Nov. 10, 2009 - Cost of Health Ailments

It is amazing how much certain sorts of common health issues can cost. Aside from my oldest missing her first ever tea party birthday party, my middle daughter missing her last soccer game and the party where she would have been presented her first trophy, missing a dance class that has been paid for, missing CC which is paid for, laundering about 30 loads of laundry in a week, clothes ruined by temperatures they require but aren't supposed to endure, time missed from work that has to be made up, extra laundry detergent, there is the cost of the implements to deal with your health 'crisis'. Time missed from school factors in and how that impacts your holiday time off that was also planned, as well as general stress to the family in dealing with 'stuff' day in and day out. Everyone gets sick of it from time to time. I'm finally beating the sickness I've had on top of our family situation. I'm crediting MMS. That is the only thing different this year from when I always get this. Thank you for praying for us. We still need it.

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Nov. 9, 2009 - Great Food Aids Mending

There is no doubt that meals brought over by angels disguised as homeschooling mom's do wonders when you are sick. For one thing, I'm clearly blessed by friends who cook better than me and who do fancy meals!  It really does make a body feel better to have something wholesome to eat while not having to be on your feet to do the preparation.

Thank you so much to the wonderful friends who have helped us in this way. God bless you~

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Nov. 6, 2009 - A Woman To Admire

I've got a friend that I would like to emulate in many ways. She is unassuming and if you met her, you would think, "What a lovely lady, she looks so nice." If you knew how she homeschooled, you would notice it is unique in some ways yet tailored perfectly to her student. Though chances are, you wouldn't find out a lot of detail in relation to this because as a genteel woman ought to be, she is quiet about certain aspects of her life. Aside from these things, deeper down is where you wish you knew her. She has a knack, a gift I believe, to reach out to others in special ways just when they need it...a little something to give some light at the end of a gray tunnel. And she finds ways to do this which are private, something that I admire and wish for in my own life. If you are privileged to get to know her, you will also find that she is extremely godly and wise, and uses discretion in her council. She is one person I can always go to for advice on submitting to George, and for this, she is priceless. I've learned to be thankful for this time we are friends because she has alluded that it will probably only be for a season. A lesson learned, no doubt, by experience. I feel this is a woman that the daughters of Jerusalem would rise up to call  blessed. In her, her husband has a precious jewel. And me, a valued friend. I am not alone in this, I'm sure. She quietly goes about serving those in her life, likely not realizing how special she is. My children love her and her daughter. They both shine with His love and kindness, and none of our lives would be the same without them.

~So thank you RURTSY, for the gifts you left today. It was a welcome reminder that these dim days will pass soon enough, and the diversion is priceless.

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Nov. 6, 2009 - When It Suddenly Overwhelms

I'm writing to ask for prayer. The 'not feeling 100%' has swelled to the point I've been in bed all day. I look and feel terrible and can't do some things that NEED to be done; it is something when mom can't do what has to be done.  I have to get enough energy to sit up sometime today, for several hours. George is holding down the fort on all other fronts, I am just needed for one section. I don't know what I have, but hope it doesn't go to pneumonia which is where I ended up the exact same time last year. Thank you for praying for me and us--for health, to grow as a family during this trial, and for energy--just for a few hours.

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Nov. 4, 2009 - Maine, NJ, and VA

My prayer is that God will preserve America even as the events of the Revelation come to pass. That Christ will return, but we will still see around us people who love and fear God in the United States. I hope socialism is never allowed to grow more than it already has--that we will stomp out any remnant of that evil way of governing. Obama is a terrible excuse for a President, and I hope he fails in all he is trying to do because it is against the America I know and love. How could I, in good conscious, wish for someone whose objectives are in complete contrast to my own, to be successful? That would mean I want to see Jeremiah Wright's ideology here in my neighborhood, and I DO NOT. I listened to some of his speech recently as he talked of how much he doesn't like the American way and it just makes me see this President of ours in a light that is DIM. There is no way for 20 years Mr. Obama didn't listen, hear, and agree with Wright.

All this to say, may God bless those in Maine standing for what is right. May He bless NJ with fair taxes so the people can live more freely, and may He shine on VA and continue to oppose the tyranny the Democrats have the audacity to call "right" in that great state.

If we fail, it will not be for lack of trying--and in the end, Jesus will prevail!

(and yeah for chicken/rice soup waiting in the crock pot!)

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Nov. 2, 2009 - Relaxing When You Don't Feel Good

A benefit of being caught up on laundry and having the house generally in order is that when you get to not feeling so good, you can relax, which helps you get better faster. Today after finishing school with the younger kids, I took a 2 hr nap. It was the later time in the afternoon where Rose could work independently, which she did. Then tonight after finishing a good book and getting the children to bed, I watched a movie. What a joy to not be thinking, "I should fold laundry or do dishes." There was no air from George to be doing something. He knows I'm not feeling 100%, but still, just to know he wasn't stressed out because of work that was looming was a joy to me. I hope to stay on top of things this whole winter so that anytime I'm under the weather, it is not a big deal. I hate being sick and having work sit that should be getting done! 

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Oct. 28, 2009 - Just a Night

There is something very fulfilling about a full day, isn't there? The children are tucked in, it is quiet...and while your husband is picking up a yummy treat for you to enjoy on the nightly "date", you take a few minutes to reflect.

Walking through a clean house, peeking into a straight garage, full drawers and closets ready for the coming week, and a kitchen gleaming for a new day. These little pleasures are the joy of a homemaker, and bring calmness to the soul! Even the children are thrilled when their toys are ready to be tackled afresh, their bedrooms glisten, the pets are in clean bowls/cages and all their clothing is set before them to choose from. Simple pleasures that are the result of consistent effort, day in and day out. 

"Lord, help all who claim the title 'homemaker' to find deep fulfillment in the so-called mundane tasks of life. May we as homeschooling mom's build up our homes rather than tear them down-both literally and figuratively. Amen." 

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Oct. 15, 2009 - PAPERS.....PaPeRs.....papers

It would be a terrific lie to say I file papers well. They are my nemesis and constant source of clutter. I've got 4 filing systems (at least) started and abandoned, and it really irks me. Tonight I tossed a ton and cleaned out a whole bin, but in the process made 2 more 'notebooks' of stuff to keep. It's a shifting process, but at least there is less. Eventually I'm going to throw out all that is junk and then have an organizer come help me get a system that will really work for me in place. That is my big winter project this year.

A few years ago my project was to get all the photos in albums, and once that was done, I quite developing pictures. Now I have a few years worth on some site that I hopefully can access still...shutterfly? Winkflash? Snapfish? I think it's the first one, but who can tell? It's a disaster and one reason I don't take many pictures. The thing is, looking back depresses me anyway, and when folks are avid photographers it consumes time and space, so I say, 'live in the moment and watch with an eye, not a lens.'

Of course, living in the moment is hard when you are a mom. Multi-tasking is the enemy of being fully engaged in any one thing, and it rubs people wrong. Tonight I was watching a movie with the kids and also researching couponing. Clearly, I wasn't watching everything and my oldest knew it. There was a time I stopped multi-tasking for this reality had hit home, but right now, this year, it is just so much busier. I know that I will have to find a balance because each year is going to get more and more full as the kids get older and more involved in life and school (like when more than one are taking Latin---ahhhhh!). This is just a season of having to work extra hard and long hours to get things organized so I can have more free time later. By January I expect things to slow way down again in the evenings.

Well, I'm not feeling so hot--sleep deprivation I hope, so I'm off to bed.

God bless!

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Oct. 14, 2009 - Blogging Less, Living More

Ha, ha. I thought that title was silly. I am blogging less and really have just been busy. The energy to keep the house clean and straight, the laundry caught up, sheets changed, kids educated and healthy meals on the table...not to mention my new hobbies of sewing and knitting, and social events for the kids and me, then ministry opportunities, and soccer, ballet, Irish Step, AWANA, Keepers, cleaning for music....there just ain't much time left! I forgot also trying to keep in touch with our long distance famiiles and all the birthdays for crying out loud! Not my strong suit, no sir. It's painful how bad I am with getting cards in the mail on time. I've considered sending all of them Jan 1 and just telling folks to wait and open them till the right time. January is when I like to set the birthday party schedule for years when the family is included...does it matter that one birthday on that schedule is at the end of summer?

Anyhow, I digress. My point is, I'm seeing that I've got a lot of little hobbies and projects going on that just take time. Reading, for instance, she's a time eater. And talking to folks about the Lord or politics (in the hope to get around to spiritual issues b/c let's face it, there is a big old overlap)...that takes time. I really am up late again because there is so much to do, I can't get it all done. I've even sacrificed working out and that is nutty! Does the phrase 'junk in the trunk' mean anything to anyone besides me??!! Is that crude? I think it's hilarious.

This is a year of prioritization and if I didn't have this massive schedule to go by, we'd be struggling. Without the work plan laid out all nice, there wouldn't be adequate play time, and you just have to have that! I'm enjoying all that we're doing, I'm just in awe sometimes of how much one person can do in a 24 hour period. It wears me out just thinking about it, and I'm the one who will do it again tomorrow ha ha! But really, don't you feel that way?! Any mom who is running a home and homeschooling, and is involved in her church or community...she's a busy lady juggling tons of stuff all the time. Isn't that better than feeling useless and being bored? Keep up the good work serving your family tomorrow!

I best get off here and get to bed. I'm tarred, as my Bubby used to say.

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Oct. 1, 2009 - Toby Keith Singing It!

I'm not a fan of swearing, but I have to say, as a Christian homeschooling mom, I got no problem with this song.

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