I'm Running Away From Home...

Don't worry too much, though. I'll only begone Friday evening and night while I attend a church sponsored women's retreat that my sister-and-law invited me to.

Please pray that the children are well-behaved and don't cause Eaglewood to pull out what is left of his hair. ;o)

Maybe I'm Quirkier Than Previously Thought!

You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits. Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle. Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it. You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

This May Explain a Few Things...

Your Quirk Factor: 51%

You're a pretty quirky person, but you're just normal enough to hide it. Congratulations - you've fooled other people into thinking you're just like them!

How Quirky Are You?

A Little More Whine?

There is a reason I don't tell many personal things about myself here (and no, it isn't because of my incredible modesty). I'm actually both a little boring and a perfect example of someone who couldn't be a homeschooling mom without the Lord.

You see, I'm a little ADD (sort of like being a little pregnant), a whole lot dyslexic, and I "have issues" with numbers. Fortunately, I had some really great phonics training and read extremely quickly and well unless I am sick, under a lot of stress, or extremely exhausted. At those times words jump around the page, letters dance past me in an up and down carousel-like fashion and things generally just get a lot tougher to read. The ADD thing is with me all the time. To say that I am easily distracted doesn't begin to cover it. My eldest son has learned how to use this to his advantage. If I give him an assignment of the whining and groaning type (homeschool moms know exactly what I mean here), he will sometimes counter with an intriguing question that can keep me distracted for quite a while before it begins to dawn on me what he's up to! When called on it, he will smile sheepishly, confess, wait for me to get the giggles about it, and then get busy. The numbers thing has been the biggest handicap of the three I mentioned.

You see, numbers and I don't get along at all. I can seldom remember them. Oddly enough, I'm actually pretty good at math. Just don't ask me to repeat my answers because I forget them immediately. Eaglewood has been rather understanding and forgiving about this little dilemma. He doesn't even seem to mind that I couldn't remember his birthday for the first three or four years (not sure how many, that would be a number!) of our marriage. Oh, I knew what month it was in and what week it would fall during, I just couldn't remember the day. I couldn't remember my own birth date, or my zip code until I was in junior high. I DO remember my children's birthdays but I think that is mostly because I have had to repeat them so often! lol Phone numbers give me fits. I have to think of them like nicknames in order to remember them at all, and even then it takes me awhile! I also don't quote scripture very often not because I don't know it, and not because I don't want to, but because I can never remember the scripture reference. People always seem to want to know that. However, in my defense, people memorized scripture and did just fine for a long time before the King James Bible and scripture references came along! I think my children pity me. The older ones will often follow me around remembering numbers for me.

Well, now you know my deep dark secret. Maybe I will stop whining now. Maybe... ;o)

Got This One From Heidi

You Are a Peacemaker Soul

You strive to please others and compromise anyway you can. War or conflict bothers you, and you would do anything to keep the peace. You are a good mediator and a true negotiator. Sometimes you do too much, trying so hard to make people happy. While you keep the peace, you tend to be secretly judgmental. You lose respect for people who don't like to both give and take. On the flip side, you've got a graet sense of humor and wit. You're always dimplomatic and able to give good advice. Souls you are most compatible with: Warrior Soul, Hunter Soul and Visionary Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Homeschooling With Whiners

Nope, not the kiddos... ME! I am definitely feeling a LOT like whining these days. For the record, I am trying my best not to give in. ;o) I am sure this is one of those character building opportunities Eaglewood and I are always telling our children about. :op

I've always loved homeschooling my children; I just seem to be particularly prone to Spring fever. About this time each year, just as the children are also getting Spring fever and thinking rebellious thoughts about their schoolwork and chores, I start hearing the call of the "great outdoors". Well, since we live in the city right now, maybe it's more like the "less-than-great outdoors" or even the "great anywhere-but-my-house"... Anyway, the point is, I join my children in wanting to escape our usual routine. Some of the things the children love to do (and I encourage) have some educational merit like varmint hunting at the creek, and identifying the local flora. However, most of the time, we are all just wanting to escape and enjoy some relaxing time in G-d's great creation. This makes us all a little prone to whining about the things we HAVE to get done before we can go and do the things we want to do.

Don't worry, though. I'll be good. I'll continue homeschooling. I'll act responsibly and do my chores. However, you all know that in my heart I will be wanting to play hooky!

More Odds and Ends

I'm sorry that my blogging has been rather sporadic of late. Health problems, computer problems and loss have had a dramatic impact on my computer time and my on-line habits. Eaglewood and Ditto are currently working to cobble together a newer, better computer for us. I think we may have to dub this one "Son of Frankenstein". At least it works with our DSL and we can finally get rid of our dial-up!

Eaglewood created a neighborhood stir this weekend when he set up his target in the field behind our house and did a bit of target practice. In addition to our own family bunch, we had several neighbors watching. Eaglewood also got to scare a trio of dirt bikers who didn't look before pulling into the field right behind Eaglewood's target just as he was taking aim! I think from now on both the dirt bikers and Eaglewood will be looking out for each other. ;o)

My sister-in-law (Kaylaugh) and I are talking about attending the big homeschool convention here next month. Even though I have been homeschooling my children for around ten years now, I have never been to one. This may be a recipe for disaster. Both Kaylaugh and I are book maniacs. I cannot believe our husbands are actually turning us loose at the convention with money! Fortunately for them, we are both big time bargain hunters. I can hardly wait!

Odds and Ends

Since Eaglewood has taken up archery, the boys have all become enamored of it. I am beginning to foresee huge $ amounts spent on bows and arrows. As for me... my chosen hobbies just happen to include scrapbooking. I have already been chasing poor Eaglewood around with a camera much to his chagrin. ;o)

The grieving for Samuel continues around here. About 1 in every 5 people we have talked to seems to think that either Eaglewood or I aren't coping as well as we should. We have been told in various ways by various people that one of us is doing well, but they don't think that the other is. If they agreed on which one of us is doing well and which one of us needs help, it would at least make sense! I didn't even know there WAS a wrong way to grieve. I always thought that people have their own ways and timing for dealing with grief. I guess I should just be happy that 4 out of 5 people think we are both doing well!

Ditto is turning 15 this summer and will be getting his learners permit. I'm not sure that I am ready to teach one of my children how to drive! I guess I should be glad that I will only be dealing with my very cautious Ditto and not my speed-loving "go FASTER" Puddleglum!

Thank You

I wanted to thank all of you who have been praying for our family since we lost our little Samuel Earl. It is appreciated more than I could ever tell you.

We buried little Samuel this past Saturday in East Texas where so many of my extended family and loved ones have been buried. He is just behind one of the great grandfathers after whom he was named. My father and Eaglewood's brother both spoke, and everyone there was blessed by what they had to share.

The children all seem to be doing well. They have had many questions and each is grieving quite differently. Eaglewood has decided to take up archery. He has always wanted to and now finds himself needing something physical to do with his grief. Personally, I think it is a great idea. I'm doing as well as I can. My stitches will be coming out later this week, or early next week. For those who may not know, Samuel was both quite large and transverse and was born by caesarean. Also, my blood sugar seems to finally be under control.

Again, we thank you all for your prayers and support.

Grief…

That is all Birdie and I can feel right now. For two days Birdie could feel little or no movement from the baby. This morning Birdie woke up to a contraction, the mucus plug coming out and a very bloody discharge. I took it upon myself to take Birdie to the hospital where the worst fear any parents could have was realized. Samuel Earl was not alive. He is with Yeshua now and we are at a loss to understand why. The doctors think it may be due to a viral infection as there was a lot of calcification in his liver according to the sonogram. There is not much else to say right now the pain is still too fresh.


Eaglewood