Scribblings from a twenty-year homeschool veteran about homeschooling, life after homeschooling, occasional peeks into the world of writing for children, and the ups and downs of life in general.
Sorry, no Monday MindTrap today! I'm writing this with grandbaby on my lap and another one hanging on my knee. Kristel and Sean took the 3 older boys on the train with the homeschool group and I'm babysitting. It's raining AGAIN. We had one day--Saturday--of sun and now the liquid sunshine is pouring down. I meant to go on a walk with the babies, but that's not going to happen. Instead, how do you entertain a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old on a rainy day? You let them sing: (She sings Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
Meanderings are brought to you by Tiany. Head on over to see what everybody's up to this week!
My meandering this Monday is going to take a different path than the usual Meanderings. It's been 4 months now since my "new season of life" has begun, and I thought I'd take a few minutes to put down how not officially homeschooling this year (after 20 solid years!) has affected my life. One word will suffice: DISORGANIZED!
I can't seem to stay on task. The day fritters away without the daily schedule and responsibility of homeschooling my children. It is a new feeling, one I thought I would LOVE, because it would give me more time to write and pursue some personal interests (like my grandchildren). Nope. I can't believe how little I seem to get done in the way of housework or worthy projects. I always feel rushed. I was at my wit's end trying to understand why this was happening.
Then I figured it out, with the help of my daughter-in-law. She asked if I would help with daycare a couple days a week, since her DH (my son) finally found a wonderful job. But that left her without childcare. I said 'yes' I would be glad to help with the transition to a more traditional daycare (while I love my grandkids, I prefer to be Grandma and not daycare provider). But here's the miracle:
On the days when I had my 2 little ones, everything "went back" to the old days: schedules, lunches, walks, and PROJECTS that I accomplished that I couldn't seem to get done when I was home alone. Go figure! Here is an example of the sewing project I completed for Kristel's 2 sweet DD's for Christmas presents. I told her a while ago I'd sew them up, but just couldn't get to it. But while Kaetlyn was in preschool and baby Levi napping, I managed to sew up a storm! Maybe your mouth is dropping open, but not as far as mine is.
OK, I've meandered enough. My DinL and I have reached a compromise. Her work is letting her work only one day a week, and I will watch the children that day. Then she works the rest of her shifts on the weekend, when DS is home with the children (she works at HomeDepot). I praise God for this miracle--no day care and I can help out one day a week, which is perfect for me.
Go on over to Tiany's and see what everybody's up to this week!
As for me, this is my first time meandering around. You are all so organized. I used to be. I've become slightly more random than is good for me and my house.
OK. Deep breath. Here goes...my proposed week ahead. 1. Bible study:
I'm reading Heaven (again) by Randy Alcorn. I was doing those nifty monthly Bible studies from Moody Bible Institute, but I haven't figured how to keep them coming in the mail. One month I get one; the next month I don't. I like to read Heaven with my Bible close by so I can be a Berean "...they searched the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so..." So far the book's fulfilled it's purpose: to spark my imagination about our real home. 2. Must do: (Not necessarily in order of importance)
--Send out a young homeschooler's article about being on the cover of a book. Include pics.
--Finish Lesson 4 for my writing workshop blog
--Laundry.
--Make copies of Sparks records before Wednesday.
--Finish proofreading job for publisher
--Fix PowerPoint for audition at library system on Friday
--Pick out items I want to review for TOS and let her know ASAP
--Go to lunch with DD (she's taking me out for my birthday on Wed.)
--Write another chapter in my WIP (work in progress)*
* really important
--Mail "care" package to DS3, who is lonely at WSU, and mostly lonely for brownies. Oh, wow! I got all this done and it was only Monday! I'm on a roll! 3. Zone:
My closet needs organizing. Got it half done last week. This week...the rest! 4. Train them up: I've graduated from being "in the trenches" in this area to "observe and advise." For what it's worth, here's my Quote of the Week regarding discipline. I learned it from my dear friend, my pastor's wife, long ago: Delayed obedience is disobedience and should be dealt with swiftly and decidedly. It may take a couple of weeks, but your kids will catch on if you tell them one time to do something then "keep alert" and let the boom fall if they don't. Some kids are trained to obey after the "1...2...3..." count. They jump then. Why not train them to "jump" after the first time? it really does work. It's only our laziness or inattention or not wanting to follow through that makes it fail. 5. Menu planning:
Thank goodness there are still plenty of freezer meals in the freezer! Individually packaged for individual tastes. With older teens having college, jobs, and church activities, this works best for us. But my mouth waters at your menus, gals.
There you have it! I hope I can come back and cross everything off by the end of the week!
I'm just about drained. It's a struggle to put anything down today, but if I don't I'll be tempted to hide away and not talk to anybody. I'm alone, sitting in front of this computer. Ryan left for his first day of Running Start (community college for high schoolers), and this is supposed to be my "first day of work" also. Writing work. You know, as in writing a book. It's so hard to switch from "Go get your math book and let's start school," to "Good-bye, Ryan. Have a great day." Is this what they call "empty nest"? Now I'm free to have the entire day to get some writing done, and I've got....nuthin'. I think starting up the writing workshop blog last week consumed and drained all the creativity out of me for a bit. It will be easy to add posts to that blog now, but the initial set up was exhausting. However, I do look forward to reading the kids' work. I love to read their creative assignments.
Sorry this is kind of a "Monday Morning Blues" entry, but at least it's honest.
Well, Monday (Summer) Book Reviews was a service to help you find good books for the kids to read over the summer. Summer is, alas, over, so I thought I'd start musing on Monday. This may seem a simple thing for you journaling experts, but I am "journal-challenged." This is a huge step for me, so bear with me as I develop this new calling.
OK....prepare to get teary-eyed. Grab a Kleenex and enjoy this poem, which was turned into a song by Steve and Annie Chapman a few years ago. It's a tear-jerker. The first time our pastor's wife sang it, I choked up. It's a good poem (song) to remember when the days are hectic and you want to run away and hide in the closet from the kids. And WOW! Somebody made a video of their grandkids and put it on GodTube, so you can hear the song and see some pics of a child growing up fast. (The pic below is of my DD, who--trust me--grew WAY too fast and now has little ones of her own.) She, my DinL, and I sang "Good-night Kiss" at the baby dedication of my DS's and DD's babies 4 years ago. I could hardly get through it. Following the video are the words, in case you want to read them...
Good-Night Kiss
I count it as a privilege;
I count it cause for praise.
To kiss my children good night
At the close of everyday.
For I know too soon they're up and gone
And walking out the door.
And I'll never have a child
To kiss good night any more.
It's very strange how times have changed
From the present to the past.
When did they grow so quickly?
The time has flown so fast.
For it seems that only yesterday
I helped him with his shirt;
Or patted my baby on the back,
Or kissed away a hurt.
Tell a story, read a book,
Wipe a nose, or tie a shoe.
They never ask me to rub their backs
The way they used to do.
Once it was a bother,
Just a troublesome kind of chore.
But now I would give anything
To do it just once more.
Mommy, bounce me on your knee.
Daddy, flip me in the air.
Throw a rubber ball to me
And help me comb my hair.
Mommy, tickle my tummy...
Daddy, hold me high.
Let's go outside, for a while,
Or make a kite to fly...
I count it as a privilege;
I count it cause for praise
To kiss my children good night
at the close of every day.
For I know too soon they're up and gone
And walking out the door.
And I'll never have a child
To kiss Good Night anymore!
Maybe your mouth is dropping open, but not as far as mine is. 
Good-Night Kiss
