Mini me

Miss Madelyn Virginia said to me yesterday, "I want to be just like you." She was referring to the length of my hair and the long skirt I had on. She, very much so, wants to follow my example. Numerous times a day, I hear her famous, "I'll be there in a moment." I have realized that I say that same phrase just as often. She wants to clean with me, cook with me, and pick out clothes that match mine. She loves to help Brayden and nurtures him so well.

It is quite a responsibility we have modeling the appropriate behavior and attitude for our children. This morning, I had gathered the kids for table time. Every Tuesday I or they pick a creature of sort and we study it for Science. Today, I chose a crab. I figured we would see some at the beach next week. Well, I read to them, asked them questions, tried to keep them in their seats, and asked them to draw a picture of a crab. I should have told them to draw a picture of me, because I was so crabby this morning. Indeed, I had to let Scott take over because of my impatience and frustration. I couldn't, at the time, put my finger on the reason why I was so ill, but I was.

I wear my emotions on my face. I am so easy to read. This is why it is scary, at times, the grand responsibility we have to raise our children up. I want our children to see me modeling only the good, but that is not possible. I have and will continue to be upfront with my children when I have a bad attitude and mess up. Maddie just came up while I was typing this and said, "hey". I told her I had had a bad attitude and I had to change it up here in my room. She giggled. I said, "Mommy messes up sometimes, too."

I have told Scott a couple of times, "I hope I have not ruined them today." This referring to a not so pleasant or angry mommy. I know that they need to see us weak. They need to see us giving grace to ourselves. They need to see us talk about how we can better ourselves.

I am glad Madelyn wants to be like me. It keeps me on my toes. We both have a lot of learning and growing to do.

Brayden on the Move

The lighter side of life

This morning we had breakfast and scooted on out the door to the farmer's market in downtown Durham. We picked up some fresh kale, orange tomatoes, ocra and green beans. It was definitely the place to be. There were tons of people stocking up on fresh fruit and veggies.

We came back home to play and do various things that needed to be done. Naps were had and we were out again to our favorite grocery store, Whole Foods. We are enjoying that area of Durham. The Whole Foods is actually right beside Duke University. This is also the same area we have been attending a church in. More on that later.

This evening I was putting away some of my little boy's clothes. I opened his shirt drawer to find that almost every shirt within it had been rolled up and stuffed in. This certain little boy loves to change his clothes throughout the day. He delights in picking out his outfits. This is an area I have slowly learned to let go of. Kalen and Madelyn both enjoy putting outfits together for their day. I figure we need to really encourage their creativity and style. This allows independence and creative expression. The other day Madelyn wanted to wear two different flip flops. I said "no" at first but then realized it didn't matter. She proudly wore her brown and purple flip flops during our outing. Okay, back to the drawer of rolled up socks. Five years ago, I would have looked in that drawer and immediately started nagging the culprit about taking shirts out and being so messy with his/her things. Today, I chuckled and almost got a little teary eyed. My mindset has changed. I delight in Kalen's willingness and desire to dress himself. Even more so, I am tickled that he would put the shirts back in the drawer and not leave them on the floor. I am constantly trying to learn not to get so irritated about the small things.

This lighthearted attitude is what I desire throughout my days. I get so caught up in certain tasks that I miss the chance to enjoy certain moments that could be life giving and really sweet and memorable.

A day to remember

Today has been such a full day for us. We started off with a lot of homeschooling work, creative play and art, and cleaning the house. At one point we were all outside, Kalen and Julian found a tiny salamander just up the sidewalk from our house. They took Scott to see it and discovered that it was indeed dead. Nothing appeared to be wrong, just by looking at it. They brought it home, them being boys and all. We all had a good look, some held the little creature and Scott talked to them a little about things dying. Then, we buried it just by our house. It was a very endearing moment. That is until Kalen commented on how we were hiding it so we could then find it later. We let the kids bury things in the sand box and then find them. I assured him we were going to leave the little guy there, knowing that this made no sense to him.

Later in the afternoon, we all got ready to go to Carrboro. Every Thursday night outside the Weaver Street Market (natural foods market) the community brings in musical artists to play for the crowd on the lawn. This would be the second time the kids and I ventured out, but Scott's first time out there. Carrboro reminds us of Boone a little.

Just beside the Weaver Street Market there is a building that houses several different shops. One of these shops is a toy store. The kids were thrilled when we told them they could bring their money and visit the toy store. The boys chose some Playmobil guys and Madelyn bought a little stuffed puppy. Scott was a little disappointed with Maddie's choice, but I assured him that that is the difference between boys and girls. She loves little animals or babies she can nurture. I like that. Of course, I am a girl and a mother to four children. :)

The music on the lawn was so nice. We ate and enjoyed feeling a part of something. The lawn slowly filled up, you could hardly walk. There were families, students, and people displaying their talents. I am posting a couple photos of two very talented fellows. The guy with the long hair stood just behind us while we were there. He is a very gifted frisbee spinner-balancer. The guy in the tye-dyed outfit was doing some interpretive dancing. A lot to see.

The kids had a lot of fun. There were a ton of kids just frolicking around here and there. Madelyn made a friend. I took their picture. The little girl's name is Faith. Of course, it wouldn't be a Morrison outing if Julian didn't have his nose in a book part of the time. He finished up a Beverly Cleary book entitled Ribsy.

We really had a good time tonight. It was as if we could exhale and know that things are going to be just fine. We all filed in our house and started our nightly ritual of snack, books then bed. All is well in the Morrison home. Kids are all sleeping and Scott is finishing up his Harry Potter book as type this. Stay tuned . . .

Julian

Julian has been very busy lately with his legos. He has built several creatures that have directions and then some that are all his own. I am posting several photos of Julian and his masterpieces. These specific photos are of Julian working on his three headed dragon and also of the jaguar he thought up himself.

JJ has incredible talent when it comes to putting things together. He can be very goal oriented. He doesn't give up easily on these tasks. Julian doesn't tire easily from doing this during the day. In fact, he will build in and out all day long. Building with his legos and K-Nex is something he can really pour into. We are so thankful for the freedom to homeschool which allows Julian, and all our children, to really find what they are good at and be able to explore and enjoy it.

Salutations

I was reading to Kalen tonight from E. B. White's Charlotte's Web. This has been the first chapter book that we have read to our little ones. Tonight, we read the chapter in which Wilbur meets his new friend, Charlotte the spider. Wilbur is beside himself with excitement as he hears from the barn a thin voice calling out, "salutations." Wilbur, being new to the Zuckerman's farm, has been so eager to meet someone that would befriend him. The other animals that he has come across have been just acquaintances.

After I read to Kalen, I always ask him a few questions to see if he understood the plot. Tonight, I asked him what salutations meant. He said, "it means hello, mommy." Indeed it does! It is a greeting.

Oh, how I can relate to little ol' Wilbur. Just as he was new to the farm, I am new to this city. I am very eager to be pursued by a kind woman that will call out something like salutations. I imagine Wilbur being a bit surprised to find that his admirer and friend was a spider, not exactly a likely chum for a pig. I must expect the unexpected, eh?

For now, I hold close the comfort of knowing and loving those that surround me in this home. I am not at a loss for companionship within this house, for sure. God is good and my cup is full.

Article on Animal Rights

Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. Many of us bought our beloved “pets” at pet shops, had guinea pigs, and kept beautiful birds in cages. We wore wool and silk, ate McDonald’s burgers, and fished. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?

In his book Animal Liberation, Peter Singer states that the basic principle of equality does not require equal or identical treatment; it requires equal consideration. This is an important distinction when talking about animal rights. People often ask if animals should have rights, and quite simply, the answer is “Yes!” Animals surely deserve to live their lives free from suffering and exploitation. Jeremy Bentham, the founder of the reforming utilitarian school of moral philosophy, stated that when deciding on a being’s rights, “The question is not ‘Can they reason?’ nor ‘Can they talk?’ but ‘Can they suffer?’” In that passage, Bentham points to the capacity for suffering as the vital characteristic that gives a being the right to equal consideration. The capacity for suffering is not just another characteristic like the capacity for language or higher mathematics. All animals have the ability to suffer in the same way and to the same degree that humans do. They feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustration, loneliness, and motherly love. Whenever we consider doing something that would interfere with their needs, we are morally obligated to take them into account.

Supporters of animal rights believe that animals have an inherent worth—a value completely separate from their usefulness to humans. We believe that every creature with a will to live has a right to live free from pain and suffering. Animal rights is not just a philosophy—it is a social movement that challenges society’s traditional view that all nonhuman animals exist solely for human use. As PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk has said, “When it comes to pain, love, joy, loneliness, and fear, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. Each one values his or her life and fights the knife.”

Only prejudice allows us to deny others the rights that we expect to have for ourselves. Whether it’s based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or species, prejudice is morally unacceptable. If you wouldn’t eat a dog, why eat a pig? Dogs and pigs have the same capacity to feel pain, but it is prejudice based on species that allows us to think of one animal as a companion and the other as dinner.

* I found this article on PETA's website.

Update

It is Sunday evening. We had a wonderful weekend visiting with Scott's parents and sister. We had no grand agenda. We just enjoyed family time. For a quality time person like me, it was the perfect weekend.

We came back home and we had a message from Best Buy. Hooray, our camera has been healed! I took some photos and I am sharing them tonight. I thought I would give you all a little update about each one of us.

Scott just finished up with his assistantship for the summer. He will start back with his own classes in late August, as well as assisting another class. He is truly in his element these days. He feels really comfortable at Carolina. He has been reading a lot and trying to get use to his new life pursuing his dream. He picked up the final Harry Potter book this weekend. He has read all of them to date. He is reading his new book right now, totally hooked. He says he is going to read the series to us aloud. I can't wait! I know the kids will really enjoy it.

Julian is such a little man these days. He still loves to read. He has been enjoying getting back into a little bit more structured homeschooling. He loves to build things. He still enjoys his legos. He just recently built a tilt-a-whirl with K-Nex. He amazes us. Julian also really enjoys riding his bike. He does a wonderful job with it, very controlled. He can even do tricks!

Madelyn is learning to read. She is very committed to it. She is a hard worker within our home. She is learning to ride her bike without training wheels. We went on a long bike ride tonight and she did so well. Scott has been so sweet with her, right by her side helping. Maddie also has a new interest in music. She is testing out her skills on the recorder. She hopes to play the violin one day.

Kalen is doing great. He is full of life as always. Kalen is an açtive member of our homeschool. He is learning his letters and numbers. He loves to play computer. He is riding his new big boy bike very well and loves it. He has a lot to say and talks a lot. He is at the awkward stage, he is approaching the no nap era. EEK!!!!

Brayden is almost 15 months and still not wanting to walk. I am not concerned at all. Quite frankly, I am very pleased with his decision to hold off on this. He gets around just fine. He still loves to be held and read to. His elephant, Ellie, is always close at hand. He likes music a lot. Just like the rest of the kids, Brayden likes to be outside. He gives Madelyn and I good workout up and down the sidewalk. We push him in his little wagon.

Me? Oh, I am good. Still adjusting to city life. I miss Boone a lot. I miss knowing people. I even miss seeing the same faces at my old grocery stores, post office and library. I really do love our home here. I have enjoyed getting back into homeschooling the kids. I love summer. I like wearing flip flops. I love going on family bike rides at night. I like settling down at night with some Norah Jones or Alison Krauss, blogging, exercising, reading, and/or watching a movie with Scott. I won't lie, I feel lonely sometimes. Moving is hard on your social life. I know I will develop friendships, in Durham, over time. I must be patient. I am so glad that we are here so that Scott can go back to school. He has dreamed of this for so long.

Wow. That was long. I'll keep you posted (hee hee).

Radical Living Article

Radical Living
by Sarae Martin

As I pulled into McDonald's, I saw a pile of suitcases. Obviously, those of a homeless person. My thought went to where they would spend the night when it was zero degrees outside.
I looked up and there in the window with more suitcases was a woman in her sixties, homeless. I thought to myself, I have no money to give her, especially after having just gotten into a "fender-bender."

But I so desired to do something radical and reach out to someone I normally wouldn?t. To reach out and, possibly, save a life.

So, I decided to be radical. I marched right up to the woman and asked her if she had a place to go tonight. She replied that she needed to get to the bus station at 9:00 PM (it was 7:00 at this point) in order to go pay a bill.

But, she had no way to get herself and her eight pieces of luggage to the bus station in the freezing cold. I asked her if I could give her a ride. While I was eating, I asked her where she had to go.

She replied, "South Bend."

South Bend is only twenty minutes from where we were. So, I told her I would come back and get her and drive her twenty minutes the opposite direction I was going so she could save her bus fare for something else. She was shocked.

I was shocked at how easy it was to be radical.

On the way there, she asked if she could pay me gas money. I told her that no, I didn't have any money to give her, but I had a full tank of gas, and the Lord will provide another way to fill it back up. I prayed for her and left.

I told this story to my two oldest kids the next day. I explained that radical living is laying aside my agendas, my tasks and putting someone else's life before mine. That night, it could have even been life-saving with the bitter cold. I decided I was going to start living like a radical.

Garrett (age five): "What does 'ra dical' mean?"

Me: "It means doing things that the world thinks is crazy."

Garrett: "What could I do at school that would be radical?"

Me: "Being friends with the kid no one likes. When everyone else is asking why
you would even think to be his friend, you make a choice to befriend him."

Garrett: "I want to be radical."

He and I began a twenty-minute conversation about being radical for Christ. He even came home, found his dad napping, climbed in bed next to him, put his arm around him and said, "Dad, do you know what it means to be radical?"
This is now a part of his lingo. He even related it to the current favorite movie, Cars.

After thinking about being radical, he said, "Mom, in the movie Cars, when Lightning McQueen goes back and helps The King, and doesn't win the Piston Cup, is that being radical?"

Me: "Yes, buddy, you got it! He put aside his greatest goal to save the heart of one who had been injured."

Garrett: "If Chick had given the piston cup back to Lightening, would that have been radical?"

Yes, yes, yes! This kid got it. In my step towards radical living, I had a story to tell my children, which has given them a picture of truly following Jesus. At five and six, they can be radical, too. I even gave them permission to seek out the radical things in life, and, as their parent, I would help them accomplish radical living.

*Sarae Martin is a shepherdess of a small flock of four as a stay-at-home mom. She graduated with a degree in Secondary Education, majoring in Spanish and English. She taught for three years but is currently living her dream of ministering at a Christian Camp in Michigan alongside her husband.*

More about robots

Today, I was able to read half a chapter in Sally Clarkson's book The Mom Walk. I want to share a very special and challenging paragraph with you.

"When we are seeking to discipline and train our children, we are not seeking to train them as morally perfect robots. We have freedom to enjoy a free-flowing relationship with our children and to be free to love them and respond to the need of the moment with wisdom and grace from the Holy Spirit. We are seeking to give them a heart for righteousness and for loving from the very core of their hearts. Reaching our children's hearts requires us to be a student of their souls; to learn what appeals to them and understand the things that motivate them in their hearts, so that we can be effective in reaching their hearts in our desire to train them to love God."

This paragraph is preceeded by several more that approach the topic of discipline and training with grace. She (Clarkson) and I believe that no matter what rules we make as parents, by the very nature, children will come up with areas we have never conceived. No lists of rules or formulas can possibly cover all the bases. There is no manual. Although many have attempted to provide various ways of training, there is no one set formula that will work. Issues such as gender, personality, disorders, temperaments, stress, hormones, timing, age, and environment, just to name a few, must be considered.

Many times I have thought and even said aloud to Scott, "I wish I had a manual for this job." Parenting is hard. What Clarkson is saying in this chapter is that we must know, be students of, our children. We need to be able to relate to them and not tower over them with a long list of rules and regulations, overlooking their heart and situation. Grace is needed in parenting. Laws are not effective. We are free to love, and we should.

Rosie

Do you remember Rosie? Rosie was the robot on the Jetsons. I grew up watching this clever cartoon show. I loved all the characters. I guess I liked the young Judy the best but I always liked Rosie. Rosie is the family maid. Because the show was to be from the future, Rosie was a robot. Rosie was always on duty; cleaning, waiting on every member of the family, capable of being interrupted, no feelings, no baggage, no desires, just a worker.

Yesterday, I had the image of Rosie in my mind throughout most of the day. I compared myself to her role within her family. As a mother, I feel the weight of caring for everyone, cleaning, cooking, teaching, and fixing problems. No appreciation. No one asking me what I wanted to do. Feeling like my feelings don't much matter, just here to serve and not be served. Always on the job!

I vented last night to Scott and shared this analogy. He commented on how it would be a good blog post. I agree. I know for a fact that a lot of mothers could relate to this comparison.

When I was growing up, like most, I did not really appreciate all that my mother did for me. I just expected it all to get done and I didn't really ever ask her how she was doing or how she felt, much less say thank you very often. Not until I became a mother, did I know the amount of selflessness that is required when mothering and being a wife. The role of a wife and a mother is one that is full of unconditional giving and loving.

I fought the battle in my mind all day yesterday. "Well, what about me?" "They didn't even say thank you." "Ugh, I have to do the dishes again, I just cleaned up breakfast." It was a battle I did not win. I realized, as I do every now and again, that I have to die to myself daily. Unlike Rosie, I do have feelings. I do have desires and passions. I have to figure out when it is the best time to share my feelings, seek out my hobbies, and live my passions. This task of giving and loving is not easy. Not that I don't love my family, it is just a lot of work. I will continue to battle with this selfishness as long as I live.

I am determined to love and be loved.

Our Wildflower

Just last week I was speaking with my friend, Laurie, about children that are quite spirited and colorful. She used the name wildflower to describe one. Well, I have one. He is full of life and character. Even at three, he can light up a room. His name is Kalen.

Today, he made me dance. I mean, really dance. If you know me well, I am not that much of a dancer. I can be stiff and a little too modest. When I say that he made me dance, I don't mean he actually made my body move but his joyful spirit and excitement made me want to. Well, we turned up Kalen's favorite song by Laurie Berkner and we danced our hearts out.

He says so many things, daily, that crack us up and melt our hearts. Let me share a few from today . . .

This morning I asked Kalen to play with Brayden while I vacuumed. Yes, as odd as it sounds, I trust those two together. I finished and went back to Brayden's room to relieve Kalen of his babysitting job. I said, "Thank you Kalen for helping me." As he ran down the hall he said, "You're welcome Miss Lady."

This afternoon the kids and I were all downstairs in the living room. My biggest three were all taking turns singing songs. Kalen sang a round of "Row Row Row Your Boat." Madelyn sang "Baa Baa Black Sheep." Julian sang "B-I-N-G-O." As they were all deliberating on their next choice of song, Kalen stood tall on the stool and sang (to the tune of "Mary had a Little Lamb") something like this, "Mary had a silent night, silent night, silent night, Mary had a silent night and sheeee diiiid go BLAH!" After that he fell face down into some pillows lying on the floor.

At supper tonight he drank some limeade drink that Scott had picked up for them today. He was trying it for the first time and said, "Ooooohh, my heart is so cold." I don't know exactly what that meant. But he didn't drink anymore. Oh and he filled his mouth so full of fruit, mainly grapes, that Scott and I had to turn our heads and giggle before we commented on not filling his mouth with so much food.

Two of my favorite Kalen words of the day were "flops" and "flinky". "Flops" (actually pronounced "slops") was referring to Wilber's reward as he returned to the barn in our story, Charlotte's Web, that Kalen and I are reading. He was telling Scott about the part we read today. "Flinky" is Kalen's word for slinky. That was his favorite toy of the day. That means the one he kept losing and wanted to find all day.

Kalen is such an amazing light in our lives. We are so thankful for this little wildflower growing in our garden.

Comic

Lan and Elizabeth

I have told you some stories about unkind people in Durham, let me tell you about two fine women full of kindness, beauty, and goodness. As Scott was out front this afternoon with the three oldest kids, one of our neighbors from across the street came over. She talked with Scott for 30 or 45 minutes before I got Brayden up from his nap and then I joined the friendly chat. Lan is her name. She is 60 years old, married and from Vietnam. She is a very healthy little lady and spends a lot of time working in her Asian garden outside.

She speaks English pretty well. You can tell she struggles sometimes when phrasing something she wants to say. She spoke of many things. She certainly has a story to tell. She says she stays home all day, every day. She told me she would like to come over and play with the kids some days. I thought that was very sweet. I commented on how nice her blouse was. She told me she made it. She makes their clothes. My mouth dropped. I told Scott I would love to have her make me some oriental tops like that!

Lan took Scott, Madelyn, and Kalen over to get some fresh vegetables from her garden. Scott said she talked about so many different herbs and vegetables that he asked her if she would teach us how to cook some of the dishes she prepares. She was enthusastic when she said, "yes!"

Then, almost as if the two timed it, Elizabeth from directly across the street came over to our home when Scott came back from Lan's. She lives with her son and is in her 80's. She brought over a big fruit basket and a book for the kids that she wrote. She is a retired school teacher and professor at UNC. Delightful African-American lady. Might I say that the fruit basket could not have been more perfect for our family. You know, when you see fruit baskets they are usually filled with apples, bananas and oranges. Well, Elizabeth went and bought some mangos, a plum, a big ol' pineapple, bananas and some granny smith apples. Yum!! Oh, and if you don't know me very well, I truly have a thing for baskets.

Needless to say, our hearts are thankful and comforted by the goodness and friendliness of the neighbors just across the street. I look forward to knowing them more and checking in on them from time to time. You know how older ladies like to watch people, well we have quite a show every day. We love to be outside and we have so much life growing here.

Who knew?

The tobacco industry has taken a lot of heat from smokers who blame cigarette manufacturers for their smoking-related illnesses; but if anyone has reason to sue the big tobacco companies, it's the animals.

Joe Camel isn't the only animal who smokes. For decades, experimenters have repeatedly performed inhumane and irrelevant smoking-related tests on animals. Although animals would never normally encounter or imbibe tobacco on their own, dogs, primates, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, lambs, chickens, and other animals are mutilated, pumped full of nicotine, and forced to inhale smoke.

(Vegnews.org)

Happy Birthday, Torie!

Happy Birthday to one of my oldest and dearest friends. Hope your day is full of love and laughter.

You are one in a million!

Home life

The other day I was cleaning up the kitchen and I overheard Scott reading a Little House chapter to Madelyn. Something that stuck out in my mind the rest of the evening and many days after was home life. Very simply within the text the writer uses the words home and life together, as one. In the story, I believe Pa had been out for days and came back to find that he had indeed missed home life.

Home life. It encompasses so much. For the Little House family, I imagine that home life was a very positive thing. I am sure that there was so much life. There was plenty of work, learning, growing, eating, cleaning, exploring, investigating, nurturing, creating, tending to, fixing and mending, hoping, dreaming, loving and feeling within that house they cared for.

I want our home life to be positive. I want it to be pure and not lacking. I want it to be clean and orderly. I desire my kids to dream big, learn every other minute, walk tall, care and care about caring. I truly want my home to be full of sweet and tender moments. I want there to be wonderful meals cooked. Lots of humble prayers prayed.

I want our home to be full of questions and answers. I want us all to feel freedom and not total restraint. I want our family to hear music and love the way it makes us feel. I want us to dance and be confident in ourselves. I want us to read and enjoy it. I desire for there to be laughter bouncing off of every wall every day.

I desire my children to see me loving their father at home (and elsewhere). Let them all see our great passion for one another. May they see us serving one another and building each other up. I want them to know that this family has purpose and we will care for one another.

I want my kids to believe in Jesus. I want them to know God. I want them to want to do good. I desire them to want to serve others uncondtionally. I want us to captivate their hearts at home and point them to the Lord.

It is quite a responsibility we have as parents to create a positive home life. We have to be thoughtful about each day. We have to be intentional. I believe that being home is such a gift we can give our children and ourselves.

Meanwhile

My digital camera is a little sick at the moment. We are working on getting it better. Meanwhile, I am just going to write and share ideas and happenings minus fun pictures.

Oh well

Isn't it a kicker that after taking a poll, both sides are even. Maybe that is just as well. Now, we can just cackle and grin as we see each other apply the smell goods, instead of raising an eyebrow.

People are different. Scott and I do things differently. I squeeze the toothpaste from the middle, he squeezes at the end. He likes to drink during a meal. I like to drink after.

The world wouldn't be any fun if we were all the same. The world would be stinky if they all applied deodorant like Scott. Oops, I mean . . . let's celebrate uniqueness! Hee hee. Actually, Scott smells very nice. Always has. Yes, I am giggling now.

Goodnight.

I am taking a poll

This will seem very comical to most of you. I need a little feedback from my readers.

Scott and I have this little debate going on about deodorant. You see, he says that it is so silly that I put on deodorant after a shower or bath at night. He says we are suppose to just put it on before we go out somewhere. My thought has always been that you roll it on after you get clean. I guess I would agree that if need be, we should freshen up a little before going out sometimes as well. But definitely, I think it should be applied after bathing.

So, go ahead. Post a comment and let's take a vote. Don't worry about hurting my feelings. Just tell me what you think and settle this little funny feud.

I think I hit a brick wall

I am so tired today. This is unlike me. I usually go and go and go. Even though I am not a morning person, I can handle less sleep than most. I just want to be up and experiencing all that my day has in store for me.

Today, I just feel so slow. I have had so much energy with this move and with our many transitions, I guess I have just reached a point where I need to stop and fill up my tank.

What are we to do when we feel especially tired? One of my pet peeves is laziness. I do not like the act of appearing not to have anything to do. I believe in rest and I believe we all need it. How do we get true rest though?

Today, I am hoping for some time to be quiet. I want to be gracious with myself and not expect the usual. I will continue to be honest with my kids and tell them that I am feeling tired and a little fussy. I have prayed and I will continue to. I intend on maybe reading from my Sally Clarkson book. I always derive a bit of encouragement from her in the area of mothering. I hope to make some baked potatoes for supper. Potatoes are a comfort food for me. I will let my kiddos have their regular thursday night movie night (how convenient). We will make popcorn and have ginger ale, some of my favorites. I will hopefully take a bath once they are in bed and then await my husband's arrival ( today is his long day).

I know even on my "down days" that I have hope. I know that I can help myself to think positively, give grace to myself and rely on the Lord and the life around me.

How do you find rest? I challenge you to seek it and fill your own tank.

Can you believe this?

My troops and I had a fun afternoon at our local library. As we were walking to our van, Brayden was waving to an older gentlemen in his vehicle. The man kindly waved back. I said, "Hello." He said, "Hello," and, "Those ain't all your children are they?" I grinned and said, "Yes, all of them." As he shook his head he said, "Honey, I feel sorry for you." I gave no response, kept walking and put my kids in the van.

I do not know if my kids were paying a lot of attention to the man's remarks. I was quite surprised by his comment. I mean, "You don't look old enough to have all those kids" sometimes bothers me. I got that one yesterday. A lady told me I looked 18 and I look like their babysitter. It amazes me what some people say.

I am a proud mother of four children. Yes, it is hard but WELL worth it. Yes, I did marry young and I am proud of it. I found a keeper and I was able to keep him. I had my first baby when I was 21. Every two years after, up until 2006, I kept having little ones. I didn't realize it was so shocking to have several children close together when still young.

Having several children is a blessing far beyond measure. I do not want any pity because I appear to, as people say, "Have my hands full."

Duke Gardens

Our friend , Katie, called last night and asked us if we wanted to meet her and Eleanor at Duke Gardens this morning. I told her the kids and I would love to. I was so thankful for the call. Lately, I have really been wanting to meet people and be able to go out and about around town with the kids. Katie is a close friend that we have known for a long time. Our family treasures her and her family. They have lived in this area for quite awhile. What a delight it is to move to a town with existing friends that can show you around and give you the comfort of a bit of familiarity.

Duke Gardens is absolutely amazing. It is so beautiful and full of life. The kids all enjoyed the ducks, turtles, gardens, fountains, trees and ponds. What a sweet little adventure we took. The gardens provide a huge resource to this nature loving homeschooling family. I am confident we will go again and again.