Language Controversy

Well the saga of what to say and where continues. While my parents were here, we were having dinner in the dining room with me, Hubby, Mom, Dad, and a guy from church. The boys were at the countertop in the kitchen- definitely within hearing. #1 was telling a story to #2 about a Garfield cartoon, when he says, "That's a ---- good idea." I said, "#1! We don't say that word." He looked a little confused and said sorry. Later I asked him about it, and he said he was explaining what Jon said in the cartoon. Then he went on to say how upset he is that those words are in a children's book because then how are you supposed to know when you can say something? On Tuesday we were having lunch with a friend of mine and there were 5 children along- 2 of them mine. #2 says (and I am two tables away), "#1 got in trouble for saying ----." I whipped around and said, "#2 you don't blurt that out." Now he looked confused, but went on with their conversation. A couple of minutes later I hear them spouting off the words you aren't to say and which books they are in so that their friends don't make the mistake of running into them! I told my friend it is a good thing they don't know other things or they would be telling all of the kids about that. I wonder if I have been too much of a dictionary and not enough of a disciplinarian in this area. But then last night I was helping a couple of friends with a project when the word "wus" came up. I didn't understand why a father was upset that a guy called his daughter that. I had to be enlightened as to what it means. I thought it just meant you are a wimp. So even though I am 30 years older than my kids I am having the same conversations with my friends! Maybe it is best if we all join a convent and take a vow of silence. ---------- Finished testing yesterday!!! The boys had friends come to Youth Group last night because we had a dinner at church. After dinner they had Group, and then Hubby made funnel cakes for everyone. After that I took all of the kids to Baskin-Robbins for ice cream. We didn't get home until midnight. Today is to be spent enjoying staying home- for the most part- and celebrating no school work. Encoded message there means we are cleaning house!

Happy Kids

Here are some happy kids...and children and a teacher! Today is the last day of school!!!

Of course we still have a lot to accomplish for 4-H in the next couple of weeks, but it isn't school and somehow that makes a difference. So last night I was working on a high school schedule for the boys so that I can know what we need to cover soon at the end of middle school. The teacher must always think ahead.

Yesterday's interviews went well. The ladies were kind and chatty, and even after the filming they wanted to talk a while and ask us about what 4-H is like now. So #1 has a couple of "events" to film in the next few days, and then we make the movie.

That has to be more fun than math and science!

Tests

Friday I went to the opthomalogist. It was to be the check up visit on my cataract. I saw many people from the staff, and had abundance of eye drops to numb my eye. Now why would you need to numb my eye unless you are going to do something that hurts, right? One of the staff commented that I seemed nervous. I told him I HATE the eye doctor. I would rather go to the dentist any day. I think this stems from a doctor I had as a kid who told me I would eventually go blind.I guess every time I go to see an eye doctor I am expecting him to tell me my days are numbered. That's disconcerting to say the least. Anyway, the tests were not horrible, not wonderful either though, and the results were fair. I have scar tissue on my retina that causes some blind spots in my left peripheral vision. So far it isn't a danger. The cataract is small and inconsequential. My burning dry eyes may be helped by some OTC drops. So all-in-all it was good news. Yesterday was another kind of test. The boys started their final exams. There are 76 home schooled children testing together this week, so my boys thought it was great. I hope #1 did well since I was told he finished every test waaay before everyone else. I reassured him afterward that he really isn't that much smarter than everyone else and should be taking longer on the tests. Real moral support, I know. I was proctoring the Kindergarten kids' tests. It was a test for me as well. Not only was there a behavior problem that sent me to the "Mean Monster" edge, but I disagreed with the test on a lot of things. I think it was definitely skewed toward public schoolers, but it also had some ambiguous questions that I didn't know the answer to! One was about a girl carrying something in her lap while the family moved, and I have put all three of the options in the car when we have moved! Another was about what a kid would pull out of his pocket at the end of a day at the beach, and there were two correct answers! I get this way every time I proctor this test, so I wonder if testing might be a route for me to try in grad school. My mother-in-law was having a test yesterday in patience and perseverance. Her mother was to go into assisted living at 10:00 a.m. and she refused to go. They spent the whole day trying to get her to leave her house, but she wasn't budging. Finally her old pastor came and reverse psychologized her into going to look at the home. So last night was her first night in the new place. I hope it went well, for her sake as well as the daughters' sakes. Today after testing we go to a retirement village to interview former 4-Hers. That will be a test too since our kids don't always speak loudly. It should be an interesting interview though. One of the ladies was in 4-H 76 years ago! But before we get there we have to put up with the other tests. Wish us luck.

Parents Visit

The parents got here on Thursday afternoon. We were able to visit on Thursday, and then started the real work on Friday. We worked through the weekend, so I didn't end up with pictures of us working. My dad and Hubby were able to frame in the walls and closets to the boys' rooms. The windows didn't make it in, so we will have another guy do that. The electrician will come tomorrow to do the upstairs. I also have people coming in the next couple of days to give estimates on drywall and mudding. Today I am looking over the budget and seeing how much trouble we are in. We may have to just hook up the ac and put walls in next year! This is the view from what will be #2's bedroom. There is no window there yet. If #2 had his way, he would never get one. The windowsill should be quite wide, so he is looking forward to having flowers and herbs growing there.

Above is the view of #2's bedroom and closet from #1's doorway. Below is #1's bedroom and closet. The plan for his closet changed since the floor slopes badly in this area. You work with what you have.

Below is a picture of some progress on the stairwell. We ended up having to make a change here too as the oak skirt was not available at the discount store. We went with pine and will paint it to match the trim in the hallway. Some decisions have to be economical instead of aesthetic.

The floor guy's wife had her baby last night, so he will be out of commission for a while. He has been a tremendous help to us, so I will miss him terribly. The baby and mother are both healthy; for that we are very thankful, and I do not begrudge her wanting to keep Ben at home a couple weeks.

My mom worked on the house shutters. They were very, very faded, and some had come loose. I decided I wanted to take them off of the house, except in the front. So she spray painted them Hunter Green, and I will hang them in the next week or so. I will wait for a picture of them after they are hung. She also did a lot of cooking and cleaning. Got to love those mothers!

I worked on cleaning out the work shed. I was able to get a lot of garbage taken out- it's still in the back of the van- and things organized. I also spent a lot of time answering questions and making decisions. I am ready for this to be over, that's for sure.

Now they have headed back to WV to get their own work done. It never stops, no matter how old you are.

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Tomorrow starts the "End of the Year Testing" week. My boys love this time. They visit with friends and eat lots of snacks, oh, and they take a test. It is also the mark of the end of the school year, so it makes it even more exciting. We will celebrate on Wednesday evening at Baskin-Robbins 31 cent scoop night.

Looking for Food

"Boys! There's a snapping turtle in the yard. Leave it alone." "Cool! There's a snapping turtle in the yard!" "Did you hear the "Leave it alone." part?" "Yes Ma'am." I went out yesterday to get started cleaning out the coop. Kelly was barking and going crazy. It was a roving snapping turtle. He stayed about an hour, and I don't think he will be back. He must have a headache after all of Kelly's fussing. She chased him all of the way from the back yard, through the side and front yards, and into the road. He actually could move pretty quickly.

We see a couple of these a year. The farm land behind us has been cleared, so I don't know how many more we will see. There is still one pond not far from us, and we have our tiny pond that we dug in the backyard, but at least three ponds back there have been filled in. That means the food supply has gone down drastically.

The farmers kept assuring us they are planning on farming the land, but I am getting nervous. They haven't planted anything yet, or even prepared the fields. They were the ones that caused the huge wildfire a couple of months ago though, so maybe they just don't have the resources to farm it now.

The house is still coming along. The floor is in and the insulation is up. The insulation makes it a LOT quieter up there. I had been afraid that the rain on the tin roof would keep the boys awake, but it is so much quieter that I think they will be just fine.

My parents will get here tomorrow, and they will help us to get more done on it. The windows will go in and the walls will get framed. The end is in sight!

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Turtles aren't the only ones looking for food around here. The boys are always hungry these days. #2 ate and ate and ate last week. So I went to WalMart last night to shop. I was in there a few days ago and realized that the food is so much cheaper, even with coupons at other stores, that I need to be shopping there. I have to be careful to only go to the spots I need, or I will buy more than I want and that will end up more expensive. Anyway, I bought lots of convenience items that the kids can throw in the microwave and cure their hungry time, like meatballs, tater tots, cheese sticks- not in the microwave though, etc. Once school is out I think we will have time to get some cooking done and freeze it for those munchie times.

I finished going through clothing for the boys. I thought #1 had skipped size 16 and gone straight into an 18, but as I put things away I realized he was in a 16 before. I guess I can't keep up with my kids' sizes. Denial I suppose.

Anyway, #1 is in size 18. I had a couple pair of 29/30 men's jeans for him, and they were too small. I was shocked. His daddy wore a 28/32 when I met him! #1 thought that was funny as well as surprising. The sad part is that I could wear Hubby's pants when we were dating. There is no way I could get into those 28/32 jeans now!

Insanity

"Mom, I hope I never get kuru." Ok, I'll bite. What's kuru? "A degenerative disease of the central nervous system, found among certain aborigines of the eastern highlands of New Guinea." I don't think you have to worry, you're not an aborigine. #2 was doing a little light reading of the dictionary last night. He's a funny little man. I have decided that no one in their right mind should homeschool, be active in 4-H, and remodel a house. It is complete insanity. My husband is left handed, so he says he is the only one in his right mind anyway. Guess what? #2 is left handed too. Now do you think they are in their right minds? Kuru, anyone?

Blonde Queen

I was feeling very faint today. I would walk through the kitchen like a drunk. When I leaned into the washer or dryer, I would have a "black out." I was shaky and very lightheaded. I asked a friend to check my blood pressure because I thought for sure I was about to have a stroke. I have been under a lot of stress lately, and I figured my limit had been reached. The blood pressure turned out to be fine. Finally, I deduced that the insulation that was installed today was making me have blonde moments. There were a lot of fumes coming off of it. So we opened all of the windows and doors and I seem to be getting back to normal now. Of course blonde moments will occur even in the cleanest air. --------- I made Texas Soup for dinner tonight. I thought that would be a good way to make the boys eat bean soup: call it something else. #2 asked, "What's for dinner?" "Texas Soup," I replied. "Texas Soup," he twanged back. But as we got closer to dinner the real questions began. "What's in Texas Soup? Beans?" Sigh.

Night Time Meanderings

Yes, it is 5 in the morning. I have been awake since about 2:00. I did a similar thing the night before. I just wake up and my mind goes for a walk. Perhaps a journey would be a better description. I don't mind too much, except for the fatigue, because I get time to think. Normally I can't lie down and think because I feel like I have work to get done. But in the middle of the night I don't feel like I can work because it will wake everyone. So I lie in bed and think. My husband rarely sleeps a night through, so he flips on the light and reads while I think. He asked what was on my mind, and I couldn't really answer. I realized we need to get a couple of other lights and switches for the upstairs closets, a few bills need paid (I came online to do that and the site was closed- should have stayed in bed!), considered what community service projects the boys could do, went through State Project final details, remembered the bathtub needs cleaned after the dog washing last evening, need to pack eggs for Caroline, can I get the quiche out of the pan or just use the one it is in... Nothing life shattering, just thoughts. I also spend this time in prayer. That might be what woke Hubby. I was praying for him to hear God and speak forth His Word today. Hubby woke with some sermon ideas. Sorry. ----------- I spent Saturday going through summer clothes to get out and winter clothes to put away. I still have some to do, but actually got a lot done on it. I'm not sure why I bothered since it is supposed to still be cool for at least another week. The house was 54 degrees a couple of mornings ago. I'm ready to either have warmer weather or to get the upstairs finished. The insulation goes in on Monday morning. That should help, but we still need the windows put in. I also spent some time working with the boys on their entrepreneurship project. They are going to have a booth at the Farmers' Market, and they will raise herbs and veggies to sell. So we had to go to Lowe's to get a few things yesterday. #1 is also going to have a pet sitting business for the summer. #2 is going to make art pictures and try to sell them at the Family Fun Day. He is very proud of his art, and it was hard for me to tell him that that is probably not a good business. We compromised with Family Fun Day and seeing if it is worth keeping that business. FF Day is May 9th and he is to make 25 pictures before then. He is also partnering with me to sell eggs. We are going to invest in some more hens, and he has to help feed and clean out the coop. That was the breaker for #1 to be in the egg business. Anything with poop in it is a "NO" for him.

Spring Break

"Spring Break" is over; not that it ever really started. We skip SB so that we can get out by the end of April. The extra kids do have spring break though, so we have a slightly easier schedule. We went to the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium on Thursday. We left at 8:30 and got back at 5:00. We spent a lot of the day at the aquarium and then part of the afternoon at the nearby fort. My kids were able to introduce several friends to Fort Macon, and they had a ball. They don't love it for the historical value, but for the cool places to play hide and seek.

We stayed at the touch tank a long time. The sting rays were especially playful.

We walked out on the boardwalk to go through the wetland salt marsh. While out there we watched a pelican sleeping on the boardwalk. It was about the size of a large pumpkin, and every now and then it would stretch out its neck. The neck was long, and I imagine if it had wanted it could have snatched any of the kids.

After we came home, we ate dinner, fed the animals, and took off again. It was the County 4-H Talent Show and Fashion Revue. My boys didn't participate, but #2 did model a scarf that his friend crocheted. Look out GQ!

Crazy Chickens

Last week, I went out to the shed and found some fresh droppings on the floor. We keep our deep freezer out there, so I go out often. There is a hole in the wall that I imagine used to be for a stove pipe. I thought a bird must have flown in through there and made a mess. A couple of days later, I was out there again and noticed a new mess. I thought that was odd, but went on to the freezer. When I turned around I saw a chicken in the corner raise up her head. She was sitting in a Rubbermaid tub, looking very sleepy. I shooed her out of there and saw that she was sitting on 4 eggs. That means she was in there at least 4 days without food or water. I couldn't believe she had lasted that long and was able to lay eggs at the same time. Crazy Chicken...I guess she got in when #2 left the door open several days earlier. ---------- I went to a homeschoolers' support group last night. One of the moms shared her experience with her daughter over the last couple of years. They have struggled with teen angst, depression, OCD, and other psychological problems. The mom was having trouble dealing with not being a perfect mom or a perfect home schooler. Thank goodness none of us has to be perfect. I mess up all of the time. I lose my temper, say hurtful things, forget to do things, act selfishly, lie, think hateful thoughts, and more. I have kids who do the same. Christ rose for a reason. Thank God that he did! Perfection will come with His return.

Stages

I have two sons that seem to be going through new stages at the same time. That combined with remodeling a house is about to send me over the edge. I have a hot cup of mint tea sitting beside me now to calm the nerves. I remember #1 going through the ten year old stage, so I guess it isn't too surprising to me that #2 thinks the world is against him. Everyone, especially his brother, is trying to "get him." I try to tread gently here, knowing that his whole self concept is under fire, but whew! He seems to need to be near me even more than usual, and I am getting a bit "touch tired." Today hasn't been too bad for touching, but basketball with his brother is quite an ordeal. #1 is going through a whole new stage for us...preteen. He is 12 now and starting to throw out his wings a little bit. Thankfully, he is starting to recognize the need for showering and shampooing. I couldn't figure out why his hair was sooo greasy when he says he shampoos, and then I looked in his shower. He was using conditioner instead of shampoo. He doesn't have the keenest powers of observation. I recently had to show him how to use hair gel, as he had it glued to his head. He told me he was trying to have a "look." There are good parts to this new stage. He is starting to help a little more, carrying things for me, getting school work done without being told. He also noticed after my 4-H judging that he needs to start putting more effort into activities. He sleeps more than he used to sleep. He's fun to talk and joke with when he isn't in a mood. Overall I like it. My in-laws are going through their own stages. Their mothers are mentally gone; alzheimers has claimed them. They are doing crazy things like putting the food they don't want onto someone else's plate. They want to go home when they are already home. And they talk incessantly. It sounds a lot like a second childhood. Life is one change after another, and there doesn't seem to be anything we can do about it except wait. It is rough when you are going through it though. As someone told my mother-in-law years ago, "I think I'll take the next stage out of town."

Freedom

The kids have discovered that they can get out under the fence. They enjoy the grass on the other side. They keep showing up in the back yard. I guess I won't have to mow as much this summer. I just hope they don't discover the grapevine! I have been trying to grow that for about 4 years now, and I may succeed this year with all of the rain we have been having.

Above, the triplets, Rachael, Alex, and David, are hanging together. Then the black and white twins, Isaac and Isabelle. The two singles seem to hang together, on the left is Joy and then Manly on the right. Below front to back is Manly, Isabelle, and Joy. Manly is still "different" from the others, but he is so much better than a month ago. He has trouble walking in a straight line and falls a lot, but otherwise he is doing well.

These are the boys' pottery containers. They were learning to make things on the wheel. I think they were hoping for cereal bowls, but they didn't turn out that deep. I told them they look like good candle holders. You might get a Christmas present there, Grandparents. I like the glaze; all of the kids' pottery turned out well.

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The "extra" kids are on spring break this week, so our school will be a bit different too. They will be here all day, so that slows down what we can accomplish. I told my boys they have to do Math, Grammar, and Foreign Language. They are booking to get done before the others get here.

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Would my new "follower" identify herself? It kind of wigs me out not knowing who is reading.

Easter Traditions

We always seem to stay home for Easter. I'm not sure why it has worked that way, but it has. Most people at our congregation were gone. I think I counted 30 people. We're a young group and a lot of people take advantage of the holiday and spring break.

Our tradition is to color eggs the day or so before. Then the Easter Bunny hides your eggs if he likes them. We have always been lucky that he likes our eggs. Then we eat breakfast and head to church. I don't limit the kids' candy intake for a couple of days, and by this evening the solid bunnies were gone, as well as several other pieces. Some eggs contain money; the boys made $1.50 this year. The hard boiled eggs were hidden in the dining room where the baskets had been left on the table.

The egg search is a big part of the excitement. It used to be followed with plastic egg hunts in the afternoon, but we seem to have grown out of them. The colored eggs were brown to start with- from our hens. Hubby asked if I was going to buy white eggs for the coloring, but with there being 14 dozen eggs to get rid of last week, I opted to color brown eggs!

Of course we have the traditional family Easter picture. This was taken at church. I still have a few inches on #1. Poor #2 looks a bit scrunched.

I made a skirt yesterday for my "Easter Best." It is reversible with two shades of pink. The fabric has a lot of embroidery and eyelets on it. I had trouble with the waist band. I may tear it out and put in a button instead.

We had hotdogs from Sheetz for lunch. I just don't have time before church to get it all together for a big lunch. So last year we started having Easter Supper and it seems to work well. This is my beautiful lemon meringue pie. I thought it turned out well. I didn't make the crust this year, but the rest is from scratch. Yum, Yum!

Ham, limas, carrots, and corn were all we had for our feast. I used to make a huge meal, but it would just have to be leftovers for the rest of the week, so I have scaled back. The boys don't care as long as we have ham. Hubby doesn't care as long as there is ham, limas, and PIE!

Next to chocolate chip cookies, my man loves pie. It seems that is the favorite for all my guys: cookies and pie.

We spent the afternoon resting, taking a walk, and doing some piddly things. It was nice to relax. I was able to get some shots of the goats too. I'll share those tomorrow.

Happy Easter! Christ is Risen!!!!!

Hi Mom!

This post is for my mom and anyone else who is wondering how the house is going. I guess it is true that a picture says a thousand words, because whatever I was saying wasn't working. Hope the pictures make sense.This is what the hallway looked like as they cut the hole in the ceiling for the stairwell. It was so dusty you couldn't even see the guy cutting the hole! There was a lot to clean up after that! Now, wonder of wonders, he is coming back today to cut some more. The hole wasn't large enough to have the mandatory 6'6" head clearance. I wouldn't worry about it too much, except that #1 is supposed to be 6'3"-6'4" and I think that may happen while he still lives at home.

This shows the hole above where the closet was, and the hole where the pull down stairs to the attic was. Below are the stairs in progress. They are covered with old wood from the shed we tore down. I think once the floor is laid upstairs, then the real wood on the stairs goes down. Or I could be completely wrong about that. I don't understand a lot of what gets said around my house these days.

The stairs begin between our bedroom and the kitchen doorways. This is the scene from the sunroom (backdoor) and then going up the stairs.This what you walk into at the top of the steps. Right now you can see all the way across the "family room" into "#1's bedroom." After the floor is laid next week, we will put up the walls to separate rooms. The family room will be an "L" shape going to the left of the picture. There will be a closet on the right where you can see some of the wood for the floor sticking out.This is the view looking out of #1's bedroom into the family room and down the stairs. You can also see the rest of the family room, and behind the stairs will be #2's bedroom. He will have a large closet backing up to the family room closet on the left where the wood is. Each boys' room is about 12x15 ft, and the family room is about 21x15 ft, but taking out some for the stairs and closet. (Remember the "L" shape.)These are called "knee walls" and are about 4ft tall. Behind them will be storage. That will give me more storage than I had when we used the attic for storage! We had plywood down on part of the attic, but there wasn't much. There will be doors to this area in each of the boys' rooms and also one in the family room. Lights are being put in the area as well, so it should be a nice storage area for us. I also have a feeling that some boys are going to hide in there!

Below is the new heating and cooling system that went in earlier this week. It is in the corner behind #2's bedroom, and runs the length of the wall going down the side where the closets will be. I can still use this for storage, but I probably won't.

This is another view of #2's bedroom. There will be a window where the blue tarp is. It was an air vent before. The wood was VERY rotten. #2 is looking forward to growing plants in his room. I think we will limit it to a window box here. He also has ideas of climbing out the window and jumping off the back porch roof. I don't think so!

So this is what has been taking up all of my brain power lately. It is exciting to see some progress after so long waiting. We are hoping by the end of May the rooms will be completely finished and the boys moved into them.

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I was talking with a friend yesterday about her son giving her his trash and dirty plates. I agreed that I am also a trash can and a clock. One of my sons piped up, "And a dictionary!"

Yes, I am a dictionary. I was informed yesterday that my children have learned some colorful language. It was VERY colorful, and said at church no less. Aaahhh, preacher's kids. So I had a talk with the boys about what all of those words mean and why we don't use them. I had to cover a lot of ground, and I don't know that it all went into their heads. I am sure a good bit was over their heads. I handled it in a very non-threatening way full of calm thorough explanations.

Of course, the entire time I was sick on the inside that my babies knew these words. I felt like I had been punched in the stomach to tell them these things. I told Hubby later that we may as well tell them about Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny because their innocence is lost. I am holding out there though, EB will be coming tomorrow and I like candy.

I really hope this dictionary can be put on the shelf for a while.

Spring Fever

I visited a friend yesterday for the afternoon. I had my 5 kids and she has 4; they played outside most of the time! You know with 9 kids you would have locked them out, too. Anyway as we visited, we realized that something has turned our kids' minds to mush. They look at us vacantly, use the wrong words, can't remember how to add fractions, and generally are "out of it." In the evening #1 confirmed our diagnosis. He and his brother were shooting baskets in the parking lot, when they started arguing about a basket. I usually leave it up to them to work it out, which usually means tears on someone's part. Last night it was #2 who ended up crying. He ran toward the van to hide in there, but #1 chased him down and wouldn't let #2 close the door. I let it go for a while, but then called #1 to me. "Can you not see that your brother wants to be left alone?" "No." "You are telling me that you are so stupid that you can't tell when someone leaves your presence, in tears, and tries to go where you are not, that you can't tell he wants to be left alone?" "No." I had the garden hose in my hand and was very tempted, but I managed to control myself. This questioning went on for a while and then I asked why he was trying to get to his brother. "I was trying to apologize." "In what way? Your voice and your words were not saying, 'I'm sorry.'" His response? "I was trying to point out to him..." I cut him off there; "An apology doesn't start out with 'I was trying to tell you.' It starts with "I'm sorry." and that is the end of it." "Oh." I'm ready for a vacation.

Dreams

Lately I have had some strange dreams. I actually have a lot of strange dreams, but these seem especially odd. First I dreamed that I was a spy sneaking into an occult that was moving to Montana from Canada. I was assigned to sneak in and convince them to go back to Canada. The really odd part was that fire ants were coming with me in order to get into Canada. The fire ants were performing their own espionage. Then I dreamed that #1 had been kidnapped from us when he was about 1 year old. He was returned to us at 3 years, but had been brainwashed. We were trying to just go back to normal, but he kept doing weird things. Last night it was that there were terrorists in town kidnapping children from the railroad tracks. My mother had seen it on television and called to ask me about it. I said I had heard something like that, but wasn't concerned. Then I was asked to chase down the terrorists on camels who liked to eat a LOT of salt. I didn't even eat anything weird before these dreams! Usually I dream about the mafia or something about the kids or house. These were strange even for me. ------- Hubby came back safely yesterday evening.

Friends

I have a lot of friends. I know that surprises many of you, but it is true. (Bunch of smart alecks, most of them!) I have friends that I haven't seen in years, and yet I know that at the drop of a hat they will do anything for me. I love getting a surprise email or letter and catching up with how their lives are going.

I also have friends that actually still live near me and converse with me on a regular basis. We commiserate about kids and busy-ness. We laugh together, go out together, play jokes on each other, and pray for each other.

We also annoy each other. One friend in particular annoys me with her homeschooling. She always thinks about what the next year is going to bring, before the current year is over. Then she starts telling me all about what she is planning, and BOOM! I am caught up in trying to get things done for our next year.

So now I am trying to finish up fractions and grammar before the big test at the end of April, AND trying to figure out what curriculum would be good for us to try next year. Actually I think I have most of what I will be needing, but getting it all in order and thinking through it is sort of heavy duty work.

My best friend ever is getting back tonight. He will tell me not to worry about it yet. I like him.

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I am getting about 20 eggs a day now. The cooler weather the last day or so will of course slow that down a bit. I actually had about 14 dozen eggs in the fridge a few days ago. I took several to church and gave them away. I made 4 quiches for the Monday Night Prayer Group. I sold 3 1/2 dozen yesterday, and a friend emailed today to come buy 3 dozen. And still I have eggs! I called the farmers' market yesterday, and we will be getting a booth there soon. If anyone has extra egg cartons sitting around, I sure could use them.

Guy for a Night

These are some shots from the play last weekend. #1 played The Sandman. He was supposed to look sleepy; thus the dark circles under his eyes. He didn't have nearly the issues with make-up at this play as he did with the last one. I guess he just needed some time to digest the idea.

Above is Frack, the witch's hobgoblin, and below is Owl who helped to find the Sandman and protect Hansel and Gretel. The story was a little different than the traditional tale.

The costume and make-up weren't what I envisioned, but it worked. I think the producer was going more for a fairy tale type look. I would have gone more for the robe and nightcap, sort of like Father Time.

#1 was interested in joining a 4-H Troupe, but when I looked it up this evening, he changed his mind. It is a musical dance group. He really doesn't have any skills to offer that sort of thing. He does enjoy drama though.

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I had to be a guy for the evening. Hubby is out of town and the boys asked what they were doing for Guys' Night Out. I took them to Andy's for a cheesesteak, to the library, and then shopping for a birthday present for a friend. Now they are back watching Easter specials with Charlie Brown.

We had a 4-H meeting here at the house this afternoon. We met here since I didn't know what the place would be like with workers and didn't want to leave in the middle of something. #1 gave a puppet show with some of his friends. He is taking a project record on puppets. His puppet show was Charlie Brown skits. #2 gave a short presentation on his project for the 100th birthday of 4-H. He has written a bird book to go along with the curriculum that 4-H already offers. He especially likes birds.

Hubby is having a good time in WV at the lectureship. They had a blizzard today and couldn't see out of the parking lot. It was in the 50's here today, but the wind was bitter. I can't turn on the heat since we have a big hole in the ceiling and no window in the upstairs. This weather shouldn't last too long, but I may put the space heater in the bedroom and all of us sleep together tonight.

#2 planted azaleas on Sunday as part of his 4-H project. We had wanted to plant some tomatoes and other things, but they weren't out at the nursery we went to. The owner told us it is to be cold Wednesday and he wouldn't put them out yet. I heard on the radio this evening that it is to be 32 tonight. I'm glad we waited. The azaleas do look pretty though!

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Monday evening was First Monday, our prayer group night. The theme was "Thanksgiving." We could only thank God, asking for nothing. I had everyone write for half an hour of things they were thankful for and pray about them as they wrote. There were 6 categories for thanks giving, and we did about 5 minutes for each category. All of you reading this should try it. There are so many things to be thankful for, that we often forget or never think of, that your whole attitude will change after this exercise. God is so very generous!

One thanksgiving is Polly's health. She will have to undergo 6 weeks of localized radiation on her leg, but should fare well for it all. It will be daily radiation, so she will become tired easily, and feel like she has a bad sunburn on her leg, but the other alternatives are much worse. Praise God that it is this simple and that she is well!

Small is Better

Last week when I was judging 4-H books, one of the other judges read something that had her concerned. She read it aloud to us, "I go to a small church where there are about 20 members." She said something must be wrong with them that their church isn't bigger. Her church was started by 60 people just 4 years ago and now they have about 4,000 members. It struck a nerve with me. Our church is small, and we don't really seem to know why it is small, but we like it. Everyone seems happy. Today as I spoke with one kid, she told me how much she likes being at a small church. She likes that she knows everyone and everyone knows her. It makes her feel comfortable and special. I started thinking about the people that our church serves. We reach out to a lot of abused women. They feel comfortable at our church. People talk to them and make them feel like they matter. They would easily be overlooked and overwhelmed at a large church. We also seem to have some of society's outcasts at our church. People who have made some bad choices, but are now fully committed to Christ. In a large church it would be easy for their bad habits to go unnoticed and unquestioned, but we know to ask about these people and to help them get through the tough times. I also remember last fall visiting a friend's church that is quite large. I remember being disappointed in the worship as many chose not to join in the singing, because their voices weren't needed. The children weren't involved in the service as mine are. My children help with children's church, Scripture readings, passing communion, whatever. So although it could look poorly for the worldwide church if they were all small like ours, there is a place in the community for a small church. A place where people are ministered to and get to minister is still a church in every sense of the word. ----------- The play went well. #1 is looking forward to auditioning for the next one in the fall. I will post pictures soon. Several friends attended and agreed that the witch stole the show. She was quite good; wonderful witchy laugh. The in-laws headed back after church today. They enjoyed their visit, and as promised I didn't let their visit worry me a bit. I didn't even feed them lunch! Perhaps next time I will be a better hostess. Hubby is headed to a lectureship for a few days. This makes the third weekend in a row that one of us has been gone. I guess I should go somewhere next week! With Easter that week it isn't looking promising, but a camping trip to the beach has just got to be in my future soon!

Time to Play

Hubby and I were helpers at an FCA Bible study the past couple of weeks. A friend asked if we could help this campus group. It seems that they were wanting to learn about godly relationships within dating and marriage. As we will be married 20 years this year, and had recently been campus ministers, my friend thought we would be good helpers. The interesting part, that my friend didn't know, was that I had just a day before been thinking of how I miss college age ministry.

We met at 8:30 pm (I don't particularly miss the hours!) on Thursday evenings. The students were such good kids. They had a lot of fun, asked good questions, and earnestly want better relationships. It was another encouragement to me that there are still bright spots in the world.

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The in-laws are here now. They haven't been here since November, so everyone is glad to see them again. Today they plan on taking the boys to an antiques store, something we all love to do! I didn't plan any school work for today, knowing that #1 needs to rest before the big night. He is in a play this weekend. I think we have found his niche. He likes acting, public speaking, performing, writing, film making, just about anything performance based. Tuesday he will be directing a puppet show at the 4-H meeting.

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The house is coming along well, I think. The stairwell is being worked on, the sub-flooring is laid and the hardwood acclimating upstairs for a week before it can be laid. The windows have been ordered, and the heating and air go in on Monday. It is very stressful as people come and go, throw ideas and questions at you, and ask for money. I guess this is why you get a contractor!

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I helped a young friend yesterday to prepare for the writing section of the ACT. I have been grading papers for her for several months, but yesterday I wanted to make sure she understood how to brainstorm and to manage her time. We brainstormed about 6-7 prompts, then I let her pick one to actually complete. She finished in 15 minutes- you get 30. I told her she didn't want to be done, but she assured me she did. After a few minutes of corrections, she decided perhaps she didn't want to be done. The next practice went better. The test is Saturday morning. I hope she does well.

Mom for a Weekend

I went to Raleigh on Sunday to spend a couple days judging project records and cumulative records for 4-H. We were judging the whole state. May I say, "Wow! There are a lot of impressive kids in 4-H." The first book I judged was for the Healthy Lifestyles category. The 15-16 year old boy did a study of wild foods. He learned how to identify mushrooms and other wild fruits. He hunted and butchered. He even butchered and ate a roadkill iguana! Then he tanned the hide. His story to go with the project was so Appalachian. It was fun to judge his book. The cumulative records are a three year record to follow a particular study. I was judging the community service and citizenship books. These kids are especially helpful citizens. They have to keep records of how many service hours they complete. There were several kids in the thousands of hours!! These kids also visit civic sites and events. They place flags on graves, make cards for veterans, visit their representatives, act as a page in Congress. They attended campaign events, passed out flyers, registered voters. It made me feel better about the future. I went to judge so that I would have a better idea of what my own kids need to be doing for their record books. Boy do we have a lot to accomplish! It was a great experience and I think I will become a regular over the next several years. ------- My poor husband had to be me while I was gone. He was baptized by fire. I left Sunday morning at 7. On Saturday the boys started complaining about sore throats and not feeling well. By 8 pm they both went to bed saying they didn't feel well. That is VERY unusual for my kids. Then at 1:30, #2 got up vomiting and fevered. Hubby doesn't do vomit, so he was very apprehensive about my leaving. On top of that, Hubby is a preacher, so he had to be ready for work Sunday morning. On Monday I was still gone and the following was to occur: The electrician was coming back, the carpenters for the floor and the stairwell, the heating guy, the Habitat people to pick up donations. #1 had play practice to get to as well, and #2 was going to a friend's house. Of course none of that went without complications. When I spoke to Hubby he told me how everything went and said he was sorry, but the house wasn't as clean as he had hoped to have it. I just laughed. That's what I say every day! I asked the boys how Daddy did. They said he did great. At least the important parts went fine. I need to remind myself about that when I feel like I am failing.