Outside my window…
This coming week, the
highs will be from the mid 50s to the high 60s. Regrettably, we didn’t
get enough days in the 70s.
I am thinking…
Of a friend from our
first duty station as a married couple who recently passed away. She and
her husband always color coordinated their clothing. They adopted their oldest
daughter just a few months before Dancing Angel was born. Their daughter’s
1st birthday party was the first Dancing Angel was invited to.
I am thankful…
On Friday, through text messaging, I watched The Grand Duchess stand up for a homeschooled student. She identified with this student based on her own experiences of having her abilities doubted by people who didn’t believe she should have a vocabulary as extensive as it was at a very young age. Friend Hubby and I were SO proud. She waged her battle with wisdom and won. That girl will never know the battle that was waged on her behalf, but I pray that one day she will pay it forward. In the midst of our flurry of text messages, I reminded her of the verse that Friend Hubby and very carefully and thoughtfully had placed on her high school diploma (Proverbs 31:8, 9). I think that we are all being challenge to go against our nature. Speaking up is not in The Grand Duchess’ nature. She is an introvert that hates confrontation. This is why we are so proud. She went beyond her natural inclinations to wage war on behalf of someone else. “May all people know of certainty that you ARE a virtuous daughter.”
I am wearing…
The change in seasons
brought about a change in wardrobe: long sleeves and sweaters. Along with
that change, for me, also comes seasonal eczema. So at the moment, I am
wearing a long-sleeved shirt, not because I am cold, but so that I don’t
scratch the rashes that are breaking out on my arms.
I am creating…
Nothing at the moment,
but I was very happy last week to get a box in the mail to a cousin who is
deployed with the Navy. I went to Michaels to buy something to make
another craft, but I haven’t made it yet.
I am going…
Out to dinner more. Recently, I went out to dinner with the moms of my Girl Scout troop that we graduated in the spring. It is so weird not to have Girl Scout things to do. I think we really made a good team. Every mom had a hand in doing things for the troop. I hope we continue this tradition, at least a couple of times a year. I wouldn’t even mind a campout.
After going out to eat with the Girl Scout moms, I realized how lonely I am for adult conversation. When I attended the community college, there were more older students that were at least in their 40s. Now I am in school all day with not many over the age of 21, I am so lonely for adult female conversation. Through Facebook, I invited some veteran homeschool moms (stipulation of having at least their oldest child to be a high school senior or above). I didn’t want to discuss the best way to teach reading. There may be a day when I host a dinner for younger homeschool moms, but I wanted this one to be for the experienced.
Three other ladies
showed up. I had met them all at one time or another before.
Dancing Angel had babysat for one of these moms before she died. When
she was 3 or 4, Princess Butterfly was in a dance class with her children.
She also used to come to everything The Grand Duchess was doing. I
distinctly remember her being in the audience at a spelling bee. Another
mom who showed up was my co-carpooler when our kids were in karate an Civil Air
Patrol together. The other mom I had just seen a couple of times when Princess
Butterfly had tried the homeschool archery team.
I am reading…
The Grand Duchess and
I went to hear a historical fiction writer speak and we had a nice conversation
with her while she signed our books. For me she signed the book that I
just finished reading not too long ago, Above the East China Sea. For The Grand
Duchess, she signed her newest book, Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen: A Novel. I am currently
reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
I am looking forward to…
Friend Hubby’s
birthday is this week. We’re celebrating all weekend. His father and
stepmother are coming. Crown Prince Sanban is coming home. Yay! We’re
going to eat and talk and laugh and praise Abba for the year he’s brought us
through. Last year this time was so hard, so stressful.
I am learning…
I did a presentation for my African American History class on Thursday. My professor had me go last. With my newfound skills in PowerPoint from my computer science class and my increasing skills of historical synthesis that have been coming along as a result of teaching World History, by the time I finished with my presentation, my classmates and professor were cheering. My mother always told me, “It’s a poor dog who won’t wag his own tail.” I have to say that I am proud of myself and thankful that I am definitely where I am supposed to be, doing the things that I have been called to do.
I am teaching...
In our Shabbat services, the big picture that I am teaching on is that a wise woman builds her house. In the small picture I am taking my time going through what it means to be wise. We have learned that wisdom is likened to the amino acids of proteins. Wisdom is the building material. Understanding is the process of building. Many people want to show off how wise they think they are with trivial knowledge, but they can't take that knowledge to build something that will outlast them: a home, a marriage, children, ministry, business, legacy, etc. Next week, hopefully we will get to counsel.
In my World History class, I have been teaching on the foundations of India, China, Japan, and last week, the continent of Africa. Let me tell you, it is a challenge to fit 4000 years into one class period. Next week, we are going back to medieval Europe, but now that we have a foundation on the other major world civilizations, we will always to check in to see what they were doing at the same time in history.
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