The Game Of Life...

When we bake cookies I learn to measure, clean and serve...
When we deliver meals for the elderly I learn compassion....
When I help with my siblings and household tasks I learn responsibility...
When I explore nature my curiosity for the world expands...
When I build and play I learn that work can be fun,
When I have idle time I daydream and plan...
When I read my imagination takes flight...
When I worship I learn I am part of something so much bigger than me...
Teach me these things and I become... Measured, Compassionate, Responsible, Curious, Playful and Imaginative...
A Dreamer who believes I am part of something much bigger than myself and this world is not all about me.... But about me making a difference for eternity...

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown

Oh my, oh my...just a lazy day...finally!

Last week included 2 job interviews, an algebra test, tons of statistics homework, 12 hours of work Saturday followed by a statistics test after work till 3 am then work Sunday.
I am pooped, good for nothing, unmotivated and I intend to stay that way all day!
I need to crawl outside for a while later. It is beautiful after days and days of rain.
Maybe I will grab my spade and shovel and go dig in the moist soil...the grown up equivalent of playing in the sandbox...yeah, that could be nice...

Statistics + Algebra = 1 Unhappy Nurse

It has occurred to me that if I enjoyed statistics and algebra and found it to be as intriguing as studying the body, perhaps this time spent on these subjects would not seem so laborious.

Definitely algebra and statistics are sciences unto themselves. The information builds upon itself and intricately intertwines.

In mathematics a correct evaluation of an equation produces the correct answer. Whereas, in nursing though the answer to the equation of illness can never be so precise or immediate, in short, an efficiently functioning body produces health while inefficiency produces illness and disease.

Medicine could be called mathematics with a face. Too bad we don't have all those nifty little equations!!!

Problem Presented by my Algebra Professor...

1 cross + 3 nails = 4given

There is Always Hope...And Sometimes Sweet Surprises.......

Today was going to be complicated, no matter what...I think it's called life.
I was to work 11-11. Pops had a job fair to attend and somehow this weekend I had to take a statistics test and study for two more...yeah, complicated.
Before dropping into bed last night, I probably complained more than I explained, that I didn't know how in the world any of this would work out. Actually, I think that is the key. As you will see, it did not work out in this world...exactly.
And just what does that mean? Well, after a too late night, I awoke to the alarm. Instantly I'm thinking ...I would have been called off by now if that was going to happen. I fly through my morning routine. Then, just as I was preparing to leave, literally, just as I'm about to walk out the door, one of the nurses called," Might I want to stay home?"
Are you kidding me? Heck, yeah, I wanna stay home! I'll figure out how to make up the hours later. Needless to say I was amazed, relieved, thankful. The adjectives are as endless as His provisions.
Just a short, sweet reminder, when you don't know what in the world to do; step outside the world just a minute and talk to the one who does! Away I go; all those lovely numbers and formulas await.( This last comment was laden with sarcasm.)

Blessed...

For me the day began with an air of desperation ..." a state in which all hope is lost or absent." Last night at work I learned there still is no position for me. I work as needed but, with Pops unemployed, we must have benefits.
The uneasy truth is that in addition to this job and school... more than likely soon there will be another job. Pieces of me scattered here and there.
Henry Miller's words echo, "The tragedy of it is that nobody sees the look of desperation on my face. Thousands and thousands of us, and we're passing one another without a look of recognition."
The day passed.... evening brought surprising comfort. One by one the gang assembled, unplanned and unscripted. T came home from school and began his brotherly duty of teasing Baby Girl, E, and Nate. Casually, the Newly-weds dropped by and were followed by Ma and her little ones.
Suddenly, amid all the laughter and chaos, all was right with the world, at least my world. That moment in time was perfect...I am blessed.

Great sorrows cannot speak. ~ Dr. John Donne

They found the small one in a a nearby river; in a moment of child like glee he had wandered off...Life is so unpredictable, so full of sorrow, grief, difficulty. I take comfort that pain is not random. It is part of a plan that I can not know...right now. One can not live without loss...loss of life, friends, family, houses, jobs, security, money. The list is endless. If we can possess it; we can lose it. Hang on...

Heaven Hear Us...

Precious Jesus, there is a child missing tonight. Please send your angels to guard this little one. Hide him in the shadow of your wings... Father, at school today I learned another student died this weekend. This is the second student death this year. Three families with aching hearts; You and only You can heal, sustain, and cover these hurting ones with your peace. May Your Holy Spirit rain down comfort. Look after our lost, hurting, and needy. See us; hear us and have mercy. Thank you.

Running Around Miracles...

Twelve plus hours of running... somewhat disgruntled by the end of the shift we jokingly question each other,"Are we having fun yet?" "No!" is the sing-song chorus. Until that poor, frenzied nurse from the E.R. calls for our ultrasound.
There is a code down there; someone has died. They are working feverishly to resurrect a body...suddenly I am so grateful for my job.
Labor and delivery can be very stressful, yes , but most of the time it's happy. I tend to say, when it's good, it's very, very good and when it's bad it's horrid! A nightmare actually which uninvited seems to force itself into our day. Outwardly, we move calmly , fluidly, expertly through the crisis...inside moments fly, the mind races and there is that familiar and unwelcome sinking feeling in your gut.
Yes, labor and delivery can run you ragged at times but nothing beats the high of a delivery...nothing... It is a miracle every time.

Life is a Journey...

And life is a journey:
From childhood to maturity
and youth to age;
From innocence to awareness
and ignorance to knowing;
From foolishness to desecration
and then perhaps to wisdom.
From weakness to strength or
from strength to weakness
and often back again;
From health to sickness
and we pray to health again.
From offense to forgiveness
from loneliness to love
from joy to gratitude
from pain to compassion
from grief to understanding
from fear to faith.
From defeat to defeat to defeat
until looking backwards or ahead
We see that victory lies not
at some high point along the way
but in having made the journey
step by step
a sacred pilgrimage.
Birth is a beginning
and death a destination
And life is a journey;
A sacred journey to life everlasting

By: Rabbi Alvin I. Fine

We Miss You , all...

Say not in grief that she is no more
but say in thankfulness that she was
A death is not the extinguishing of a light,
but the putting out of the lamp
because the dawn has come.

- Tagore

Morning Musings in the Garden...

I love daffodils. They are such a simple, unpretentious little flower. They pop up the first sign of spring and bloom...and bloom...and bloom...They are perennials returning each year and they thrive on neglect. They are bulbs which technically need to be planted in the fall, pointy side up. However, I have been known to shovel up a patch of them and transplant them in the spring. Hmmm, beautiful and forgiving...my kind of flower. Grab a handful and say hi to your neighbor. Winter is almost over!

"Listen, Lord" by Ruth Bell Graham

"Listen, Lord, a mother's praying low and quiet: listen, please. Listen what her tears are saying, see her heart upon it's knees; Lift the load from her bowed shoulders till she sees and understands, You, Who hold the worlds together, hold her problems in Your hands."

Homeschooling On A Lighter Note

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"Reassurance" By Betty Banner

"Dear Lord....Could You spare some guardian angels to give me peace of mind, As my children wander from me and stretch the tie that binds? You have heavenly legions, Father, could you send me just a few, To guide my eager youngsters, As I give them, Lord, to You? Oh, thank you, thank you, Father, And how my glad heart sings! I'm certain that just now I heard the swish of passing wings."

Call Me When You Get Home...

Me - Call me when you get home. Child -" Mom, I come and go all the time... at all hours... and I don't call you." Me - Yeah, but tonight I know you are out and about.. so please... call me when you get home...Papa (75)- "Call me when you get home." Me (50) - Dad you'll be asleep and I'll wake you up. Papa - "That's o.k. just call me when you get home, you didn't do it last time. Now don't forget..." So I see now, it never ends... I love you , Dad...

Mindless Chatter...

Speaking of overalls, my favorite piece of clothing other than scrubs. One pair is faded with holes and the other pair is getting really worn. I went to invest in some new ones this week-end and they didn't carry them anymore...let me repeat, they didn't carry them anymore...really, no overalls? What is this world coming to that staples such as this are unavailable....?????

Morning Musings in the Garden...

It is warm, oh so warm, outside...the daffodils have recuperated from the recent snow and the cats are basking lazily in the sun...Baby girl is running across the yard bare foot, later emerging in flip-flops.
There is a hint, mind you a hint, of green everywhere. My mind begins ticking away with a list of plants to move, hideaways to create, as I sit lazily in the back yard swing.... Aaahhh....
I wander back inside. I am on spring break from school and I took the week off from work for baby girls B'Day. My grand plans.... to play catch -up in the house, i.e. spring cleaning, go through every bodies clothes, work in the yard and work on home work....yeah... that last one is a real bummer but soon algebra and statistics will be behind me, hopefully, f o r e v e r !
A year for the BSN, two for the MSN; it's a necessity. Pops is unemployed at the moment. Yes, America, we feel your pain...
T is home for spring break. It's nice to hear his low drawl in the kitchen...or should I say growl. "Where are the bowls"..me-Under the counter where I moved them a year ago.No, the plastic ones we always used to have"..me- I gave those away we use the real ceramic dishes now..." Mommm....I loved those bowls, why did you do that..."
From here he wanders into the dining room to torment Nate or any other sibling he can find.. I sure have missed that boy.........................

Now This Won't Hurt A Bit...

Don't you believe it ! And if a nurse tells you it will be "uncomfortable"...run for the hills.
As a parent it really is best to let your child know truthfully that something will hurt. However, that said, I am not above bribery.
Four year old vaccinations are the worst. They are old enough to understand whats coming and frightened enough to fight it. My answer was to promise a gift of some kind...i.e. " the bribe."
As the shots were being given I would hold their hands and have them look into my eyes...not at the needle...yikes. We would repeat over and over... mermaid barbie, mermaid barbie, mermaid barbie...The nurse would capitalize on this moment of intense concentration and desire and quickly and efficiently administer the shots.
There are times when life is so intense... it's kinda like getting life's shots.
This is when we look up, hold on tightly and repeat...
I must have faith, I must have faith...I must have faith....

The Soap Box

Finally, a platform for my solution to....The Time Change- da da da dummm -You know the plan that started to save energy however since we are now a 24 hour society it serves simply to disrupt our normal circadian rhythms and send us zoning out in zombie land for a few weeks...move the clock 30 minutes one way and leave it! Please! For the history behind the day and anything else you could want to know- www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b.html

Morning Musings over Coffee...

March..." In like a lion, out like a lamb..."
Just this past week-end we had snow...falling silently over my newly emerging daffodils...It was beautiful, quiet, serene...
in my mind!!!
Reality...kids running in and out, squealing ,
wet shoes off, dry ones on,
wet gloves off, where are more gloves???
Hot chocolate, snowball fights and a diseased looking snowman
(You did not hear that from me).

Baby Girl was born in March, I took the week-end off so we can celebrate....
Build a Bear here we come!
Somewhere a bear groans...

Good night all...

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place keeping watch over the evil and the good" Proverbs 15:3 Father, your eyes are in every place...that comforts me. Nothing in this world is out of your control...this comforts me. Nothing comes into our lives but that you allowed it, this comforts me. You see our needs and hear our questions...this comforts me. Just as we do not chastise our children for their musings, thank you Father for your infinite patience with us. Give us hope and help...Provide us with manna in our wilderness.

Mindless chatter...

I love to second hand shop. It's like treasure hunting... browsing from shop to shop...mindlessly...not looking for anything in particular. The rush of seeing that nearly new Vera Bradley bag with a not new price...priceless!

Homeschooling Thoughts...

Why homeschool ? There are as many different reasons for homeschooling as there are families. There are also as many different ways to home school as there are parents! More than anything, it is a way of life. For us it has been such a blessing...

Hazy summer days hanging out finding all kinds of critters. Look them up, journal about them, and let them go. In the evening we would all clump together in the den and read aloud from The Hobbit. Lively discussions followed the reading and you guessed it, journaling.
Some nights we would drag all kinds of blankets outside and watch the stars and meteor showers but remember... follow up these adventures in your journal. You could draw or write whatever you wanted but be prepared to go over it later with the "teacher." Spelling and grammar (which often was horrendous) would be reviewed and corrected.
Of course, there was real "reading, riting and rithmatic" for each child on their grade level but history and science were generally unit studied as a group. Despite all the occasional groaning which occurred at that time, I find it humorous today that the newlywed and T both love to write and are quite good.
Tomorrow I'll publish great getting started books and some of the different curriculum's we've enjoyed.

" Good Morning, America, How Are You..."

Off to school to get more learning (tongue in cheek)...um...a higher education. When I get home we'll work on that first home-school segment. See ya later...

Good night all...

Heavenly Father, be with all those we love and care for, be with every soldier, man or woman, who is protecting our nation tonight, be with their families and all the young families struggling today. Comfort those whose heart is heavy from loss. There is so much loss today...loss of homes, loss of jobs, loss of hope. Holy Spirit as this world cries, comfort.

Who We Are...

Americans and proud of it! Parents and teachers, yes, we home school. A nurse, retired banker, a fairy loving girl, a sports fanatic, a computer geek, a college dude, a couple of newly weds, and a divorced mother of 2. No, I know what you're thinking... not all in the same house, thank goodness! We have lots of opinions, insights and experience. So, in the words of the infamous Bette Davis, buckle your seat belt America..."We're in for a bumpy ride..."

Hello World!