The Next Adventure

I survived another school year.

Which is a good thing, because I had run out of school lunch combinations. (Would you like crackers or cheese with that PB&J?)

Our daughter has attended a small Christian school the last 2 years. We have loved it. Fantastic teachers, fun & educational field tri

ps, an overall well-rounded education.... What's not to love?

Well, tuition comes to mind.

Actually, we felt it was money well spent. We received an excellent return on our investment. But it became a bit of a stretch for us financially.

So a germ of an idea began to grow.....

HOMESCHOOL.

The more we thought about it (and we REALLY thought about it, because we were really looking forward to the 2nd grade teacher.), the more excited we became with the possibilities. We found that it became less about the lack of finances and more about customizing our girl's education.

As I considered it, here are the conclusions I came to:

1. Ultimately, the responsibility to educate our child is up to us, the parents. As Christians, we feel this strongly and find instruction for this in the Bible. (Deuteronomy 6:6,7; Deuteronomy 11:19; Proverbs 22:6 and Ephesians 6:4) I do not feel that others cannot teach my child, but the main responsibility lies with us.
2. By homeschooling, we will be able to customize our daughter's education. In a traditional classroom, students are "contained" at their grade level. I've found that students tend to be at different places in their learning journey and by homeschooling, I can meet my daughter where she is in any subject and nurture any specific interest that grows along the way.
3. It will help to nurture our family as a whole. Our extended families are about 8 hours in either direction. When in school, we are locked into traveling only when school is out for holidays (if the holiday is long enough and coincides with a weekend.) This greatly limits visits with family and opportunities to travel together on personal family trips.
4. We just love our girl and enjoy being with her! I realize daily that she is growing up soooo quickly and want to take advantage of every moment we can spend with her.

I realize that not everyone can homeschool or even wants to. It is not my intent to become a crusader and evangelize everyone to the homeschooling method.

But that day may come.... :-D

The Gift of Friendship...No Matter How Brief

We call that person who has lost his father, an orphan; and a widower that man who has lost his wife. But that man who has known the immense unhappiness of losing a friend, by what name do we call him? Here every language is silent and holds its peace in impotence.
Joseph Roux

I knew her 3 weeks and 4 days and then she was gone. Taken by a rare form of thyroid cancer. Although I physically only spent time with her twice, I feel as devastated by her death as if she'd been a lifetime friend.

I met Mary Ann in NYC March 5th. She was at Hope Lodge for cancer treatment. I was traveling with someone who knew her and worked with her. Although she is from my town, I didn't know her so I went along to visit her as a nice gesture.

She appeared, looking the very picture of NY chic in her knee high riding boots and flowing coral cardigan. She gave us a tour of the Hope House, (that is, the areas where visitors are allowed) which gave the sense of a home-like hotel. An institution that offers many lovely home-like touches, but is still way to perfect to be home.

We then took a walk to get water at the corner store, which led to an amble through the streets. We visited a vintage shop, Saks, she lit a candle at St. Patrick's Cathedral, we watched the skaters glide across the ice at Rockefeller Center, and shared a hot dog from a street vendor.

Nothing remarkable, but it changed everything.

It was one of two life changing meetings that happened to me that weekend.

About a week after returning home, I received news that she was returning home for terminal care. The cancer had taken over and there was nothing to be done. I was anxious to see her and prayed that I might. My friend called me and said that she was given 3-10 days to live...and that she wanted a haircut.

For pity's sake...a haircut?

This I could do.

We arranged the time for Saturday after I finished a wedding and went to Mary Ann's house. She was considerably weaker in that short 3 weeks; tan from jaundice and a bit wobbly on her feet. The cancer, which had now spread to the brain, left her momentarily foggy when searching for words, but I could still see the woman who captured my heart.

We spent a wonderful 2 hours visiting, hugging, crying and laughing. It was wonderful, but I was achingly aware that I had most likely given her her last haircut. (And she rocked it!)

The following Tuesday, I received a call at work telling me that she was in Hospice. As soon as I finished work, I went over. I doubt she knew I was there, but I met her sister and visited with her husband (of 30+ years) who touched my heart as he tenderly attended to Mary Ann's needs.

The call came the next day that she had died at 2:45 am Wednesday morning.

I've been amazed at how deeply her death has affected me since I've knew her for such a short time. I feel I almost don't have a right to grieve her as deeply as I do.

But in spite of the pain, I am grateful for the gift of her life which touched mine, no matter how briefly.

Unabashed Pride

My first attempt at a Picnik collage.And a rather unabashed display of pride in my daughter...

My Girl

I'm hurting for posts these days and my laptop is preoccupied with my hubby who has been working on a project. Said laptop is also getting on up there in age as evidenced in how slowly she's been moving of late. I feel fortunate that she found it in herself to give me this picture...

One is the Loveliest Number...

I have spent my week in a fantastical daze.

 

In the midst of shampooing and blowdrying I've been fantasizing about today--my day off. Because for the first time in many a moon, I will spend this day off....

ALONE.

If you've read this blog at all, you know that  I love my family but am always craving (and never quite getting enough) time to myself.

This morning, I will wave goodbye to my dear ones as they leave to see his family for the weekend.  An antidote trip for the one I'm taking to New York on Saturday. 

They are leaving today. I'm leaving tomorrow.

*muffled scream*

I can do whatever I want.

 Eat whatever I want.

 Paint for hours.

Watch whatever I want on t.v.

Sew.

Read.

Lay on the grass and stare at the clouds.

I can do stuff I haven't even thought of yet.

And I'll do it alone.

 

Solitarily.

Solo.

Singly.

Unaided.

Unaccompanied.

Unassisted.

By myself.

Green Acres is the Place for Me.

Friday evening I had the opportunity to go out with one of my friends. Her husband gallantly offered to watch my girl along with his own two girls. I was giddy with excitement. I would wear heels because what girl wouldn't want to go strolling through Hobby Lobby and Books a Million without possibly breaking an ankle?

I was also gonna wear these shoes because, by gum, they matched my jeans perfectly.So as I hike my leg up to hoist myself into the car, I hear a little voice say, "Mommy, what's that on the concrete?" I look across the empty half of the carport and wonder if perhaps an interesting pollen formation has formed. I walk around the car and find...

a poor female cardinal who had met an untimely demise at the paws of someone of the feline persuasion.

The probable perp:

What's a girl without a man in the house gonna do?

Especially a girl in heels and designer jeans.

You don't let something like a pair of heels stop you from manhandling a shovel!

Dah--ling!!!

Believing. Through a Child's Eyes.

I know a little girl who wil be five on Friday.

Oh my gosh! She's mine!

Months ago, we went to visit a horse farm. They board horses and give lessons. My hubby, who is a cowboy at heart, did some drooling and dreaming over the horses. He would love to have one, but alas, our budget will not contain anyone else who is not contributing to the family in a monetary or otherwise functional way.

While we were there, my girl observed a couple of young girls having their riding lesson. She declared that she would like to ride a horse. There is a policy that you have to be at least five before they allow you to ride.

Well!

Ever since that visit, baby girl has said on a regular basis, "On my birthday, when I am five, I can ride a horse!" In great anticiption, we are marking days off on the calendar. I asked her a couple of days ago, "So, what do you want to do for your birthday?"

Bet you can't guess what she said.

Shall we say it together?...

"I'm going to ride a horse!"

I asked her where she thought she would go to ride a horse.

"The horse farm!!"

Of course.

My New Ad Campaign

So, you know I worked Saturday.

Since I only work one Saturday per month, I usually begin at 8am and work "till they quit coming".

Well, Saturday, my first client (at 8am) was a 6 year old little girl. I've been doing her mom's hair for at least a couple of years now and "Mattie" and I have seen each other on several occasions although this was the first time I was really cutting her hair.

Mom informs me that Mattie wants to donate her hair to Locks of Love. Wow. This is gonna be a BIG haircut! Mattie's hair is below her waist! I asked Mattie how short she wanted her hair and she points to an area between her chin and her shoulder. I look at mom. "Really?" My eyes ask. Mom says Mattie has been talking about this for about 2 years, at which point I remember having this conversation before where mom and I were wondering if she knew that once we cut her hair it would be "gone".

Turns out, Mattie was so excited the night before (her mom said, "this is bigger than Christmas!) that she couldn't go to sleep and arrived in her parents room with pillows in tow announcing: " I can't sleep! I'm flipping and flopping! Can I sleep in here with you?"

At this point, I know this girl is ready to get her hair cut, so we begin --separating her hair into two low pigtails to mark the length and then...off it comes! She turns her head back and forth letting her hair swing and gives a giggle. (This is sooo much fun!) I touched up the haircut and dried it all while she sat very still (between the excited wiggles). After polishing it up to a bouncy shine, I whisked off the cape. She jumped down from the chair and gave a jump to test it's bouncy potential, grinning all the while.

Daddy (who came to watch and capture the momentous moment on video) gathered her and her brother and headed for home while mom stayed for her "do".

As Mom was waiting in the waiting area, I heard her laugh. Once she got in my chair, she explained. "As daddy was driving the kids home, he was asking Mattie if her hair felt good being shorter and she replied: "Yes, it feels so good, it feels like I've just been born!"

I howled with mom!

And, I've decided on the new line that will run at the bottom of my business card:

"Haircuts so good, you'll feel you've just been born!"