I fell asleep and then my husband came to bed, the dog started pacing, and now I am awake. I let the dog out and then she came back later, barking at the door. She wants to sleep in my room by my side of the bed now. I do let her do that when it storms, but it can't be a nightly occurence. For one thing, she moves around all night and wakes me up, and for another, Boy does she stink! An outside dog, part-time indoor dog doesn't work so well. We went to a get-together at friends tonight. They have a pool and most people swam and then we had a cook-out. I so much love getting together like that, but it just doesn't happen often. We get so busy with other things, that time just slips by without realizing you haven't been together in a while. Anyway, the kids had fun swimming and the adults had fun visiting. -------- The boys have started cooking once a week. On Mondays they pick out recipes for an entree and a side dish. If they want a dessert they can do that too. Then I go shopping for ingredients on Tuesdays. #1 cooks on Thursdays, and #2 cooks on Mondays. They have done well and I have been surprised by their choices. #1 has made turkey pie, catfish, apple crisp, strawberry banana coolers, and blackberry cobbler. #2 has made taco soup, a salad, chocolate pie, and for tomorrow is making Mexican sandwiches (like Po Boys), platz cake, and something else I forget right now. They are really doing fairly well. I do have to aid #2 a good bit, but #1 is mostly supervision. I make another side to go with their meal while they are cooking. It was during the catfish night that I realized I may need to be more careful about my supervision with #1. I was passing by the island when I saw him pouring pepper into a measuring cup. "What on earth are you doing?" "Getting the pepper ready," he innocently replied. "Well I am sure you don't need that much. How much did it call for?" I asked. "1/2 a cup." "No it didn't!" The argument went on a little while longer until I asked him to read the recipe to me. "Oh. 1/2 teaspoon," he meekly admitted. That was a close call!

The grass is mowed. I worked in the garden for a while this morning and then started mowing. I didn't at first plan to mow it all, but the more I looked at it, the more I realized it all needed doing. I try not to mow too often, saving gas and the environment. I was trying to time the mowing so it would be looking nice when I have kids here for day camps in August. It wasn't quite working out, so I suppose I will have to mow more often in a week or so. Too bad for the environment, aesthetics is winning. The boys and I walked over to the area where they are putting a new road in next to our land. It goes very far back. I think it will be a large development. I am trying to look at the positive in that- our kids may find some friends, and the value of our place increases- but looking at the way the earth is being mutilated makes me sick. There is a beautiful area in the back that looks like it will be a cul-de-sac. I am sure it will be a high selling area, but I wish they would have made it into a green park instead. I told my mother-in-law recently that I have what I want, so I am happy. I just hope the neighbors turn out to be nice.

I read a poem, A Christmas Carol, by Christina Rossetti yesterday. It is about Christ coming to Earth as a baby. I liked the pictures that she created. She spoke of Christ leaving everything and coming to where all he needed was a breastful of milk and a manger of hay. I also liked the picture of all the angels and cherubim worshipping Christ, but only the Virgin Mary could worship him with a kiss. What an honor it was to be the mother of Jesus. To be the one who provided nourishment, sustenance, protection, care, and love for God would have been overwhelming if she thought about it too much. I also have been enjoying a women's band out of Canada, The Wailin' Jennys. One song especially spoke to me yesterday in light of the previous poem. The song talks about how bad life has gotten for the person and they just want to go "home." The refrain is something like this (I don't have a copy in front of me): "Hallowed be these frozen fields, where Heaven and Earth are far away, and every single one of us still left in want of mercy, Take me home." In a world that started with God in it, we have done so much to destroy it and ourselves. Then when God came back to help us, we paid no attention. Now we are all left in want of mercy. Going home will be a wonderful thing.

I took the boys to a class on snake identification yesterday. I was hoping to identify what snakes we have been seeing around here. It seems that most of what we have seen are probably rat snakes. They come in different shades so it is hard to say, from my perspective anyway. I found out that a King Snake will eat all other snakes. That explains the stories I have heard of black snakes eating copperheads. It was probably the king snake. Hubby was trying to be Father of the Year. #1 really wanted to read the new Harry Potter book, but it is a rule in our house that Daddy has to read it first and give approval. #1 was upset by that because his dad is a slow reader. So my Sweetie bought the book and secretly spent over a day reading it. Then last night, for Guys Night Out, they went to dinner and then came home. Daddy told them to go sit on the couch, as if they were in trouble, and then began reading to them aloud. They were very pleased. Hubby says we need to read it aloud to them because there is some language that needs to be glossed over, but he thinks the story is fine. We went to the library yesterday too. #1 checked out some Warrior books that a friend has been reading. They are about cats' and dogs' secret battles. So last night they listened to Harry Potter, and then when I went to read aloud from The Long Winter, they were both in the living room reading books from the library. We are a very bookish family.

We woke to crying goats this morning. The boys and I had a 4-H County Council meeting last night so we fed earlier than usual and put the kids in the coop away from Millie. I guess they were pretty hungry. Yesterday Kelly woke me by coming in the bedroom and tapping my arm with her paw. I guess tomorrow will be the chickens' turn to sound the alarm. Much better than a blaring buzzer, that's for sure. ------------ Sunday was a good sermon about discipleship. The point was that being a disciple of Christ means serving others. Serving others is often inconvenient and bothersome. I have so many other things to do. I work up until the last second before church, which makes it a chore to give a ride to someone. I do a lot during the week, so cooking a meal for a sick person or the shelter is just one more thing I have to do. (sigh) Serving others means putting their needs before your own, and becoming Christ to them. What an honor and privilege, I must remember that when I start to sigh. ------------- It occured to me yesterday that homeschooling is a full time job. I was so tired last week and assumed it was the weather, but I think now it was starting back to school. I remember being tired like that the first week or so when I used to teach school for a living. Yesterday just kept going and going. I did manage a 20 minute nap in the afternoon, but otherwise I was on the go. I have to imagine it is what it would be like if I was still teaching professionally. The housework, garden, animals, extra-curricular activities, etc. would still need to be done, AND I would be gone all day teaching. At least this way I get to throw a load of laundry in or sweep the floor in-between lessons. But I love homeschooling my children, and I wouldn't change a thing.

We went to Sunday in the Park last night. The band was from South America, and the Hispanics in the audience were enjoying it. The two women on the bench behind us were singing along. Of course, we only understood a word here and there. When I was at the shelter the other night one of the ladies from Mexico tried talking to me in English. She has improved greatly, and the little Spanish that I know helped a bit. I spoke to her about the oddities of her language and she said the same issues bothered her in English, like the placement of adjectives. She admitted to us that speaking in English makes her nervous because she doesn't want to mess up. That is the same problem I have. I guess at some point you just have to get past it. #1 asked yesterday why he has to learn Spanish and I told him because it is a language that a lot of people in our country speak. I understand the issue that a lot of people have about if you come here you should learn English, but I think Jesus would have tried to learn their languauge too. If you are trying to help someone and can't speak to them, it doesn't really matter at the time whose fault it is that you can't communicate. I once saw a man in a doctor's office that couldn't get help because no one could speak to him. That made me really realize how important it is that I learn, although I have to admit I haven't done a whole lot about it. ---------------- Hubby heard this conversation a couple of days ago. #2 yelling, "Ugly (the rooster) STOP that!!!" #1, "It's just kissing." #2 "No it isn't. It's TORTURE!!" They were discussing the rooster jumping on the hen when she jumped out of the cage. Breeding hasn't quite sunk in yet.

I am milking Millie now in the mornings. I let the babies nurse during the day, so I can only get one milking in. I plan to sell Billy very soon and to put Milky Way in a pen away from Millie. Then I can milk twice a day and hopefully do a little better with the milk. #1 decided this summer that he likes goat milk and so he has been drinking it all. I am happy about that. Fresh milk is what I want for my children, but it means that I don't get any to drink and that there won't be any cheese. I am thinking that I need a few more milk goats. The problem lies in what to do when I am gone, like a vacation or a meeting during milking time. Missing one time here and there isn't bad, but to be gone for a week like we will be in October is really hard. I have trouble finding someone who knows how to milk and is willing to do it for me. I did find someone with a cow who is willing to share some of the milk with me. So now our kids and hubby can have real milk. #1 has started having some "grease" on his face when he sweats, and I would like to postpone puberty as long as possible. ------------ A friend from church is out of jail and back with us. He made some mistakes in the past and had to be away from us for a while. He has been gone about 9 months, and last night we went to a welcome back party for him. My boys are so happy that he is back. He has always been so sweet to them. I pray that he will stay on the straight and narrow now and do well.

I am blessed that a man has never beaten me and neither would I allow it. I worked at the domestic violence shelter last night and one of the women is still swollen from a beating over a week ago. I can not imagine being with a guy on purpose who is capable of that. ------------- I was reading The Long Winter to the boys last night and after I sent them to bed I had to keep reading. It is one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. I have read it before, but it still had me enthralled. I couldn't imagine what it must have been like that winter. I remember how cold it was in here a year ago when the heater would quit working and it would be 53 when I would wake up. It was 40 below 0 in an uninsulated house with just a coal stove for heat for them. You would never feel warm. They were running out of food and fuel with no prospect of getting more. They spoke of being so dependent on things that they didn't used to need, like kerosene, coal, railroads. Pa said the world is changing so fast. I thought that was only the beginning of the fast change. I'm not sure we could get by if something drastic happened like that winter. I hope we don't have to find out.

We went to a waterfowl park on Wednesday. It was a field trip I had been wanting to take, and Weds. was free so it was a good day to go. There are birds there from every continent. We went with a friend and her kids, and we all had a good time. The boys especially liked the Hawaiian Goose because they would stand and look at you and seemed to talk to us at times. While we were on vacation I talked with some people at my in-laws church. They were very impressed with #1. He has a lot of Bible knowledge, and they say he is sweet and very sharp. Another is very impressed with his integrity---he wouldn't watch a movie clip that was rated what he isn't allowed to see, even telling the Bible School teacher that he couldn't watch it. I hope he stays this way through his life. It reminds me of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. I certainly believe something special surrounds #1. He had a special birthmark after he was born, and I felt like Satan tried to get to him when he was still a toddler. There is danger in that though. Besides the obvious spiritual battle with Satan, it occured to me that if we were going to church in that particular congregation, it might be detrimental to #1. Being a preacher's kid here seems to have no special expectations, but to be the preacher's kid where your dad grew up and your grandfather is an elder could be too much pressure. Again, I am so glad to be where I am.

I have read a lot of Amish stories. The way they live is intriguing to me. I am interested in how you go about life in today's world and don't do most of the things that today's world does. Well our trip to Amish Country burst my bubble a bit. The women were wearing the dresses like you expect, but they wore crocs, flip flops, and Nike on their feet. They have solar panels on their houses to charge the batteries that they use for their farm equipment and household appliances. The women were using weed eaters on their yards. And at any hour of the day or night they were out in their horse and buggy- now don't they need to be home getting their work done, or sleeping at night?! According to our hosts their way of life is so that they will remain dependent on their community. If you don't all have a tractor then you have to help each other with your work, if you all loook alike then there isn't competition to be better than the others. But it would appear that it is not working. Everyone seemed to have everything they needed. More and more are working outside of the home, because there is no more land to have big farms. It seems the Amish are having a 20th Century Crisis in the 21st Century. I realized they are having the same crisis that I am having. How do you be a Christian in a fallen world? How do you have a community of people that believe like you do, who can be part of the way you want to raise your children? My husband said the problem with the Amish is that they don't make Christianity a viable alternative. For most people it is not a possibility to live like they live. So how can I make Christianity a viable alternative to those around me? I am working on that daily.

Millie is now a milker. The goats are one month and two days old and they had to sleep away from Mommy last night. The girl, Milky Way, cried like a baby. I'm surprised she had any voice left. I got almost a quart of milk out of Millie, that's better than when she had Elvis. Twins must be requiring more milk. I picked them up last night and they are quite fat and sleek. I mowed grass yesterday and started weeding the garden. I picked a HUGE bucket of cucumbers, so I guess I will be making pickles soon. The potatoes are starting to come up and the beans and sweet potatoes look pretty good. We have no luck with corn. A storm came through a couple of weeks ago and it tore down most of the corn. Now it is all dead from that. ________ The full week that we were gone on vacation Hubby and I went on a retreat in Ohio. It was for pastors and their spouses. There is no technology allowed--computers, email, cell phones, television. We spent the week renewing our friendship with each other and our relationship with God. I spent most of the time reading the New Testament. Being out of our routine during summer break had me out of my reading habit. I was thirsty for the Word. I sat outside on the porch or in the hammock and just read the Bible. It was good. A little insight was given to me about my husband. I have always felt like he watches too much television. He has it on while he writes, reads, relaxes, whatever. I can't handle that. It is distracting and makes me waste time. So while we were on retreat there was no tv. I didn't have a problem with that, but I did have a problem staying inside with him to read. I have to be outside. It occured to me that being outside is how I stay connected with God, how I stay focused, how I get things done. Not being able to do that is like my husband not being able to have the tv on while he works. Strange how we focus so differently.

School started fine yesterday, and no one died. The boys were sure starting school again was going to kill them. #2 was tired by 10:30; he hasn't had to focus as much with school out. #1 was happy that there is no English or Spelling this year. He willingly did all of the work once he realized there was no English looming ahead. It is all a trick, you see. We are learning several other languages this year, but in doing so you learn about your own language. We started Latin yesterday and there was a lot of talk about singular and plural, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person. We wrote a thank you note to an aunt who sent a book to them earlier, and that involved some work on capitalization and punctuation. He just didn't realize what he was doing without a workbook to guide him! ----------- We had a 4th of July cookout and kickball game at our house before we left for vacation. I think we had 28 people here. It was good to sit and visit with people and catch up on their lives. We just don't do that enough. Beforehand, though, we had to get everything ready for the party and then also to be gone for 10 days. So the boys and their dad were raking grass up in the back yard, when #2 put something in his pocket. "What did you just put in your pocket?" asked his father. "A cricket," he slowly answered. "You can't put a cricket in your pocket," was his daddy's logical remark. "He already has 6 in there," replied #1. "Well it's ok," offered #2, "I put some grass in my pocket too." When hubby told me that I burst out laughing. That explains the laundry a couple of days before that that had a bug fall out of it. You just never know what will happen around here.

I'm back. We left the 5th to go to WV and visit family. We stayed mostly with my parents, and then hubby and I went to a retreat in Ohio. It was over Friday and we went back to WV to visit his family. We got in last night about 9:30 to discover Kelly missing. There is a lot to that story later, but she is back safe and sound. It was good to see family and to get away as a couple, but it sure is nice to be home. 10 days is a long time. I went away last July for 10 days and it seems like it was a long time then too. #2 was ready to get back yesterday and said this morning that he enjoyed being in his own bed. School starts today and I am looking forward to getting back into a routine. During school I start the morning with prayer, Bible reading, and this blog. Somehow that doesn't happen when we aren't in session. I am a spontaneous person, but routine is needed as well as spontaneity. I will write more about our trip over the week. We had a good time and a few revelations along the way.

It is 5 a.m. and I am awake. I woke up about 2:30 and couldn't get back to sleep. I thought maybe if I write about some things, then I may slow my brain down enough to get a nap in before I have to get ready for church. I spent Saturday working hard outside. It was supposed to rain all day, and then they changed it to the afternoon. I was planning on getting in as much work outside as I could and then working on things inside. Well the rain never came until suppertime, so I was able to get a lot done, but I probably pushed myself too much. The back is really achy. I put up new wire in the chicken coop, cleaned the coop and spread it on the garden, washed out all of the watering devices with Clorox, and cleaned the camp chairs for our 4th of July celebration. I am looking forward to vacation next week, but I have so much to do to get ready that I am having trouble relaxing. My uncle is to come and visit some time in the next couple of days, and hopefully he will be able to take Elvis to my dad's house. Then my dad can take Elvis to the stock sale up there. I tried to take him here, but with no trailer it is difficult to find someone to help. I still have to confirm people watching the animals while we are gone. My kid that always watched them for me and did a good job moved this May, so now I am in search of a trustworthy person. I need to be ready to jump right into school when we get back, too. Which doesn't mean so much for school, but I want to have everything around the house finished so that I can focus on school and not try to finish up projects. Projects are always easier when the extra kids are gone and school is not in session. I have also scheduled a lot for August so I need to work on those things when we get back. I have scheduled 2 day camps and an economics course; therefore I lose 3 weeks in August. I am really looking forward to what we will be learning though. One is an environmental day camp and the other is science-- lots of experiments. The economics is a course that I won a grant to teach. So all of that, the garden, the house, vacation, church, letters that need written, and probably more have been keeping me awake. Now that they are all out there I should go to sleep. I sure hope.