I celebrated, and I mean celebrated, my 25th anniversary with the most wonderful man in the world last week.  It seems so hard to believe that 25 years ago we committed our lives to one another.  We have been through a LOT, both good and bad, but a lot of good.  We grew up together, at least I grew up after marrying him at 18.  He has seen my very worst and maybe a little best (but not a lot).  He knows me better than anyone else and loves me the most, I think.  There is little I wouldn't do for him.  He is my very life.

I was thinking about what love really is.  It's hard to define, especially after 25 years.  I thought I knew what love was when I was 18 and marrying the cutest guy I'd ever seen.  I loved his blue eyes, but even more his passionate love for God that was willing to give anything and pay any cost to follow Jesus.  I wanted to go with him wherever God called him, to help him and to give my life alongside his. 

At times we have struggled in our focus, or maybe I have.  Five children and one miscarriage later things don't seem as black and white as they used to.  Close friends have let us down and relatives have passed away.  Losing a baby on Christmas changed that holiday forever.  Watching a parent lose his mind in recent days has brought incredible sadness and pain.

So what is love?  One thing I'm certain about is that it's not ooshy-gooshy romantic nonsense.  Actually there is that element but it seems somehow small compared to the depth of feeling I have for my man. 

No, real love is about sacrifice.  It's about being there when no one else understands.  It's about doing the hard stuff when no one sees or understands.  It's about suffering together and laughing together and understanding what no one else does.  It's about a promise and a faith that transcends this earth.  It's about service and obeying God.  And it's even more than all of that.

I read some quotes about love that I think begin to express some of what love is about.  Thanks to owlhaven.net for these.  And to my dear, dear husband, thanks so much for being the example of love to me that you have been.  I have been so faithless and lazy in our relationship and you have been true and patient and sacrificing.  I love you beyond anything I could ever have imagined 25 years ago.  I can't even imagine what our love will be like 25 years from now!  But if God wills, I'll be here beside you.  Just where I belong.

Do not think that love in order to be genuine has
to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without
getting tired. Be faithful in small things because
it is in them that your strength lies….Mother Teresa.

“True love” isn’t so much a dreamy feeling that you have
as it is an enduring commitment to give sacrificially — even,
or perhaps especially, when you don’t feel like it….William R. Mattox, Jr.

To love someone means to see him as God intended him….. Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

We all love best not those who offend us least,
nor those who have done most for us, but those who make
it most easy for us to forgive them….Samuel Butler.

The strongest evidence of love is sacrifice….Carolyn Fry.

Spread love everywhere you go: first of all
in your own house. Give love to your children,
to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor…
Let no one ever come to you without leaving better
and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness;
kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in
your smile, kindness in your warm greeting….Mother Teresa.

My crew is all out and about working at various jobs.  Oldest son at home and #3 son are mowing and doing yardwork for an elderly couple down the road.  Hubby and daughter and youngest son are going to Granny's to mow and do yardwork and check on Pa in the nursing home.  And I am here.....alone.

It's strange being in this house all alone.  I feel strange and it is SO quiet.  Even though my kiddos are getting older and are sometimes in their rooms with the doors shut reading or listening to Chronicles of Narnia CDs or playing with Legos, just their presence in this house gives it a different feel.  I know they are not here and I am somehow strangely sad.

It reminded me of a conversation with my sister in which she was relating to me friends who cannot wait for their children to get back into school.  I've heard it many times from others.  I can NEVER relate.

For one, my children have never been in school and I have not cultivated that "alone" feeling.  I suppose silence and loneliness are things you get used to and maybe like once you get there, but I have never had that as part of my experience.

For two, I LOVE my children and love being with them.  They truly complete my life.  I feel like a part of me is missing when they are gone.  I have gotten used to my oldest being gone and married (a good thing), but I still feel like we are missing someone around here.  I guess I always will.

I know there will come a day when I will be more alone than I am right at this stage of my life.  And I suppose I will find joy and fulfillment there.  But I don't crave it.  I like my life of busy children and lots to do.  I like talking and having someone answer.  I even like breaking up disagreements and cleaning up messes.

There is really someone else here even when I am alone.  "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.  So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6)  The beauty in solitary times is that my God is my friend, my helper and my constant companion.  He will always be here and that will never, ever change.  Ahh, what a relief!

A man's ego is an important thing.  I think as women, far too often, we criticize a man's ability to do something.  This is tragic and often drives men away, not only from the women in their lives, but also away from attempting anything that might potentially be criticized.

As a result, men often withdraw emotionally from their wives, children and even their God.  They feel unimportant and not valuable.  They don't try the hard things and don't live the cutting edge lives that God intended.

It is often popular for women to ridicule men, or do things independently from men, taking pride in showing them up.  Men are seen as wimpy and incompetent.

How I pray that my life will praise my man.  I want to turn from a life where I do my own thing in my own way.  I want my marriage to show my love and respect for my husband.  I want to build him up and never tear him down.

Do I have a long way to go?  Yes!  But by God's grace, I can be my husband's biggest fan.  I can tell him how strong and capable I think he is.  I can raise his public image and talk to others about what a great man he is.  In private, I can give him honest admiration.

"A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears hers down with her own hands." Proverbs 14:1

I can't believe I'm thinking about doing this, but I'm probably changing history curriculum.  Yikes!  My children still in this home school balked loudly when they first heard me discussing it.

But I feel like time is flying by.  I want to sew with Hannah and teach the boys how to draw some and appreciate more art and music and learn more Scripture and visit more needy people.  I don't want these years to go by without doing what matters most..  AND probably most importantly, I want to reach the hearts of my children in ways I haven't before.  I want to hear from God and obey in ways I haven't before.  I want more relationship with God and each other and maybe not so much academics.

The only thing that stays the same is change.  I feel old. 

I have had so much on my mind lately and not a lot of time to blog.  But I am really trying to set priorities in my life and that has meant putting my husband, children and church before my blogging time.

But I have a few minutes...no wait, my youngest wants to read a book.  I'll be back later!

We just finished up a week of Vacation Bible School.  I was so privileged to get to spend a week teaching and getting to know a great group of 5th and 6th grade girls.  The girl I mentioned before from camp came every day.  Today she told me that she had made a commitment to read her Bible every day and she showed me a notebook in which she was writing down things that God was speaking to her.  I was so excited.

Our theme for our week of Bible School was....the Bible!  We did a curriculum from Answers in Genesis that was absolutely tremendous.  Each day we learned about a different aspect of God's Word and why the Bible is God's Word, His absolute authority for our lives and the number one priority in hearing from God.  It was so cool.  I learned LOTS myself and was challenged in many ways.

One way that I was challenged was in daily Bible reading.  God's Word is our spiritual food and it must be our priority to hear from God daily in order to grow.  I do read my Bible almost daily and it is a habit but I don't think I have done a good job of helping that habit to develop in my children.  Just like brushing our teeth is a habit and not something so hard to work into our day, Bible study can and should be the same.  I am committing to helping my youngest have a daily time in God's Word.  Right now that means I read to him each day until he picks up the habit.  Then hopefully he will read on his own.

Another great theme that came from our week was the absolute authority that the Word of God has over nature, health, even life and death.  Jesus spoke and the wind and waves obeyed.  Jesus spoke and a centurion's servant was healed.  God spoke and the world came into existence.  Even Jesus obeyed God's Words when he prayed, "Not my will, but thine be done."  God's Word has the answer to whatever need I have.  I resolved to quit trying to figure things out on my own; rather, to look to the Bible for my answer to questions or needs.

Check out great resources at:  www.answersingenesis.org

Church camp was the first week in June.  It was really good this year and my heart was again spoken to, even though I went to be a cook and help out.

One of my favorite messages that is still impacting me was taken from Psalm 96:3

My daughter had an excellent post on her blog that just ministered to me.  Thought I'd share....in case you don't often read her blog. 

www.homeschoolblogger.com/solideogloria

Enjoy!

My sister and I had a good long walk this past Monday, Memorial Day, up at my mom and dad's property.  I told her my frustrations and discouragements and she told me hers.  She listened, interrupted some, and gestured wildly with her hands.  She yelled at me a couple of times and I'm sure I did much more than all of this to her at various points.  She and I disagreed, agreed, cajoled and lamented.  We were waving our arms, trying to walk fast enough to keep up with our mouths and generally being hilarious to onlookers (I'm sure).

It was nice.  And comforting somehow.  It's nice to know that someone understands, well, mostly understands.  And someone doesn't laugh at my dreams and fears.  And someone is just there.

Family is great and sisters are wonderful.  (I'm sorry for the rocking chair I threw at you when I was 13 and you were 12.)

There is something just so nice about being able to talk as fast as possible and not frustrate the man I live with.  Women need other women, I think.  It is soothing to my spirit to let the lava expode and the volcano erupt.  I love to talk fast, interrupt and be interrupted.  I love to make wildly emotional statements and have the person I'm exaggerating to just accept it and go on, not taking me too seriously.

Thank you, God, for my sis.

I did a THING today in our homeschool journey.

I decided that my daughter's research paper was never going to get done, was scattered and was way too complicated.  I also decided that my sixth grader needed to learn the basics of how to do a research paper this year.

Mind you, we are finishing our school year THIS week.  WHAT was I thinking???

I decided to do "A Research Paper in a Day."

My husband thought I was crazy and perhaps he was right.  Not only did I decide that the ninth grader and the sixth grader would do a whole paper in a day, I decided  to bring the second grader in and have him do a simple one as well.  I AM crazy.

But... we did it. 

The younger two and I actually went the library yesterday afternoon to pick up several books.  I planned to have them use at least two internet sources as well so they would learn the basics of how to research using the internet and how to cite those internet sources.

We made note cards of our sources first.  Then we numbered those source cards and began to take notes on cards, referencing them to the sources with numbers.  Then we arranged the cards in the order we wanted to write about them and began to write.  My second grader wrote about a page and a half!  Yeah!  And it was really good.  My daughter finished before noon and my sixth grader just finished up a few minutes ago.

It was a harrowing day, very intense at times.  But in one day we conquered the research paper.  My children learned how to cite sources, plan a paper, research and put down ideas on paper that make sense.  They even learned how to make a title page. 

I guess this is one more neat thing about homeschooling.  When I notice a gap or need, I can spend a whole entire day working to fix the problem.  Yes, we did break for lunch, but we were able to concentrate on one thing for a whole entire day until we mastered it.

I think I like "A Research Paper in a Day."  But it will be another day in the distant future before we tackle a project like this again.

Today is a neat day.  My son met me when I got out of the bathroom this morning with a card.  It was handwritten and told how much he loved me and appreciated me.  On the back was this simple message, "Please enjoy breakfast."  He had cooked me scrambled eggs and made me a roll with strawberry jam (my favorite).  He brought it into my bedroom along with a big cup of coffee.

My youngest son gave me a handwritten letter on stationery and in an envelope that told me how much he loved me and said that he wished me "lots of hugs and kissis."  :) 

My husband wrote me a letter that told me how much he appreciated me and loved me. 

My oldest son at home had a gift bag full of wonderful-smelling bath products and a neat back scrubber.

My oldest son and daughter-in-law gave me a neat pan with a handle (yeah!) and some coffee creamer.

My daughter cooked me a lovely lunch (and got up an hour early to start on it before church).  She fixed me oven chicken with crunchy topping, garlic cheese mashed potatoes, homemade biscuit sticks and green beans.  She even fixed a wonderful cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate chips that spelled "Mom."

After lunch, my kiddos at home gave me a pint of Ben and Jerry's Coffee ice cream with Heath chunks.  Wow, I never knew such a wonderful thing as this existed.

I am so blessed.

But I have to tell about my own mom and her gift to me this Mother's Day.  My mom painstakingly hand wrote a recipe book for my sister and me.  Inside is every one of her favorite recipes from her 45 years of married life.  There are recipes from both of my grandmothers and some other relatives as well, I think.  She has sections in this book for every kind of thing imaginable.  She said she has been working on it since Christmas.  She wrote until her hands hurt, then started again the next day.  She went through every cook book she had and every recipe box.  (My mom has a lot.)  At the end is a section on "Household Hints."  She tells her hints on how to use common household items to clean things.  She tells how to get out stains and has the stains listed in alphabetical order.  She tells what to do when you need something and don't have it.  She tells what she means by oil and "Dawn" in her recipes.  It is just amazing.  What a treasure.

I could never be a mom like I have.  My mom is so kind and caring and so understated.  She has never demanded attention and is content to be in the background at our family get-togethers.  My dad is the more loud and "fun" one.  But she always makes sure all of the details are taken care of.  She serves with every fiber of her being.

This morning my husband preached on Mary pouring out her alabaster jar of precious perfume and "wasting" it on Jesus.  My mom has consistently poured out the treasure of herself for our family.

I want to pour out the treasure (such as it is) of myself on my loved ones and indeed everyone I can just as I would for the Lord Jesus.  I want my life to be an act of worship to Him that will smell strongly of pure devotion.  I want to do what I do for Jesus, pouring out my life on Him.  Not so that others will see and approve (they didn't approve of Mary), but so that my Lord will be blessed.  I want to do what I do for Him and Him alone.

I don't mother so that my children will rise and call me blessed (I hope that they one day will).  I mother for Jesus.  I display friendship and give words of encouragement for Jesus.  I fix meals for neighbors and others for Jesus.  I serve Jesus and Jesus alone.

I was talking with a friend of mine last week and she said something that made me think.  She said that life is really all about loss.  It started in the Garden of Eden when sin entered into the world.  Adam and Eve lost their close fellowship with God.

We have been losing things ever since.

We have really lost my father-in-law.  He knows very little and is hardly functioning in a nursing home  now.  It is so sad.  I miss what he was.

My second son graduated last Saturday.  I will miss his impish grin and his insightful comments during our homeschool history discussions.  I will miss his presence as he enters a new phase of his life.  (I'm so proud of him; he is such a man now.)  I feel like I have lost him in some respects.  I have lost my baby.  There is no way around that one.

I am losing my youth.  With every day, I am reminded that I am entering another stage of my life, one with aches and pains, and limitations.

In small increments I am losing my hearing, sight and strength.  I have lost the ability to conceive and have a child. 

But....praise the Father in heaven I will never lose my relationship with the Creator of the Universe.  I am His and I am growing ever closer to the time I will be in His presence and enjoy Him forever.  The losses of this world are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us (to us) someday.  (Paraphrasing 2 Cor. 4)

The more we lose here on this earth, the more our hearts can draw close to the one Who never changes and Who will never leave us or forsake us. 

So loss is a blessing.  It is our invitation into the deep comforting arms of the Savior.

My three younger children and I were listening to a Rich Mullins' song on the computer yesterday while getting supper on the table.  I commented that Faith without Works is just useless, literally.

Then we got into a great discussion about how people love to study the Bible and often know tons about it.  But they are not really "doers of the word," as James says.  We study, memorize and categorize but we tell our neighbor to go, be in peace, be well-fed when they are destitute and needy.  We don't meet the need because we are too busy studying and learning and packing as much knowledge as we can into our brain.

I want to be a "doer of the word" and not a hearer only.  I want my faith to be known by my works.  I don't want to have to tell people what I believe (I will do that as well), I want my works to shine what I believe.  And how I want this for my children.  I want to be able to look into their lives and know how very much they love the Lord by the fruit I see in their lives.

It's not how much you know, it's how well you do what you know.

This is a very stressful week for our family.  My father-in-law was hospitalized on Sunday suddenly and is not doing well at all.  Therefore, hubby is at the hospital a lot and may spend some nights there.  There are a lot of hard decisions our family is facing. 

Also, my second son graduates on Saturday and registers for his fall classes on Thursday (there is a fairly important new student orientation that he is a part of on that day).  I need to take my daughter that same day to an orchestra contest about 3 hours away.  This same son is trying to CLEP out of some classes before he registers on Thursday and I am trying to help him.  AND my hubby's birthday is tomorrow!  Yikes!  There is more of course but those are glaring things right now.  I'm making programs, trying to get details worked out for the graduation and so on.  Somewhere in here is a child needing help learning to multiply by 4. 

But the Lord sent a blessing to me this week.  It came in the form of His people in our church.  They brought us dinner yesterday and will for the next three days.  They have called, prayed and asked a lot of times how they can help.  They are a balm to my soul. 

I want to praise the Lord for our precious church family.  Yes, they are humans with human flaws.  But they love us in tangible ways that really make a difference.  They are willing to make sacrifices to serve us.  I hope I can learn from their example.

"Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:2

Testing and working on graduation stuff and working on prospective college schedules and talking about Facebook and advising about jobs and listening to electric guitar "music" and piano practicing and, boy, am I tired.

I don't know exactly what I do all day that just wears me out, but I'm tired.  But it's a good tired.

And somehow I managed to make yummy salmon patties for supper.  Even if I do say so myself.  Which is what this blog is all about, right?  An older man that hubby and I went to see about a month ago had made a trip to Alaska and caught a "million" salmon.  He canned some of them and froze some and gave us some of both.  The canning jars didn't look too promising but tonight I braved them and fixed those patties.  Hey, they are just about the greatest things I've ever had.  To go along, we had ham and cheese skillet potatoes and green beans.

I am getting ready to do an informational get together for moms interested in homeschooling their children (most of these have children reaching school age soon).

As I have been researching and searching for information I have come across some neat things that I used to hold onto steadfastly but have forgotten as my children have grown and I have gotten to be an "older" homeschooler.

Homeschooling is really about developing a home-centered way of life.  God established the family as the primary place where children are supposed to learn and grow and develop.  He established the church or community of believers as the primary place where fellowship, worship and ministry begins.  He established the government as the way to adminster judgment and justice on this earth.  In these three areas, the family if often overlooked as the very center of discipleship for children especially.

Actually, in my vision of homeschooling, home education is not really the goal, home discipleship is the goal.  Home schooling is just a natural extension of discipling my children to know and love the Lord Jesus.  Discipleship happens best within relationships and the family relationships of the home are the prime place for godly training and development.  The very fabric and rhythm of life within a family and in the context of a loving home environment can effectively nurture children and encourage them to grow toward the Lord.

I love my children and have always loved being around them.  It saddens me, truthfully, that they are growing away from me and launching away from our home.  I have always wanted them around and always wanted to spend my days (and nights) with them.  I love having them home.  The days that they are young and impressionable are so fleeting and should not be wasted.

Home schooling is about an attitude.  It is an attitude that home is best, that God entrusted my children to me and my husband to raise and disciple.  It is an attitude that God designed the home and family to be the ultimate in learning environments, full of excitement, discovery and real education in the things that matter.  It spurs me on to make my home a place where the Lord Jesus is honored above all else and the love of learning prevails.

Home schooling for our family has been about building a foundation for our children's lives on the rock of Christ Jesus.  We have heard and read the Words of God and desire to put them into practice.  The best way for us to do that is in the 24/7 dailyness of living and interacting as a family together.  Our prayer is that when the rains come and the streams rise and the winds blow, our house will not fall because its foundation is the Rock of all rocks.  (Matthew 7:24-25)

I have been SO busy lately and have not posted about some rather momentous things going on in our lives.

1.  My precious #4 child had his 12th birthday.  He is such a joy to me.  My cuddler and close friend, he loves to just share whatever I'm doing.  Therefore, he cooks with me, cleans with me and generally hangs around me.  This is so cool.  He has loved to hug and love since the day he was born.  He sure is going to make someone a terrific husband!

2.  We have been practicing and practicing for our Easter program and now it is over.  A lot of work but all so very worth it.  I am so proud of my creative, visionary husband who pours out his heart and soul to produce, write and direct  this monumental (for our small church with VERY limited resources) endeavor.  His heart really comes out in this and his heart is to honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.  Man, I am so thankful for him.  And for my Lord!

3.  My baby daughter passed the driving portion of her driving test today!  Yeah!  This mama is so proud.  How can it be that another of my tadpoles is driving?  Be still, my already weak heart.

4.  Our van sank in the mud on Easter Sunday and could not be gotten out.  I am so thankful for men in our church who worked in the cold rain on Sunday afternoon while we were out of town to restore it to our driveway.  I went today to wash off all that grime and mud and I thanked God for people who are so helpful and caring.

5.  My father-in-law is so pitiful.  It is so sad to come to the end of life and be so very weakened.  It hurts my heart and I wish it were not so.  I am so looking forward to that ultimate healing that heaven will bring for him.

6.  We are drawing near the end of our school year and the end of the 20th century.  Man, we live in depressing times.  I am reading Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman (the kids will start it next week).  It is illuminating.  God help our culture.

7.  I heard a great quote today from the Christian rock band, Superchick:  "Everyone will die but not everyone will live."  Lord, I want to live for you!

8.  Another great quote right from our refrigerator:  "God has no problems, only plans."  That's from Corrie ten Boom, one of my most favorite writers.

9.  I forgot, for the first time since I had children, to take an Easter picture.  I feel like such a bad mom.  We went to the sunrise service, then breakfast at the Bartmiers', then got stuck and barely made it to church for Sunday School and then the morning service.  Directly after church, we rushed to Granny and Pa's for Easter dinner, then barely made it home in time to go to the Easter program's last performance.  I came home and fairly crashed.  What can I say?  No pictures!  Yikes!

10.  I got to substitute teach for my daughter-in-law today so she could do a pre-baby appointment at the health department with her midwife.  I so love to be needed!  I didn't do a thing that mattered, but I do love to be needed!

I am attempting to help a few of the younger mothers in our church as they consider or begin a homeschool journey with their children (or child as the case may be).

Therefore, I am going to periodically post thoughts about homeschooling that I have gathered after about 16 years of homeschooling and 20 of being a mom (I think we actually begin to homeschool before baby is born).

Benefits of homeschooling are many but perhaps one of the best things about homeschooling is the ability to just stop whenever there is a problem and work intensively on it until there is understanding.  This morning is a case in point.

My youngest is learning about alphabetical order.  He is supposed to be putting lists of 3 or 4 words in alphabetical order.  But for some reason this is very hard for him.  I suspect this is because alphabetical order can be so abstract.  Unless you have a great vision of the alphabet in your head, it is hard to see the letters in their order.  So...instead of muddling through and moving on, we stopped today.  We stopped and spent about an hour working on saying, singing, writing the alphabet.  I wrote it on the board in 3 different colors and we worked on putting letters into sections of the alphabet.  We worked until I was so tired of it.  But I think he is finally getting it.  And I could shorten math for today and eliminate spelling and concentrate on this one area.  Yeah, I think he is making progress!

Similarly, I am working with my older two on dissecting poetry and discerning themes and motifs.  I was able to spend an inordinate amount of time on four poems this morning and my struggler had lights coming on!  Yeah!

Sometimes learning does not fit into twenty or thirty minute time segments before the bell rings or you have to move on.  Sometimes you just enjoy something so much you want to camp out.  Sometimes there is fun to be had.  And sometimes other things are just more important than schoolwork for a day.

Homeschooling lets me truly put the needs of my children first.  This does not mean I cater to their every whim, but I know them intimately and I taylor our experiences for the day based on what they truly need for that day.  We skip things they don't need.  We work on character for a whole day if necessary.  We grow and change and learn. 

I feel good about that.

One of the greatest frustrations of living down here on this earth is the inability to really reach out to touch God.  I look forward so much to the day when my faith will become sight and I will actually be in the presence of the One I love more than life.

But while I'm here, I struggle (a lot) with questions like, "What can I do for my Lord?' and "How can I be everything that He intends?"

I am not satisfied with my life the way it is.  In fact, I feel like such a failure in so many ways.  And I am really staggered to realize that many of the choices I made when I was younger really cripple my ability to really serve God today.

I want to go with God.  I don't want to stay where I am.  I want to reach into more of what I can be, of what He can be in me.  I want to matter for my God.

What does this mean?  It definitely means that I take seriously my responsibility to my family and I love them like Jesus would.  It means I am the friend that takes you to the Lord and will go the extra mile.  It means that I genuinely care and reach out to those around me with the reality of the Gospel.

I am afraid of being a couch-potato Christian who does not matter one iota in the Kingdom.  I do no want to dissapoint my King.

Oh, for the day when I will be in Your presence, Lord.  Until then, show me clearly what you want from me and my life.  Give me the grace to be obedient and the joy to fully experience You.  Show me what it means to press on toward the high calling you have placed on my life.

Well, we had a great week of vacation/spring break at the Christian Homeschool National Basketball Tournament in Springfield.  We went to too many games to count and our teams (14 and under and 18 and under) did very well.  They each only had one loss for the week with the 14U team finishing second in their division and the 18U team finishing third in theirs.  My dear son finished up his high school basketball career on a high note with 19 points and a standing ovation.  It made this mom cry.

We went to Bass Pro Shops, Lamberts and Wilsons Creek National Civil War Battlefield Park.  The kids swam incessantly in the hotel pool and we ate out every day (for one meal -- we did breakfast and sandwiches at the hotel).  It was great fun!

But....I am glad to be home.

For one, I can go the bathroom whenever I want.  :)

Two, I don't have to step on children to get to the bathroom.

Three, I can do laundry in my own utility room (whenever I want).

Four, I can go outside just by opening my front door.

Five, I can sleep in my own nice bed without scratchy sheets.

Six, I can work out with my Firm videos instead of running on the treadmill or doing that monster Stairmaster machine.  (I missed Nancy.)

Seven, we can go to bed at different times.  (Related to this, bedroom doors are nice.)

Eight, I can cook my own food.  I have gotten so many hugs and thank yous for meals since we have been home.  My family loves me in the kitchen.

I could go on and on.

But...it was definitely worth it to see my son play for the last time as a homeschooled high schooler.  I was so proud of him.  It was also nice to spend time away from the mail, computer and phone.  A very nice break it was.

HAVE I BEEN EDUCATED?
by Carolyn Caines

If I learn my ABCs, can read 600 words per minute, and can write with
perfect penmanship, but have not been shown how to communicate with the
Designer of all language .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can deliver an eloquent speech and persuade you with my stunning
logic, but have not been instructed in God's wisdom... I HAVE NOT BEEN
EDUCATED.

If I read Shakespeare and John Locke and can discuss their writings with
keen insight, but have not read the greatest of all books -- the Bible
-- and have no knowledge of its personal importance... I HAVE NOT BEEN
EDUCATED.

If I have memorized addition facts, multiplication tables, and chemical
formulas, but have never been disciplined to hide God's Word in my heart
... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can explain the law of gravity and Einstein's theory of relativity,
but have never been instructed in the unchangeable laws of the One Who
orders our universe ...I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can classify animals by their family, genus and species, and can
write a lengthy scientific paper that wins an award, but have not been
introduced to the Maker's purpose for all creation, ...I HAVE NOT BEEN
EDUCATED.

If I can recite the Gettyburg Address and the Preamble to the
Constitution, but have not been informed of the hand of God in the
history of our country ... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can play the piano, the violin, six other instruments, and can
write music that moves men to tears, but have not been taught to listen
to the Director of the universe and worship Him, ... I HAVE NOT BEEN
EDUCATED.

If I can run cross-country races, star in basketball and do 100 push-ups
without stopping, but have never been shown how to bend my spirit to do
God's will, ... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can identify a Picasso, describe the style of da Vinci, and even
paint a portrait that earns an A+, but have not learned that all harmony
and beauty comes from a relationship with God, ... I HAVE NOT BEEN
EDUCATED.

If I were to graduate with a perfect 4.0 and am accepted at the best
university with a full scholarship, but have not been guided into a
career (that honors God), ... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I become a good citizen, voting at each election and fighting for
what is moral and right, but have not been told of (or believe) the
sinfulness of man and his hopelessness without Christ,... I HAVE NOT
BEEN EDUCATED.

However, if one day I see the world as God sees it, and come to know
Him, Whom to know is life eternal, and glorify God by fulfilling His
purpose for me, THEN I HAVE BEEN EDUCATED!

Lord, help me to truly educate my children!  Even more, help me to desire true education for myself!