Nov. 25, 2009 - Death to All Opossums!! (on our porch)
Several evenings ago, I peered outside and observed an opossum calmly munching its way through our cats' food on the front porch.
We had a raccoon visitor several months ago who terrorized our cats and ate their food -- we learned from that experience that a wild animal with a food source WILL keep coming back.
So when I reported the opossum, Kevin loaded a gun and went outside to shoot it. It stared at him balefully until he made some noise, and then took off around the corner (for obvious reasons, Kevin didn't want to shoot in a direction that might hit the house.)
10 minutes later it was back at the food bowl. Again, it ran off when Kevin came out; again, there was not a safe shot. Kevin then moved the cat food bowl out into the yard.
20 minutes later it was back. Kevin stepped outside and fired at it. It ran off.
The next morning, I made up the poster that is pictured at the top of this blog. But there was no sign of the opossum that night!
A day later, the kids were out playing and found it dead behind a tree. Kevin had hit it with that first shot and it made it about 20 feet before dying; it just happened to collapse behind a tree so we couldn't see it easily from the porch and house. He did hit it in a way that I'm sure it didn't suffer, and I'm glad about that.
So, our cats are happy and safe again.
This of course brings up the issue of guns and gun safety. I used to be very anti-gun growing up, because the truth is that more people are hurt/killed by guns due to accident or domestic problems than save themselves from an intruder or a wild dingo :-).
My views have changed quite a bit since then, obviously. Since we are livestock owners, I see the need for a gun to deal with predators. In fact, we've warned the neighbor whose dog massacred our chickens in the spring that we WILL shoot it if it comes back and threatens our current batch of chickens. He was very accepting of that and has done a marvelous job of keeping the dog under control.
Gun advocates point out that safety is a big part of it, and I agree. Truth is, our house is full of dangerous items that can cause injury or death - cleaning chemicals, medicines, knifes for cooking, etc. An automobile is a wonderful tool but also very dangerous if used carelessly.
I've been pleased with Kevin's teaching of the kids even now regarding the guns. We are very careful to keep firearms in a safe place, and we don't leave them loaded. Even now, he is talking to the children about how to carry a gun in such a way that you NEVER point it at someone, even if you are 100% positive that it is unloaded.
Since I've had very different views at times about firearms, I understand those who oppose them too. I can see their point.
But I'm glad we have a gun to shoot pesky critters.
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Nov. 25, 2009 - What Happened to the Gingerbread House?
Oh, that's right -- we ate the roof!
I know, I know, normal people don't actually EAT their gingerbread houses. We've been odd for a long time.
The kids tell me it is very tasty.
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Nov. 22, 2009 - Gingerbread House
Today is the first day in 2 weeks that I've not needed a breathing treatment. I am so thankful! There is nothing like breathing problems to make me appreciate breathing with ease!
I really feel close to normal, except that I am tired. I took a deep, intense 3 hour nap this afternoon. I woke up to hear Angela crying and it took tremendous will power to get out of bed. I was THAT out of it.
While I was sleeping, Kevin and the children put together a gingerbread house from a kit he got at Sam's Club. There is nothing more wonderful for the kids than an art project involving candy. So, here are a few pictures of their masterpiece.
The finished house is quite charming, don't you think?
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Nov. 22, 2009 - Review of "The Daisy Chain" by Charlotte Mary Yonge
As I said, I was able to read a lot while I was so sick. One book I read is reviewed below. I purchased it months ago but had not previously found time to read it.
Review of The Daisy Chain by
This brilliant, complex novel was written in 1856 and is the absorbing and fascinating saga of a large family in Victorian England. The protagonists are a medical doctor and his 11 children. There are a great many themes of interest: the need for Christians to care for the poor, the struggle we have to overcome our sinful tendencies with Christ's help, patience in the midst of suffering, the dangers of vanity and pride, and the roles of women and men in the Christian Body. This book is not easy reading; the author makes casual references to cultural issues and uses words associated with Victorian England about which I am not familiar. There are also literary discussions between the characters which reference classical literature that I’ve not read. So I would say it would be for high school students. One thing of note is that the author (and protagonists) were convinced of the need for infant baptism and Confirmation for salvation, which I do not believe.
It is hard to convey how wonderful this book is. The characters are very "real" people, with foibles and tendencies that result in sins and failures. But every single one grows throughout the book. There are so many ways that God uses their struggles to bring them closer to Christ. I heartily recommend this book.
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Nov. 20, 2009 - Thoughts on Food
First, an update. I am definitely improving. I am still tired and have very minor breathing problems when I do more than usual, but all in all I am miles ahead from where I was a week ago. Again, thank you so much for your prayers and support. I am grateful to be closer to normal again.
Below is a blog post I wrote before I got really sick. I didn't post it when I wrote it, but am doing so now.
What is food doing in a homeschooling blog? Well, let me tell you!
A sentence in an online article jumped out at me a few weeks ago. I don’t remember the exact quote, but the general idea was this. Most people who quit homeschooling don’t do it because they can’t teach their children. They quit because they are overwhelmed with financial stress, with housework and food preparation and cooking, with organizational challenges, and so on.
I think that is so true. Yes, some of us do get overwhelmed with teaching a certain topic (biology leaps to mind for me.) But I am more bothered by the lack of time I have for doing VITAL things. I must feed our family. Either my husband or I must shop for food and other items. I must keep the floors clean enough that we can walk on them. The mountains of laundry get intimidating very quickly. And so on. I never contemplate sending the kids off to public school, but I do get frustrated at my lack of time to do all the essentials around the house, including feeding my wonderful family.
So I’m going to write up a bit on food, because it is important. There are at least 3 huge issues regarding food: nutrition, cost, and time for preparation.
God made us with the need to eat. Furthermore, plenty of research shows that we can’t just eat anything. A child (or adult) who consistently eats poorly will probably be unhealthy, and might not learn all that well either. We need to eat a healthy diet. I feel like I am fumbling my way in the right direction there as we slowly modify our diet towards more “natural” foods. By that I mean we are raising plenty of vegetables in the summer, and now drink raw milk and eat organic eggs and hormone free, grass fed beef. All this good nutrition is definitely a work in progress, and I’m making changes slowly. I admit that as an engineer I get frustrated by the lack of data I have in this area. Nutrition is not a passionate interest of mine, and every book has a different view of the matter. I have to pray for godly wisdom.
And then there is cost. A family of 8 eats a lot. Oh, we eat a LOT! It is incredible how quickly we can demolish the food that I put on our table. And we don’t have any teens yet J. There are many ways to cut down on the cost of food. I’ve mentioned some in previous blogs, and I may discuss other ideas on that topic in the near future. One basic starting point is not to waste food. Since we now give our chickens most of our “waste food” I can see we actually leave quite a bit on plates and in scary tubs in the refrigerator. (Ok, I try to give the chickens the extras BEFORE the food gets scary.) But really, how often in the past did I throw away some leftover corn into the trash? Too often, I confess. I now try to save small portions of veggies and serve them at a “leftover lunch” a couple of times a week. One advantage of having a large family is that usually I can find someone to eat the leftovers.
Time for preparation: Ok, this is a biggie. I do not have time, I do not have TIME, to spend hours every day chopping and preparing a meal.
I watch cooking shows about once every 2 years, but when I do catch one I always chuckle. The TV cook is surrounded by gleaming surfaces. All the ingredients and utensils are laid out nicely. Most of the necessary chopping has been completed. When she is done with the bowl, she pushes it aside in a regal manner that makes me think some minion is outside the viewing screen ready to wash it up.
I find that the actual COOKING isn’t the time consuming part. That’s usually quite easy. It’s all the chopping and preparing. It’s all the cleaning up afterwards.
The result is that I gravitate towards easy dishes. I really don't have time for elaborate cooking very often. I'm at peace with that. I am also trying to cook up large quantities of basic meals (like chili, veggie soup, and cabbage rolls) and freeze some for a later date.
I have more thoughts on food but will close for now.
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Nov. 18, 2009 - Update
I really do think I am getting better. Sunday and Monday were better in terms of energy level, and my breathing episodes were rarer. Yesterday morning was bad again and I went to the doctor for the 4th time. He sent me to get a CAT scan to rule out blood clots, and also ordered a panel of bloodwork. That's just as well anyway as I am early stage diabetic and needed to check some things associated with diabetes. We haven't heard results yet.
Today has been better again. I am still very tired but the breathing is relatively easy. A friend who is not asthmatic said she had 2 weeks of breathing problems associated with H1N1, which was sort of reassuring. I guess it isn't that surprising that I've had such a hard road.
The picture above is a common one these days. Thanks to 10 days in bed, I've had time to read and review more than 10 books that have been sitting on shelves. I've passed them on to our older girls and they have been reading madly. The older 3 kids have also been spending hours on inventive play, pretending to run a farm where they collect various kinds of animal milk and sell it to people.
What is good about these difficult season? Well, I've been reminded again that I have a prince of a husband. Kevin's care for me has been incredible. I have a tendency to ignore symptoms and overwork myself. He has been lovingly firm about me taking it easily, and has arranged for child care and taken me to the doctor 3 times. The first time I went our dear friend Grace gave up a few precious hours to take me, and ran the risk of contracting H1N1 in the process (thankfully, she is symptom free and it is been almost 2 weeks, so I think she is safe... for now, anyway.)
Our kids have gotten to spend a lot of time with their daddy. That's a blessing.
As I said, I've been able to read a bunch of books. I also viewed more than 15 hours of educational videos -- again, these had been lying around without me finding the time to check them out for suitability. Among other things, I reviewed many hours of Drive Thru History, the Rome and Greek editions. I decided the Greek was suitable (though there are oblique references to temple prostitution) but the Roman one is too grim for our kids. The time of Nero was a horrific time for Christians.
I am grateful for all that God has given me. And I pray He will give me a complete recovery to full health soon.
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Nov. 15, 2009 - A Few Pictures
After the gloom of the last couple of weeks, I really want to post a few fun pictures of our family.
This is clam chowder with a twist. Kevin added blue food coloring, and the end resutl was slightly green. Kids were thrilled.
My Dad and Mom were here a couple of days. Here are 3 kids piled on Grandpa.
Here is Isaac READING Joseph a book. This was a red letter moment! Isaac doesn't read well yet and has never read a book to his brother before. It was a book called Go, Dog, Go.
Here are Daddy and his six sweet kids going for a ride. The weather has been glorious for November, and the kids have been able to play outside a lot.
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Nov. 15, 2009 - Still Not Well
I sure would like to be able to post something really positive, but I can't. I am really tired of being sick! I still have breathing problems. I'm still tired. Yesterday seemed a bit better and I did more. Today I've been very exhausted again with perodic bouts of breathing difficulty.
Friday Kevin took me to the doctor again. The doctor put me on antibiotics and ordered a chest x-ray. At this point I really should be better so he thinks probably pneumonia. We had no word by the end of Friday on results of the x-ray.
So, we continue to crave your prayers. I don't feel too bad so long as I am lying down. Actually, I usually feel just fine. And sometimes I can even be sitting or standing and feel pretty much Ok. But then I have another time of labored breathing. It is something of a mystery. Maybe pneumonia? Or determined asthma?
Kids are all healthy, as is Kevin.
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Nov. 11, 2009 - Reinforcements
We've called in the cavalry. My parents, who live in Michigan, are on the their way down to help out for a couple of days so Kevin can get back to work. I am SO grateful to them for coming down on short notice and exposing themselves to H1N1 in the process. Fortunately, the kids all seem over it and I'm not going to cough on them, so with God's help they may avoid contracting it themselves.
My breathing is definitely better today, what a relief! Two days ago, the Dr. found no pneumonia but prescribed steroids to lessen the lung inflammation. I think the steroids are finally kicking in and my asthma is definitely better today. I'm still exhausted to the nth degree and spend most of my time in bed. The older girls take turns bringing me food and drinks, and of course Kevin is keeping the home fires burning so that little people are fed, clothed, and put to bed at the right time.
Thanks for your continued prayers.
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Nov. 9, 2009 - Struggling
Well, I guess I spoke too soon about being on the mend. I've had a rough couple of days. Yesterday I tried to do my normal morning routine and got extremely faint and dizzy, to the point of wondering if I actually would pass out. I also had another quite serious breathing episode. I had a breathing treatment, took a hot bath (with an older girl in attendance to make sure mommy was Ok) and went to bed. We briefly talked ER, but I'm thankful I didn't have to go as I'm sure ER's are CRAZY right now.
I am not sure what is wrong but will go to the Dr. today just to rule out pneumonia. My chest does hurt when I take a deep breath. Maybe I'm just achy and exhausted from this flue and need to take it easily. Kevin is taking off Monday through Wednesday for sure, and I have instructions to do almost nothing. I find when I am up and about things get bad fast, but when I rest I'm pretty much Ok.
This is driving me batty, but I guess there is a lesson to learn. I've always been focused on accomplishment. I have a strong work ethic, and while that is good sometimes, it can be carried too far. I realize that part of my problem is that I feel useless when I am not "doing stuff". Reality is, I am just as valuable in God's eyes and my family's eyes when I am flat on my back as when I am bustling around getting 35 things done before 10 a.m. That is one aspect of the gospel, isn't it? We all have value and worth regardless of our "works". I know that intellectually, but emotionally I'm tempted to feel like a worthless blob right now.
Oh, kid update. Naomi, Isaac, Joseph, and Miriam seem close to being Ok. Angela and Lydia still have some residual issues. Lydia's foot has been hurting for a couple of days. She probably sprained it, though we don't know when. If it doesn't improve in the next couple of days, we'll have to take HER into the Dr. A couple of years ago she broke a finger and didn't let us know; we figured it out a YEAR LATER. WE don't want to make that mistake again, but on the other hand it doesn't seem like she could have broken her foot.
Well, this too shall pass. Thank you all for your continued prayers.
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Nov. 6, 2009 - Over the Hump?
I'm hoping that the worst is over in our household. My asthma the last couple of days has been quite challenging, but I THINK I feel better this morning in the lung department. Probably the hardest part for me has been taking it easily! I haven't felt THAT bad, but when I have gotten too active, my asthma flared up. I also had a powerful backache and headache, and fatigue. Other than that, I felt great.
Words aren't enough to express how much I appreciate Kevin's care the last couple of days. I have a hard time resting, and he has been solicitous and firm about me staying in bed or on a chair instead of doing "just one more thing" around the house or with the kids. Thank you honey! The kids are more work than usual as they are still a bit sick, and I've mostly been out of commission.
There have been some good things about the last couple of days. I've spent quite a bit of time reading books and watching videos for homeschooling. I've gotten some additional rest. I've contemplated what a blessing a healthy set of lungs is. This is my first moderately serious asthmatic episode in 6 years, and I am grateful!
So, life goes on and we are managing. As Kevin says, it hasn't been a fun week. But we've avoided the hospital and are managing quite well. But I'm looking forward to all of us being completely healthy.
One thing I did yesterday was watch a DVD entitled "Drive Thru History", which we got from Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). This has vignettes about 8 (?) prominent Americans who lived during our country's formative years. One was Dr. Benjamin Rush, a physician, who, among other things, stayed in Philadelphia during a Yellow Fever epidemic when almost all the other doctors fled. He and 2 other men were the only physicians for thousands of people. The Yellow Fever killed about 10% of its victims during the epidemic, and caused untold suffering.
Sadly, H1N1 has caused the death of quite a few people, many of them children. But it isn't nearly as deadly as Yellow Fever. I am impatient with more than week of moderately serious illness in our home. In other places even today, far more deadly diseases are at work and people are sick for weeks and months at a time. And of course, there are those in our country who are fighting cancer and are sick for weeks and months. I am grateful for a healthy family, and access to good medical care.
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Nov. 5, 2009 - The Mighty Has Fallen
Truthfully, I was feeling very pleased with myself. I've been caring for six children and didn't come down with H1N1. How is THAT for a tough immune system!
Yesterday afternoon I was bustling around doing chores, when I rather suddenly felt terrible. I was extremely tired, had a bad headache, and had my first (mild) asthma attack in years. I called Kevin and he came home promptly. I used Naomi's asthma inhaler. I went to bed very early and slept for 10 hours. I still have a headache. My body aches. I have a mildly sore throat. My lungs don't feel quite right. I have swine flue.
So, that's a monkey wrench. Kevin will probably need to stay home today. I'm going to go in to the doctor and ask for Tamiflu. My last serious respiratory illness was 6 years ago and I got VERY sick with serious breathing problems. I want to head that off.
We continue to welcome your prayers. Thank you!
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Nov. 4, 2009 - The Good News, and the Bad News
The good news is very good. All six of our children have contracted H1N1, and it looks like all will recover without serious complications. We are truly grateful to God for His goodness, and grateful to all our friends for their prayers. Angela was the last one to get it 2 days ago and she has spiked some moderate fevers but is not coughing -- at least not yet. All the other kids seem to be "over the hump."
The bad news is that I think we have a houseful of the grumpiest kids east of the Mississippi River. Of course, I'm typing that with a smile. It is always a privilege for me to be around our kids. But the truth is that they are a little weird right now. They don't feel well, and they are tired. Things that usually don't bother them much or at all, bother them in spades now. It doesn't help that I'm tired too as Angela has been up the last 2 nights with her fever. So I'm not at my most patient.
I have always been in awe at Jesus on the cross. Crucifixion is a terribly painful way to die, and He was coping with abandonment by God and man as well. In the midst of that horrific experience, Jesus was kind and gracious to everyone. He took time to care for his elderly mother, comforted the thief on the cross, and openly forgave those mocking him in the crowd.
I have been inspired by that example many times, and am trying to do so right now. Of course, my situation in no way compares! I'm just thinking again about how moderately difficult times can bring out the best in me or the worst in me. Only the Holy Spirit can give me the strength to be continually patient with the children, with Kevin, and with myself. There is NOTHING terrible going on, it is just wearying to be dealing with tantrums and arguments and a 2 year old who wants to be carried around much of the time.
Here are a couple cute vignettes from the last few days. Miriam, our 3 year old, loves soft, plush objects. She had a red dress last year that was soft and fuzzy, and she adored it to the point of wearing it whenever it was clean. (That was on my insistence; she would have been glad to wear it dirty.) Well, sadly she outgrew it. And Angela grew into it. So yesterday I put Angela in that dress. Miriam was feeling tired and out of sorts, and the dress was an old comfort object. So whenever she could, she would sidle up to Angela and clutch a fold of it in her hand. Angela, of course, was tired and out of sorts. So she didn't want her dress grabbed by Miriam. Yet more arguments to cope with, but I admit it was rather cute.
The red dress...
Joseph has been obsessive about spoons. I've been serving hot cocoa a lot the last few days, and he always wants a special spoon to stir the cocoa, and another spoon for eating. I've refused since we go through a million spoons anyway and can't afford to have every person using 2 spoons during a meal. That has caused much wailing and knashing of small teeth. At times he has refused to eat (temporarily). I make it a firm policy to NOT give in to whining so he's gone without his extra spoon. Thankfully, I've mostly found it funny more than anything else.
This illness, the older kids have gotten excited about a magnet building set that has been lying around for awhile. They've been super creative, which is fun. The only problem is that there aren't enough pieces for everyone to play at once. I've dealt with that by only letting 1 or 2 kids play with it at a time.
Here are the older girls working with the magnet set.
Here is a "necklace" for Miriam made out of the magnets.
Thanks again for your prayers for us.
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Nov. 2, 2009 - So far so good
The doctor says the lungs are clear so far, praise God!
He and I talked about breathing issues at length, so we have a plan for the girls who are prone to breathing problems.
Angela just got up from her nap, crying and with a fever of over 100. So she is coming down with it now.
I'm actually glad in some ways. I'd rather just have her get it so we can all move past this.
We're in survival mode, but surviving just fine.
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Nov. 2, 2009 - H1N1 Update
Well, the older 5 children now have H1N1. Angela is the lone holdout and we know she WANTS to get sick, just hasn't quite managed it yet. Seriously, she is bound to get it sometime.
Both Naomi and Miriam have had nasty coughs and we've done breathing treatments for both as Naomi also had one asthmatic episode a couple of years ago. Joseph also coughs a lot and sometimes seems to have troble catching his breath afterwards. This is one of those times when I almost wish I were a medical doctor, or at least had a medical doctor in the family! But I am SO grateful for available medical care and the financial resources to make frequent trips to the pediatrician (with a $20 copay per child per visit.)
I am struggling a bit with my attitude about this illness. My natural tendency is to minimize the likelihood of breathing problems and I've been unpleasantly surprised more than once when I found a child was in the middle of a serious asthma attack, or had pneumonia, or whatever. I don't want to make that mistake, but also don't want to overtreat.
Well, in any case, I'm taking of the kids to the doctor in an hour for a lung check. So that'll give me more information about how they are doing in the breathing department.
Thanks for your prayers.
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Oct. 31, 2009 - Things Get Crazy
It's been a busy and challenging few days.
Wednesday evening:
Kevin was working outside near the chicken yard, when he noticed a very droopy chicken. More specifically, she was lying down on the grass in a quiet way that is atypical for a chicken during the day. He carried her into the coop and she perked up.
Thursday morning:
The chicken still looked unwell. She wasn't showing specific signs of illness, but she was very, very still. Mid morning, she lay down on the grass. A few minutes later, I looked out and she had fallen right over. I walked out. Yep, she was dead. Oh no! Our first chicken casualty for this batch of chickens.
Thursday afternoon:
Joseph got sick. He was very lethargic, started coughing slightly, and had a temperature of over 100. I told Kevin and he said I should take Joseph in to the pediatrician the next day.
I was reluctant to do that. He didn't look THAT sick and going to the doctor is a pain. I also have lingering issues about how doctors used to treat me like a hypochondriac because I was sick a lot as a child. Consequently, I sometimes don't take them in when I should. Well, it was a fine time to get over my issues and submit to my husband. I made the appointment.
Friday morning:
Isaac, who had been very difficult the day before, woke up with a fever of over 103 F. I felt better about taking them to the doctor as he was obviously sick. I made an appointment for him and took both boys in.
I discussed swine flue with the physician's assistant. By the time we got there, both boys were looking very perky thanks to acetimenophen. Their lungs were clear, their ears were clear. They looked great. However, I brought up our 3 yo daughter who is prone to severe asthma when she gets anything respiratory. The PA treated the situation very seriously, pulled her chart, discussed possibly scenarios, prescribed a preventative asthma medication, and sent the boys off to be tested for swine flue.
Friday afternoon:
Isaac spiked another high fever and lay around. The doctor's office called to say that the preliminary test showed that the boys were negative for swine flue. Hooray! However, they said the quick test was often wrong so they were going to run a more careful test. We figured we were safe since BOTH boys tested negative.
Saturday morning
Bad night's sleep for me, though not due to the kids. I made a mistake with the chickens when I let them out. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, so...
Yep, the chickens are OUTSIDE their enclosure. When I went into the enclosure, I didn't make sure the latch closed behind me. The door suddenly swung open and a horde of chickens escaped. Naomi, Lydia, and I spent a happy 20 minutes chasing them around in the cold wind. Several actually ventured beyond the fence, which required more chasing than usual. I got my expertise for the day.
Isaac still had a fever. I dutifully called the pediatrician to ask about the more accurate swine flue test. Surprise! Both boys were positive!
Since Miriam is at risk for serious complications from swine flue, the doctor prescribed Tamiflu for her as a preventative. So off I ran to the pharmacy to get Tamiflu.
Saturday afternoon:
Miriam and Lydia started coughing.
That brings us up to now. We have H1N1 running rampant. I am not particularly concerned. I believe we've made good plans for Miriam and the rest of us will weather it fine. It is just a challenging time. I don't like being out of routine. I don't like having sick kids. I don't like being behind on meals and cleaning and laundry. I am working on being patient with life as it is. I'm working to communicate well with Kevin and be wise about what I spend my time on.
Obviously I decided to update the blog, not a necessity. But I decided it was worth it to have a fun break.
God bless you all, and we appreciate your prayers.
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Oct. 29, 2009 - Organizational Woes Part 2: One Mom's Trash...
is a child's treasure.
In thinking more about the whole issue of organization, I keep being reminded that 7 other people live in our house, and I need to think about their desires and wants as well as my own.
As I said previously, I am not much of a pack rat. I do have a deep desire for order and neatness. I get frustrated about the amount of STUFF we own, and sometimes have an intense desire to throw things out or give them away.
But I have to remember that what seems like trash to me may be precious to someone else. Furthermore, if I take matters into my own hands and throw a bunch of stuff out, I may deprive our children in learning the skill of judiciously tossing items.
Admittedly, I sometimes do go through bins of toys and get rid of things when the kids aren't watching. But I also need to take the time to work WITH the children in evaluating their toys and possessions. I have not done a fabulous job of this, and need to do better.
With our older girls, we have a couple of places where they can store "precious items". We have a box for each girl that lives under their bunk bed. They can keep things here that they don't want to share with their siblings.
Here is one girl's box. There are possessions here that I think entirely useless, but I firmly refrain from tossing things from this box. I do remember working with Lydia about throwing out empty toilet paper rolls. She said she wanted to save them for possible crafts. I pointed out that we generate many empty toilet paper rolls, and that her box was at that point bursting at the seams with stuff. So she threw them out.
The girls also have a big closet with a shelf for each girl.
This area is a MESS right now. The girls and I really need to work on these shelves. Probably the best thing to do is provide some small sterilite tubs to conveniently group items that are now just shoved up there.
So I'm pondering the truth that teaching organizational skills is part of our job as parents. We have many different personalities in this house, and each person has his/her own way of looking at the world and possessions. My way isn't the right way, but I certainly have more experience than my children. I hope Kevin and I can pass on some healthy views about possessions without dictating exactly which possessions are worth saving.
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Oct. 26, 2009 - In Praise of Sleep
Once a month, our church holds an evening service and last Sunday was the night. Some of you may recall that on our way to September's service, our van window blew in when a piece of metal catapulted through it. We are nothing if not intrepid, so this weekend we headed out again. This time, we got to the service safe and sound. Our time there was wonderful and blessed and long; the result was that we got home after 9 p.m., and the kids were in bed by 10 p.m.
I am on the compulsive side where bedtime is concerned. As a morning person, I am not at my best in the evening. By the time 7 p.m. rolls around, I am ready for the children to be in bed so I can rest and spend some time with Kevin. They are NOT in bed at that point, but we start doing baths and night chores and night snacks, and usually everyone is in his/her bedroom by 8:30 p.m. Our older girls read until 9:15 p.m. and then turn off the lights and talk until 9:30 p.m. The younger ones usually are asleep earlier, except for Angela; she still takes a nap and can occasionally be heard babbling at 9:30 p.m. but at least she is resting and in the right place for sleeping.
What does sleep have to do with homeschooling? Well, I would argue A LOT. Yesterday was a very rough day around here after a short night of sleep. I had hoped they would sleep in but mostly they did not. The children were tired and crabby. Our 2 and 3 year old girls are by nature argumentative, and when they are tired, they are argumentative squared. I'm not technically homeschooling the younger ones, but when they are crabby, I'm more stressed. There is more noise. Everything is a struggle.
I'm glad we went to church, but I'm glad we don't often go out at night. I think it is a valuable thing for every family (homeschooling or not) to ponder sleep issues occasionally. Are the children getting enough sleep? Are we?
One of the blessings of homeschooling is that we can choose our schedules, and indeed sleeping in can be a fine thing. I know of families where the children stay up late so they can spend time with their father who works odd hours. That is great, so long as the kids can also sleep in in the morning.
But many families in our culture are pushing the sleep envelope. They are so busy with all the activities and opportunities, that they don't make sleep a priority. Sleep seems like an "optional" thing, and in my younger days I made the mistake of not getting enough. Somewhere along the line I learned that a super tired woman is not as able to be the wife, mother, and friend that God wants her to be. And chronically tired children may suffer from more illness and less patience to cope with the challenges of life.
So let's get enough sleep!
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Oct. 24, 2009 - Organizational Woes: Part 1
I’ve been on a painfully slow organizing frenzy for close to a month now. By that I mean that I have been seized with fervor to organize our lives better, but have been hindered and flummoxed in my ability to do so quickly and thoroughly.
I’m going to try to blog a bit about organization, including comments about my challenges and my triumphs.
But let me start with Woe #1.
We have too much STUFF.
Ok, no huge surprise there. I’m guessing most Americans have too much stuff. It is a cultural problem.
In many ways, we are very blessed because we have a big house with lots of storage. So it isn’t like piles of stuff are littering the floor. If they were, I probably would do something about them. My sweet mother wasn’t the tidiest of housekeepers growing up, but she always had a clear floor so I am used to a clear floor.
I’m not really a pack rat either, except where books are concerned. My parents moved often during my childhood and always unloaded a lot for each move, so I learned to throw things out.
So what’s the problem? I’ve been pondering that. I think the problem is that throwing things out, donating them, and organizing them, takes thought power and energy and time. And I feel short on all three
Because really, a great deal of our ‘excess stuff’ is in decent shape, and I don’t want to just throw it out. I’d like to bless someone else with it by finding a friend in need, or giving it to the Salvation Army, or something like that.
But you know how it is to open boxes and burrow through them, or go through bins of clothing – for awhile, the mess gets worse instead of better, and I have to evaluate everything. Furthermore, I am surrounded by small and active children who would like nothing better than to snatch something out of a box and take off running.
So, I’ve made progress this month, but it is slow progress. One thing I did manage to do was thin out my clothing collection for the young ones by giving items to friends who needed them. That was emotionally taxing to some degree as it was a physical sign of relinquishing hopes for another baby. But I really felt strongly that the Lord would have me bless others in this way. (And you know, if we do ever have another baby, there are thrift stores where we can buy more clothes as needed.)
So, how do you find time to get rid up stuff? When do you do it? Do you have your children help? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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Oct. 23, 2009 - 20 eggs from 20 chickens
Yesterday was truly a red letter day. Every last one of our sweet chickens laid an egg!
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