Miss me?

All those blog posts then…nothing!

So sorry!  I try not to broadcast over the internet when we’re traveling.  But golly, do you have a lot of blog posts from me coming up!

Remember the couple that just got married that I posted about last few posts?  We joined them on their honeymoon.

No, no, no…it’s not weird.  It’s so much fun!  I mean, really, it’s not like we’re in the same room with them.  Puh-lease!

We joined them on a Mediterranean cruise and we got to see Spain, Italy and France.  I have so much to tell you and so much to show you that I don’t even know where to begin!  So many blog-able moments.  For now, I’ll start with a random list to whet your appetite.  If you’re a Facebook friend, I’ve uploaded some pics there so hop on over and check ‘em out.

• We visited 12 cities.
• And 6 airports.
• We had 2 unexpected hotel stays.
• Our luggage was lost not once but TWICE.
• We now know who NOT to fly with.
• Coughcoughhiccupdeltaairlinescoughgag.
• We can’t wait to go back someday and bring the kids with us.
• I’m already planning how and when.
• I think I want to learn Italian.
• It was fun to say some Spanish in Spain.
• I never knew I could wear one set of clothing for five days straight.
• Royal Caribbean rocks at dealing with lost luggage situations.  And I mean, ROCKS.
• Gelato is amazing.
• My body clock has no idea what time it is and hasn’t since we left almost two weeks ago.
• Do I have to come back to reality yet?

Going Somewhere, Gulps

Yes, we have decided to homeschool.

We are excited, perhaps a little nervous, but more excited than nervous, about this new adventure that will be our school this year!  I look forward to sharing all the details with you be they fun, exhausting, nerve-wracking, maddening, or exhilarating.

I am already anticipating your questions!  Your first question?   Why did we decide to homeschool?  This is a unique decision to every family – just as there are unique personalities in this world, there are unique homeschooling families.  If you are curious about this topic, I highly recommend the book So You’re Thinking About Homeschooling by Lisa Whelchel.  This book portrays fifteen unique families, their situations and why and how they homeschool.  Excellent reading.

We are taking this year by year, month by month, and day by day.  We are taking G’s kindergarten year as it is – his first year – and see how it goes!  G is a very sensitive, personable personality who loves to work one on one with whoever is around him.  This, plus other personality factors, a mild speech delay, and my personal teaching philosophy and other convictions led us to choose homeschooling.

Your next question?  Ahhhhhh, yes.  The Big S.  SOCIALIZATION.  Let me stop you right there.  Every child, public school or private school or homeschool is as socialized as each parent or guardian determines.  Think back on your school experiences.  Some children participated in nothing, some in everything.  The same goes for homeschoolers.  As a parent, there are numerous opportunities to socialize with people of all ages throughout the day.  Just because we do school at “home” does not mean we stay at home all day!  School can happen anywhere!  Think of your day running errands:  Target, the grocery store, the bank, changing your oil, the doctor’s office, etc.  Some many chances to talk to people of all ages and personalities!  Field trips, sports, dance classes, piano lessons, church – the opportunities are really endless.   Excellent social skills for children, no matter how they are schooled, happen in every day situations with people of all ages.

Your third question?  How does G feel about this?  That kid is excited! We have talked with him about it several times and he is so excited he can hardly stand himself.  As soon as we told him we were setting aside the “formal dining room” of our home for a “classroom”, he immediately went and got his “Bob Books” (early readers) and his toys and ran to that room and sat down and said we had to start class.  ”Let’s go, Mom!  We have to have class now!”  He routinely calls me “teacher” and wants to have class.  I have already started buying workbooks (Kumon Workbooks) and he loves them, soaks it all up like a sponge.  My goal in doing small activities like this in our classroom is to start planting the idea that that room is the classroom, a work room, and not a playroom.  We have our old breakfast table in there now, a bookshelf (and plans for more), some posters on the wall, plans to move G’s computer in there, and other decorating ideas.  I can’t wait to share pictures with you all as we go!  The room is not clean at the moment so “before” pictures will have to wait.

Ah, your fourth question!  I can hear it already.  What in the world are we going to use to teach him?  I’m so glad you asked!  Initially, I was overwhelmed with the plethora of information out there about homeschooling – books, the internet, more books, more internet, blogs, oh my!  Where did I even begin??  Well, by jumping in…so I did.  I checked out some books from the library and started reading.  I surfed the internet and googled endlessly.  Until my eyes crossed and uncrossed.  Now, if I had just started with this book, I would have saved myself a lot of time:  100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy. Genius book.  Truly.  Ms.

Duffy first examines your own learning style, teaching style, philosophy of education, then your child’s learning style, reviews homeschool curriculum styles (unit studies, Charlotte Mason, literature-based, Classical, etc.) then has a chart for you

complete to reveal what styles match yours the best.  Very revealing.  Next, she reviews the most popular curriculums out there for the various subject areas, listing various other resources as well.  I saw several websites and blogs list her book as a top resource for parents to purchase and it didn’t take me long to see why!

Continued tomorrow…

PS…I need a “G” category for homeschooling.  Ideas?  :)

Growing Up, Gulps, Homeschool

I saw this on Marriage Monday over at Chrysalis blog hosted by e-mom.  The ladies there are writing love letters to their husbands and posting them on their blogs.  It must be a forgotten art once you’ve been married for several years.  So why post it “publicly”?  We are committed in our marriage and we were before we even said the vows before friends, family, neighbors and God Himself.  If I can say those vows in front of others at a “public” ceremony, I can publicly post what I so dearly love about my husband (boundaries included).  *deep breath*  Here we go!

Dearest Chris,

Where do I start?  Almost eleven years this month we have been together, first as friends, then as spouses.  It tickles me to no end to think on all those questions from our friends when we were “hanging out” – are you and Chris dating?  are you a couple?

“No, no, no…he’s not my type, just a great friend.”

I’m thrilled beyond words to know that after eleven years we are still great friends.

You are patient, you are kind.  Generous almost to a fault.  I love that about you.

I have never known you to be envious or proud.  Confident in what you do, but never proud.

You are not rude or self-seeking, you always are thinking of our children and me first and foremost.

You are not easily angered and I’m so thankful you keep no record book of all my faults and wrongs.  You certainly exhibit the love, grace, and mercy of Christ in all that you do.  What a wonderful example for our children.

You keep evil far from you, even to the potential ridicule of others in this world that is not our own.  I am always more thankful than words can express for the high standards that you hold yourself to.  I am blessed.

You protect us, you trust where trust is due but do not trust when it is in our best interest to protect us.  What a fine line to walk and what wisdom you carry.

Thank you for laughing with me, holding me when I cry, caring for me when migraine pain attacks, persevering with hope when I was so sick after the birth of our son (that requires a love letter all its own!), giving of yourself to others, being such a great home repair guru, and for being such a great daddy to our children.  To see them so excited when you walk in the door is a clear reminder that you are loved, cherished, and rock their world.  Heck, even the dog gets excited when you get home.

And so do I.

I love you.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her ²⁶ to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.^{[b] 27} He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. ²⁸ In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. ²⁹ No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. ³⁰ And we are members of his body. -Ephesians 5:25-30

A few months before we were married...

A few months ago...

God of My Story, Growing Up, Gulps

I hate being nervous.

Stomach churning.  Skin tingling.  Sweating.  Shaking.

That shaking part is really not handy when you are a musician, particularly a pianist whose ten fingers have to play lots of keys within a short time span – like seconds.  Shaking just is not conducive to such a goal, you know?

The nerve thing is probably a good reason why embarking upon a solo career was not a good option for me, in addition to the fact that I just have tons more fun playing with a group of people – band, ensemble, etc.  Basically, anything where if I make a mistake no one will notice.

Ah, insecurity.  Gotta love it.

It has its roots in pride, though, doesn’t it?  Will they think less of me for messing that up?  I want them to know I’m better than that mistake!  I’m good at this, aren’t I?  Is my hair messed up?  Am I making a funny face as I play?  How do I look when I play?  I should have practiced more – maybe years more.  There is no way I can do this.  Wow, look at all those people out there, are they looking at me?  I’d better smile.

Um, hello?  *knock, knock*  Pride?  Let’s get a reality check, thankyouverymuch, before you get out of control.

Even self-defacing comments can be rooted in pride as the focus is inward, albeit detrimentally so, but not upward on Christ and the woman that He created me to be…ME!  How about we go over these one by one?

• Will they think less of me for messing up? Short answer – no.  Long answer – if they do, who cares?  Focus on Christ, remember?  The worship service is about worship.  It’s not about me, or them, or their thoughts about me or them.

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.  -Galatians 1:10

• I want them to know I’m better than that mistake! Huge pride check here.  Is it really necessary for them to know anything?  It’s all about Christ…and again, it’s not about me.  This natural talent and supernatural gift came only from God above and the letters after my name mean nothing when I am face down at His feet and/or humbly serving by using these gifts beside my brothers and sisters in Christ on a worship team.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. -Galatians 2:20

• I’m good at this, aren’t I? Me?  Who, me?  I am weak, and He is strong.  That’s all I need to know.  How about some more Scripture?

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. -2 Corinthians 12:9

• Is my hair messed up?  Am I making a funny face as I play?  How do I look when I play? Am I seriously worried about this in the middle of worship?  Wow.  I really shouldn’t be.  To think less of myself would be to criticize Him and His creation, for He created me just as He wanted me to be.  How dare I?

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.  -Psalm 139:13-14

• I should have practiced more – maybe years more.  There is no way I can do this. Yes, there is a responsibility to practice, to be skilled at what I do.  And then I trust Him and the Holy Spirit to take the music from there, beyond me and my weakness and into His strength.

¹ Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

² Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

³ Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy. -Psalm 33:1-3

• Wow, look at all those people out there, are they looking at me?  I’d better smile. Worship.  Him.  Only.  They are not looking at me, no matter what my fleshly mind or the enemy wants to discourage and distract me with.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. -Mark 12:30

It seems only appropriate to end with…

²⁶But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  -John 14:26-27

God Stuff, Gulps

Anybody want an adorable 3-month old puppy, laid-back personality, loves to cuddle…but who does not have small children in the home?

Um, yeah.  You guessed it. *tears*  *lots and lots of tears*

Little cute guy, Cody, has exhibited some concerning agressive behavior towards my two-year-old daughter, and she is now sporting a nice bite on her knee.  But, bless her little heart, that girl knows no fear and what we thought might’ve been a strong reaction to perhaps a tail underfoot proved to be unprovoked aggression as things progressed.

My heart hurts.  I hurt for my little girl who was bitten, I hurt because of this dog who we have to return to the animal shelter and who I pray can be adopted into a home without small children, and I hurt because, well, I guess I feel guilty all the way around. Ugh.

I am so thankful that this particular “trait” was revealed before any terribly traumatic things could happen, though.  I praise Him for that.

I want Goldie back.

Gulps