Some Advice for Homeschooling Families Just Beginning the Journey

First, let me apologize to my regular readers for how sketchy I have been this year on the blog.  I'm here writing a bunch of stuff consecutively, and then I disappear for weeks at a time.  This is no way to blog.  It doesn't help my need to write regularly and it doesn't help those who actually enjoy reading whatever silly stuff I think to post here.

Truthfully, though, my heart is here wanting to blog on a regular basis.  However, since I had to back track with my therapist recently and set a very simple goal for me -- to get out of bed by 8:30 a.m. each day -- actually doing much more than that has been very, very challenging for me.  Hopefully, I'll have better news on that front soon.  I'm getting my medication for depression and anxiety evaluated again this week and having some more regular therapy appointments during this rough patch, so I hope these things and lots of prayer will have me better able to see life more clearly and maintain some focus to be able to blog.

Today, though, I suddenly felt inspired to blog.  Though I've wanted to blog, I haven't felt a lot of inspiration recently.  So I'm seizing this opportunity amidst my life storm to reach out and be helpful to others.  My brain is seriously uncooperative with me lately, so please do your best to follow the crazy and I'll do my best to stay on track.

A New Day

So much has happened over the past week or two that I haven't been on my computer much.  Most of the "stuff" has been little and insignificant, but there has been one major change that has affected us all and until we notified our family and closest friends, I was reluctant to say anything here.

I could still say nothing here, but then I wouldn't have a good explanation about my distraction from all things blog.  Also, as Christians, I think it's important to share our joys and our burdens so that we can understand each other better as real live people and not just text on a page. 

More Good Stuff to See (And On a Personal Note)

I know my blogging lately has been sparse.  I think mostly it's just been spring and lovely weather and I have a need to be out there doing stuff, enjoying the days and haven't had as much need to sit by my computer and write.  Everything has a season, right?

The blogging season will return, I am sure of it.

In the meantime, the Lord has been bombarding me with a lot of good music and videos and other messages that draw me closer to Him.  I'm loving it.  So much I wish I could share here, but then don't take the time to do it.

Pheelings on Photography

So my readers probably all know by now that I enjoy writing.  Some of you also know that I can go on and on in my posts, too.  Fewer of you know that I also enjoy taking pictures -- mostly because I post so few of them here on my blog.

I have spent the past ten years or so, taking a lot of pictures.  When the kids came, C upgraded my 35mm Pentax camera to a digital HP camera and I began documenting pretty much every day of their lives.  I missed so much of their lives already that I didn't want to forget a single day that I got to spend with them.  Well, I don't take pictures every day anymore (but still most of them) because the kids are older and less cooperative and they don't really change in appearance as much at this point from one day to the next.

Over the years, I've been blessed to go from that first HP to a Nikon Coolpix to a Nikon D90 DSLR with three lenses and a great tripod (add a couple video cameras in the mix).  When people see my camera as almost a permanent fixture around my neck, I tell them that C doesn't get me jewelry like some husbands get their wives, he gets me camera equipment.  It really suits me better anyway -- I like the usefulness of it and I'm not allergic to it like I am most jewelry.

In all this time, photographing our kids and wildlife and landscapes as opportunities arise, then adding in church and sporting events just for something else to do in my slow-paced, un-busy life (ha), I have been satisfied being a picture-taker.  I snap pictures and photo journal, if you will, the goings on of life.

Over the years, I distanced myself from the word photographer.   The word terrifies me.

Never Give Up Hope

While I've spent years saying I'd easily fit into a hermit lifestyle if my family vanished suddenly -- that's my introverted side poking out -- in recent years, I've learned the blessing of friendships beyond my family.

This morning, I was reminded why the Lord gives us community and friendships. 

One of my dear friends from New England called me first thing this morning while I was still cozily (and lazily) laying in my bed.  The house was quiet.  C had already gone to work and the kids were still in their beds.  Her timing for a more-than-five-minute phone call was perfect.  Truly. 

Graduation, Anniversary, Birthday Party and the Zoo

In an effort to quickly recap our very busy weekend (and Monday), I'm combining three big events and a trip to the zoo into one post.  Sad, I know, but it's this or wait a long time because I still have makeup posts to do from months ago (it seems).

1.  Graduation

The day we've been waiting for finally arrived.  First of all, let me just say that without my husband, my extended family and my very helpful and kind friends, this day would have been a disaster in the making!  First of all, some public thank you's ...

"Hey Mom... Breathe."

The title encapsulates the most recent reminder our son, Z, said to me moments ago as I sighed heavily and plopped into my chair at the computer.  I have about ten things I need to do while sitting here and I just barely walked in the door from the last thing I accomplished on the to-do list today.

On Monday (was that only yesterday?!), Z was having a rough morning and so I spent some time talking to him about stuff and then I enlisted his help. 

They're Coming to Take Me Away

I've frequently quoted the phrase, "Sanity is way overrated," in response to how I deal with my life at times.  Today, was another testament to why that philosophy is a good one. 

Z was having some trouble and I was getting frustrated.  He'd already bitten a brother (yes, he's still 11) and made the other kids pretty upset and so I sent him outside to play.  I did go out and talk to him a couple times to try to get him to calm down, but nothing was really working.

My friend, KF stopped by (for a quick three-hour visit ... I do like her for sure!) and she helped me cope with my frustration over Z's building temper.  He doesn't like to be forced to be outside even though he's my most outdoorsy kid.  But sometimes, I feel like it's better to put a door between he and I when he's acting up -- Mama needs some time out, too.

Lent, My Days 28-33

Maybe I'm getting lazier, but I can't believe it's been almost a week since I updated my Lent Thankfulness List here.  So bear with me as I tear through six joy-filled days (okay, so not completely joy-filled, but I'm trying to think about the good stuff right now).

Day 28, Tuesday
I am thankful for a flexible schedule to be able to rest up after our whirlwind trip to Arizona.  We didn't do much of anything this day except some unpacking and straightening up.  I watched E and drove my older nieces to and/or from school.  C was at work, of course, so that made me even more thankful for my job at home since he didn't get much of a break at all after all that driving.

Lent, My Days 25-27

We traveled to Arizona this past weekend, so my overall thankfulness is about the opportunity to do that!  But I will divvy up the days of Lent and recall some specifics for you here.

Day 25, Saturday

On Saturday, we drove the 6-1/2 hours to Tempe, where we stayed for the next two nights.  There was snow falling for a large portion of our journey and even some snow packed roads once we were up in the mountains.  But I'm thankful the Lord saw fit to keep our van on the road and to keep all of us safe on our trip!

Get to Know Me (2013)

We're home safe from our trip to Arizona and I will have some photos to show you (if you're not already bored of looking at my Instagram posts -- I went overboard, but I had fun doing it!) and a vacation recap, but first, I wanted to respond to an email from my good friend at Hope Rising Farm, here in a blog post to share with you all here...

Lent, My Days 23-24

I know my day 24 is not over yet, but here's the thing, I'm going away for the weekend(!) and so I'm posting my thankfulness now so I can be thankful I don't have more posts to make up when I get back.  We all know I'm already backlogged with so many things I want to write about here anyway.

Lent, My Day 16

Today, I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief.

I'm thankful that H finally decided to get his hair cut.  AND, he decided to get all of it cut nice and short so it won't be giant and puffy for awhile.

His hair is so thick and the longer and thicker it gets, the wilder he becomes.  He's been like this since age three.  Cutting his hair off helps him feel calmer and more reasonable.  Less argumentative. 

I love it.

Also, I'm thankful for KF taking time out of her day to stop by and hang out and give me some excellent advice about a few things. 

Lent, My Days 13-15

I can't believe I am posting three days of Lent Thankfulness in one post.  This is so unlike me.  But it's been that kind of week so far.

So here we go...

Day 13, Monday: I'm going to borrow my sister's answer for this one and tell you that, I, too, was thankful this day for our son, Z.  He turned eleven!  I've even updated my side bar three days later.

Lent, Day 10

Are we seriously just 30 days from Easter?  Wow.  2013 is really flying by so fast already.

Anyway, I know I already blogged a couple posts today, but I thought I'd make this one short and sweet. 

Today, I'm thankful for friends for whom to pray.  There are a lot of needs out there and thankfully my PrayerNotes app on my iPhone is helping me keep track of most of them (the ones I have been told about).

It's sad to think about all the needs, but what I'm trying to focus on today is the fact that the needs stem from people.  People I know, I love and I care about enough to pray for them.

I know they are praying for me, too, when I have needs -- which is usually -- and that's an easy thing for which to say thank you, Jesus.   

They are an easy thing for which to be thankful.

Lent, Day 5

Today was one of those days that made it a little bit tougher to think about thankfulness.  That's why it was so very important that I stayed alert and watched for joy moments!

J woke up, feeling sicker than yesterday, still running a fever (and by this evening, she started vomiting -- to tell you how bad she's feeling).  C was already at church for worship team and needed to be there to sing for both services.

Meanwhile, due to sickness, I've missed the last few weeks at church.  Today, C had a special song he was performing, so I definitely did not want to miss that.  I asked for a volunteer to stay with J so I could go to the service.

Well, Z volunteered immediately.  And then decided he wasn't up for the job.

Lent, Day 4

So today, I can't narrow down my list of things I'm thankful for to just one.  Bear with me...

1. I'm thankful for my Bible study ladies who get up early and give up time on their Saturday mornings to spend time in the Word with me (and each other) learning about Daniel.

My Weekend... and Monday

Hello Everybody!

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and maybe had the chance to check out the guest posts.  If not, make sure you do, it's a good read and good insight from my wonderful husband, C.

My weekend was quite the mixed bag, so I thought I'd tell you about it and let you know how today is going so far.

Friendship Series, Part 2: Childhood Friends

As I continue adding posts in this series, I feel the Lord blessing me in the area of friendship lately.  It's making it more of a challenge to write the series in any cohesive order because I want to include some of the new stuff happening.  So I may want to go out of order a little as we continue ... but for now, I want to talk about the next thing I planned in the order of the series and that is on the topic of childhood friends.

My very first BFF ("best friend forever") outside of family and play dates coordinated by my parents, was a little Italian-American girl who lived up the street named Toni.  I was in kindergarten (and continued into first grade) when we became friends.

Friendship Series, Part 1: Siblings

Okay, so we all need friends.  That's a given, right?  For me, friendships have been something of a challenge all of my life.  It's taken me a long time to really understand my need for friends, because I was someone who didn't believe I had a need in that area.  But recently I began reflecting on my history with friendships and watching our kids and their friends and I felt inspired to write about the concept of friendship as it relates to me and to our family.

In the usual advice from my sister, Jessica, I'm dividing this up into multiple posts so that I don't have just one giant-long one.  More digestible bits.  I hope that means it'll be more readable, too.