Observational Twitter 13

Adage:

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Joseph P. Kennedy

Epigram:

"When the going gets tough, the weenies accept that they are weak-minded, give up, and go to bed. Goodnight." The Queenie Weenie, Robynn Reilly



Copyright 2009

A Bear Market - Epilogue

To read all the previous chapters of "A Bear Market," click here: Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 and Chapter 3
Hello there. Jojo here. Your canine correspondent. My motto: I will dig as deep as I have to for the truth or a moldy rotten bone - whichever comes first.

It has been on my heart, and weighin' heavy, that lately some things in the truth department have been twisted and bent, or left out altogether and frankly, I'm disgusted. Nice people like you outta be told when they're havin' their chains yanked. There are heroes livin' here who aren't appreciated or even recognized. I'm not namin' names but I think you'll recognize a hero when you see one. I'll let you in on what's REALLY goin' on behind the scenes and set the record straight.

You all probably know my mom's been laid up. What you probably DON'T know is I've been the one keepin' it all together for her. And I'm doin' it in spite of the fact that she has completely ignored the dog's-honest-truth about those bears and the role certain parties played. But abuse has never allowed me to shirk my duty. So first, here's what's goin' on around the house.

I think it's plain to see by this hopeless look on my face that I have my hands full. And let the record show that I am only layin' on the couch to keep that hooligan, Minky, off of it. Dogs aren't supposed to be on the couch around here and I will lay here as long as I need to, to keep her off.

Because not only is she gettin' her out-of-control self up ON the couch, she's stealin' my dad's coffee cup right out of his work bag. The fool dog likes coffee. No one can leave a cup of it sittin' around anywhere but that she's got her fat schnoz stuck right in there and drinkin' it. If I hadn't caught the culprit right in the action, my dad woulda grabbed this out in the mornin' never knowin' she had drug her lollin' tongue all over it. And she tries to pull off this real innocent look while she's in the middle of the crime!

She even tried to steal his cup and drag it away where she could have coffee all by herself. And you know once you start drinkin' alone it's really all over with. I believe she has all the makins of a bonafide juvenile delinquent. But nobody cares much for what I have to say. Even about bringin' her home. They even tried to tell me she was for me, a present of sorts, to keep me young. Wow. Some kinda present. Apparently, makin' a list is pointless. But movin' along.....

While all this was goin' on, I was tryin' to take care of my mom. She was just layin' around lookin' all dejected and miserable. And though she hasn't been fair with me about some things I'm gettin' ready to tell you, I can't help but treat her honorably 'cause that's just who I am. I went to her bed and took her this:


Now if that's not one fine specimen of a good, broken-in bone that anyone in her right mind would love, I don't know what is. But did she chew it? No, she just said, "Ew! Get that disgusting thing off of my blanket!" and threw it on the floor. I took this abuse and turned the other cheek. I just knew my next idea would do the trick.

The doc always tells you to have a lot of water when you're sick so, I led her to the toilet and told her to get a drink. She just looked at me and then sat down on my water bowl. Nice.

I racked my brain and came up with the suggestion we go to the park and told her she could roll around in that nice poop I found over there the other day. I did. It was great. But with her? No sale. She's even still mad at me for jumpin' in. The woman canNOT be comforted. And frankly, I'm outta ideas. So, I figured, I'd post for her and give her a break and, in so doing, I would tell you the truth about the bears and my sleepin' habits.

I read the bad press I got about not waking up when I'm called or when things are going on. This is ridiculous. You need to know that I slept through her calling me when I was in bed with The Wild Man that night, because it is good for her to practice not gettin' so hysterical. I knew she wanted me but she needs to relax and learn to handle her panic better. I wasn't gone. I hadn't run away or been dognapped. And when I heard all that caterwallin' I decided then and there: that is NOT healthy. So I just kept my eyes closed and played dumb. I'm sure you can see my good work and motivation here.

And as far as sleeping through the bear, that was exaggerated, too. I knew the bear was out there! If I had growled or barked, these people of mine would have gotten up and tangled with them. I was trying to keep it quiet. What's a little car damage when your family is at risk? No one gives me any credit for having good sense.

And not only did they not give me credit, they put me in the minivan and went back to bed! I was NOT afraid. I WAS afraid that pitiful excuse for Yogi and her bratty kids wouldn't come back and let me tear a souvenir out of their backsides. That's the look my family saw on my face. It had nothing to do with the smell of bear in there. In fact, I was able to stand on the door handle, open the door, and head out to hunt those mangy maulers the rest of the night. We had a few serious tangles and I left them bloody and horrified. When I was satisfied they wouldn't come back for the night, I got back in the van and conked out. These people will never know what I did for them because I'm not one to brag on myself.

The next night it was me leading the charge in the bear hunt. I tried to drag Grizzly the right way but you can't tell him anything. He's got a gun and a flashlight. Apparently, that trumps guts, a nose, and pure brawn. I don't need a gun. I hate guns. I bark and try to tell him they're dangerous. I've hated them ever since he and The Wild Man got Nerf guns for Christmas when I was only a couple of years old. How I got caught in the cross-fire I'll never know but I had to take a bullet for both of them. And they want me to be excited about this craziness.

I got drug in all the wrong directions the whole night. And all the while Yogi was stalking my mother. I know it was a vendetta for my activities the night before. That she-bear knew I was out looking for her in all the wrong places and she had plans to digest my mother figure. Thank goodness my mom heard that wicked thing behind her and I was able to bark and charge forward. It was my sheer ferocity that saved her but, you didn't hear it from me.

Anyway, I'll get back to figuring out how to help her out around here. I thought about saving her some of my dog food this morning but that seriously challenges all I know to be sacred. I had one piece left....I even took a picture of it and sat for a long time givin' it some serious thought......


And then I remembered how she spun this story against me. She'll just have to do without MY dog food. That'll show her. I'll keep you posted if I see any more flagrant lying.




And don't worry. You'll ALWAYS get the straight story from me.

From Jojo - The HONEST one.

Thank You, Treehouse!

I won an Amazon giftcard from Treehouse Kitchen, aka, The Treehouse Chef! Yay! Thanks Treehouse!

If you've never visited her site you might like to check it out. I've gotten lots of wonderful recipes from her. She makes terrific food and just got done introducing us to some of her favorite things. Go here for food inspiration. :)

On another note.....stay tuned......

I found Jojo looking very guilty by my computer this morning. Apparently, there is now an Epilogue to "A Bear Market," and Jojo has had HER say. She says it will be up later today.

Word Wackiness Contributions

"Froggy Chaos" by Suzanne Brown

Okay.....most of you probably don't go back and read comments so I'm sharing these with you. I don't know why these hit me so funny but they do. And you guys are funnier than they are. Here's what you've come up with so far:

Lady Fi: Tizet: Something you get into when you fly into a panic.. I'm in a real tizet today!

Tatersmama: Dente: Like I could really sink my teeth into this post!!!

Knitnut,Karen: Podunk: Like I'm in a podunk mood today, meaning,nothing is turning out right or I"m dropping everything I touch.

And then you got warmed up:

BZ: Vires: An illness that causes one to not spell correctly (this one made me LOL loving words an all.....!)

Lady Bird World Mother: Reveria: Sounds like very up market party. 'Oh, darling, you simply must have a Reveria... everyone is now, you know..,'

Ga.Farmwoman: Alypsiv: Sounds like a new ski trick down the alp mountains.Or maybe a new baby name.

Kadezmom: Sahlvin: As in "I'm salvin the word's problems one stitch at the time!" (another one that made me laugh out loud)...the southern accent made me think of one I got.......

Robynn: Parple: Purple, in the south.

Tatersmama: No Tief: As in, "I have no tief to eat chocolte wif anyway!" (She was complaining because I didn't send HER any chocolate when she was sick but now I'm asking her to send me some. I lied and told her I did and she didn't get it. But this made me ROFL anyway!)

and BZ was the final entry:

Genetto: (pronounced jen'-et-toe)- Ghetto based DNA(genetics + ghetto) - another LOL.

Thanks for entertaining me while I'm worthless. You GUYS are clever GIRLS!

Prayer Request for Caring Friends

Hi All -

Serious note here this afternoon......

Would you all keep a dear woman, Kaleena, her husband, and their girls in your prayers today? You can read her story here. All three girls are in the hospital right now, very ill, and all, of course, want their mommy. But there's only one of her. And her husband has some serious health issues as well. She also lost a baby son. Life can be so very hard to understand but she is fully leaning on God's grace and provision. Lots of you have walked through extremely tough times and might be able to lend a word of encouragement. And I know your prayers would mean so much.

Also, my Hannah-Bo has taken a turn for the worse after battling something for about three months off and on. This last virus, a week ago, knocked her down before she was back up again. She wasn't desperately ill before that but just extremely tired and couldn't shake a nagging cough. The doctor wants to see her again tomorrow and neither one of us feel like even sitting in the office but, that's the way it is. Anyway, our troubles certainly pale in comparison to poor Kaleena's.

Welcome to the Pity Party - Bring Hats

THIS JUST IN........

API BULLETIN......ROBYNN HAS BEEN HANGING AROUND WITH SICK PEOPLE TOO MUCH AND HAS CONTRACTED THE GALLOPING GUNGIS, OR FUNGUS AMONG-GUS, OR A VIRES (THANK YOU BZ - SEE HER COMMENT UNDER "WORD WACKINESS" - YOU MADE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD EVEN IN MY PITIFUL, DESPERATE CONDITION) THAT MAY BEGIN TO AFFECT MY SPELLIGN SKELS. I AM GOING DOWN FOR THE COUNT. GOOD-BYE.......PLEASE SEND CHOCOLATE.

AND THIS JUST IN.........

THE API CANNOT SHUT UP TODAY........YOU MUST OBLIGE ME BECAUSE I AM WHINING AND GO HERE. IF YOU LOVE ANIMALS, YOU WILL LAUGH. IF YOU DON'T LOVE ANIMALS, YOU WILL BE DISGUSTED. THAT IS GOOD TOO. CAN YOU HEAR ME TALKING LIKE A ROBOT........I AM TOO FRIGHTFULLY ILL TO USE EMOTION IN MY VOICE. AND I AM USING ALL CAPS NOT TO YELL BUT BECAUSE I CAN AND I FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF.

Word Verification Wackiness 1

"Froggy Chaos" by Suzanne Brown

I think I'll start a new category here.

We combine words to create new ideas or convey stories, thoughts, feelings, etc. The possibilities seem limitless but our word choices aren't. They have remained fairly static. Until now. The world's gone crazy.

In computer land a whole new language is being created randomly and we have to type the new words everyday when we want to leave comments. It's called "Word Verification."

I like to come up with definitions because the words are too great, or insane, or hysterical, to pass up. Let's make up our own definitions. Some explanations seem obvious but others are like those personalized license plates you can't figure out and they drive you nuts. Am I the only one who chases people and makes them roll down the window and tell me what in the heck they're trying to say? Many years ago we had a license plate that said, "WE HMSCL." Seems obvious to me but Grizzly's nephew thought it meant, "Whimsical." I LOVED that! One of my favorite words. So, meaning is obviously in the eye, and brain, of the beholder. Here's a smattering of my brain beholdings (ew, that sounds gross........!):

(Update: this afternoon - what kind of lexicographer am I to not include pronunciations?)

SHELOGIE (sha-low-gee): A hogie sandwich from a deli in Sheboygan, WI.

FATION (fat-shun): What "Fashion" becomes when I put it on.

DIALNGRI (die-ul-angry): The phone call that came right before "Dial 'M' for Murder."

ANTURDS (ant-poop): What you find in little ant toilets. (Sorry, it was that 5th grade boy who lives in my head!)


Okay, what have YOU got?!

Copyright 2009

Happy Birthday, Judy

Today is my sister's birthday and I just wanted to acknowledge it. She has been gone for many years now but I miss her more as I get older. She was five-and-a-half years older than me and we drove each other nuts as kids. What kids don't? But we also had some incredible times and she had the tender heart of angel, with the soul of a poet. She also had a really tough life and, from the very beginning, was basically either missed, abused, or neglected altogether by the adults around her.

At 18, in desperation, she said, "Enough."

And then there was no changing anything.

I wish you could have hung on long enough, Judy, to know it wasn't worth giving up for. But you were too young to realize it and I was too young to help you see.

I know where you are though and, without a doubt, I know we'll all be together again one of these days. You would be SO proud of your niece and nephews. They're all great kids and are crazy and funny, like you. And they would LOVE you! You and I would have a ball and I would have someone to compare notes with and examine all this craziness that was our lives. I think of you often and will tell your story out here one of these days because you never got the chance to.

Each time I hear Don McLean sing "Starry, Starry NIght," I always think of you:

"For they could not love you,
But still your love was true,
And when no hope was left in sight,
On that starry, starry night,
You took your life as lover's often do,
But I could have told you Vincent,
This world was never meant for one as....
Beautiful as you."

I know you're not sad tonight. You are where all the former things are wiped away and you don't feel all the old griefs. You were loved by God and you loved him and hoped to serve him one day on the mission field. It's harder for me to forget and forgive on your behalf because so much could have been different. But I'm working on it my sister, my friend. I'm working. I love you. Happy Birthday. :)

Homeschooling to the Finish Line with Hannah-Bo

Okay. After that post a few days ago introducing you to some of our homeschooling philosophies, I'll tell you how we put it into practice.

I won't dazzle you with schedules of getting up at 5:00a.m. with both kids having practiced the piano by 6:00, and conjugated their Latin verbs by 7:00. There are wonderful homeschooling parents who are just that disciplined but it would beg the question about balance in another way. You know by now what my opinion is on that issue: no one does it all.

Without a doubt, there are some who absolutely seem to do it all and have great kids and success to prove it. And there a few, especially those of the "unschooling" philosophy, who would think education just "happens" to children while living life; it doesn't take concerted effort. I have found very little compelling evidence to recommend that opinion.

Most of what is lovely in the world, and which would culminate in full blossom, requires exposure and struggle. But education is only partially available in a textbook. Much of what would add to the loveliness of life takes place in the spiritual, emotional, and social realms. Our lives have been full there because almost EVERYthing interests us. We have gone down more trails and rabbit holes than Alice in Wonderland. We read everything - alone and aloud, turn over all rocks, ask questions endlessly, dissect bugs and ideas, and never cease to be awed and amazed at anything God has created in all of nature. Our only lament is there isn't enough time to take it all in.

And with that said, I have been known to acknowledge I am my children's worst influence. I just get them on task and focused when I say, "Did I tell you guys about THIS?" or "Oh my gosh! Look what I found!" and off we go. I like to think it has taught them flexibility. (More than likely it has taught them to handle frustrating people!) But we certainly haven't lacked for variety and excitement. I used to think of these things as "teachable moments." Not anymore. For lots of years now I have been convinced that everything about life IS a teachable moment. If anything, I have to stop myself from over analyzing all that crosses my path.

I want them to know the beauty and learning in simplicity; of taking in the whole, and not just the sum of the parts; of appreciating, from the heart, the riot of colors in a field of flowers, or the stillness of a mountain sunset as the earth burrows deeply into her cloak of darkness. Two plus two will balance the checkbook, but the poetry built into nature by God, will balance the soul.

And God's Word, learned early and often, will call them and prepare them for an eternal relationship with him and cause them to discover his purposes for their lives. My prayer for them is that, being filled by him, they are overflowing with compassion and hope toward others; that they would be bold in their faith, but not sanctimonious, which is so very repelling and injuring. And that they would never forget to extend the beauty of grace, knowing it was only through grace that they, themselves, found true love and belonging.

And in trying to do all these things I think are important, I have fallen down.....a LOT. I can't tell you how many times I have wondered what in the world I was doing and if all these threads would eventually be sewn into something recognizable in the hands of an inept seamstress. Life interrupted us as it does everyone, in one way or another. Books would be sidelined by illness, or upset, or the needs of others. We certainly weren't free from heartache or drama through the years, or relationship and family trials. But I hung on to my thread and my plan, though it was tattered and frayed many times.

And that plan included where I wanted to see my kids end up. Not what they would be doing, but preparing them to be able to do whatever it is they are supposed to do. And that also meant talking about college early. It wasn't so cast in stone that nothing else would do. But it was discussed as a natural progression just like sixth grade, or ninth, or twelfth.

By sixth grade I was calling colleges to see what their expectations were. I don't do well with things piled on me at the last minute and I wanted time to think, prepare, make mistakes, change my mind.

I was extremely blessed to follow in the footsteps of a very organized homeschooling mom (thanks, Cynthia!) who knew how to blaze trails and open doors. She kept me apprised of websites and current information for different institutions and her daughter was Hannah-Bo's inspiration. (She will graduate from a prestigious college soon - I'm not naming it to protect her privacy - with many honors and an engineering degree, having received a full ride scholarship.)

I downloaded requirements so I had plenty of time to plan. Requirements had to be met in Foreign Language, Social Studies, Math, English, etc. We couldn't afford to find out at the last minute that an institution wouldn't be open to us because we hadn't prepared. Music was a big part of our schooling and both kids play at least one instrument and have been involved in large choirs for years, as well as competitions for both of these activities.

When I was out of my league in any particular area, and I knew I would be as soon as Hannah hit Algebra II, I utilized the community college. Through another friend I found out about our local university offering classes for a low fee to high performing students. So HB took art classes, humanities, and trigonometry in her junior and senior years, through those colleges. (It had the lovely benefit of also earning her college credits for these courses.) We availed ourselves of standardized testing, SAT 9 & 10, PSAT, CHSPE, AP, and SAT because I doubted most institutions would be impressed with a mother issuing her child A's. I knew competition required a level playing field. They would have to perform well on these tests, just like any other student, to be considered for acceptance or scholarships.

And I have to say, I pushed scholarships hard.

We are not people of means with only one income. The Wild Man isn't there yet being in the seventh grade but when Hannah-Bo was just starting high school, we had a series of serious talks. An honors college she wanted to attend had stringent requirements. I wanted to know if this was her goal or ours. If it was ours, we needed to reduce the pressure and look in different directions. But if it was hers, I would pour on the coal and refuse to let her fail, even if she wanted to quit. After careful thought and prayer for a month, she announced it was definitely her goal. She lived to occasionally lament that proclamation when the going got intensely tough and my lecturing and expounding would begin. (I might hold the Olympic Gold Medal in the Lecture and Expounding event. Just ask my kids.)

But a little over a week ago, those regrets long forgotten and the tape of the high school finish line in her sites, we got a knock on the door.

Our mail lady handed us an envelope with a "Certified Mail" label stuck to it. We had to sign. Signing wasn't as hard as breathing.

We had applied to the college she so wanted to go to and had been awaiting the results for over two months. The application procedure was involved and the requirements were exacting. The competition was stiff with over 550 students from all over applying for 50 total scholarships. Yes, she had high scores and met other requirements. But so did a great many students. God had to open the door.

We looked at the envelope and at each other. "It's here," I said. I'm so eloquent under stress.

"I can't open it!" she pronounced. "I don't want to know! What if it's a no?!"

"Okay." I responded. "I'll tell you what.....I'll just slit it open and we'll lay it on the table and wait until we decide what to do." Like, what ELSE would we do but have to look at it eventually?

"Okay," she agreed. "But don't look at it!" In the meantime, The Wild Man said, "For Pete's sake! What do ya mean you don't want to open it? Haven't you been waiting for this forever?!"

Yes, but of course, reason had nothing to do with THIS moment.

"And let's do this," I offered. "Let's pray. Let's pray that no matter what it says, we have the right attitude. Let's remember that everything will be the same after we look no matter what it says. God has a plan for you and nothing can change that." And so we prayed. And then we paced. And then we looked at each other again.

"Do you want me to look and tell you?" I asked, "or do you want to look and tell me?"

"Let's do it together," she decided.

Very slowly and carefully we slid a group of papers out of the envelope. We looked at each other as we lifted the top flap of the letter. The first word we saw in bold, black letters was, "Congratulations!" and then we screamed and we jumped and we screamed again. And then we shook and we cried and we screamed even more. And then we called Grizzly to tell him. He was laying out some high voltage wire and standing in a trench. We shouted and sobbed the news, and as he stood there, all dirty and manly and sweaty, and proud, he cried, too. The culmination of a very long dream....a blessing poured out on us.

And that's my big news. We are still smiling. She has received a full ride scholarship. College paid for all four years. Dorms, too. A laptop, and she gets to pick it out. And for a girl who is a complete computer geek, that's a really big deal. We are humbled. We are speechless. We are awed that out of 50 students, she will be the only one representing the homeschool community. We are GRATEFUL.

And there you have it. I'm sorry it took so long to tell you. I have struggled with how to tell it. I want it to be an encouragement to anyone who would want to travel this path with their own child, and not a moment of seeming to say, "Hey, look at us! Aren't we great?!"

We are SO blessed to have friends to call and who celebrated with us. One friend wanted to bring Starbucks but we declined because we had so many phones calls to make (thanks anyway, Teresa!). Another friend screamed as loud and as long as we did and then, didn't ask (smart woman!), but jumped into the car, apron and all, and with her three kids raced to our house to jump up and down with us. She also brought a gift she had been saving in anticipation of good news. It had cookies and these socks inside:


These are her three kiddos and my two - The Wild Man is on the far left, and feeling proud of his sister.

And Hannah-Bo teaches a writing class for elementary homeschool students and a dear mom friend made cupcakes and the girls made this sign:

Does it get better then having so much love and happiness sent your way?!

Blessings abound and we are thankful. Thanks to all of you for reading and caring. I can't wait to hear all of your stories. I love to visit your blogs and see the terrific ways you parent and how funny and precious and special your kids are. Or how your path looks completely altered from mine where kids, or marriage, or life is concerned but finding all types of richness in sharing our journeys together. Thank you for being my friends.....old, and new.

With Love and a prayer for blessings in your life,

Robynn

Copyright 2009

Observational Twitter 12

Sublime:

"You can't get spoiled if you do your own ironing." Meryl Streep

Ridiculous:

"Ironing? I give all my ironing away and why shouldn't I? By the time I get to it it's all out of style." Robynn Reilly



Copyright 2009

We Have Winners!.....and a Baby!

Congratulations to the two winners of the $50 Amazon.com gift cards!! They are:

Aunt Kathy's Place!

Knitnut,Karen!

Way to go ladies and I hope you have something fun in mind for your cards! They will be winging their way to you shortly. Please contact me at robynnsravings at gmail dot com with your shipping information.

Thank you to everyone who participated and for all your helpful, insightful, and kind comments. There will be more contests to come.

And we have a bouncing baby boy! Jesse (isn't that the CUTEST name?) is 8lbs. and 21" long. Mother and baby are doing fine. I would include photos but I, of course, respect their privacy at this wonderful, blessed time.

It's DOULA DAY!

Mister Baby is on his way
And I'll be at the hospital today
Pray for mom, she's blessed you see,
She has two girls, baby boy makes three (children)

Very sad poet. I'll keep my day job!

Homeschooling: An Insider's View - Lacks Humor

If you are looking for the Amazon Gift Card contest, Welcome! and click here for details.

About thirteen years ago I formally started this little thing called homeschooling.

Homeschooling was first introduced to me while driving and listening to Dr. James Dobson on "Focus on the Family." He was interviewing Dr. Raymond S. Moore and his wife, Dorothy, on their new book entitled "Homeschool Burnout." I was on the road a lot and traveling a great deal with my job. And I was pregnant with Hannah-Bo. I knew I didn't want to travel forever and I had been trying to have a baby for years. (The subject of another post!) I knew when I heard the concept, homeschooling was for us. When it was time, I would be home and be her teacher.

Grizzly thought I was nuts.

He frequently has that thought so this was not daunting.

I did what I always do. I bought the book, read it, and then told him he should read it, too. (I actually thought this would work for the first fifteen years of our marriage. I'm a slow learner. How high does that book stack have to GET before a person catches on?) Next, I moved on to reading him short passages and giving him upshots. Then came another book and so on and so forth. He started to think it could work.

Not so much the rest of the world we lived in.

As homeschoolers, one of the questions we get asked most frequently is, "What about socialization?" After teaching for all these years I usually quip, "Don't worry about them. They have friends galore. It's ME you need to be concerned about. All I do is drive them from one thing to another and I HAVE no social life!" And ten years ago I would have completely dismissed the inquiry and been puffed up with my own opinion. But I was an idiot. It's a valid

question.

In forming my opinions about public school I looked at crime statistics, teen pregnancies, fractured parental and child relationships, and the complete void of moral and spiritual training in some schools. I wasn't impressed with THAT method of socialization. I researched overall test scores. I recalled my own abysmal school career and being missed by nearly every teacher while my home life crashed down around me for years.

Grizzly's experiences weren't much better and he'd been at private Christian school as well as public. What WOULDN'T recommend homeschooling to us?

And I thought homeschooling was inherently good, just by the nature of having constant parental involvement. I was wrong. All parties involved would have to be inherently good for that equation to balance and I haven't met that perfect person yet, especially when I look in the mirror. It just ain't so.

As my children grew I did see marvelous examples of great kids from homeschooling families. High achievers, well adjusted, future movers and shakers. But let's be honest: I saw a few terrible ones as well. Kids who had obviously not been taught much, especially manners and respect for others. And kids who were intelligent and educated academically but who brought the ugliest of judgmental attitudes down on those who didn't dress, or believe, or act exactly the way they, or their family, did. Their families taught by unflattering comparisons, instead of by Truth and love. I did it, too, at times, and had to repent mightily when I saw the ugly fruit it bore. Ouch.

But what I figured out was this: some parents public/private school their children and they could, or should, be homeschooling, for a variety of reasons. And some kids who are homeschooled would be better served by being in a public/private setting, for a variety of reasons. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. Life doesn't come with a template but it does come with challenges. God will meet us in those challenges and direct us. And we aren't God. Our job is to pray, and encourage, and help one another.

I have dear friends who are public school teachers. Some of them homeschool their own children and some teach in the public sector. I know how invested they are in the children in their classes and the love they give them might be the only love those children know anywhere in their lives. I am grateful for them. I am thankful for them.

I also have friends who send their kids to public/private school and they are caring, concerned, loving, fanTAStic parents. (I even have two friends who do all three with different kids - hi Teresa! - hi Kim!)

And I'm absolutely blessed by parents who make daily sacrifices and do without to honor their calling and serve their children by teaching them in their home. It's constant. It's 24/7. It's trench work. It's pushing rocks up a hill on a lot of days. But what it isn't, or shouldn't be, is about competition for who's the better parent and an either/or in school choices.

I've taken my share of heat. Family isn't always supportive. Public school advocates are sometimes prejudiced, even ugly and unkind, and think we're freaks. Well, we are freaks so that doesn't hurt our feelings. We're just not freaks in the way they think we are! Yes, there is sometimes a presumption that we do nothing and have no standards. No, my school doesn't look like any other school. I don't think I have a market on how all school should be done. I reinvent myself each year and throw out what doesn't work and press on. No, there isn't a perfect formula. If you're super strong in one area, you are probably weaker in another. NO ONE does it ALL. Public, private, or homeschooler.

My response has been to keep on keepin' on. Except on the days I don't. And then I rebel. And then I get over it. It's a theme in my life.

So with that involved, tedious, opinionated, and probably boring introduction into how we got where we are, and how we do what we do, and I'll say that I'm proud I homeschool, and not in a prideful way. I celebrate what homeschooling is and say my thankful prayers to God. And I will tell you some fantastic news about Hannah-Bo.....

tomorrow. It's a win for anyone who homeschools and needs hope that their children can compete on the academic front lines. See ya then!

Copyright 2009

Cinderella Is Overrated :)

If you are looking for the Amazon Gift Card contest, Welcome! and click here for details.

The following post is a reprint from an essay contest I won last week. There has been a lot of response so I thought I would bring it over here, too, for those of you who haven't seen it. I can't believe how many bells this rang for other people. Even the Pioneer Woman replies. (Yes! THAT knock out!)

"You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting"......a cookie.

I know that's not the true meaning of Daniel 5:27, but every time I hear that verse, I see the dreaded scale at the doctor's office and it makes me need to comfort myself, with sugar. Because I have been "weighed on the scales" and found fat.

Diet and exercise. Really? I thought dieting WAS exercise. I exercise self-discipline. I exercise self-control. I RUN off at the mouth about how long this diet is taking and how miserable I am. I JUMP to the conclusion it's never going to work. I THROW myself around in fits of hysteria. All of this makes me break a sweat and, if that isn't exercise then really, I give up.

And is it just me or have you ever set your own compound fracture at home just so the doctor won't tell you to lose a few pounds if you go into the office?

I didn't always fight on the front lines of the weight wars. I was a skinny kid. And of course, I didn't appreciate it. By my late teens I was fighting the demons and by twenty I was thirty pounds overweight. My mother said I looked like someone "stuck an air hose in my mouth and turned it on." She was gifted at descriptions. And she detested fat. To this day she has a fantastic figure and little tolerance for the chubby among us.

But I vacillated and tried out lots of different numbers on the scale. Worthy meant less than 140 pounds on my 5'7" frame. Worthless was anything over that. And I have watched 140 pounds disappear in my rear view mirror so many times there's a rut in the road. You would think with that rut I could trace my way back but I haven't even visited in years.

So, where does that leave me? In the worthless mode? If I'm honest I have to say yes, sometimes.

I remember sitting on my bed nursing my first baby, and weeping endlessly. I had added 28 pounds to my round figure during pregnancy. And I had delivered an 8lb. 2oz. baby. But when I got on the scale before I left the hospital, I had only lost six pounds. Now I ask you: what the heck? I'm no mathematician (which is equal to the understatement "I am not as skinny as Angelina Jolie") but shouldn't I have at least lost as much as the baby weighed??

My husband heard me crying and came upstairs to ask me what was wrong. Poor men. They just don't know what they're walking into.

"I'm f-a-a-a-a-a-t!" I wailed. "I don't want the baby to grow up and realize she has an ugly mother!" "Well, honey," he answered soothingly. "It will be YEARS before she knows that." I mentally packed his bags and sent him to live with my mother. And then I stopped sobbing and began laughing hysterically. Anyone that helpless in the comforting department cannot be held liable for his actions. And he had never, ever complained about my body. That bought him a huge pass.

But those two extremes - devastation over my plight and laughing at how ridiculous I am - would sum up where I am in my head most of the time.

I can't help comparing my body with the svelte and lean and wishing I could defeat this old adversary. I loathe clothes shopping and sometimes feel like, "What's the point?" If you take an egg and put a bathing suit on it or an evening gown, doesn't it still look like an egg? Is either outfit going to flatter me? Now, if I had Oprah's access to the fashionistas then, maybe. She can go up or down and still look gorgeous and you may be able to do the same. But on my limited budget and even more limited imagination about what to do with myself, I tend to stay away from shopping.

And my neuroses cup runneth over so much, I can look at successful people and, if they're thin and beautiful, decide on-the-spot I can never experience their accomplishment. No other factors of their achievement come into play in my teeny-tiny mind. How about their brains? Their talents? Their personalities? Their charisma? Their absolute blessing by God? No, I'm sure it is because they are worthy in their size six jeans. It's very small of me, really. Pathetic, actually. Excuse making, most probably.

When I decided to start blogging, thinking I might have something to say (okay, the reality is: when don't I have something I want to say), I checked out top blogs. One of the first I came upon was "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman." Most of you have been there, I'm sure, and know Ree Drummond. She's incredible. She's funny. She's a good cook. She's an invested homeschooling mom. She's a compelling writer. She's an unbelievable photographer with a smokin' camera and studied knowledge in Photoshop. She shares all this. She's generous.

And she's GORGEOUS and THIN! Like a desperate paparazzo in the bushes, that was all I could focus on. As soon as I saw her I knew, no matter what I ever said or did or wrote or created, I would not realize blogging success because I couldn't look like that. Seriously.

And then I got over myself.

I have to get over myself a LOT. I have to beat back the ridiculous narrative that runs in my head and try to be a grown up. I give my self-pity back to God where I'm sure he throws it into some holy trash can. (Can a trash can BE holy?) I make myself remember each person has his or her own voice and calling. And I have to realize that many, many people I admire, love, extol, value, want to be like, and desperately seek to emulate in many different areas of my life, will never win beauty contests (though some certainly could). They are mere mortals, like me, and I'm sure even Ree would be happy to point out, in her oh-so-funny way, all the things she detests about herself and what would disqualify her for goddess status.

Most of us probably won't find ourselves walking runways as fashion models. The closest we might ever get to a size six is if we multiplied it by two or three, or four.

And when I do think of those I love and admire the most, their weight and looks is irrelevant. They own my heart because of their intrinsic and beautiful value as real people with lovely, warm, and humble hearts. They make life richer for the rest of us by who they are and what they give. Some challenge me, some educate me, and a lot make me laugh.

So, I apply myself these days to making changes by eating healthier - organic whenever possible - and buying locally - because it's the best for us and supports our local farmers. And I guess I'm trying to portion control, if eating from the time you start cooking until dinner is over, counts as one portion. And I joined the gym. Apparently, you have to GO as well. Should have read the fine print.

And then I force myself to remember back to when I was seven. I watched "Cinderella" on television with Lesley Ann Warren in the lead role.

I thought she was desperately beautiful. I ran into the bedroom, looked in the mirror, and promptly burst into tears. "I will NEVER look like her!" I sobbed, and I was right. But, all these years later, I'm okay with that because I, unlike Cinderella, never have to dread midnight. I look the same before and after.

And that's strangely comforting in a roundish, pumpkin sort of way.

The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, responds:

That was a beautiful essay, Robynn!

I feel compelled to tell you, however, that though I'm tall and have been perceived as a relatively "thin" person throughout my life, I am very, very far from thin right now. I've gained about ten pounds in the past year (cookbook, anyone?)...and we won't talk about the baby weight I already was holding onto before that. :)

This really has nothing to do with your lovely essay. But since I'm such an in depth investigative journalist (heh heh) I felt I needed to set the record straight.

Lotsa Love,

Ree

Read Ree's post today about how her cows are comforting her on body proportions!

Copyright 2009

Got Perspective?

I ALWAYS visit Tatersmama. I call her my "Velveteen Rabbit" because she's had so much fur rubbed off by life, she has definitely been made "real." In fact, I think I may create a "Velveteen Rabbit" award that we can all start passing on to blogs and people we think deserve it, and she's getting it first. There are so many. Wouldn't that be great to be able to give out?

And she makes me laugh out loud and cry out loud, for cryin' out loud. And we both love the movie "Nacho Libre" and THAT, my friends, is a rare find - someone else with exTREMEly sophisticated humor......! All this to say, she just posted a link on her site that featured this video:





Thank you, TM. I needed to see/hear this. Do yourselves a favor and watch. And then visit Tatersmama, and check out Virtue Alert to read her profound words about what it really means to "walk the walk."

And I deCLARE (since my "yes" has obviously not been yes nor my "no" a no).....I AM going to post about Hannah-Bo and let you know about Doula Duty which is now supposed to happen this Friday. And I have the funniest story to tell you after that.........

Oh! And my kids call this a "golden" anniversary, when you hit a birthday or anniversary that is the same day as the number you turn - as in your 12th birthday on the 12th of the month. So today, I give thanks for 85 followers on my 85th day blogging....a happy symmetry!

P.S. If you're looking for the contest, it's a few posts below....Thanks! And check out Treehouse Chef. She's a FABULOUS chef, with terrific recipes, and she's having a contest, too!

Observational Twitter 11

Fact:

"Today is Fat Tuesday."

More Pertinent Fact:

"For me, EVERY Tuesday is fat Tuesday. What I really wanna know is: Where the heck is Skinny Wednesday and why haven't I been invited to THAT party?"


Copyright 2009

WE DID IT!!

Woohoo!! We did it - all of us! 75 followers and 2 more for a big bonus!

The contest is now on!!

The prize: Two $50 gift cards from Amazon, one for each of two winners. The contest will run through Friday, February 27th, 2009, 10p.m. Pacific Standard Time. (I'm in California.)

Here's how to enter: If you are already a follower just leave a comment with your best advice on how to grow this blog, or what you like about it, or what you like about the best blogs you've visited, or anything else you want to say. That will get you your first entry.

If you aren't a follower, feel free to sign up to follow (see that little link over there to your right above the photos? Yep, that's the one.) and do the same thing.

If you post about this contest on YOUR blog and put a link to it, just let me know by leaving another comment (saying "Posted a Link") and you're entered again.

Finally, tell your followers to mention they saw this on YOUR blog when they come by, and I'll put in a another entry, for you, for each person who came over from your site (up to five additional entries per blog author).

(My family members are, of course, excluded from the contest. Yeah bummer guys...hope you don't stop following!)

Make sure there is a way for me to contact you. If you don't have a blog that I can track back to, email me at robynnsravings at gmail dot com. (But use the gmail.com and not the spelling. That's just to throw the spammers off track.) I'll need to know where to send your gift card.

Okay...all that said....please let me start by saying THANK YOU! YOU all made this happen. You have supported me, encouraged me endlessly, and made me feel so welcomed and embraced out here. I will never, not with all the words there are to chose from, be able to convey what that has meant to me.

But some of you have asked: why 75?

Well, here's the thing. I started this blog on Dec. 3rd of 2008 - about 80 days ago. I had a fire in my belly but I was also unsure.

How vulnerable do I get here? Do I tell you that I went to a writer's conference and had two magazines I've never even heard of tell me no one would find my work interesting and that I had no ability to connect with readers? That no one could relate to the kind of things I wrote about? The kind of things I write here? No, I'm not goin' that far. It's too embarrassing.

So I'll just tell you this: I had a a couple friends encourage me to blog. They actually thought I COULD write. I also needed to get information out to a few people all at once, for efficiency sake. It seemed doable. But I thought, if those publishers are right the blog will probably fall on its face. But if they're wrong, well, that'd be great and I guess I'll know if people show up.

A dear friend, Reginia at Tetertots, promoted me on her site and her sister, Tina at Tunajones, did the same. The first ten followers began to trickle in. I was elated. And then a lovely lady named Libby, at Neas Nuttiness, found me and gave me a glowing review on her blog. More came. Soon, Tatersmama's Take on Things was sending folks over and when I hit 20, I was overwhelmed. Linda at Another Piece of the Pie sent friends. So I began to wonder: would 75 followers in 75 days be possible? Maybe. If I keep writing and posting and working and telling about my hair-brained life, then.....maybe. If it's supposed to happen, it will. And wouldn't 75 feel like a big party? Just think of how many incredible people I might meet. So, that was my goal. Of course, once you reach a goal you have to set another one. But I can't tell you how elated I am right now! And YOU did it!

Today is 83 days. I overshot by a week. But there are 78 of us (including me), all hangin' out together now! And I get to visit you and see what you're up to and get to know you. Oh my gosh. YOU guys are amazing. And you keep coming back. That's REALLY amazing!

Thank you for sharing your stories and your life with me. Thank you for being my friends. I am blessed.

With Love,

Robynn

I'm Shocked!

Ree, The Pioneer Woman, commented on my Essay over at Red Pine Mountain. How fun!

Here is her comment, reprinted by permission from Red Pine.

Ree said...

That was a beautiful essay, Robynn!

I feel compelled to tell you, however, that though I'm tall and have been perceived as a relatively "thin" person throughout my life, I am very, very far from thin right now. I've gained about ten pounds in the past year (cookbook, anyone?)...and we won't talk about the baby weight I already was holding onto before that. :)

This really has nothing to do with your lovely essay. But since I'm such an in depth investigative journalist (heh heh) I felt I needed to set the record straight.

Lotsa Love,Ree
Sunday, February 22, 2009

Red Pine shared that Pioneer Woman was her inspiration for starting her blog. I started for different reasons but found her right away through Linda at Another Piece of the Pie and became a huge fan and follower immediately. I know she has thousands of people who read her every day and is busier than ten people put together. Consequently, I simply never expected to hear from her personally. What a shock and a wonderful surprise! But I must say this: all of my friends who stop in here so often, some daily, and leave me the funniest, most touching, and incredibly encouraging responses, are what keep me going and make me feel this is all worth doing. I love you guys.

"I Won! I Won! It's a Major Award!"

For those of you who don't recognize that line, it's from "A Christmas Story," one of my all time favorite movies. In it, the dad gets a huge box with a leg lamp inside and you would think he had won a new home. That's how I feel right now!

Now, I don't win things usually. But last week, on Life on a Southern Farm, I read about a contest to win a birdhouse. I followed the link and read it was true but there were a couple of catches: you had to write an essay and you had to be first to comment. I was the second but the first really didn't want to write. So, YOU KNOW ME...... Anyway, I sent the essay yesterday and it is up over there at Red Pine Mountain this morning. I hope you will pop on over and read it and let her know you've been there. What a great opportunity to get to know new friends. She will have this contest every week for the next three weeks and you should write an essay, too! Check out the darling birdhouse I won made by Pam's husband at "Life on a Southern Farm." They sell them on Etsy. If you haven't been there, oh my, it is completely wonderful and addicting. Everything is handmade by the most talented artisans. Enjoy! Gotta leave for church now.

And I'll explain the 75 when I hit it....which....with any luck....may be today!

So I Lied

Uh, yeah. About that post today. Well, you see, the thing is, I won this contest over at Red Pine Mountain but it included writing an essay for them. And you all know I can't say anything briefly so, when they gave me the option of writing an essay that was 500 words or LONGER, I'll let you figure out which option I chose. Anyway, needed to get that done today (writing deadlines for publishers can never be missed) and I actually put on my writer's hat and tried to give her a quality effort. I'm not sure when it will be up - pretty shortly I think - and when it is I'll post a link here so you can go read it if you so desire. You'll like it over there. Take time to read her blog and you'll see what a quality person she is.

And then there was the Bowling Event for the seniors of our homeschooling group. We have 41 graduating this year, including Hannah Bo, and Grizzly and I were responsible for running this particular get together. These kids do something every ten seconds. I did take some pics and I'll include them tomorrow, when I finally post (yeah, RIGHT). And no baby yet.

Okay, my eyeballs are crossed and Minky keeps jumping on me to take her to the park. Not sure I can still walk but I'll try. And did you see???????? 70 followers!!! Only 5 to go! I am ordering the gift cards from Amazon tonight!