It's always interesting when the "day of rest" becomes the "day of go and do all kinds of things." But when you are in a ministry family, it's just the way of life. That's why for years Gary's days off have been Friday and Saturday. Anyway, Jared went with Justin to church this morning, where Justin went to his Core class (Sunday School for us older folks) and Jared went to church service. Then Justin joined Grandma in the 1st grade room as a helper. He loves helping in there, because I think he does like actually helping, but getting a pop and chips from the helpers' room is also a plus. We've encouraged our kids to help, but have never forced it or told them where to help. They see us helping and just join in. Justin can only help when Grandma is working (or I or Jared) because he's not quite 12 yet. When he turns 12 in a little over a month (yes, 12!), and gets his child safe badge (I think), he can work in any room without us, and can get a Kidustrial Park shirt. His friend Bryce, who is moving away soon, is already child safe certified, and in the system, so I think there's a draw there for him as well. I was thinking a few weeks ago during the sermon on local missions that we don't do that much to help these local organizations. And yet, here we are, serving at church on a regular basis. I still want us to help more, but we aren't totally just receivers of help and services. Not to toot my own horn, but, I do read the e-newsletter and glance at what the food pantry needs. And it just so happened they need canned vegetables, and so I quickly though, oh, I have all those canned potatoes I don't know what to do with! I can give those! Yes, that's giving out of our abundance, and sometimes giving should be sacrificial, but we've been so blessed and we are so wealthy when it comes to the world population, it's hard to get to that sacrificial level. We also do try to participate in every campaign that involves things like school supplies or soccer balls or Operation Christmas Child. But what we need to do is give of our time. We weren't in a life season where we could do that. And I know that my physical health does prevent me from helping in that way on a regular basis. So, I send Jared and Benaiah, or even Justin when there's a call to help someone load a truck. Just as we have always had help when we've asked for it.
And tonight, I had the ultimate privilege of sharing more of what I have learned about homeschooling with my new favorite group of people, the young(er) moms just starting out. I think the other more experienced moms are enjoying mentoring these younger moms as well. Just like Titus 2 says. Just like MOPS does for mothers of preschoolers. I have taken the lessons I have learned from my MOPS days on how to lead a group, added what I watched older than me moms run our PEI group, and now can apply and pass it on to these wonderful people. It was all moms tonight, but dads are always, always welcome! We had to have it at Gary and Leah's house because Keturah has a head cold (and I think we are all coming down with it now), which was a little bit of a bummer, because I had to get Benaiah to load and unload the van with 6 boxes of books (5 of which I am ready to give away or sell, go me). So, thank you, Parents, once again, for saving the day and allowing me to host our group! In a way, I'm serving and helping, just within the church instead of outside it, directly to the lost. But who knows, maybe by helping these parents, we are indirectly helping their children who might grow up and be more involved with bringing people to Christ and be missionaries around the world or in their neighborhoods or at their jobs, etc. It's all part of the bigger picture right? Anyway, I always get so pumped after talking about one of my favorite subjects! And the other mentor mom has many of my same personality traits and opinions about homeschooling, that it's easy to bounce back and forth between us in conversation. I'm sure it fills her up as well sharing her knowledge of raising a large family (she's teaching her 7th kid to read and has 2 more to go!)
I posted again today on Facebook about how I still get so choked up whenever I start to think about PEI or see a picture of a beach or a favorite spot on the Island. But, more and more I'm realizing that it was a chapter of our life, and just because it's closed, doesn't mean I didn't take so many life (and homeschooling) lessons from there that I am applying here. So much good came from that place. So much, and I miss it so, so dearly.
Ok, enough of me talking (typing). Church, then Jared came home during second hour because his headache was starting. Lunch at the in laws, figuring out vacation driving plan, came home just in time to meet with the girls that will be taking care of Socks while we are away. Oh my word those girls are awesome! So talkative! We've known them our whole married life because their parents were in our Couples for Christ small group way back when. Then, (and I had forgotten this), I had taught them piano lessons! One of them is now an accomplished musician! And they are beautiful girls, too, and LOVE LOVE LOVE animals, AND they live just a couple of streets away near one of the houses we had put an offer on! They went on and on about having playdates between Socks and their dog, and going for walks, and having Socks hang out with a special needs girl (I do know the girl and as long as her momma approves, I approve!) Socks of course took to them right away as well. They are both now in college, so pretty independent, but have been dog sitting and baby sitting since they were 12. Super grateful that it's going to work out so well! Oh, and I think their mom and I were in MOPS together as well.
Then, naptime for Abishai after they left (we were just about to put him down when they came), then I worked on getting one of the older phones working for Justin as an iPod, then it was go time for m homeschooling meeting. We had let Benaiah get an email address at age 9 (or we set it up for him, I can't remember), and then he got his iPod before we went to Canada at age 10. Well, we've had issues with him and the iPod, so we've held off on giving Justin one until now. But Justin has watched Benaiah get into trouble and we are much, much wiser about it all, and this phone is so old that he can't do much on it. I set up his email address and his iCloud account so I have all the information to begin with. But now he can Facetime Bryce. He can text him, too. He can listen to music when he wants to. He's almost 12, it's time. Both boys won't have an actual phone until they are driving on their own. Justin is also suffering from a ton of growing pains! This is the age that Benaiah grew like 6 inches, so I'm not surprised. But Justin has to put on a blend of essential oils that help with pain every night. It's in a roller bottle, so he can apply it himself. I might get him a muscle cream only because it's cheaper and he's going through so much of it.
I came home to the dog, Keturah, and Abishai running out to greet me. "You home!" Abishai said. I had left when he was still asleep for his nap. But it was close to bedtime, so it was a quick hug and 30 minutes of "How did you climb up there?" (onto Justin's bed over the baby gate by climbing up his bed and onto Justin's ladder, this kid is going to give us a heart attack!) and "Get down!" "Where's the paci?" "In the crack? What crack?" "Did you get your diaper changed recently?" Then Daddy intervened and got him tucked in. Like I said, I think we are all coming down with Keturah's cold, so I'll be running some more Thieves essential oil tomorrow and such. It's a home day, but I'm not sure what all I will get up to. I'm procrastinating on school planning, although I only have one more miscellaneous box to put away, at least until my other bookcase can be put in place. But the books going on there are just chapter books or other adult books on health and gardening or Bible study, so it's not necessary for school prep. I don't wanna go back to school! I do this every year though, procrastinate, but once the plan is in place, I'm much happier. I did do a retreat a few years ago where a bunch of moms took two days to work on their homeschool planning. We ate meals together, but other than that, we just did our own thing. I just have more prep this year because I'm trying new curriculum and methods. Plus, I need to get my planner off my external hard drive that's not talking to my computer right now! Eek! I'm sure I'll fill my day up again tomorrow.
Ok, here's a few pics from the day.
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| Talking about blessings! Within 24 hrs, we were blessed with a washer, dryer, and dishwasher for $150!!! We weren't even really looking! Now, it will take a bit before they are all set up, because we want to make sure plumbing and dryer venting is up to snuff, and Jared doesn't do that kind of stuff. But that's ok, the appliances are here. We can wait. |
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| Big boy finally got his computer set up working! Yes, we had talked about giving him a corner for his set up because he had accumulated many more things with wires over the last year or so. The front room is called the game room for a reason! |
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| If you don't know the inside joke about Gary and "circles" then you haven't been going to the Creek long enough. It's a business concept that can apply to many things. "Why" goes in the middle, then "How," then "What." If you know your "Why" for doing something then you can figure out your "How" and "What" pretty easily. In this case, we were talking about fasting, but I can easily apply to homeschooling. |
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| First of all, I had forgotten that Gary had a selfie stick! Boy I could probably use that! I'm putting it on my Christmas wishlist again. Second, no, Parents, there were no lasting marks on the wall. Third, Benaiah did that so I could I make a video of our meeting for those who couldn't make it. But, he figured out how I could just get the talking captured without the video using a different app. So, we ended up not doing this. But, I'm glad I've got a helpful and smart kid! |
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| Speaking of that smart kid, I let him pull the van into their garage tonight to make room for other cars. He did it perfectly! It was lined up pretty well to begin with, but still, he did it! |
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| Ta da! Then I backed it out of the garage while he was at our house during the meeting. I then let him back it down the driveway and onto the road. I did yell "culverts!" and "mailboxes!" but really didn't need to. He did great! I found myself wanting to teach him, "turn the wheel that way" "now straighten it out" etc. Fun! It's exciting! I think I'm ready for this! And he did it barefoot, which is something Jared might do very occasionally. He says he thinks he has a lead foot and I told him he just has a big flapper of a foot, because, well, his feet are very wide and they amaze me. Anyway, yes, he's 15 and working on driving! |
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| Family, take note, only 1 of these boxes were given to me last week and I only kept a handful of things from it. The rest are books I'm ready to give away or sell! See! Less books for the bookshelves I don't own yet ;-) And yes, this is what came home (the boxes were very full to begin with). I plan to sell some of it online soon. Or put it aside for selling next year at the curriculum sales. Normally I wouldn't try to save anything for a sale, but I know there's a good market for these type of books. Anyway, I'm working on my decluttering, promise! |
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