The Highlights

I was blessed by a special meeting of the church this past weekend.  There were some lessons I really needed to hear, and I came away from it feeling convicted, challenged, provoked and encouraged.

CONVICTED
to speak what is helpful in building others up instead of complaining or criticizing.

CHALLENGED
to look for God's "appointments" in my life rather than being disappointed when *my* plan doesn't work out and gracefully accept the seasons during which God is preparing me for something ahead.

PROVOKED
to contend for the faith--to wrestle, to agonize--instead of sitting back watching to see what happens, being lazy, or thinking I'll do it later.

ENCOURAGED
to walk in good works that Christ's light might shine brighter through me.

Hubris Art Thy Name

As is my custom, I dropped into the library while Destry was at his violin lesson and checked out the discarded books.  The title "Woman Thou Art Loosed" rang the bell of familiarity so I exchanged a quarter for the copy on the cart and sped through it while waiting on Destry.

I know I've probably been living under a rock or something, but I don't know anything about the author, T.D. Jakes.  And I will concede that my reading of this novel is my sole exposure to the man or his teaching.  But I've come away from it thinking "Wow!  We might be getting a little mixed up as to who we are worshiping here!  It's good to use God-given gifts in spreading the Word, but we need to be careful we are pointing people to the Savior and the cross.  We need to not get the messenger in the way of the message."

My eyebrows first lifted as I saw the author had cast himself in the role of famous evangelical preacher of a mega-church when he introduced his character ministering to a women on death row. I became less and less impressed as I continued to read more and more about "Bishop Jake" but still no Scriptures in this novel purportedly detailing a woman's journey to the Lord.

"He listened to the sermon.  Bishop Jakes had tapped deep down in his soul" (197). . ."Michelle shouted as she clapped her hands in response to Bishop Jakes's words" (199). . ."As she listened to Bishop Jakes". . ."But with the help of Bishop Jakes, she was given a chance to really make something of her life" (204)  "She returned her attention to Bishop Jakes.  His voice, she decided, had a way of bringing a calm to her troubled soul" (211).

Is it just me, or is anyone else bothered by the representation of it being a man who taps deep down in a person's soul, his words being what brings about change, his voice bringing calm?

I am so sad that we so easily get things mixed up and worship the creation rather than the Creator.  I think this is a problem both for your average-Joe christian to be tempted to elevate some to "super-christian" status and it's also a temptation for some to elevate themselves above others.  It's been a problem since the very early days of the church as evidenced by Paul's letters to the Corinthians, so I suppose I shouldn't be so disheartened by it, but I am nonetheless.

That's my biggest impression from reading this book and I can't recommend it (nor do I feel any inclination toward watching the string of movies of a similar name that I came across on Amazon while looking for a picture of the book to link). The woman's story is also pretty rough.  I realize that one in three women have been sexually assaulted (and personally believe the truth to be higher than that) but it's not really something I enjoy reading about.  I'm thinking this book will be thrown out to the burn barrel with the rest of our trash rather than earning a spot on my bookshelves.

Life-Changing Week

Destry described his week at TeenPact as life-changing.  It was his first TeenPact experience and Briana's third.  Both came home bubbling over with enthusiasm, dreams and goals, and new friendships.

TeenPact's mission is to train youth to understand the political process, value their liberty, defend their Christian faith and engage the culture at a time in their lives when, typically, they do not care about such things.

The truth is, both Destry and his friend Jarret (pictured above) were pretty much dragged to this government and leadership four-day camp.  They were appalled that they had to do several homework assignments and help pay for the cost.  They were further appalled at the idea of wearing a tie every single day!

I had considered not having my kids go this year, but after much prayer and discussion with my husband, we made a late decision that Destry needed to go this year for reasons that I'll not go into here.  I just love it when the Lord works things out like this.  Not only did they learn a great deal about government, but they also grew in their relationships with other teenagers who love the Lord and are seeking Him.  A more sober-minded and humble son came home to me Thursday than the one I dropped off on Monday.

Both of my teens enjoyed honors this week.  Briana ran for the position of governor and did not win, but she was recognized as the highest-scoring alumnus in homework, tests and quizzes.  Destry was elected as one of the three senators and as such gave a speech at the graduation ceremony.  I was, of course, quite proud of them both for these accomplishments.

What I was most proud of, however, took place during the speech of another of the elected senators.  He asked Destry to stand and then commended him for being a person who always has an encouraging word and knows just the right thing to say when you need it.

I'm curious to see how this experience continues to affect their daily lives and future.  I record these details not to brag on them (well, not too much anyway! ha!) but mostly so they won't forget these moments and the impact TeenPact has had on them.  I record them now, anticipating one day looking back on their experience and seeing how it shaped their choices.

To Everything There is a Season

To everything (turn, turn, turn. . .what does that mean, anyway?)
there is a season (turn, turn, turn). . .

And I think my season of blogging has come to an end.  There are several reasons for this, but the top three are time (or lack thereof), focus, and relationship.

The first one is surely self-explanatory.  I've been borrowing blogging time from sleeping time for a little too long as it is.  I'm a homeschooling mother of five children--enough said, right?  And when I add that the youngest children are nearing the end of the napping years (prime blogging time) it surely makes even more sense.

Time segues nicely into focus as I'm not sure blogging is the best use of my limited time in this next season.  There are some other areas I need to focus on including the character training of my children, personal Bible study, involvement in our local homeschool community, and serving in our community just to name a few.  I've enjoyed blogging and would like to think I have encouraged people here and there as I've reflected on books I've read, what the Lord is doing in our family and homeschool, and along my faith walk with the Lord but I sense a changing and more immediate focus ahead.

It's time to focus on relationships in my immediate vicinity.  I pour a lot of myself onto my blog and frankly, don't get a lot back.  Few people comment and some just check in every once in a while to see what's up in my life without catching me up on what's up in theirs or engaging in any discussion.  Once I've digested my life or my thoughts about a book or my struggles in my daily christian walk on my blog, I am disinclined to rehash these topics again in face-to-face conversation.  As we've so recently moved and are developing new friendships, I am finding this practice to be damaging to establishing meaningful "real-life" relationships and I bear full responsibility.

I think it will be hard to completely give up blogging as sometimes I just need to sit down and write.  My plan is to leave this post up for a few days so I don't just "drop off the face of the. . .internet" and then I'll set my blog to private.  This will also help prevent my recent increase in spam comments (insert annoyed grimace).  I may still post once a week or so as the urge hits me, so if you would like to be invited to read my much-less-active blog, click on my profile to your right and use the button under "contact me" to give me your email address.  (I won't be inviting anyone without an explicit request to do so as I don't want to assume anything)

I still hope to stay in touch with my long-distance bloggy friends by reading (and commenting on) your blogs.  Until then, thanks for reading!

The Language of Flowers

What a terrible book.   I simply couldn't put it down (sorry, Alan, for that evening I spent curled on the couch with this book and a handful of tissues ignoring you and the kids).

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh has, in my opinion, two captivating pieces that make its storyline a success.  Number one, the protagonist is a young woman recently "emancipated" from the foster system and the book tells her story by alternating between the past and the present.  While I'm not always fond of her because of her choices, I think the author accurately depicts behaviors which result from attachment disorders.  This is what our foster system creates when it bounces children from one home to another, from dysfunctional biological families to foster families to biological family to another foster family and so on.  My gut reaction calls this a terrible book because I don't like to vicariously experience this life, (and it's not comfortable because it makes me think I should provide some permanence and security to children trapped in this debilitating cycle) but really that just shows how well the author crafted her character.

The second piece consists of the detailed application of communicating with flowers.  While I am not a flower person--I can barely distinguish a rose from a carnation--this book makes me want to learn both to identify and to communicate with flowers.  It was so very appropriate for an emotionally-damaged young woman to be able to express herself in this way and I was unreasonably tickled to find the author's personal flower dictionary in the back of the book.

This makes the second "modern novel" I've read in the last couple weeks that I actually recommend because it is well-written, has good characterization, is thought-provoking, and free of explicit immoral activity (not that it doesn't reference it, but it doesn't detail it).  Rather shocking, isn't it?

Thanks, Kristy, for recommending this one--it's much better than The Eyre Affair.  (wink)

Child-Initiated Discussions

We've always tried to be open about adoption discussions in our family, especially since adopting our first child almost seven years ago.  I have been conscious about using books to initiate discussions and their "lifebooks" have long been among their favorite bedtime stories.

This post is a great excuse to share these recent pictures of my handsome young man.

But it's been only recently that Easton, who will be seven in May, has started bringing up the topic of adoption of his own volition. 

Easton and Kiana came running into the living room where I was sitting.

"Were Briana and Destry in your tummy?" Easton demanded.

"Yes, they were," I smiled.

"See, I told ya!" Kiana exclaimed triumphantly.

I lowered my brows at Kiana's sass but tucked a reprimand away for later as Easton's face clearly expressed his disappointment in my answer.  He leaned against my right shoulder.

"Why were they in your tummy?" he appealed.  "Why can't I be in your tummy?"

I think it's interesting that Kiana, at 5, seems to have a clearer understanding of adoption and what all it means.  Is it because she's a girl and he's a boy?  Is it just something about their unique personalities?  Kiana is more dramatic and emotional by nature, and thus perhaps more in tune with her emotions, while Easton is pretty laid back.

 I wonder about what provoked this reaction in him.  My hope is that he doesn't feel jealousy or somehow "less than" because he is one of my three children who weren't born from "my tummy".  He has many times suggested that we adopt another little girl so we will have three boys and three girls (smile, love the way kids think) and has said that when he is a grown up he is going to adopt some children--maybe 10 children!  It seems a normal way to grow a family in his eyes.

I think he had somehow just missed the fact that we didn't adopt Briana and Destry.  He thought we had adopted all of them.  Ultimately, I guess I'm glad that he hadn't discerned any difference among his brothers and sisters and how they are all loved and treated.

On a different day, he seemed to be reassuring himself as much as me that we are family and always will be, no matter what or when.

"You'll always be my mommy.  Even when I'm a grown up and 

live in a different house, you'll be my mommy.  

And I'll come back and visit you."

I certainly hope so, and am thrilled to have the privilege of being his mommy.  I'm glad we talk about adoption and expect to have many such conversations throughout the future as we help our kiddos process the losses and joys that come with being a part of our family.

Getting It Off My Chest: Good Dad, Bad Dad

That comment Friday night was the final straw.  It was the third comment in less than two weeks time lauding Alan's fathering.

What did he do to merit such praise?  He sat beside his two-year-old son during a meal to help him and keep him from making a mess.  The time before that he took a couple of his young children to the bathroom and the time before that he walked through the line at a fellowship meal with his six-year-old son helping him fix his plate while simultaneously filling his own.

Now don't misunderstand me.  Alan is a very good father; I'm not trying to dispute this claim.  I'm simply concerned that our standards for fathers have apparently declined to the point that a father who actually attends to his children's most basic physical needs is elevated to near sainthood.

Perhaps my expectations are too high, but I find it more commendable for fathers to teach their children the Word of God, to pray with and for their children, to train and correct their children.  I'm impressed when a father encourages his children, when he points his children to the cross as they struggle and fail with temptation, when he inspires them to learn and try new things.  I admire dads who instill vision and goals in their children, who prepare them to work with diligence and cheerfulness, who shape them to be people of integrity.

Taking a child to the bathroom or helping them with a meal. . .well, that's just an assumed part of parenthood, isn't it?  Why would such mundane daily tasks be worthy of comment, let alone commendation?

As I've reflected on these questions, I've arrived at a very sobering answer.  There are men who are not only failing in their responsibilities to shape their children's spiritual lives and adult character, but are also failing to take even the most minute role in attending to their children's basic daily needs.  The lack of dads involved in assisting their children's meals is merely an outward symptom of the disease of the fathers' absence in spiritual formation.

"If we stay on the current course, one day the United States
will be known as the country of the Founding Fathers
with no fathers to be found." ~ Dr. Wade Horn

 As I apply some hindsight, I realize this decline has been rolling for a few generations.  I think several years ago, fathers simply disconnected from their children.  It likely started with the Industrial Revolution when they were physically disconnected from their children and progressed through the feminist movement which led to the claim that women (in their superiority equality) should have the moral and spiritual responsibility of the family.

Truthfully, I see some men in my generation who are changing their family trees by starting a renewal, a restoration to the father's biblical role.  Where their fathers, my husband's father included, limited their parental responsibility to "bringing home the bacon", some forward-thinking men are realizing their importance in their children's emotional and spiritual development and are claiming their responsibilities to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

"What's important is not who my ancestors were,

what's important is what my children and grandchildren will become."

~  Abraham Lincoln

When the father's focus moves to spiritual matters, his daily physical care of the children simply falls into place.  This father realizes that the only way to impart spiritual truths to his children is by living in relationship with them and spending time with them, teaching them "when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise up". . .

and when you fix their plates and take them to the bathroom and sit beside them to eat your meal.

Discovering Music

You know that feeling when you take a risk and order something for your homeschool that you aren't too sure of--something you've never even heard of except by the recommendation of one friend?  I love it when that feeling is replaced by thankfulness, appreciation, and joy.

We recently finished a music appreciation course,  Discovering Music:  300 Years of Interaction in Western Music, Arts, History and Culture by Carol Reynolds, Ph.D., and I am simply amazed at all that Briana and Destry have learned.  The aspect of Discovering Music that most appealed to me was the idea of "connecting music history to political and cultural history (thus making) all of history more memorable and more interesting."  We had previously taken a historical journey through the 1600s to the early 1900s and I sprinkled a little music (a la Charlotte Mason) throughout the years, but my own musical knowledge is so limited that I felt insecure about how little they had learned.  When I considered Destry's particular interest in music, I decided this might be the perfect review of history and exposure to music.

We spent nearly three semesters in this curriculum because of the move last year, but I'm glad we took our time to be able to fully complete it.  The timing has worked out quite nicely, actually, as we have simultaneously experienced many life opportunities including live performances of Broadway musicals Les Miserables, The War Horse, Beauty and the Beast and the upcoming Million Dollar Quartet.  We have had several opportunities to hear the Des Moines symphony perform pieces the children have studied and we have attended performances of a brass quintet, chamber music, and a world-renown pianist playing Rachmaninoff.  We were blessed to attend a symphony performance of music from Westside Story and tomorrow evening we get to enjoy a collaboration of the Des Moines and Chicago symphonies celebrating Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4.  These experiences have been enriched by our actually knowing a little something about the composers and/or time period.

I think my favorite unit was opera because I knew nothing about opera and held the standard prejudice against it.  Imagine my chagrin as I learned the modern musical (which I simply LOVE) is a descendent of classical opera.  As we studied this genre and learned the storylines of several famous operas, we found we quite enjoyed watching operas (on dvd, one of these days we'll have to make it to a live opera).

A good excuse to insert this picture of my beautiful 17-year-old. . .

Briana most enjoyed learning about early American music such as jazz and ragtime.  Overall, she says the program introduced her to so many people and concepts fundamental to an understanding of music history that she had never before been exposed to.  She thinks all that she has learned will consistently come up in her everyday life.  For example, as she was doing some recent research online for an essay not related to music, a commercial on a page was playing Flight of the Valkyries by Wagner, a piece she was introduced to in Discovering Music.  She thought it was so fun to be able to recognize this classic.

and this picture of my handsome 15-year-old

Destry really enjoyed this program because it assigned lots of music to listen to so that when he hears a composer's name, he automatically thinks of a famous work, such as Prokofiev and Classical Symphony.  His favorite unit examined early 20th century composers.  They were free of rules and boundaries and very expressive allowing one to feel the emotion of the composer.  He also really liked the unit about Russian composers because the Russian style and personality has a rustic characteristic which he relates to.

Abel's Island

We recently finished reading Abel's Island by William Steig aloud with Easton and Kiana so I thought I would join in with Amy's Read-Aloud Thursday.  I say "we" because Alan started it and then a few chapters in, I decided to read the book (silently) to see what it was about because he had been reading it while I was busy and I didn't want to miss out on the story.  The kids saw me reading it and begged me to read it to them, even as I explained that I was just catching up.  When the children are happy to have the beginning chapters read to them again, even before they've finished the book, you can suspect you have a winner.

And a winner it was indeed.  This adventurous tale of a dandy mouse who was swept off to an island during a big storm is filled with description, delightful vocabulary (somnolent!  seriously--what other children's book uses that word?!), and examples of perseverance and diligence.  The children loved his many ideas and attempts to escape the island and get back to his beloved wife and I loved his ingenuity and can-do spirit.  I also appreciated his resourcefulness in scavenging food sources due to his former reading experiences which helped him identify edible plants (I never miss a plug for lifelong learning and the benefits of reading!)

As he does whatever it takes to survive, escapes predators (by building a spear--how much fun is that?!), and discovers his life's vocation (sculpture), Abel grows in confidence and character.  "The Abel who was leaving was in better fettle, in all ways, than the Abel who had arrived in a hurricane, desperately clinging to a nail" (104).

I will mention that there are a couple things I didn't particularly like, but that's the joy of reading aloud--I can skip over those parts.  He met a frog who used expressions like "Holy Bloater" and "shucks" that I didn't read.  There was also a part when he found the feather of an owl who was trying to eat him and he chanted incantations against the owl with the feather but it provided an opportunity to discuss it.  Other than that, this was a delightful story of well-crafted prose to share with our younger children.

I will also insert that the illustrations are quite fun and this book received a Newbery Honor award in 1977.

Secret Thoughts

I'm certain this book will make my "top books read in 2013" list.  If it doesn't, then I'm in for an incredibly enriching and challenging year of reading if I'm going to read ten books even better than this one.

In The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Champagne Butterfield details her "train-wreck conversion" from liberal lesbian English professor to a married homeschooling adoptive mom and christian.   

You're going to want to read it. 

Don't let my pitiful ruminations distract you from that fact.  I've devoured this book twice in the last two weeks and roped a friend into reading it and meeting at  Perkins to discuss it with me (six hours!  We spent six hours chatting our hearts out, from 6 pm to midnight!).  I would love to meet and visit with the author, even as I am secretly intimidated by her intellect.  She shares her story with honesty, talent, and grace.  She doesn't hold back anything of the questions that both provoke and plague her journey, yet is tactful, and ultimately challenges the reader to self-examination in multiple areas:

Worldview
I was fascinated by her understanding of worldview, even as the story began with her staunch belief in a secular feminist postmodern worldview heavily influenced by Freud, Marx, and Darwin.  As a professor of women's studies, she even stated on the syllabus that all papers must be written from a feminist worldview in order to receive a grade.  As the story progressed, however, she decided she had wasted her best years steeped in the wrong worldview (80) and adopted a biblical worldview as she realized that sin starts with the way you think.  I am saddened that many christians are unaware of what a worldview even is, let alone do they attribute such significance to the effect our worldview has on us while intellectuals with unbiblical worldviews are quite conscious and deliberate about shaping worldviews. 

Thinking
She really challenges christians to be thinkers--in fact she calls christians "bad thinkers."  She challenges us not to try so hard to surround ourselves with people just like us because "where everybody thinks the same, nobody thinks very much" (3).  Convicting.  I like to think and to be challenged, but I fear that I am also a "bad thinker".  And I too often seek people like myself--to cocoon myself in a safe, comfortable little bubble?

Identity Crisis
Butterfield labels her conversion as a train wreck because it upended her life as she knew it--even to her very identity.  When Christ gets ahold of us, it really should drastically change our lives as we die to the old man and rise to walk in newness of life.  Butterfield described the cost as the "you that you used to be" (41).  She pulls no punches as she scorns the distorted gospel that teaches one can say a simple little prayer and continue living as before while enjoying the entertainment-driven, club atmosphere of mega churches boasting coffee shops and bounce houses (34).

Christian walk
One of my favorite lessons I learned from her story was the contrast between praying for the willingness to obey and praying for miraculous healing "if" God really doesn't want me to live this way that I referenced after reading her article online.  She references John 7:17 as teaching that obedience comes before understanding and so she prayed for a willingness to obey even as her flesh wanted to argue and demand an explanation for why her lifestyle was wrong in God's sight.  She detailed the necessity of being a church who doesn't offer platitudes to new believers, but rather encourages them to count the cost.

I was especially struck by her decision not to attend a particular congregation because "a part of (her) didn't trust (her)self there" (73) because she needed a group that was going to hold her accountable, who was going to teach the hard stuff, who was going to embrace and pray for her.  I'm just going to say that I think that's a very difficult thing to find--a group of believers who are going to provoke you to love and good works.  I think I know exactly what she meant by not trusting herself in a certain fellowship.  We know when we're going to be challenged to grow and be uncomfortable, and we know when we're going to be allowed to sit back and be lazy.

I could go on and on about this book and the thoughts she prompted in my own heart and mind about hospitality, growing through trials, sexual sin, and adoption but this post is quite long enough.  I highly encourage you to read it (although I don't agree with everything she says and she details quite a lot of her doctrinal beliefs--read with discernment and think) and then share your own thoughts.  I'll try not to keep you up until midnight discussing it!

Mother and Daughter Retreats, Part Two

In more fun times retreating with my daughter from the daily cares of living, Briana and I met with several young ladies for a weekend of bonding and encouragement last Fall.  One of the things I liked about this gathering was the age span of the young ladies.  Most of them ranged between the ages of 15 and 25.  It was a great opportunity for them to establish some relationships across the seasons of high school, college, the workforce, and young married ladies.

There were some great times of Bible study, encouragement and discussion as well as times of games and outright silliness and giggling.

Yes, and throwing of paper balls.  Briana had a great time with new friends and friends of several years.

But I was also blessed to get to hang out with my cousin and friend, Teresa, since she hosted and her daughter was also there.  Teresa and I grew up going to church together and have experienced more than our fair share of giggles over the years.  It was also fun to get to better know our younger counterparts Alena and Ashley, standing behind us, who identified themselves with us.

 Perhaps we should try to grow up and be better examples!  :)

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

I'm afraid my new friends here in Iowa think I'm a little bit crazy.  The truth is I like people, I like to have fun, and I like to be busy (just not *too* busy).

So, shortly after the children's musical was over and the Monday after the teen night, we had a birthday party for Dr. Seuss (his birthday was March 2 which was a Saturday this year and I'm not so crazy as to have the Dr. Seuss party and the sledding/game party the same day).

As much as I hated to limit the guest list, I couldn't quite imagine having 80+ children in my home, so we only invited 35 people.  This is how I throw a Dr. Seuss party, however:  I sent out an email explaining what I wanted to do and included links to a couple of great sources for Dr. Seuss activities (including Sharla's site!).  Then I suggested each mom bring either a snack, craft, or game and we pool them all together (many hands make light work, you know).

Well, I chose the right families to invite because these moms went all out!  To tell you the truth, I think I did the least of anyone--that's what you call good delegating, folks!  (grin)  We ended up with activities from five different Dr. Seuss books.

Green Eggs and Ham

For this classic (my personal favorite), one of the teen sisters read the book while the kids colored a picture and then decorated sugar cookies.  It was the cutest idea.  They made the sugar cookies in the shape of eggs and covered them with green icing.  Then they had little pink pig sprinkles (as well as many other sprinkles) for a "green eggs and ham" treat that kids will actually eat (as opposed to the food coloring in scrambled eggs with ham trick I've tried a few times).

 The Cat in the Hat

The kids had lots of fun with this book.  They started with crafts--yes, two crafts.  The first craft was making hats out of paper plates.

Then they used pipe cleaners to make the Cat, Thing 1 and Thing 2 finger puppets.  This was a huge hit and my children are still having fun playing with their puppets.

After finishing their crafts, they played "pin the hat on the cat" which produced lots of laughter.  As you can see, we split the kids into groups to travel from station to station, that's why you see smaller groups of boys and girls separated.

Finally they made and enjoyed a special treat made of Oreos, icing, and gummy Lifesavers.  Bring on the sugar!

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

The first activity for this book was to guess the number of fish crackers in the fishbowl, and then the children got to paint a fishbowl and glue on little fish of all the different moods and talents of the fish in the book.

 They also got to enjoy little snacks made of blue finger jello and goldfish crackers and play a fishing game.

The Lorax

The biggest hit from this book was creating these darling Lorax puppets.  My kids are still playing with these too.

They got to have a snack of marshmallows and chocolate teddy bears and played some kind of game with cotton balls and pompoms. 

 There's a Wocket in My Pocket

Another of my favorite Dr. Seuss books provided the children with the opportunity to create their own imaginary creatures. 

 It was so much fun to see what the kids came up with using feathers, pipe cleaners, pompoms, googly eyes, toilet paper rolls, craft sticks, construction paper, foam, hot glue guns. . .

 We still have creatures all over our house that my kids created.  There's a Mock on my Clock and a Zeiling on my Ceiling.

 And we mustn't forget the Belf on the Shelf.  I'm not great at decorating my own house, but the kids are doing it for me!  They also got a huge kick out of the silly game "Hickle, Pickle Humbug" in which I hid a small toy in plain sight and they had to find it and try to be the first to shout out "Hickle, Pickle Humbug" when they found it.  The first to find it, of course, got to hide it for the next round. 

This party finished up our Dr. Seuss unit in which we had tons of fun reading his books, playing rhyming games, early reading games, and other great activities.  Easton pronounced the entire effort "A BLAST!!" and he can't wait for Dr. Seuss's birthday to come around again.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Every once in a while I stumble across a book that is enjoyable to read, sucks me into the plot, and gives me lots to ponder.  The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards was one such book.  It simply begs to be discussed, so I'm rounding up a few fellow moms around town to read it and discuss it with me later this month, but that's a little off the subject.  (I just had to throw that in for Carrie who has called me out on my tendency to want everyone else to read what I'm reading so I can talk about it with them!)

The general plot of the book revolves around the consequences of Dr. David Henry's decision to secretly dispose of his daughter who was born with Down Sydrome while telling his wife that she had been stillborn but her twin brother was born alive and healthy.  (Don't worry, his nurse takes the little girl and disappears with her to raise her as her own.)  It's quite well-written and the growth and development of the characters makes me feel like I know them--better than they know one another, as a matter of fact.

I'm going to have so much fun discussing this book with my new friends.  I love thinking about the choices we make in our lives, the paths those choices take us on, and how our lives might have been different had we made different choices.  I think the theme of secrets and how they lead to more secrets and walls between loved ones will be interesting to delve into.  I'm sure we'll really dig into the sanctity of life and who decides what makes life worth living as the book not only addresses people with special needs but also perceived hopelessness and flirtation with ending one's own life.  The role our faith plays in our lives, the recognition of shared pain, marriage, redeeming the time, standing up for what we believe in. . .The Memory Keeper's Daughter provides opportunity to discuss all this and more.

I will note that there are some "mature" subjects in this book, but don't stop reading there--they are handled tastefully.  There is mention of extramarital indiscretions, but no details and drug experimentation, but the book exposes the vanity of these actions.  Really, even though the book is not of the "christian genre", it is one of those books that aptly illustrates the emptiness of a life lived without hope.

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this one (I got it at a library book sale for a quarter--insert happy dance).  I may have to read it again before our little group meets to discuss it. 

Briana, Friends, and Sledding

I was deluding myself in that last post.  Life doesn't really slow down.

Briana and four of her new friends at the coffee shop

Last weekend was Briana's birthday and it was a delightful and busy weekend.  She was especially touched when a few of her friends surprised her by meeting her at a little coffee shop in town to buy her a dessert and a special hot drink.  After visiting and giggling for a while, they spent the rest of the afternoon checking out the fun little shops around town.

Then that night we took her out to supper (she chose Mexican and we happened upon the best Mexican restaurant we've tried here yet) and took her shopping since she wanted a new Bible cover and cd for her birthday.

The next evening we hosted a Teen Night for the local homeschool group.  The night started with them having a blast sledding.

They tried all kinds of fun tricks like making a long train by holding one another's legs and trying to make it down the long, long hill as one unit (it worked once!) and hooking arms to sled down side by side.

They had a really great time with lots of competition, exercise, and laughter.  Then they came inside to a warm fire, hot chocolate, and some pizza burgers, chicken wings, and all sorts of snacks.  I couldn't get all of the entryway in the frame, but I captured a good part of the chaos that results when 22 teenagers come in from sledding!

The rest of the evening was spent talking, laughing, playing the piano, playing games, and just generally having a great time.

Briana and Destry have developed some good friendships with a pretty good group of kids.  It's kind of funny how things work out, isn't it?

"We Are United" Children's Musical

Life should slow down a little now that the performance of the children's musical is over.  With the incredible assistance of Briana, I directed the musical "We Are United" for about 35 children in the homeschool group, including Easton and Kiana.

All the participants jammed into one shot

Briana was much better at remembering all the words and choreography to the songs than I was and I'm not sure I could have done it without her this year.  Destry was also a great help as he played the chords on the piano for vocal warm ups, led the kids in fun rhythm exercises, handled the sound equipment, and generally served as my gopher.  Briana and Destry have been in similar musicals I've directed in the past and I love that they had yet another opportunity to learn to serve and "give back" to others.

The story of this plot was centered around a game show (rather like the Survivor series) in which contestants are on a tropical island and each are proudly certain that their talents will guarantee their win.  Pictured on the right are the game show hosts and on the left are the six contestants.

 

As the show progresses, members of the Bible council (pictured above) recite Scripture teaching that all parts of the body are needed, gifts are given for the good of the body, and the importance of being united in Jesus Christ until the contestants finally learn to join forces and successfully complete the challenges.  It's really quite a clever little show and the songs are catchy and fun.

I was really happy with the way four of the homeschooling moms came together to help with the set, costumes, and props.  I think the set turned out so amazing!  Here was the little hut for the Bible council (made from a patio umbrella and a roof thatched out of paper bags!).

 

And I've never seen cuter palm trees in my life!  But the details are what makes it, with the little monkeys and snakes and frogs and such finishing out the set.  Very talented ladies I have to work with!

Being the director, it's really hard to get pictures of my own kids.  I was too busy making a fool of myself sitting in the front row mouthing the words of the songs and miming the choreography for the youngest kiddos to think to grab my camera.  You can see them a little bit here way in the back.  Easton is over on the left side wearing his monkey outfit and Kiana is over to the right, the shortest one in the production with her bright orange skirt and pink cowboy boots.

It was a really great group of kids to work with.  Everyone is already looking forward to doing another musical next year! 

I was tickled with the group's generosity, too.  They gave me a $100 Amazon gift certificate as a thank you gift with which I have already purchased Lit:  A Christian Guide to Reading Books when it was on sale for a mere 99 cents.  I still have $99.01 to spend!