The Simple Woman holds a real fun meme and I thought I would join in this week.  If you want to read more daybook entries go the above link.
FOR TODAY

Outside my Window~ We have a high winds warning out today and everything is blustery.  The windows are shaking but we feel safe tucked into our 77 year old home nestled here in the mountains.

I am thinking~ Our last week of school...The big teen must finish up The Time Machine, Rich Dad/Poor Dad, and his currrent affairs book.  The little ones are transitioning into more child lead activities.

I am thankful for~ my sturdy home and reliable internet connection.

From the kitchen~ Not much cooking today...

I am creating~  Scrapbooking all of my kiddos best art work from this school year.  IT is nice to get it all in one place instead of scattered to the four winds.

I am going~ To our attachment therapy and RAD support group for our Goldilocks tonight.

I am wearing~ Jeans, long sleeve flower shirt and socks.

I am reading~ Transforming the Difficult child's Mind

I am hoping~ That none of our trees blow down or loose to many tender leaves.

I am hearing~ My children watching the movie, Water Horse Legend of The Deep.

Around the house~ I need to finish putting the laundry away and get out art supplies for art lessons in a little while.

One of my favorite things~ Watching Thunderstorms and windy days like today with a warm cup of tea in my hand.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week~ Nature center, end of year testing on Friday, doctor appointment on Wed. and pulling together and finishing up school projects.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing for you~

Who is studying who?

Blessings,

Dawn

We don't hear much about callings anymore (unless we're talking about a "call to the ministry").  We certainly don't hear motherhood referred to as a calling.  And yet, it is the highest and most noble calling a woman can aspire to.  Motherhood is arguably the most influential profession there is.  The impact of dedicated, self-sacrificial motherhood on subsequent generations is tremendous.  What profession has more far-reaching affect on the future than that of motherhood?

Those of us who are mothers know the work involved in motherhood.  We also know the rewards that are gained in pouring out our own lives for our families.  We know the joys in bearing and raising children.  Christian mothers know the glory in serving God by bringing up children in the nuture and admonition of the Lord.

Motherhood is a blessed opportunity to minister to the Body of Christ right in our very own homes.  It is a beautiful way of serving the Lord as we serve our families.

Bearing and raising children is an important work.  There is great nobility in motherhood.  Mothers do something no one else on earth can do.

"Only a woman can carry in her body an eternal being which bears the very image of God. Only she is the recipient of the miracle of life. Only a woman can conceive and nurture this life using her own flesh and blood, and then deliver a living soul into the world. God has bestowed upon her alone a genuine miracle — the creation of life, and the fusing of an eternal soul with mortal flesh. This fact alone establishes the glory of motherhood.

Despite the most creative plans of humanist scientists and lawmakers to redefine the sexes, no man will ever conceive and give birth to a child. The fruitful womb is a holy gift given by God to women alone. This is one reason why the office of wife and mother is the highest calling to which a woman can aspire."

                                                                                                  ~Doug Phillips

Let us celebrate the high calling of motherhood.  It is a blessed gift from the Heavenly Father.

Who'd have thought, all the costumes I've been sewing for unit celebrations would come in handy for another purpose!  At the end of each Awana year, they have a leadership banquet.  The teens get a partner to decorate and serve the tables.  DD did this last year with a friend.  This year there was a theme:  Around the World.  They wanted elaborate costumes and table decorations.  I started to panic.  I have no time to make more costumes...I'm already busy with our unit 4 costumes.  Then I had an idea.  Would my children be willing to partner with each other and wear one of their previous unit celebration costumes?   Yes!  Whew! 

Here they are getting the table ready...

Meanwhile Italian music was playing in the background...

Mexican food was being catered and was already in the kitchen...

My dc's table theme was France...

DD had stamped fleur d'leis on cardstock for placemats...

DD had wanted an Eifel Tower but we couldn't find one.  I let the dc shop for things from my stuff at home...

DS wore his Three Musketeer D'Artagnon costume.  DD wore her dress from our Medieval Feast and portrayed Constance from The Three Musketeers.

They had a lot of fun!

Tom Sawyer(6)finished Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons today! He really is super great at sounding out words and is really doing well in reading.  He is very excited about moving on to early readers.  I really believe in this program but it was not all smooth sailing.  For my little guy it was just very dry.  He is a very creative soul and found the lessons boring.  Some days he would use his toes to follow along instead of his fingers and even read upside down for variety.  It came very easily to him though and we finally made it through!

We celebrated by making him a cake and giving him a reading certificate.

Now, I will try to teach Goldilocks (7) again.  This will be attempt number 4.  Fetal Alcohol is so damaging on so many levels.  I am torn between trying 100 Easy Lesson or another phonics program.  She couldn't get 100 Easy Lessons the last time or Museum Phonics or The Bob Books.  She is motivated to get the cake this time though so maybe I should try the 100 Easy Lessons again.

Blessings,

Dawn

Something really weird just happened to me.  Annaleigh has a play this weekend, and tonight we went to see the dress rehearsal with Big D's mom and dad.  When we came home, we got the kids settled, and then Big D asked me to "put him to bed," which is a code phrase for him needing his back scratched.  That was three hours ago.  I just sat bolt-right-up in bed.  I was fully dressed, and I had been dreaming that I was about to meet Barrack Obama backstage at an American Idol concert.  (I think it was turning into a nightmare.)  I got up and changed into pajamas and was about to get back into bed when I remembered there were a few things I needed to do....Bake cookies.  I had volunteered to bake cookies for the receptions after Annaleigh's plays.  Make Mother's Day cards.  Wash Harrison's baseball uniform that he got dirty wearing for 15 minutes this afternoon before his game was cancelled due to rain.  Write my Flashback Friday blog.

So, here I sit at 1:12am on Friday morning, flashing back to another time and another place. (Trust me....it beats dreaming about Obama!)

This is Indiana Mimi and I way back when.  Cute, weren't we?  The story behind this picture is that my dad was supposed to go with us to get a family picture, but my parents had a spat before we left, and my dad wouldn't go.  I don't really have any memories of that, but looking back at this photo, I'm glad it was just me and my mom.  We don't have a ton of pictures, just she and I.  Another bit of the story is that when we went to choose and pick up our pictures, I was only interested in the individual ones of me.  I'm glad Indiana Mimi wasn't having any of my vanity because I really treasure this picture now.  I like remembering my mom at this stage...remembering how she would always drive me to and from school so I wouldn't have to ride the bus.  I remember once when I was really sick and couldn't sleep she stayed awake into the wee morning hours playing Hi-Ho-Cherrio with me.  She was always my advocate when my dad wanted me to eat everything on my plate, but I knew I would die if I had to eat a beet.  Once I got a detention in 2nd grade for something I didn't do.  Indiana Mimi believed me, and even went to the school to discuss it with my principal. (I still had to serve the detention, by the way.)  Indiana Mimi never missed one event of my entire life that I know of.

Here we are now...

Ummm...something has definitely happened to us over the years, but we're still kinda cute aren't we?  I don't know....something in me wants to recreate the sailor suit look and troop into Olan Mills for another photo op.

Indiana Mimi is still a great mom to me today, when I'm 35, instead of 5.  Something tells me that she would still not want me to have to ride the bus or eat beets.  I think she might play Hi-Ho-Cherrio with me if I needed her to.  I know she'd argue tooth and nail if someone gave me a detention.  She still hasn't missed any events of mine or my children.  And she allows me to call her Indiana Mimi and post silly pictures of her on my blog...ones of her wearing silly hats, with a Webkinz bullfrog on her head. (Well, I use the word allows very loosely.  I'll just say she hasn't disowned me for it yet.)

Does it get any better than that?  I think not.

Happy Mother's Day, Indiana Mimi!  I love you!  You're the best!

Now, I'm off to bed, hopefully not to dream about eating breakfast with Hilary Clinton at Cracker Barrel....

Do you have any warm fuzzy memories of your own mother?  Why not share them with us.....or any memory for that matter?  Sign up with Mr. Linky below, so we can all come and share!