26 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 10

I am thankful for the difference a day makes!

I am thankful for .......

... parts for my dryer and my van window that are in the mail on their way to my home and a husband who knows what to do with them

... neighbors who will come turn off the water under my sink to stop the FLOOD

... our wet/dry vac!


I am thankful for .....

... headache medicine

... bacon

... coffee and my Little Doggie


I am thankful for ...

... sunshine and open windows

... daughters who sing early in the morning

... avocados of which I have many and intend to serve up with tortilla soup tonight

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
~Lamentations 3:22,23

26 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 9

Haystacks at Chailly at Sunrise, 1865

I am thankful for great works of art that have changed and shaped how I think and what I see in the world around me. For example, the other night I was driving home down a back road I often take. The road goes past a golf course and they are doing some sort of work that requires large piles of sand. In the moonlight the piles of sand looked very similar to Monet's Haystacks. I think it is funny this came to mind, but I am also very glad. This is only one of the many benefits homeschooling has had in my life.

And speaking of homeschooling today marks the first day of our 2nd term of the 2009-2010 school year. That means we are 1/3rd of the way to summer. Our learning has been going very well. I was really expecting this year to be more challenging for my two 7th graders (they are very close in age) because they are working through Sonlight Core 7 and Starting Points at the same time. But so far it has been going well and they get done with everything within a reasonable time period. I am prepared to make adjustments (mainly by spreading Sonlight out over a longer period of time) but it hasn't been necessary so far.

One's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

26 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 8

I am thankful...

...that today Ryan turns 20!

...for Sunday naps and the part that soft pillows, cotton sheets, soft breezes through an open window plays in this interlude.

...for walks in the park



...for strange nature sightings like the black duck in this picture. I am not sure I have ever seen a black duck before. Even his bill is black. No one in my family is able to muster up the excitement that I can about this but that, my friends, does not deter me.

...for kids who are pleased to humor me by hiding behind trees. Can you spot them?

Book Blurbs

About a month ago I spent the weekend immersing myself in the book Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski. It is a book full of details, something which some reviewers criticize, but if you are prepared for that in the beginning it really is all very interesting. Here is what Book Browse has to say about this book:

When his girlfriend takes a job in Thailand, Mischa Berlinski goes along for the ride, planning to enjoy himself and work as little as possible. But one evening a fellow expatriate tips him off to a story: a charismatic American anthropologist, Martiya van der Leun, has been found dead--a suicide--in the Thai prison where she was serving a life sentence for murder. Curious at first, Mischa is soon immersed in the details of her story. This brilliant, haunting novel expands into a mystery set among the Thai hill tribes, whose way of life became a battleground for the missionaries and the scientists living among them.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the descriptions of the people, the countryside and even though the characters don't necessarily evoke sympathy they are very interesting and are written with depth. I also enjoyed learning more about what an anthropologist does in the field. And just look at the cover of that book! Who could resist that?

Another interesting book that I've recently read is The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. This book is set far in the future. Jenna is a 17 year old girl who is recovering from some sort of illness. She doesn't remember a thing, her family has recently moved and everyone is acting strange and treating her with caution. As the story unfolds Jenna slowly gets her memory back and the reader learns more and more of what has happened.


I don't typically read a lot of science fiction but this book was interesting. One thing about science fiction type books like this set in the future is that it really does provoke moral and ethical thoughts and questions. I think this would be a very interesting book to discuss with a group of teens.


Check out the website and trailer: Who is Jenna Fox?

"When I am king, they shall not have bread and shelter only, but also teachings out of books; for a full belly is little worth where the mind is starved . . . " ~Mark Twain from A Prince and a Pauper

26 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 7

Ryan (20 tomorrow), Sara (17), Anna (12), Trey (14)

These are my children and my most favorite people ever! I am so thankful for the blessing they are in my life. They are funny, independent, deep thinking, interesting, loving, creative, and so much more. When I look at this picture I am filled with awe and praise for my God and Creator who has wrought such miracles in my life.

26 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 6

This is not our co-op but I really like this picture.

This morning, as my children and I are all busily preparing for our afternoon at co-op, it seems natural that I tell you how thankful I am for our home school co-op, REACH!

We have been a part of this group for close to 7 (or is it 8?) years and it has been a great blessing to our family and to our home school. My children love going to co-op! They enjoy the friendships they have there and the opportunity to take some very good classes. I so appreciate the gifts and talents other moms share with our family.

Not only do my children love co-op, but I do, too! It has been a wonderful place for me to find support and encouragement as well as making some very dear friends. Our co-op has also provided a place for me to learn more about my gifts and talents, both in the classroom and in administration and it has been a great place to serve the home schooling community.

26 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 5

Today I am especially thankful for my little sister. Over the past couple of years Marcie has battled thyroid and breast cancer. She is 39 and the mommy of two young children who are 5 and 8 years old so you can imagine how especially difficult it has been to under go surgery after surgery, chemo and radiation while doing all those things a young mommy has to do. It is with an extremely grateful heart that I report that her scans are clear of cancer and her doctor has declared her in remission! She still has radiation to undergo so your prayers are appreciated. Our hearts are filled with praise to God for His love, tender care, grace and mercy.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
~Psalm 13:5-6

26 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 4

I am VERY thankful for my sweet husband. He is kind, loving, loyal, tender, wise and strong. He is my best friend and he is a wonderful father. He is the one who keeps our family constant in many ways. He has been my greatest home school supporter. When the days have been long and I have become discouraged or overwhelmed he has been my #1encourager. Mike is one of the best gifts God has given me and for him I am very thankful.