Leaving A Legacy - Homeschool Blogger

On Turning Forty

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 06:36:00 -0600

It sounds like such a big deal.

I've been sortof dreading it--the big 4-0 -- as it's loomed. It sounds so old. I used to think that people who were forty were so . . . mature. Somehow even the word "forty" just oozes stability, steadiness, solidity. It seems that a person who is forty should be sure of themselves--never doubt, never vacillate, never question their decisions or options for behavior. At forty, I thought, surely one would be done with becoming.

And yet, it's not so.

I'm more steady, certainly. Not flipping from boyfriend to boyfriend, trying to find "the one," as I did at twenty. And I'm definitely more sure of myself, less likely to struggle to squeeze into someone else's vision of what my life should look like, as I did at thirty. Progress . . . yes, there has definitely been progress. It hasn't been easy or painless, but progress has come.

Maybe I've earned forty.

It feels different than I thought it would. There are new mountains to climb. Over the years I've managed to gain the proverbial "five pounds per child," which must be left behind so I can enjoy the second half of my life. My eldest son has graduated and the second is hot on his heels, dragging us all out into new waters to navigate--strange waters, where I'm uncertain of exactly which star to head for and how deep I can put in my oar. A new family business offers prospects and challenges still being defined on many fronts. Opportunities to write come as welcome open doors yet beg the question . . . "Who am I exactly, and what do I have to say that's worth listening to?" My children are growing up faster than I'd imagined possible, and it seems that in many ways they themselves are new people whom I must learn to relate to every day.

The becoming continues.

In the center of it all, of course, one thing is the same: God, Himself. It is incredibly comforting to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He who is the Director of my life is the familiar Friend who has been with me through it all. He's not surprised by today's challenges, scared of the obstacles I haven't seen yet, or shocked at the besetting sins we've yet to conquer. The one determination I've made--indeed, the only one it seems right to make--is this: that in the next forty years, I must decrease that He might increase. I pray that He'll keep chipping away, shaping me into Jesus' image so that I can fulfill the purpose He created me for . . . to reflect His glory to the world.

I pray that at forty, there's starting to be at least a little resemblance.

Day at the Corn Maze

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:32:00 -0500

We had a lovely day today at the corn maze! Even if Levi was the only one in our family who actually went *through* it. These pics came from my phone, so forgive the size! Here's how the girls had fun . . .

Yes, that's a giant bucket of corn kernels! And then there was Micah, shown here here with Zach practicing his parkour skills . . .

and this is how Levi celebrated making it through the corn maze with his friends . . .

Josiah loves hay, too, apparently; especially as something to climb on . . .

Wow, look how little he looks! I'm not sure why the size difference . . . oh well!

And here's how Baby spent most of his morning . . .

He loved taking it all in from the ring sling! Cutie pie!
We missed having dad with us this year, and I know he missed riding the cow train . . .

Altogether a lovely, lovely day.

Permission Slips for Moms--at Heart of the Matter!

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:52:00 -0500

I've been praying for quite awhile about another avenue to pursue for writing. Today is the first day of a new venture--writing for Heart of the Matter Online! If you've not seen their website before, you will love this find--great articles on tons of ideas, issues, and products for homeschool families! Here's an excerpt to hopefully whet your appetite!

When I was a kid attending public school, there sure were a lot of papers to deal with. Math homework and essays for English, report cards and assignment sheets, all flew to and fro in a forest- obliterating frenzy. It's a wonder we have any softwoods left nowadays, as the hauling of paper from school to home and back again continues unabated for today's generation of schoolchildren, who have had to add wheels to their backpacks just to deal with the situation without consulting a chiropractor. While some of the papers were handed back to the teacher with hesitation (the research paper we left 'til the night before) and some with glee (that French exam we'd been studying for all semester) my favorites were always of a different sort . . . permission slips.

Read the rest here at Heart of the Matter!

The Timeline--Daddy's Version

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:11:00 -0500

I know there must be other parents out there who use Veritas Press History cards. We use them as part of our Classical Conversations curriculum. Of course, dads always have their own take on things. So here it is: Rob's Timeline!

Homer invents Egypt Birth of Santa First New Second TestamentJoni marries Chachi The Easter Bunny Converts to Christianity The Unification of Hulk Hogan and Randy the Macho Man Savage Herbie Hancock Releases a New Single Acid Rain Moses Builds the Ark The Twelve Lords A Leaping *John Denver Sings with Kermit

I'm sure we'll be adding more in the coming weeks.

Surprised at Communion

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:36:00 -0500

Sunday mornings have become a bit hectic since the newest baby joined our family. In addition to that . . . addition, my husband also became a Sunday morning 9th-grade boys' Life Group leader, which means he has to be at the church by 9 am. Now, I freely admit that part of our joy on Sunday mornings lies in the fact that our church is a mere 7 minutes from the house, and since the second service (which we always attended) doesn't begin until 10:30, we don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn and rush to get there. Since Life Groups started this fall before I was ready to return to church with the baby and myself, this new responsibility necessitated him bringing all the other children with him every Sunday in order for them to get to church--quite an endeavor for one dad!

In the ensuing weeks we came up with a plan, and now it's become fairly simple to get everyone up, dressed, shoe-d (hey, there's a thought--wouldn't it be great if kids' shoes could be made permanent, like a horse's, so we wouldn't have to hunt shoes every ~~Sunday~~ ~~day~~ minute? I may be on to something . . . ) Takes a lot of work, but it's doable. So anyway, I shoo them all out the door by 8:40 and then I have until 10:15 to get myself and the baby ready to go, then drive to church to join them for the second service.

Last week, Nicholas was very fussy all morning after they left and I could *not* put him down in order to get ready. I was resigned to the fact that there was no way we could make it. Finally, he calmed down enough for me to put him in his swing. Glancing at the clock, I decided to go for it. 15 minutes later I was all ready to go. I raced to the swing and picked him up . . . just in time to catch him spitting up all over his outfit and everything within range. Since it was 10:37 at that point, I considered myself defeated and we stayed home for the morning.

This Sunday morning was typical. I was actually thinking that preparing everyone else and not having to worry about myself was a great plan--I'd put in ponytails, found socks, and filled the diaper bag still in my own jammies. No spitup emergencies. I even had a cute scarf to try wearing in a new way. The baby did cry for the last 5 minutes of our ride to church (ugh!) but Daddy met us at the door and took him while I parked the truck and came inside. Papa and Magu were there to meet us, which was a fun surprise. I'd arrived a minute too late to run around and greet friends, but that was fine; I found a spot on the end (just in case!) and Rob settled next to me with the baby on his shoulder.

We sang. The music was great. I kept glancing over to see if the baby was going to start fussing for me. One song . . . two. He fell asleep. Ahhhh. For some reason, loud noises put him right out. Looked around to see where my son and his friends were sitting. Finally found them, and noted the guy who's trying to snag one of his friends was sitting next to her, which made me giggle.

Wow, the keyboard sounds great. I love this song. Is the baby still asleep? I wonder if the sweet girl I've been praying for found a ride this morning? Do Magu and Papa like the service? Oh, we're having communion. Seems like it's been a long time. Wow, they're serving from the back of the room, and while the pastor has been sharing about communion they're almost to the front before you notice them . . . nice. The platter is passed. I take a piece of bread. I'm so glad we don't use the peel-open communion sets I've seen in other churches that made me feel like I was having church in a drive-through. Is baby still asleep? The pastor says, "Jesus broke the bread, and blessed it, saying, 'Take, eat . . .'" I put the piece in my mouth, bite down . . .

Surprise.

Tears come to my eyes. Music begins. This is His body. He, the Perfect One, the One Who loved me while I was yet (yet?) a sinner. Jesus . . . His body was broken for me. In advance. Before it all . . . before all my mistakes, all my blatant disregard for His law, before all the needs I would have. He was there, in that moment, as He had been throughout eternity. I remembered.

I didn't realize I'd forgotten.

Gratitude continued . . .

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:23:00 -0500

59. a pink streaked evening sky
60. all night grocery stores
61. chubby wrists
62. moms willing to share their stories so we don't feel alone
63. chat with my distant son, even when it's brief
64. communion
65. kids' healthy friendships

More of my 1000 gifts

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:34:00 -0500

There are so many . . .

39. Lit sidewalks for night time walks
40. Baby smile therapy
41. A husband that makes me laugh
42. Smart children
43. An old friend who is a great encourager
44. Paper and ink style letters
45. Apple cake with maple cream cheese frosting
46. Grocery stores filled with whatever you want
47. Too many toys
48. Kids who like to listen to bedtime stories
49. Hot tea and sugar
50. Legal homeschooling
51. The abundance of curriculum, advice, and help available for homeschool moms
52. Gliding rocker and ottoman
53. Roses overflowing the sidewalk
54. Opportunities
55. Being an American citizen
56. My wonderful pastor
57. Mozart
58. First voicings from my littlest one

Sillies with Savannah

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 08:49:00 -0500

I heard a lot of smooching going on in the baby's general direction, and came over to investigate.

Savannah looked up and said, very seriously, "I'm not even married yet, and I kissed Nicholas on the lips. Because little kids can do that to babies . . . if they love them."

New adventures

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 22:02:00 -0500

In a few weeks, I'll turn forty. How do you spell that, anyway? Whenever I think of that number, I never know whether it should really be forty or fourty. No, fourty doesn't look right, LOL! Okay, so now we've learned something!

I used to think 40 was very, very old. Then, I thought it was pretty old. Then I thought that perhaps when I turned 40, at least I'd be really mature. Now I'm about to turn 40, and I know that one's not true! I do think I'm much more wise, though, than I used to be at say, 20 and even 30. No gray hairs yet (and I do get highlights, so perhaps we just won't notice them, right?) but the diminishing of emotional drama, extra-stupid mistakes, and perfectionism must count for something.

God has been incredibly good to me. I don't find myself thinking much about being *older,* though the thought that OTHER PEOPLE will think I'm "old" doesn't thrill me. Mostly, I'm noticing that I seem to be longing for change.

It started when I began decluttering my house over the summer. When I began picking paint colors and taking things down from the walls, I found myself enjoying empty space much more than ever before. The absence of visual activity is really pleasing me lately! I've changed the colors of every wall I've been able to get my hands on, and have plans for the rest of them, too. That was fun. The furniture is almost all in different spots, too. And since we have a new baby in the house, our school year is much different than last year--Daddy is taking the kids to Classical Conversations on Tuesday mornings while I stay home with the littlest two, and Zachary is attending their Challenge II program which is definitely just that--a challenge! Bo is still in Brasil for another month and a half, and I am more of a stay at home mom than I've been in the past couple of years as I enjoy the newest addition, often during hours I used to attend church services!

But I've also been thinking a lot about having a need to express myself or something. This blog was neglected for awhile while I occupied myself with the house and getting ready for baby. Now that it's fall and he's here, there's more time for sitting (and nursing) . . . and thoughts of things to write about are running through my head like crazy. I have to type one-handed many a time, but I've enjoyed pouring out what's inside once in awhile. I've come across a couple of new opportunities that I'm really excited about; one is writing articles once in awhile for Rosetta Stone's eNewsletter, and one is doing the same for Heart of the Matter Online . I just wrote my first article for HOTM, which will come out on October 22nd. Exciting stuff!

I'm also considering taking a college class or two. Crazy, hmm? It's always been a goal of mine to earn a Doctorate in Theology (there, I said it in public!) and I do believe I'll do it one day . . . but when to fit it in, LOL? Well, if I start now I may only be able to manage one or two classes at a time and it will take forever, but at least I'll be further along than if I don't ever start. I am anxious to get that going; it will probably be January before I can actually do it but it will be wonderful to start the process.

We're so looking forward to having all our chicks back in the nest in a few weeks (don't tell Bo I called him a "chick"--I did use a "k" in there.) His absence is quite noticeable and I know his friends are missing him, too! Rob plans to head to Brasil in a few weeks for a visit, which I'm sorry to say I'm begrudging him since I REALLY want to go, myself. They'll have a wonderful time, I'm sure. What an adventure!

So in the meantime, meals are made, books are read, floors are swept, secrets shared. We are enjoying life as it is, knowing how quickly things change and how blessed we are to be together day in and out. Hope your school year has been a wonderful one, so far!

Rusty's Great Adventure

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:12:00 -0500

(*My son wanted a copy of this story for his CC presentation tomorrow, and it made me giggle to re-read it. Thought I would reprint it here since it first ran several years ago and some of you might need a laugh!*)

One morning, my kids were playing outdoors while I cleaned the kitchen. My youngest son, who was two at the time, came in and announced, "Mom, I put Rusty in the hole."

"Oh?" I asked, casually continuing to wipe a plate.

"Yeah, he's in the hole."

"Okay," I said. I wasn't really alarmed, because the kids played with the hamster all the time.

Soon the older boys came in, and Levi shared the news that he'd put Rusty in the hole. "What hole?" they asked him.

And then the trouble started.

"In the car," Levi said.

"THE CAR? Where in the car?"

"In the hole," he patiently explained, a little louder this time, as if we were all idiots.

"Okay, guys, lets go see where he is," I said, and we all trooped out to the car. Levi went around back, and pointed . . .to the tailpipe.

"He's in there," he said.

For the next two hours, we tried to get him out. We talked to him. We tried banging on the pipe. Once or twice we saw his little pink nose, but the pipe was too small for me to reach my hand in to get him. I put some hamster food at the end of the pipe. Then we tried cereal. I should have tried calling the pizza delivery hamster who used to deliver to his "pad" in the hall closet. Anyway, after a couple of hours, we had to run an errand in our other vehicle. Afraid he'd escape only to be eaten by a neighborhood cat, I taped off the end of the tailpipe with some masking tape. (Yes, I left some space so air could get in--what do you think I am, stupid?) When we returned, the food we'd put in was gone, but the masking tape was still there, so apparently Rusty was, too.

By the time my husband returned from work it was dark out, and Rusty was still in the tailpipe. I was starting to worry, and the kids were pretty frantic. We couldn't think of anything else to try. Then, Daddy had a brilliant idea:

Start the car.

At this point, I was convinced that we'd never get him out anyway, and he'd get stuck somewhere up in the engine or something, and with it being hot here and all, well . . .it wasn't going to be pretty.

My middle child (the actual owner of the hamster) stood behind the car holding a kitchen strainer. The other kids stood on either side, looking on in trepidation. I went inside because I couldn't bear to watch. Daddy got in the car and started it.

Out shot Rusty, flying over and six feet past the strainer. He landed at the end of the driveway, dazed and covered in soot. His little hamster eyes were looking at us, like, "What on earth was that???"

The boys brought him in to me with their hands black from the powdery ash covering him. I knew we couldn't leave all that stuff on him, so I put him in the sink and broke out the strawberry-scented Suave shampoo. In the sink, he shrank to one quarter of his normal size and looked like, well, a drowned rat, honestly. So to add insult to injury, I blew him dry with my hair dryer.

Rusty was never really the same after that, though remarkably he did live for another several years. He mostly stayed home and ran on his wheel. Apparently, he'd seen enough of the world.