How about a little fun? April over at It's All About Balance has issued me an invitation to name ten of my favorite things that start with the letter I. Now there's a challenging letter! So let's get started.
1. Isaac. That one was rather obvious, but so true! He's my joy and I'm so very proud of him. I can't imagine life without him.
2. Ink. I am and have always been a MAJOR bookworm. Where would the world be without the existence of ink?
3. Invitations. I love receiving invitations to go and do things. I've been cooped up in the house so much for the last 7 years that any opportunity to socialize is very welcome.
4. Imagination. The fuel of the world is the imagination.
5. Images. A fancy word for pictures. (I'm stretching a little, but "I" is hard!) I really enjoy sitting down with a box of pictures and letting myself drift away on the memories.
6. In-laws. Mine are the best I could have asked for.
7. Instruments. Music is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
8. Income. Need I say more?
9. Ideas. Very closely related to imagination. Don't you love that feeling that comes with those "lightbulb moments"? You know, that rush you get when you can say "Oooh! I just had the greatest idea!"
10. Icing. Who doesn't love icing?!
Wow. That was really difficult. I will admit...I had to use a list of "I" words I found online to come up with that last one. I was thoroughly stuck. I had a great deal of fun doing this list. It took a little brain power, but I think mine needed the exercise.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Anybody ever heard of Rent-a-Husband?
It was an evening like any other. Water was heating on the stove for the mac and cheese. Spam lay sliced on the cutting board waiting for the frying pan. (Hey, don't judge. Everything else was frozen.) The master of the house was working late on this cold, rainy night - he was not due home for at least half an hour. We cautiously made our way through the boxes and bags in the closed-in garage to the storage closet where the freezer was kept. Making the decision about which veggies to nuke was the work of about a minute and a half. We headed back to the kitchen and as I was closing the door I heard a chilling scream. I turned around expecting to see my son lying in a pool of blood. No, it wasn't that. However, upon further investigation I, too, let out a piercing cry. (Which, considering the fact that for the last few days I've been minus a voice, was really quite an accomplishment!) There it was, where just two minutes before there had been an empty floor. By now, Isaac had me in a choke hold and wasn't about to let go. What to do? I stood there staring trying to think of a nearby weapon, when suddenly it moved! Across the kitchen and beside the refrigerator it went. Aha!! Now the phone was accessible! I crept over to it as silently as possible. The closer we got, the louder his cries echoed in my ear. I can still hear the terror in his voice, it will probably haunt my dreams for weeks. Finally, phone in hand, I backed away to a safe place. I dialed the number of the nearest help.
Busy.
What a letdown! Trying not to get to upset, I dialed another number.
"Hello?"
"Hey! Is -
"I was just thinking about you."
Yeah, yeah..."Is your husband home?"
"Uh....yes, actually he is."
"Could he come over?"
"Well, he's in the shower."
Oh.......not good. Now what?
"Could he come when he gets out?" The desperation in my voice was now making itself known through the phone line. I could hear water running in the background.
"Are you nearly done?"
"Almost, why?"
"April needs you."
"What for?"
"Um....She didn't say."
Oops.
"Well....there's this mouse......."
So, to make a long story longer, Uncle A. came over and caught the mouse in a shoebox. He will forever be my son's hero and will be known as "the Great Mouse Catcher". Then he put my kitchen back together, took out the trash (and the mouse) and poured the cooked macaroni into the colander for me. He even sustained a mild injury when he poured the boiling water on his hand instead of in the sink. He hung around for a few minutes while we chatted, but I think the real reason he stayed was that every few seconds his almost four-year-old nephew would look at him with those big adoring eyes and say, "Thank you SO MUCH for catching that mouse. I LOVE you!" And then, "I'll love you ever and EVER. You're in my heart!"
And so ended the Great Mouse-capade.
Busy.
What a letdown! Trying not to get to upset, I dialed another number.
"Hello?"
"Hey! Is -
"I was just thinking about you."
Yeah, yeah..."Is your husband home?"
"Uh....yes, actually he is."
"Could he come over?"
"Well, he's in the shower."
Oh.......not good. Now what?
"Could he come when he gets out?" The desperation in my voice was now making itself known through the phone line. I could hear water running in the background.
"Are you nearly done?"
"Almost, why?"
"April needs you."
"What for?"
"Um....She didn't say."
Oops.
"Well....there's this mouse......."
So, to make a long story longer, Uncle A. came over and caught the mouse in a shoebox. He will forever be my son's hero and will be known as "the Great Mouse Catcher". Then he put my kitchen back together, took out the trash (and the mouse) and poured the cooked macaroni into the colander for me. He even sustained a mild injury when he poured the boiling water on his hand instead of in the sink. He hung around for a few minutes while we chatted, but I think the real reason he stayed was that every few seconds his almost four-year-old nephew would look at him with those big adoring eyes and say, "Thank you SO MUCH for catching that mouse. I LOVE you!" And then, "I'll love you ever and EVER. You're in my heart!"
And so ended the Great Mouse-capade.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Romance
Ok, so two posts in one day is unheard of for me. Apparently I'm in the mood to write. Well, actually I'm in the mood to talk. I haven't had a voice for 6 days and I'm just full of conversation!
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about a friend of mine whose husband walked out on her a few months ago. They were trying to work out their problems and had moved back in together. Then, just when she thought things were good again, he served her with divorce papers. Again, it came as a total surprise to her. He asked her to move out and gave her half their money. He told her she could take anything she wanted except his computer, Xbox, and couch. Which says a mouthful. His family is pretty sure he has a video game addiction. He spends all his time playing games and when he isn't playing them he's talking about them. I think this addiction is playing a large part in the failure of their marriage. She's moved in with her brother and his wife for now while she tries to figure out what to do. She had to quit her job and move several hundred miles away. One bright spot is that they have no children. Then again, she has no children and now not much hope of ever having children. (Yes, this has to do with what we believe the Bible says about marriage and divorce. Topic for a whole other post!)
This is the first time that anyone I've been close to has had to deal with divorce. I've known a few that did, but not anyone I was close enough to for it to really affect me in any way. I know that's almost impossible to believe given the rate of divorce these days. However, it's true. Again, it has to do in part with the way we view marriage and divorce. So, this is affecting me a little strangely. Or, maybe it's not strange. I guess I wouldn't really know. In some ways it's making me question my own marriage. (Not whether I should be here, just how it's working out.) I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Mostly good, I think.
One of the things I've been mulling over is the definition of romance. About a year or so ago, several young couples got together and had a series of discussions about marriage. We used the books For Men Only and For Women Only by Shaunti Feldman for the basis of our discussions. One of the topics was how women need a little romance and how that means something different to each one. Some said that romance to them was the typical flowers and candlelight dinner, or a walk in the moonlight. Others said it was really romantic when their husband would pitch in with the housework and kids. I've been thinking about that off and on ever since. What action on my husband's part would really define romance for me. I've finally figured out that it's not any one thing. To me romance is when my husband is thinking of me and does something to show it. That could be something as simple as a phone call to see how I'm doing. Or putting the dishes in the dishwasher for me. As long as I can see that he's been thinking about me and wants me to know it, I get the "warm fuzzies". It's important to feel that I'm still being "pursued", to feel that my husband still cares enough to make me feel loved. I think that's the key to any relationship. You can love the other person with everything you have, but if you don't show it in a way that makes them feel loved, you're not going to get anywhere.
I guess I'll go watch the train wreck for a while.......aka the election results.
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about a friend of mine whose husband walked out on her a few months ago. They were trying to work out their problems and had moved back in together. Then, just when she thought things were good again, he served her with divorce papers. Again, it came as a total surprise to her. He asked her to move out and gave her half their money. He told her she could take anything she wanted except his computer, Xbox, and couch. Which says a mouthful. His family is pretty sure he has a video game addiction. He spends all his time playing games and when he isn't playing them he's talking about them. I think this addiction is playing a large part in the failure of their marriage. She's moved in with her brother and his wife for now while she tries to figure out what to do. She had to quit her job and move several hundred miles away. One bright spot is that they have no children. Then again, she has no children and now not much hope of ever having children. (Yes, this has to do with what we believe the Bible says about marriage and divorce. Topic for a whole other post!)
This is the first time that anyone I've been close to has had to deal with divorce. I've known a few that did, but not anyone I was close enough to for it to really affect me in any way. I know that's almost impossible to believe given the rate of divorce these days. However, it's true. Again, it has to do in part with the way we view marriage and divorce. So, this is affecting me a little strangely. Or, maybe it's not strange. I guess I wouldn't really know. In some ways it's making me question my own marriage. (Not whether I should be here, just how it's working out.) I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Mostly good, I think.
One of the things I've been mulling over is the definition of romance. About a year or so ago, several young couples got together and had a series of discussions about marriage. We used the books For Men Only and For Women Only by Shaunti Feldman for the basis of our discussions. One of the topics was how women need a little romance and how that means something different to each one. Some said that romance to them was the typical flowers and candlelight dinner, or a walk in the moonlight. Others said it was really romantic when their husband would pitch in with the housework and kids. I've been thinking about that off and on ever since. What action on my husband's part would really define romance for me. I've finally figured out that it's not any one thing. To me romance is when my husband is thinking of me and does something to show it. That could be something as simple as a phone call to see how I'm doing. Or putting the dishes in the dishwasher for me. As long as I can see that he's been thinking about me and wants me to know it, I get the "warm fuzzies". It's important to feel that I'm still being "pursued", to feel that my husband still cares enough to make me feel loved. I think that's the key to any relationship. You can love the other person with everything you have, but if you don't show it in a way that makes them feel loved, you're not going to get anywhere.
I guess I'll go watch the train wreck for a while.......aka the election results.
Election Day Blues
I must admit I'm a little blue today. I'm feeling very pessimistic about this election. I voted this morning for John McCain and I hated the feeling that I got while doing so. It would be so nice to vote for someone because you think they are exactly what this country needs at this time and place in our history. I don't have that feeling about John McCain. I just think he's better than the alternative. I don't believe he would be do a bad job of leading this country for the next four years, but I don't know that he would do a good job either. There are some issues I agree with him on and some I don't.
I hate the fact that rather than voting for something I voted against something. Because I firmly believe that a Barack Obama presidency will send this country down a path we may never recover from. Especially with a "one party" government. I believe he is mostly wrong on almost every issue. I believe that if he is not a full-blown socialist, he at least leans that way a great deal. I believe that the majority of the television and print media worships him and refuses to ask him the hard questions. I am not saying that I believe every accusation against him about the people he associates with, but I do believe that investigating those claims should have been taken much more seriously. I think that if any one of those things had been brought up about any other candidate (even including Democrats) the media would have been all over it. I find it laughable now to watch the election coverage. It's so blatantly biased that I can't help but laugh.
Sorry, I went a little off topic. The only issue I agree with Obama on is energy. And even there I think he's wrong about not drilling. I know he has now said that he would be open to drilling, but only if he can't get anything passed without that as a compromise.
Here's the kicker....I actually liked Obama at first. But as I watched the primaries unfold and then the actual race for the presidency, I noticed something. I can't watch him and believe that he is sincere. Everything he says and does is so scripted and so seemingly fake. Everything he has done seems to be with the idea of furthering his career. Even if he has to lie (campaign finance promises, anyone?) to get there. Sincerity, to me, is one of the biggest things in an election. I understand that not everything promised during a campaign can or will be delivered. But I want to know that, if it was possible, the candidate would follow through on every last thing he (or she) said during the race. At least with McCain, he has a long history of putting his country first. I believe that no matter what he did it would be because he believed with all his heart that it was the best thing for our country. I just can't say that about Obama. I believe that some things he would simply do to stay popular so that he might have a chance at a second term.
Like I said, I really liked Obama at first. Until I got a chance to observe him in action. I am firmly convinced that he will be the next president. And that scares me.
I hate the fact that rather than voting for something I voted against something. Because I firmly believe that a Barack Obama presidency will send this country down a path we may never recover from. Especially with a "one party" government. I believe he is mostly wrong on almost every issue. I believe that if he is not a full-blown socialist, he at least leans that way a great deal. I believe that the majority of the television and print media worships him and refuses to ask him the hard questions. I am not saying that I believe every accusation against him about the people he associates with, but I do believe that investigating those claims should have been taken much more seriously. I think that if any one of those things had been brought up about any other candidate (even including Democrats) the media would have been all over it. I find it laughable now to watch the election coverage. It's so blatantly biased that I can't help but laugh.
Sorry, I went a little off topic. The only issue I agree with Obama on is energy. And even there I think he's wrong about not drilling. I know he has now said that he would be open to drilling, but only if he can't get anything passed without that as a compromise.
Here's the kicker....I actually liked Obama at first. But as I watched the primaries unfold and then the actual race for the presidency, I noticed something. I can't watch him and believe that he is sincere. Everything he says and does is so scripted and so seemingly fake. Everything he has done seems to be with the idea of furthering his career. Even if he has to lie (campaign finance promises, anyone?) to get there. Sincerity, to me, is one of the biggest things in an election. I understand that not everything promised during a campaign can or will be delivered. But I want to know that, if it was possible, the candidate would follow through on every last thing he (or she) said during the race. At least with McCain, he has a long history of putting his country first. I believe that no matter what he did it would be because he believed with all his heart that it was the best thing for our country. I just can't say that about Obama. I believe that some things he would simply do to stay popular so that he might have a chance at a second term.
Like I said, I really liked Obama at first. Until I got a chance to observe him in action. I am firmly convinced that he will be the next president. And that scares me.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Writer's Block
Did you ever have so much going on in your life that it became really hard to sort through it all? That's where I'm at right now. There is just too much going on right now, both internally and externally. I don't even know where to start. It's like a weird kind of writer's block - so many things to say that I just can't seem to say any of them.
I will say this: I am feeling a LOT better physically. I'm driving again. I can hold a pen again. I can walk without a crutch. I am still limited in what I can do as far as strength on my left side, but it is so much improved. I am doing so much better compared to a few weeks ago. So why is it that I can't be satisfied with making steady progress? I get so frustrated about not being able to do the things I want. I finally hired my sister to come over and help out with the housework that I can't do yet. Vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, various other harder-to-handle chores. I wish it wasn't so hard for me to ask for help. I've had no choice so often in the last few years that when I'm better it's just really, really hard to still need the help. I have a really hard time ignoring that voice in my head that tells me to suck it up and deal, to not put this on someone else. It was unbelievably hard to ask my sister to help. I don't think I would've done it at all if I hadn't known she needed the money. It was kind of a win-win-win situation. She needed the money, I needed the help and my husband needed to not have the added stress of doing all the chores. I hope I can swallow that awful pride or whatever it is long enough to be honest with her about what I really need done.....
I tried to make a list of things I'm grateful for or happy about. I tried comparing myself with others who are worse off. I even tried comparing myself with the me from two years ago. Somehow, I can't seem to shake the "poor me" attitude. I want things I can't have right now. I want to be able to go to the grocery store and not come home and have to rest for two days. I want to be able to get in the floor with my little boy and not have to worry about how I'm going to get up again. I want to feed my family something other than frozen dinners and take-out. I want to stop having to worry about which exercise is going to be the one that, instead of helping, sets back my recovery. I want a normal life back without having to accept that this could very well be the new normal. I want to not feel so incredibly whiny and ungrateful. I wish I was Pollyanna with her "glad game" and silver-lining attitude.
Maybe next time I have writer's block, the part that opens up will be a little less depressing?
I will say this: I am feeling a LOT better physically. I'm driving again. I can hold a pen again. I can walk without a crutch. I am still limited in what I can do as far as strength on my left side, but it is so much improved. I am doing so much better compared to a few weeks ago. So why is it that I can't be satisfied with making steady progress? I get so frustrated about not being able to do the things I want. I finally hired my sister to come over and help out with the housework that I can't do yet. Vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, various other harder-to-handle chores. I wish it wasn't so hard for me to ask for help. I've had no choice so often in the last few years that when I'm better it's just really, really hard to still need the help. I have a really hard time ignoring that voice in my head that tells me to suck it up and deal, to not put this on someone else. It was unbelievably hard to ask my sister to help. I don't think I would've done it at all if I hadn't known she needed the money. It was kind of a win-win-win situation. She needed the money, I needed the help and my husband needed to not have the added stress of doing all the chores. I hope I can swallow that awful pride or whatever it is long enough to be honest with her about what I really need done.....
I tried to make a list of things I'm grateful for or happy about. I tried comparing myself with others who are worse off. I even tried comparing myself with the me from two years ago. Somehow, I can't seem to shake the "poor me" attitude. I want things I can't have right now. I want to be able to go to the grocery store and not come home and have to rest for two days. I want to be able to get in the floor with my little boy and not have to worry about how I'm going to get up again. I want to feed my family something other than frozen dinners and take-out. I want to stop having to worry about which exercise is going to be the one that, instead of helping, sets back my recovery. I want a normal life back without having to accept that this could very well be the new normal. I want to not feel so incredibly whiny and ungrateful. I wish I was Pollyanna with her "glad game" and silver-lining attitude.
Maybe next time I have writer's block, the part that opens up will be a little less depressing?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Politics
I'm not generally one to discuss politics. I follow the elections and I have my own opinions and prejudices just like anyone. I'm voting for McCain, but only because I think just about anybody would be better than Obama. However, with McCain's choice for VP, I got a little more excited about voting. With Sarah Palin there is, at last, an actual conservative on the ballot. But, this post is not about McCain or Palin or Obama. This is about the media. When did the major TV networks get so incredibly biased? I'm talking about to the point where "journalism is neutral" or "just the facts" is laughable. Most are biased toward the left. I only know of one biased to the right. But where are the ones who simply report things the way they are? I understand that reporters and news anchors (and producers) are people with their own opinions. But, they should be able to at least be fair and equal. If they can give one side the benefit of the doubt, why not the other? It's gotten to where when I listen to any news story about this election, I automatically try to figure out who provided the "spin".
What actually got me thinking about this today was all the hype about Sarah Palin's daughter being pregnant. I can understand the investigation into her firing that one guy being relevant. I can understand her stance on gun rights and abortion being relevant. What I can't understand is how her teenage daughter being pregnant suddenly makes her unfit for the Vice Presidency. I just don't get it. I've heard all the reasoning. I just don't think it's legitimate. Is that truly all they can come up with when they try to "dig up dirt"? Because if it is, then the Dems are in trouble!
What actually got me thinking about this today was all the hype about Sarah Palin's daughter being pregnant. I can understand the investigation into her firing that one guy being relevant. I can understand her stance on gun rights and abortion being relevant. What I can't understand is how her teenage daughter being pregnant suddenly makes her unfit for the Vice Presidency. I just don't get it. I've heard all the reasoning. I just don't think it's legitimate. Is that truly all they can come up with when they try to "dig up dirt"? Because if it is, then the Dems are in trouble!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Here we go again.
Well, it sounds like BlogBlast for Education was a big success and I'm looking forward to its sequel. Congrats to April for pulling it off! I fully intended to spend half the day Friday doing nothing but reading posts and responding to them. I really wish I had been able to....
I've had a flare-up in my health issues. Friday morning I ended up at the doctor trying to figure out what's going on. The weakness in my leg came back after a year and a half. There is some indication that I may have an auto-immune disease called Graves disease. It affects the thyroid, so they are doing some more blood tests. I won't find out the results until tomorrow. In the mean time my left leg no longer holds my weight and when I woke up this morning, I discovered that I can no longer grip with my left hand. This may be my last post for a while because it's getting harder to type. :( The hand thing has never happened before so it's a bit scary. I also happen to be left handed. Not good.
I also found out that my window for having more children is smaller than I thought. Chances are apparently pretty good that I will have to have my thyroid gland destroyed by a radioactive substance, which can do a lot of damage to the ovaries. That news was totally unexpected and needless to say, my brain's capacity for absorbing blogs about education was completely and utterly overwhelmed. Which is why I haven't even responded to the comments on my own blog. If you left me a comment, please understand that I have a lot going on right now. While I would have loved to have responded, I simply don't have the brain for it. I'm sorry.
The ups and downs of this thing are really starting to wear on me. I never did like roller coasters and there has never been one I wanted to get off of more than this one.
Well, the longer I type the harder it gets. As I said, I probably won't post again for a while. Unless I get desperate enough to try the hunt and peck method! I'll be around, though.
I've had a flare-up in my health issues. Friday morning I ended up at the doctor trying to figure out what's going on. The weakness in my leg came back after a year and a half. There is some indication that I may have an auto-immune disease called Graves disease. It affects the thyroid, so they are doing some more blood tests. I won't find out the results until tomorrow. In the mean time my left leg no longer holds my weight and when I woke up this morning, I discovered that I can no longer grip with my left hand. This may be my last post for a while because it's getting harder to type. :( The hand thing has never happened before so it's a bit scary. I also happen to be left handed. Not good.
I also found out that my window for having more children is smaller than I thought. Chances are apparently pretty good that I will have to have my thyroid gland destroyed by a radioactive substance, which can do a lot of damage to the ovaries. That news was totally unexpected and needless to say, my brain's capacity for absorbing blogs about education was completely and utterly overwhelmed. Which is why I haven't even responded to the comments on my own blog. If you left me a comment, please understand that I have a lot going on right now. While I would have loved to have responded, I simply don't have the brain for it. I'm sorry.
The ups and downs of this thing are really starting to wear on me. I never did like roller coasters and there has never been one I wanted to get off of more than this one.
Well, the longer I type the harder it gets. As I said, I probably won't post again for a while. Unless I get desperate enough to try the hunt and peck method! I'll be around, though.
Friday, June 20, 2008
BlogBlast for Education
I'm sure with all the different ones participating in this event today public schools will be pretty well covered. I am more concerned with homeschooling. I attended public school through fourth grade and then my family began homeschooling. My parents didn't have very much money. In fact, my dad worked three jobs so that my mom could stay home. With the lack of funds to consider, our family and my best friend's family (who also began homeschooling that year) went together to buy curriculum. Our ages were staggered so we could hand each year's school books down to the next person every year. The option in curriculum that was affordable wasn't the best by far, but it worked. Of course, now there is a huge number of choices when it comes to materials for homeschoolers. You could give your child a pretty good education practically for free if you took the time to research the options online. Anyway, after I got married my husband and I talked it over and decided that we didn't want to expose our children to the influence of public schools. We are planning to home-school Isaac. He's only three so we have a while to go. I've been using the time to research the different methods of homeschooling that are the most widely used right now. It's a lot of information to absorb and try to sort through and it can be rather intimidating at times. However, I believe the pros by far outweigh the cons in homeschooling vs. public schooling.
The number one criticism of homeschooling is "What about socialization? Aren't you worried about that?" My answer to that question is a resounding YES!! I am absolutely worried about my child's socialization. That is one of the main reasons we decided to teach him at home. I have watched my sister's kids start school and it changes them. They are exposed at such a young age to bullying and vulgar, vicious behaviors. They learn words that I had never even heard before. There is practically no discipline allowed, therefore the teachers have lost all real authority in the classrooms. You bet I'm worried about their social skills. It has been my experience that most children who are home-schooled actually have better social skills. There are, naturally, those that are shy and don't communicate very well (I was one of those). However, the rest generally are very comfortable with all age groups including the elderly. Their confidence is not confined to when they are with kids their own age. I looked up the word socialization: a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position. Why is it so important that this process take place under government supervision?
Which brings me to California. :) A Court of Appeals there has ruled that "Parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children." I have to wonder....since when? Is it about education or is it about teaching our children things that, given a choice, a lot of parents wouldn't teach. (Evolution comes to mind.) If it's about producing well-educated, productive members of society then I have to say who needs government-run schools to do that? One of the greatest presidents our nation has known, Abraham Lincoln had less than one year TOTAL of formal schooling. He wasn't even home-schooled; he was self-taught. If homeschooling is unconstitutional, then I would think that no schooling would be so as well! I could say a lot more about this particular aspect of education, but the emotion is causing me to forget the other things I wanted to address. Moving on....
A lot of families home-school their children for reasons which are religious in nature. They don't wish to subject their children to teachings which are completely opposite to their religious beliefs. Again, evolution comes to mind. Also, the mindset that certain lifestyles are totally acceptable. Premarital sex is expected, rather than cautioned against. Many of us believe that it is our God-given duty to fill our children with the principles and values that God teaches, and it becomes so much more difficult to do that when they spend the majority of their time in an atmosphere which works against those principles.
However, even completely disregarding the social, legal and religious reasoning behind a lot of people's decision to home-school, there is one argument which is, I believe, almost universal among homeschoolers. It is getting more and more difficult to get a good education in a public school. There are a million different reasons why this is the case. Classroom sizes, teachers' salaries, lack of quality teachers, funding, "teaching to the test", politics, lack of discipline, etc. Contrast that with a home school. Children can get one on one attention and go at their own pace. If they are having difficulty with a concept it is easy to slow down and work at it until they get it. There is no worry about whether they are holding up the rest of the class. Or having to wait for someone else to catch up. The number of choices in curriculum right now is mind-blowing. We've all heard about how children have different styles of learning. There is the opportunity to change the way you're doing something if it isn't working. Even in the middle of the school year. (Assuming you choose to keep the public school schedule. You don't have to, of course!) The possibilities are endless. There is so much versatility and flexibility in homeschooling that just isn't possible in a public school setting.
Huge props go out to April for coming up with the totally awesome BlogBlast for Education. I'm on my way to read the other posts right now!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Miscellaneous
I'm not going to say anything deep today. I've been sick for nearly a week and don't feel like thinking too much. So, today will be random and boring. You've been warned.
Item: My husband finally found a company that values him as an employee. He's been doing work under contract for a couple of years now. That basically means good pay, NO benefits. Everyone wants to hire him, but for about half of what they pay him as a contractor. This company hired him, gave him a raise(!), really good benefits, and a guaranteed at least 5% bonus next March. They don't care if he works from home now and then. He can work whatever hours he wants as long as he gets his 40 in. Can anyone one say :D ?
Item: Laryngitis, turned Bronchitis, turned sinus infection is a rotten way to spend a week.
Item: I hate spiders. Especially when they're in my house.
THIS JUST IN......My husband just called and said he's buying me a Wii Fit. And, yes, I'm excited about that. I knew I was getting one for my birthday, but we waited a day too long and everybody sold out. So he's getting one from a guy at work who's only trying to make a $20 profit. Most people online are asking at least double because they know it's not available in stores right now. Supply and demand, right?
Item: Special thanks to April for her movie recommendation. Into the Woods was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. She was right - everything you need to know about life is contained in this film. I wish I could see the original play. Whoever wrote it was a genius.
Item: If I don't stop here, I'll be late for physical therapy.
Item: My husband finally found a company that values him as an employee. He's been doing work under contract for a couple of years now. That basically means good pay, NO benefits. Everyone wants to hire him, but for about half of what they pay him as a contractor. This company hired him, gave him a raise(!), really good benefits, and a guaranteed at least 5% bonus next March. They don't care if he works from home now and then. He can work whatever hours he wants as long as he gets his 40 in. Can anyone one say :D ?
Item: Laryngitis, turned Bronchitis, turned sinus infection is a rotten way to spend a week.
Item: I hate spiders. Especially when they're in my house.
THIS JUST IN......My husband just called and said he's buying me a Wii Fit. And, yes, I'm excited about that. I knew I was getting one for my birthday, but we waited a day too long and everybody sold out. So he's getting one from a guy at work who's only trying to make a $20 profit. Most people online are asking at least double because they know it's not available in stores right now. Supply and demand, right?
Item: Special thanks to April for her movie recommendation. Into the Woods was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. She was right - everything you need to know about life is contained in this film. I wish I could see the original play. Whoever wrote it was a genius.
Item: If I don't stop here, I'll be late for physical therapy.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Babies, Babies Everywhere.....
....and not a single one for me. My world has been inundated with babies over the last few months. My sister had a little boy about three weeks ago. My cousin and his wife adopted a little boy in March. My brother and his wife are having twins in about two months. And right off the top of my head I've counted at least ten others who are pregnant or just recently had a baby. These are all people who I'm either very close to or at least am well acquainted with. That's a lot of babies!
A little over six months ago I thought I was pregnant. Three home tests and one at the doctor's were all negative and still I wasn't completely convinced. I was six weeks late (never happened before in the history of my life, except when I was pregnant with Isaac) and had every symptom I had with Isaac. I even wanted salad two or three times a week. It turned out to be a cyst. A very, very painful cyst. I had just found out that my sister was pregnant and my sis-in-law found out that she was a few weeks later. So when it became obvious that I was, in fact, NOT pregnant, I was more than a little disappointed.
I said about four years ago that if I could have just one child, I would be content if I was unable to have more. I think I lied. You have to understand that in the two years after I got married I had surgery three times for endometriosis-related adhesions. After the third surgery, my doctor told me that if I intended to have children, I'd better get started. The chances of losing an ovary were increasing and a person can only have surgery so many times before the risk exceeds the benefit. So I had Isaac. He turned three in February. When he was born, I was given a medication for nausea and had a violent reaction. When I say violent, I'm talking about whiplash at least thirty times in twenty minutes or so. I couldn't even hold my baby for the first two weeks. I finally started feeling better when, about five months later, I suddenly took a turn for the worse. I won't go into a lot of detail, but we assumed it was still effects from the medicine. I was no longer able to take care of Isaac; I couldn't even take care of myself. We lived with my parents for about a year and a half while she took care of us and we went to more doctors than I can remember. I finally diagnosed myself. Postpartum thyroiditis made worse by stress. It's not an official diagnosis by a doctor, but it explains my symptoms more than anything they've come up with. I finally had a test show up with an abnormal result and they put me on thyroid medicine. It took three years for that to happen. In that three years, I've become a completely different person. I never knew from literally one minute to the next if I was going to be able to stand or walk. I never knew if I might be fixing to have a "seizure-like episode". I never knew from one sentence to the next if I was going to be able to speak clearly. I was scared out of my mind most of the time because no one could tell me what was going on.
All this to say, There is no way I'm healthy enough right now to have another baby. And it's killing me. Every time I see or hear about someone with a new baby or one on the way it tears at me. Don't get me wrong. I am so happy for all these families. I just wish I was one of them. I have my Isaac, and I consider him to be my own special miracle. But, I'm greedy and want more. I'll be twenty-six on Monday. I know that these days that's still young as far as childbearing goes. But for me, it just means that there's not a whole lot of time left to get healthy enough. I have a VERY long way to go and I'm afraid it's going to take too long to get there.
A little over six months ago I thought I was pregnant. Three home tests and one at the doctor's were all negative and still I wasn't completely convinced. I was six weeks late (never happened before in the history of my life, except when I was pregnant with Isaac) and had every symptom I had with Isaac. I even wanted salad two or three times a week. It turned out to be a cyst. A very, very painful cyst. I had just found out that my sister was pregnant and my sis-in-law found out that she was a few weeks later. So when it became obvious that I was, in fact, NOT pregnant, I was more than a little disappointed.
I said about four years ago that if I could have just one child, I would be content if I was unable to have more. I think I lied. You have to understand that in the two years after I got married I had surgery three times for endometriosis-related adhesions. After the third surgery, my doctor told me that if I intended to have children, I'd better get started. The chances of losing an ovary were increasing and a person can only have surgery so many times before the risk exceeds the benefit. So I had Isaac. He turned three in February. When he was born, I was given a medication for nausea and had a violent reaction. When I say violent, I'm talking about whiplash at least thirty times in twenty minutes or so. I couldn't even hold my baby for the first two weeks. I finally started feeling better when, about five months later, I suddenly took a turn for the worse. I won't go into a lot of detail, but we assumed it was still effects from the medicine. I was no longer able to take care of Isaac; I couldn't even take care of myself. We lived with my parents for about a year and a half while she took care of us and we went to more doctors than I can remember. I finally diagnosed myself. Postpartum thyroiditis made worse by stress. It's not an official diagnosis by a doctor, but it explains my symptoms more than anything they've come up with. I finally had a test show up with an abnormal result and they put me on thyroid medicine. It took three years for that to happen. In that three years, I've become a completely different person. I never knew from literally one minute to the next if I was going to be able to stand or walk. I never knew if I might be fixing to have a "seizure-like episode". I never knew from one sentence to the next if I was going to be able to speak clearly. I was scared out of my mind most of the time because no one could tell me what was going on.
All this to say, There is no way I'm healthy enough right now to have another baby. And it's killing me. Every time I see or hear about someone with a new baby or one on the way it tears at me. Don't get me wrong. I am so happy for all these families. I just wish I was one of them. I have my Isaac, and I consider him to be my own special miracle. But, I'm greedy and want more. I'll be twenty-six on Monday. I know that these days that's still young as far as childbearing goes. But for me, it just means that there's not a whole lot of time left to get healthy enough. I have a VERY long way to go and I'm afraid it's going to take too long to get there.
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