Less Stress

Things around here have gotten a bit hairy.  This month has seen the start of soccer, homeschool co-op, Bible study, Storytime at the library, and AWANA.  I'm actually glad that we started school in August, because at least that wasn't another new thing to start!  Hubby was also scheduled for surgery this past Monday, but found out Sunday that he had another problem, so now his surgery has to be postponed until that is taken care of.   Then, I found out Tuesday that my Uncle's surgery to remove a tumor was unable to be performed.  It's all a bit stressful, some in a good way, and some in a bad.  On top of all this, the kids and I have all had a cold for almost a week, now.  Oh, and the oven element burned out, but that has been fixed, so I can bake again!  Sometimes you have to wonder how much you can take.  I find that my worst problem is the fear of the unknown.  I am very creative in coming up with worst-case scenarios for everything.  Of course, this just adds to the stress.  So, I am going to try to think of all the good things that have happened.  Here we go:

1.  I got to see my Mom.
2.  Mom was here to take care of the kids while I went to the emergency room with Mike.
3.  It is finally raining, so Rory may be able to do his school assignment of drawing a body of water.  (It has been so dry, a lot of the streams and ponds are drying up around here!)
4.  Hubby was home and not in pain from surgery when the new element came for the oven, so he was able to fix it.
5.  We found out the day BEFORE the surgery about the other issue, rather than during the surgery!
6.  Rory loves soccer and AWANA, and is holding his own in the Wednesday night adult Bible study at church.
7.  Lily loves her storytime at the library.
8.  Mom was able to help teach Rory some math on Monday, so he is doing much better with that.
9.  Mike, Rory and I all went to the dentist, and none of us had any cavities!
10.  Rory has been able to get his schoolwork done before supper every day this week.
11.  When we had to leave church early on Sunday, there was someone there to take over playing the last hymn.
12.  The bananas I dried yesterday came out very good, and we had them in the peanut butter granola this morning.
13.  Lily can wash her own hands.
14.  Rory is grateful for his little sister!
15.  The basement is, so far, not leaking, even with all of the rain.
16.  We still have electricity, even with all of the rain.
17.  We have the freedom in America to homeschool if we want to.
18.  We have the freedom to go to church where we want to.
19.  We have the freedom to blog about religion if we want to.
20.  The chickens are still laying eggs.

Okay, I'm feeling better.  Now, I have to put Lily (back) to bed, and finish the dishes.  Goodnight, all!

Abandoned to the State

Check out this case in Massachusetts -Abandoned to the State - It is amazing to me how little say parents have in the public school system.  Coming from the other side, as a child of a school teacher, and with a degree in education, I have seen how teachers are losing authority in the schools.  So my question is, who is in charge, here?  It doesn't seem to be anyone who actually knows and cares for the students, (i.e. parents or teachers).  So, please click on the link.  It is the story of a father who was actually jailed for asking to have his kindergartener exempted from sexual information in school.  Add this to reasons I homeschool!

The Fox and the Chicken - Part 2

Hello, everyone.  Robin, here.  Rory wanted to make sure that everyone knew that his story was a real event!  It happened yesterday, so we are now down to five chickens instead of six (sniff).  Also, the picture at the top of the post was drawn by Rory in his Nature Journal.  We're now worried that the fox will come back, looking for more chicken dinners.  We're keeping the chickens fenced in, so hopefully it won't get any more.  It was just surprising and a bit disturbing that the fox came into our yard in the middle of the day.  We knew there were foxes around, but the houses where we live are relatively close together.  Our lot is only 1/2 acre.  So, anybody know of a good chicken-and-kid guarding dog?

The Fox and the Chicken - by Rory

Today, the chickens were outside, and I was doing my schoolwork.  Mom and Lily were doing the bread.  Everything was going alright.  And then, I saw a fox running away with a chicken in its mouth!  I don't know if the chicken was dead, but it wasn't moving.  I went inside, and ran around the house saying, "Fox ran away with a chicken!  Fox ran away with a chicken!  Fox ran away with a chicken!"  When I got back outside, the fox and the chicken were gone.  I gave Mom all the information I could give her.  I figured that it ran across the road with a chicken in its mouth.  It went down our neighbor's slope.  I think it went into the woods.  We got it settled over.  I got back to my schoolwork.  Mom and Lily got back to the bread, and I told Mom that if that fox ever came around anymore, I would throw rocks at him until he dropped the chicken and ran away.