About Me

Louisiana
I am a Christian home schooling mom of six, writer, blogger and in all my spare time I love to read.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Where Did All The Silly Bandz Go?

In the past year my kids joined the silly bandz craze which was fed by their Mimi who would buy them every shape known to mankind. At first I was disturbed by how much they wanted me to buy them, but mostly by how they hoarded over them, stacking and counting them like Ebeneezer over gold coins. They traded with business savvy that could only be comparable to the likes of Mr. Trump. Sometimes I would see their little arms lined with them to the point that they couldn't bend at the elbow and their fingers took on a nice blue hue. They are made of stretchy rubber, right?

My children each had a stash, even the three year old, that they kept in special containers and just the thoughtof a fellow sibling even considered touching another siblings stash would bring a fight on that made Holyfield and Tyson look like amateurs. Then another strange twist of events began to immerge. I began finding a few stray bandz on the counter or table. I was completely amazed by my children's abilities to inform me the shape and owner of this small thing when I would hold it up in the air and ask whose this belong to. If only they could answer that fast when we do flashcards. At least my fears that they could actually learn were put to rest!

The following weeks soon revealed that their obsession was wearing off because I began sweeping the little colorful bandz up from every crevice of our home and when I asked who the owner was, they didn't know. Were these things multiplying on their own? Maybe not, because now when I sweep, I'm only left wondering if they actually got any food into their mouths. I see no silly bandz anywhere. It kinda makes me sad. Is it one more step to them growing up? I'm glad I kept a few bandz to reflect on later and show to my grandchildren one day. They will probably laugh and show me the little colorful light orbs that will encircle their wrists without touching their delicate skin. I will be sad again because you can't sweep up light orbs.

I think on Christmas Eve night, when I finally get them all nestled in their beds and I watch their sweet sleeping faces as they dream of sugarplums and toys, I will wonder what is a sugarplum as I will lay a pack of silly bandz next to them on their pillows, kiss them and go to sleep for the ten minutes before they come and wake us up, with silly bandz stuck to their faces, and hope the craze will last a little longer.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Demonic Oppression

In researching for my next book, The Myth of Lilith, I came across this list of things that a person can endure when being oppressed by a demon, which is different than being demon posessed. Oppression is when the demonic problems becomes personal and interacts with the victim and the demon's goal being to put a strain on the victim emotionally, physically, and psychologically until the victim feels like they should "give up" more control to the demon. The list is as follows:

Affecting the emotions of the victim
Affecting the thoughts of the victim
Affecting the sleep of the victim
Causing the victim to think they may be hearing voices
Taking over the body of the victim, but not permanently
The victim may think they see things that aren't there
Touching the victim
Scratching or biting the victim

This sounds like how my children sometimes makes me feel! Now, I don't think my children are demonic or anything, but the similarities are amusing!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thanksgiving

I have learned so many things about our country's history since I began home schooling five years ago and love how patriotic the curriculum I use is. It has taught us to be in awe at how hard it really was to come here in face of all the dangers and hardships and to be thankful they did. That Mayflower was a very small ship that carried 128 people! It wasn't built to carry people, only cargo and the passengers stayed in the cargo area and rarely got to come on deck! People were sick and the smell had to be unbearable. I couldn't imagine being a mom with small children there, I rarely allow my children to play on indoor play stations at a certain fast food establishment. I will bring them to the park and not obsess over the fact that only my children will be able to discover a new strain of bacterial infection. I think it's the open air that helps to ease my mind and the fact that at least these playthings gets rained on.


So, I am thankful to these brave pilgrims and other people who suffered many losses and waged many wars and constructed the most amazing document, The Constitution. I am grateful for the freedom I have been granted to be able to worship as I choose and home school my children and pass on this wonderful history to them. I thank God that He has blessed us so greatly as a nation and as a family.


I am thankful for this time with my children and will be sad as they choose to go back to school, one by one our little school will get even smaller. We use our large windows in my kitchen as dry erase boards and as I sit here at the table and write this, I am looking through mathematic equations at their toys in the yard, I know I will miss my windows looking like a kindergarten version of A Beautiful Mind. I will even miss all the toys in the yard, even though they constantly hear me fussing at them to pick them up, I think they know the truth. I really am thankful for hand prints on windows, messy playrooms, bathtubs full of toys, half melted popsicles on counters, crumbs everywhere, endless streams of questions, running in hallways, loud laughter, and even louder fights...because one day all too soon,these will be only memories.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

More Time Please...

I seem to wake up and hit the floor running, except recently it's been straight to my coffeemaker with one of the books I am currently reading in hand. Though to my credit I do carry my empty glass of milk from my nightstand with me to put in the sink on my way, old cleanliness habits are hard to break, no matter how you try. Sadly, I force myself to except the fact that the bar that I set for how clean my house is has lowered with each child that I have birthed. I use to watch Oprah when I first got married and finally stopped when, well let's leave that for another blog one day when I'm more hormonal or in a bad mood. I did learn one thing from an Oprah show that has taken me at least ten years and four of my six kids to almost put into practice, and that was if you want to obtain a stress-free, blissful home-life you must let it go and allow your family members to help you. Yes, your children can make their beds and do all sorts of chores with happy smiles, because they really do want to help their wonderful, over-worked mom out. Even husbands will pitch in and do whatever is asked and it is a truly wonderful family bonding experience, unless mom acts like she is the last person left on earth that knows that towel companies expect you to fold their products with the decorative side showing, face-up and placed lovingly in the linen closet with said decoration facing outward so the towel can actually dry you off better. The lesson was you can't have it only your way and happiness. I, of course, was in denial at first and with each child that came along, I realized Oprah was correct and I have slowly began to let it go. It has taken years and I still fight bouts of my compulsive cleanliness disorder, but I did learn to not go and remake their beds, only if we are having a party do I do this now, because I have learned that with age and more advanced coordination skills they are finally getting pretty good at it, just in time for me to have mellowed enough that I find I miss the way the blanket and sheet were all bunched up into a large lump at the bottom of the bed under the comforter that was always put on sideways, so it never completely reached the top of the bed and draped on the floor.
I still only drink half a cup of coffee at a time because I run around multi-tasking home schooling and cooking and cleaning and errand running and while heating my coffee up throughout the morning, I wish for more time. But I find it's not for more time in the day so much now, as it's for more time to really savor those ordinary moments of my children being little because they grow up way to fast and I do understand what Oprah's guest that day was saying and that great country song by Trace Atkins, "Your Gonna Miss This" says it all.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Operation Don't Ask, Don't Tell about the Playroom Ends

For anyone new to my blog, I homeschool my children, yes, four of the six of them. My oldest is twenty-two and own her own, so five left at home that range from thirteen descending down in age until three years-old. Yesterday, the other child that I have taken in to school was sick and couldn't come to "our school" so I decided that I would make our school day a half day, so we wouldn't get too far ahead of our missing student, the one who keeps us at a reasonable schedule most days. I quickly fell into my old routine of allowing my sweet angels to slumber in their warm beds past nine a.m., while I enjoyed my pumpkin spiced cup of Community coffee, without having to reheat it twelve times until I finally give up in disgust and dump it down the drain. I had just settled down at my laptop determined to get some real work done without the constant interruptions and questions, like the one I just stopped for from my eight-year-old son who walked up and said, "Explain percents, Mom." Now that I'm back, I was all settled and ready for work which is also known as Facebook cruising, so I could begin my day with peace of mind knowing that everyone of my eight hundred friends are off to good starts this morning. But my internet wouldn't connect, so then I was forced to go into a part of my house that is like the white elephant in the room, except this one is upstairs and wears loud clothing. It is a don't ask, don't tell situation and ignorance is bliss, kind of compromise that me and the children have fallen into in the last couple of the three years that we have moved in to our lovely new home. The condition of the upstairs playroom will give me hours of interrupted sleep, which for a woman who hasn't slept through the night in the last thirteen years, is a problem. I decided that I no longered cared and like an ostrich, I stuck my head in the sand and denied that there was a problem...up there. Well, I had to go to see what the problem was with the wireless connection located upstairs.
It was beyond bad, my worse nightmare come to life. Pigs would have moved out!
I woke my children up sweetly and informed them that they could take their spelling tests early and take a half day if they agreed to organize the playroom. There were cheers, arms raised in v's above their heads, jumping, and general praising of my name. They aced their tests and one by one they ran upstairs and began the organization with smug smiles upon their sweet little angelic faces, thinking they had gotten one over on Mom, insert sinister laugh here.
After much bumping, arguing, yelling and some lunch they finally came downstairs and informed me that I was finally allowed to see the finished work! Of course, this came with a bit of a warning. I was informed that since we have so much company and kids through our house and they know how I hate my house cluttered and messy, they also organized the ajoining attic! I was overwhelmed, and I hate to admit that a small tear of pride escaped before they noticed. I ran behind them up the stairs, like I was chasing a blue light special at KMart and was stunned by what I saw, or the absence of what I saw. It was almost bare! There were still some organized buckets of toys, the train table, the desk, bookshelf and the futon put back together, but where had all the rest of the toys gone? We had just went from twenty large tubs of toys, down to about eight. They excitedly showed me how they arranged the attic so they could put the toys in there so they wouldn't have to clean them up anymore! My first thought was to question them if they wanted to get rid of their beds so they wouldn't have to make them anymore, then I let it go...because I realized I was raising geniuses and wondered if they would help me put all the clutter of that hall closet, that I refuse to open anymore, in the attic?

Saturday, September 11, 2010

"Nathaniel Ages" A peek inside my new book to be released soon!

I walked into her room and stood over her bed, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest under the thin quilt as she slept. I was instantly mesmerized by her and felt as if I could watch her forever. My reaction to her was still a mystery. It wasn't her beauty that had me captivated-I had seen many beautiful females and felt no preference for any of them, nor did I expect to.
She turned over onto her side and her quilt slid down her arm. I could see the bumps on her arm that told me she was cold, and I instinctively reached out and pulled her blanket over her shoulder until it rested against her cheek. I found myself longing to gently trace my fingertips down that very same cheek, and reached out my hand to follow through, then quickly pulled it away. I forced myself to take a step back and get myself under control.
I briefly considered slipping my hands around her neck and choking her until the demon that surely possessed her showed itself. She looked so peaceful and enchanting that I could do nothing to bring harm to her. What if I was wrong? What if she were nothing more than a human girl who seemed to have captured my very soul simply by being? Kneeling by her side, I put my face closer to hers and smelled the sweet flower scent of the lotion she put on before going to bed. She inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled; I breathed her in. She was intoxicating. I backed away from her, keeping my eyes fixed on her, until my back was against the wall. Her breathing became regular. Was I having some unconscious effect on her?
I stood watching her until dawn began to break, and then left to hide myself. I would need more time. Evil always showed itself with time.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

You may kiss the bride...

Its our fifteenth anniversary! We dated for six years before we got married...an awful time that was. It was once Jesus changed our lives that our life really began. We committed that we would put God first, then each other, then the children...radical, I know. There have been lots of ups and downs, especially with having five children in the last twelve years! We have both learned so much about each other and ourselves and the journey is far from completed.

There is a question that we often ask each other, but in the way one would ask because they truly want to know the answer. "What can I do to change that would make you happy?" We have found that in the last few years, the answer is the same, "Nothing." Are we perfect? No. I think it is more an awareness of the others needs and making changes that have just become a subconscious part of the way we treat each other. I view my husband as an extended part of myself and since us as humans are selfish and want only the best for ourselves, I want him as happy as he makes me. This in turn, then flows to our children.

There is the occasional arguement, but more like a dicussion. Are there times that I get frustrated with him? Certainly, as he does with me. The way I handle this is when I feel this way, I stop and think if there is something that I'm doing wrong, am I just being emotional or petty? Then I always think about the intent behind what he says or does...that usually ends things right there. I know he loves me and as humans we often say the wrong thing, so instead of yelling and getting angry, I just ask him if this was his intent? Never has there been a time that he has said yes. I never expect him to read my mind and I tell him if I need something or if I'm upset. I also remember to tell him how much I appreciate all he is to me.

By God's immeasurable grace I have been blessed by His gift of our understanding to humbly change and grow for each other.

It helps that my knees still feel weak when he kisses me...

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

This Summer...

I think this summer has went too fast, I'm already ordering my curriculum for the kids! They are currently petitioning to begin school after Labor Day, I want desperately to cave! We use to begin at this time, but last year and this year I am homeschooling a friends daughter and follow the public school calender...it's better, just hard to start that soon!

I have my first meeting with my editors tomorrow and am excited and a little scared...how many changes are being made to my book? It will be okay. To tell the truth, a little part of me wants to skip it because we are headed to the beach in Galveston, Texas this weekend and I don't want to think about them hatcheting my baby...okay, they aren't doing that, I'm just feeling like a drama queen because there was a dumb cricket in my room chirping last night and I ran out of sugar for my coffee this morning...side note: Brown sugar taste pretty awesome...unless I'm just too tired to care.

I know crickets in your house are supposed to be a sign of good luck, but if I could have gotten my hands on that little bugger, well let's just say that it would have upset some Buddist somewhere!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

...and then the oil stopped

It's true, I just heard it on K-Love, they have stopped the huge gusher in the gulf! Praise be to God, I hope it last. It was the best news, the cherry on the top of an already great day!
I went to the pool with a good friend and the kids, we actually got too hot and had to go home. Only in Louisiana can one get too hot while swimming. I just got back from getting my nails done, oh I sound so pampered. These are the same nails that I will clean the toilets with later, so the pampering ends when I left the salon. I just love my nail girl, Tracy, you are the best...its way more than the great job you do, its like therapy.

These are the same nails I will try to not bite while I nervously await the first run throughs of editing on Nathaniel Ages and I'm faced with the changes that will be made. The scared part of me screams, "What if no one buys it!?" It's hard to put yourself out there...oh, well...at least the oil has stopped and I choose to always be this happy, come what may.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

My Book, Nathaniel Ages

Well, I signed my second contract on my book, this one with the editor. I will have a few rewrites, thought this would be an all consuming task, but it won't be. I wanted to enjoy my summer and not be chained to my laptop and I'm thankful that I wasn't. People keep asking me when did I find the time to write a book and my cousin, upon seeing that I really do hunt and peck at the keyboard asked me how! I originally began because my oldest daughter is bipolar and she decided to write a book. It was the most amazing thing I had ever read, and I read a lot. Then she didn't get very far before she quit. I hoped that if I could write a book, she would be inspired to outdo me or something. I wasn't sure if I could even do it, my husband bought me a laptop for Christmas and so I began a story that I had thought of from one line that came to me when I was in that state of awake and still asleep.
"If I were Adam and we were in the garden, I would gladly eat of the fruit and die with you." Nathaniel said as he softly brushed his fingertips down the side of Kate's cheek.
"If I were Eve, I would burn the tree and live with you forever."

It is now my hope and prayer that my daughter would still be inspired to write, but much more so, that she would see Christ's love and mercy and grace that He has for her through my story.