Lovin' and Homeschoolin' 3 with Dad

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Preparing for Christmas

We've been reading a wonderful series of books these past few Advents and we'd like to recommend them to you.  Arnold Ytreeide has written three storybooks for Advent: "Jotham's Journey," Tabitha's Travels," and "Bartholomew's Passage."  These are wonderful stories to read as family devotions either to start the day or to end the day before going to bed.  It's not too late to find these and begin reading them as you prepare for Christmas.  The author has divided the story into parts for each day of Advent together with a short devotion or reflection, has included an Advent calendar schedule at least to the year 2058 (so you can read this to your grandchildren, too), and offers other ideas to make your Advent preparations more rich and meaningful.  While these are fictional, the stories are both suspenseful and true to the history of the time and region of Jesus' birth. 

While these books have been very hard to locate recently as they were out of print (and some people have been asking for exorbitant prices for them on eBay or other sites), I believe at least "Jotham" has been back in print this year.  ChristianBook.com has "Jotham's Journey" listed on their website here for $6.99 plus s/h (http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=441745&netp_id=533620&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers).  We hope you and your family will enjoy these as much as we have. 

Blessings to you and your family this Christmas!

My Mantises are Back!

I was sitting out on my front porch today enjoying the cooler weather and sunshine with my dd and two dogs.  She got up and suddenly spotted something moving on the ground.  "Mom, I think it's a baby praying mantis!" she cried.  I bent down and looked--sure enough, it WAS a baby mantis.  Yea!  Not just one, but at least 6 or 8 more were spotted on our porch, too.  Unfortunately, one of us larger creatures stepped on another--they are so small and more transparent than when they get older it's hard to avoid.  So, rather than step on more, we went inside, hoping they would find their way to the protection of the bushes.

We had some mantises last year.  I enjoyed watching them some evenings.  They would swoop between the ceiling of my porch and my front doors as they captured moths flying around my lamps.  We occasionally saw them in my flower garden through the summer, too.  They were always larger than before, of course.  They would look at us and we could imagine them thinking about what kind of creature we might be as they turned their head one way then another. 

Then we had so much fun at the end of the summer last year with an adult we saved from the first frost (we had to let it go when we couldn't find any more food).   Homeschoolers might seem strange to some folks who don't understand our motives, but it was quite normal for us to take this small creature inside for a while and study it.  I think we named it Jerry--don't really know why!  We captured some moths who were slowing down due to the cold--we put them inside the little habitat we created for our guest.  It was amazing to watch Jerry stalk, capture, and then eat this poor moth, who was lower on the food chain than its predator.  We found some stink bugs in the back yard--they, too, were food for Jerry.  When we soon started to struggle to find live food outside due to the approaching hard frost of Fall, we tried to use crickets purchased at a local pet store.  Jerry didn't like these so much.  Not to mention how stinky they were! 

When the crickets were dying off and Jerry wasn't too interested in the live ones, we felt we needed to let him go.  (Now, I say "him" without really knowing if it was male or female.  At the time, it didn't seem to matter.  As we get more in-depth studies in entomology through Jeannie Fulbright's Zoology I book this fall, I may be more equipped to tell the difference.)   We released Jerry on one of the warmer days, thinking that nature would take its course for our friend.  Perhaps it was the same mantis we later found frozen in some ice.   In any case, Jerry's offspring have now come to call our yard home and I can't wait for our adventures this year.  Do I feel like Wilbur from Charlotte's Web when Charlotte's children hatched?  Perhaps.  I will try later to upload a photo of one of the mantises last August--we never compared these photos with Jerry, so it could be him or his mate. 

Oh, the joys of homeschooling!

Homeschool-Life's website creation service--Wow!!

As a homeschool group leader, I recently took advantage of TOS's promotion to enter for a laptop drawing from Homeschool-Life.com.  Then, I explored their website to learn about their service.  I was intrigued as the website I created last year for our group was very time-intensive and not so user-friendly, so I haven't been too happy with it.  I sent an e-mail requesting more info, got a response from Larry Van Den Berg, sent him some more questions, and then he called me to talk.  WOW!  I decided to act on their offer for a 60-day free trial for our group. 

I have been so happy with the results!  In only a couple of days I have been able to transfer over my information and then add so much more than before.  See it here: www.homeschool-life.com/oh/uachristianhsers  As it is, when you first get to the site, you only see the public access pages and no member pages--there's so much more on those.  Some cool things to note: 

1. families can build their own website within the website,
2. families can upload their own photos either to the group page photo albums or to their family page,
3. families can create their own notices of field trips w/online sign-ups,
4. anyone (members) can start online discussions in the forum,
5. families can post classified notices on the website,
6. families can keep their own records updated as far as their address/phone, etc.
7. more than one person can be listed as a sub-administrator with privileges to change info on the website based upon their responsibilities 

I think it's a whole lot more user-friendly than the website we have now and can more easily be turned over to someone new if one or all of us on the leadership team needs to step down in the future.  The site will create reports for us, including registrations and membership lists.  It will even automatically generate weekly e-mailings with updates to the website in the past week and my normal weekly info can be added to the message as well (I usually send a weekly e-mailing to my group with all kinds of announcements and forwarded info). 

If you're a homeschool support group leader, I encourage you to check out Homeschool-Life's service.  It's worth it!!  www.Homeschool-Life.com (NOTE: I have not been paid or reimbursed in any way for this information.)

For my Grandma on Mother's Day

Grandma:

It's been nearly six months since your body finally decided it had had enough.  I only had a little bit of trouble with Christmas and Easter since you died.  But yesterday and today, I missed you--a lot.  The kids and I helped Grandpa tidy up your cemetery plot and both Great-Grandmas' yesterday while the weather was sunny and pleasant.  Grandpa got a nice little wreath for you, his mother, and your mother.  We took care of all of your resting places, training up my children in the things that show you are still important.  He was tired today, too.  I know he misses you terribly.  His body is also slowing down.  I don't know if the atrial fibrillation will cause something else to happen and when.  Only God knows.  I'll keep watching over him, wishing and praying he'll finally decide to live with us. 

I didn't go out to watch the "snowball fight" with the Viburnum bush blossoms today.  Your 12 great-grandchildren continued that tradition with Mom again today--the weather broke for a short while just so they could do it, I suppose.  I remembered all of the years past when you'd be enjoying their flower battle from Mom's deck.  I think you longed to be out of that wheelchair so you could join them.  They are all growing so tall--mine all seemed to have grown inches overnight recently.  I know you'd be so proud of them and all that they are accomplishing. 

I thought I heard you speaking the other day and quickly took a breath as I knew I was hearing a voice from the past.  I miss the listening ear, the experienced counsel, and your love.  I don't have anyone to drink buttermilk with anymore.  Your chocolate is still next to your chair--I had a dark chocolate the other day and thought of you with thanks.  Today, I remembered your smiles and enjoyment in many settings--outside for July 4th Fireworks in the field, watching your great-grandchildren sing in choir and perform in plays, laughing at my dogs' antics, eating hot dogs made over the firepit, camping weekends, seeing your pride when I graduated from college 18 years ago today, hearing you call me, Amy Sue. 

But most of all, I keep hoping I'll see you again in heaven some day.  I never reallly knew for sure where you were in your faith, even though I talked to you about it and prayed with you often.  I never knew if the years of heartache, especially after you lost your leg and your independence, affected your faith and trust in the One who loves and cares for you and all of us.  Now, I'll just have to wait and see. 

You have left so many memories and loved ones behind.  I wouldn't be the person I am today if you hadn't been there for me for so long.  I'm so thankful your great-grandchildren--especially my children--knew you so well and loved you so much.  You were a blessing.  Happy Mother's Day, Grandma.  I love you.

Amy

I'm turning 40 tomorrow...

What a roller-coaster of a holiday season I've had this year.  I'm turning 40 tomorrow, the day after Christmas.  It doesn't feel right to me at all.  It started out with Grandma having a heart attack the night before Thanksgiving, spending Thanksgiving with her (and Grandpa) in the Cardiac ICU, then being wakened early Friday morning by her nurse who was letting me know she had passed away.  Not quite the way to start celebrating. 

There was so much to do to help Grandpa with the funeral and all of the tasks afterwards.  That was in addition to all of the normal homeschool field trips & Christmas parties, church advent festivities and choir concerts, day-to-day schooling, my daughter's 8th birthday and first sleepover, and other life events.  Tears came my way on Grandma's birthday last week--she would have been 89.  I dreaded being emotional for Christmas, especially when we gathered as our family usually does for Christmas Eve.  The tears never came--that is, they waited until Grandpa called to wish us "Merry Christmas" this morning.  I miss her and wish I could convince Grandpa to live with us so he wouldn't be so lonely.  I don't really feel like celebrating tomorrow--it's just another day.

God has been there all along the way.  Jesus Immanuel knows my loss.  We celebrated His birthday, He'll help me celebrate mine.  My family will be with me.  The people who really care will think of me and some may even call or write (one already sent me a surprise package!). 

Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."  Only God knows the number of my days (and the number of white hairs on my head!).  I pray that I'll gain that heart of wisdom and pass it on to my children.  Happy birthday, Jesus!  Happy birthday, me.

Feeling Lonely...even knowing Christ

I needed to put this out in the world for some reason.  I've never blogged except in a devotional format and then it's been either just for my eyes or cleaned-up for my homeschool group's monthly newsletter.  There is so much wisdom in those around us, and while you don't know me and I don't know you, perhaps you'll have some wisdom for me in my own situation.  So, here goes....

Do you ever want to know what happened to those long-ago relationships?  Are you lonely and longing for that friend you used to hang out with and share deep feelings and thoughts with—the one you did everything with?  Do you wonder what went wrong if anything?  I do.  Or is it just the cycle of life—you know, people come in and go out of your life all the way along.  You draw close to someone and find that suddenly, they’re not there anymore.  Do you question if you’re just hormonal and not recognizing the friends you do have or is it that you really are all alone and you’re just fooling yourself into thinking you have friends when you don’t. 

I’m lonely.  I thought I had really close friends who would stand the test of time.  They’re not there anymore.  Where did they go?  What did I do wrong?  Or was it them and I’m just the innocent bystander of something going on with them?  Why can’t I be happy with a relationship with Jesus alone?  Why is it that I don’t even feel close to my husband?  Where am I falling short? 

Does anyone even know what I’m going through? 

If something happens, if there’s a crisis of some sort, who would be there to help me or to listen?  Would anyone even care?  What about my kids?  Would anyone be there for them?  Would anyone even care about them enough to help them if I’m not there?  I am involved in so many things, so many areas of service—what’s the point?  What if I suddenly didn’t do them anymore?  Would anyone even care about it or care the way I do? 

If God has called me to homeschool, then why did it have to be such a lonely thing in itself?  We (my husband & I) bring the kids home for school and then we all find ourselves without friends and only each other for playmates—not the best playmates either.  You join a group or two to make friends and no one seems to want to develop a close relationship—kids or adults.  It’s all surface stuff and not just in homeschooling, but everywhere.  You can’t be real, you are only supposed to put on a fake smile and pretend all in life is terrific and you’re the happiest person in the world.  Don’t ask how the other person is doing ‘cause you don’t really want to stand and listen to reality.  You expect them to say, “Oh, I’m fine!”  Heaven forbid that life isn’t fine and they actually tell you how it is. 

Does anyone know what I’m talking about? 

I love Jesus and trust Him, but why can’t I find that to be enough?  Why can’t I be content in His fellowship and care?  Any thoughts?