Monday, May 21, 2012

Grasshopper Days


Grasshopper Days

For today, May 21, 2012

Outside my window...  after a beautiful run of sunny days, we're back to a few cool, rainy ones (mid 50s).  Kind of breezy today, too.  But I don't mind.  It's a good day to focus on school work or read a good book :D

I am hearing...  all the boys are working on their school work (yay!) so I have a moment.  I should be hearing the laundry, though... time to start a new load.

I am thinking...  trying NOT to think about how aggravated I am with all the time I've had to put in to untangling the paperwork for the boys' insurance.  Yes, that's STILL going on, and Tate's surgery is in NINE DAYS.  Yet somehow, I am not surprised.  It's like I'm destined that nothing in my life should be easy.  *sigh*

This may be a day that calls for therapy.


I am praying...  for the CI surgery next week (!), that the insurance will be sorted out BEFORE next Wednesday, for Kerry's work (he has some! praying it goes well), and for the winding down of our school year.

I am thankful...  for Tate's calm, trusting spirit.  He doesn't seem worried or nervous at all.  That kid is rock solid.  Also, for friends and family that are supportive and praying for us :D

I am wearing...  back to my blue jeans, and a black t-shirt with a black (light-weight) sweater.  *sigh*

I am creating...  trying to put together plans for next school year, but some of the organizational pieces (Sonlight IG's) are on backorder. 

I am going...  to help Tate with his math in a couple of minutes.

I am reading...  still reading through The Disappearing Spoon and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements.  Fascinating stuff.  Though some of it is over my head, most I can at least get enough of the gist of it to understand.  Very interesting.  Leah, get on the wait-list at your library - you're smarter than I am and you'll probably love it! 

I also took a break from that to read The Hunger Games.  Very disturbing.  Wyatt really wanted to read it/them, so I said yes (he's fifteen, you know) but I would read too and we would DISCUSS.  One down, two to go.

Lots to think about, especially for boys, who are more prone to consuming violent entertainment, and the desensitization that happens.  And all the yucky situational ethics.  Ugh.

I am learning...  about electron shells, and how some atoms "hide" electrons.

I am looking forward to...  being done with this year of school.  It's gone well!  It's been a good year!  That's not a tortured Oh-when-will-this-finally-end.  But I love to start things and I love to finish them :D

In the kitchen...  trying a new crockpot recipe with chicken and sweet potatoes.

In the learning rooms...  I love that we're winding down on many of our subjects.  Tate and Gunnar each have two hours or less of schoolwork per day :D  Wyatt, well.... he's still pushing through his work, but he's older.  He should be working harder than the other two.  And he just needs more time for some of his stuff - it's just the way he thinks and his mind works.

Around the house...  piles of books.  The usual.

The Mother Load...  first priority is getting the insurance sorted out, and it is weighing on my mind (though there's nothing more I can do at the moment.)  Everything needs to be dusted (eek!).  Must drop stuff off at Goodwill and consignment.  The garden needs to be rototilled, and - if Kerry gets the fence up - PLANTED.  My desk is a wreck (filled with insurance and tax papers.)  I have mending to do, that has been waiting for days and days.  And new books to catalog and organize for next year :D

I am wondering...  what life would be like if things went smoothly???

Something I want to remember for later... 


How much fun :D

Something fun to share...  remember these peeks?



I'll show you more in a separate post :D

A favorite quote for today...  When I do stuff, stuff gets done.

One of my favorite things...  boys who give me hugs for no apparent reason ;D

A Bible verse / devotional thought... 

Be strong and courageous, and do the work.   Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.  He will not fail your or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.          1 Chronicles 28:20

Yes, I know, that was David talking to Solomon about building the temple.  But what are we but His temple?  What am I working on, but us?

A few plans for the rest of the week...  hack away at the Mother Load.  Get things prepped before Tate's surgery, so things can (maybe?) go smoothly afterward.  Try to "clear the deck" in my office.

A peek into my day/world... 

 Because there are days I feel underwater...

... and I might as well laugh about it.

6 comments:

Ruby said...

You dust??!!!

dlefler said...

Wow - I can't believe that Tate's surgery is next week! Time seems to be flying around here - I suppose it is nearly the end of May! I will say a prayer for all of you on Wednesday, for steady hands on the part of the surgeon and a fast recovery for Tate. And patience, too, as he has to wait for activation and then learn to hear with the new technology.

I will get on the wait list for that book. I know I would love it. Have you ever read a A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson? It's pretty decent - some evolutionary stuff in the book (just as a caution), but but the astronomy/physics information is fascinating.

The Hunger Games is definitely a heavy read. I've read all three of them - a lot of personal ethics and discussion points for teens. I couldn't believe that ten year olds were reading that book - our neighbor is a 5th grade teacher and it seems quite young to be reading that level of violence. I also watched the movie and was shocked when two 7 year olds walked in and watched the entire film. What are some parents thinking? I think it is a great book to start discussions on the ethics of reality TV, government control, etc. for teenagers, though.

It sort of reminds me of the science fiction short story The Arena. I'll have to dig that one out again...

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Ruby, well I need to dust, anyway ;D

Leah, thanks for the prayers :D YES! I've read that Bryson book and had the same reaction. A bit of culling to do (a la worldview) but lots of good stuff, and I love his style.

Hunger Games... ugh. Very dark and disturbing, in spite of the hopeful bits. We told Wyatt and Tate both that they could read it and then we will discuss, but I asked Gunnar to wait another year at least. (He'll be 11 next month.)

I remember someone - Corrie ten Boom maybe? - giving the example her father gave to her. He was going somewhere on the train and she (a little girl) was seeing him off. He asked her if she would carry his suitcase, but she couldn't lift it.

He made the point that some knowledge is like that. Too heavy for you to carry until you're older.

Where did we ever get the idea that sheltering our kids is a bad thing???

The Hibbard Family said...

Mending being left for days and days? Really? I thought it was supposed to be months and months. I'm worse off than I thought! :-)

Rebecca D said...

I too read the Hunger Games but because my daughter read the first one as a class assignment during her JUNIOR year. Although the reading level is lower the subject matter is heavy and I think if you are too young to look beyond the violence to the reason for/behind it you are too young to read the book. I too saw a girl reading the third book at the park this weekend and over heard her mother proudly saying she is eight but reading at a high school level... What???? That doesn't mean she needs to read high school material! I am a bit of a control freak in that area though... I made the girlies wait until they were in high school to read the "Twilight" books too. And wouldn't let them read the Harry Potter series until they had read a whole list of other books and made them read a short book about why some Christians were boycotting the books so they would learn to recognize what "could" be negative themes when they encounter them. (I didn't agree with that authors overly picky view point, I'm sure the "Chronicles of Narnia" would have had a tough time getting past him.) I didn't let them read the "Golden Compass" because I saw no value in it and told them why. So "Shelter on" Julie, you ROCK!

PS. We will continue to pray for Tate and will pray the insurance thing untangles!

Choate Family said...

I think if we could handle life without any difficulties, we would be proud and hard hearted. Difficulties keep us leaning on the Lord - right where we should be. Wish there was an easier way, though :-)