Back in Time

On Monday a group of the Home schoolers from our area visited a one room school house, where Francis Willard originally taught. My calendar tells me that September 28th is Francis Willard day. If you want to be more educated about who she was, there is a lovely search box at the top of your internet browser that will be more than happy to point you to that information. And now you are more enlightened. You're welcome. Anyway, back to the story. We were encouraged to dress the kiddos in 1850's costumes to add to the fun. So I set about sewing long skirts and bonnets, like the good mom that I am. We all had so much fun. The sweet little old lady, who was playing teacher that day, gave them a good mix of a history lesson and a taste of what school would have actually been like way back when. My girls, being the drama queens that they are, jumped into character and you would think that they had actually travelled back in time. Emma sat perfectly still with her hands in her lap for around 2 hours, which is unheard of around here. The children had to go around the room in the beginning, stand up and say their first and last names. When they got to Abi, she stood up and said "Abi" very confidently. When the teacher asked her "Abi, what?" expecting her last name, Abi said, "gail." Obviously... Abi Gail, duh. Too cute. We had a mix of ages in our group, it felt very authentic. We have since been enjoying "Little House" stories and mommy's collection of old school books ( I have strange hobbies, I know). I am more than pleased that they are taking an interest in this era of time that I have long been fascinated with. I have always said that History was my worst subject, and I still hold that to be true- in that I have never been great at memorizing names, dates and places. I really didn't/don't care. However, when it comes to the social parts of history, I am fascinated. So, as long as I can teach them history in that context, we will all be good to go. My favorite part of this whole experience was the little motto that the teacher helped the children to memorize. It was supposedly the motto that Miss Willard had sitting on her desk. It goes like this...

I am only one,

But I am one.

I cannot do everything,

But I can so somethings.

What I can do, I ought to do.

With the help of God.

Phonics

Abi is learning a letter sound a day in our phonics program. Emma learned them all last year and is reading pretty well. Abi followed along with us last year, but wasn't officially doing school yet, so she is reviewing them all this year. Today we were playing a game where they took turns making words out of the sounds we have learned so far. It is suppossed to give them confidence because they are able to make words already even though they have only learned 12 sounds. So they were making words like cat, hit, pin, pan, red and then Abi grabs the e, h, and c and I am ready to tell her that she cannot make a word out of those letters and she yells out...

Fabulous!

Perspective

I have been really struggling with depression for about a month now. I should back up and say I have struggled with depression on and off for quite awhile, probably most severely after I had both of the girls (PPD), but only recently have I been able to put words to what I am struggling with. No, I have not gone to the doctor for it. This is for several reasons, which I won't get into here, but basically Curt and I have agreed that right now I don't need to and that if we ever feel that I need to, I will. I need his help in that decision as I don't always see clearly, myself (or see myself clearly... either way). This last bout, I believe has probably been brought on by the stress of Emma's seizures (she had another last week, but we think we may have a little more insight now into what is causing them, please keep praying), combined with the stress of starting homeschool. I loved doing homeschool last year. We had so much fun. So far this year, I have been flipping out about it. I feel a lot of pressure to do a good job, which is justified, but I go overboard and expect myself to be a "perfect" homeschooling mom. I am realizing how much of a perfectionist I am. I guess I have always known I was, but usually pushed it aside, because if I were really a perfectionist, then my house would be clean and my life would be organized. They aren't! I almost posted pictures, but I like the Internet to only see the good :). Instead I constantly beat myself up for not doing things good enough. I am always trying to find better ways to do things. Self-improvement is ok to a point, but not when it becomes obsessive. I have been slowly making my way through a book about maternal depression and yesterday, while sitting on the porch swing reading, several statements really struck me. One passage really hit hard... she talks about how there is no one small thing that will lick depression, but lots of small actions added up "create synergy" and help the depressed person to have a more optimistic outlook. "In a way, you could say, an optimist is willing to think small." I have been willing to think small in the past... I would think and observe all the little things that were/are wrong with me, my house, my husband, my kids, our church, the people around me... The list always grows. After reading that passage, I kind of felt like a switch had been flipped. I need to find the good. Isn't that why I have this blog (that I have been ignoring because I don't think anything is lovely)? So we are starting fresh today. I will probably have to start fresh lots of times. But today is good. It is sunny and in the 60s. My favorite weather. The back ache I went to bed with is gone. The children are being good (or at least I am not hyper-focused on the bad). I have a new refrigerator and dryer! I want to choose to see all those things instead of the little messes, and imperfections everywhere. I will keep trying. I am going to make a goal to post more often. At least 3 times a week. Hold me accountable ok? And now for the required picture, because pictures and taking them make me happy. I hope you all are clinging to what makes you happy too.

My Lovely (am I allowed to call him that?) Husband

I have been meaning to write this post for several weeks, but it has been crazy busy, so here it is... better late than never. The sentiment remains. I have had weddings/marriage on the mind lately due to helping a friend with her wedding, another friend randomly getting married (congrats Lisa), and yet another friend secretely getting married (don't worry, I haven't told). Also, Curt and I celebrated 11 years of marriage earlier this month (if you are doing the math, we were 18 and 19 respectively when we got married... yes it was a big deal). So, as this blog is a place to talk about the lovely things in my life, I need to share one of my biggest blessings. I am so thankful that what started out as 2 silly teenagers being madly in love has turned into an amazing partnership and friendship and strong marriage. Curt does such a good job "putting up with me." He always gets mad when I say it that way, but it is true. I am a handful. He tries his best to encourage me when I am down and has worked so hard to understand the bouts of depression. He is an amazing daddy and I believe that those 2 little girls are going to grow up very confident in who they are and that they are loved because of it. Curt's business, Computer Know How, celebrated 10 years in business this year also. I am so proud of what they have accomplished. I could go on and on, but really I just enjoy being around him still after all this time, and am glad he is mine. Love you Curtiss!




This would be Matrix style dishwasher unloading. Did I mention he is an otter?

Photos to make you smile

We found this tomato in our garden. He has a nose and hair! God has a strange sense of humor.


Not a lot of lovely things to say right now. It has been a hard week. Emma had another seizure and I had to take Abi to the doctor today (nothing serious, but still). We have had some loveliness that we have taken pictures of and I cling to the little things that make me smile.

Blooming Butterflies!

Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison has a butterfly event every year and we have taken the girls to it since Emma was 2 and Abi was a baby. So today was the day to go this year. We have had butterflies and moths on the mind lately as Aunt Mandy has found 2 different caterpillars for us in the last week. A dear friend had given Emma a wonderful butterfly barn for her birthday, and we weren't sure that the 2 caterpillars could cohabitate, but they are handling things quite nicely. The first caterpillar received he name "Junior" and made a cocoon overnight right after we got it. We did some research and found that it is an American Dagger Moth caterpillar. They like to eat maple leaves. The second caterpillar, Mandy and I found at her house, on the milkweed. The allusive monarch caterpillar! So exciting to everyone. (If you are not excited, just pretend). She is named "Laura." It ate a ton of milkweed the first day. Pooped A LOT (Abi's observation). Then yesterday, it "glued its butt" to the screen on the butterfly barn. This morning when we checked, it was still just a caterpillar glued to the screen and by the time we got home from seeing the butterflies at the gardens, it had formed its chrysalis. The girls were pretty pumped and we just hope we will be home to see it hatch out. God's creations are amazing!

The one on the left is a mini Monarch and the right is a Julia. The gardens had pamphlets this year that the kids could carry around so they could identify the butterflies they saw. We also saw a Queen butterfly and a Zebra butterfly. Abi was especially pleased to be able to lable each of them.

Abi as a leaf that is about to be eaten and Emma as a chrysalis.

My friend the dragonfly.

Zinnias as big as my hand and RED. OH MY!!!

This would be my children testing their limits. The sign directly behind Abi says "please do not touch the pebbles in the pool." Emma, whose reading skills are rapidly improving, read the sign and quickly said "it doesn't say anything about touching the water." That is true, Emma.

Emma is learning how to use the camera. This is her photo of her shadow. :)

The chrysalis we found when we got home.

Poppies

One of my favorite flowers is the Poppy.


This is the window ledge above my sink. It is lined with small bottles/vases of various sizes in red and green and blue. The girls like to keep them filled with flowers for me. Today, Emma had picked this poppy for me and it must have stirred something in her.





Emma asked Renae ( the young lady who is living with us for the summer) to come out on the porch so she could tell her a secret. A short time later, Renae came back in for paper and pencil and then went back out. When they finally came back inside, Emma read me the poem that she had made up and had Renae write down for her. It made me so happy. She read it in this great, poet type voice and just seemed way too grown up for a 6 year old. I can't believe the creativity they possess sometimes. When I woke up this morning (at 6 o'clock) I was struggling to get out of bed and I could hear God gently tell me that this day held surprises. I hauled myself out of bed and went for a long walk which was wonderful in itself. Little did I know how much more there would be. After Emma read me her poem, I held her and told her that God was right, this day did hold good surprises.

The Poppy Poem

By: Emma Gratz

Poppy, poppy, your petals are so soft.

Your petals are so loose.

Your smell is so graceful.

Your pollen, the bees will surely drink.