Confessions of an OCD Home School Mom of 7 Children

1.  If you don’t want your husband to spread every little piece of mail all OVER your kitchen counter, open it yourself, throw away the trash and make piles by categories before he even sees it.

2.   The best MO for the coming zombie apocalypse is to be prepared.

a.    Plan ahead.

b.    Buy ahead.

c.    Have a phone list by the phone.

d.    Have an emergency plan, teach the kids to drive before its legal (don’t tell anyone I said that),

e.    have your freezer FULL of ice cream (because you KNOW your teenagers are going to invite all their friends over),

f.     Have meal plans prepared in advance and post them on the fridge (even though you KNOW they won’t see it, at least you know you did your part),

g.    Invite your friends over (it helps keep your house clean - and you wouldn't want to offend those zombies...)

3. Don’t fret when the toilet paper roll dispenses from the underside. Just turn it over and go about your business. If there's NO toilet paper scream like you've seen the Godzilla of spiders and when they all come running (riiighhhht!), tell them about their error.

4. Once a month, check your clothes washer filter for airsoft pellets. They clog up the drain.

5. Make coffee and then store it in the fridge. No explanation needed.

6. It’s okay to hide your chocolate. In multiple places.

7. If you gave birth to a pyromaniac, during their teen years, have a fire extinguisher handy. Just in case.

8. In fact, if you have a long haired dog, during the winter months keep a fire extinguisher handy. (Since your husband likes to sit by the fire and the dog follows him.)

9.    If you have a black dog, put a night light in the hallway. Either that or carry an extra pair of underwear in your pocket.

1. Before you go to bed at night, make sure all the light switches in the kitchen are either all up or all down. You know they won’t be that way in the morning, but at least you’ll be able to sleep.

1. Keep the basement window open, just a little, in case a squirrel enters your laundry room through a vent.

1. Learn first aid. It saves time and money. (And it ‘wows’ the doctor when you actually knew how to bandage scrotum correctly.)

1. Keep a bucket handy. You know you CAN catch throw up in your hands, but...why?

1. Baking soda. For everything. Buy the Costco bag.

1.  Learn to play Cubis. Then at least you’ll know you’ve FINISHED SOMEthing by the end of the day.

1. If you are raising boys, always, always check the toilet seat BEFORE you sit down. Nothing can throw off your mojo like wet thighs in your jeans. (Or going skinny dipping unintentionally.)

1. Keep a pad of paper, pencil and camera ready at all times. Teenagers are hilarious.

1. Simplify. If you don’t have it, you don’t have to move it in order to vacuum.

1. Utilize a homeless sock shelter. You’re going to need it.

. . I know it's difficult, but there ARE going to be days when you need to leave the house a mess and go play with your children. 

2. Get over it. Seriously. 

I'm baaaaaaack!

Hi Everyone,

I'm back from a long time of not posting anything. The short story is, well, I'm a home schooling mom. But occasionally, I find that things settle down a little. For instance, I have one graduating next school year and then there are only 2 left at home. It feels like a vacation.

School for next year will require many miles on my new car. (I haven't had a new one is a long while so the novelty is still fueling me. Sotospeak.)

I'm thinking something very active like Colorado History...paired with natural science/herbology/health and wellness/survival (zombie apocalypse survival, no less)/meteorology. I'm a home schooler. I can do that. We'll travel the state, examine plant life, bug life and animal life. This will include field dressing, encounters and tracking of animals (have YOU ever field dressed a squirrel?), making tinctures and knowing what they do, bug bites/stings, etc, and which ones can be eaten. Yes, we're going to eat bugs.

Much of the rest of what we do will remain the same but History/Geography/Science will take the greater portion of our studies.
Krav Maga classes for PE.
Home Ec, taught by Momzilla.
Khan Academy for math.
Foreign language on the internet.
Art through a local friend who is A.MAZ.ING.

As for me....
I'm taking life coaching classes, krav, art, going dancing at the local Country bar, editing my book (Yes, I WILL finish that, soon. I promise.), writing blogs, working as a CNA (will get my certificate soon), and generally 'fiddle farting around' as my mother used to say.

Carry on.

Ridin' the Wave

This year's home school journey was a little bumpy. Last year, we had three of us teaching, which, of course, makes it easier to manage. This year, my friend and I taught alone, as the 3rd mom went full time in ministry at our church. I'd like to post about what we did last year, too, but for now, I want to share a word of encouragement to those of you who feel like you're losing your steam.

I'd like to think that my children are self-motivating. I'd like to think that my children will raise their own bar to a place that is manageable, but still challenging. I'd like to think that my house will be clean when I come home from work. But, c'mon, let's be reasonable. I've been working 33 hours a week and am only home to home school 2 days a week. Every other Friday, my husband is off work, so that means that every other week, I only have 1 day to home school. Husbands, as dear as they are, are often not conducive to good home schooling. I don't know what planet I thought I was on, but my house is NEVER clean, the school work is not getting done and my children have been bored. In addition to that, new challenges at work have distracted me. Seasonal depression, perhaps? I don't know. But I do know that all of life flows up and down in the cycle of doldrums and OHWOWILOVETHIS! Okay, I'm not manic-depressive, so don't send me any emails about how meds are a good choice. But really, there are seasons, and there are cycles, and we all  need to roll with the punches. "Roll with it, Ba-by!"

Some of you who read this will relate to the challenge of home schooling while working. I get asked that question at least once a week. "How do you home school when you're here (at work) so much?" Sometimes I have not known how to answer. Other times I've run to the bathroom to cry my eyes out. But all in all, I tend to ride the wave and come back out on top.

One of my biggest challenges is correcting homework. Papers, in particular. I can ask them to correct each other's homework and tests, sometimes. Thankfully, I still have 4 of them at home and this is feasible. But one of my friend's sons sent me a google doc to read months ago and I STILL have not read it.

This is not ideal. And I sometimes yell at God about my 'predicament.' But it is unavoidable at the moment. And so I will ride that wave and enjoy the times on the crest of it because it's what I do. It does, after all, say 'Mom' on my uniform. I know, some of your are thinking, My mother told me there would be days like this.

And she did.

Organize:
You must be organized in order to keep things rolling. There is nothing so disheartening as letting things lapse until you can't even find your teacher guide.
Keeping them organized is included in that directive.

Simply:
Set things up so that you don't have to do them twice. I once heard this about house keeping - never touch anything twice if you can complete it the first time you touch it. So I try to do that with mail. It comes in the house, I open it, throw away most of it, file some of it and deal with the rest. Done. This is a good and reasonable directive for a working/home schooling mom.

Delegate:
Teenagers are the worst, often, about following through with tasks YOU give them. When they want to do something, they're all about it. But if you ask them, they become Tard, the Grumpy Cat. Delegating can  be to another mom you trust, to your husband, to your older children, but all of it not only benefits you, but it benefits them as well. Even if they don't recognize it.

Don't stress:
This too shall pass. Things will get better. Stay focused, ride the wave, keep reminding your children you care, spend as much time with them as you can, and pray. God often steps in where you feel yourself sinking. But if not, just keep swimming, just keep swimming....

Ok, I know I came into this room for a reason...really. there was something...but a blog happened instead. Okay, I'll just roll with it.

More later (because I always have something more to say).

Perceptions

Recently, a well-meaning friend indicated that it could not be possible that my 7yo was not yet reading. He can do math in his head that I can't even do, having been raised with the 'new math.' We're using Ray's with him and doing most of it orally, with only manipulatives. The actual digits came after he could count well, add and subtract. It seems to have done quite well for him. Since numbers and I don't get along, it is exciting to see him doing so well, without having to count on his fingers. I can see the difference quite easily, as my 13yo did not do Ray's and he struggles. Back we go, to drilling, drilling, drilling.

As for reading, the 7yo in question is just on the verge. We use Writing Road to Reading and he is working through the base phonics, and learning to put together the sounds. He read 10 words in our last lesson. After a review today, we'll test him to see if he is retaining. He's a boy. Seriously, this is often a common factor in reading a little later. It's not for lack of effort, but I see no reason to push him until he hates to read. I want him to own it. I want him to set the goal for himself...which he is doing. He's found some awesome books about animals that he wants to read (we're studying zoology) and he wants me to help him read his Learning to Read Bible. He'll get there...no need to fret.

My, how time flies!

Much has happened in the months since I last posted.

I take care of my mother, who has Alzheimer's, I home school, I teach in a home school co-op, and I'm TRYING to keep my house together, to boot. This week, both cars decided to blow up...well, one blew up and the other didn't, only because there were angels holding it together. Seriously! The mechanic said he simply could not believe that my car was even alive. :-)

I should have about 7 posts here, but I'm going to condense it into 1, for the sake of time and my sanity.

My daughter had a baby! I'm a grandma! Whoot! My grand-daughter is as cute as all get out, my daughter is doing well, her husband has impressed me with his attentiveness and my mother got to hold the little sprite. :-) She doesn't remember, but we got pictures and I will put one good one up in her room to remind her.

Brian is in holding in Virginia. They are phasing out his MOS, so he's waiting to hear what he gets. It's been a learning experience for him, as he is surrounded by people he THOUGHT would be of the highest character. He's finding that the simple fact of being a Marine does not move one into the ranks of the cream of society. At the same time, these ARE good guys. They seem to just be still sowing their oats. Many go into the military because they pay for your life for awhile. Brian? No so. He told me on the phone that he's ok with wherever they send him, be it Afghanistan, or wherever. He's ready to die for his country. I'm impressed with the level head that my son has.

School is, once again, moving forward at the speed of light. I both like this and detest it at the same time. Over the next 6 years I will graduating 4 children. It's not likely to slow down any time soon. Nor can we downsize to a 5 seater car just yet. Lord, please help my suburban stay alive for at least one more year!

My children like the co-op that we are in. It is well organized and it runs quite smoothly. The biggest complaint is that my children want me to teach History at home. They want the subject to come back to life. Facts and figures are 'dead.' They hold no context of the working of God behind the scenes. I am good at digging to find out what God was doing in those events, and so we'll begin this week with a lesson that brings us into the time line of American history.

My plan is to start with the Renaissance and the Reformation. The thinking that came out of these two separate time lines remains today. The one leads to Humanism and the other leads to Individual Liberty. It is the basis for our American time line. From there, we will study each president of the United States and hang US History, World History, Culture and World View on each man who has held office since the beginning. Geography will, of course, be part of that time line, as the lines of the US changed with the Westward Movement.

And now, off to see my personal trainer...in 3 weeks, I've lost a pants size! She'll tell me this morning how much weight I've lost. I feel energetic and my brain seems to be firing off at the, um, speed of light..

Break Out The Spurs

It is the last stretch.

It is the second of seven last stretches for me. Brian is pushing toward the end of his high school career, and we’re about to launch him into the world. You know, pushing him out of the nest into the wild blue yonder. Or the wild camo yonder, as the case may be.

Brian’s first tour with the Marine ‘pool meeting’ included running. Like the wind, Bullseye! He wasn’t used to such a hard run and nearly stopped during the last stretch. One of the Marines, seeing him lag, ran up behind him and put a hand in his back. He pushed. He wouldn’t let Brian stop. From his position behind Brian, he could talk in Brian’s ear…words only meant for him. You can do this. In order to accomplish this, the Marine had to slow his own pace, pull up behind the others, and come in later than he would have. Because of his efforts to encourage, Brian ran the whole way. Well, he threw up when they stopped, but he ran the whole way. J And he showed the Marines that he can run until he throws up.

As we’re going through the last months of school, Brian is trying not to lag. He’s working full time, pulling off an A in Advanced Physics, and still working on all of his other courses, a total of 12 credits (as opposed to the usual 6 or 7). Given the amount of time left, looking at the whole picture is a little frightening. No diploma, no Marines. Now is when he needs that hand in his back, pushing, not letting him stop, spurring him on until he throws up – at the finish line.

It’s that ‘coming along side’ thing, without which many of us would not make it. Everyone needs a hand up from time to time. Then, when they’re up, they know how to lend a hand up to someone else. The Marines, and the police officers, I’ve discovered, know the meaning of coming along side. This takes many forms, but ultimately, it encourages, scares or angers you into going the rest of the way, of completing a task you thought you might not be able to do.

Much of the New Testament was written with military terms. Perhaps this was because of Rome, which was very military minded. “Let us consider how we may spur one another on…” was a military reference. Spur. Kick. Poke. But get them going. So, break out the spurs. And bring a bucket – I think he’s going to throw up. But it won’t be until he passed the finish line.

Military Encounter - Perceptions of Home Schooling

My 18yo son has been exploring his options. He's looked at several different vocations, but peace keeping and U.S. Marines seems to keep coming up. We went, yesterday, to visit with a Marine recruiter. He's Infantry, so most of his focus came from his own personal experience, as expected. When he asked about grade level and we indicated that we home school, his first question was to the tune of 'to whom do you report?' He found it difficult to understand that we are responsible for ourselves and do not feel the need to be monitored by the State. His second question only confirmed that we are odd - "And you're registered with the State?" Um, no. We're not. The diameter of his eyes increased. He stated that he was not sure the Marines would take him, based on that. Hmmm. I told him that our decision not to register with the State was due to a personal conviction that parents are responsible for the education of their children. We have no squabble with others who choose public education. But for us, we were convicted that home education was right for us, AND that the State has no responsibility there, since we are capable of completing the required courses.

I have struggled often with feelings of inadequacy. This sometimes comes from others who ask things like, "Whatdoyoumean you haven't covered that yet???" and similar questions. As I was writing up transcripts in recent weeks, which has been interrupted by doing my taxes, I have been mostly impressed with my children. They know WAY more than I do. To grant a child the desire to learn and the enjoyment of learning is, I think, a major goal of education. Secondly, to grant them the skills in which to find what they need to know is equal in importance. Beyond that, I am a facilitator, a coach. Taking ownership of their own education is key to the whole learning process.

So Brian took the short ASVAB and scored well, with time to spare. Boo yah! The recruiter was impressed. And when I told him that I can provide proper transcripts, he said that 'there should be no problem, then.' Yep!

Now, to complete high school, get his diploma, finish his transcripts...we're nearly finished with the beginning of the launch. He is leaning toward ROTC, and going in to the Marines as an officer. Of course, that may change, but he's making decisions for his future and becoming a man of excellence. I could not ask for more than that.

Transcripts and Graduation

So I'm nearing the end of the 12th grade for my oldest son. This week, I've been writing up transcript information on worksheets that I got off the web. I think the one I liked the best was the one that HSLDA has on their site. There are some things that I wish we'd covered, but, for the most part, we've done okay.

Both my 18yo and 15yo are signed up with Number2.com, so that they can study for the SATs. We've never done any state testing. The reason I chose not to is because I felt 1. that they test differently than my children have learned, and 2. that I don't want the State tracking my children. I've never signed up with the State to register my home school, either. I believe, based on the Bible's instruction to parents, that it is my responsibility, and my husband's, to be sure that our children are educated. All of the particulars may not be in place, but if I have given my children a love of learning and have provided for them the learning environment in which to study, AND taught them from the Scriptures to reason, then I have done what I ought. Anyway, it will be interesting for all 3 of us to see how they do on the study questions. I'll most likely post something on that later.

I am amazed, actually, at all that my children are accomplishing, subject-wise, within the school year. It is really a lot. As I seem to always question my own aptitude and ability, I am encouraged by what I am seeing.

In addition to the paperwork and bookwork, I have seen such a sense of direction in my 18yo and 15yo. They are taking responsibility for their own education, scheduling their own days to accomplish their tasks. It is truly a blessing to watch. In fact, all of the kids seem to be 'catching it' this year. Perhaps a little late in the year for a few of them - but that's ok. They're catching it.

Back to work!

Well, I've been busy setting things up in other places...MySpace, Facebook, ACH seminars, the website, getting my house back together after Christmas, managing my mother's 'stuff,' etc.

So today we're back to our 'normal' schedule. Becca was SO excited to do spelling that we did that first. We've discovered a new phonogram...'r' is pronounced 'rawr!' lol! She laughed for ten minutes after that came out of her mouth. :-) Poor thing seems to be coming down with the flu now, after lunch. She's unhappy that she can't do the rest of her school work. Except reading. She's not THAT sick. :-)

So one of my goals is to help the kids take ownership of their own education. One part of that is learning to evaluate their own work. Today, Becca started right in on her math lesson, finished the whole thing, and got all of them wrong. That's because she was supposed to estimate...hm...reading directions is SO important. And Mom is SO mean! Guess she'll remember to read the instructions next time.

I'm proud of Brian and Josh, as they are taking care of their own schedules. I even allowed them to set their schedule for this year. After some laxing, occasionally, their plowing ahead again.

My Asperger son, Jon, however, seems to come up with the attitude that he doesn't want to do what is 'forced on him against his will.' Ha! I laughed in his face when he said this, as there is little thing called 'authority.' Hmmm.. Mom is SO mean! So today, and upon Daniel's request, I typed up a list of their subjects, with columns to write in what they did each day. Daniel did a little dance. Jon, well, it's hard to tell how he feels about it. We'll see how it works for them. Daniel wants to keep track and see that he is doing all that is required of him. He is discovering that he actually likes that 'feeling of accomplishment' that comes from completing the list or crossing off the list.

Meanwhile I almost finished all the ironing, and a lot of the laundry.

Now, we're off to do a doctrine study - beginning with Justification.

Face Book

So I've discovered Face Book. I resisted for a long time. I have enough to do, don't you know. Adding another computer 'thing' didn't seem wise. But the minute I showed up, I was suddenly connected with old friends I thought I'd lost forever. College, even high school came flooding back with memories of laughter and tears. Now Providence has broadened His scope as stories of his mercy and grace shine through to warm me. We are all connected by chords spun from the Hand of God, like lace crafted in an ever changing pattern, drawing us one to another. I thought Face Book would steal my time. Instead, my time there has brought God, who is not limited by time, a little closer.

As time goes on...

As time goes on, I find that my older children need less and less of me in order to finish their lessons. It is the goal of the home schooler to encourage independent learning, right? That's how we teach, by independent research - no one tells us to do it, we simply assess what we need to teach and learn enough to teach/direct.

I have an interesting combination of those who need me every minute and those who are, perhaps, a little more independent than I would like. I like to be involved in what they're learning...I like the interaction. For those of you who know me, I NEED the conversation. In fact, I thrive on it. Much to the chagrin of the men in my life, on occasion...hm!

For awhile, this year, the older ones have wanted to be completely independent. But within the last week, they have come to me and asked for more input. (And yes, this is a stroke to my ego - I'm still needed...yeah!) So we're setting up short classes in which we can discuss the lessons. Mondays are History/Government. Tuesdays are Biology and Physics with our friend, Ted. Wednesdays are Bible/Winkey Pratney (for now...when we're done with Winkey, I haven't decided yet where to go - or should I say that I have not yet sought the Holy Spirit on the issue...?). On Thursdays, there is no assignment, because Josh works all morning and I still have to drive him (or Brian does). Fridays we do Theology/Bible overview.

I'm excited this morning to work on Theology with the kids. I LOVE Theology! We are simply discussing questions, which I find tickles the mind. The mind will continue to work on the question until it is answered - perhaps years later. Questions like "Who is God?" or "What is God?" help us begin. Then, as time goes on, we delve into questions that are not so easily answered, such as "What does God know?" (Everything, right? - can you support that? That's really the key, you know...) Or "What, exactly, is predestination?" and "what, exactly do they mean by 'Free Will?'"

Our younger co-op is doing History, with a focus on literature. Currently, we are doing the Epic of Gilgamesh. With each lesson, we look at questions related to the story - What is a good friend? What is death and should we fear it? How is eternal life obtained?

The books we are using are wonderful - fantastic art work, and broken into three stories, which is great for the younger set, who have a shorter attention span.

Gilgamesh the King
The Revenge of Ishtar
The Last Quest of Gilgamesh

All are by Ludmila Zeman, and each costs about $5.

Next, we'll delve into the beginning of organized law. The main focus will be the comparison/contrast of man's law vs. God's law. The main questions: What is the purpose of the law? and Can the law save you? (reworded - Can we work our way to Heaven?)

Still having fun, but occasionally feeling the weight of my mother's Alzheimer's. Her unhappiness is hard to bear.

All in all, the joy is always in the journey, not in the destination.

Autumn into Winter

The autumn sunlight streams into the mountains on concordant notes, a symphony that resonates with the deeper tones of trees and transforming leaves. The song is one of ancient cycles, set in motion by the Ancient of Days, Himself. Spring into summer, summer into autumn, then autumn into winter in a blaze of glory. Finally, then, back to spring, the cycle promises, and its word is a good as gold.

And the Saga Continues...

So Josh was doing something stupid last Sunday (his words) and did a backwards dive off the steep side of our driveway. Nothing's broken, but we spent most of Monday morning at two different doctors, and he's just getting out of his sling today, Friday. Depending on your perspective, it's a good thing he hurt his RIGHT shoulder, since he is LEFT-handed. And you know, it is amazing that he fell head first down the embankment and did NOT hit his head.

Then, on Wednesday, we had to rush the scooby doo dog to the vet for emergency surgery. He developed an abscess on his face from a cut his SISTER had inflicted on him. Bad Kita! I could tell she felt really badly about it. (Not!)

Wait! There's more!!! On Thursday, I had to go to the chiropractor due to my neck turning against me. He had to put me in a collar, it was so bad. I am still wearing it today and icing, alternating with heat. I'm afraid to sneeze, and yawning is rather painful. I am amazed at how many things you need your neck for. Putting on shoes, trying to see the caller ID on the phone, drinking water, laughing, walking a dog, getting up from a chair, sitting in a chair...you get the idea.

Start Your Engines!

Breakfast, anyone?

I have found that breakfast makes a huge difference in the level of learning that takes place in my home school. Yesterday, against my better judgment, I allowed waffles. Homemade, mind you. But waffles, nonetheless. Even my 10yo, who is normally independently motivated, sat slumped in her chair with a dazed expression. And I was SO tired when I went to bed that night, even though I, in mature wisdom, chose something OTHER than waffles for breakfast. (I think I just broke my arm, trying to pat my back!)

I have long observed this ritual of the American breakfast. Food was given to us by God for nourishment. It is meant to give life. But the wrong foods can put us in a state of unwellness and cause our minds to operate on haphazard connections. If the mind won't connect, no real learning is happening.

Another thing that I have seen as helpful is taking a walk. We go one mile, with the dogs. The activity gets our blood flowing, the cold air wakes us up, and, I don't know, I can just think better when we get home. Not to mention the stimulation of our creative juices as we look at the beauty that God has spun in the trees and the sky. Oh, and then there's that spike of adrenaline that kicks in when a deer or elk thumps suddenly onto the road in front of us. And the amazing strength that my Scooby-Doo look-alike dog has when a saucy squirrel mocks him from the base of a tall tree. But you get the point.

The other day, my 13ds was walking the neighbors' dogs through the woods, when they happened on an elk. It's amazing how such a large creature can disappear in woods populated by pines and Aspens that stand on narrow trunks. At any rate, the elk suddenly snorted, right next to them. Both dogs AND the boy holding the leashes nearly jumped out of there, uh, fur.

Pop Tarts anyone? (Ewww!)

Providence in the yucky stuff

I mentioned to someone this week that I was having the week from hell. Literally, I wondered if our rash of negative events was an attack from ‘the dark side,’ or more accurately a spiritual attack on our family. And, as usual, I wondered if I had somehow caused this attack by my own carelessness.

It all started last Saturday, ironically, at the Jeffco Safety Fair. Walking across the street, both Drew and I fell, with the consequence that Drew broke his clavicle. It’s bent, fortunately, rather than severed, and God made our bones with an amazing ability, not only to heal but to correct the bad angle. Wow! He’s healing up nicely. Mom’s still a basket case.

Shortly after this incident, one of the kids knocked a hole in our shower tile. Almost $500 later, it will be fixed next week. This was bound to happen, given the construction of the wall. And the cost was less than my husband had anticipated. Not only that, the hand man who is going to fix it was a cop, a fire fighter and would like to discuss writing with me, since he’s writing a book also. One of his previous locations was Jersey, which happens to be the location of one of my stories.

We plan our vacation every year in mid September, to avoid the crowds and to view the changing colors of Colorado. This year we planned our trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park. The arrangements were made and the kids began to come down with a virus. My first thought was for Drew, because he comes down with Croup every year. I prepared, according to two doctors’ instructions and Drew seemed to be handling the virus just fine…

We woke up at 5:00 am the first morning out, with his airways tight and the cold morning air only afforded a slow recovery. He did work his way out of it, however, so we continued our day, keeping watch over his breathing and carefully following the doctor’s instructions. Later that day I was just about to make the decision to stay when he took a turn for the worse. His airways were clamping down and nothing seemed to be working. Well, I’m not superstitious, but bad things DO tend to come in three’s… Just wait, there’s more. While I was making the decision to pack it up and head home, our 10year-old daughter was borrowing her brother’s bike. She headed downhill…and lost her breaks. She hit a car, broadside, and rolled over the hood. As it turns out, the couple driving the car had lost a child in an accident. For them, this was more traumatic even than for us. Amazingly, Becca came out of this with a strained wrist and tears of embarrassment. In the process of this accident, we met the local deputy, Matt. He had a very stabilizing, calming effect on the situation and was very concerned about Becca. My husband was so impressed with how he handled everything. Yup. I haven’t met a deputy yet that I didn’t like.
Well, there’s more. Drew ended up in the hospital the night we returned from the RMNP. His airways just kept closing. Turns out the medicine I was told to use was inappropriate for Croup. Hm. I’m so glad I made the call to come home!
Now, this morning, in the hospital, the Front Range is visible beyond the bustling Saturday morning city, and calls me home. As I sit, and pace, with my coffee, and wonder how this piece of really sticky tape got attached to my hand sometime during the night, I have a whole new perspective on the situation. What looked like a rash of bad things WAS. But over all of it I saw a layer of God’s protection. It all could’ve been so much worse. God is good, and I am thankful.

I love the mountains!

So we went into Littleton area today for dance classes. Afterward, I asked for directions to Costco from our our friends' house...Got the directions to the new one, and I looked ALL up and down Bellview for Santa Fe... With the sun setting right on the top of the mountains as I headed west, we saw a road called Zuni, right past 85. Going back east, the same road sign says Frontage Road santa Fe. So we turn onto this supposed Santa Fe and it DEAD ENDS! Why don't I have a map, you ask? My 18ds did NOT put the map back into my car...he is so busted! So I finally stopped and asked someone who told me to go back under the freeway and I would find Santa Fe. Ri-i-ight! I do what he says, and am examining the 'under the freeway' scene, when he drives up beside us and points - to 85! To quote one of our favorite movie lines, "Whoever designed this city needs to DIE!" Turns out, after taking 85, we had to take the FRONTAGE ROAD off 85, to the LEFT (who knew?), so we passed it because I was prepared to exit on the right.

When we left Costco, I asked the lady at the door for some help getting back to 85 so I could get back to 285. She says 'turn left at the light, then left at the next light and get back onto Santa Fe... I laughed. "There is no sign on this planet that calls 85 'Santa Fe.' She laughed back and said, "I know."

The whole way through this scenario, and all the way back up 285, Daniel is sneezing, loud. Every time he sneezes, one of the kids says "Daniel, stop it!" He says, good-naturedly, "I can't help it. I'm allergic to something. I'm just sneezing." I laughed so hard, I almost had to pull over on 285. But I couldn't do that because I'd had enough of pulling over and making u-turns to last awhile. I said, "Daniel, that's not a sneeze, that's a war cry!" We laughed the whole way up into the mountains.

I must be a mountain goat, now. I don't EVER want to go back into the city again! I LOVE my mountains!!

Jeffco Safety Fair

We went to the Jeffco Safety Fair on Saturday - it was very cool. There were so many people, we had to park across the street. There were food vendors, bouncy houses, an old car show (that was awesome!), all sorts of booths and then there was the Jeffco section. I had no idea there would be so much there.

The dogs were really great - we saw two of them, a regular German Shepherd and a pure bred black Shepherd. The first dog was a little nervous, I think, about the crowd. The trainer kept glancing at the announcer and shaking his head. The dog did well, considering, though. The guy in the Michelin man suit did well too. I think I would be freaked out. At one point, the dog grabbed his arm and the guy swung him around several times. The trainer has to work with the dogs to get them to let go.

The black dog was in the car barking up a storm while the other dog performed. I was a little nervous about bringing him out around all the kids. But he was very well behaved. It was incredible to watch him go into attack mode and then stop on a dime when the deputy called "Nein! Nein!" They have him trained to stop the attack if the officer sees the suspect begin to comply. He was a beautiful dog.

We got to see Dee. I really like her. She even remembered me. Brian will be in her class for Alive @ 25.

We got to see the bomb squad - that's a scary job. There was a robot there, which fascinated the kids. It's on remote control, has 3 eyes, a long arm and parts that move. It's on tracks and can turn on a dime. He held a small board, about the size of 3ring notebook, and pushed and pulled levers to move it for us. It's about a quarter of a million dollars worth of lifesaving equipment. For the bomb squad guys, distance from the bomb is the key. The suit was amazing. I didn't know that they have to back out of the building, since the back of the suit is not the same as the front. They said that the suit will not necessarily save their life if they are too close when a big bomb goes off. Wow!

Drew's favorite was the SWAT team. (Ok, it was Mom's favorite too!) He was very nice and explained a lot to us. Drew wanted to touch the guns, of course, but that was not allowed. There was an AR15, and I don't know what else...one was an automatic rifle, I think. We got to look at the vest, which had all sorts of goodies attached to it. He pulled out a cartridge (I think that's what you call it) for the shotgun that shoots did he say mushrooms? It's not a bullet, but has softer stuff in it, but it hits hard enough. He compared it to a fast pitch with a hard ball in the big league. What's that, about 90 miles per hour? There was a mask that attaches to an air tank, and the helmet was cool - that ought to do some pretty good protecting!

I got a good resource for drug information for my writing, and we saw some of the drug testing kits, etc. The kids got to see how finger prints are dusted for and how molds are made of footprints. One was a shoe and one was a huge paw print.

We're going to do the Citizens Academy next year. Or at least I am. It's for 18 and up. I was hoping Josh could do it, but I guess not.

We got fire safety for the kids, a 15minute lesson by a very pregnant firefighter. She was great. The trailer is set up as a 'house' where you can go through and spot fire hazards and fix them. It starts in the kitchen, then moves to the living room with a fireplace and then to a bedroom. They have a remote control smoke maker and they have the firemen lift the kids out the 'bedroom' window. She turned on the smoke alarm for us to hear. She told us that the escape rope ladders are not part of her training. They are concerned about the kids falling. Her instructions were to throw stuffed animals and stuff out the window so that when the firefighters get there they will look up at the windows where the kids can wave their arms and yell for their attention. Then the firefighters can get them out safely. Their first task when they get there is to walk all the way around the house to spot trapped residents.

I'm excited about setting up NESS with my neighbors and putting together a plan for emergencies. We had one to deal with after the safety fair - Drew fell and broke his collar bone! It occurred to me that I was uncertain where, up in the mountains, I could take him. The doctors were all out, including the chiropractors, and the urgent care was closed. I'm glad I went up to the door of the urgent care place - they had a note on the door to direct people to the other one in Bergen Park. I ended up following an ambulance, with lights and sirens.

The people at the urgent care place were very nice and Drew's clavicle is bent, not severed, so we were relieved. The only hitch was that the doctor kept trying to get me to give Drew his vaccinations...he was very disapproving of me on that regard, which I understand. Still, no thanks. Drew is doing fine, but I hate to see his left shoulder an inch lower than his right. He's in a soft brace that wraps around his shoulders to pull them back, so he doesn't hunch forward. Now we have to be careful for the next 3-6 weeks that he doesn't fall or get bumped. Heavy sigh. For Mom, I hate that this happened on my watch. On the other hand, I'm glad I was there for him. He needed his mom.

Having fun with the camera

Estes Park

Two little red headed imps!

More of beauty around me

I live in a beautiful place!

Off to a running start!

School is going very well, and the kids are as excited as I am. It's like a breath of fresh air. Even Algebra is going just fine! My 18ds is moving ahead on subjects that we haven't even started yet. He's thinking maybe he can graduate early. We'll see... If he keeps this pace, there's a good chance.

I've found that each child is moving along independently and I'm finding a great deal of one-on-one time with each one. This is a tremendous blessing. The only one who needs more time from me is my 6ds, but I'm working on that one, today. He's so happy all the time, that he never seems to 'need' me to drop things for him. I must purpose to create that special time with him each day, because he doesn't demand it. My 10dd and I go walking every morning by ourselves and are enjoying time together.

Brian's truck gas tank arrived today - Guess I know what he's doing this weekend!

Gotta go, only had a few moments to spare.

Nothing stops traffic...

like elk...

Except maybe...moose!

From our trip to Rocky Mt. Nat'l Park.

Just moosin' around!

Teenage boys

You know you live with a teenage boy when you wake up and there's a rusty Jeep gas tank sitting on your kitchen floor! He's looking for a new one, online, but it was made just before the changeover, so there's some question regarding the part number. He needed a visual for comparison with the pictures on the websites...

Yup!

On Scheduling

I love to plan. It is one of my favorite parts of preparing to start school. I have found, however, that plans change, moment by moment, and the schedule needs to be a guideline, rather than a hard and fast rule. This is especially true if there are younger children in the house. They change ‘with each passing glance,’ as Randy Stonehill says. What worked in the morning may not work in the afternoon.

My friend and I have been passing schedules back and forth. We learn a lot from each other and find that it is beneficial to share our ideas for our homes. She has 9 children at home, all under the age of 14. More power to her! I have a mere 6 at home, from age 6 to 18. So my house schedule looks a bit different than hers.

The purpose of scheduling is to meet several levels of need. The younger children need the familiarity and the routine. This helps them develop a sense of purpose for their days. For moms, we need the routine in order to slay the dragons of our lives. Confusion is a tool of the devil. God is orderly and precise. But underlying that order is a sense of purpose, an ultimate goal for our betterment that is reached through the tool of orderliness. Another purpose of the schedule is to train the older children in priorities. They are in the process of learning how to order their own lives. Little by little we hand over the scheduling process to them, allowing them to discern what is good and what is best. My friend’s oldest daughter sets her own schedule, at age 14. She has researched what is required for graduation and has laid out a course for the next 4 years to accomplish that goal. Within that structure, you can see what is important to her, and how God might use this young woman for His purposes in her future. My 15ds is also accomplishing this task, setting his schedule in order to achieve the best graduation scenario and a path for success in his future. In this process, they are learning to be responsible for their own choices, while still under the guidance of moms and dads who have already been there.

I am a coach for my 18ds. I have laid out what he needs and he has determined to alter it according to what he sees are his needs. We are a team, laying the groundwork for his future goals. He is unclear, at present, what that road will ultimately look like, but the parameters are being set as we work together.

A people with vision will thrive before the Lord.

On Motivation

This comes from another blog - I thought it was very good.

http://lifenurturingeducation.com/2008/08/21/motivating-students-with-relevant-lessons/

Why do I homeschool?

Why am I homeschooling?

There are a couple of reasons. First, I was commissioned by God to do so. Ok, how can you argue with that one, right? Nevertheless, it was an aha moment, when my first daughter was in preschool. I told my husband and he said ‘absolutely not!’

Well, ok then.

So I prayed. Did I hear God incorrectly? Or was I supposed to just wait on Him?

So heated was my husband’s attitude about homeschooling that I seriously thought that he might never speak to me again if I broached the subject one more time. (I didn’t nag him, you understand, I only brought it up twice, once to open the subject and another time to ask, ‘are you sure?’)

Then a Homeschool conference came to town. Gregg Harris. So I prayed and ventured to open the subject one last time. I told my husband about the conference, suggested that he go hear Gregg Harris. Then, I told him that if Mr. Harris’ spiel didn’t convince him that homeschooling was a good idea, I would never bring up the subject again.

Half way through Harris’ lecture, my husband turned to me and asked what curriculum I was going to use.

For me, this was an issue of obedience to God, Liberty of Conscience, and submission to my husband. It was quite a balancing act!

The second reason I homeschool is because the Bible states that it is the parents’ responsibility to teach, to raise up, to train their children. If this is the case, then I must seriously consider what that looks like for my family. I do not ever point at others and say that they ought to homeschool. This is a matter of conscience before the Lord.

It is not ‘fashionable’ or even favorable at times, from a personal standpoint. Children are hard work. I’m on, 24/7. Sometimes I get tired. Sometimes I get sick. Sometimes my children don’t like me. There is much labor and often little immediate reward. So don’t think I have done this for my own personal gain.

That said, there is a third reason. And that is to watch those ‘aha’ moments happen in my children’s faces. If they went to the public school, I would miss those. Years of labor and dedication may yield only a few of those, depending on the child. I could not bear to miss those few. Some children have them daily, and this is, indeed, a blessing of great magnitude.

The fourth reason I homeschool is because I want my children to have the influence of a biblical education. There is no question that this would not occur in the public school. My time with them would be so limited and so dominated by the education process offered by the school system, that I would have to take a back seat with any instruction I wished to give them. In my humble opinion, it is much harder to train up a child in the admonition of the Lord, if they are only with me a few hours a day. It would take a better person than I to accomplish that.

In light of my renewed sense of vision...

I would like to run through a series on homeschooling. The first entry follows.

All in a day...

After walking a brisk mile with Josh, we've begun school, even though we have not yet begun school. It's 11:30 and I've done 3 loads of laundry, planned a lesson for the 1st Module of Biology on 'What is Life?,' helped Josh do a lesson in Elementary Algebra, assisted him in answering the question, "Who is God?" for his Theology class (next step is the arguments for the existence of God), directed 11ds and 10dd in removing her furniture so that we can prep her room to paint, directed 13ds in morning chores (He's Hammy with attitude this morning!), kept an eye on 11ds while he sawed a tree into firewood pieces, directed 5ds in cleaning up his room, ironed 6 shirts (every shirt my dh owns must be ironed), scheduled a field trip to the Jeffco safety fair, scheduled a ride-along for 15ds with a local deputy (yes, 'mine'!), scheduled two planning meetings and the first date to meet for our History co-op, and planned a meeting later this afternoon with Ted to discuss co-teaching Biology. Josh has to be at work at 3:00 and there are still weeds to pull and dead trees to gather for cutting up. Plans later include reading a story, and directing 10dd in making dinner tonight. I also have the cleaning of 2 bathroom to supervise, and Josh is currently asking for help in designing a wood plaque.

Just over 2 weeks...

...until school starts for us. Many have already started, it seems, in our area.

We are currently clearning our land (2 acres) of slash and dead Aspens. A few dead pines. And we're praying over our pines...no beetles, please!

I got a bug to paint...it's all the deputy's fault! And my friend, Tish's. But my 10yo dd wants her room painted, lavenders. And the new theme is black-eyed susans. So I also have two shades of green and a yellow, in order to paint stencils. I found a really cool stencil of the pretty flowers. I was searching for something for 'the deputy' (Sorry, his name has to be left out), because he likes black-eyed susans, and we fell in love with them. Do you know, it's hard to find paintings or photos or decor in black-eyed susans that is affordable?? I found some that were over $800! I just wanted to send him a thank you, thank you very much. I finally found something - hope he likes it. Hard to tell with someone you just met - even though I think of him as 'everyone's favorite brother.'

When dd's room is done, I'll move on to the kitchen, and then maybe the downstairs family room, aka 'boys' room.' My kitchen theme will include black-eyed susans, too, along with pine cones. I love the pine cones that fall around our house.

I got carrots! Well, ok, I got a whole whopping 3 of them. But it's a start! Don't laugh! I have a black thumb, and I actually got something to grow... The broccoli is growing nicely, but I lost the spinach. We'll see what happens with the red beets, and the beans are taking over the side of my house. I don't know how I'll move them inside - shoulda built a green house!

I'm excited about school starting. But I'll be better when my mother is settled. The kids have already started their work, even though I'm not directing! Boo-yah!

We had an awesome sermon on Sunday - Ps 63:1-8. My dh mentioned that one preacher, when asked why so many came to hear him preach in the tent meetings, said that they come to 'watch him burn.' It was that way on Sunday. There was so much passion behind the message that you could almost see the flames catching on the whole group. I'm going to get a copy of the tape so we can hear him again. Kyle is a man who knows how to preach/teach. We all left feeling a lot like I did after spending time with 'the deputy.' Motivated. Encouraged. In awe of God.

Oh God, you are my God.
Earnestly will I seek you.

Like Enoch, I want to seek Him, simply because I can do nothing else. We serve God because He's awesome. One look and I want to 'stick to Him like glue.' A moment with Him inspires a devotion to be with Him even more. I want to be like Luther, who said "Here I stand. I can do no other." - I'll have to check the quote on that, but it's close.

Cool! God is awesome!

Fall Cleaning

Meeting with the Deputy for a full eight hours did something to me. There is a significance to his 'job' that stems from the way he lives life. No moment is wasted, because every one is precious. Isn't this the way of the 'normal Christian life'? I have been somewhat pensive since my foray into serving and protecting. Is my life significant? Am I leading my children in significance, and modeling it? These are good questions to ask, especially as I enter our school year.

Every year, just before school starts, I renew the vision that God gave me. If I don't, He tends to renew it for me. This year, I was floundering a little. So He renewed my vision through a 38yo man of character who spoke simply about the work he does while I sat in awe - not even so much in awe of him, I mean, he's just a man, after all. But I was in awe of the truth, the honestly, the humility and the courage that I want so much for myself. I spend so much time with my children...and this is not a bad thing. But occasionally, I need to meet with adults who have as much substance as this Deputy.

I have some friends who are like this as well. Some in Cali, and some here in CO. But I must admit that they are far and few between. When you find them, you want to hold on and not ever let go. You want what they have to rub off on you. Do I show such character? Does anyone want me to rub off on them? I am an average sort of person. But is my life affecting others in a significant way? It is a question that drives me to my knees.

In spending so much time with my children, I tend to get to a point where I run dry. I feel used up and tired. I sort of steel myself for the last few laps. This is so different from what I have just experienced. Sheer tenacity to reach a finish line is so much less than the experience of being fueled, of being lifted toward the shore by the current that leads you home. This - this is vision.

The Bible says that a people without vision will perish. I see it. I have a whole new understanding of it. It's not necessarily that they will be wiped out. You understand? It's that they may continue on, without a destination, without a purpose, without any significance to the steps that they take. This is the saddest existence that I can imagine.

If I can model a life that moves in the footsteps of Enoch, I will be content. Of all the heroes that I can imagine, Enoch is at the top of that list. He walked with God. He has, what? one sentence, maybe two, in the Bible about him. He has no long story of heroic acts. But he walked with God and then he was no more, because God took him.

I don't know if 'my' Deputy believes in God, but he has led me to a deeper appreciation of following God, of walking daily. Who better to give me a clear vision than the One who sees all?

"Oh God, you are my God. Earnestly will I seek You."

School is looming ahead...

OK, well, maybe it's actually here. I've had 5 of my kids ask to start now. So off we go. We're putting together binders, and ordering books. We're signing up for things, and laying out the schedule, talking about jobs for my two oldest boys.

My 'best laid plans' have been changed, of course, as they always are. For instance, I'm not doing Human Physiology yet, but Biology. Ah, well, we'll get there. :-) It's actually a good move.

So, we have:
Old World History review, along with Geography and Literature.
American History, Geography and Literature.
Government will continue from last year, as we tackle the US Constitution, using 'Steve' as our curriculum guide.
Grammar and Spelling, of course, using Rod & Staff and Writing Road to Reading. We're adding Latin this year.
Biology, for the whole family, but geared to Jr. High/High School level.
Advanced Physics (thankful for Ted, who is teaching it) for Brian (and Josh may sit in)
Theology, self - directed by questions, such as Who is God?, What is man?, How are we saved?, etc.
Bible includes reading the Bible in a year, and WTB charts to supplement. Josh is adding Greek to his own studies.
Two of the boys are heading into Algebra, while the rest are still working their way through the beginning of Ray's. Brian is self-directed in Algebra, along with Physics.
Brian never finished Chemistry, which is simply because he hated it. He had determined that he will finish it along with the rest of his work load.
Brian may continue with CAP for one more year. His only hesitation is that it feels more like a club. He wants to do search and rescue and Encampment, NRA certification and survival training.
I think we're doing co-op again.
Dance is on Mondays for 1.5 hours, down in town, one day a week.
Each of the kids has a night that they plan for and cook dinner.
For PE, we are only running/walking a mile every day, twice a day. I can't afford sports. And I can't run, due to sciatica. Getting old - in fact, today is my birthday. :-)

My mother is moving out here soon, so I have to plan for that, too.

Life in the fast lane - boo yah!

Ride along with a Deputy

I went on a ride along last Thursday. It was more than cool. It has, literally, changed me. I was becoming a little stagnant, a little fuzzy around the edges. God has used this experience to bring focus back to my life. He has renewed my vision by allowing me to come in contact with these men who are of such character that their presence elicited awe.

I wrote a 'report' after the fact, but I can't publish it until I change names and places. I'll get to that later this week.

I'm going to this every 6 months from now on. This is no longer about writing my book, although my writing has become more focused too. It is about becoming a part of the community who can make a difference. I will never be a Deputy or a Fire Fighter. But I can, in the years to come, put my name on a list of people who can be called at all hours of the day or night to come and help in a local disaster.

I'll post my rewrite of the 'report' later.

Returning to the blog thing

Been away from the computer, ok, well, not the computer, but away from the Internet for awhile. A friend visited from Florida and we had a good time. The kids and I are gearing up for school, buying books, setting schedules, etc. And I'm writing furiously, moving toward a deadline to publish, which has been set in motion.

We have another friend visiting the last week of August and then back to school.

I'm having fun writing - learning new things. I have a drive along coming up and I'm meeting with two different task force guys. I am gaining a tremendous respect for LEO's (Law Enforcement Officers) and especially for those who go under cover. They are heroes. We go about our days, distracted by all manner of things, while these men and women risk their lives to save others.

Maybe in my writing, I can share a little glimpse of that for those who might read what I publish.

Be safe.

Providence in the little things...

Over the last month or so, my 14ds (yes, the one who hit the deer...) has experienced Providence in little things, that may even seem insignificant to him. It's one of those 'wow!, God cares about that?!' moments. These are memorial stones for him; reminders that God really does care about every detail.

Yesterday was one of those moments. He needed a chiropractor treatment. I suggested that he call and ask if the Dr. had any work for him, to pay for the treatment. Of course, he didn't call. But then, this morning, bright and early, the Dr. called to ask if Josh had time to work for him...go figure! It's stuff like this that sometimes reaches in and grabs hold of our hearts. The hugely miraculous is fun and often an adrenaline rush. But Jesus even said that some will not believe even if someone was raised from the dead. The little stuff of life, stirred by God's Hand...the regular stuff...that's what draws us to His heart.

We got so much done today!

Cleaned out the garage, set up the rest of the planters, planted three plants, loaded up the sub to go to the dump (it's totally full!) and the Good Will, paid bills, cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom, pulled weeds, threw away half of what we own (ok, not quite that much), did laundry...

Wow! How did I get all that done??? Well, I have 6 kids at home. One is only 6, but the rest helped and boy, does it feel good!

Bri pulled a Robin Hood!

Check out the pictures - We laughed for a while!

Woodworking

Josh has decided on a loft bed plan - from furniture plans.com or something like that - and they're going to make it. If it turns out well, we'll make one for each child - 6 of them! My mother is probably moving back out here, so Becca will have to give up her bed. The plans are very nice and you download them from the site. Mission style. It will be a good learning experience and a good time with Dad. :-) He really needs to build a bookshelf too...and maybe a locker to keep some stuff in...and garage cabinets...ok, ok, I'm done now!

Half of my brain is working toward starting school in the Fall...18ds has one more year, but recently he's decided to look into the police program in which he can get immersed into the thick of things to see if it's what he wants to do. He's become disillusioned with CAP, saying that it's more like a hang out for high school. He's ready to get serious. So we have to find out what he needs - if it's a high school diploma, we'll have to fast track next year for him (I really mean, HE will have to fast track) and finish up. He'll also have to find a job for the winter, since installing windshields doesn't happen during the winter in the mountains.

It's time to start buying books...Apologia, here I come!

Way Cool!!!

So I'm still doing research in preparation for publishing...

In the process, I have been given contact with people who would normally not give me the time of day. Time after time, doors are opening that confirm God's leading in this effort of writing. I'm totally 'hooked', if you'll pardon the expression, on the drug scene in today's youth culture. Why? No, my kids are not into it. And no, I don't come from that background. So what, then? I'm still not certain. But I am convinced that I have God's leading, by more than ten separate confirmations that 'fell' into my lap. Like a rock. The best one? I got a call from an undercover cop today. How cool is that? Even better? He confirmed my story line, by his own experience. To use an old phrase from my jr. high years, I'm totally stoked!

Now you've seen the other side of the home school mom - I'm even starting to talk like my rogue cop!

Now, if you'll pardon me, I really have to tend to some chores, before my husband nixes my writing!

July 4th, or Where has the reverence gone?

July 4th is one of my favorite holidays.

Before we moved, we attended a celebration at a college, on the green. It was the most moving July 4th celebration I've ever attended. Everyone placed their blankets down, rolled their picnic coolers up and enjoyed the sun and company. Red, White and Blue were everywhere. Pompoms were sold, and little flags. Booklets were handed out, with the words to all of the major patriotic songs, so that everyone could join in with the music.

We stood for the National Anthem. We said the Pledge of Allegiance. Military people were honored. A men's choir sang the patriotic songs and everyone sang with them. The fireworks were choreographed with patriotic music...

It was a most moving experience, one that remains with me.

In contrast, I have not found a public celebration, since that time, that even compares. It's just a big party, and an excuse to flaunt flesh and drink beer.

Ok, maybe I'm over-reacting, but I can't help but wonder, where has all the respect gone?

The Revenge of Bambi

So, my 14ds is learning to drive. The other day, dh took him out to drive the Neon. For those of you who don't know, that is a rather small vehicle, and low to the ground. The first key, up here in the mountains, if an elk or large deer (they can get quite large around here - the elk are often larger than horses) jumps in front of your car, you should NOT put on the breaks, but speed up. Putting on the brakes will shove the nose toward the ground, making a very effective ramp for the elk to ram into the front seat of your car. Given the size of elk antlers, this could be a very bad thing. On the other hand, in a car like the Neon, maybe it doesn't really matter...

Josh, being new at driving, has a longer reaction time than those of us who have driven for awhile. He did not see the deer until the last minute, at which time it chose to leap in front of the car. The result? There is paint scraped off the front bumper of the Neon, somewhere in the woods of Conifer is a deer who is limping pathetically, and Josh needs a new pair of boxers.

Publishing...!

I'm finished!

I'm ready to submit my stories to an editor. I'm very excited, in fact I even danced to the tune of my printer, while it cranked out 112 pages this morning.

And now, I think I can get my house clean. And catch up on the ironing.

Well, ok!

My house is a mess!

I'm about a month out from publishing...so now it's that last stretch to the finish line, the kind that narrows your focus and causes everything but your goal to fade away, almost nonexistent in the background.

I've got a title, two stories, one which still needs its conclusion, and possibly an artist for the cover. I still need to complete 2 interviews, write up a commentary for the appendix, write the legend that introduces the stories and find an editor...

Title: Stoning the Crows
Story 1: Operation Scarecrowe
Story 2: View from the Crowe's Nest

This is a little rough, but it's close:
Jacket teaser (or whatever you call that blurb...):

Mike Malone was a good cop. A little unorthodox, a little too close to the edge on many occasions, and a little too cocky for his own good. But he was a good cop, nonetheless. He had the good fortune to possess everyman’s face. A little alteration here and there, and his own mother would not recognize him. A quick study, he became his new persona, shedding all evidence of his real self. And this fact would prove to be his biggest challenge…

What's odd is that the locations I picked, not having EVER been to New Jersey, are accurate representations of the history portrayed in my story. Hm. How does that happen? Was I led by the Holy Spirit is this endeavor? We shall see...

My 10yo dd is also writing a story, which I will focus on next, so that she can publish too. It's about what it means to be a disciple of Christ. She's a little stuck on Judas Iscariot at the moment, but we'll jump that hurdle shortly. I'm happy that my work has also inspired her. And I think she can do her own artwork - she's pretty good!

Back to making my house LOOK orderly, even if it isn't at the moment...

When Does This Get Fun?

In my writing, I find myself continually 'dropping' into youth culture. I write about other things, yes, but youth culture comes up frequently.

So, in studying this week for a story involving Christian concerts I came up with mosh pits. My first search led me to mosh pits in general, but I found nothing Christian about them. So I did a search for 'Christian mosh pits.'

As an aside, some time last year I spoke of this topic in our church kitchen and a young man walked past just as I asked if anyone knew about them. His comment? "Mosh pits are awesome!" This young man graduated from high school this year. I am going to see if I can interview him. He also calls himself emo, another aspect of youth culture that I looked into last year. Something else about this young man...last year he wore a very long Mohawk. Though still accepted in our church setting, there were obvious signs of people backing away from him. Once, he shaved his head, leaving a long strip on either side of the Mohawk that had not previously been exposed and then spent some time in the sun...I'll leave the rest of the details to your imagination.

But, back to mosh pits. I found it interesting that the general consensus, at least on the Internet, is that there is very little difference between secular and Christian mosh pits. The biggest difference is lyrical. The style of music? Usually punk, metal or something similar. I did not catch any reference to Techno, but it could be part of the mix too, I guess.

One You Tube I watched showed the dancers on the floor in front of the stage. While the band played, the kids began to jump. This is no two-step, ladies and gentlemen. A large trampoline would serve the purpose well. And, something distinct about the jumping - Their heads loll. Like rag dolls. The jumping began to draw more dancers in, like water droplets that are attracted to others and slide into the larger, congealed mass. The bulk of the crowd in the center held, writhing and twisting, until, as if according to some unseen signal, floor began to appear in the middle, like the parting of the Red Sea. The opening widened. For a moment, the jumping was maintained on the two sides of this expanse and I began to think of clicking off the video. Is this all it is? Then, suddenly, whatever invisible restraint that held them apart dropped away and both sides of the pit ran, ran! into each other: collided without any attempt to soften the impact. I stared, and I think my jaw dropped onto the keyboard. Ouch!!!ouchouchouchouch!

Mosh pits include such activities as slam dancing. This phenomenon involves the jumping of two or three people, as high into the air as they can, and then violently (their word, not mine)slamming their upper bodies together while in the air. Okay....

Then there is crowd surfing. Ever been passed from hand to hand, over the top of a crowd? My daughter saw this once when she was twelve. They dropped the boy on his head. Skull fracture.

The one that made me really wonder, however, was stage diving. Typically, this is done backwards, to avoid injury to softer body parts. I'm sure I don't need to explain this. So if you dive off the stage, backwards, into the wall-to-wall crowd, how do you know they won't drop you? Apparently, this is not a big problem for the kids. I think my chiropractor would cringe, however. Security is typically not in favor of this activity. Just let them try to stop it. Do the words 'mob' and 'riot' sound similar? If not, you need to find a better dictionary.

A recent interview on WayFM revealed yet another injury caused by these activities. The lead singer of a popular Christian band dove off the stage during his last song, microphone still in hand, and broke both of his front teeth out when the mic was violently thrust into this face. Ok, maybe it's just me, but I wanted to say 'duh!'

The scene includes large, flashing lights and music so loud that you can't hear for days afterwards. Stimulus overload. Sensory bombardment.

Mosh pits have etiquette rules, too. The main one? If someone falls down, pick them up. Now, I ask you, why does this even need to be said?

I see two reasons. One, the kids who are jumping are not using their consciences. Or they are not expected to. If they were, they would not need to be told to do this. Two, this is a highly emotional experience. Can you feel the beat? Throbbing and pulsing, reaching into your head, stirring your feet, energizing your soul? Don't we all tap our feet (or at least one foot!) to music? Adrenaline rush, to the max! In fact, they call this 'adrenaline music.'

It's extreme sports on the dance floor.

The emotional, adrenaline-induced high that is achieved first by the music and then the gyrating movement, and then the painful physical contact is unequalled. It's addicting. Literally. Emotionally. Spiritually.

So if you're addicted to extreme dance, I'll bet 'regular life' can seem kind of boring...

Another fact I came up with in my research - this is a wonderful place for pedophiles and gropers. But ladies, if you raise your voice and point your finger, rest assured that your honor will be defended, violently.

So, a question. In the secular community, at least at the Raves that I researched, there is heavy use of energy drinks and stimulants, such as Ecstasy. The purpose of these stimulants is to give them the energy to maintain the activity level for long time periods. At the Raves, the kids often dance with a water bottle in their hands. They have learned that the prolonged excess energy has put many of them in the hospital for dehydration. Another serious side affect of the stimulants is heart failure. The body wasn't meant to sustain that level of activity, and adrenaline for long time periods. My question is this: Are these stimulants prevalent in the Christian scene, too? I use the term Christian loosely here, you understand. Christian means 'of or pertaining to Christ.' What would Jesus do? Would he jump into the pit and throw himself violently against the others, pushing and shoving? I'll let you answer that one.