9th Birthday Thoughts & Video

It amazes me how quickly time passes in our lives. Our days blend together so easily as we get older. When we were children, time seemed to take forever. We couldn't wait for a special event to arrive, usually our birthdays or Christmas. And then, just as quickly as they came, we're longing for the next big event. Now, I wish time would slow down. If not down right stand still for a few moments. I want to enjoy the moments that we're in. The precious conversations with Violet as she shares some exciting tidbit that she learned or just something that made her happy. I want our early morning ritual of her climbing into bed with me, as her Daddy wakes up to start his day at work, to slow down so I can enjoy her deep breathing as she settles back into sleep. 

I want to fully enjoy each precious second that we are blessed to have as a family. Yet, time rushes by and before I know it, it's bedtime and we have to tuck our beautiful girl back into bed for the night. And moments of sadness always pricks my heart as I realize all of the opportunities I've missed that day. No matter how hard I try to prevent it, my days usually end this way.

A moment turns into a day. The day turns into a week. That week quickly turns into a month. And before I know it, another year has come and gone. Such is the case today on Violet's birthday. At the stroke of 1:16 pm, CST, Violet will officially be 9 years old. It is such a bitter sweet moment for me. I miss the little girl whose fingers would gently curl around mine. Now, Violet's hands are nearly as big as my own. I'm so grateful that we have this day to celebrate though. So many families long for a birthday celebration that will never come. Time has literally frozen for them and their babies will always be babies. So, I rejoice on this incredibly special day in my daughter's life. Truly, life is very sweet for us and I thank God for all of it. Even the moments that are hard and leave us scratching our heads on how to proceed with discipline or heartaches. Each precious moment is a gift that I pray to never take for granted.

So much has happened in Violet's 8th year of life. She completed her third year in Classical Conversations and developed stronger friendships with her classmates. Violet fell and broke her nose, resulting in the need for her first (and hopefully last) surgery. She watched her Momma go through a surgery of her own, creating a stronger compassionate heart and a willingness to help more around the house. Violet had her first sleepover with two friends from her school and had the most incredible time! And, she has grown at least another foot taller bringing her close to shoulder height to me. My most favorite event in Violet's life this year though has to be Easter, the day her Daddy baptised her in front of our church and family. Oh, what a blessed event that moment in time was for us!

Each day I think I couldn't possibly love this child any more than what I already do. And each day, my heart is stretched to a greater capacity of love. A love that is so overwhelming that it can paralyze me or create a Motherly fierceness that would do anything to protect her child. A love that has caused me to push aside timidness and advocate for my child, protecting her from the onslaught of a harsh world. A love that caused me to confront a dentist when my daughter wasn't receiving the level of care that she needed and demanded that it be corrected immediately. A love that my concerned husband understood and spurred these parting words to me as I left to confront that particular dentist, "Don't do something to cause you to be arrested." FYI, I was calm but firm when dealing with the dentist and I achieved my goal of getting the help my daughter needed.

So, here I am, thinking about this past year and feeling quite nostalgic. And as in the past, I have created a video slide of Violet for her birthday. I hope you enjoy seeing how much she has changed over the years. 

Happy 9th Birthday, Violet! Your Daddy and I couldn't be more proud of the young lady that you are becoming. So many changes lie ahead for you and our family but we know that you will handle them with style, grace, and your particular flare that is all your own. No matter what the future holds, always remember this... your Daddy and I love you to the heavens and above. You are dearly loved and cherished more than anything in this world. 

We pray that as you grow and mature, that you will hold fast to your faith and remember that Christ loves you. No sin is so great that it can ever separate you from the love of your Heavenly Father and the love of your parents. Your Mommy & Daddy will fail you and disappoint you many times in life but we will always be here for you, baby girl. Our arms and hearts are always open to you, no matter what life throws your way. 

Have a blessed day Sweetheart! And may there be many, many more birthdays for you to celebrate in life.

Love always,
Mommy & Daddy 

Easter 2013 & Baptism

We had an incredible Easter this year. This was by far my favorite Easter to ever experience in my life.

Gregg's parents flew down with Kiddo's favorite cousin, Miss. RC. It so happened that RC turned 16 while she was here on her visit. And if you know me at all, you know that I tried to make it a special day for our Sweet Sixteen year old cousin! We ordered RC's favorite birthday cake - white cake with blue frosting. We also decorated the house for her arrival and then celebrated with all of us going out to the Rain Forest Cafe. The girls had a wonderful time and I was able to get the waiters to sing very loudly Happy Birthday to RC before we left. So much fun!

We were blessed to be able to share in this special time in RC's life. I can't tell you how much we love that young lady!

As special as RC's birthday was for us, and the joyous event of our Savior rising from the grave and accending into heaven, we had another reason to celebrate during this Easter. Violet was baptised on Easter Sunday. My beloved had the incredible honor of baptizing our beautiful girl right after our church's Easter service! Violet made her profession of faith three years ago but we waited on her baptism for a few reasons. First, we were without a church home at that time. And then, while we believed her decision was solid, we wanted to make sure she fully understood that decision.

Easter was an emotional filled day for our little family. My beloved struggled to get through Violet's baptism a few times as his heart swelled with joy over the moment. I stood on the side and was overcome with pride and joy over this special moment in our daughter's life.

Gregg reading Violet's statement of faith to our church family...

Gregg praying a blessing over Violet's life as she continues to grow in faith...

Look at the joy on my baby girl's face as she came out of the water!

Oh, what a joyous day this day was! I get emotional as I think of all the ways God has blessed our family. We've been given an incredible little girl to raise and we can't thank God enough for choosing us to be her parents.

Blessings & Prayers for Grace

I have been a horrible blogger lately. The past few years have blown by at an alarming speed for me. I'm sitting here wondering how it just flew by. Where does the time go? I hope to be able to spend more time on here. So be on the look out for some posts in the near future.

Violet is growing up right before our eyes. It doesn't seem so long ago when our beautiful little girl was this little...

Yet, the camera doesn't lie. My baby girl is growing up....

I am in awe of the beautiful young lady that our precious girl is growing into. As I watch her, I can't help but wonder what incredible things her future holds for her. It is my deepest prayer that Gregg and I are doing the best by her and that we're raising her in a way that brings God glory. And when Gregg and I screw up (which is more often than I care to admit) that God grants us the grace we need to overcome our mistakes and correct them in time.

A Mother's Touch

My sweet hubby and I have been under the weather the past few days. Usually, we're able to take care of one another and Violet but this time it has been a "fend for yourself" type of illness. Gregg does a wonderful job of taking care of his girls when we need help and we try to do the same for him. Yet, there are times when you just want your mother's touch.

I remember, as a little girl, when I would get sick my Mom seemed like super woman. She always knew what to do, whom to call, and where to go in the midst of illnesses and emergencies. As a child, I'd walk up to my Mom and tell her I didn't feel well and immediately she would place a cool hand to my forehead and know, before the thermometer was ever taken out of its spot in the cupboard, whether I had a fever or not. There was no fooling Mom's hand.

After the appropriate dosage of whatever medicine was given, I would be quickly shuffled off to bed. If I was lucky, I got to lay on the couch and watch tv. But the greatest comfort was my Mother's touch. I loved lying next to her and feeling the soothing, rhythmic motion of her hand brushing my forehead and then into my hair. Even now, that is soothing to me. And, it is something that I find myself doing with Violet when she doesn't feel well.

I guess there is a part of us that never grows too old for our Mother's touch. We long for comfort and desire it in the ways that we are most familiar with. For some, that's chicken noodle soup in a mug. For others, it can mean being tucked in a warm fuzzy blanket. And hopefully, for most, that means a mother's soothing hand that is brushing all the pain and stress away.

 

Conversations

Conversation between Violet and her Dad...

Violet - "Is that bacon in your burger?"
Gregg - "It sure is."
Violet - "That's like Manna from heaven, only in a burger!"
Gregg - after he takes another bite of his bacon cheese burger, Gregg replies, "It sure is!"

Oh, how I love those two! It is never a dull moment in our home.

Welcome Tuli

The day we have been waiting for has finally arrived! We have finally adopted a kitty into our home. It has taken us a long time to actually get to this day. After our beloved Pepper passed away, it was just too difficult for me to even think about getting another pet. My heart was so broken over her passing. But here we are, three years later, with a new fur-baby to love and call our own.

We have been looking for a long time and kept coming against obstacles that were impossible for us to pass. The kitten would either be too far away for us to consider adoption or it had already been adopted out. Until, one day, when I came across this picture...

Everything about this kitten spoke volumes to my heart. She reminds me of nothing about Pepper, which is a good thing, except for those sweet tufts of hair sticking out of her ears and her being a Main Coon. As much as we loved Pepper, we didn't want a kitty that would be a reminder of her. Those were big paw prints left in our hearts and no one could fill them. After inquiring about this sweet kitty, who was named Bellini at the time, I was saddened to hear that her foster mom didn't want to adopt her out without her brother, which we completely understood. As nice as it sounds, we're not in a place where we can adopt two kittens. 

We took a break from our search and were about to start looking again when I got a call from the adoption agency about a week later. The foster mom reconsidered our adopting Bellini on the basis that we homeschool and are home more throughout the day than the usual family. Were we still interested? Oh YES!!! We were most certainly interested!!! So, after filling out a rather lengthy application to adopt and going through a phone interview, we were told we could come meet Bellini. We hoped in our car and headed out towards Conroe to meet this sweet little baby. Violet was beyond thrilled and it was hard calming her down during our hour's drive.

Once we arrived at the adoption event, we went straight to this precious fur baby that had already stolen our hearts. After meeting her, holding her, and petting her for a while, we knew, without a shadow of a doubt that "She's the one!" Once the adoption papers were filled, we bought a pretty collar and tag for our new pet that we quickly renamed "Tuli" (it is Finnish for Fire). Tuli looks like she has a red flame burning across her forehead, hence the name.

Tuli is already fitting in with our family like a dream! She is so sweet and loves to play. And she occasionally lets us snuggle with her. I think we will get more snuggle time once she get used to us. In just four short days, Tuli has made her way into our hearts and we couldn't be happier about it.

Welcome to the family Tuli! 

Broken & Restored

Our weekend blew by before we had a chance to digest any thing. Monday rolled around and we were taking Violet to Texas Children's Hospital West Campus. I'd be lying if I told you we were just fine. That it was just another typical day in our lives. Because we weren't fine. We were nervous and anxious. My baby was about to have surgery!!! Trust me, it is very unnerving to know you are entrusting your child's well being with a doctor who is practically a stranger.

As we were taken to pre-op, Violet was asked to change into some comfy scrubs for her surgery. Oddly enough, they didn't give her socks that had the treads on them. I immediately fixed that problem since running on a tile floor with just her socks on is what landed us in this situation in the first place! No repeats of that accident please!

I have to give it to Texas Children's Hospital. They know how to make the idea of a surgery one that isn't to be dreaded or afraid of. There were a couple of gaming stations there, as well as plenty of toys, board games, and movies. It was a childhood dream if you didn't count the surgery.

Violet did okay for the most part. The games kept her interested up until a certain point. Reality began to sink in and fear started to creep it's ugly head. She was such a trooper though. Even as fear started to work its way into Violet's heart she was ready to have her nose repaired. Her beloved Floppsy was with her every single step of the way! Yes, the medical team even let Violet bring Floppsy into the operating room with her. And from my understanding, Floppsy was tucked under her arm as they put her to sleep, and she was there with Violet when she woke up in post-op.

This image is forever ingrained in my mind. Violet was trying to be a brave girl and her beloved Floppsy helped her through that waiting period.

Violet's surgery didn't take very long. She was back in recovery within the hour of them taking her into the operating room. I couldn't sit still during that time and went to the gift shop to find something special for Violet. As providence would have it, I found a sweet little brown bunny that looks very much like Little Nut Brown Hare (one of our favorite bedtime stories). I grabbed him and a sweet balloon that would brighten her spirits. I went back to the waiting room and was sitting with Gregg for all of ten minutes when the doctor came in with the news that Violet did great and her surgery went better than the doctor had hoped.

The purpose for Violet's surgery wasn't to make her look like she did before her accident. No, the purpose was to insure that her nasal passages weren't blocked and that she could breathe freely. Cosmetic stuff can be done later if that is a concern. Dr. Musso came in with a big smile and said that the bone snapped back into place almost immediately (remember, she wasn't trying for a full realignment). Her thought is that Violet will look pretty close to her regular self once the swelling goes down.

Violet's recovery in post-op went very well and we went home after an hour or so. She did pretty well at home for an hour and then got sick. Dr. Musso said to call if she got sick three times and so I immediately made that call when that happened. Poor Violet was so distraught after her last stomach upset because Floppsy was in the direct path of the bucket that she missed. The tears that flowed from her were heartbreaking. Fortunately for us, Violet had a new bunny friend who stepped up and temporarily filled in for Floppsy. Thank you Little Nut Brown Hare! After cleaning Violet up, and changing the sheets on her bed, her medicine kicked in and she slept soundly throughout the night.

Violet is a very tough little girl. She had two doses of pain and nausea medicine when she declared she didn't want any more. I know part of that was because she didn't like how they made her feel. But still, she could tolerate the pain and began to go back to her perky little self. When she started sharing her knock-knock jokes was when I knew for certain she felt pretty good. Laughter really is the best medicine! 

Broken: Part II

After getting some rest and sleeping late, we finally woke up and started to make phone calls. My first call was to the pediatric plastic surgeon who was recommended to us from the ER doctor. Unfortunately, his office wasn't open yet. So, that made our next call to the Ear Nose & Throat specialist, Dr. Musso. Thankfully, we got an appointment later that week. 

Finding a dentist was a little more of a task. But even that turned out to be much easier than we anticipated due to a simple fact - Gregg's office just changed insurance companies and they've hired a service that is like a medical concierge service. You call your representative, tell them what you need, and they do the leg work for you. Within thirty minutes of my calling our service rep, we had a dentist appointment the following day. Truly, it was incredible. Our representative took all of the stressful elements of finding a dentist, a good one, and made an appointment for the next day.

Violet woke up very stressed out on the day of her dental appointment. As we were getting dressed she asked me, "Momma, can we wear our CC (Classical Conversations) shirts?" My poor baby was seeking comfort in her "big-girl" way. Wearing matching t-shirts was a price that I was willing to pay if it gave her an ounce of comfort to get through her dental appointment. During the whole time we spent at the ER and at the following doctor's appointments, this well-love pink rabbit, dearly loved and known as Floppsy, was by Violet's side through it all. Oh, how I love this little toy that brings such comfort to my little girl!

We showed up for her appointment, both nervous as two people could be. (Violet's previous dental appointments were not good ones for either of us.) We were seen rather quickly and the dentist that she got was the youngest in this particular practice. He was so nice, incredibly gentle, and very assuring. He took x-rays and did an exam and said to watch for signs of tooth damage but that he thought the gum would firm back up. I breathed the biggest sigh of motherly relief I've ever exhaled in the eight years of Violet's life.

The following day, Friday, was Violet's appointment with Dr. Musso. She took one look at Violet and confirmed what we already knew, "Yep, her nose is broken!" And then my heart stalled with her next words, "She needs to have surgery as soon as possible to correct it." Not what I was wanting to hear but as with all things, our heavenly Father is with us and will get us through this. Violet's appointment is the following Monday.


After Violet's appointment we rushed to our school to catch the ending of our co-op. We didn't stay for the afternoon program, a portion that I help out with, because Kiddo was given strict orders of no physical activities. We caught the last forty five minutes of class and then lunch. This turned out to be a sweet time for us. Violet's class prayed for her upcoming surgery as did the rest of the school during the dismissal. Let me just say, I love our home school program! It feels good to know that you are loved and being prayed for, that you are in fact a part of a community.

Seeing as this post is getting to be rather lengthy, I will end it here.The rest of the story will follow within the next day or so. 

Broken

Our lives have been crazy busy and down right hectic lately. School started back up nine weeks ago. This is Violet's third year with Classical Conversations. We started the school year with gusto, excited to learn, to see old friends and make new ones. Violet was super excited, as was I, to know that she had the tutor she was hoping to get. Then several weeks ago, only our third week into the new school year, Violet took a nasty fall and broke her nose.

Nothing prepares you for accidents. There is no training manual for these things. Little falls, bumps and bruises, are one thing. It's a whole different ball game when the accident is bigger than that. And you can only hope and pray that you have some sort of grace during those times. I don't think I did. Shock hit me and the first moments after Violet's fall are a bit of a blur. I just remember the scream, knowing that it was my daughter, and the icy chill that ran straight through my chest. Without having seen her yet, I knew that my baby was hurt.

We were at a friend's home when Violet fell. It took a little while to discern the seriousness of Violet's injury. She was bleeding and the instinct to protect herself from further injury had kicked in. After what felt like an eternity passed, but in reality was only minutes, Violet finally let us see the damage. She was already swelling and bruising. I couldn't process things and therefore had to judge the severity of the situation by the reaction of my friend. It was only until we were leaving that I realized how badly Violet was hurt. I think the shock was starting to wear off.

Once in the car, and headed to Texas Children's Hospital West, I called Gregg. My calls kept going directly to his voice mail and panic started to set in. After several calls, I finally thought to call our neighbor and, after a brief run-down, she went to get him. Not exactly the way you want to let your spouse know someone has been hurt. I managed to tell Gregg what happened, where to meet us, and that Violet asked to please bring her beloved Flopsy. My beloved moved quickly because he got to the hospital while I was still filling out the paper work. The rush of relief upon seeing him walk in was so great that it reminded me of an old western - the hero walked in to save the day. Our daughter, who was quietly crying and trying not to draw attention to herself, crumbled in her Father's arms. And my heart finally began to beat in a normal rhythm. She and I weren't alone in this anymore.

We sat in an ice cold lobby for several hours, waiting for Violet's name to be called. It was close to 1 AM when she was taken back to a room. Another hour passed before we saw her doctor, who confirmed my worst fear, Violet's nose was indeed broken. We were sent home with care instructions and names of two doctors to call the next morning.

I'll share the rest of the story with you at a later date.

Firsts

It hasn't sunk in yet that Violet just turned eight. I look at my baby girl and am amazed at how quickly she is growing up. Seriously, where does the time go? 

We celebrated Violet's birthday with family last weekend. Her Mimi and Pops flew down from Michigan and we got to spend her birthday with them and Gregg's sister and her family. We've not gotten to do that since Violet turned four, so that was a real treat for us. Beyond the special time spent with family, Violet's grandparents took her to Toys R' Us for a birthday shopping spree. They gave her a set amount of money she could spend for whatever she wanted within that price range. Within moments, it seemed like Violet was on a treasure hunt. Girlfriend was born to shop!  

Violet's big request for her birthday this year was to have a slumber party. She has been asking to have one for over a year now. After deciding that having two friends over would be the best way to ease into the world of sleep-overs, it was time to figure out who to invite. We thought about it for a little while and figured two friends from our home school group would be fun. School starts in a few weeks and this would give the girls a fun experience to talk about at lunch. 

I'm typing this as my precious daughter and two of her friends are sleeping in our living room. Violet's first slumber party. The girls seem to have had a great night so far - swimming, pizza, cake, movie, popcorn and lots of giggles. They've been so well behaved and after some gentle convincing to go to bed they have finally settled into sleep. It only took them an hour and a half to settle down after the lights were turned out. I think I've been pretty lucky so far!

As I'm sitting here, I am drawn to memories of other "firsts" in Violet's life - her first kick in my womb. Her first cries at birth. Her first words - Dada, duck and Mommy. Her first steps. So many firsts in her life and now this one. Each one so precious. Each one a gift from God. 

Eighth Birthday

How is it possible you are turning eight? My heart can't grasp how quickly you are growing up. Happy 8th Birthday Baby Girl! Your Mommy & Daddy love you beyond measure!

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Conversation on Mommy & Daddy Dates

Violet has been taking part of the Vacation Bible School this week and we have been taking one of her friends along with us. It was raining pretty hard this morning and it threw a major kink in my timing. In other words, I was running late. Here is a tidbit of our conversation this morning while we were stuck in traffic...


Me - I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!
Violet - What?
Me - I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!
Violet - Mommy, you sound like that Dr. guy.
Me - You mean Dr. Seuss?
Violet - Yeah, him!
Friend - You're weird.
Me - Yeah, I get that a lot.
Friend - It's cool though.
Me - Sweet!
Violet - Mommy, you don't go on dates anymore.You're married.
Me - Yes, I do! I go out on dates with your Daddy all the time.
Friend - Parents can SO date! Mine do.
Violet - But parents are already married. They don't need to date anymore!
Friend - You're crazy girl!


Yep, fun times!

Classical Conversations, Cycle 1, Read Aloud Book List: Part 2

From a very early age we have tried to instill a love of reading in our daughter's heart. Her Daddy and I are voracious readers and we would be perfectly happy if the tv is never turned on. We'd much rather be reading or doing something with music than watching a show on tv.


In my quest to encourage our daughter to read more books, I have tried to find read-aloud books that will tie in with her curriculum in the upcoming school year, which will be here before we know it! I've already posted a list of books that I've found so far. Well, the list has grown some since then! We will start from where we left off...


45. You Wouldn't Want to Be a Pyramid Builder!
46. You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Great Wall of China!
47. Cleopatra (Time Traveling Twins) - P.Vennema
48. Storming A Castle: National Geographic Mas Adventure
       - G. White
49. You Wouldn't Want to Live in Pompeii - J. Malam
50. You Wouldn't Want to Be a Myan Soothsayer - R. Matthews
51. You Wouldn't Want to Be a Greek Athlete - M. Ford
52. You Wouldn't Want to Be in Alexander the Great's Army 
       - J. Morley
53. Oh Say Can You Seed? All About Flowering Plants - B.Worth
54. Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today? - T.Rabe
55. If You Find A Rock - P. Christian
56. The Stranger - Chris Van Allsburg (book on the seasons)
57. Otis and the Tornado - Loren Long
58. The Magical Garden of Claude Monet - L. Anholt
59. The Little Island - M.W. Brown
60. Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas - Cheryl Bardoe
61. Are You A Spider? (wk 6) - Tudor Humphries
62. An Egg is Quiet (wk 7) - D.H.Aston & Long
63. Are You A Snail? (wk 5) -J. Allen
64. Insect Detective - Steve Voake
65. Listening to Crickets: A Story About Rachael Carson   
       - C.F. Ransom
66. What Do You Do With A Tail Like This?
67. Animal Grossology: The Science of Creatures Gross &            
      Disgusting - Branzel
68. For the Birds: The Live of Roger Troy Pretterson - P. Thomas
69. Planting the Wild Garden - K.O. Galbraith
70. The Life Cycle of a Flower - Molly Aloian
71. Balloons Over Broadway: True Story of the Puppeteer of 
      Macy's Parade - Melissa Sweet
72. Art & Max (art book) - David Wiesner
73. Fancy Nancy: Aspiring Artist - Jane O'Connor
74. Parus in the Spring with Picasso - Joan Yolleck
75. Michelangelo (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists) 
      - M.Venezia (wk 17)
76. El Greco (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists)  
      - M.Venezia  (wk 18)
77. A Boy Name Giotto - Paulo Guarnier (wk 13)
78. Mario's Angels: A Story About the Artist Giotto - Mary Arrigan
79. The Magic Horse of Han Gan - C.J. Hong (wk 18)
80. The Way We Do It in Japan - G.C. Iijima (wk 8)
81. Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog - P.S. Turnner (wk 8)
82. We All Went on Safari - Laurie Krebs
83. Fatuma's New Cloth - Leslie Bulion (wks. 13, 14, 16)
84. Day of Ahmed's Secret - F.H. Parry (wk 15)
85. Canada Goose at Cattail Lane - J.Halfman (wks. 21-22)
86. Magic School Bus Plant Seeds: A Book About How Living  
      Things Grow (wk. 8-12)
87. Magic School Bus Blows It's Top: A Book About Volcanos
      (wks. 16-17)
88. The Jungle Book (wk 8 - British Controlled India)


Are you as excited as I am about the upcoming school year? I hope these books will help you and bring some of our curriculum to life for your children. Happy reading my friends!  

High Tea

Violet has been involved in Keepers of the Faith this year, a program that was created to install Christian values and attitudes in our children while teaching them practical skills. It is a program that we have enjoyed be a part of. The girls learn a variety of skills as they participate in their club. Some of the skills the girls learn  are gardening, embroidery, culinary arts, music and fine arts, nature studies, and recreational skills, just to name a few. For each task the girls complete they will earn either a silver or gold pin, depending on the level of the project and completion. So far, Violet has earned pins for card making, identifying ten types of trees, hospitality, butterflies, birds and grandparents. She is working on earning even more pins in the near future.

We ended this year's meetings by having a formal high-tea party for the girls. The night began with a beautiful devotional about how important our words and actions are when we deal with others. The words we say, and our actions, can be compared to styrofoam, ceramic or fine china. No one wants to be treated like stryofoam, something to be discarded easily and without a second thought. And while being treated like ceramic isn't terrible, as you still have to be careful with it, everyone wishes to be treated as if they are fine china. You take extra care of fine china, being gentle with it and respecting it. A beautiful analogy for a tea party, don't you think?

The girls, and their mothers, had a wonderful time at the tea party. The girls treated their china with delicate hands as they enjoyed tea sandwiches, scones, various fruits, cakes and of course hot tea. Lemon, cream and sugar cubes were set at each table, adding to the high-tea experience. And not a single piece of china was chipped, cracked or broken during the party.  

I must admit, as I watched Violet and the girls enjoying themselves, it was hard not to get emotional. They are growing up so fast. Too fast actually. I remember when tea parties consisted of cute little tea cups, lemonade, peanut butter sandwiches and a tea pot that played "I'm a Little Tea Pot" as you tipped it's spout. Where did the time go? When did our daughters get old enough to use real china? Time is going by too fast for me. And to be honest, I'm not ready for my little girl to grow up.

Classical Conversations - Cycle 1 Book List for Foundations

In my enthusiasm for next year's curriculum with Classical Conversations, I have been searching out books. More specifically, read aloud books! I just started researching the topics for Cycle 1 and have found a wealth of books that I am completely geeked out at this moment! Yes, I love my books. Yes, I love sharing books with others, especially children. And yes, I get so excited about books that I feel like a kid that has been let loose in a candy store! Yee-Haw!!!

My list of books doesn't correlate with the book list that Classical Conversations puts out. Although a few of my books are on that list as well. Enjoy the plethora of books for Cycle 1 that I have compiled thus far! Be sure to check back though because I plan on adding to this list of fun books!

Books for Classical Conversations - Cycle 1

Afternoon Reading Program

*MSB = Magic School Bus

1.   The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus - Aliki
2.   The Pompeii Pop Up Book - David Hawoock (timeline)
3.   The Prince and the Spinx - Carl Meister
4.   Isis and Osiris - Carl Meister
5.   Who Was King Tut? - Roberta Edwards (timeline)
6.   Ancient Egypt: An Interactive History Adventure - 
- Heather Adamson
7.   Black Ships Before Troy - Rosemary Sutcliff
8.   Gladiators and Roman Soldiers, Fierce Fighters -
- Charlotte Guillain
9.   Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - Mary Hoffman
10. Mystery of the Roman Ransom - Henry Winterfield
11. The Librarian Who Measured the Earth - K. Lasky
12. Temple Cat - Clements
13. Gilgamesh the King - Zeman
15. Archaeologists Dig for Clues - Duke
16. The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War - E. Little
17. Henry the Navigator: Prince of the Portuguese Exploration - 
- Aniganello
18. Fierce Fighters Aztec Warriors - C. Guillian
19. Where Butterflies Grow - J. Ryder
20. MSB: Inside the Earth
21. Let’s Go Rock Collecting - R. Gans
22. MSB: And the Climate Change - J. Cole
23. MSB: On the Ocean Floor
24. Snowflake Bentley - J. Briggs Martin (award winner)
25. A Drop Around the World - B. McKinney (award winner)
26. The Egyptian Cinderella - Shirley Climo
27. The 5,000 Year Old Puzzle - Claudia Logan (King Tut)
28. The Great Wonder - Annabelle Howard
29. Mara, Daughter of the Nile - Eloise Jarvis McGraw
30. Tutankhamen’s Gift - Robert Sabuda
31. World History in Verse - David Manley
32. Multiplying Menace - Pam Calvert
33. Adventures in Ancient Greece - Linda Bailey
34. Alexander the Great: Ruler of the Ancient World -
- Andrew Langley (timeline)
35. Anthanasius - Simonetta Carr
36. Pompeii... Burried Alive - Edith Kunhardt (timeline)
37. Saint Paul - David Self (timeline)
38. Francis: The Poor Man of Assissi - 
- Tomie DePaola (timeline)
39. Joan of Arc - Dian Stanley (timeline)
40. John Calvin - Simonetta Carr (timeline)
41. The Making of a Knight - Patrick O’Brien
42. Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World - 
- Paul L. Maier (timeline)
43. Son of Charlemagne - Barbara Willard
44. Sir Cumfrence and the First Round Table - Neuschwander

Campfires & Fireflies

We had the wonderful privilege to stay in one of the Sundancer Cabins , in Gleenwood Arkansas recently. Our particular cabin, the Dream Catcher, was incredibly beautiful and comfortable. When we arrived we felt like we had come home - that's how comfortable the cabin is. We were right on a river and the cabin was nestled between the forest and a big open field. Again, I must stress how beautiful and comfortable this place was!

A nice, and very welcomed, surprise was Violet had a lot of freedom to explore and roam around without her Daddy or myself watching over her like a hawk! She would spend her time either at the cabin or at the river, where her Daddy and Grandpa and Uncle were fishing. If Violet decided to return to the cabin, Gregg would either call or text me that she was on her way. And I did the same with him when she decided to go back to the river. Violet didn't know we were communicating this way but it sure was helpful at easing our minds and let us relax some.

Truly, Violet has never had that much freedom in her short seven years of life here on earth. We don't live in the same world that Gregg and I grew up in. There are hidden dangers lurking around every corner. Some of the dangers don't look dangerous at all! Without a prior record that you are personally aware of, how is it possible to know someone is a murderer or pedophile just by looking at them? Some of the biggest pedophiles in our history have a squeaky clean look about them! Call me paranoid, because I totally am, but it's mine and Gregg's job to ensure Violet's safety. In order to do that to the best of our abilities is to watch over her every move when we're outside our home. Knowing there wasn't anyone around us for miles gave us the opportunity to relax and allow Violet to have freedom to explore her surroundings and to somewhat be out from under the watchful eyes of her parents. It was a wonderful experience for all of us! Violet thrived in this environment and I hated to take her away from it.

Gregg, my Dad, and Gregg's Uncle, along with Violet, spent the majority of their time trying to catch some fish. I have to give her credit, Violet lasted a lot longer than I thought she would while fishing. And if tadpoles were counted as fish, she would have beaten the men in their great fishing adventure. The only fish we ate that week were the fish we consumed at a local restaurant in town! But it wasn't for a lack of trying. The men were at the river all day, every day, trying to catch fish.

My Mom and I hit almost every single consignment shop in the town. We found several great deals. Violet and I have a real tea party that we're attending next month. Everyone is to bring their

own tea cup and saucer. So, we had a mission while at the stores - find tea cups and saucers! We found three beautiful sets and I adore them. Those are mine and Violet's souvenirs from our trip. I found several great clothing finds for Violet. She should pretty much be covered for her summer attire. And I found a cute giraffe print purse with red trim - totally opposite from everything I own, but I love it!

These steps were a part of our scenery from the cabin's deck area. It was so tranquil.

The picture on the right is of a humming bird that is obviously preparing to lay some eggs. We kept trying to find her nest but  never had any luck with that. She was a beauty!

One of our favorite things of our trip were the campfires we had each night. We would gaze at the stars that were shining so brightly and listening to the symphony of frogs, cicadas, crickets, birds, and the occasional coyote.There were nights that I debated sleeping outside so that I could soak up all the sounds but always ended up in the comfy bed that was in our room. And to be honest, I have never slept better in my whole life like as I did last week! It was hard to leave when our last day rolled around and I'd love to be back at the cabin right now!

If you ever have a chance to go to these cabins please do so! Trust me, you will not regret going. The cabins are fully furnished, have cable and wifi, are comfortable and are a great place to get some R&R.

Tonight's Conversations - Little Monsters

While getting Violet settled into bed tonight, she asked me a series of questions. I have several teacher friends and family who would appreciate her response...

Violet - Mommy, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Me - Well, I wanted to be a lot of things.
Violet - Like what?
Me - I wanted to be a veterinarian, a lawyer, a teacher, just to name a few.
Violet - Why would you want to be a teacher? You would be surrounded by little monsters all day.     

I busted out laughing with that response. I'm not sure where she picked that up from since we homeschool but I'm sure several of my friends and family might agree with Violet's assessment after having a rough day with their students.

Heart Issues

The past few days have been a bit of a challenge for our little family. Violet has been testing her limits to see if she can get away with something she couldn't have a few months ago. As a result, we've been having to say NO a lot more than usual. And, unfortunately, we have to watch her more closely than what we've had to do in the past (which was constantly in the first place). Many people would say her actions are a behavioral issue and needs to be punished appropriately. While I don't think they are entirely wrong, there are consequences for our actions, I don't think they are entirely right either. No, the underlying issue here is a heart issue. My precious daughter has been looking at outward things, activities and items, as more important than her relationships and respect for them. 

 Look at how sweet and innocent she was at two months of age!  Where has the time gone?

Now, don't get me wrong, I have an incredible kid! But I also know that she is not a perfect creation. No one is. And we have to remind ourselves quite often, and others as well, that she is only seven years old. She looks older than she is (she's tall for her age) and is well spoken for a child her age. Because of that, people think she is closer to ten than eight. Unfortunately, because of these things, people expect more from her than what she is emotionally capable of. I'm not making excuses for her behavior. I'm just putting things into perspective. You can't expect a seven year old to behave like a ten year old!

Something that has been placed upon my heart lately is that parenting isn't always easy. It's not always pretty. Sometimes it is downright ugly. And most assuredly, it WILL be difficult at times! Parenting is not for the faint of heart. It requires patience, effort, selflessness, and the willingness to get down on your child's level and get messy with them. We can't expect great things from our children if we aren't first willing to pour all of ourselves into them! I want Violet to be the better parts of her father and myself and that means we have to give those things to her.  

To pour life affirming grace into our child it requires us to be there in their lives, actively participating in it. It means setting down your iPhone, book, dinner preparations, or whatever is stealing your time and attention, and listening to what your child is saying - whether that be with actual words or with their actions. What is your child doing? Who are they with? What are their dreams? What's their favorite color? Their favorite food? Just as it does with everyone in our lives, it takes work to get to know your child! And just as it is with every relationship in our lives, you get out of the relationship what you put into it. 

I must confess, we have been greatly distracted around here the last two weeks. Violet's normal daily routine has been turned up-side down lately. And I have not been the mother I want to be or can be to the precious gift God gave me in a daughter. Some of the issues we are dealing with in Violet's behavior are the direct result of my not being more in-tune with my child. She is not the only one at fault here as I have my share of the blame. Ouch, that really hurt.

I don't believe anyone could question whether I love my child, because I do. With my whole heart. But being in this human frame I am in, I often act, well human! I mess up. I screw up. Daily. Hourly. I am child of God living in a fallen world and I can't raise my daughter without the grace and mercy that Christ has provided for me on the Cross. If I am to make a positive, lasting impression on Violet's heart, one that will make a difference in her life and thus in this world, I have to love her the same way Christ loves me - mercifully, freely offering forgiveness and grace, and instructing her on how to live a life based on God's Word and the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. 

Stepping Through Time

 My homeschool co-op had the privilege to tour the George Ranch Historical Park today. We had a most wonderful day filled with demonstrations and home tours. If you ever find yourself in Richmond, Texas, I urge you to go check out this treasure of history.

We stepped back through time to the 1830's, the 1860's, the 1890's and the 1930's. So much history happened during those time periods and it was a real eye opener to see how families lived back then. The first home we visited was the 1930's George Ranch home. This home was my favorite for many reasons. There were so many details in the George Ranch home that had me mesmerized.


This beautiful chandelier greets you upon entering the home...

The detail on this hallway entrance truly mesmerized me. Look at the detail, that was all carved by hand.

Apparently A.P. George really enjoyed his Tabasco hot sauce. It seems that he used the sauce on everything from meats, soups, fruits and vegetables. I think he had figured out the heat from the sauce helped keep his sinuses clear! This is what an 82 year old bottle of Tabasco looks like...

I have a deep appreciation of old fans. What I wouldn't give to have one just like this...

The 1870's Davis Victorian Mansion was beautiful. While the home was very pretty, I actually preferred the George Ranch House the most. This one seemed a little too stuffy for my tastes. This home is Victorian in style and the Davis family adhered to the Victorian lifestyle. Corssetts, suits and dresses required as dinner attire, and so forth. Like I said, it was too stuffy for me, yet I can appreciate the details of this home.

                           
This is a formal table setting with fine bone china and crystal goblets. They took their table etiquette very seriously. If a child broke one of the table rules, they would be dismissed from the table and not allowed to eat with their family for a month. 
                       

This is my favorite room in the Davis Victorian Mansion. This was a grandmother's room. The furniture in this room was beautiful. I loved the details on everything and the color of the wood. 

The Ranch is still a working ranch and farm. While we were there we got to see cattle...

We saw some horses and got to talk with a horse wrangler...

And we even saw an alligator searching for his next meal...

And finally, one of my absolute favorite things about the ranch - the trees! They are as old as the homes on the ranch and they are beautiful. 

I can only imagine the stories these trees could share if they were able to. 


If you ever have a chance to visit Richmond, Texas, you should take the time to spend a day at this historical treasure. It is well worth the trip and you won't leave disappointed!

Blame It On the Toe

I think I have now heard the funniest excuse ever. Violet's door just slammed and as I went to check on what happened, and if she was okay, she came running out of her room. The rush of words that came from her mouth still have me laughing.

"Mommy, I promise I didn't mean to slam the door! My toe    tripped me!"

I think that should qualify as the best and funniest excuse of all time!