Happy Veteran's Day

It was 1960. He was 13, and my birth made him an uncle. I've heard he took great pride in being an uncle. When I visited my grandparents, he always wanted to take care of me.

I remember a couple of Christmases at my grandparents, with him there. One Christmas Eve, he went out for awhile, and while he was gone, Santa came to visit. It was too bad he missed Santa. . .

One night when I was five years old, my parents woke me up to say good-bye to him. Uncle Gary was going to the Army the next day.

I know he got to come home at least once during his two-year stint in Vietnam. It was the week before Easter, and I was shocked to see Easter Baskets for my brother and I. I asked my grandmother why the Easter Bunny came early. My grandmother replied that she had colored the eggs, so we could celebrate Easter while Uncle Gary was home. "Grandma!" I said, "You do a better job than the Easter Bunny!"

A couple of months before he was to come home, our phone rang. I remember my parents crying and telling me. . . Uncle Gary was dead. He was 20 years old. I was 7.

I'm sure I'd been told this, but I didn't remember, and so when I heard this from my brother a few days ago, it was news. . . Uncle Gary died saving the life of a friend. He was behind a boulder, his friend was wounded, and Uncle Gary ran out from safety to help his friend. The friend survived; he didn't.

The picture is the last one he sent my grandparents before he was killed. He is slightly older in this picture than my son is now. I look at that smile, and I understand why relatives used to say that my brother looked like his uncle. (My brother named his son after Uncle Gary.)

Thank you, Uncle Gary. I'm sorry you didn't get to marry, have children (who would have been my cousins), have a career, have grandchildren.

Thank you to everyone who has served or is serving in the armed forces, and thank you to the families who wait at home. Our freedom truly is not free. . . it is paid for by all of you heroes.

I feel like babbling on. . .

BRAIN DUMP:

Prince Charming has been working for CRS (the Canadian company) from home for the past couple of weeks. He planned to drive up to Ontario on Monday, but his transmission died yesterday. Since the car is almost 13 years old and has 136,000 miles on it, it’s not worth it to fix it. So, he will be flying. The room he is renting is 5 blocks from work so he can walk to work, but I know it is going to be COLD at times. He also has to figure out shopping so he can eat, do laundry, etc. Also he’d like to go to church. The closest Nazarene church is in the next town, so he may have to just go to whatever is closest. His cell phone doesn’t work in Canada so he’s going to have to figure that out too. He’ll be back the week before Thanksgiving and hopefully can find a car to buy then.

Our finances are really strained and I am starting to wonder what in the world God is doing, but we are both very grateful the car didn’t die on his way to Ontario!

A local clothing store has a 50% tent sale twice a year. Czarina, Hoodie Girl and I worked there Thursday and Friday for the first time. I am very proud of my girls; they both worked hard and were very helpful to the customers. Czarina could sell a screen door to a person who lives in a submarine. She really should work for commission. They both got commended by one of the bosses before we left yesterday.

Speaking of sales skills. . . Czarina was taking orders for donuts for a choir fund raiser. At church Wednesday night she sold some to the youth pastor. Then she asked his sister in law if she wanted to buy any. Miss Barbara checked her wallet and said she didn’t have any money. Czarina turned to Pastor Steve and asked, “Can you loan Miss Barbara $5.00?” Not only does she sell, she also arranges financing!

WORK ETHIC: The girls were both complaining, after working for 9 hours on Thursday, that some of the teen age boys, who were getting the same pay they were, were just standing around and talking most of Thursday. Well, the bosses noticed who was working and who wasn’t. On Friday, those boys got pulled out of the tent to direct traffic in the parking lot. . . in the rain. As Hoodie Girl said, “That’s a job where if you don’t do it, you get run over!” They both would like to get part time jobs, but first they need to master getting their schoolwork done in a timely manner. Speaking of schoolwork, they have a lot of catching up to do!

After one semester of college when I was 18, I decided I would rather work full time, since I was making almost $3.00 an hour at K-mart (35 cents an hour above minimum wage!) After 3 years my hourly pay had more than doubled, but I realized I did not want to work at Kmart the rest of my life, so at age 21 I went back to school and got a degree in accounting. The past two days reminded me of why I did that. 17 hours and 45 minutes of straightening up clothes and shoes and helping customers left me sore and TIRED.

Space Cadet and Corn Bread Muffin each cooked dinner the past two days. Corn Bread Muffin found a recipe for baked macaroni and cheese online and jazzed it up a bit with turkey bacon bits. It was WONDERFUL!

DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME: Hoodie Girl’s science project is how to fix broken and dented ping pong balls. Apparently you can fix them with heat, so she has tried things like putting them in boiling water (worked great) and using a blow drier (not so great, the blow drier overheated). She also used jewelry wire to hang a ping pong ball from the kitchen faucet (it is a very high faucet). Then she tried to use the heat from a lighter to get the ping pong ball hot. She got too close and the ball went up in flames -- about a foot high flame! We have a string hanging over the sink that we use to hang rubber gloves and other things. . . sort of like a mini clothes line. Hoodie Girl quickly got the gloves out of the way and I turned the faucet on. The wire broke, the ball fell into the sink, and the water put it out. No harm done (except to the ping pong ball, but it was already broken.) We both thought of taking a picture, but we thought putting the fire out was more important.

What a difference a day makes.

It is amazing how fast things can change in just 24 hours.

Sunday, to thank our church for their support during Prince Charming's time of unemployment, PC bought a bunch of ice cream for an ice cream social after church. I thought it might be better to wait until he got his first paycheck, but. . .

Yesterday morning, Prince Charming got an email from the company that had offered him a job. . . they retracted the job offer. That was just a wee bit overwhelming!

He almost immediately was contacted by another company. This would be a job he would really enjoy. . . as a matter of fact, he thinks he would LOVE this job. He had an almost 2 hour phone interview last night, and they are working out a time for an in person interview. It pays about 20% more than he was making at Home Depot, and about 40% more than the job he thought he had.

Sound good?

It's in Canada.

Brrrrrr.

So, we were talking about it this morning, and Hoodie Girl said, "I'll need to get boots! Lots of boots in different colors! Because, I couldn't wear purple boots with a green shirt, I would look like Barney. . ."

I am not getting emotionally involved in this whole thing right now. It is too hard to get jerked around by what might happen verses what actually does happen.

TGIF? I don't know if I can handle more Fridays like this one. . .

After 8 months of unemployment, Prince Charming was offered a job this week! The good news is it is in the next town (we don't have to move!) doing something he's been wanting to do for years. The not so good news is it is considerably less money than he is used to (although that could change), and he doesn't start until October 19, so it will be more than a month before he gets his first paycheck. Oh, and no benefits. He will be the first American employee in a German company.

Okay, so. . . we are all relieved he finally has a job! But today was a really crazy day!!!

This morning he had Job Seekers (a support group) starting at around 7:00. Then he was going to go over to where his job is going to be, and officially accept the job offer. He also told our pastor that he would help a new family in our church. They have two young boys with autism, and they are here for 6 months to do a program called Brain Balance. The husband travels with his job, so she is alone with the boys, and she needed someone to watch them while she went to an IEP meeting. She didn't know what time the meeting would be, as they told her they would call her in the morning and tell her. Prince Charming told the pastor that as long as it was after 11:00, he and one of our teen daughters would go watch them.

I took Space Cadet to her volunteer job this morning, along with my daughter Czarina, 15, to do school work while Space Cadet worked. Czarina still needs a LOT of help with her schoolwork, and supervision to make sure she is actually working. The only way I can be sure she is making good use of her time is to watch her.

I got home around 11:30 to a phone message from the pastor to Prince Charming. The IEP meeting was at 12:30, quite a bit away, and he needed to know if Prince Charming could watch the boys, which he had already committed to doing. The problem was, he had his CELL PHONE TURNED OFF, and did not know what time he was needed. I left a couple of messages and a text message.

In the meantime, my son, the first semester online college student, told me he'd been locked out of his college account for non-payment of tuition. I had been asking him to please find out how much we owed after his scholarship was applied, as I do not have access to that information, and how I could go about paying it. Well, he kept putting it off, and passed the payment deadline. He has a test he has to take by Monday, I have to proctor it (meaning I have to be in the room while he takes it), and I am gone all day on Mondays. It was Friday, and I knew we had to take care of this before the office closed for the weekend.

So, I am trying to get in touch with Prince Charming, feeling bad for this poor woman with these two autistic boys who DOESN'T KNOW if her babysitter is going to show up, feeling bad for the pastor who is caught in the middle, and can't watch the boys himself because of another obligation, thinking maybe I should do it, but I really HAVE to take care of this tuition thing, and Czarina is behind on her schoolwork (we belong to a co-op and she has deadlines), and I'm frustrated with Prince Charming because he is always committing to things without finding out if he can actually DO them. He wants to help everyone, which is great, except first he needs to see if he is really available.

Prince Charming shows up at 11:50. . . the IEP is for 12:30, and she lives 30 minutes away from us, and I don't know how far from the school. Prince Charming calls the pastor, then calls her to get directions. He tells her he and at least one of his daughters will be there to watch the boys.

Hoodie Girl, 14, is the only daughter who wants to help -- she told him last night she would help. She is trying to accumulate 100 volunteer hours this year for a presidential volunteer award. However, since Hoodie Girl was not told WHEN the babysitting would occur, she was taking a shower. Prince Charming didn't have time to wait for her. Czarina has no interest in watching these two wild young'ins, and has too much schoolwork anyway. Space Cadet? No way, not going to happen. So Prince Charming goes off by himself.

Meanwhile, I have paid Corn Bread Muffin's tuition online, but he still is locked out of his classes. So I call the college and get put into menu option purgatory. The recorded message very slowly and distinctly takes you through 9 number options. Push the number you want and. . . the recorded message very slowly and distinctly takes you through the same 9 number options. I started pushing random numbers, and kept getting the same message. After my 3rd time of calling, I finally got. . . an answering machine! However, eventually we got the problem taken care of, and Corn Bread Muffin can continue his education.

When Hoodie Girl got out of the shower and found out Prince Charming had left her behind, she shook her head and said, "Those boys are going to eat him alive." LOL. Serves him right. . .

A New School Year

Last night was orientation for the new year of our Home School Co-op. Here’s how it works: We meet on Mondays at a local church. After a half hour assembly together, the kids go to classes. There are 4 blocks of classes. Middle school and high school students have choices for each hour. For example during the science block high school students can take Physical Science, Biology, or Chemistry. Students do not have to take classes every block. There is a study hall for students who aren’t in a class during a specific block. The students get homework to do during the week and turn back in on the following Monday.

Parents teach what they are good at, and let someone else teach what they are not so good at. This year I am teaching History to K-2nd graders, and History and Literature to high school students. I enjoy those classes, but I am absolutely abysmal at science, so I am grateful someone else can teach that subject to my children.

This year, Hoodie Girl is taking Physical Science, English I, History/Literature, and French at the co-op. At home, she will be doing Pre-Algebra and Bible. At the co-op, Czarina is taking History/Literature and Pre-Algebra. At home we will be working on English, English, English and Bible.

Last year I taught Middle School Literature. I expected to teach that again this year, but Hoodie Girl and Czarina asked me to teach high school!

And this is one of the blessings of homeschooling. A few weeks ago, when the public schools started back up, I heard and read from parents who were sad because their child was entering middle school or high school. They were mourning the lack of time they had with their children before the kiddoes grew up and moved out. Well, my girls are starting high school, but I’m going to be right there with them. . . and they WANT me to be.

The kids are great. I loved teaching middle school the last two years. Monday was my favorite day of the week! As I got to know each student, it was easy to pick out who, if in public school, would be the class clown, who would be the boy every girl wanted to date, who would be the girl every boy wanted to date, who would be the jock, who would be the nerd, who would be special ed, etc. (The one thing I couldn’t determine was, who would be the mean girl.) In our class of around 17 students, everyone got along with everyone else. The shy students came out of their shells, knowing they were going to be accepted for who they are. The kids were always attentive and respectful during oral reports, and over the year last year I saw the students, especially the shy students, grow in confidence over the year. As a matter of fact, one young lady who started out the year HATING doing oral reports and would speed through them as fast as she could, ended up doing a great job on her last report of the year, taking her time and making eye contact with the audience. When someone was needed at the last minute for a skit at church this summer, this young lady stepped in and again did a great job.

I still have a lot to do to be ready for our first class on Monday, so I’d better get to it!

Tightwad Fun

I have two teen age girls who love to shop for clothes. With our current financial situation, I am not buying any clothes that are not absolutely necessary. In the last month I have taken the girls to a couple of different thrift stores, where they have bought clothes with their own money. Well, I guess it’s more accurate to say they bought clothes with Hoodie Girl’s money. Czarina pays her back by doing some of Hoodie Girl’s chores, illustrating Proverbs 22:7, “The borrower is servant to the lender.”

Kohls and JCPenney were both nice enough to send me $10 gift cards to their stores, so a couple of days ago we went hunting – er, shopping. Both stores had lots of clothes on clearance, plus some pretty good sales.

Hoodie Girl had money, so she could buy something that cost more than $10. Czarina had no money, and in fact was in debt to 3 different people. (NOTE: they both get the same allowance).

So obviously Hoodie Girl had more choices than Czarina.

We went to Kohl’s first, and they had great fun trying on clothes. Hoodie Girl ended up with a BEAUTIFUL new top. The original cost was $36, but it was on sale for 35% off, so with the coupon she spent around $13. That is more than she would normally spend on a top, but it is REALLY nice, and she got it for almost 2/3 off, so she was happy.

Czarina tried on things she couldn’t afford. There was one top that looked really, really good on her, and I was SOOOO tempted to loan her the extra money she would have needed. However, as I mentioned early she already is in debt to 3 people, and I am trying to teach her money management skills, so I just couldn’t.

We next went to JCPenney’s to see what we could find for Czarina. Both girls tried on lots of clothes, including some discounted prom dresses that were so low cut that there is no way Cornbread Muffin, the modesty police, would have let them out of the house wearing them.

Czarina was eventually able to find a nice top for $8.99. However, when we got to the checkout, we found out that she had to spend at least $10 to use the coupon. What can you find at JCPenney that costs a dollar? The sales clerk suggested the canvas shopping bags they had displayed at the counter. So Czarina got a top, and a canvas shopping bag.

So we had a fun afternoon of shopping, they each got something new, and it didn’t cost ME a penny!

Family Matters

One of my favorite cousins lives 90 minutes away. We have lots in common (including we both homeschool), we always enjoy being together, but being the busy creatures we are, we will go years without seeing each other.

This week her mother (my aunt) and sister (my other favorite cousin) are visiting from Wisconsin. I wanted to go see them, and I wanted to take Czarina and Hoodie Girl with me.

They were not too sure, so I mentioned that my cousin has 3 teenage boys.

“Are they cute?” they wanted to know.

Then I threw in the pièce de résistance. “If you stay home, you will have schoolwork to do. If you come with me, you will not have schoolwork today.”

C. has 5 kids; 2 girls ages 19 and 10, and 3 boys ages 13, 13 (twins), and 16.

P. has 4 kids, but two are adults, so she brought her 10 year old twin daughters.

And then there was Aunt K., who is my mom’s sister. So there were 13 of us all together.

I had a great time, being among kindred spirits. My girls hung out with the boys, playing Rock Band and Wii, and having lunch together. At one point the 19 year old was installing Rosetta Stone Spanish on the computer, and then showing her 16 year old brother how it works, and how to set up a schedule to complete it within a school year. Before we left, my girls said several times, “Now you have to come visit us!”

We got in the van to come home, and Czarina said, “They are so nice. NOBODY is that nice!”

They are. C’s boys are wonderful young men. And my girls have three more friends for Facebook.

May is always really busy for us. Last week we had two major events!

Monday we had our last day of our homeschool co-op. The middle schoolers were having a little party afterwards, but we could not stay, as Czarina had a dress rehearsal at 5:30. We got home about 4, ate an early dinner, Czarina got dressed in her costume and she and I left at 5. Dress rehearsal went until after 9. Lots of things went wrong. I've learned from when Hoodie Girl used to be in the choir that a bad dress rehearsal is usually followed by a great performance.


Czarina was a flag girl who danced in with the American flag. Then all 6 girls danced onstage with the flags.



Czarina singing with the ensemble.
Czarina had a long speech about coming to America, seeing Ellis Island, and finally being free. She did great!
Tuesday night was the big performance. Czarina was really nervous, but she did great.

On Thursday, Space Cadet and Cornbread Muffin (formerly known as Fatso) graduated from high school! They were two of 9 students from our homeschool group that participated in the ceremony. Because we had only 9 students, we could devote time to each student's life.
Friday morning we all (well, except Prince Charming) slept in and then had a lazy day -- we needed it!

This week we have an orthodontist appointment, 2 dermatologist appointments (Cornbread Muffin and Hoodie Girl have been part of a 12 week study, and tomorrow they get paid!), a middle-school movie get together, Teen Library Council meeting, a choir party, another graduation (for Cornbread Muffin's friend), and a planning meeting for next year.

And hopefully, a job offer for Prince Charming. He had an interview last Wednesday, and he really wants this job. Looking at our checking account, I can see -- he NEEDS to get this job!

The Telephone Game

Remember the game “Telephone”? One person whispers a sentence to another, who whispers what he thought he heard to another, and so on down the line, until you get to the last person and everyone laughs at how much the message has changed.

I found out last night that there is a rumor going around our Homeschool co-op that Fatso has received a full ride scholarship to Yale. I had to chuckle because Fatso hasn’t applied to Yale. Fatso hasn’t applied anywhere yet, because paperwork is not my strong point and I need to finish getting his transcript together.

Space Cadet & Fatso have both received mail from all the Ivy League Universities, as well as lots of other colleges, starting when they first took the PSAT several years ago. The mail increases every time they take another test. Fatso has especially received a lot of mail from Stanford. Space Cadet received an application from either Harvard or Yale, I can’t remember which. She also received a scholarship for Trevecca Nazarene University for a few thousand dollars (can’t remember, doesn’t matter because at this point she is unable to be a full time student).

Anyway, somehow all of this translated into someone thinking Fatso has been accepted into many different colleges, with a full ride scholarship to Yale. As if Fatso would even consider going to a liberal university like Yale.

He hasn’t applied yet, but with Fatso’s GPA and test scores we don’t anticipate him having any difficulty getting accepted by Patrick Henry College in Virginia, where he plans to major in political science and hopes to eventually go on to law school. He is a finalist in The Home Depot Fund Scholarship, and we expect to hear soon if he is a winner.

Epiphany

May is usually a busy month for us, with end-of-school-year events and all. The week of May 18th will be especially busy for us this year. On Monday, we have our last day of our Homeschool co-op. Monday evening is dress rehearsal for the Joyful Praise Choir, which Czarina is a part of. In addition to singing with the choir, she will be dancing, carrying the American Flag, and giving a rather long speech about being an immigrant. OH – yesterday at rehearsal, the choir went through almost the entire musical. Some of the students still were using their scripts. Czarina’s part is near the end, and after she gave her speech – without her script – everyone in the choir applauded. This was almost two hours into the rehearsal, and they had not applauded anyone else.

Then on Thursday, Space Cadet and Cornbread Muffin (which is what Fatso now wants to be called) are graduating with seven other students from our co-op. After graduation is a group graduation party.

We have a plan for Cornbread Muffin. He plans to major in political science (surprise, surprise) at Patrick Henry College in Virginia. The first year or two he will be living at home and doing distance learning. (Way cheaper, he will still need regular orthodontist visits for awhile, and he doesn’t have to leave his cat.) Then he wants to go to law school, become a lawyer, and bring down Planned Parenthood for multiple instances of covering up statutory rape and botched abortions. In his spare time he will be helping the downtrodden.

We do NOT have a plan for Space Cadet, my beautiful girl who started reading when she was two, scores unbelievably high on standardized tests (as does her brother) yet is graduating from high school at the age of 20. Poor Space Cadet, she has a number of health issues. Also she is very frustrated with the effect of Asperger’s Syndrome on her life, and feeling like she is just not growing up fast enough. (I have heard that people with Asperger’s Syndrome are developmentally about 2/3 of their chronological age. That puts Space Cadet at around her younger sisters’ ages.)

People have asked what the plan for her is. I’ve been replying that right now, there is no plan. She is going through a medication change, she has been sick a lot, and we don’t know if her headaches are stress related, side effects, or what. We recently had her evaluated by a neuropsych so that she can remain eligible for our insurance although she will not be a full time student. (When we have insurance, that is. Prince Charming has a job interview on Monday!) She is interested in college, but she would not be able to handle it right now, and definitely not full time.

This morning I have an epiphany. We don’t have a plan for Space Cadet. BUT THERE IS A PLAN! God has a plan! He’s had a plan since before she was even born! A plan to prosper her, and give her a hope and a future! (See Jeremiah 29:11) There IS a plan, we just don’t know what it is yet! That gives her, and I, hope.

I just don't get it

I know I should be in bed instead of reading/watching the news online. . .

But I just don't get it. I'm reading about the girl in California that was apparently kidnapped and murdered, and possibly raped, by a female Sunday School teacher.

There are way too many cased of child abuse, molestation, etc.

How can someone treat a child that way? What possibly could be going through a person's mind that would make them do this?

Fish flavored Prozac

I wrote this in November, and just found it while looking for something else. It might make you laugh, so I'm posting it now:

I have a 1 ¼ inch jagged gash on the palm of my hand.

I got it while trying to give liquid, fish flavored Prozac to the cat formerly known as Peace, now referred to by me as “The Beast”.

The first 3 days, I was able to sneak up on her, grab her by the scruff of the neck, and stick the syringe in her mouth while she was hissing.

The 4^th day, that didn’t work. I wrapped her in a large towel and one or two of the kids held her while I stuck the syringe in her mouth while she was hissing. That worked the 5^th and 6^th day, also. However, she got more and more violent each time, and it was the 6^th day I received my wound.

On the 7^th day, a couple of the kids and I tried to wrap her in the towel, but she kept disappearing inside of it. Cats have rubber bones and can contort themselves into all kinds of impossible positions. We did not succeed in getting the medicine in her on the 7^th day. I was not willing to sacrifice any more of my blood. (I soaked through 4 bandaids when she scratched my hand on the 6^th day).

On the 8^th day, the kids’ friend Jizzle came home with us after church. Jizzle was shocked to think that we couldn’t get medicine into a cute fuzzy little 9 lb. critter, so he offered to help.

Or not. After quite a struggle, he decided he’d had enough.

Enter Prince Charming. “I’LL get her medicine in her.” (He’s so cute when he goes all macho.)

I did not know that Peace, er, The Beast, knew such horrible language. Prince Charming attempted to hold her in the air by the scruff of the neck until she got tired of struggling. I really wish we had a video of this. That cat is one awesome fighter. But she does have a potty mouth.

He had to let her go before she wore out, as she was coming very close to biting his hand. He later remarked that it didn’t seem right to get her so worked up just to try to get medicine in her to calm her down. (Reminds me of the time a nurse in a hospital woke my Mom up to give her a sleeping pill.)

A little later that day I saw Peace curled up on Space Cadet’s lap. Peace is Space Cadet’s cat, (although Peace would probably say Space Cadet is her Chief of Staff) and she is the one person in the family that has not assisted in attempting to dose the cat.

She’s a smart kid.

UPDATE: Five months later, Peace is still hissing at Prince Charming and I whenever we attempt to pick her up.

Who needs the Comedy Channel?

My kids know that they are not supposed to give out personal information to strangers online. So when they play games online with people they don't know, they get creative. . .

Several years ago Fatso, when asked about his location and age, said he was an 87 year old cross-gender monk from Brazil.

Hoodie Girl recently had this exchange:

Random guy playing on Yoville (online game): What country are you from?

Hoodie Girl: Germany

Random guy: That’s a beautiful country

Hoodie Girl: I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been there.

~~~~

Czarina has joined the local homeschool choir. In their patriotic performance, scheduled for May, she plays -- believe it or not -- a Russian immigrant. She has a rather lengthy speech to memorize about coming to America, and she is doing well with it. The main difficulty with us is that she is trying to learn proper grammar, and the character she plays does not have proper grammar.

There is one other difficulty she is having. As she talks about being on the ship and seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time, she is supposed to say, "We rush over to the ship's rail to see her."

But she keeps saying, "We rush over the ship's rail to see her."

Rather a different word picture there. . . .

25 Random things about me

1. Some people think in pictures; I think in song lyrics.
2. I kissed dating goodbye while Joshua Harris was still a little boy.
3. I’ve been in 27 states and 7 countries.
4. I decided I wanted to adopt when I was 13 years old. . . then when I was 47, adopted a 13 year old.
5. I am athletically impaired.
6. I always enjoyed taking standardized tests.
7. I hate taking personality tests. They never offer the right options for me.
8. Much to my surprise, I find myself missing St. Petersburg, Russia, and hoping we can go back.
9. The best thing about being born into my family was that I couldn’t marry into it.
10. I am scientifically challenged.
11. I bake delicious but really ugly gluten free birthday cakes.
12. I grew up with the TV on all the time, and learned to hate it. My husband grew up with no TV at all, and wanted one. Our compromise: We have one TV, which we never watch.
13. My son says I am the worst Sonic (the hedgehog) player he has ever seen.
14. On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was getting a root canal.
15. I needed the root canal because of a tooth that broke while I was eating corn flakes.
16. The reason my tooth was in such bad shape to begin with was that I went 11 years without going to the dentist. (Too busy taking kids to various appointments).
17. I’m a multiple ovulator. My oldest child is a surviving triplet, and my youngest is a surviving twin.
18. I love having teenagers.
19. Monday is my favorite day of the week, because that is when our home school co-op meets and I get to teach Literature to a great group of Middle Schoolers.
20. My favorite places to shop are online and at thrift stores.
21. Czarina told the psychologist in Russia that Space Cadet & I were the kindest people she’d ever met.
22. I won the school spelling bee in 6th grade, and was anal about spelling for the next 25 years.
23. Christmas Day 1987, Prince Charming & I were on our honeymoon in California. We had lunch in Subways. There was a shabbily dressed young man sipping some ice water, and one of the employees was trying to get him to leave (because he wasn’t buying anything). Prince Charming took him to the counter and bought him lunch, and I thought, “Wow, I’m married to this wonderful man!”
24. I have never seen American Idol.
25. One of my children does not currently have a middle name.

Oops, I did it again. . . sorry Lord. . .

I have always had a faster than normal heart rate. Just sitting around reading a book, my normal heart rate is between 90-96 (and it doesn’t have to be an exciting book!) Right now it is 108.

Several years back (7-8) I became alarmed because my heart started beating even faster, and I was having chest pains and dizzy spells. One night I woke up, checked my heart rate, and it was over 140 bpm. . . a little scary! I ended up having all kinds of tests. They couldn’t find anything wrong, just that my heart beat too fast, so I was put on some medicine and sent home.

Recently I have been having a recurring of the super-fast heart rate, not being able to sleep because of “hearing” my heart in my head. . . it’s like a pounding headache, only without the headache. . . and dizzy spells. Sometimes my legs feel like they just don’t want to carry me around, also.

So that, combined with the fact that my medicine is prescribed by the year and the year is almost up, meant I had to contact the doctor.

Now, I spend a LOT of time driving kids around to classes and appointments. (If I am homeschooling, why am I always in my car?) And I happen to know that is it NOT easy to get an appointment with my doctor. Often it’s not easy to even talk to someone, as the line is often busy. And usually when we call we get the physician’s assistant, who I LIKE, but this time I really wanted to see the doctor. I looked at the calendar before I called, and started what could best be described as a “rant” about how on earth am I going to be able to fit an appointment for me in, I feel terrible, the day is just starting and I want to go back to bed, etc., etc. My dear hubby gave me a hug.

Then I called, and. . .got to talk to someone right away, who told me the doctor JUST had a cancellation for. . . TOMORROW. This interferes with taking Fatso to his beloved Physics class, but since Prince Charming is home (due to not yet having a job) and the class is 5 minutes away, Prince Charming can take him without using up too much of his job-searching time. (And BTW, Prince Charming is working so hard at finding a new job that I recently told him I saw more of him when he had a job. . .)

Anyway, once again God has shown that He is taking care of me. I am sorry, Lord, that I forget that sometimes. . .

Well, I stayed home from church tonight because I’ve been feeling dizzy, and I didn’t think I could handle the noise level. I’m going to post this and go to bed. If you feel like sending out a prayer for me, I would appreciate it. I am anticipating that the doctor will tell me to get rid of some of the stress in my life, but I REFUSE to give up my kids. . . LOL.

Oops, I did it again. . . sorry Lord. . .

Oops, I did it again. . . sorry Lord. . .

I have always had a faster than normal heart rate. Just sitting around reading a book, my normal heart rate is between 90-96 (and it doesn’t have to be an exciting book!) Right now it is 108.

Several years back (7-8) I became alarmed because my heart started beating even faster, and I was having chest pains and dizzy spells. One night I woke up, checked my heart rate, and it was over 140 bpm. . . a little scary! I ended up having all kinds of tests. They couldn’t find anything wrong, just that my heart beat too fast, so I was put on some medicine and sent home.

Recently I have been having a recurring of the super-fast heart rate, not being able to sleep because of “hearing” my heart in my head. . . it’s like a pounding headache, only without the headache. . . and dizzy spells. Sometimes my legs feel like they just don’t want to carry me around, also.

So that, combined with the fact that my medicine is prescribed by the year and the year is almost up, meant I had to contact the doctor.

Now, I spend a LOT of time driving kids around to classes and appointments. (If I am homeschooling, why am I always in my car?) And I happen to know that is it NOT easy to get an appointment with my doctor. Often it’s not easy to even talk to someone, as the line is often busy. And usually when we call we get the physician’s assistant, who I LIKE, but this time I really wanted to see the doctor. I looked at the calendar before I called, and started what could best be described as a “rant” about how on earth am I going to be able to fit an appointment for me in, I feel terrible, the day is just starting and I want to go back to bed, etc., etc. My dear hubby gave me a hug.

Then I called, and. . .got to talk to someone right away, who told me the doctor JUST had a cancellation for. . . TOMORROW. This interferes with taking Fatso to his beloved Physics class, but since Prince Charming is home (due to not yet having a job) and the class is 5 minutes away, Prince Charming can take him without using up too much of his job-searching time. (And BTW, Prince Charming is working so hard at finding a new job that I recently told him I saw more of him when he had a job. . .)

Anyway, once again God has shown that He is taking care of me. I am sorry, Lord, that I forget that sometimes. . .

Well, I stayed home from church tonight because I’ve been feeling dizzy, and I didn’t think I could handle the noise level. I’m going to post this and go to bed. If you feel like sending out a prayer for me, I would appreciate it. I am anticipating that the doctor will tell me to get rid of some of the stress in my life, but I REFUSE to give up my kids. . . LOL.

Must See TV

We don't watch much TV around here. If we got Fox News, though, I would definitely watch Mike Huckabee.

Face to Facebook

I have been thinking about a few old friends for quite some time. There are two in particular; my best friend from high school, Nancy, and a close friend from my early 20's, Tom. They both have had a very special part in my life and helped shape who I have become. I've been looking for them both now for probably about 10 years. Just last week I was telling Prince Charming that there were people I missed having in my life, and these were the two I mentioned by name.

Now, Hoodie Girl has been asking me if she could get a Facebook account, since I said no to a Myspace account. I had been putting her off, telling her I needed to get on Facebook first to see what it's like. I've had friends send me friend requests for Facebook, but hadn't found time to get an account.

Well, when Fatso got a Facebook account (being almost 18 he does have more privileges than his 13 yo sister) and sent me a friend request, I figured it was time. It didn't hurt that I had more time than usual last week, because Czarina was sick so I wasn't spending 5 hours a day doing school with her.

I typed in my information, including what high school I went to and when I graduated, and then. . . Nancy's picture popped up as someone I "might" know! I sent a friend request and we both ended up in front of our computer screens with tears in our eyes. We have been getting re-acquainted after more than 20 years!

Then I started searching for other people I might know, and I found Tom! So we are catching up as well.

I've found other friends too, from high school and my OM days. And some other people have found me.

a disease by any other name still makes you feel crummy

I do not know what the differences between these diagnoses are:

bronchitis
bronchial-sino syndrome (not sure of the spelling on that one)
asthmatic bronchitis
bronchoiolitis

Czarina (who has a history of respiratory illnesses including the above, asthma, and pnuemonia) was diagnosed at the Urgent Care Clinic on Saturday with asthmatic bronchitis. We took her to her regular doctor yesterday because she really wasn't getting better with the meds the Urgent Care doctor prescribed. He thinks she doesn't have bronchitis, it's asthma. Her breathing sounds horrible, but she at least isn't coughing as much as she was.

We have a Bible Quiz on Saturday, and it's near the International Grocery Store, and we were planning to go there after the quiz. . . the ladyd who runs it is Russian, and they have a lot of Russian foods there. I'm hoping she's well enough by Saturday to go. She's taking 5 different meds right now (including the inhaler and nightly cough syrup) so I hope this helps!

Hand Me Ups?

Hoodie Girl has been gaining height and losing width for some time now. Last night she told me her Teen Bible Quiz t-shirt was too big, and asked if she could trade for a smaller one. (As Quiz Coach, I am the keeper of the T-shirts). Later I told Prince Charming about it, and he said, "Great, now I can have a Quiz T-shirt!" referring to the one that is now too big for Hoodie Girl.

So, now Prince Charming is getting hand me downs from his 13 year old daughter!

Can someone please explain this to me?

Why is it that a kid who will fake illness to get out of schoolwork insists on doing her schoolwork instead of resting when she is very obviously ill?

And now she is on an antibiotic, a steroid and an inhaler.

Steroids and hormones. What a lovely combination.

Fiddler on the Roof and FAME

About 19 years ago, when Space Cadet was still a baby, Prince Charming and I went to The Fox Theatre to see Fiddler on the Roof. It was good, but our seats were way in the back and the stage and performers looked very small.

Tonight, along with Czarina and Hoodie Girl, we went to see a Homeschool production of Fiddler on the Roof. Our seats were very good. . . we were in the second row. It was amazing. We especially enjoyed the 15 year old boy who played Tevye, the main character. That boy has a bright future ahead of him!

(When Tevye refuses to let Chava marry Fyedka, Hoodie Girl leaned over to Prince Charming and whispered, “If you ever do that to one of us, I am going to slap you!” Then she ranted on the way home about the unfair racism of the whole thing.

Czarina has decided for some time now that she is going to be a star. . . actress, singer and dancer. She is already talking about how cool it will be when she opens for the Jonas Brothers. She doesn’t seem open to any other option for her adult life. My other kids at some point have all expressed interest in creative yet impractical careers, and I have always asked them, “But how are you going to earn a living while you are waiting for your (acting, singing, writing, film directing, etc.) career to take off?” Czarina doesn’t NEED another option. She is going to be a star and earn lots of money.

sigh

I’ve talked to her about the steps needed to get to such a career, and that there are a lot of very talented people who DON’T become stars. Last month she joined the Joyful Praise Homeschool Choir (which has drama in their productions as well). Hoodie Girl was in the choir for several years when she was younger, and it was a great experience for her. The director is an amazingly talented woman and the productions are always top-notch. Plus it’s a great group of kids.

Their spring productions always have a patriotic theme. This year the characters include immigrants from other countries. Czarina plays an immigrant from. . . you guessed it. . . Russia! She is in one scene where she has a long speech to memorize about how scary it was to leave Russia and come to America. She also sings part of a song in Russian. (The song is My Country ‘Tis of Thee and several people sing part of it in different languages). She gets to wear “Russian native dress”. We need to figure out what that is and put it together. She also is one of the dancers during a dance number, and gets to wear a pretty white flowing dress. She is really excited!

Czarina would also like to audition for community theater, and heard about auditions for actors, singers and models on the radio. She wrote down the number so we could call.  I told her that before she adds anything else to her plate (she is also learning to play the piano), she needs to be able to do her school work mostly independently and maintain a B average for one semester. Right now I am spending about 5-6 hours a day with her on schoolwork, as her reading level is about 3rd grade and her schoolwork level is 8th grade. Today she tried very hard to do as much as she could by herself. I guess the prospect of fame is a great motivator for her!

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Have you seen this?

WOW. . .

Trusting in the Lord. . .

Honestly, I’m not much of a hymns person. I’d much rather listen or sing praise songs or contemporary Christian music (I love the Newsboys!!!!). But right now there are lyrics to a hymn going through my mind. . .

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take him at his word;
Just to rest upon his promise,
Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I've proved him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!

Today was “Axe Day” at The Home Depot corporate office. Ten percent of the employees were laid off, including Prince Charming, whose last day will be Friday. We knew this was a strong possibility. Since he has only worked there a little more than a year, we weren’t sure of what his severance package would be.

This is the 4^th time in our 21 year marriage that Prince Charming has been laid off. The other 3 times, we had a cushion in the bank. This time, we have none . . . we are living paycheck to paycheck. And with 4 teenagers in the house, including one who will be in college next year and one with special needs that we don’t yet have a plan for, and adoption debt, things are. . . tight.

But God has always taken care of us. Good things have come from each time Prince Charming has lost a job. Usually we’ve ended up financially ahead.

We are blessed that he has two months of severance pay/benefits and then will receive a lump sum equal to one month’s pay.

As Prince Charming calmly told me the news this evening, I reminded him that each time he has lost a job, he has been a great witness to those around him. Everyone else is usually freaking out, but he is trusting God. He actually was encouraging his boss who was very unhappy about having to tell employees they no longer had a job.

So, we are looking forward to seeing what God is going to do. Prayers are appreciated, though!

11,000 words

Czarina and Fatso

Space Cadet and Hoodie Girl (in a rare appearance without her hoodie)


Space Cadet and Czarina:

Hoodie Girl and Fatso

Hoodie Girl:

Czarina:

Space Cadet:
Fatso

Festival of Life

This Friday and Saturday hundreds of teens from all over Georgia descended on Dublin, GA for the Church of the Nazarene's annual Festival of Life.

The purpose of FOL is to help teens develop and use their talents for God's glory. The two day event has teens competing in different categories such as sports, academics, performing arts, visual arts, writing, etc. First place winners (and those who make a sports team) go on to compete at TNT (Top Nazarene Talent) at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville in April. (Regional Bible Quiz finals are also at TNT, but the teams for that are decided at State Teen Finals in March.)

This was my 4th or so time at FOL. I love going to FOL. For me, it's like a vacation. I get to chill out, watch really talented kids perform, and it doesn't cost me anything because the church pays the way for chaperones.

Hoodie Girl loves FOL and has been hoping for a chance to go to TNT. She has a really good shot at making the B Quiz Team so we thought that might happen. At FOL she entered 4 art categories and prose. In art she placed 1st in two categories and 2nd in another, and in prose she placed 1st. So now she has 3 entries for TNT, in addition to possibly quizzing.

This was Czarina's first time at FOL. Czarina is a bit shy of trying new things and especially going to new places. She was okay with this trip, and enjoyed her first stay in an American Hotel. "This is the life!" she said.

Czarina entered 3 art categories and poetry. She said several times that she did not want to win anything because she did NOT want to go to TNT (which is a 4 day event).

Czarina placed 2nd in two of the art categories. . . and FIRST in poetry!

(The girls were teasing me because when Anastasia got called up to get her first place medal, I started crying. Can't help it. It's what I do.)

Czarina wrote a song in Russian a month or so ago. Hoodie Girl helped her translate it into English. This is what she entered as poetry.

Czarina is not sure if she wants to go to TNT. I told her that the Jonas Brothers live in or near Nashville. I told her its like a 4 day party. They have a great concert on the first night, and lots of great food. And Trevecca has a beautiful campus. PLUS we get 3 nights in a hotel, and the hotel keeps the pool open after hours just for the TNTers. (Georgia usually has 2 or 3 busloads of people going to TNT, and we all stay at the same hotel.) She is thinking about it. She needs to decide fairly soon, because if she doesn't go then the 2nd place winner will represent Georgia.

Cookie Monster

Are these not the cutest cupcakes you've ever seen?


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I wish I'd seen this picture when my kids were still young enough for a Sesame Street birthday party. . .

Cats can be very useful

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This is just a little bit scary. . .

Fatso has been interested in politics for may years, as evidenced by these pictures:

Here he is (in 2004) at the County Republican Headquarters in our county. He has been going to meetings and some conventions with Prince Charming since he was 13.

(That same year Space Cadet and Hoodie Girl, 15 and 9 respectively, went to a meeting or two themselves. It's not really their "thing", but Hoodie Girl became a life long supporter of our local sheriff after he gave her a beanie baby named "Righty"):

Here is a "photo op" with our local State Representative. Fatso was running for president of his co-op Elections Class and got State Representative Billy Horne to endorse him!

Fatso's campaign poster:

Prince Charming pointed out that Fatso turns 18 just before the 2009 convention season starts. Prince Charming is always a delegate or alternate for the county and district conventions. He's been to the state convention a few times also. Guess who else is hoping to be a delegate this year? Since at the precinct and county levels there are usually more spots open than people to fill them, chances are good he WILL be a delegate.

WOW. . .

I just don't understand it. . .

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Why I love having teenagers. . .

. . . they can COOK.

Prince Charming always has a hard time thinking of things he wants for Christmas. This year (last year?) he came up a list of foods (mostly desserts) that he would like someone to make. So Fatso, Czarina and Hoodie Girl all gave him coupons for baked goods (they didn't want to all bake at once!)

This week Fatso came up with his OWN RECIPE for a Moon Pie Cake. It was delicious! (Fortunately Prince Charming is generous and shared his gift with the family).

Tonight Czarina and Hoodie Girl are each having a friend spend the night. They asked me, "Can we make dinner tonight?" Um, yeah, I can live with that!