Blown

I got absolutely nothing done today.

#1 and #2 went with Mr Wonderful to the library. Whilst they were gone I wanted to outline some of the fabulous American Lit book. #3 wanted to tell jokes.

#3 and I watched a movie together, then I took him for a drive. That’s about all the attention the child is going to get until school starts July 20, bless his heart.

Friends came over after dinner and we all went blueberry picking. Mr Wonderful is making 8 quarts of jelly. He also has CPR class tomorrow, and has offered to make his stepmom’s Broccoli Cheese Casserole, since he’ll be in the kitchen anyway. On the way home from CPR class he’ll pick up some spare bricks and work on the back patio.

I might get some outlines done. I might get the hummingbird feeder restocked. I might make potato-cheese soup for lunch. Hmm, maybe some rolls, too. I might get some worksheets together for August’s Bible study.

Or the time might disappear. Sigh.

Confession

I’m thankful blogs are anonymous. I’m thankful most of the folks who will read this read my posts fairly regularly.

Ya’ll all know how much I love languages. I love to practice using them. I love to delight people by speaking to them in their native language.

Ya’ll know I love computer games. Cheap fun, educational (sometimes), shared with los kiddos. We ONLY do the games that have some educational value and NO killing, BTW.

However, mixing the two could get me into big trouble, if the word gets out.

See, there’s this game on Facebook called FarmTown. You plow soil, choose crops, sell in the market. The market is an open forum- folks from all over can meet, chat, even help each other out by harvesting crops on a private farm. (You have to invite the person to your farm.)

Then I noticed the drop-down under the icon for Market. “Language”, it said. So I clicked on it. You can go to markets where everyone is speaking another language! I can chat in Spanish, French, German! (Even UK English!)

So I went. I met nice people. Without thinking of the non-PC ramifications, I invited a new friend to earn some virtual money by helping me on my private farm.

Yep, I hired a Mexican to harvest my crops.

Why 4 a.m?

Because #1 was noisily sick at 2. And 3. If she caught what the 2 girls in Sunday School had on Saturday at the Church Picnic, it only lasts 24 hours. But it’s a nasty 24.

Meanwhile, I’m gonna go clean up the kitchen now that I’ve cleaned up my farm on Facebook. lol!

Welcome to Tuesday!

An Exciting Day, and Plans

Ordered German text and workbook today.
Went out with a friend. First time I’ve been out of the house without either hubby and/or kiddos in over 2 months. Had an iced coffee in support of the local economy.
Received American Lit textbook today. Turns out about half of the assignments are not printed within the covers of the book- Ben Franklin’s autobiography, for example. Must QUICKLY research availablity of these texts.

Tomorrow:
Making grits (with sausage and cheddar) casserole (from the Southern Living Cookbook) for the first time. It’s scheduled to be our Tuesday breakfast this month. Hope we like it, it’s too late to un-buy the groceries!

Get #2 to the orthodontist for her post-braces checkup by 9 am. Come home and supervise kiddos’ chores. (Kiddos need to be taken to “professional” level of household cleaning this summer.) 2 kiddos will read in the living room whilst I fine-tune the third through 2 chores each.

Lunch. Can’t remember what is scheduled, but I know whatever needs thawing is thawing.

Date to watch an Hercule Poirot mystery with #2 (in the Entertainment Room here at home) and play a game of checkers with #3. Maybe give a pedicure to #1- haven’t asked her yet. Definitely, definitely want to spend leisure time with each kiddos tomorrow, as well as chore time.

Put together a budget for August 2009 with Mr Wonderful. This will be our first budget together EVER. In 14 years of marriage. As a Total Control Freak, I’m torn between the thrill of finally having a budget and DTs from realizing how we’ve been living for so long….Who needs Six Flags when there’s a First Budget in the near future?

Dinner- Cream of Potato Soup (potatoes fresh out of the garden) and kaiser rolls. Rolls are rising in the cool oven all night.

Somewhere in there I’ll be trying to research that American Lit stuff, writing it into a syllabus for the year, reading/note-taking “Of Plimoth Plantation” for the Lit class, writing next week’s assignment sheets for los kiddos, and making copies of syllabi for the 9th/10th English class.

July 18 is when the county homeschool co-op is having a meeting to allow parents, teachers and admins co-ordinate the school year. I like to be able to show potential students the assignment schedule, with the text ISBN and my email address on the same sheet. That way, if they decide a week later to sign up for my course, they can get their text before classes begin. Or they can email questions to me.

I’m also hoping to share the gospel clearly with my mom again this week, and ask her if she’d like to have Jesus as her Savior.

Oh! I need to remind #1 that she hasn’t finished her assignment for Wednesday night’s Bible study!

I’m hoping to start a Bible study for young women in August, so I need to pray (A LOT) about that and contact parents of the young ladies who don’t drive yet, sometime this week. Not tomorrow, unless I bump something else from the list.

I’m excited about starting a study to help young women grow in their faith. I’m excited about spending time with los kiddos, and having a budget with Mr Wonderful. I’m excited about teaching quality literature, including reading through some things myself for the first time (Ben Franklin’s autobiography, Edith Wharton stuff) and re-reading to present other quality writings (The Chosen by Chaim Potok, Macbeth by Shakespeare).

Good thing there’s lemonade in the fridge- makes the reading all the more enjoyable!

Looking for a Window

It’s been said God never closes a door without opening a window.

There are some young ladies who are hurting this week because someone dear to them has died. I’d like to help. I know they need to talk about their feelings. I know they need someone to pray for them. I know they need someone who cares about them to help them begin to heal in a positive way- it’s so easy to get angry instead amidst all the pain.

I want to be their helper. I’m thinking a slumber party, but what would I do with my kiddos? What if my house isn’t pretty enough?
I’d also like to have a Bible study with these young ladies, and be with them through the more “normal” growing they’ll be doing.

Where, though? Lord, please show me a window.

Happy Fourth

May God grant you a happy Fourth of July. May it lighten your heart to remember our hard-won freedoms. May you be inspired by remembering all those who have gone before us, who loved us enough to work, and even die, for our rights.

May God set you free from some thing that has been weighing on your heart the first six months of this year. May the rest of 2009 be a little happier, a bit more peaceful, and less wearying because of the individual, loving freedom He gives you this July 4, 2009.

Vacation

We’re taking next week off, except for chores. This week had already been “lite schedule”, and the kids have been very good, but I want some time to plan. And pray.

Mr Wonderful has been having a very productive summer- he’s already put up a couple dozen jars of green beans from our garden. In spite of a rainy May, we didn’t get much in the way of dewberries, so we’re going blueberry picking for this year’s jams. Today he’s cooking a turkey and a ham so we can shred and freeze the meat. Still looking for pumpkins, squash, tomatoes and more cukes from the garden, too. Oh- lots of jars of dill pickles have been canned this week and last.

Next week Mr W may start his P/T job (taking an Alzheimer’s gentleman fishing). I wouldn’t squawk at prepped fish in the freezer, would you?

Los kiddos are old enough to (mostly) be a help during all this, so it seems a good time to put away the schoolbooks for a week.

How’s your summer shaping up?

Cheap Fun

It’s an ill wind that blows no good, they say.
Due to a lot of crying this week, one of my contact lenses wore out. After trying to tolerate the burning feeling for a couple of hours, I pulled the lens out and laid it on the desk next to the computer.

Not that we spend a lot of time on/near the computer, but each of the kids has individually discovered the lens, examined it (”Don’t put that thing in your eye!” Can you hear my weasly Mom voice over there?), and come up with a “new use” for it.

#3 has decided it should be basic spy equipment. Contact lenses that pop out, stick to your fingers, and also stick to walls, so you can climb them a la Spiderman.

#2 has also gone the Outside the Law route. She realized that contact lenses exactly cover her fingertips. “No fingerprints as evidence!”, she chortles.

Interpol, watch out. The JerseyKids are growing up fast.

Still Hurting

Viewing tonight. Memorial service after church tomorrow. Reception tomorrow night.

I’m sorry I didn’t tell him last Sunday how I’ve been enjoying watching him grow up.

I’m sad for all the kids his age who are stumbling through, wondering what to say. I’m sad for his sister, who has been bearing all of this with grace far beyond her years, especially the well-meant-but-badly-phrased stuff.

I’m thankful once again for our church. The family doesn’t have to think about mundane things right now- lots of supplies and helpful hands have been going out to them. Folks from our church are opening their homes for out-of-town mourners.

I’m sad for the parents. Most of us will go on with our routines after this weekend. Next Mother’s Day, we may not remember that it’s the first Mother’s day in 14 years she’s had 2, not 3, celebrating with her. In late October, as his birthday rolls around, we might not understand why his dad is being taciturn. Please God, let the grace continue for their sakes.

Sometimes you can almost see the refining fire. We don’t mourn like those who have no hope. I’m most thankful for that.

Addition: If you think of it, please pray for our pastor. He’s had a grandbaby born (1st girl), a son married, and this death happen all in the past 10 days, and he’s looking weary.

Please Pray

A young man from our church was just killed in an accident with a gun. He was 14 years old and has a 16-ish sister and a 20-something brother.

He was in youth group with me all year. His parents led the JV section of the group. He was 2 years older than my oldest daughter.

His brother has been touring with a Christian singing group. They performed at our church last month.

His family was the first to welcome our family into this church. The first weekend we attended was this young man’s birthday, and his mom graciously invited us to the party- “No gift required”.

His best friend is the oldest son of the folks who hosted the Home Group we attended at the church previous to this one.

He and his family have been woven into our lives for 7 or 8 years. Please pray for his family, and for our church. Thank you.