Picking up Some Pieces

We've begun our school days again. A whole week is behind us now. Monday was a short day as we went to do a service project with our new co-op. Friday was a snow day in which we only accomplished the bare essentials.

Today is going well. We had some good discussion about JFK and MLK and math didn't take hours. Part 2 of our day is coming up in a few minutes after I piece together some unfinished things I have to tend to.

...like finding a new grocery store.
...dealing with a bank issue.
...figuring out how to to meet up with a guy so we can buy his couch.
...putting things away that were left out due to my yucky stomach illness this weekend.

The stuff of normal life.

And yet today I think my life is supposed to be interrupted.

Because I am a transplant in a new place I choose to make myself a student of the culture around me. I had the chance last night to hear the real-life struggles of several new friends...upbringings that would make you cry and health issues that seem so completely uncalled for. And it hit me again that we were not moved here to begin a glamorous life doing the thing we always wanted to do, but to do the things that are the hardest to do. I'm glad that in these past five years I have learned how to cry, because doing it well here may very well be my calling.

Today, the culture is mourning as well. The Columbine High School shooting was 10 years ago today. At that time I worked as a church office manager when one of the youth group girls called my office bawling and frantic that I had to turn on the t.v. and pray that God would save the people in Littleton. I watched from a thousand miles away and prayed that he would do exactly that. The fact that today I live there -- just six miles away -- is surreal to me.

In the middle of the stuff of normal life I realize that my little pieces are minuscule compared to God's big picture of redemption. But in some mysterious way, my little pieces help put it all together. I never imagined that I'd be put in this place, praying this prayer, crying these cries but it's my calling for the day.

And now the other "calling" wants lunch.

We're Going Barefoot on Thursday

and it has nothing to do with the fact that we don't want to get out of our pajamas.


Go here for more.

Why They Think They are Failing

This is in the Denver Post this week.

Here's a couple quotes:

"American students are falling behind because of the traditional school calendar."

You know I've heard a lot of other lame excuses that make more sense than this one.

Most homeschoolers are done by lunchtime and we're blowing the ps kids away in test scores. Hmmmm. I don't think its the hours they are confined to a classroom that make the difference.

"Saturday school"

When I was in school this was code for detention. Having less time to think for themselves, pursue personal interests, relax... yeah - we should DEFINITELY get rid of THAT!

Here's an interesting response.

A Homeschooler's Move

I unpacked the school things today. We have a ton of space (and old kitchen cabinets) in our big ol' laundry room. We can store EVERYTHING in there. And by everything I mean...

• 12 boxes of books and supplies that I unloaded into the existing cabinets as well as the craft cabinet and bookshelf I brought with me.
• 4 more boxes of books that we are not currently using... but S will.
• 12 boxes of completed work from the boys since we began (and we're only on year 7!)
• 2 boxes of homeschooling files.

So if we didn't homeschool we'd have 30 less boxes and two less pieces of furniture to cram into that UHaul.

Is it all worth it?

Yep.

We are Very Thankful

...for a perfect trip from Portland to our new home in Colorado.
...for friends who helped us load and new friends who helped us unload.
...for the send-off from our evergreen community.
...for snow and sun and snow and sun.
...for four wonderful meals and the new friends who brought them.
...for Home Depot.
...for the sewage overflow in our new basement that wasn't as bad as it could have been.
...for Spring Break over Holy Week.
...for the anticipation of meeting everyone at our new TNL community.
...for Chip's first day doing the thing he was designed to do.