Homeschooling guest post TOMORROW!

I am very excited to have a homeschooling guest post tomorrow from my very dear friend, Lauren, from Magnify the Lord with Me. If you read either of our blogs with any regularity, you'll notice that we're constantly linking back and forth to each other. She thinks I'm funny and a great cook, and I think she's brilliantly gifted in all matters concerning faith and frugality. (And obviously we like each other for other reasons. I realize how one/two-dimensional that sounds...)

Lauren and I met in high school, at junior/senior prom. She was a grade behind me and we didn't know each other (though we found out later we'd actually taken a class together when she was in junior high and I was in high school!) before that. Anyway, her up-do started to become a down-do in the middle of prom, so I took her to the bathroom and re-pinned it all. That's all it took! We've been friends for nearly 15 years now. We attended the same university and then moved in together post-college when we both had teaching jobs in the same city. She taught at a Catholic elementary school and I taught English at a Catholic high school.

We went through a lot of changes over our three years of living together as we both dealt with difficulties in our personal lives. Seeing each other at darker moments allowed for even greater rejoicing when we both met our (then-future) husbands within six months of each other. We got to share in each other's wedding planning and then we got married two weeks apart! Since we've been married, we haven't lived in the same city and have only seen each other five times or so. She's my daughter's Godmother, and I can't picture anyone more perfectly crafted to hold my daughter's soul in her hands.

Lauren married a great man whose own personality provides balance to hers. They are both very faithful Catholics and wonderful people who have looked forward to starting a large family together. Unfortunately, they've had to struggle with infertility and tangled adoption processes (you can read about this on her blog-- Lauren's done a great job of chronicling their journey). But...

In just a few more DAYS they are hoping to adopt their first child, a precious little boy! So, even more than ever, the homeschooling issue is becoming a complete reality for them. Be sure to come back tomorrow and read Lauren's post-- it's GREAT!

Also, if you haven't already, be sure to "follow" Lauren's blog and my own. And we both LOVE comments! I always say that sometimes I feel no one is reading this (except Lauren, my most faithful commenter) and then I hear from real-life friends and blog friends and realize people are out there. So, follow and comment! Give me a reason to put my English degrees and creative writing classes to use!

You'll be hearing more from Lauren in future guest posts about the homeschooling curriculum she's planning to use, and any other topic on which I can get her to post! Also, I think I may have to write later about some of our funny moments from living together. We had quite the time together! (See other real-life friends... if you comment on my blog I write nice things about you...) :-)

Homeschooling discernment series: Next up, Lisa lives in a tree

If for no other reason than THIS article, I feel almost compelled to homeschool, despite any other reservations. I may not sleep for a week after reading it.

I had fully intended to delve into the world of homeschooling, but due to unforeseen occurrences this post is going to be less-than-thorough in the way of homeschooling. As in, not related to homeschooling except tangentially. While I had hoped to spend my free time this week doing some researching and writing, the sick baby, active toddler, and other life circumstances have thrown me a bit of a curveball.

It would be ironic if I ignored my children to write about homeschooling, no?

Thus, I'm linking to the article from the Ruth Institute and going ahead and running a post I'd planned to do next week. It's a cop-out, but I need a momentary break to sort out life. If not, it will be completely chaotic and not the least bit cheerful.

So... onto the other post!

I am going to move my family to a redwood forest and live in a tree.

Not really.

But I'm pretty sure that is what M thinks is coming down the tracks.

It started with the "Greener" Household Cleaning Products Engine. Mmm... Grapefruit-scented Method cleanser makes my days happier.

Then the Eating Locally and Growing More of Our Own Food trains rolled into the station. The second part of that was temporarily postponed by vicious beasts foraging deer and the epic fence project. My tomato plants are finally flowering again, but I have no idea if I'll get more tomatoes out of them after the trauma they sustained. I've barely recovered myself. All other veggie and fruit projects were put on hold until next season.

Next the Homeschooling Express thundered down the tracks. Just as it started to lose steam, it rounded a major bend in the road and regained momentum.

And NOW, after all this railway action, the Cloth Diaper Caboose showed up, unexpectedly. You'll be hearing much more about this one, later. Any excuse to post about poop, I always say.

Yes, M is, I'm afraid, very worried about what ideas I'll be cooking up next. I think he's convinced I'm becoming a tree-hugging, hemp-wearing, tattoo-sporting liberal.

Not much to worry about there.

(Although I will say that I think liberals have highjacked the environment for their own purposes, and as people who espouse pro-life beliefs, conservatives need to stand up and take back a sense of environmental guardianship. This post makes some very valid points for all Christians.)

Anyway, don't worry, husband. I don't think I'll be trying to move our family up into a tree any time soon. Unless it can get really good cell reception and internet service. And if it has flushable toilets.

On my bookshelf, part deux

Note: Tomorrow is my day for homeschooling thoughts. I'm a bit behind because of the sick baby situation, but hope to be caught up by the morning.

I figured that while I was on a roll with the library books (I didn't drop a single one in spaghetti sauce, returned them basically on-time, and managed to shield them from both baby spit-up and other excretions), I should check out a few more. The verdict?

One I loved.

And the other? 

Let's just say that if it weren't a library book, I would have repurposed it to clean H's backside.

To start on a cheerful note, I thoroughly enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I hadn't expected to like it to the degree that I did, primarily because of the cutesy title. The book is written in letter form, and I was pleased with how richly developed many of the characters are. Yes, this is still a "beach read," but I really savored it-- the letter style meant that I could easily read it in small snippets of time as I nursed, folded laundry during quiet time, and lay in bed at night.

Unfortunately, the other book did NOT live up to whatever expectations I might have had going into it. I should have known this would be the case when I heard that Oprah liked it. I simply cannot find it in myself to like anything she likes, just because she likes it.

Eat, Pray, Love was the most narcissistic excuse for a book I've read in a long time, if ever. Setting aside the Christian-bashing (Catholic-bashing in particular), I still found Elizabeth Gilbert impossible to respect. If, at even one point in the book, she had said, "You know, I really did a terrible thing to my husband. I wish we had tried counseling together. I wish we had visited Italy together. Or gone to India. Together. Or Indonesia, or any other I-country. Or done any of the ridiculous things I did to 'discover myself' together before I chucked him to the curb and then made ridiculous excuses for my guilt. Maybe it would have worked. Maybe not. But at least I would have tried," then I could have at least respected her a bit. 

Instead, Gilbert spends a good portion of the book explaining how terribly miserable she was with her husband, even though she can't name a single fault of his. Then she falls in lust with a person who doesn't really want her, and who makes this rather clear to her, and then she tries to convince us this is love. Umm, right. 

I'll skip complaining about Italy, mainly because it just makes me hungry to think about the mass quantities of gelato and pizza she consumed. However, India drove me right up the wall, between the celebrity hotspot of an ashram and the former Catholic nun (!) who tells her that "Guilt's just your ego's way of tricking you into thinking that you've made moral progress."

Really???

Please raise your hand if the FORMER part of "former Catholic nun" comes as a surprise.

Anyone?

Finally, Gilbert ends up in Indonesia with someone JUST. LIKE. HERSELF. Someone who, having been married before, will settle for someone who doesn't give 100% to the relationship and who convinces himself that's enough. Ridiculous.

I have to stop here. I'm feeling annoyed that I've spent this much time thinking about someone who has spent way too much time thinking about herself. 

What's worse than a sick baby?

Hmmm... maybe a colonoscopy and a dentist visit. Both of which I also have to schedule. But right now, the sick baby trumps all.

When I took sweet H out of the bath on Friday, he felt incredibly warm. His temp was 100.3. Not thrilling, certainly, but not too worrisome. Unfortunately, 30 minutes later it has elevated to 101.5.

From that point on Friday night until this morning at 5:15 am, it has only dipped below 100 once, to 99.9. The high point, thankfully, has only been 103, but I just can't get a handle on what exactly is going on.

Other symptoms: nada. No runny nose, no cough, no bowel issues, no vomiting, his neck moves normally, no foul-smelling urine. When his temp comes down a bit (with the help of medication), he crawls around and chases the dogs and his sister, so he likely doesn't have a serious bacterial infection.

I finally caved in and made him an appointment with the pediatrician for this afternoon. For my own sanity I need to know that he's on the mend and that I'm not missing something else. I did talk with the doctor on the phone yesterday and we decided to take a wait-and-see approach for the time being. Now, though, I think it's time for more seeing and less waiting.

Say a prayer for my precious H!

Blogging confessions, part 2: "Blenvy" is dangerous

Blenvy (n.)-- 1) A feeling of discontent or longing that is aroused after reading someone else's blog.
2) The desire to live another's blog-life, to have her readership, to take pictures like her, etc.
3) The overwhelming desire to redesign one's own blog after seeing another's blog.
(Derivatives) Blenvious.

I coined this word (fun SAT word... neologism. It means a newly-coined word. Thank you for your patience. The English teacher will now sit down) back in 2006 when I first started reading friends' blogs. A quick Google search today revealed that some other people are using it, too, though. I'm going to pretend that I was the first person to think of it/use it in context/use it in conversation. I feel like Shakespeare now.

Pardon me while I adjust my frilly collar.

The thing about blogging is that while there is a presumption of honesty associated with it, it can be whitewashed to either present the blogger in a better light or to avoid the unpleasant truth. I think we're all a bit guilty of this. I have to laugh sometimes when I'm reading a real-life friend's blog and see either a dramatically revised history or complete omission of truth.

I can picture all of my friend's wondering... is Lisa talking about ME here? Don't worry guys. I'm not going to call out anyone publicly, lest I've misrepresented myself on here! Plus, I'm certainly not writing this maliciously (I happen to like my friends!), but rather to muse on this phenomenon of only seeing what the blogger chooses to present.

Knowing what I do know, though, about the actual facts that have been amended or omitted makes me realize that there's no point in feeling blenvious about the lives of those I only know from their blogs.

The woman with the hilariously witty commentary might use biting words with her husband and children. The woman with the fabulous photos might not make her husband's breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday, instead telling him to buy it himself. The woman whose spiritual life I admire so much might presently have her own demons to battle and a past she'd rather forget. The woman with the perfectly organized and decorated house might be having marital issues or health problems.

Or maybe she just does like I do and cleans the one spot she's using as a background in her picture...

Wishing for someone else's life is futile, because 1) it just ain't gonna happen and 2) there's a good chance that one's own life is just as exciting and wonderful as other people's real lives. So, in a note to myself as much as everyone else, stop being blenvious, kiss your family extra today, and enjoy the wonderful gifts and life you have!

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Homeschooling discernment series: The plan

Do you know how much brain power it takes to think about writing about thinking about thinking about homeschooling?

Even more brain power than you just used trying to understand that question.

However, I'm done with the initial processing and am ready to dive head-first (ouch!) into thinking about... you know...
 

HOMESCHOOLING!

(Sidenote: If anyone's children watch Sid the Science Kid on PBS, know that as I was writing that, I was saying it in Sid's voice-- "I want to know all about... HOMESCHOOLING!")

 

For my little family of four, this isn't currently a pressing matter, given that my oldest will not be entering Kindergarten until 2013. However, I know how quickly time has been flying by with two kids, and if we're lucky enough to add more to the mix, it's definitely not going to move any more slowly.

Here's my plan for the series, in no particular order:

1. Provide links to a number of Catholic/Christian-based homeschooling programs, homeschooling blogs, homeschooling books, and general advice and information about homeschooling.

2. Examine the financial implications of homeschooling, with regard to possible lack of second income and saving for college expenses.

3. Have guest posts from people who are considering homeschooling, people who currently homeschool, kids who are homeschooled, and people who would not homeschool their kids or are against it. I think this might provide a well-rounded view.

4. Compose a list (or chart for Lauren!) of the pros and cons of homeschooling vs. public schooling vs. private schooling, based on everything I learn.

5. Have posts on Wednesdays, and possibly Fridays (for guest posts only, if I have enough to warrant an extra day!). This will all start next week.

To give you an idea of where I'm coming from, here are some reservations I currently have:

- A high school teacher with my experience and education can make, in this area, around $40,000/year. I would not plan to work until all of our children were in Kindergarten, but even if we have more kids, this would likely mean I could make a couple (or several!) hundred thousand dollars to set aside for college education.

- My husband is not totally on-board with this. He's open to considering it, but I know I couldn't do this without his complete support. This is one of the reasons I'm doing this series!

- We have very highly-ranked public schools within minutes of our home. Everyone we know raves about how much their kids love the schools and how much they're learning. Would my children be best (or at least very well)-served there, with religious supplementation at home?

- I don't know how moms get a break, or even go grocery shopping or to doctor's appointments without having all of the children in tow.

- I loved going to school. I learned so much from my different teachers and benefited from learning from a variety of adults. This also helped me immensely as a teacher, knowing what styles of teaching I found most effective. I think it's important that children learn to respect a number of authority figures.

- I have a tendency to procrastinate. Will this hinder me in teaching my children? Will it enable them?

- Who will my children befriend? How will they make friends? Will I make them socially-awkward around their peers?

These are some of the questions and concerns that I need to address. There are so many positives to homeschooling, but I need to make sure that it's the right decision for me and my family.

Dive on in with me!

Baby Jesus tastes like... pears?

In an attempt to make his First Communion about 7 years too early, H endeavored to devour our Little People Baby Jesus. Yep-- swaddling clothes, halo, hay, and all. When the tasting was complete, our sweet Lord looked none the worse for the wear.

Though I do notice that he smells like pears now.

H then moved on to a camel, shepherd, and policeman.

What? You don't remember the policeman in the Nativity story? 

He's the one who issued the noise citation to the angels singing their heavenly praise after curfew.