GGGRRREAT!

It has been a good week all around. #1 did well at Congress though he came home very tired. He took silver for his State project, and #2 took the Gold!!! They did a good job. #2 wrote letters to the County Commissioners and store owners to encourage them to support 4H. #1 made a video about 4H in our community. I received good news from the doc's office yesterday. My blood tests showed that all were negative except something called HLAB-27. I don't know much except that it is not Lupus or Rheumatoid arthritis. That was really good news. HLAB-27 is some sort of arthritis brought on by an infection. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks to find out more. Today we picked up our new family member. I will call him J-1 since he is our first exchange student from Japan. He speaks little English, but is holding up well. I am sure that if I were 13 and in such a strange environment I would have cried by now. He brought us presents and told us about his homeland. He has been here about 6 hours and has survived dinner, friends, and Wal-Mart. Now we are heading to bed, and I hope he sleeps. Japan is 13 hours ahead of us, so it is noon there instead of 11:00 p.m. Tomorrow after church we head out of the state for TN and the Smoky Mountains. It is the annual family vacation. We have never done it this time of year, so I hope we like it. The in-laws got there today, and it was 102 degrees. I could just stay home for that!! I won't be updating this week, at least I don't think I will, so have a great end of July and I'll see you next month.

Making Tracks

When I returned from Envirothon School last week my husband asked me to go for a walk. He wanted to show me something. We walked to the back field where there were some animal tracks. To be specific, they were black bear tracks. For those who have been here, that would be back where the horses are in pasture. For those unfamiliar with my homestead, it is about 1/10 of a mile away. Sunday Hubby and I again went walking. This time we found bobcat and coyote tracks, scratch marks like something happened, and deer tracks. They all criss-crossed each other, so I am not sure what was going on. We had had rain the night before, so the tracks had to have been from that day. It made me walk with my eyes a little keener to the surroundings. You may be questioning my ability to identify these tracks. I mean we do live just a couple of miles from a large town, a city even! Remember I had just come from Envirothon School. I got out my charts and notes and made sure. Black bear, bobcat, coyote, and deer. Oh MY!

I Thought It Exasperated You!

I dropped #1 off at the Ag Center this morning so he can go to State Congress. On our way there I told him that a friend in our club made the Honor Club and will be inducted tonight. It is a fancy ceremony, and the kids who apply and qualify get tapped in, like National Honor Society. It is a big deal. You have to do a lot of work over the years to get in, and even if you do all of the work there is no guarantee that you are in. They only take a certain percentage of the population, so it also depends on how many apply the year that you do. Anyway, on the way to Congress this morning, #1 asks, "So how many points do I have toward Honor Club?" This from the boy who was exasperated by how many project books he has had to do! I just don't understand the boy. After I dropped him off I headed to the podiatrist. I am still having some trouble with my feet, but he believes the problem is systemic. He said he didn't want to do orthotics until we know more about what the problem may be. So I stuck out my arm and gave a bunch of blood. I don't even know how many tests they are running, but it took a lot of blood! He mostly suspects Rheumatoid Arthritis, but isn't willing to say anything until the results of all the tests are in. So now I wait. #2 is still interested in baking cookies to sell tomorrow. We mixed them up this morning before he headed out with his dad to run some errands. Instead of Guys' Night Out this week they are having Guys' Lunch Out. Now he is back to bake, so I guess I am baking this afternoon. Have a good day.

Do Not Exasperate Your Sons

The day camp went really well. The kids had a great time with the trial of the Big Bad Wolf. The group had so much personality, and everyone was so well-behaved. It was really a joy to teach them. A couple of girls from our 4H club gave their presentations since they went along with the theme. We all took a turn folding the flag, played games to learn famous American speeches, and took the INS test. It went so well that I didn't even realize how tired I was until we got home. I took a long hard nap then! I don't like missing so much sleep at night. Saturday was yard work day. We have been gone for so long that the place had gotten out of hand. It looks really nice now. Hubby taught the boys how to use the weed eater, so now he has a couple of helpers. All of that wore us out though, and we rested a good part of the afternoon. Our assignment last week in church was to talk with our children about the goals we have for them and then to let them tell us what we do that "exasperates" them. #1 said there isn't much that bothers him since we are such laid back parents, but he does find doing so many project record books for 4H exasperating. I guess I will have to relook at that. I did manage to get through the school books and think about our schedule for next year. We will be cutting out some things in hopes that it will go more smoothly for us. I think we will stick to Geography Club, 4H, Envirothon, and Theater. That is 3 three things for each boy, and each one ought to be enough to keep us more than busy. It is hard in this day and age to decide what all you need to do to help the kids get into college and still balance the schedules with down time. Perhaps we will succeed better this year. #1 leaves tomorrow for State Congress in Raleigh. #2 and I have plans to bake so he can sell things at the Farmer's Market on Tuesday. I thought we might go pick blueberries to sell too. Here on our little farm we have apples, pears, peaches, and grapes, but not enough to sell. Hopefully in a few more years he will be able to make a little money with our own produce.

Writing in the Wee Hours

It's one of those sleepless nights. The smoke alarm briefly sounded at about 12:30, and I haven't been able to get back to sleep since. After a couple of hours I decided I better get up and write. I really would like to write more often so that I can begin trying to get some things published, but somehow Life seems to get in the way. I always hope that something will change and I will be able to write more, but it doesn't happen. Then a smoke alarm sounds, and I suddenly have a free night. Amazing. I did manage to write about #1's accident tonight. I cried through a lot of the writing. It was cleansing to get it down, but it was very difficult to relive that event. I added it to my collection of writings about home. Right now my home doesn't seem like a place I want to be. I still have books piled everywhere waiting for the verdict of stay on the shelf, sit in the attic, or go somewhere else. It's like Judgment Day for books. I hope they are all prepared for the final decision. That decision may have to wait for one more day though. Tomorrow, or I guess today, I teach a day camp for 4H. The topic is Citizenship. My boys are completing a project book this year on Citizenship, and #1 had asked- before his accident- if he could help me with a day camp about it during the summer. We will be studying the branches of government, passing "laws", and holding a "trial by jury" for the Big Bad Wolf. It should be fun if I can stay awake. The meeting about our classes for next school year went well. The kids seem excited to know that they will be with each other at least once a week and that perhaps the lessons will have a fun element to them. #1, being the Eeyore that he is, tried to convince me that he isn't going to like Algebra, but by the end of the conversation he had convinced himself that perhaps he will since it is sort of like solving riddles. The length of that last sentence has convinced me that I might be ready for bed. Good Night. Or Good Morning.

School Is Getting Closer

My boys safely returned yesterday afternoon. They had a good time and might want to go back next year. Of course that would mean doing another electricity project, so I don't know how likely it is that #1 will go back. They enjoyed the fun at the beach, dinner cruise, and dance. #1 went to the dance, but #2 chose to go to the game room. He isn't girl material yet. I finished the upstairs and the boys liked how it looked. I said something to my group of ladies last night, and they suggested we watch Hoarders. So Hubby and I looked it up last night online and it was scary. I can definitely see #2 turning into one of these people. At least he is at the stage where I can throw things away and he doesn't freak out. Hopefully that means he doesn't have the mental illness. #1 did not notice the new mattress. We went in to check on him and asked what he thought about his room...anything different...anything noticeable? He was lying on the bed and looked all around not sure what we meant. Finally we started calling him "Princess" and asked if he felt any peas and he caught on. He slept well last night. I hope the mattress had something to do with it or else that was an expensive bomb. After I finished the upstairs I started on the bookshelf in the hallway. It is past time for me to be getting books and lesson plans ready. When I write out the schedule of all that I ask of my children I am amazed that they can get it done. Yet, they seem to have a lot of free time on their hands. For example, Geography, Math, English, Foreign Language, Typing, Health, Science, Art, Bible, Reading, History, and 4H projects are all on #2's list of things to do. What gets me is the grading. Everything you assign has to be graded or you might as well not assign it. Ugh. Today we head to a meeting about classes for next school term. I am teaming up with 3 other mothers to offer some courses for Freshmen. Some of the kids are getting a jump start on high school and starting in the eighth grade, like #1, but others are going to be Freshmen. We will meet on Thursdays all day and then the kids will do the work through the week. I will be offering Composition. The others are offering Art, Algebra 1, and Biology 1. At least I won't have to grade those, but having a bunch more students in my Comp class means I will be grading quite a lot. I have about 10 students in the high school class, and silly me offered a 6-8 grade class and a 3-5 grade class. There won't be much grading for the youngest class at least. Have a great day NOT grading papers!

Electric Congress Means Clean Rooms

My boys have gone off to what is known as "Electric Congress" in NC. It is a wonderful opportunity offered through 4H and Progress Energy. The boys completed Electric projects last year as part of their curriculum, and they won free trips to the Congress. They left Monday for Wilmington and will be back this afternoon. In a time of VERY expensive camps, Electric Congress is a great experience for free. They picked the kids up in a holiday tour bus, paid for all of their food and expenses, took them on a dinner cruise, to an aquarium, and who knows what else was planned. They also complete classes/projects in electricity while they are there. So while they have been gone, I have been cleaning the upstairs. I gave them fair warning that I would be cleaning their rooms and if there was anything they were attached to it should be properly put away. #2 wanted a roll of duct tape so he could tape all of his things to the ceiling. His room was attacked first since I thought I might not be able to finish it otherwise. I filled two garbage bags from his room. He is a collector. It doesn't have to be anything of inherent or obvious value, he just collects. I found tiny pieces of paper, acorns, bottle caps, a rubber garden hose, bottles of water, four tubes of toothpaste, many, many pens and pencils, and on it goes. I was nearly insane by the time I finished. It actually took part of two of the days that they have been gone. Yesterday afternoon I worked on #1's room and in the evening I nearly finished the middle family room. #1 and the middle room only accumulated one bag of garbage. I don't understand not being able to throw away articles that are clearly, to me anyway, junk. He gets it from his father. I have "trained" Hubby to do better over the last 20 years, but I am not sure I will ever be able to train #2. I hope he gets a sneaky but patient wife. One who can put up with his collections but who is also able to throw things away without notice. --------------- Yes last night's storms had the dog up. Yes I was also up. I tried hard to feel her fear of the unknown. It was difficult. The dog is still alive.

Summer Night

Lightning lit the sultry summer sky as the desperate dog scratched at my newly painted door. I rose in the middle of the night to let her out to seeming safety, but of course there was no sleep left in the bed for me. I tossed and turned most of the night. This dog is such a bane to me. She loses hair everywhere, even places she doesn't go. She wanders if we don't keep a constant eye on her. She won't let anyone wash her but me. She stations herself in doorways and doesn't see a need to move, especially if you are carrying a plate of food for the dinner table. She steals food from the other animals, throws the kittens in the air, chases chickens when she needs a diversion, and did I mention she loses hair? When we go on vacations I have to trick her into the dog kennel and then hope that whomever feeds doesn't let her out of the gate. If she sees our suitcases before a trip she will disappear. I hope daily that she will die. But I also know that I will miss her when she is gone. She is a faithful shadow to me around the house and farm. She protects me from roosters and protects the chickens from other animals. She loves to be petted and rolls over for a belly scratch at the slightest indication of the possibility. She makes me lose sleep, but she makes my sleep more peaceful. I suppose she is an enigma instead of a bane. ----------- Speaking of sleep...we went out last night and purchased a new mattress for #1. His is nearly 10 years old and the springs are pushing through. I have memories on that mattress, and replacing it is just reminding me of how much my babies have grown. My boys used to sleep together on that bed because they were afraid to sleep alone. They hid under the covers together, asked me to pray with them there, and spent time talking to me about their daydreams. Now that the boys have separate rooms, #1 got the bottom bunk. #2 has the top bunk that wasn't used as often, so his doesn't need replacing just yet. They sleep sparately, don't ask me to pray with them, and seldom tell me their daydreams while I tuck them in. Actually tucking them in has gone by the wayside as they stay up later than I do anyway. Being a parent means trying to stay in the present, prepare for the future, and never forgetting the past.

Camp and Home

There were a couple of funny stories from camp. The first is that one of the boys whose mother also went was trying to avoid being seen with her. She would walk around to classes to take pictures and he would look the other way seeming to silently pray that she would leave soon. The night of the dance he was having a great time and was smiling from ear to ear. Then he turned around to see me and his mother standing there and the smile quickly vanished and he headed in another direction! She and I burst out laughing! The other story is about snow. One morning at breakfast some of the WV girls were asking the NC girls if we get snow days off of school. They said yes but we only get an inch or so of snow. In fact, we get snow days just at the prediction of snow! One of the WV girls responded that she loves snow days so she can go sledding. The NC girls said that they can't sled because there aren't any hills. The WV girls' mouths dropped open. "No hills!? Then how do you ski?" Um...back to the inch of snow... WV is what I consider home. It was where I was born and raised, met my Lover, and where I return for family visits. I guess if you never leave home though you can't understand how other people think and understand life. If you only know hills and snow then you can't imagine not skiing. I love home, but I think I have been enriched to experience other temporary homes through the years. Of course, WV is Almost Heaven so perhaps I won't be too surprised when I finally go to my real Home.

Back from Camp

I am back from camp and have been resting most of the day. We drove for 11 hours yesterday. The traffic on I-95 was slow and we had to go around a couple of accidents. The kids did well all the way though, and I was grateful to get into my own bed last night. I left my own children in WV with their grandparents. I go to a camp for Envirothon advisors this week, and they would have been left alone. The 4H camp went well and I am certain the kids want to go back next year. They were surprised by how different camp is in WV, but they enjoyed it a lot. There is a lot of singing, as well as games, classes, and late nights. The older kids enjoyed a dance one evening, and all of the kids got to sleep out under the stars one night. The weather was hot the first day, but by the end of the week it was 50 degrees at night, and I kept my sweatshirt on most of the day. I think they were surprised by the difference in weather too. Now I have until Tuesday morning to catch up on a few things and get ready for the next camp. I think the in-laws are planning to bring the boys down at the end of the week, so at least I don't have to drive back up again. It would have been nice to see everyone again, but it would have been a fast trip. My boys go to Electric Congress with 4H the week after my Envirothon training, so I wouldn't have been able to stay at home anyway. Happy Fourth of July to Everyone!