read that the language is still aimed at children, as it was back in 1935. Also, the review states, he addresses his readers while never talking down to them. That I love.
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A few weeks after Gregory died, I had my physical strength back, but felt lost and directionless. True, there was the daily job of keeping the house, homeschooling, and my home business, so I was certainly not lacking work. But, what I realized was that I kept thinking about colors, color relationships, and about beautifying the house, my sanctuary. So, one morning I woke up and said, "So be it.” I decided to just unleash my creativity, and pursue beauty in my surroundings. I felt very daring, and thought that a creative project would be healing. Besides, wouldn’t it be just plain delightful to see some fresh beautiful colors. The kitchen was the object. The job: to remove wallpaper and paint everything in sight. How scary can that be? Here are a few things I was trying to keep in mind. Put darker colors on the bottom, mid tones in the middle area, and lighter colors up on top. Use 60% of the dominant color (typically walls) Use 30% of a secondary color (Perhaps upholstery) And, use 10% of an accent color. Always use a little black for contrast. A color palette using analogous colors in soothing. If you are using a group of analogous colors, choose a complementary, too. That will jazz things up a bit. Choose colors that have the same intensity (The same row in a paint fan deck)
This is a color wheel, which is the basis for choosing colors. First, the wallpaper had to come off (not a good choice of wall covering with an active family, toddlers, and occasional litters of rescued kittens.), and then the spackling. And, finally… paint with... dare I say it?... color! This is the color scheme I worked out. I chose analogous, but sort of dusty colors. I also chose orange as a complementary to jazz the scheme up a bit. And, finally, I chose the deep browns to give a nice contrast.
Once I got going, I tried to remind myself that it was only paint, and if I don’t like it, I’ll simply paint over it. Little did I know how scary it would be to go with such bold colors. (Of course that’s coming from one who has faithfully stuck with linen “whitewashed” walls.) Though, I did make some adjustments and re-paint some areas with more subtle shades, throughout the project so far my husband and children have been so supportive. They’ve loved it all.
I wanted the kitchen to be cheerful. I hope it’s getting there. But, it’s not done yet, as I realize I want the floor to have darker and more muted colors. Also, I was going for a bit of a whimsical pattern on the floor, using three colors. But, I don’t like it. Though still using just three colors, I think I like it best when each square is a different color than the one next to it. I still have yet to add flecks of color, and make a surface pattern to help hide dirt. And, then there is the table. We have a big table, which I had made from two pocket doors with a piece of oak veneer plywood glued on top, trimmed with oak. The base was also made with what elements we had in the garage. Now, after 7 years of hard service, including many art classes, the tabletop has seen better days. I’ve given it a base coat of a chocolate brown, and am going to try my hand at a wood grain faux finish. I’m really excited about that. I think the dark color I’m intending to use will give the room a nice punch of color. Here are a couple of links to rooms I like. http://www.debbietravisfacelift.com/episodes/20050520/ http://www.debbietravisfacelift.com/episodes/20051014/ My goal was to have the room done by Thanksgiving. It was not. All I can say is, we are both “a work in progress”. Barbara |
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Well, my album is done and I have finished my web story about
Gregory. His due date has come and gone, and I have had a very tough
week. I think the pressure was building as I approached the due date,
and, of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming and I will not have a new
baby in the house as we were imagining. But, I'm glad that I was able to
do something important on that day by finishing his "story" and
sharing it with my friends and family. I so need to remember to feel content and
grateful with what I have right here and now, but I am torn between the
"moving on" and the "holding on"... the living in this
world... and the longing to be home with God, and my baby. This week I
heard of a quote by Franz Kafka. "There are two cardinal sins from
which all the others spring - impatience and laziness". I think this
quote fits in with my thinking this week because the first thing I thought when
I read the quote was ... "Yes, impatience in that we want to go be with
the Lord, but lazy in that we don't want to do the work in our daily lives in
order to prepare ourselves." I cannot help but assume that the
impatience and laziness he mentions ultimately must relate to our reuniting
with God. After all, what greater work is there? What else do we
*really* want? This urge, this need to exit this earthly realm, is a
literary theme. I remember reading several Hans Christian Anderson
stories with our Junior Great Books group some years ago. One story we
discussed as a group was called The Snowman. The snowman had a great urge
to move near a pot belly stove, knowing that it would lead to his *physical*
destruction. He was a moth to the flame. Though we know we have to
pass through the valley of death, somewhere in us, we know we want to go home. |
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If you have visited my web page about Gregory, thank you so much for reading. Just a couple of days after returning home from the hospital, I began writing down everything that happened. The process of writing the story was very important to me at the time, and is very important to our family. Gregory will never grow up, make friends, and have a family. He will have no legacy here on earth, except for we who remember him. Sharing the story of how he touched our lives will help us feel that we have cherished what memories we have of him, and will help us know that he does indeed have a place in the hearts of our community. For visitors who have not read the full story, I now have a link in the side bar. Notice that I have provided a "user name" and "password". Thanks. Barbara |
