This has been a very satisfying season! No big changes, but lots of little ones. It started with the observation of Lent. I always love when Lent comes around because I really need the push to refocus my life. At times, it's way too easy to get lost in the daily grind. Fortunately, this year I didn't get a push, it was more like a big shove!
On Ash Wednesday I wasn't quite sure of the exact changes I needed to make to refocus. I knew I needed a LOT so I was searching for my own special way of giving myself to God and my family.
One "must" on the list: The Church started a really great Bible study that runs through Lent so I signed up for that. The study is called "The Great Adventure" and it's the "quick journey" through the Bible edition. So far I love it. The writers base it on the 14 narrative books of the Bible so the students get a really great "big picture" of the story of salvation and the main figures throughout time. The approach matches my brain perfectly! :)
A few days into Lent it was very clear that I needed to give up Facebook. It hit me one moment, and I said goodbye the next. I removed all notifications and removed my FB app from my phone - just to get rid of temptation. I don't really get out and socialize much, so this is sorta hard. But the rewards....WOW! I wasn't even planning the changes that came next!
It's probably no secret that I have 2 children (Kara and Kam) who are easily distracted...just like their mama! They're great kids (and they're the two who help out tons around the house) but they aren't doing as well in school as they could be doing. THEY NEED TO FOCUS! Too! :) So another quick decision by mom and dad - we yoinked 'em from school (temporarily) and signed them up for independent study. Whoaaaaa is all I can say!
I've spent about 90% of my time this past week learning how to be a teacher! First we started by getting them organized! We made master "to do lists" for their assignments and goals, and revamped their back packs/folders. They've been working their booties off! I'm so proud of them! But I can't say that without saying...
I'm SOOOO proud of my little Casey Lee who has maintained a 4.0 since she started going to GES! She is such a hard worker! She inspires me! Mason is a great student too. He always makes school work a priority. More about Mason in a bit.
So, as far as helping with school work goes...I had to take a class from Ms. O so I could help them with math! I had to read Kara's entire science book so I could correct her chapter 9 chemistry assignments. Atoms, molecules, chemical bonding....FUN! It brought me back the the old days with Mr. Noon! I love chemistry and it's been really fun explaining it to her and seeing her face when she finally "gets it!" Then there's the Algebra. Sigh! Enough said! Constitution test preparations...the digestive system - you can learn a lot from your poop...hands on lessons about saturated fat with the bacon grease in the frying pan...writing assignments about aliens who melt in the rain! Whew! Then to balance my time and brain between the 8th grader and 6th grader! Yowzah! I must say, Kamryn's work is much easier to correct! :) The great part...the girls and I have been inseparable. I've learned even more about them through this short experience. Time very well spent!
K, so when I say 90% of my time has been spent on I.S. work I meant, 90% of the time that the rest of the family is awake. For some stinkin' reason I've been waking up at 2:00 or 3:00 every morning and I can't go back to sleep! So I get up, have a cup of Folgers and do projects!
I've organized just about every nook and cranny in this house! I've shredded loads of paperwork, filed, taken care of more old business with the fencing company, gone through closets and toys and all other "stuff" to find oodles of things to give away. I put together 2 new cribs (since we only had one and somebody???? broke it), cleaned up most of the backyard and all things ruined by the DOG, put up lots of shelves in my room and the girls' room (I even bought a stud finder and hung them right and straight!), rearranged and cleaned Mason's room and gave him a bookshelf....the list goes on and on! This might not sound like lenten reflection, but it has all made me realize - ONCE AGAIN - that one of my major weaknesses is neglect! Head-in-the-sand syndrome! Life is so much more fulfilling when you stay on track!
Hopefully I can keep up the pace and set a better example for my little carbon copies!
Back to the school subject...the girls are SO excited to go back on Monday! Kara is moments from the funny farm! Really, the kid is freaking out! She loves her "people" and wants to go to track practice! I think she's also excited about her new found skills and desire to get assignments done on time!
Now for another change...right when two go back to school, one is coming home. We think I.S. might be just what the doctor ordered for Mason. We think it's best for a lot of reasons, and Mason does too. We asked his opinion and he freaked out! The smile hasn't come off his face since! He's very thrilled that he'll be attending "hands on" training courses with his Pa! He'll be a full time cowboy and he'll learn to build things and be a man like his pa - and studying will be mixed in. I can already see the extra bonding that will happen between those two. Jay is a little jealous though! He would've given pretty much anything for this opportunity when he was a boy. :)
I'll be 33 weeks pregnant on Wednesday! E X C I T I N G!!
Speaking of baby and organizing, I went through all my bags of baby clothes thrown in storage and got them all sorted. I bought 10 big storage containers and have them organized by size. Good thing we're having a boy! We're all set when it comes to clothes!!
Unfortunately I'm not set when it comes to clothes! I'm getting larger and larger and larger by the minute. It feels like I've outgrown everything! Fatness is not fun! I like my belly but the rest of the ballooning I can do without! Plus, it seems like every time I go to town lately, somebody has a wonderful compliment for me! First I was told that I looked "dressed for Walmart!" What the heck does that mean anyway? All I can think of is that email that goes around with all the pictures of exposed unmentionables in Walmart! Then at the post office somebody said, "getting FAT again I see!" Ouch! Then the Walmart door lady (who probably wasn't at all surprised by my clothing) told me she can finally tell that I'm pregnant because I'm getting the "pregnancy mask!" FYI - I don't have a pregnancy mask! This is just the lovely freckled blotchy skin I was blessed with! Oh well, I'm not one to really care about being lovely anyway. So rip away people!
Sheeesh, that all came out of nowhere! I didn't start this blog to complain, but there you have it. Sniff sniff! :)
This week I'll go to my last monthly baby doc appointment. Then it's every other week - twice - then on to weekly visits! Did I mention that I'm pretty darn excited to meet this little guy!
So back to Lent...along with fasting (from Facebook) and reading the Bible daily (which the study plan nudges us to do), I've started praying the Rosary. I've always found meditative prayer to be the hardest but this has been amazing. I have a Rosary cd by Scott Hahn (a great theologian) with pretty music in the background. It's so nice to listen to while meditating on the life of Christ. Usually when I pray I'm either having a conversation with God, thanking Him or petitioning Him...never just really focusing on His life...wow! It's been a big change! A big WONDERFUL change. A prayer that has nothing to do with me, only Him! I'm very thankful for the Rosary! I'm also thankful to hold the beads that belonged to Jay's grandma which were given to me by his mama.
(I love this pic. It's Jay's grandma's rosary with my grandma's Bible)
Well, my time is up. I've been sitting here way too long, but after the week I've had, I think I deserve a few minutes alone to get my thoughts out! :)
I'll leave you with this hymn
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins
And close by Thee to stay.
As Thou with Satan didst contend,
And didst the victory win,
O give us strength in Thee to fight,
In Thee to conquer sin.
As Thou didst hunger bear, and thirst,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and chiefly live
By Thy most holy Word.
And through these days of penitence,
And through Thy passiontide,
Yea, evermore in life and death,
Jesus, with us abide.
Abide with us, that so, this life
Of suffering over past,
An Easter of unending joy
We may attain at last.
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