Today was karate day for me and Andrew. We go twice a week right now. We're only in our first month of this, and it's still summer, and none of our other fall/school year activities have resumed yet, so we haven't quite figured out how karate is going to fit into our normal/school life.
That said, Annie stayed home while Andrew and I went to the dojo (the karate training place). She was told that while I was gone, she had to have breakfast, get dressed, practice her piano lesson, and do a workout on the Wii.
I came home and she met me at the door in her jammies. Had she done anything I asked?!?
She had eaten tuna on crackers. For breakfast.
However, there was a hidden blessing in her disobedience.
She, my Annie, my 10-year-old, had done the laundry. (I HATE doing laundry!)
She had folded the dry towels, transferred the wet stuff, dried it, then STRIPPED MY BED and washed all of my bedding! (Kings-size bedding requires more than one load!)
It is now 9:19 pm and that little domestic diva has just finished remaking my enormous bed. (Hubby and I affectionately call it "the island.") She stuck with that dreadful job from beginning to end, from morning to night!
Lest you think that all she did was laundry, I must admit that in keeping with the idea that it is still summer and I personally want to enjoy some of it still, Andrew and I played on the computers all day (after getting our butts kicked in karate) and she watched LOTS of tv. There, I said it. We vegged. We still did lots of little ordinary things that need to be done, like meals, and walking dogs, and cleaning up messes. But we didn't do school, and we didn't do any big projects.
Except for Annie, who did the laundry. (What a blessing that girl is!)
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
School Days
Am I the only one who always has a better day on the days when we "do school" than the days that we take off?
We don't have a schedule, but we do have a routine for school days. Maybe the kids just respond better to the structure rather than the freedom of a no-school day.
Maybe I just feel better because on school days, I'm guaranteed at least a few minutes worth of "control" (ha ha ha ha ha! No, I don't have control issues!).
However, with yesterday being Saturday, we didn't have school. Everyone had a good day, and Annie, my 10-year-old, came home from playing with the neighbors, and took it upon herself to get out her sewing kit and started working on a doll for her friend next door. And she continues to make progress on it without any guidance or "teaching" from me. (I taught her how previously, many many months ago!)
Andrew, on the other hand, flounders without the structure ... if he's not allowed screentime. He's 8 1/2 and would be in heaven if I would let him play on the computer all day everyday. Too bad. I'm not that kind of mom.
Finally, I must admit ... this Mom gets bored without any "school" activities to keep her occupied. We have a busy day today, a full day, with no school activities. I'm already daydreaming about taking the computer along and creating worksheets and doing lessons plans! Can't do it, since the day's activities include church and a family party and a family movie ... but I'm being honest about what I'd rather do.
I'd rather "do school."
We don't have a schedule, but we do have a routine for school days. Maybe the kids just respond better to the structure rather than the freedom of a no-school day.
Maybe I just feel better because on school days, I'm guaranteed at least a few minutes worth of "control" (ha ha ha ha ha! No, I don't have control issues!).
However, with yesterday being Saturday, we didn't have school. Everyone had a good day, and Annie, my 10-year-old, came home from playing with the neighbors, and took it upon herself to get out her sewing kit and started working on a doll for her friend next door. And she continues to make progress on it without any guidance or "teaching" from me. (I taught her how previously, many many months ago!)
Andrew, on the other hand, flounders without the structure ... if he's not allowed screentime. He's 8 1/2 and would be in heaven if I would let him play on the computer all day everyday. Too bad. I'm not that kind of mom.
Finally, I must admit ... this Mom gets bored without any "school" activities to keep her occupied. We have a busy day today, a full day, with no school activities. I'm already daydreaming about taking the computer along and creating worksheets and doing lessons plans! Can't do it, since the day's activities include church and a family party and a family movie ... but I'm being honest about what I'd rather do.
I'd rather "do school."
Monday, August 8, 2011
Rest & Renewal
It hasn't even been 24 hours yet. We dropped the two youngest off at church camp at 4:45 yesterday (it took us until 5:15 to drag me away). The older kids don't live with us anymore. So, I'm home alone with just the two dogs while the man is at work. For 3 days.
It's now 1:45 in the afternoon and I haven't done much of anything. I've read some homeschooling blogs. I took a bath (with epsom salts to ease my aching body), then a shower so I could wash my hair. I did my hair and put on "clean the house" clothes. I took a birthday card out to the mailbox. I made myself a chocolate banana smoothie (just learned last week that if you put a frozen banana in the blender with some other stuff, it comes out like ice cream ... since I'm lactose intolerant, this is a HUGE finding for me!). I watched a DVD tv show that I had picked up at the library (we don't get regular tv anymore). Guess what I'm going to do next? You guessed it ... not much. I think I'll eat some potato chips, drink some pop (gasp!), and read my book.
Once a year, my children go off to church camp for 3 days and I allow myself a few hours to just shirk all responsibilities, eat some junk, and totally relax. I take the time to relish the quiet.
My husband and I don't "get away" generally, but even if we did ... we would be going somewhere else, and there would still be someone WITH me, and we would probably be DOING something. It's not the same. This is my time to be in my own house, with no children, and no husband ... just ME. (And the dogs, but they can't talk or turn on tv's, washers, driers, dishwashers, or any other noise-producing appliances.)
This won't last long, and I have a long list of tasks I hope to accomplish before they return, but for now, I want to thank God for this moment, this time ... for rest and renewal.
P.S. This is my last year of this, since the older one is aging out of this camp and will go to a different one, at a different time, next summer. I better start working now on how I will get a break next year.
It's now 1:45 in the afternoon and I haven't done much of anything. I've read some homeschooling blogs. I took a bath (with epsom salts to ease my aching body), then a shower so I could wash my hair. I did my hair and put on "clean the house" clothes. I took a birthday card out to the mailbox. I made myself a chocolate banana smoothie (just learned last week that if you put a frozen banana in the blender with some other stuff, it comes out like ice cream ... since I'm lactose intolerant, this is a HUGE finding for me!). I watched a DVD tv show that I had picked up at the library (we don't get regular tv anymore). Guess what I'm going to do next? You guessed it ... not much. I think I'll eat some potato chips, drink some pop (gasp!), and read my book.
Once a year, my children go off to church camp for 3 days and I allow myself a few hours to just shirk all responsibilities, eat some junk, and totally relax. I take the time to relish the quiet.
My husband and I don't "get away" generally, but even if we did ... we would be going somewhere else, and there would still be someone WITH me, and we would probably be DOING something. It's not the same. This is my time to be in my own house, with no children, and no husband ... just ME. (And the dogs, but they can't talk or turn on tv's, washers, driers, dishwashers, or any other noise-producing appliances.)
This won't last long, and I have a long list of tasks I hope to accomplish before they return, but for now, I want to thank God for this moment, this time ... for rest and renewal.
P.S. This is my last year of this, since the older one is aging out of this camp and will go to a different one, at a different time, next summer. I better start working now on how I will get a break next year.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Why I Homeschool Post #1
Smart Like Daddy
I've always wanted to write a "Why I Choose to Homeschool" post, but my reasons for homeschooling are so numerous, I was afraid I would have a book by the time I was done. If that happened, then I’d have to go through that whole lengthy publishing process, find an agent, go on tour, etc. I was reluctant to embark on the whole “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” adventure. Who wants to do that when they could be teaching grammar instead?!?
However, today I was hit by a revelation … two, actually!
The first I’ll write about in a moment. The second revelation was that I could share my thoughts over the course of several posts instead of all in one! Genius!
Revelation #1
As I sat reading Renee Tougas’ article about 4 Simple Ways to Teach Elementary Science, I was hit by a revelation! I could finally put my finger on an elusive thought that’s been flitting about my brain, teasing me. “This is why you want to homeschool, you just don’t know it yet.”
First, I must tell you, I’m married to an incredibly intelligent man.
And he comes from an exceptionally smart family.
That’s not to say that I’m not smart, or that my family isn’t either.
It just suddenly occurred to me … we are “smart” in different ways. I am book smart. I am “public school smart enough.” I am a reader & can teach myself just about anything. I can memorize facts for a test. I know how to spell, write, & speak well. I can do enough math to get me through the grocery store, to find the better deal on soccer cleats, and to calculate approximately how much paint I need for the living room.
But my man? (And his family?) Whew! They KNOW so much! I can’t even begin to list the things they know, but I’ll try to give you a few examples … they know:
· How to raise honeybees
· How to replace a belt (or any other part) on a tractor, lawn mower, or car
· How to do their own wiring, plumbing, & roofing
· How to locate certain stars in the sky
· What the Grand Canyon is like (among other national landmarks)
· What household goodies to use to doctor a bee sting (my mother-in-law almost scared me away when hubby & I were dating when she taped a slice of raw onion to my foot after I stepped on a bee & got stung) *Don’t laugh! It worked.* (AND, I now know why it worked!)
· How to can the veggies they’ve harvested from the garden they planted
· What kind of bug that it, what bug it's related to, whether it's dangerous or not, and if we should get rid of it or put it to work in the garden or trees
· Speaking of trees: what kind of tree that is, if it will make it through the winter AND, oh yeah ...
· How to tap maple trees & turn the sap into syrup!!!
Sure, anyone can learn these things. But here’s what I’ve discovered that makes them different from me: they learned most of these things, hands-on, while growing up.
Almost everything I’ve learned in life has come from a book, in school. And now, as an adult, I feel like I don’t know a whole lot of “useful” information.
My husband also went to school, but what impresses me is the knowledge he gained from living “in the world” … as opposed to living in novels, like I did. I’m jealous.
I want my kids to be “smart like Daddy.” I want them to know how to do things. I don’t want them to just be able to spit answers back for a test, then forget them. When my kiddos went to public school, we simply ran out of time each day for “living.” We rushed around in the morning, spent the day at school (me too, as a substitute teacher), came home to argue, fuss, & fight over meaningless homework, ate, bathed, and went to bed. Oh yeah, I allowed some playtime in there somewhere.
I’m so thankful that God has allowed us to homeschool. My kids are learning so much more now! They might not know … hmmm. I was going to compare them to what their public school peers know, but I couldn’t find anything they are lacking yet. And the things they know that those “other kids” don’t? Now that’s priceless!
I will follow this up later with more reasons why we homeschool, but today’s revelation was a real eye-opener for me. We homeschool because I want my kids to be “smart like Daddy.”
*Please be sure to read Renee's article. She has done a fabulous job of helping my mind grasp what I really am using as an elementary Science curriculum.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Summer is for ... #2
Summer is for ... spending time with public-schooled neighbor kids.
Today we declared a "Movie Day." (Actually, we decided this last night. I quickly made up an invitation and they ran it next door before everyone went to bed.)
Andrew had requested the movie "Spiderman" from the library, but we hadn't watched it yet. I needed something to kill some summer hours because these kids were getting under my skin. So, we invited the neighbor kids to come eat popcorn and watch the movie with us.
Today, we ran to the Dollar Tree and picked up some cheap snacks, came home to tidy up the family room, and then we let the festivities begin. We had popcorn, cookies, pretzels with cheese, and Tootsie Pops.
It was fun. Everyone was happy. Including Mommy. Yay! Maybe not the dogs so much. They were stuck in their crate the whole time.
Today we declared a "Movie Day." (Actually, we decided this last night. I quickly made up an invitation and they ran it next door before everyone went to bed.)
Andrew had requested the movie "Spiderman" from the library, but we hadn't watched it yet. I needed something to kill some summer hours because these kids were getting under my skin. So, we invited the neighbor kids to come eat popcorn and watch the movie with us.
Today, we ran to the Dollar Tree and picked up some cheap snacks, came home to tidy up the family room, and then we let the festivities begin. We had popcorn, cookies, pretzels with cheese, and Tootsie Pops.
It was fun. Everyone was happy. Including Mommy. Yay! Maybe not the dogs so much. They were stuck in their crate the whole time.
Summer is for ... #1
Summer is for ... curriculum planning.
Summer 2009 - The decision had been made to start homeschooling, using an online public school. A1 was going into 3rd grade, A2 was going into 1st.
Fall 2009 - What was I thinking?!? An online public school is still a public school! (However, I had not done due diligence when it came to educating myself about homeschooling, so how was I to know?) Let the research begin! Cancelled the online public schooling, filed the paperwork declaring ourselves homeschoolers, and started the kids on worksheets and workbooks (so they were doing something "educational") while I started bringing home armloads of books from the library. OH!!! So that's what homeschooling is all about. Ok, the picture was coming in clearer as I learned about the different styles and methods and curriculums. Now we're getting somewhere. Scrabbled together a makeshift curriculum for the 2009-2010 "school year" and kept up with my own studying ... of "How to homeschool" etc.
Summer 2010 - Discovered Classical Conversations somehow. Can't remember how, but if you saw what I do on the computer ... read an article, open a new tab each time I come across something I want to know more about, search for it in the tab, then leave the tab open and come back to it when I'm done with the first article. So, somehow I must've read about it somewhere online. Went to an informational meeting, took home the propaganda, researched it, discussed at length with hubby (dear man), and decided we'd try it for a year since we happened to have the money to afford it.
Fall 2010 - Started attending Classical Conversations (or CC, as members affectionately call it). The kids loved it. They loved making new friends, having playdates, eating lunch together. But Mom ... not so much. I like the program, for the most part. I love the curriculum. Let's say that much. What I don't like is getting up early on Monday mornings, scrambling around just like we're trying to get to school on time! No time for coffee, have to walk the dogs, brush my teeth (there were days when I forgot to brush my hair!) ... pack some breakfast because there's no time to eat! Wait ... isn't this the stuff we loved leaving behind when we started homeschooling?!? All of a sudden, my favorite day of the week became my most dreaded! Mondays are my favorite because the busy weekend, full of off-schedule activity, is put behind us and I can start out new again, refreshed and ready to tackle the world. OR, if it was a super busy weekend, we can take Monday morning off to regroup and rest before tackling the world. Either way, that wonderful Monday morning feeling went down the drain as I went back to my public-school-mom personality of trying to get everyone organized and out the door on time.
*We stuck it out for the year. Kids still loved it, although they weren't too upset the few times we had to miss it. But I couldn't wait to get back to our regular life when it was over. And that leads me up to Spring of 2011.
Spring 2011 - Mommy doesn't want to go back to CC. We set aside the money for it, but financially we're just scraping by ... why should we spend so much money on something that makes Mommy miserable? Who wants a miserable teacher-Mommy? (They can get those at public school!) So, let the research begin again!
Summer 2011 - Mommy got up the guts to talk to the Superintendent of our school (a.k.a. Daddy) about not going back to CC. Daddy says ok. I can still use the curriculum to do my best at giving my children a good education. Now the challenge is explaining to the children that we are not going back.
Someone say a prayer for me.
**P.S. We have continued very light schooling through the summer with a concentration on spelling, their weakest subject. Now it's the middle of July. We're still plugging in summertime fun, but we also hit Staples the other day for back-to-school supplies and that really put the kids in the mood for more! Mom - not so much! I'm realizing how much work I have to do to get ready to start back full-time. Ahem. Not really. We're homeschoolers after all. My goal is for us to enjoy the ride.
Summer 2009 - The decision had been made to start homeschooling, using an online public school. A1 was going into 3rd grade, A2 was going into 1st.
Fall 2009 - What was I thinking?!? An online public school is still a public school! (However, I had not done due diligence when it came to educating myself about homeschooling, so how was I to know?) Let the research begin! Cancelled the online public schooling, filed the paperwork declaring ourselves homeschoolers, and started the kids on worksheets and workbooks (so they were doing something "educational") while I started bringing home armloads of books from the library. OH!!! So that's what homeschooling is all about. Ok, the picture was coming in clearer as I learned about the different styles and methods and curriculums. Now we're getting somewhere. Scrabbled together a makeshift curriculum for the 2009-2010 "school year" and kept up with my own studying ... of "How to homeschool" etc.
Summer 2010 - Discovered Classical Conversations somehow. Can't remember how, but if you saw what I do on the computer ... read an article, open a new tab each time I come across something I want to know more about, search for it in the tab, then leave the tab open and come back to it when I'm done with the first article. So, somehow I must've read about it somewhere online. Went to an informational meeting, took home the propaganda, researched it, discussed at length with hubby (dear man), and decided we'd try it for a year since we happened to have the money to afford it.
Fall 2010 - Started attending Classical Conversations (or CC, as members affectionately call it). The kids loved it. They loved making new friends, having playdates, eating lunch together. But Mom ... not so much. I like the program, for the most part. I love the curriculum. Let's say that much. What I don't like is getting up early on Monday mornings, scrambling around just like we're trying to get to school on time! No time for coffee, have to walk the dogs, brush my teeth (there were days when I forgot to brush my hair!) ... pack some breakfast because there's no time to eat! Wait ... isn't this the stuff we loved leaving behind when we started homeschooling?!? All of a sudden, my favorite day of the week became my most dreaded! Mondays are my favorite because the busy weekend, full of off-schedule activity, is put behind us and I can start out new again, refreshed and ready to tackle the world. OR, if it was a super busy weekend, we can take Monday morning off to regroup and rest before tackling the world. Either way, that wonderful Monday morning feeling went down the drain as I went back to my public-school-mom personality of trying to get everyone organized and out the door on time.
*We stuck it out for the year. Kids still loved it, although they weren't too upset the few times we had to miss it. But I couldn't wait to get back to our regular life when it was over. And that leads me up to Spring of 2011.
Spring 2011 - Mommy doesn't want to go back to CC. We set aside the money for it, but financially we're just scraping by ... why should we spend so much money on something that makes Mommy miserable? Who wants a miserable teacher-Mommy? (They can get those at public school!) So, let the research begin again!
Summer 2011 - Mommy got up the guts to talk to the Superintendent of our school (a.k.a. Daddy) about not going back to CC. Daddy says ok. I can still use the curriculum to do my best at giving my children a good education. Now the challenge is explaining to the children that we are not going back.
Someone say a prayer for me.
**P.S. We have continued very light schooling through the summer with a concentration on spelling, their weakest subject. Now it's the middle of July. We're still plugging in summertime fun, but we also hit Staples the other day for back-to-school supplies and that really put the kids in the mood for more! Mom - not so much! I'm realizing how much work I have to do to get ready to start back full-time. Ahem. Not really. We're homeschoolers after all. My goal is for us to enjoy the ride.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Ch-ch-changes!
Japan had a crisis. Then another. And it just seems to keep going.
Thanks to this (not said in a thankful tone ... I'm deeply saddened for everyone affected by these events, and feel so helpless!) ... But, thanks to these events, I unexpectedly have my husband home for a week. He works in the automotive manufacturing industry. More specifically, he works for a Japanese auto manufacturer. Production has stopped for the week, and I suddenly have a handy helper!
It's been a wonderful day of progress, and now it continues. We decided last week (or the week before?? Time flies, you know?) ... we decided we would move two kids into one bedroom, another kid into a different room, and create a "school room" with the last available bedroom.
Thus, at this very moment, as I watch the news and share my news with you, my darling husband is upstairs with the kids, putting up the bunk beds! I ran up there long enough to run the vacuum over the area that the bunks will possess, because you know that spot isn't being cleaned again anytime soon!
There is so much work to do, so many steps to get to the final arrangement. I know it's cliche, but I'm exhausted just thinking about it all.
Thanks to this (not said in a thankful tone ... I'm deeply saddened for everyone affected by these events, and feel so helpless!) ... But, thanks to these events, I unexpectedly have my husband home for a week. He works in the automotive manufacturing industry. More specifically, he works for a Japanese auto manufacturer. Production has stopped for the week, and I suddenly have a handy helper!
It's been a wonderful day of progress, and now it continues. We decided last week (or the week before?? Time flies, you know?) ... we decided we would move two kids into one bedroom, another kid into a different room, and create a "school room" with the last available bedroom.
Thus, at this very moment, as I watch the news and share my news with you, my darling husband is upstairs with the kids, putting up the bunk beds! I ran up there long enough to run the vacuum over the area that the bunks will possess, because you know that spot isn't being cleaned again anytime soon!
There is so much work to do, so many steps to get to the final arrangement. I know it's cliche, but I'm exhausted just thinking about it all.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
I'm Crazy Sexy.
I recently read the book Crazy, Sexy Diet by Kris Carr.
Kris Carr changed my life, and hopefully my future. And my children's future.
Although I haven't changed everything, the things I have changed have left me feeling so much better, physically and emotionally.
I highly recommend this book, for the learning experience, if nothing else.
If you have cancer, run, don't walk, to the closest bookstore!
If you don't have cancer, and you don't want to get cancer, you might be able to wait until it comes in at the library.
If you're feeling rundown with little zest for life, and mucho aches and pains, wibble-wobble wherever until you get it, force yourself to read it, and start making some changes.
If you're like me (with no cancer), you'll wait to get it from the library, read it cover-to-cover, return it, then buy your own copy. It's worth it.
Then you can be Crazy Sexy too. (Like me!)
Kris Carr changed my life, and hopefully my future. And my children's future.
Although I haven't changed everything, the things I have changed have left me feeling so much better, physically and emotionally.
I highly recommend this book, for the learning experience, if nothing else.
If you have cancer, run, don't walk, to the closest bookstore!
If you don't have cancer, and you don't want to get cancer, you might be able to wait until it comes in at the library.
If you're feeling rundown with little zest for life, and mucho aches and pains, wibble-wobble wherever until you get it, force yourself to read it, and start making some changes.
If you're like me (with no cancer), you'll wait to get it from the library, read it cover-to-cover, return it, then buy your own copy. It's worth it.
Then you can be Crazy Sexy too. (Like me!)
Today's Walk
My Facebook friends know that when I walk the dogs, we go "3 telephone poles." Out here in the country, that's how I measure distance ... how many telephone poles is it? They're spaced evenly, and I can see them from my house. On the route we take, there is a cement pillar next to the 3rd pole from the corner of our yard. My general goal is to walk them to that 3rd pole, turn around, and walk back.
On bad weather days, the dogs seem to know that they'd better "go" sooner than that because there's no way I'm going to make it that far. "Three poles" seems more like 3 miles when I'm being battered by a cold wind. Thankfully, they don't like it either.
But lookie here! Spring has arrived (according to the calendar). We have more sunshine in our days. The temps have warmed up a little (emphasis on little). And I can handle going out without wearing my Carharrt overalls, winter coat, snow boots, and ski mask.
Some days I actually have walked farther than just three poles! A couple times, I even doubled the length of the walk! (Guess how far that was!)
But today's afternoon walk was the best!!! We walked three pole lengths, turned around, and then I JOGGED back!
Wa-hooooooo!!!! Mama's on her way back! Let's pray that I'm not a one-hit wonder. I'd like to make progress each week.
On bad weather days, the dogs seem to know that they'd better "go" sooner than that because there's no way I'm going to make it that far. "Three poles" seems more like 3 miles when I'm being battered by a cold wind. Thankfully, they don't like it either.
But lookie here! Spring has arrived (according to the calendar). We have more sunshine in our days. The temps have warmed up a little (emphasis on little). And I can handle going out without wearing my Carharrt overalls, winter coat, snow boots, and ski mask.
Some days I actually have walked farther than just three poles! A couple times, I even doubled the length of the walk! (Guess how far that was!)
But today's afternoon walk was the best!!! We walked three pole lengths, turned around, and then I JOGGED back!
Wa-hooooooo!!!! Mama's on her way back! Let's pray that I'm not a one-hit wonder. I'd like to make progress each week.
Better and Better
Yahoooo!
I really dread the task of walking the dogs (2 miniature schnauzers). Especially out here in the country where we seem to have wind 24/7 (except on those really hot days when we want it!). Especially here in Ohio, where the weather just can't seem to warm up for longer than a few hours, once a week. Ugh. I'm full of dread just writing about it!
However, over the course of the last year, my father has gone through his last days of cancer and died, my brother was diagnosed, treated for, and cured of prostate cancer, my youngest son started tests to determine what might be wrong with him neurologically, and I have had enough physical tests to last me a lifetime to rule out everything under the sun (that's right, there's nothing wrong with me) other than adhesions in my abdomen.
I've also homeschooled two children, lived through parenting a 17-year-old son through his senior year, and have bolstered my husband through a horrible work situation.
Anything else? Oh yeah, I got a crown on one of my teeth. But the positive side of that is that the dentist also took the time to fix my TMJ! Halleleuia!
Where was I going with all of this and what does it have to do with walking the dogs?
My point is that these walks have kept me up and mobile. This past year was enough to drive me to my bed. I wanted nothing more than to stay there with the covers over my head ... I know that sounds cliche, but it's the truth. And there were days when I did just that. And cleaned up pee in the house later. (Yep, some days I'd rather clean up messes than walk dogs in the cold, wind, and rain.) {It should be noted that my house does not stink from this failure thanks to an amazing product we use, which I would love to plug here, but I don't want you to stop reading my blog because you think I'm trying to sell you a product. If you're interested in knowing more, message me.}
But I digress. Again, my point is (this is what it's like to talk to me in person too!) ... my point is that instead of holing up in the house, and in my bed, I have been forced to get up and out. I got exercise and fresh air and a little sunshine once in a while. And I did it every day, a couple times a day. One of these dogs won't "go" anywhere except in his regular spots in the ditch during our walks ... he MUST be walked.
And guess what? I survived the year. I didn't die from grief, depression, exhaustion, or apathy. My children made progress in their learning thanks to my teaching, and we all managed to find something to eat most days.
Thank you, Joey and Rudy, for needing to be walked. Thank you, God, for your Sovereignty, for knowing what I would need, and for providing it. Amen.
I really dread the task of walking the dogs (2 miniature schnauzers). Especially out here in the country where we seem to have wind 24/7 (except on those really hot days when we want it!). Especially here in Ohio, where the weather just can't seem to warm up for longer than a few hours, once a week. Ugh. I'm full of dread just writing about it!
However, over the course of the last year, my father has gone through his last days of cancer and died, my brother was diagnosed, treated for, and cured of prostate cancer, my youngest son started tests to determine what might be wrong with him neurologically, and I have had enough physical tests to last me a lifetime to rule out everything under the sun (that's right, there's nothing wrong with me) other than adhesions in my abdomen.
I've also homeschooled two children, lived through parenting a 17-year-old son through his senior year, and have bolstered my husband through a horrible work situation.
Anything else? Oh yeah, I got a crown on one of my teeth. But the positive side of that is that the dentist also took the time to fix my TMJ! Halleleuia!
Where was I going with all of this and what does it have to do with walking the dogs?
My point is that these walks have kept me up and mobile. This past year was enough to drive me to my bed. I wanted nothing more than to stay there with the covers over my head ... I know that sounds cliche, but it's the truth. And there were days when I did just that. And cleaned up pee in the house later. (Yep, some days I'd rather clean up messes than walk dogs in the cold, wind, and rain.) {It should be noted that my house does not stink from this failure thanks to an amazing product we use, which I would love to plug here, but I don't want you to stop reading my blog because you think I'm trying to sell you a product. If you're interested in knowing more, message me.}
But I digress. Again, my point is (this is what it's like to talk to me in person too!) ... my point is that instead of holing up in the house, and in my bed, I have been forced to get up and out. I got exercise and fresh air and a little sunshine once in a while. And I did it every day, a couple times a day. One of these dogs won't "go" anywhere except in his regular spots in the ditch during our walks ... he MUST be walked.
And guess what? I survived the year. I didn't die from grief, depression, exhaustion, or apathy. My children made progress in their learning thanks to my teaching, and we all managed to find something to eat most days.
Thank you, Joey and Rudy, for needing to be walked. Thank you, God, for your Sovereignty, for knowing what I would need, and for providing it. Amen.
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