Free at last!

My empty nest is re-filling, children back in my home 100% of the time. No more, oh tomorrow's a SCHOOL day, not one ugh...a backpack, an effort, and d-r-o-n-e. Well, I'm ready.

There will be more chocolate covered marshmallows, for sure. I am SO tired of the school year, and ready for home everlasting.

Fresh beginnings, or endings

C'mon clean slate, don't fail me now! Loving so many things about blogging, yet hating half-of-it with all my heart, leaves me no choice but to begin anew. Hopefully, in time, my life will morph to fit into my new blog, truly, I can see it now.

I wake up bright and early, all set for my day. Blog numero uno satisfies my day's beginning, numero dos is where family and cooking inspiration land, blog tres all about the joys of living in North Dakota (year round), and grownupartists (with a brighter background), blog four.

Er, uh cuatro. Never will I come back here to just be myself, completely naked. Ah yes, I think it's already working...I'm becoming that person, better than I was before.

Front page blues

I've had a wreck of a day, most of which I ruined all by myself. I'm never honest about how much I'm suffering from this past year, and most recently from my dad's bombardment on my homemaking, add into that...the unresolved birth sister issues that make everything traumatic.

I just want to remember where to stand in my own life. All the coping tools I used to rely on have been replaced with other versions and theories, which I'm testing out in case of usefulness. Eventually, with prayer AND faith, I'll find that way back home.

Hmm....a new feature!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Echo, echo, echo
Good morning to myself, my day's wide open. Weather's fine, or so it seems, guess time will tell. Camp today for those who go, not everyone's interested. Cursive writing, and cartoon drawing are what we'll do, if we stay home. Kerplunk!
Posted by growingupartists at 7:56 AM
Labels: sound

Whither

I'm just choosing that title because Earl used it twice in a row, perhaps he feels unsure whither direction his life is heading. First, his concern for "what if cows lost their purpose", and now he's been abandoned by his dentist. Why-oh-why has the industry damaged him so?

I'd encourage him with feedback, but his measure of success is so unreasonably high, his need for peer approval entirely foreign to my pedestrian sensibilities. Once infected by glittery ideas of the supposedly all-powerful, well, it's the lack of cure that fuels the entire media treadmill. So in conclusion, good luck with that Earl.

The fact that he's raised my writing from pure rambling confession to mid-paragraph bait-and-switch, for me that was pivotal, still doesn't compute with Earl. His very presence online encouraged me to question Larry King's commitment to his "youth is IT" ignorance at the expense of "mature legacies are valuable".

The TwitterKing (title granted by sir Ashton), like the rest of them, a kept batch of princesses, and God bless every pampered one of 'em. Someone has to be in charge of hawking taco-flavored Doritos. And patting each other on the back for all that accomplishment, mmm hmm, so successful!!! And real.

I don't particularly envy the stage of life Earl's at, wondering sincerely if bargaining his power away, through the inconvenient act of being talented and profitable was ever worthwhile. His contributions were an asset to MY childhood, his golden coinage has that Earl's-an-individual style.

Trust my advice Earl, it's time to move on. I'll be here for you the entire time, I always have been, that's just MY style.

Curse ye gods!

Well shoot. So much for child-friendly, 'round here...my six year old daughter, my heart of hearts, my precious curly-locked fairytale lovin' sweetie...has type I diabetes.

Ever think you'd be in a situation where you were actually wishing for a urinary tract infection? All that thirst, and all that peeing, and yes, vomiting (ketones), and finally loss of weight (fat then muscles...is there any sugar in here?) And then those numbers, all proving true, so much for philosophy.

And she's six. Oh, I already said that. I meant to say, what kid in their right mind can get used to shots? Even if we find a prettier name to call them, like "your insulin". She's a toughie, though, like some one related to her, won't say who.

We're going to make the best of this situation, maybe join a support group (if there are any) and take it like the leaders we are. Taylor honey, I'm sorry to tell you, doctors orders, "you can never become an airline pilot, or gulp, join the military."

Don't worry, I'll always say, none of that's true. You can be ANYTHING YOU WANT, just as long as your not too busy leading the Diabetic Girl Scout troops.

Destiny, are you trying to tell me something?

As you may have noticed, I'm kind of over the whole blogging thing. I wouldn't go so far as to call it "so 2008", at least not 'til that ball drops, and officially dawns "year of the message board". It's just that what I'd like to create seems impossible.

You know, a slice of homeschooling life prettily-decorated, favorite resources at your fingertips, endless time spent on-line tweaking this and fiddling with that.

Doesn't mean I can't still enter amazing contests!

Take Anne, culinarily-endowed mother to seven, happened upon her site by complete serendipitous accident! On a whim, decided to enter her contest (just left a simple comment) and like the luck of some ordinary draw I WON, my second dangblasted contest!!!

Remember my first?



So, thank you Internet for existing, although my contributions are becoming more sparse and thin. And forever be blessed, awesome tech-savvy moms who take time out of busy lives to create joy within.

Autumnal forecast

I predict snow. I'm being honest, as usual, though completely uncreative, I'll admit it. What with the geography fair just two days away, a smackle of playdates for both tomorrow and friday (won't say where, or with who)...just grateful for Jen and Mani, two of the sincerest friends ever. I'll leave Friday a mystery, just to spice things up.

We've joined 4-H, yes officially, but who's asking. I'm so excited by the leadership opportunities, watching my olders shine with responsibility, the chance to take charge of their duties, and to meld with a group. I never thought "I move to..." and "I second that motion..." could be so adorable, but it is, like any foreign language becoming natural.

But speaking of snow, and the Halloween that comes after, and walks the fine line with it every year, yes they do! I'm looking forward to it, but I'm not dressing up, I'll never sell my soul to that devil (there's two). Some things I've just decided (writing it here makes it inevitable, and therefore possibly true) take more of your spirit, than they give back to you.

Back by popular demand

Had I forseen this previously unforseeable return, I'd have warned myself. But alas, my fate is in the stars, and who am I to question our stellar destinies? I have so much to wax on and on about, most especially where it concerns homeschooling...and spelling, and poetry, and "living math" (ever heard of that?) We're having a great year so far, to say the least.

And say the least I am, simply because I've got two tidbits worth sharing, and nada much else. For now. Firstly, can you say Wa Wa Wubsy (that's how I'd say it, even if it is Wow! Wow! Wubbzy), on Nickelodeon. Well, talk about free train tickets for kids, oh my!

S'right, just have to buy a DVD, which all my lady friends agree is "cute enough" and harmless. So buy one for all your friends, or however many kid tickets you need to call life a vacation.

Secondly, boring spelling, I never knew phonograms could be so fun! Seriously, learn all the spelling rules you never knew we had, and thank your public school teachers for giving fresh cause to re-learn all these tricks-o-da-trade (for the National Spelling Bee, of course!)

Oh, and here's a freebie...'cause I gots some housecleaning to do. Geography Fair is in just 3 weeks, and the United Kingdom was the most excellent choice (more later). It's not just participants who are invited:

Enjoy a yearly festival of the success we call homeschooling, and ask all the "what kind of nut are you" questions you like!

Another one? A really, really classic idea made manifest? I'd Wa Wa Wubzis for Christmas sometime.

Ready to move on

Last year I pounced on the end-of-Christmas, cleaning up every last remnant one day post-New Year's. I was ready to dive into 2007, a 3-month-old on my hip (not sitting quite yet) and much to get back into order. The only mistake I recall from that year (looking back) was interrupting our family with a pooch. We survived, and adjusted, and we continue to adapt.

He's a sweet dog, shame on me for having hard-feelings for a pup. My hands are just fuller, standards of clean somewhat lower, and those days before he arrived crystal clear. Everything happens for a reason, I guess (even those bouts of insanity).

I'm aiming for another good one, haven't you come to expect it? It took a bitter cold, nasty, hell-has-froze-over day like today to get me started. I even skipped open gym (can you imagine?!) Christmas 2008 is going to be the best Christmas ever, I already know it! I learned well that too many toys takes away from our enjoyment. Last year found me scurrying in and out of stores last minute, do we have enough, do we have enough, was my concern. This year we kept it simple.

Our collection of SpongeBob Legos is growing, and if memory serves me right, that's about it.

A couple of educational games nabbed for Lauren, GameBoy this and Playstation that, oh, and aside from Santa's delights there were the robes.

All packed up, this time I did it right. My favorite store, Target, thrilled me with their selection of boxes, every ornament in its place. Boys box, girls box, Mom and Dad's special box. What fun we'll have, see you there!

CHRISTMAS 2008, or bust!

Holy Order

Somewhere at the beginning of my career as a mother, I imagined a world that was perfect. This eden within my mind is vital to my children's future, for without this vision, I am merely raising mediocre children to partake in mediocre destinies.

Fortunately for them, my idea of achieving perfection stretches no further than present time, and requires only an ability to tune out distraction and tune in with clarity. Basically, I want my children to hear God when He speaks.

I provide no religious instruction as of yet, since discovery is the most delicious part of the feast. But quietly, I lay the path before them, daily walking my faith without proclamation. My rituals are centered in the home, and are the literal embodiment of:

"Cleanliness is next to godliness" and

"Order within, order without" (and vice versa).

For this reason, I have worked steadfastly this past week clearing and cleaning my basement. The lowermost floor of my home, though the walls are unsheetrocked and the floors unlaid, it's clutter free, everything in its appropriate place. It is so significant an achievement, the space set deepest in the ground, where roots draw nourishment and stabilize the structures above.

I almost felt as if I were preparing for doomsday. It honestly scared me for a second, as I noticed the last items I had to put into place, hanging ominously by the stairs---a black nylon dress and a red Christmas cardigan. I'd actually prepared my world for its final days, all the way up to my burial garment.

In the same blink, thank God, I realized the outfit was identical to one a teacher would wear. This was precisely the intention I'd set while making my basement changes. I sense something bigger though, so generously do I trust God to keep up His end of the details.

Order within, order without. Our roof is beginning its reshingling, weathered gray steadily deepening into a heather. Changes without, changes within. And so it is.

Hark!

It is time for a serious prayer. I pray that my husband finds joy in his career, and that God lays before him the footsteps to follow. Amen