There were four of us. Couples that is. We were part of a small group from our church. We were all married about the same time. Several of us were finishing degrees. We were just starting out. We shared so much together. We helped each other move, sometimes more than once. We ate together. We prayed together. We studied the Bible and sought God's will for our lives. We bought homes. We all wanted to start families. We all suffered from infertility to some degree. We rejoiced as God gave each of us a child during the following years.
After all of this, it came time for us to go our separate ways. The Historian and I were led to a church much closer to home. The other couples moved on as well. We drifted apart despite promises to keep in touch. Life and distance have a way of doing that.
As I type this there are tears pouring down my face. I just received an email from my friend. She is in her early 40s. Her son is 6 months younger than the Crafter and her daughter is 6 months younger than Wild Thing. She has cancer. She had no symptoms other than some abdominal pain and bloating. When she had a CT scan, there were masses on her liver and colon. She's had an ileostomy . She's having chemotherapy. Her oncologist's name is Hope. She's asked for prayer.
Dear God please spare your daughter. Heal her body. Encourage her spirit. Hold her in Your arms. Comfort her husband and children. You are able. Amen.
I need to hug my babies now.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
How to Convert from HSB to Blogger
Sally at Diamonds in the Rough has found a great resource to convert HSB blogs to Blogger. I was able to move almost all of my entries. I did lose several comments and many of my pictures needed to be resized, but I am pleased with the results. It's a three step process.
1. Export the HSB blog and save to your computer.
2. Convert that file using http://wordpress2blogger.appspot.com/ and save that file to your computer.
3. Import the file from step 2 to Blogger.
The entries show up on the Edit Posts page. You can publish them individually or all at once. Thank you Sally for easing the pain of the transition.
1. Export the HSB blog and save to your computer.
2. Convert that file using http://wordpress2blogger.appspot.com/ and save that file to your computer.
3. Import the file from step 2 to Blogger.
The entries show up on the Edit Posts page. You can publish them individually or all at once. Thank you Sally for easing the pain of the transition.
More Detailed Instructions:
Go to HSB dashboard.
Left side--Tools--Click on Export
Select date ranges etc. I left the defaults to export the whole blog.
Click Download Export File
You should get a window that asks you to save file. It will have wordpress in the name and be a .xml
Click OK
Wait for it.
Then go to the page with the wordpress to blogger tool
Step 6 has a Browse button. Click that and select the file you just downloaded.
Click convert. Save that file. It will be another .xml and say blogger export.
Now go to your blogger dashboard.
Click the settings tab.
Blog tools will be at the top. Beside that will be Import Blog in blue. Click that.
Browse and find the blogger export file and upload it.
When it finishes, you should find all of your entries on the edit posts page. From there it's a matter of selecting and publishing. I had to resize a lot of my pictures and some YouTubes didn't transfer. Almost all of my comments survived.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Sometimes You Don't Want to Know
Wild Thing walked into the kitchen one night looking like this.
Then he fell down.
What's wrong you ask? He's stuffed.
Why you ask? I'm don't know and I'm not sure I want to.
But he had so much fun that Princess Pink felt she should get stuffed too.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Trying Out Blogger
HSB has been down for a couple of days, so I thought I would try out this format for a while.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Tired
I've been tired for years. It seems strange to write that, but it's the truth. I haven't blogged about it before. I don't know why. Maybe I didn't want to put my weaknesses "out there" for all to see.
Whenever I mentioned being tired, I was patted on the hand and told "Of course you are tired. You have a baby or you have a toddler or you are homeschooling or you are have so much going on." Take your pick. But it was more than regular tired. This was weary tired. This was you get up because you have no choice tired. I was also having more trouble during that time of the month.
About three and half years ago, I first mentioned my symptoms to a doctor. I was told that I was getting older. Hmm, I was 34. I knew 70 year olds that had more get up and go. Maybe I should put the kids in school so I could rest. Here's a prescription for antidepressants. By the way, your blood work was normal.
I really didn't feel depressed. I felt tired. But I tried the antidepressants anyway, and they made me more tired. I quit taking them. Then two years ago I saw a different doctor. He said that I was getting older and suggested yoga and B6 and if that didn't work he would give me a prescription for different antidepressants.
Time marched on. I did what needed to be done--just barely. Sometimes I would be in tears because I couldn't do the things I wanted to do because I was just too tired. I was hating the thought of spending my children's growing up years too tired to enjoy them. I had become short tempered and sometimes down right mean. My life was about survival.
I was disillusioned with asking another doctor for help, but my friend suggested that I see her boss. She had recently started working for a nurse practitioner at an Osteopath's office. This was a big change for me. First you filled out 9 pages of questions about medical history, symptoms, sleep habits, and monthly issues. Then the appointment was to take 40 minutes. She asked questions and listened and made notes about what I said. She gave me the usual uncomfortable exam. Then she said she was ordering some detailed blood work. Turns out that I'm low on Vitamin D, progesterone, and my iron stores aren't what they should be.
I now have a long list of supplements including fish oil and molasses. I also have a prescription for progesterone. I feel guilty for the expense. Nothing that I am taking will even go towards our insurance deductible. I am hopeful that this is the beginning of feeling better.
Whenever I mentioned being tired, I was patted on the hand and told "Of course you are tired. You have a baby or you have a toddler or you are homeschooling or you are have so much going on." Take your pick. But it was more than regular tired. This was weary tired. This was you get up because you have no choice tired. I was also having more trouble during that time of the month.
About three and half years ago, I first mentioned my symptoms to a doctor. I was told that I was getting older. Hmm, I was 34. I knew 70 year olds that had more get up and go. Maybe I should put the kids in school so I could rest. Here's a prescription for antidepressants. By the way, your blood work was normal.
I really didn't feel depressed. I felt tired. But I tried the antidepressants anyway, and they made me more tired. I quit taking them. Then two years ago I saw a different doctor. He said that I was getting older and suggested yoga and B6 and if that didn't work he would give me a prescription for different antidepressants.
Time marched on. I did what needed to be done--just barely. Sometimes I would be in tears because I couldn't do the things I wanted to do because I was just too tired. I was hating the thought of spending my children's growing up years too tired to enjoy them. I had become short tempered and sometimes down right mean. My life was about survival.
I was disillusioned with asking another doctor for help, but my friend suggested that I see her boss. She had recently started working for a nurse practitioner at an Osteopath's office. This was a big change for me. First you filled out 9 pages of questions about medical history, symptoms, sleep habits, and monthly issues. Then the appointment was to take 40 minutes. She asked questions and listened and made notes about what I said. She gave me the usual uncomfortable exam. Then she said she was ordering some detailed blood work. Turns out that I'm low on Vitamin D, progesterone, and my iron stores aren't what they should be.
I now have a long list of supplements including fish oil and molasses. I also have a prescription for progesterone. I feel guilty for the expense. Nothing that I am taking will even go towards our insurance deductible. I am hopeful that this is the beginning of feeling better.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Things Homeschoolers Hear
This is our seventh year of homeschooling. I have been blessed to have the acceptance of most of our immediate and extended families. There are a few older relatives that don't grasp the concept, but at least they don't criticize.
Our dealings with the public have generally been good as well. Most of the time we go unnoticed. There are a lot of year round schools in the area, so seeing a child out on a school day is normal. Once in a while someone asks about school, and when they hear that we homeschool, they usually say good for you.
Then there are the comments from the ignorant. I usually can come up with a wise crack comment--two days later. Here are some of my favorites.
Setting: Grocery store line, late August 2004. Baby Wild Thing is gnawing his foot. The Crafter is by my side.
Person in line to the Crafter: It's too bad you weren't old enough to go to school this year. I bet you'll be glad to be in kindergarten next year.
Me: Well, she's already doing kindergarten work. We're homeschooling.
Person in line: Oh, I heard about homeschooling. There were some people in Texas that homeschooled and beat their children.
Two days later response: Yes, and there was a third grader assaulted on the bus last week in this town.
Setting: Walmart line, midsummer
Me: I'll be glad when the school supplies go on sale.
Casual Acquaintance: Why? Don't you homeschool?
Me: Uh, well we still need school supplies.
Two days later response: Well, I decided that it was time to try pencils and paper instead of writing with a stick in the dirt.
Setting: The college where I teach a math class. The Crafter was with me because we intended to shop for birthday party supplies.
College Student to the Crafter: Oh, are you out of school today?
The Crafter: I'm homeschooled. I'm going to do my math while Mama teaches her class. Then we're going shopping for my birthday party.
College Student: How can you have any friends if you don't go to school?
The Crafter: Um...I go to church and a theater class.
Two days later response by the Chemist: None. Some statements are just too stupid for a reply.
Our dealings with the public have generally been good as well. Most of the time we go unnoticed. There are a lot of year round schools in the area, so seeing a child out on a school day is normal. Once in a while someone asks about school, and when they hear that we homeschool, they usually say good for you.
Then there are the comments from the ignorant. I usually can come up with a wise crack comment--two days later. Here are some of my favorites.
Setting: Grocery store line, late August 2004. Baby Wild Thing is gnawing his foot. The Crafter is by my side.
Person in line to the Crafter: It's too bad you weren't old enough to go to school this year. I bet you'll be glad to be in kindergarten next year.
Me: Well, she's already doing kindergarten work. We're homeschooling.
Person in line: Oh, I heard about homeschooling. There were some people in Texas that homeschooled and beat their children.
Two days later response: Yes, and there was a third grader assaulted on the bus last week in this town.
Setting: Walmart line, midsummer
Me: I'll be glad when the school supplies go on sale.
Casual Acquaintance: Why? Don't you homeschool?
Me: Uh, well we still need school supplies.
Two days later response: Well, I decided that it was time to try pencils and paper instead of writing with a stick in the dirt.
Setting: The college where I teach a math class. The Crafter was with me because we intended to shop for birthday party supplies.
College Student to the Crafter: Oh, are you out of school today?
The Crafter: I'm homeschooled. I'm going to do my math while Mama teaches her class. Then we're going shopping for my birthday party.
College Student: How can you have any friends if you don't go to school?
The Crafter: Um...I go to church and a theater class.
Two days later response by the Chemist: None. Some statements are just too stupid for a reply.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Dance, Theater, Karate, a Birthday, and the War of 1812
I have been very busy the past couple of weeks. This is the first year that each child has an extra curricular activity. What was I thinking? I'm worn out.
Princess Pink started dance classes last week. She says that she hates dancing and never wants to go back. I'm going to make her stick with it a few more weeks. Hopefully she will start to enjoy it.
This is the Crafter's third year of Christian Youth Theater (CYT). Her class will be performing Cinderella in January. She hopes to get the part of one of the mice or the cat. Her audition was last Saturday. She sang The Battle of New Orleans. More on her song choice later.
Wild Thing is taking karate. I have hopes that it will help with his focus and coordination issues. He says hates it, but I can see some positive results. The Crafter is also taking the class, and she enjoys it. We will continue at least through December.
The Crafter turned eleven this week. Time seems to move faster and faster. I'm proud of the young lady she is becoming.
We are continuing to take our Tapestry of Grace studies at a slow pace. We finished up week 6 on James Madison and the War of 1812 today. I continue to be appalled at the dismal state of my own history education. We learned about Tecumseh, William Henry Harrison, James and Dolley Madison, and the Battle of New Orleans. We hope to make a trip to see the Dolley Madison exhibit in Greensboro soon. On a less serious not, we discovered Johnny Horton's version of The Battle of New Orleans. The Crafter enjoyed it so much that we found the background music for it and she used it for her audition. Here is the lego version.
Princess Pink started dance classes last week. She says that she hates dancing and never wants to go back. I'm going to make her stick with it a few more weeks. Hopefully she will start to enjoy it.
We are continuing to take our Tapestry of Grace studies at a slow pace. We finished up week 6 on James Madison and the War of 1812 today. I continue to be appalled at the dismal state of my own history education. We learned about Tecumseh, William Henry Harrison, James and Dolley Madison, and the Battle of New Orleans. We hope to make a trip to see the Dolley Madison exhibit in Greensboro soon. On a less serious not, we discovered Johnny Horton's version of The Battle of New Orleans. The Crafter enjoyed it so much that we found the background music for it and she used it for her audition. Here is the lego version.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Grimm Is Truly Grim
Wild Thing's literature in Tapestry of Grace has been Grimms' fairy tales. My knowledge of fairy tales consists largely of Little Golden Books and Disney versions. This has been my first exposure to the originals which were collected by the Brothers Grimm in the early 19th century. They are much darker than the sanitized versions of popular, cartoonish story books.
The versions that TOG recommends are beautifully illustrated and true to the originals. There are some disturbing elements though. That's why you must ALWAYS preview reading material. Did you know that Rapunzel was expecting twins when the witch threw her out of the tower? That caught me off guard. I ended up slightly editing the story. Hansel and Gretel contained gruesome descriptions of how the old hag intends to butcher and boil the children. I had to do a bit of editing here, too. I wasn't able to get the suggested book for Rumpelstiltskin from the library, so I used Librivox.org to find an audio version. Rumpelstiltskin literally tears himself in two with rage.
And here is where the trouble started. After we listened to one story, the kids wanted another and another. We listened to Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel. Everything would have been okay if we had stopped with these, but curiosity got the best of us, and we listened to The Red Shoes. Oh my! The poor girl asked someone to cut off her feet to be rid of the endlessly dancing shoes.
The moral of this story is always preview. Always. We have handled these dark stories by discussing how life was harder when the stories were written and trying to discover a lesson to learn. I'm glad that TOG puts cautions for parents into the weekly preview, but there is no substitute for parental vigilance.
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And here is where the trouble started. After we listened to one story, the kids wanted another and another. We listened to Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel. Everything would have been okay if we had stopped with these, but curiosity got the best of us, and we listened to The Red Shoes. Oh my! The poor girl asked someone to cut off her feet to be rid of the endlessly dancing shoes.
The moral of this story is always preview. Always. We have handled these dark stories by discussing how life was harder when the stories were written and trying to discover a lesson to learn. I'm glad that TOG puts cautions for parents into the weekly preview, but there is no substitute for parental vigilance.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Tapestry Fog
Sometimes you read something and think "Nah, that won't happen to me." Well, it happened. I succumbed to the "Tapestry Fog". It's a condition that affects new Tapestry of Grace users and lasts for about four weeks.
Symptoms of "Tapestry Fog" begin when those shrink wrapped packages of paper arrive. It's often mistaken for giddiness over new curriculum. A sense of total elation accompanies the trip to Staples to purchase new, quality 3-inch binders. The victim trembles with excitement as she assembles each unit.
Then the victim begins searching for the books that make TOG work. The victim has no budget left for additional books because she spent it on TOG itself. There's a feeling of panic as the victim realizes that very few of the suggested books are available through the local library. The feeling is compounded when said library institutes a $2 fee for each interlibrary loan request.
Then it's time to plan lessons. There's a feeling of uncertainty over which level to place each child, but a decision is made. Then the questions begin: Which books do we read for history? Shouldn't we read as many as possible? What day do we do geography? What exactly is the Loom? When are we going to find the time to follow all of those links? If we do all of this, when are we going to do math? If we do all of this, when are we going to eat?
The victim is now officially overwhelmed as the Tapestry threads seem to unravel each time she touches them. There is no order, no direction. The victim wails, "Dear God, what have I gotten us into? I can't do this." The fog has claimed another homeschool mom.
A week goes by. Books are read. Work gets done. Maps get colored. Hands on activities are completely omitted. Prayers are said. Week one ends up taking two weeks to do. But then something happens. The victim notices that the books are scheduled to last more than one week. (It did say week 1 of 3 in the notes, but a victim of Tapestry Fog doesn't always notice such things.) Week two brings a confidence to read one biography aloud for the family instead of having two biographies on two levels. Week three finds the victim with no recommended books on inventors, but dad steps in and shows how to test batteries with his voltmeter. Lego inventions are built. Teacher's notes, encyclopedias, and websites substitute for books.
Then it happens. It is week four. It's time to study Thomas Jefferson and Lewis and Clark. But now there is no panic. The fog has lifted. Choices are made. Projects are planned. Library books are checked out. There is no panicked rush to do every single thing in each thread in one week. There is no urgency to do even do each thread. The former victim of Tapestry Fog is now a cautiously confident Tapestry Mom. She is capable of seeing TOG as a buffet where one picks and chooses what to do.
This mom could have saved herself a lot of trouble if she had done a little more research (Tapestry Blog) and lot more praying. Once again I took it all on myself instead of letting go and letting God.
Symptoms of "Tapestry Fog" begin when those shrink wrapped packages of paper arrive. It's often mistaken for giddiness over new curriculum. A sense of total elation accompanies the trip to Staples to purchase new, quality 3-inch binders. The victim trembles with excitement as she assembles each unit.
Then the victim begins searching for the books that make TOG work. The victim has no budget left for additional books because she spent it on TOG itself. There's a feeling of panic as the victim realizes that very few of the suggested books are available through the local library. The feeling is compounded when said library institutes a $2 fee for each interlibrary loan request.
Then it's time to plan lessons. There's a feeling of uncertainty over which level to place each child, but a decision is made. Then the questions begin: Which books do we read for history? Shouldn't we read as many as possible? What day do we do geography? What exactly is the Loom? When are we going to find the time to follow all of those links? If we do all of this, when are we going to do math? If we do all of this, when are we going to eat?
The victim is now officially overwhelmed as the Tapestry threads seem to unravel each time she touches them. There is no order, no direction. The victim wails, "Dear God, what have I gotten us into? I can't do this." The fog has claimed another homeschool mom.
A week goes by. Books are read. Work gets done. Maps get colored. Hands on activities are completely omitted. Prayers are said. Week one ends up taking two weeks to do. But then something happens. The victim notices that the books are scheduled to last more than one week. (It did say week 1 of 3 in the notes, but a victim of Tapestry Fog doesn't always notice such things.) Week two brings a confidence to read one biography aloud for the family instead of having two biographies on two levels. Week three finds the victim with no recommended books on inventors, but dad steps in and shows how to test batteries with his voltmeter. Lego inventions are built. Teacher's notes, encyclopedias, and websites substitute for books.
Then it happens. It is week four. It's time to study Thomas Jefferson and Lewis and Clark. But now there is no panic. The fog has lifted. Choices are made. Projects are planned. Library books are checked out. There is no panicked rush to do every single thing in each thread in one week. There is no urgency to do even do each thread. The former victim of Tapestry Fog is now a cautiously confident Tapestry Mom. She is capable of seeing TOG as a buffet where one picks and chooses what to do.
This mom could have saved herself a lot of trouble if she had done a little more research (Tapestry Blog) and lot more praying. Once again I took it all on myself instead of letting go and letting God.
Books for Weeks 4 and 5
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Like Night and Day
Wild Thing has been busy drawing animals. He was showing me some of them, and telling me facts about each one. He pointed out that a certain animal was "ternal". I asked him what he meant by "ternal". Wild Thing looks at me like I am totally stupid. He says, "You know, mama. Ternal means that it's awake in the day. Not ternal is awake at night."
I guess I know what tomorrow's vocabulary lesson will be.
I guess I know what tomorrow's vocabulary lesson will be.
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