Friday, June 2, 2006 - Time and Aging

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Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - Quote of the Day

Children are living jewels dropped unsustained from heaven.

 

~Robert Pollok, poet

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Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - END of school

Well, we've completed another year of school.  Emily is now officially finished 3rd grade and her brother is officially enrolled in Kindergarten for next year.  Amazing how quickly it all goes in the end.  I'll post an end-of-year photo when I finally take one. 

 

So what did we learn?  Golly...that would take a book of blogs.  From a purely curriculum point of view, Emily learned SO much!  She learned that she's glad to be both English and American, though she found it difficult to decide who to "root" for in the Revolutionary War unit. (Stuart reminded her that he wasn't there during the war (considering the outcome) so it's okay to be on the American's side.)  She discovered she doesn't like the Spanish Conquistadors AT ALL.  She learned all about the planets and their order from the Sun.  She read four novels: Anne of Green Gables, A Lion to Guard Us, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Charlotte's Web.  She continued to read the books from the book list on her own and read all but three.  She learned all of her multiplication tables and how to do long division (NOT a favorite).  Emotionally, she learned more about self-control and self-discipline.  She learned that friendships can change and vary with people's moods.  She had some hard lessons on self-awareness and how what she does affects others, and how what was cute a year or so ago is considered obnoxious now.  With the end of school comes the end of dance class as well.  She completed her first official year of Classical Ballet I (her sixth year of dance).  We have her recital this Sunday evening...and we're very excited to see the return on our "investment."  (Again, I'll post a photo afterwards.)

 

But as I continually remind Emily, LIFE is about learning.  It's not just for school-time or a school year.  We can (and do) learn from EVERYTHING around us.  That's the joy of HOMEschooling, right? 

 

So now comes "summer school" -- a time of freedom to relax and learn and read and just have fun. 

 

A time to "re-juice" for next year.

 

 

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Monday, May 22, 2006 - If You Give a Mom a Muffin

In the fun tradition of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie....  ENJOY!!

 

IF YOU GIVE A MOM A MUFFIN
Author unknown

If you give a mom a muffin,

She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.

She'll pour herself some.

The coffee will get spilled by her three-year-old.

She'll wipe it up.

Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.

She'll remember she has to do some laundry.

When she puts the laundry in the washer,

She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.

Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan dinner for tonight.

She will get out a pound of hamburger.

She will look for her cookbook (101 Things to Make With a Pound of Hamburger).

The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.

She will see the phonebill which is due tomorrow.

She will look for her checkbook.

The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.

She'll smell something funny.

She'll change the two-year-old.

While she is changing the two-year-old the phone will ring.

Her four-year-old will answer it and hang up.

She'll remember that she wanted to phone a friend to come for coffee on Friday.

Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.

She will pour herself some.

And chances are......

If she has a cup of coffee......

Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

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Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - A Moment in History

I'm used to be all about seizing moments in time.  I think I realized they were one way to make everlasting memories to recall on cold, gray, wintry days...or similar.

 

Well, today had one of those moments, and my kids helped me to "seize" it.

 

At 2 minutes and 3 seconds past one o'clock....we saw 01:02:03 on 04/05/06.  Pretty cool, huh?  My daughter and son were dancing with glee to watch such a moment -- really only a wisp of time.  But they saw it!  They were there "watching history," as Emily said.

 

Their excitement reminded me that I need to try to celebrate EVERY moment I can.  I once heard a speaker say his young daughter expressed it this way:  "This [insert time] is the only one that will every happen on this [insert date].  It can never be repeated.  We've gotta go celebrate!"  

 

So what are you waiting for?  Look at the clock...look at the calendar.  This moment can't ever happen again.  Go celebrate it!!

 

     

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Thursday, March 30, 2006 - Just Wait....

"I've noticed that one thing about parents is that no matter what stage your child is in, the parents who have older children always tell you the next stage is worse." ~Dave Barry

 

Isn't the above quotation SO true?? 

 

When we first had Emily, we enjoyed all aspects of her -- from her ticklish tummy to her funny faces to her crying bouts.  She really was such a good baby.  She napped fairly well and was a good eater.  And apart from the normal round of illnesses babies pick up and "hiccups" along the way, we couldn't complain. 

 

Then came the pessimists.  "Just wait," they groaned.  "The toddler times are awful!"  It sent a shiver of dread to the depths of my toes. 

 

But the toddler years did come, and I was determined to find something positive to celebrate about them...and there was lots and lots.  As several noteworthy child psychologists say, "Make them the Terrific Twos."  We survived with banners raised high. 

 

Even when we added Edward to the mix.  It was an adjustment (so are LOTS of things in life.), but we were blessed.  He was another good baby -- despite my grandmother predicting the opposite to happen -- and we enjoyed him immensely.  (Apparently you can only have one "good" baby in a lifetime.  LOL!)  And the pessimists returned.  "Oh, wait 'til they begin to fight."  Hmmm...  Both my hubby and I come from families with three kids.  Both of us survived sibling rivalry.  We knew (and continue to know) by God's grace we'd survive this.  And the kids adore each other...most of the time. *Ü*

 

Now, the pessimists are crowing about the "teen years."  And I'm filled with that same dread as in the early years...only this time it's because I don't want the time to rush by so quickly.  I'm not ready to think of them being in their teen years, farther still from the early times. I once heard a comedian describe a teenager's stages as the same as a toddler's just add 10 years.  (After teaching teens, I tend to agree.)  That makes it seem not so bad, right?

 

You know, I don't know about you, but I still remember being a teen. (I guess those gray cells aren't as bad as I thought.)  I remember wanting to be loved even when I felt unlovable.  To be listened to and respected.  To feel like I was worth something and could contribute to the world around me -- even if it was just my opinion.  Hopefully, all those memories will come in handy.

 

I try very hard not to participate in this prophetic "dooms-daying." (I know it can be hard to resist.)  I want to enjoy every stage of my children's lives without worrying about the next stage.  I want to savor the time with them NOW and not worry about what hasn't happened.  Afterall, I'm not in that stage yet...and who knows how I'll be by then. 

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Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - Quote of the Day

"Always laugh when you can; it is cheap medicine.  Merriment is a philosophy not well understood.  It is the sunny side of existence." ~Lord Byron

 

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Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - Bunny Love

           

          Sir Clement of the River Tyne

                 (a.k.a. Clementine)

 

              

                  Cute little bunny lips!

 

 

I LOVE bunnies!  I've been raising them for the last 25 years.  I had asked for a horse when I was 10.  I had it all worked out -- how I'd take care of it, ride it, pay for it.  My father compromised...and offered a rabbit.  Of course I accepted.  I couldn't ride it, but I could LOVE it! 

 

I have always been an animal fanatic.  My childhood dream was to become a veterinarian.  I used to practice on all my stuffed toys....using my stretchy rainbow belt with the metal clasp to "tie down" my patients.  Somewhere along the way I lost that dream and took on others.  But I never lost my passion for animals.  (Much to my parents' and later my husband's "dismay." LOL!)  In my senior year of college, my roomie and I "hosted" (sorry, Cal U!) six animals in our dorm room: a bunny, three pet mice, and two pet rats. 

 

Just today, when we weaned the "boys" from Bonny, I realized that as homeschooling families we can share our "passions" with each other.  I used to be in FFA in high school, and I was in charge of the small animals we kept in our shop area.  We took those animals to the various elementary schools to teach the students.  When I was in college and later working at a preschool, I borrowed some of those animals to again share with students.  In the one instance, I exposed city kids to creatures they'd only ever seen in books.  Very cool!

 

So now I began thinking....it's Springtime, and our baby bunnies are so much fun (see the cute bunny smile above?).  Why not offer some science fun to homeschoolers living around me?  If you live in the Reading, PA, area let me know! 

 

We all have passions -- let's share them!!

Emily with her Earl Grey (her first bunny) and Edward in the background with Clemmie.

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Sunday, March 26, 2006 - Phew! A New Week Dawns...

We are excited to begin a new week....not that I wish Time to speed by any quicker than it already does.  Last week held enough excitement for about a month of weeks, though.

 

My hubby finally returned on Tuesday evening -- complete with remnants of a cold.  Poor guy!!  The kids kept wondering how he could get a cold in the desert.  (And apparently you "can't" get a fever in Antarctica.  Hmmm....I don't think germs think about climates.  LOL!  There's a homeschooling lesson in there somewhere. )  Just 10 minutes before we were to pick him up, Edward decided to "nosedive" off his sister's loftbed.  It took me a moment to figure out where the blood was pouring from.  (Our family has a history of knocking out teeth so my first reaction anytime a child falls is to check the mouth.)  He had hit his nose, and after a few moments I got the nosebleed to stop.  I kept praising God that he wasn't hurt more than that...considering what could have happened.

 

Meanwhile...Stuart was waiting for us....and the brownies were burning....  Aaaaa!  I asked the kids when the timer went off for the welcome-home brownies we'd made and both said, "A few minutes ago."  Needless to say, I wasn't "keeping it together" any longer.  So after 22 days of keeping everyone safe and in check, we managed to "lose" it all in the last 10 minutes.  We collected ourselves (including my sanity), straightened hair (including my newly popped-out gray ones), washed faces, and went to get Daddy.  All was well again...

 

...until Friday when poor Stuart ended up in bed with shivers and fever and an "angry tummy" (to borrow Edward's phrase).  After two days in bed with lots of rest and bland food, he seems to have recovered for the most part.  Now, it's Emily's turn for a cold, which, if it had to happen, is good timing since she completed her PSSAs with flying colors (thanks everyone for your prayers!), and we survived the one-hour drive shuttling her there and back...and another student's throwing-up in the middle of the test. 

 

As I'm learning (slowly, I'm afraid), our homeschooling lessons aren't always meant for the children.  I'm continually taught about God's timing and waiting on Him....and that patience isn't just a "virtue"...it's a necessity!! 

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Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - Prayer for Emily

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Saturday, March 18, 2006 - Learning Moment

We are huge fans of "Adventures in Odessey," and today's adventure certainly gave us some food for thought.

 

It was about the story of St. Valentine.  Since Edward shares his birthday with this courageous man, he felt close to the story.  It was fitting then to think about the meaning of Valentine's life -- and death -- and compare it to our own lives. 

 

In the story, Valentine was a man willing to die for God.  I asked the kids how they felt about that.  Both were sobered by it.  But isn't that what we are to do as Christians?  Stand up for God -- no matter what the consequences. 

 

Certainly makes a person think.

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Saturday, March 18, 2006 - Quote of the Day

"Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness."  ~St. John Chrysotom

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Thursday, March 16, 2006 - Goodbye to an Old Friend

Our dearest bunny, Lulu, died last night.  She lived to be 8 years old, quite a long life for a bunny. 

 

                             

 

In the school of life, this is one lesson that is hard for me to teach. 

 

 

 

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Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - Life and Learning

Life is a school. 

There is something new to learn

wherever we may be,

wherever we go,

wherever we turn.

~Walter A. Witt

 

  

From last summer (reminds me that warmer days are indeed coming!) Celebrating our first zucchini and hugging our first sugarbaby watermelons.

 

                         

 

Today's "Word of the Day" on My Yahoo!:

 

euphoric

DEFINITION:  (adjective) a feeling of extreme happiness and well-being; elation.

Isn't learning fun?  My kids teach me so much...esp. about myself.  I think we're all born with a hunger to learn.  (Obviously, some have larger appetites than others.)  How that's stimulated during early childhood plays a huge part in the schooling experience.  Children are learning ALL the time.  Through playing, through attending church and/or Sunday School, through watching TV or movies, through singing....through listening to Mommy and Daddy talk to others.  (Read the poem, "There Was a Child Went Forth," by Walt Whitman, and you'll understand what I mean.)  Life is a learning adventure for ALL of us!  I'm glad to be on that adventure with other homeschoolers -- like you!!

 

In their English school-kid uniforms.  Emily

said it helps her to concentrate when she's

"in uniform"...minus the school shoes, of course! 

 

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - Meet the Little "Feete"

 

What a blessing these two are!  I often forget that -- until I gaze at their cherubic faces at night, deep in the dreamworld of sleep.  I love to take photos of them sleeping.  Perhaps because they look so calm and perfect.  I remember staring at them for long moments after they were just born -- marveling at the creation God entrusted to me.

 

As we sing with our Sunday School kids:  "What a Mighty God we serve!!"

 

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Monday, March 13, 2006 - A Good Laugh

"Joyfulness keeps the heart and face young.  A good laugh makes us better friends with ourselves and everybody around us."

~Orison Swett Marden

 

I think the best moment happened in my "teenhood" when I realized it didn't matter what people thought of me -- in fact, most were NOT thinking about me anyway.  Suddenly I could laugh at myself.  There's a definite freedom in that.  I am a goofy person -- I say and do some of the dumbest stuff.  But since I know that God loves me anyway -- and my family, too -- what does it matter what the world thinks of me?  It is my greatest desire in life to impart this freedom to my kids.  Peer pressure is so great these days...and how easily it can weigh us down and keep us from the Greater Mission.

 

"Laugh and the world laughs with you...."

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Sunday, March 12, 2006 - A Bit of Heartsickness

I'm a bit heartsick today.  By that I mean, the cares of this world have overtaken me for the moment.  I guess my "human-ness" is showing.  (Praise God He gives us humility to admit such stuff.)  I tried to "heal" myself after church by digging out my schoolroom -- happily, I can share that some progress was made.  Then the kids and I headed to Barnes & Noble for a "date" to read the brandnew picture books we can never afford and sip Double-Chocolate Cream Frappicinos.

 

My hubby's been gone for two weeks now...and I miss him terribly.  (I feel so guilty saying that since I know that soldiers' families face much longer partings.  But I maintain that God prepares you differently in such instances -- not that they don't experience heartsickness, too.  Stuart used to travel ALL the time, and, while I missed him, I knew it wouldn't be long before he returned.  It's amazing to think that years ago when we "dated" across the ocean for five years we'd go for over four months without seeing each other. LOL!)  Hence, my heartsickness. 

 

I guess it hit me today when he flew from Qatar to Bahrain for the day to await a new visa, and I couldn't chat with him....he just felt SO far away.  You share so much with your spouse that no one else in all of the world understands: memories together and little private jokes that only you and your spouse know.  Makes me feel for widows/widowers.  A pastor once shared with me that widows/widowers feel loneliest at night when there's no one to share the day's events with...no one to cuddle up to. 

 

My hubby's return date should be March 21st.  So only a week to go.  I know God will keep me through that much time...He's always been faithful to us -- now's my turn to be faithful to Him.

 

My second reason for heartsickness is our dear rabbit, Lulu.  She turned 8 last month.  (I've been raising rabbits for 24 years, and I've never had a rabbit make it to that age.)  But with her most recent birthday came sudden paralysis of her back legs.  While many think "she's only a rabbit," she's been a member of the family for 8 years.  It's hard to think of letting her go...and esp. having to deal with that alone at the moment.  She's happy within herself and munches on tidbits of food, but I know the time for hard decisions is coming.  Hence, my second bout of heartsickness.

 

Still in all, tomorrow is a brandnew school week.  I love Mondays in the sense that it's a clean slate -- it's the start of a new week.  It's cleaning day.  It's the day to put the house back in order after the "down time" of the weekend.  Emily's been practicing for her PSSA exams in two weeks.  She'll have a light schoolwork load tomorrow since it's also dance class day.  Edward enjoys that time because he gets to spend time with me in the cafe on the bottom floor of the dance studio. 

 

Thanks for letting me share my heartsickness.  I feel "better" already. 

 

God IS faithful!  Keep looking UP!

 

 

 

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Friday, March 10, 2006 - Planting Ideas

I've been thinking about the name I gave to my blog...

 

When I first began homeschooling Emily in kindergarten, I was very intimidated.  I have two older sisters -- both are trained teachers.  My degree was in English/Journalism...what did I know about teaching elementary school?  Of course, I read lots of stuff on the subject -- mostly for information, but I also wanted to have some answers for the arguments that might ensue -- because that's what you do when you want to learn how to do something, right?  Maybe not.

 

I'm a voracious reader.  I read just about any book on pregnancy and babies before I had Emily.  I was enlightened on all the various temperments I might encounter in my newborn.  I was prepared for breathing calmly during labor, breastfeeding, dealing with colic, handling diaper rash, you name it, I was the "boy scout" of new mommyhood.  I was PREPARED. 

 

Funny how all that left the moment the labor began to intensify.  And it continued throughout Emily's first year, esp. when my plans/expectations had to change.  I had myself terrified that I'd do something wrong or that she'd contract some horrific disease.  Babies don't come with manuals; we don't train or study to become parents, I told myself.  I thought I had to know everything about my baby to be a good mom. 

 

You know, looking back and having experienced a totally different feeling with Edward (I didn't allow myself to read ANY books during his pregnancy), I realize now that I was forgetting that God implants in us a certain "instinct" about mothering.  He also gives us His word and that's the best instruction book out there.

 

So back to homeschooling.... I think the same applies here. The best advice I ever received about the subject came early on from a mother of six who was homeschooling four of the kids at the time.  She reminded me that there are "mom" expectations and "teacher" expectations.  The "mom" expectations are much higher than the "teacher" ones -- sometimes much higher than the student can attain.  That made sense to me.  As a mom, I always want to see my kids aspire to greatness....sometimes much quicker than they are able.

 

Hmmm...that gave me food for thought.  No matter what I read or what new way of teaching I try, I have to remind myself that God makes everything beautiful in His timing...not mine.  My kids are learning all the time -- even, shock upon shock, without me.  I can teach, encourage, teach some more, and expose them to all sorts of learning opportunities, but God is their ultimate teacher.  I can't "go wrong" when I realize that.  And I can daily lift them in prayer to Him who gave them their abilities, each according to who he/she is. 

 

"[God] has made everything beautiful in its time." Ecc. 3:11a

 

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Thursday, March 9, 2006 - Fountain of Youth?

From my daily desk calendar:

 

"If wrinkles must be written upon our brows,

let them not written upon the heart.

The spirit should not grow old."

James A. Garfield

 

I'm sure my kids have already figured out this one...their happy countenance is a constant reminder for me to see the "silver lining in the clouds" -- not the "clouds in the silver lining."  How much they teach me....and how much I have yet to learn! 

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Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - Rabbit Reflections

I was reflecting as I fed our seven rabbits today at how quickly they grow (though six of ours are Himi dwarfs so they won't grow too big).  The kits, Earl Grey and Clementine, born February 9th are now almost a month old.  In human baby terms that seems so young yet.  Think about how helpless our babies were at that age.  But let me describe how they've changed in the month....

 

They were born bright pink and about the size of a thumb.  They were blind and deaf, basically very helpless.  In about a day, they developed fuzz all over their bodies (some breeds are actually born with some fuzz).  In a week's time, this fuzz became a fairly nice layer of fur.  Their eyes began to sink in and their ears moved around.  By two weeks, they opened their eyes and started to be interested in the world outside their nestbox -- though they weren't able to escape yet.  By three weeks, they looked like miniatures of their parents (with slightly smaller ears) and were able to scamper around the cage.  They sampled the food and water.  And at four weeks, they are eating and drinking on their own and able to explore and hop around.  By this time in some rabbitries, they would be weaned at this point.  Our new kits will stay with their mom, Bonny, for another two weeks or so...if she can tolerate them.

 

Why do I reflect on all of this?  Because I was thinking that if Bonny were human she would be in a fit of depression at the moment, crying about how quickly the kids grew up and how hard it will be to let them go.  Imagine if our kids developed so rapidly??  In a month's time we'd be bidding them farewell?  My heart hurts thinking about it -- though I'm sure there are times..... God is wise and gives us a lifetime with our kids -- not a mere six to eight weeks.  Once they grow to be adults, if we've taken our responsibility seriously, we'll trade our parenting hat for one of a lifelong friendship with our adult kiddos. 

*************************

Makes me realize how important my investment is in the present moments with them.

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