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?

"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.

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...

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!

...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.

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.