Rich

This is a clip of Rob Bell from You Tube.

Reinventing

I do believe that I, as a homeschooling mom, am daily reinventing what learning looks like in our home. Our days can differ so drastically, and yet the core of what we are after lingers in and out throughout.

I spoke with a friend earlier today. She is another homeschooling mom that I enjoy sharing my days with. We chatted about how we are indeed designing our own home life each day. The freedom that comes with that, as a homeschooling mom, is sometimes so uncomfortable. I really get to choose the flow of the day, the week, the month. The responsibility can be overwhelming and in the same sense it can be so liberating. Every homeschool is unique. There is no handbook. You create your own.

Our homeschooling morning flows so differently now, than it did in Boone. Scott and I were usually up a little after 6 or so and he was off to work around 7:15 or 7:30. There would be many mornings that some of the children didn't see him before he left for his 8 to 10 hour day. Now, my early birds sleep till about 7, they retreat downstairs, and the rest of us get up at 7:30. We all enjoy breakfast together and start chores and breakfast clean up, all while Scott is observing and interacting with us all. It is a different season. Our homeschooling starts around 9:15am. I am okay with that for now. The great thing about homeschooling is there is freedom. Freedom to create what is best for our family. No one is peering over my shoulder with a checklist to see if I am doing things correctly. I am the best teacher for these kids and I am at liberty to fashion our day in a way that is suitable for them.

Composing our life here at home requires much more effort than I ever imagined. It also requires flexibility and creativity. Scott and I are not trying to bring the school room from the traditional public school into our dining room each day. No, no. We are establishing something that we have never seen before.

To my homeschooling mom friends, remember the freedom that you have. Don't be hard on yourself when your day starts later or the lessons you had planned may have stopped because of an emergency or a bad attitude. Remember to love. Remember to play. Remember to enjoy the process. I tell you now, as I told myself this very thing this morning when I noticed my focus shifted and I was more concerned with getting through my plans than I was concerned with the heart of my child.

Charlotte's Web

Last night, Kalen and I finished reading Charlotte's Web together. I have mentioned this before, I have read each of the kids this book and it is such a sweet tradition. The story, if you are not familiar, involves Wilbur, a lovable pig, who lives in a barn with a spider named Charlotte. With the help of Templeton the rat, and with a clever plan of her own, Charlotte saves Wilbur's life.

I got word this fall that The Carolina Theatre in Downtown Durham was putting on a show featuring Charlotte's Web. The neat thing was that I heard it through my homeschool group. I worked it out and got us some tickets, not knowing that the timing would be perfect.

It was a great experience. The kids and I really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed talking with other moms that had their kids there from our group. Julian met up with a little guy that he had met before and they sat together. It was so refreshing to see him interacting with someone he had met before. Slowly, but surely, we are making friends. It takes time.

Tonight, as I was getting my little buddy, Kalen, ready for bed, he said, "We won't read Charlotte's Web tonight, Mommy." With that he gave me a fake frown and then a big ol' smile. Even as an adult, I know how good it feels to finish a book, such a feeling of accomplishment.

Helping Hands

Yesterday, my kids and I anxiously awaited our night of Christmas decorating. After dinner, we turned on the Christmas music and got busy. You'd be surprised by how delighted they were to help with bringing down the tubs, with dad, from the attic. It gets interesting with so many helping hands. We did have fun though. It is neat to see the kids truly having special feelings about certain ornaments that are theirs.

Scott has never been all that thrilled with the whole process. At times, I was wondering if he was going to lose his religion over it all. No only kidding. Although, he actually spoke up at one point and said, "just call me Scrooge." Hee hee.

We put up another nativity scene today. I love this time of year.

Power

"We cannot separate ourselves from the use of power—either as individuals or as a society or as a church. It is a fact of life. Power is the ability to achieve purpose—the capability for action. Power is a gift from God. God does not intend a world where powerful suppress and oppress the powerless. Power is not meant to be the possession of a few while the majority are impoverished. Power, given by God, is meant to be shared by all. All creation is intended to participate and benefit from the use of power that has the best interest of the neighbor as its goal."

- Helen Bruch Pearson
Do What You Have the Power to Do

Thanksgiving 2007

Our Thanksgiving holiday was full of family time and eating, as it is for most Americans, I guess. I love having the chance to spend time with familiy, free from the hassel of work and various responsibilities.

We traveled to High Point, first, to spend time with all the Kirbys. We had a lot of fun there. Then, traveled to Clemmons to visit with Scott's side of the family. We were able to spend two nights with them and share a lot of laughs and meals with Jerry, Jan and Shanda. Saturday, we headed towards King to celebrate with My Mom, Annette, my brother & his family, my grandma and my Uncle Bob. The kids stayed busy as they played with various family members at each house. We were able to play outside and enjoy the fallen leaves and such. All our meals were delicious and it is such a treat to be catered to. Our families are so good about providing us with vegan food. Yum!

My Mom asked me if there was any reason the kids couldn't spend the night, on Saturday, and she could bring them to us on Sunday. I talked with Scott about it and we decided to indeed take her up on this unplanned freedom. It was odd driving away without them, but we decided to make the best of it. We don't ever do this. We were nervous and tense for the first 30 miles, probably. We were able to go out to a new restaurant in Carrboro and watch a movie. Today, we slept in until 10am!!! I have not done that since college, I guess. We have both worked hard today on various things. He has done school work and I have blasted the Christmas music and cleaned the house. The kids are on their way and I will be so excited to see them!

Needless to say, I am incredibly thankful!

Fall Foliage & Family

Mishaps with the Morrisons

Mishap #1
Last night, as I was getting our smallest two ready for bed, I told Kalen that I was going to change Brayden's diaper and read to him. This meant that I was leaving him to do his bedtime business (i.e. brush teeth, go potty) alone in the bathroom. I was changing Brayden when Kalen enters the room with a comb stuck in his hair. He said nothing, just wore a strange look on his face. I giggled and told him to go show Daddy.

Mishap #2
For years now, Scott and I have told Julian that he sleep walks. He doesn't do it often, but it happens. When we lived in Boone, I think Julian was four or five, he woke around 10pm and came into the living room. Scott wasn't home yet and I was right beside the living room, in the kitchen. I did hear a noise, but I thought it was Scott coming in or the music. I heard another noise and turned to find my son urinating all over his playmobil table. I was livid. If you are not familiar, Playmobil has a ton of small pieces. I put him back to bed, washed and dried tons of pieces, the table, and the castle and didn't think the whole incidence was the slightest bit funny. Scott did of course, when he came home to a fuming wife and this ridiculous story.
LAST NIGHT, after the kids were in bed, I came up the stairs to exercise. I noticed as I came up the stairs that the laundry room light was on and Julian and Kalen's door was cracked. I didn't really think too much about it and went on into their rooms to check on them (as we always do after they are asleep).
This morning as I was changing Brayden for his nap, I asked Scott to go into the laundry room to get me a washcloth. As he entered the laundry room, he snickered and called to see if I had been in the laundry yet. I told him, "Not since yesterday." He came to me and took over with Brayden, sending me to go see whatever he saw in the laundry room. As I entered, I looked down to see an empty laundry basket full of pee! I think I said, "Oh my word" half a dozen times. Julian had woken up and went into the room next to the bathroom, the laundry room, and found a spot to pee, I guess. We showed Julian and he doesn't remember a thing. He doesn't remember peeing all over the Playmobil table either. Isn't that something? I guess with this I have to be thankful that the basket was completely empty and not completely full.

From Randall

My husband and I are fans of a musical artist by the name of Randall Goodgame. I want to share a bit from some of his blogging from some time ago.

*I was in a meeting today and as we were praying, I kept getting distracted. I was thinking about a song lyric and then about an email I needed to write and who knows what else. I tried to get back into the prayer and I drifted off again and I wanted to punch myself in the face with the question - "Why can't I concentrate?"

As I took my question to God, he gave me a brand new prayer.
Thank you, Father for how you've made me. Thank you that you are always at work calling me to you.
My concern was staying on task. His concern is the gaze of my heart. In my distractions, my weaknesses, is his true siren song, calling me to my death, that I might find life.

Very often, I will allow my small perspective to guide me into guilt or frustration or even depression because of how I seem to "fail." However, when we allow God to apply his perspective to our hearts, His peace gains a foothold.
That is, first, our end is secure. Second, our now is in his hands. And third, he loves us as we are, but is not content to leave us as we are.*

Vegan Delights

"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are."
~Adelle Davis

A question that I get, every so often, is "what do you eat?" I guarantee that we are not missing anything by not eating dead animals or dairy. I would say that I look forward to meals so much more now than I did when I was a carnivore. We eat a variety of meals that we have created ourselves and ones that we have picked up along the way.

Scott and I love to eat. Not eating the Standard American Diet (boo . . .)has allowed us to venture into unknown territories and be creative with our cooking. We both love the art of food preparation and presentation. As we started getting to know one another, Scott and I spent a lot of time cooking and experimenting with Vegetarian dishes.

I am sharing some pictures of dishes or what not that I have made in the last few weeks. I am growing more and more passionate about cooking and baking for my family. Many of the photos I am sharing are foods that I have made using my new cookbook by Sarah Kramer. (You know I am doing quite a bit of publicizing for this chic) I highly recommend the book.
Raspberry & Walnut Pancakes

This was this morning's French Toast

Sarah's Bran Muffins

This was a yummy Sunday lunch that Scott whipped up for just him and I. We could call it Scott's Snow Pea and Tofu Pasta.

This was yesterday's lunch for the kids. Super easy PB&J and celery with clementines

Another lunch for the kiddos with peanut butter and honey roll-ups, tater tots, and apples

Penne Pasta with Butternut Squash

Tortilla Soup

Biscuits with poppy seeds and oregano

This is Nutty Chili. We had this at my friend Jen's house years ago and really liked it. We love this chili that has sweet potatoes in it.

My Gem

Eleven years ago when I met Scott, I was more than impressed. I was head over heels in love with this man and I still am falling. When I began to get to know this fine man, I knew he had a heart for family. I knew that he enjoyed the thought of having children.

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this same man loving my children the way he does. He makes family a priority. He has the heart of each of our children. He seeks them out and connects with all of them on each of their levels. He is firm when needed. His forbearance is amazing, as well as his lightheartedness. I am so thankful that he wants to spend time with us. I imagine that some husbands come home and just plop down and watch the family interact around them. Not Scott, he is up and running and engaged.

Last night was so refreshing. He came home after a long day of classes and studying and we all ate together. The kids pretty much attack him after the meal and he plays right along. They all wanted a piece of their daddy and he made a point to connect with each of them. The look in their eyes was of pure joy and delight, as was in his.

It is obvious to me that Scott doesn't just want to walk through the motions of being a father. He wants to ride it out with intensities and meaning.

I am so thankful for his way with all of us. He is a gem.

~Scott, I love you. Have a wonderful day. Know that we are crazy about you and anticipate your arrival.

Marveling

Today, we went to a park we had not been to yet. I stood amazed at the tall trees that surrounded us. We ran and played. It brought me so much joy to see my children playing freely in nature. The leaves that had fallen were making a wonderful sound as we stepped on them. The air was crisp and it felt fabulous.

*Lord, help me to remember that children were built to play and marvel and laugh, and let me learn to participate fully with them every day. Thank you for making life a gift to be enjoyed. I love and appreciate You today. In Jesus' name, my Creator of the universe, I come to You. Amen*

The Beacon

Her love is like an island
In life's ovean, vast and wide.
A peaceful quiet shelter
From the wind and rain, and tide.
'Tis bound on the north by Hope,
By Patience on the west.
By tender Counsel on the south,
And on the east by Rest.
Above is like a beacon light,
Shining Faith, and Truth, and Prayer;
And through the changing scenes of life,
I find a haven there.
~Author Unknown
(from Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids by Sharon Jaynes)

*I hope my children see these things in me all throughout their lives.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

To Do

I am surrounded by baskets full of laundry and the thoughts of what I should be doing. I really need to put the comforter that I washed today back on the bed . I need to go downstairs and clean/mop the kitchen. I could also vacuum. Lord knows the carpet is so filthy from three days of play and crumbs. I need to make a cake and icing for my dad's birthday cake. We are having family over for a get together here tomorrow. Oh, and then I should reorganize my homeschooling books and papers the kids have worked on this week. Oops, the rugs are still outside. I need to bring those in from shaking them. You know, I noticed at supper that Brayden's booster seat was getting kind of yucky. I ought to wash it down. I really need to call my mother-in-law and check on her. I know she has had a busy week. Wait a minute . . . I am gonna choose to sit here and enjoy the fact that my children are all tucked away and I can have this peaceful moment.

God has blessed me so richly to have so many people and things to tend to. I often lose sight of the blessing. I am a planner and I anticipate so much that sometimes I worry more than I should. All the things that I mentioned above may get done tonight, but more than likely they won't. I may freak out a little in the morning, but that is okay. I know they will get done, because I am a disciplined person.

I want to count my blessings tonight instead of continuing my To-Do List. I wonder which one would be longer.

I thank the Lord that I have five living breathing people in the house to love and be near each day. I am thankful that I have a home that gives us all space to grow, learn and laugh in. I am thankful for a man that is crazy about me and I am falling more for everyday. So thankful that he is a thinker and aspires to be a better person daily. I am grateful for the toothpaste leftovers in the sink that my children have left after a hard day of play and learning. I am thankful that I have music that surrounds me daily and lifts me up when my spirit may be drifting. I adore the sweet voices that call me to just check in and encourage me with stories and an "i love you". I am thankful for the chatter that encircles the dining room table at mealtime, as every child is eager to express themselves in one way or another. I am thankful for my extended family and how we all yearn to be with one another. I am thankful for the way my children come to me when something is wrong. I am thankful that serious Julian allowed himself to make silly faces today. I am thankful for new friends and neighbors. I am grateful for the way we eat and how it makes me feel. I am most thankful for a God whose love is undying. I am in awe of all He has done in my life and continues to do. I am thankful for the Spirit's gentle tugs at my heart each hour of every day. I am amazed and ever grateful for Jesus and what a radical He was. How could I live without His influence on my life? Oh, how he is shaping me to be a better wife and mother.

My, my, how a thankful heart does sweeten the soul.

Worms

Last week, I asked each kid what animal they would like to study this week. We have been doing Science three days a week, so each of them would get a day for their animal that they picked. Julian picked weasels. Madelyn picked whales and Kalen picked worms. Coincidentally, they all started with W.

Today, we read up on worms and then ventured out into the front yard to find some and create a little habitat for them. I use the Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia for some of our animal studies and there happened to be a suggested activity to do with worms.

We were hunting for worms and our neighbor, Lan, walked over and joined us. She said she had plenty of worms in her garden, so she would go get one. She is so sweet and indeed she came back with a rubber glove on her hand and a wiggly worm in it. We ended up finding more worms and made layers of sand, soil, and leaves in a glass jar to watch our little friends up close. The book suggested putting black paper around the jar and in a few days we can unveil it to see all the different little pathways they have dug/eaten through.

Of course, the kids really enjoyed this activity, Kalen especially.

From Tigger to Rabbit

I started my day out like Tigger and ended up like Rabbit. My circumstances changed throughout the day and I transformed. I felt so energized, fun loving, and compassionate this morning as I was getting my kids ready for their day. As the day unfolded, I was caught up in my expectations and not concerned with the heart of a child I was dealing with. I was only thinking about how I was being disrespected and what I wanted to happen. Conviction has set in. There has to be a happy medium between these two temperaments. I'll let you know when I get there.

Please pardon the reoccurring mentioning of cartoon characters. As they are very much a part of this season of life for me, I tend to find myself relating to certain ones. :)