A Little Piece of our Lives

 I saw this the other day and it made me chuckle. Here in our little town we have an excellent band teacher. He teaches band at two schools, the middle and high school so they keep him busy going back and forth. He still manages to help kids to love band and they do very well when they compete with other schools.

I was very happy this fall when it was decided that my youngest son would be able to join band because if you don't know this kid has a fascination with marching bands. He loves a good marching band the way I love a good steak dinner. We have watched hundreds of hours of marching bands on YouTube since he was just a little tyke. So the fact that he got to be in band made him a very happy boy. We chose the euphonium for one basic reason, we didn't know if he would have the capability to play and the school had one he could use for free. Yeah, I didn't know what a euphonium was either, I had to look it up.

Last night the middle school had their band concert and my boy got to play. Here is a poor picture of him (lighting was not great) playing his horn. He did so well my heart just about exploded! And then I bawled. Because here was my son, the boy that the dr's said would never develop and should be put in an institution to make life easier for us, sitting in the back row with his classmates playing his horn like every other "normal" kid! Yes, okay, he will never be like the other kids, and really we're okay with that because he is a very special boy who loves babies and kittens and is one of the most honest people you will ever meet.

After the concert we got to watch videos of the concert that other parents had posted on Facebook. I told Alex that I was very proud of him because he played every song and paid attention. He looked at me and said, " I made a few mistakes Mom." I quickly reassured him that everyone made mistakes and that's okay.

At the beginning of the year I told Alex that if he stuck with band for the whole year and learned to play that I would buy him his own instrument. Honestly, I thought he would have gotten tired of it by now and be wanting to quit. But no, not him. He has been looking online at trombones. When I look at his history on his Kindle I see that he's been watching lots of videos on how to play the trombone. Who knows what the future will bring for this young man? I really can't even guess but for now we're just going to enjoy the journey. :)

There's a winter storm coming...

We're expecting up to a foot of snow by tomorrow night. This isn't anything that really concerns me because where I grew up a foot of snow wasn't much. But apparently it concerned a lot of people because when I popped into the grocery store earlier it was very busy with people stocking up.

Now, I tend to keep my pantry pretty well stocked with the foods that we usually cook. The downstairs pantry has items that we canned from the garden and then the bulk dry goods like wheat, beans and such. The freezer has meat in it, although not a lot. (note to self: focus on  adding to this) My upstairs pantry contains the foods that we eat frequently. I have a simple system, if I take something out of the pantry I put it on the shopping list to restock. This system really works for me and I rarely run out of things this way.

Many people I talk to seem surprised at my system which I find to just be kind of a common sense approach but then I grew up on a ranch 20 miles from town so you didn't just run to town if you ran out of sugar or cinnamon, you prepared ahead of time. Or you did without.

The last time there was a storm coming I saw my neighbor at the library with a large stack of books. She wanted to make sure she had something to read. I usually have a couple of library books checked out at all times but I also have a large library of my own so it's pretty unlikely that I will run out of reading materials. We also have a large game selection so we can entertain ourselves pretty well if we are housebound.

So if a snowstorm comes and I can't get to the store for a few days I will be prepared, as long as we have electricity.

I'm curious, what do you do to prepare for impending storms?

Bake Sale

My son is going to Washington D.C. with his class next spring. He is paying for his own trip but was still a little short so I told him I would help him by doing a bake sale. I made loaves of bread, dinner rolls and about 8 different kinds of cookies.

There was a Ladies Night event at a local hotel where quite a few direct sales companies set up tables, had refreshments and a drawing for a basket of goodies. There was already a gal with a table for Plexus so I decided to do a bake sale and use the funds raised for my sons trip. I paid to have a table there and we had a good evening. I came home with about 3 loaves of bread and 4 dozen cookies. The best thing is I could just toss them in the freezer and I didn't have to bake for the family for a couple of weeks. We have the opportunity to do a larger, all-day event in November. I'm still debating whether to do it or not. I think it could be very good but I need to weigh in the fact that it will be a lot of work to get ready for it. Also, in our community we have one craft show a year and it's that day. If I do the other event I miss the craft show. Decisions, decisions...

 Getting ready was a big job!

 Since the event was at night I could bake bread that morning so it was nice and fresh.

Sssh! It's a Secret!!

This morning we are leaving for vacation. We've been telling the boys all summer long that we're going to Kansas City. We've even ordered brochures all about it. But we're not going to Kansas City!
We are going somewhere else that involves a plane ride! The boys are always wanting to go on a trip that involves a plane ride and we've managed to keep it a secret from them.

I just can't wait until we get to the airport and tell them what we're doing!!!!

By they way, after reading up on Kansas City I definitely want to go there sometime too. Maybe next year!

Life Changes

Do you ever just feel so frustrated and confused you can't even think straight? Yes that's me!

I am having a serious dilemma and I've gone over the pros and cons so many times that I can't even remember. See, I want to send my boys to school this fall. But if you've been reading my blog long enough you know that Alex did not have a good experience at all in school, and now that he's in middle school I worry that he will be a big target for bullies. And to be honest I'm pretty sure that Preston would have a tough time assimilating also because let's face it, my kids are weird. Now to be clear, they aren't weird because we homeschool, they were pretty weird before that. I don't know if it's because they're being raised by "old" people or if it's just their natural bent.  But I do know that weird kids have a tougher time in school.

Before someone asks "why not a Christian school?" Here in our rural area the parochial schools end at grade 5 and even those are not prepared to take on a child with special learning issues like Alex has. To be honest, the public school really didn't seem to know what to do with him. :(

I thought that maybe if I wrote down the reasons for sending them to school as opposed to keeping them at home maybe it would make more sense to me. So, I decided to put my lists here and give it another think.

Why School:

• The boys could make some friends- 
• Alex might get someone to help him understand Math- where I have failed
• Preston could learn that he doesn't know everything.
• Alex could take band
• Science experiments
• Computer classes
• Industrial Arts
• I could actually go see the dr without needing a babysitter- yes they're old enough not to need them but if I see any kind of specialist I have to go an hour away and that isn't always the best option.
• I am exceedingly tired...
• Our boys are weird!

Why Homeschool:

• I get my kids when they are at their best not after they're tired from a day of social 
• I have more control over what they are learning
• No Peer Pressure
• A culture that hates God and what He stands for
• Interest led studies
• A more relaxed lifestyle
• I feel like I'm failing them if I send them to school.
• Our boys are weird!

I know what I really want is to have someone else that I know and trust to teach them and I could just be a normal mom without all the pressure of being the teacher too. So, if anyone is bored and wants to come teach them give me a call! But since I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen I went and enrolled them in school. (mic drop moment)

This has not been an easy decision for me and we are all looking at it as a probationary thing. If I see Alex start to regress socially or behaviorally we will reconsider. The boys are excited as well as nervous. I am feeling cautiously optimistic.

So we will be on vacation next week and then come back to the start of school on the 14th! Schedules are being planned, school supplies shopped for and long talks about peer pressure, bullying and respect are being had. I expect it's going to be very quiet around here and people are asking me what I'm going to do with my time. I have enough work and projects backed up around here that I'm pretty sure I could work full time in my home for a full school year.

I am sad that there are some things we won't be doing together anymore but I'm excited at the new opportunities my boys will have. After nearly 30 years of homeschooling I do truly believe that both options can be good and you have to decide what is best for your family and even for each child.

If you know my family I would appreciate prayers for my boys as they make this transition. I know there will be bumps on the road but this was their decision as well as mine and I want to encourage them as they grow into young men. 

A Day At the Zoo

This is me with my youngest daughter. We had planned on going to the Henry Doorly Zoo with some of the kids and grandkids but the exits were already backed up on the interstate so we had a change of plans. We turned around and headed to Lincoln for the Children's Zoo.

We had a picnic lunch and spent a couple of hours walking through. It was relaxing and fun to watch the kids excitement.

"Patiently" waiting for the train ride~

USS Hazard

Happy Anniversary to Us!

May 9, 1989
See our attendants? They got married a few years later! 

November 1981

This was probably about 15 or 16 years ago. I don't remember for sure. Apparently we don't get our picture taken often without kids because I couldn't find anything more current. Yesterday we celebrated 36 years of marriage. He asked me if I wanted to try another 36. I told him maybe 25 because I thought I was too tired for 36. ;)

The good thing is that after all this time he still loves me and I still love him. I can't imagine going through the day without sharing with him. We can still spend hours talking about our dreams and our struggles. The last 15 years have been hard. I mean really hard. I don't think either of us could have made it through without knowing we had each other's back. So if I have any advice for someone looking for a spouse it would be "to find someone who will have your back, all the time, no matter what!"

Assessment Time

We have less than a month before we finish our school year and it's time to stop and take an assessment. In the public schools this means testing for the kids. Here in our homeschool it's time for me, the teacher, to stop and think about what we've done this year.

• Have we accomplished what we planned? 
• Have we finished our books that we need too?
• Is there anything we've missed/
• What areas are we weak in?
• What things need some work over the summer so we don't lose ground?
• And...what are we going to do next year?

This last one is a big question for me because we have been mulling over the idea of letting the boys attend the public school. I say letting because this is something they think they want to do. I visited the school and talked to them about what school would look like for our youngest. Being considered "low-functioning" he would spend the majority of the day in the special ed room so they showed me the room. I have to say that was probably the most depressing thing I've seen all year. It was small and crowded and I was quite surprised considering the school is only two years old. The kids I saw were all considerably lower functioning than our son, most of them nonverbal. As a taxpayer I have to admit I was stunned. I think our kids deserve a better learning environment than this. Just because a child scores low on the cognitive scale does not mean they want to be cooped up in tiny, dark rooms. Give them some space to play and learn. Give them some windows for pete's sake! 

The thought of Alex spending the majority of his day in that room for the next three years really depressed me and I can't imagine how he would feel. We have worked very hard with him to help him develop and feel as normal as possible. I feel that if he spent  much time there it would set him back miles. You see, my son is like the perpetual first grader. This is about where his skill level is. This is where he is developmentally. He could probably go to first grade every year and be very happy because these kids think more like him and he gets along with them when it's time to play. But apparently schools don't find it appropriate to have 11 years olds in first grade, so they have to be with their age level even if they can't perform the work and they can't relate socially to 11 year old kids. I miss the days of one room schools where teachers had more flexibility in working with these kids. 

We have the same issue in Sunday School. If he could go to class with the 1st and 2nd graders he would be very happy, because those kids are his friends. But instead he is expected to be in class with the kids his age, the kids who are mean to him and make him feel stupid. A place where all of the kids can read and he struggles. A place where all the kids are given parts in plays and he isn't so once again he knows that he is different, He doesn't fit in. And it breaks my heart when he comes home from church angry or crying because someone said something cruel to him.

So, unless something drastically changes we will continue on our homeschool journey. I have to admit this is not without a lot of kicking and screaming on my part. This is not what I want to be doing. But I am reminded that honor and duty are not something the military invented. It's something that God  ordained for parents, for children, for Christians. 

With that in mind, we will all soldier on.

Book Review: The High Calling of Motherhood

The High Calling of Motherhood by Chimene Shipley Dupler

I was sent a pre-publication copy of The High Calling of Motherhood and asked to review it for a blog tour. I have never done this before so I feel a little bit of pressure about posting a fair review. :)

I have to admit that I don't really care to read nonfiction and I feel that I am already on overload as far as reading nonfiction this year, but I did find this a good read. The titles of the chapters are:

• The Gift of Motherhood
• The World of Social Media: Insecurity and Comparison
• Motherhood Abandoned in Our Culture Today
• Motherhood From a Biblical Worldview
• Royalty: Understanding Who We Are in Christ
• Eternal Perspective
• Intentional Parenting
• Game Plan for Motherhood
• Esther Moment:For Such A Time As This
• Praying For Our Children
• Reaching Our Child's Heart
• Freedom From Fear
• Sovreignty of God
• Raising Up World Changers

Let me just say that the chapter on social media is a much needed read for most young women. The author made a point that it's easy to compare ourselves with others and come up short because we only see a snapshot of the first persons day and it's probably been highly edited. For instance we don't post about our personal failures or how many times we lost our temper this week or the fact that we ate a box of cookies and feel fat and defeated. So it's very easy to feel like we are failures when we compare ourselves with our friends. This has always been so, but I do feel like it's much worse with social media. My personal thought here; for many of us who are home most of the time social media is our lifeline to others, so although I think we need to be careful about everything we believe about our friends we also need to embrace the technology and keep in touch with each other. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

I also really like the chapter about raising up world changers. I think it's easy to forget that each child is going to go out into the world and we need to encourage them to make a difference in whatever way they can. I wish I had read this book about 34 years ago, but since I am still raising children I am still raising world changers.
The author has a ministry called Passion4Moms. I had never heard of it before but it looks like it could be good. I hope she is able to reach out to moms across the country and encourage them, help them believe that they can make a difference and to reach out to other moms who need friends and encouragement. It reminds me of the purpose of MOPS but this isn't limited to the age of your child.
They are having a conference in May at Vienna, Virginia. The speakers look good, but sadly it's a bit farther than I commute. But if you live on the east coast and are interested the details are on the website.
The book is going to be released on May 1st but you can pre-order the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or from Ambassador Books. If you order from Ambassador Books use the code "HighCalling" for a 10% pre-order discount.

There is also going to be a drawing for one of the bloggers and one of their readers. You can enter the drawing here.

If you need a gift for a young mom, this may be just what she needs in her life.

Chimene's social medial sites are below:

www.facebook.com/passion4moms 

www.facebook.com/chimeneshipleydupler

www.twitter.com/chimenedupler

www.instagram.com/passion4moms

www.instagram.com/chimeneshipleydupler

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book to review. I received no other compensation.

Nebraska Reading Challenge Book

Next Year Country- One Woman's View

This isn't the best picture but I was very excited to find this book! One of the categories in my Nebraska Reading Challenge was a photographic book. I had actually planned on reading a Solomon Butcher book, or maybe one of nature photography by Georg Joutras or Joel Sartore. But this weekend I stumbled across this book. The author's name caught my attention on the shelf because it was Phillip, not Phillips. My paternal great grandmother was a Phillip. So I pulled the book off the shelf and saw that wooden horse and got very excited. This horse has a history in the Willie Walter Phillip family and I recognized it. Willie was a brother to my great grandmother and the photographs were taken by his wife who I called Aunt Alma. Seriously, anyone else getting excited with me yet?

This book is set in Keya Paha county and the farm that they lived on was next door to my husband's grandparents, the place where his father still lives. So this book was about home. Even after being gone for almost 36 years we still call it home. I knew some of the family history but I learned a little bit more about my county as well. What a delightful find!

A day to celebrate my husband!

Today my husband celebrates 20 years with his current employer. When he first interviewed for this job I wasn't sure it would be the right fit for him and to be honest we had dreams of opening our own business. But after we drove halfway across the state, met with his future employers and looked around the town we began to change our minds.
It was one of the best choices we've ever made. I say we, because he has always included me in on the decision making progress when it comes to major choices. We work as a team. I've come to realize that's kind of rare in a marriage.
This has been a great place to raise our children and he has totally loved his job. I can not stress how important it is for a man to get up in the morning and want to go to work rather than dread it. Yes, he has those days... but I don't think he's ever regretted taking this job.
He is blessed to have an employer who treats their employees like family. They have been very good to him over the years.

Saving the best for last!

I promise that this is the last wedding photo....for today! I saved this one for last because so far this is my favorite. 

More wedding pics!

 This is a Lutheran church and was just so pretty in it's own right. Being of the Berean affiliation we don't often see these older churches with the beautiful beams and stained glass windows.

 The bridal party!

The couple's first dance as a husband and wife. This makes my heart so warm because this young woman is a true delight and is very good for my son. She is a very welcome addition to our family.

Wedding Pics!

My oldest son got married this past weekend and I am excited to share a few pictures with you. The photographer happens to be a friend so she was very relaxing to work with and I think she got some great photos.

Just a glimpse of what the church may be like behind those doors.

Their colors were plum and silver and just absolutely gorgeous!

This is one of the cakes. It was sour cream almond and probably the best white cake I've ever eaten. They also had double chocolate, lemon and carrot cakes.

One year ago today

A year ago we said good-bye to this lovely lady.

She was not rich or famous. She was a quiet keeper at home. She was always busy. She loved us all dearly but told us so by her actions not her words.

She was quick to dispense wisdom to us, even if we didn't want to hear it. :)

I still find myself wishing I could call her. Last month I went home for the first time since her funeral. I wanted to go to her house and visit, but I couldn't.

I take comfort in knowing that she is no longer in pain, that she is reunited with loved ones who went before her and someday I will see her again.

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!

 I'm a bit late today but it's my youngest daughter's birthday. This is a picture of us from last May at my cousin's wedding. It's hard to believe this young woman is now married almost 7 years and the mother of three! Time certainly does fly!

Counting Our Blessings

"I just want you to know that we're all okay." This was the first thing my daughter said when I answered the phone on Wednesday afternoon. She went on to say that a tornado had swept through their small town and destroyed and damaged houses one block away from her house. Later I watched a video of the tornado as it hit the town. Even after the fact when I knew they were all safe is still sent splinters of fear into my heart.

Here is a picture of their town. My daughter's house is the blue house in the very top right corner of the picture.

Growing up in Nebraska you know that tornadoes happen. But this was pretty close to home. We are thanking God for protecting our daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren as well all of the other people in the town of Roseland.

We continue to pray for people in the Eastern part of the state as heavy rains have caused flooding. The property damage is always overwhelming after these events.

Some of our busyness

I was too busy enjoying spending time with the kids and grandkids, I didn't even think of taking pictures. I'm so glad my daughter snapped a few.

Alex,enjoying his new nephew!

Preston and Molly

And although this wasn't taken while we were there, I don't want to leave Miss Emily out. She is wearing a shawl that I had when I was a child. If I remember right, my aunt made it for me.

Introducing our newest family member

We all think he's pretty special and I hear that his big sisters are very excited that he is finally here!