Monday, May 28, 2012

Grasshopper Days


Grasshopper Days

For today, May 28, 2012

Outside my window...  freshly mowed lawn, dogwood trees in bloom, and green everywhere I can see.

I am hearing... a fairly quiet house, as Tate and Wyatt are working the Festival of Flags with Civil Air Patrol today.

I am thinking...  this is IT.  This is the week.  Tate's CI surgery is in TWO DAYS.  I took him out for ice cream yesterday, just to make sure he's really as calm and solid as he seems, and we are Good To Go.

I am praying...  obviously, for the surgery.  Also, for my parents - traveling to Idaho and back for a funeral celebration of life BBQ for my dad's cousin.  A relatively quick death is a mercy, but praying for comfort for the family.

I am thankful...  to have the whole insurance mess (to the best of my knowledge!) all sorted out, to have so many friends and family praying for us this week, and that Kerry has some work to be working on.

I am wearing...  jeans, t-shirt.  It's cooler today.

I am going...  to get all my ducks in a row, I think.  We should only be gone overnight, but it feels so huge... what we're doing.

I am reading...  still The Disappearing Spoon and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements.  I'm usually a pretty fast reader, but -AHEM- I've had a few distractions lately.  I'm also reading the Ida Early books with Tate and Gunnar, and read one of Wyatt's books - Rules of the Road - and enjoyed it.

I am learning...  more history than I ever learned in school.  Yet another reason to homeschool ;D

I am hoping...  the lithodora I translplanted will live.  It wasn't looking too happy.

In the kitchen...  umm... (computer equivalent of a blank stare).  Um... chicken.  Yah, that'll work.  We should be BBQing, right?  But there's a slight problem.  Our BBQ.  It was a wedding present, making it 18 years old.  And it still works!  If you like food cooked on the surface of the sun.  Because it only has one setting: don't-walk-away-don't-turn-around-don't-even-blink-'cause-I'm-gonna-scorch-that-meat-if-you-do.  I like my meat well-done, but char-broiled doesn't even touch what's happening over here.  So I think we'll maybe break out the George Foreman and call it good, 'kay?

In the learning rooms...  a discombobulated week for sure.  If the older boys weren't busy with CAP we'd be schooling today to make up for later, but we'll just have to let the dust settle from the surgery and catch up later.  It rains most of June anyway ;D

Around the house...  how about outside?  That's where we've been working :D  Kerry got my future garden roto-tilled and is coming down the homestretch on the fence.  (Don't even bother with a garden here without a ten foot fence.  D@%* deer.)  I've been weeding and transplanting.  And the boys (and I) have been mowing.  Very productive and all.

The Mother Load...  all centers around Tate this week.  All the other chips can fall where they may :D  (Kerry will be here with the other boys - they won't be neglected!)

Noticing that...  my get-up-early has been slipping.  Back on the wagon, though.

Something I want to remember for later...  I've mentioned that at our church the kids are encouraged to take notes on the sermon.  They stick them to the fridge (in the church kitchen) with magnets, and Pastor Bert recognizes the kids who left him notes the following Sunday.  The thing is, right now it seems like we have a lot more boys than girls.  And not only do they leave him notes, they draw pictures.  As he flips through the 5x7 cards, we can all see the battle scenes on the back.  But it's all good.  Pastor Bert understands boys :D

A favorite quote for today...  To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.  Theodore Roosevelt.

One of my favorite things...  the end of a productive day.

A few plans for the rest of the week...  CI SURGERY!

A peek into my world...  

Four years ago, finishing our first year of homeschooling.  *sigh*  Back when they were all still shorter than me... 



And, I'm remembering back to when Tate first got his HA's... and there was SOUND!

4 comments:

EmmaVerdona124 said...

OMG good luck with the CI surgery Tate!! :)

The Hibbard Family said...

Hard to believe THE week is here! Praying, praying, praying!

Abi's Blog said...

Thinking of you and praying for Tate's surgery. You don't know me,but once again, just wanted to say you are a blessing to me. Isn't it great to have the Choate's back in the USA - our mutual friends. :) You always make me smile!!
Blessings,
Ava
Envious of your green grass - it's DRY in Texas!

dlefler said...

Praying for all of you as his surgery nears - hopefully he'll be right as rain by this coming weekend. I love Tate's cool confidence!

I REALLY need to get the Disappearing Spoon. I've been so busy on the home front (writing for a program that is paying me for articles - good for the extra money but it takes up time).

My kiddos go to public school (hubby is not on the same page with regard to home schooling) so I make the most of summer. I have so many fun activities planned, and some educational things to help Matt with decoding (he gets sight words, but has difficulty with phonics - he was speech delayed and has some phonological errors still, so this is no surprise). I call it "mommy boot camp," but the kids love it! Of course, they're still so little that there is very little "buckle down" work - it is mostly hands-on, exciting activities.