Well...never saw this coming but here I am. I have become a homeschooling mom! Folks have done this for eons but as a former public school teacher never ever thought it would be me.
We love our neighborhood school and our community. Sadly, Sarah's needs were not going to be met there this year. Thankfully I have friends that are honest and forthcoming with their experiences. Their experiences and loss encouraged them to protect other kiddos. For them I am grateful. And then there is the "B" word. Bullying is another topic for another day. Remind me later.
So without a double income, private school was out, public school led to sobs from Sarah so home we are. Day one is a total success. We accomplished a ton! Sarah is happy and I am thrilled.
I am blessed to be able to stay home with my kiddos. It is not easy financially but it was a sacrifice we were willing to make. So while this was supposed to be my "easier year" with Joshua heading off to school I am so grateful to be able to do this for Sarah.
So now I am in serious slow down mode. No more running errands all over in the am...gotta teach. No more chatting on the phone...gotta teach. No more playing useless computer games...gotta teach. Today I was more present with my kiddos than I have been in quite some time (Yes, I am ashamed). Teaching Sarah looks to be teaching me. Slow down, spend time, giggle, eat buttered noodles, and read a book because you can and should.
My front door is open if you are up for coffee but please excuse me if I walk away to teach for a bit.
<3
Michelle
Monday, August 26, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Dolls...the BANE of my Existence
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19 NIV
Oh these dolls!!!! I have managed to sell and ship out 5. Yes, just 5. One of them is pictured above! It is an S and M anatomically correct dolls. He shipped out today and will not be missed. Goodbye and good riddance Billy!
There are hundreds to go. The ebay race is a time sucker and keeps me from my daily functioning. I have spent more in shipping than I have made on these silly things. Once again...clean your closets. No one wants your stuff...you do not need your stuff. Do not buy stuff. Spend time with family and friends. Read your bible. Learn to play an instrument. Further your ministry that has been blessed by God.
This has already eaten away at my time and my soul. Thankfully, my DH (dear husband), may have found an answer. I am heading to Batavia on Monday next week to drop off all of these dolls that my grandmother loved dearly. She would not want me to be losing my mind and my patience. Hopefully where ever she is now, she understands that it is just stuff. This "place" will give me an idea of how much money I can make and will take them away. They will sell them and write me a check. No more shipping, no more Ebay, no more dolls. Every doll that is in my house will be gone and I will be free of them. This is all far from real...but I am all about dreams coming true. I am a Disney fan after all!
If this goes well, I will schedule time in my calendar to pick up more dolls and drop them off in shifts. :-)
Crossing my fingers. I may not come up with as much money in the end, but less of nearly nothing....is still nearly nothing. I will still come up with something, I hope. God willing it will get me started on my mission trip to Zambia or Philippines.
Oh these dolls!!!! I have managed to sell and ship out 5. Yes, just 5. One of them is pictured above! It is an S and M anatomically correct dolls. He shipped out today and will not be missed. Goodbye and good riddance Billy!
There are hundreds to go. The ebay race is a time sucker and keeps me from my daily functioning. I have spent more in shipping than I have made on these silly things. Once again...clean your closets. No one wants your stuff...you do not need your stuff. Do not buy stuff. Spend time with family and friends. Read your bible. Learn to play an instrument. Further your ministry that has been blessed by God.
This has already eaten away at my time and my soul. Thankfully, my DH (dear husband), may have found an answer. I am heading to Batavia on Monday next week to drop off all of these dolls that my grandmother loved dearly. She would not want me to be losing my mind and my patience. Hopefully where ever she is now, she understands that it is just stuff. This "place" will give me an idea of how much money I can make and will take them away. They will sell them and write me a check. No more shipping, no more Ebay, no more dolls. Every doll that is in my house will be gone and I will be free of them. This is all far from real...but I am all about dreams coming true. I am a Disney fan after all!
If this goes well, I will schedule time in my calendar to pick up more dolls and drop them off in shifts. :-)
Crossing my fingers. I may not come up with as much money in the end, but less of nearly nothing....is still nearly nothing. I will still come up with something, I hope. God willing it will get me started on my mission trip to Zambia or Philippines.
Friday, February 22, 2013
...and So It Begins...
October 21, 2012 my grandmother passed away. Some will say it was peaceful. I disagree. Watching someone die with COPD is not peaceful if you truly understand what is happening. Hopefully I am completely clueless about my demise or you will find me on a really fast horse, no helmet, and my affairs in order as I ride off into the sunset never to return.
I pray that she knew The Lord. I do not know for sure. She hated death. She was unable to discuss the reality of it. As a Christian, I do not have the gift of evangelism. I am working on it. But it is HARD! I struggle so with the finality of the fact that my non-Christian family and friends will not enjoy eternity with me. I am not anxious about death. I know it is a better place than the cold doldrums of Chicago and the sinful world in which we live.
I digress....
Today I finally brought two boxes of dolls to the postal center near my home. Sunny, the owner and I are going to bond over the next year. See my grandmother thought it grand to will me her dolls. Yes....300 or 400 plastic or porcelain creatures that I have to sell one by one. It feels more like penance than something someone receives in a will. I did not like dolls as a child. I really do not like dolls now. Funny, I can almost hear my grandmother laughing at me. "You did not come see me enough. Now, you can spend lots of time with my dolls." UGH!
So I have decided. I can either be miserable every minute of dealing with these miniature people or I can think of each one as one step closer to helping children. Percentages have been set in my excel spreadsheet and there is a column set aside for either a mission trip for me to meet my Compassion kiddo in the Philippians or a mission trip to Zambia to teach local teachers best practices. Another column is set aside for our vacation fund. Gran loved to travel. She adored hearing about our travels with the kids. With the proceeds, I hope to pay for our timeshare that we enjoy so very much.
Happy thoughts...... I am trying. I hate dolls and I do not need more work to do. There is a reason that I have been given this task. I pray that the Lord grows me through it.
I pray that she knew The Lord. I do not know for sure. She hated death. She was unable to discuss the reality of it. As a Christian, I do not have the gift of evangelism. I am working on it. But it is HARD! I struggle so with the finality of the fact that my non-Christian family and friends will not enjoy eternity with me. I am not anxious about death. I know it is a better place than the cold doldrums of Chicago and the sinful world in which we live.
I digress....
Today I finally brought two boxes of dolls to the postal center near my home. Sunny, the owner and I are going to bond over the next year. See my grandmother thought it grand to will me her dolls. Yes....300 or 400 plastic or porcelain creatures that I have to sell one by one. It feels more like penance than something someone receives in a will. I did not like dolls as a child. I really do not like dolls now. Funny, I can almost hear my grandmother laughing at me. "You did not come see me enough. Now, you can spend lots of time with my dolls." UGH!
So I have decided. I can either be miserable every minute of dealing with these miniature people or I can think of each one as one step closer to helping children. Percentages have been set in my excel spreadsheet and there is a column set aside for either a mission trip for me to meet my Compassion kiddo in the Philippians or a mission trip to Zambia to teach local teachers best practices. Another column is set aside for our vacation fund. Gran loved to travel. She adored hearing about our travels with the kids. With the proceeds, I hope to pay for our timeshare that we enjoy so very much.
Happy thoughts...... I am trying. I hate dolls and I do not need more work to do. There is a reason that I have been given this task. I pray that the Lord grows me through it.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Why Blog???
Wow!
Now that is a good question! I am not a stellar writer but I love reading in between diaper changes and tutoring algebra and running two Girl Scout troops. It is past time that I started to take care of me. What is in my heart, on my soul and needing to escape. It has been almost two years since I was a changed woman, and an even longer walk.
I write for me. I write so others know they are not alone in their thoughts and frustrations and prayers. So I will write. I read quite a few blogs from some excellent writers. Trying to keep up with them will be impossible so writing will be my outlet, for now. :-)
Now that is a good question! I am not a stellar writer but I love reading in between diaper changes and tutoring algebra and running two Girl Scout troops. It is past time that I started to take care of me. What is in my heart, on my soul and needing to escape. It has been almost two years since I was a changed woman, and an even longer walk.
I write for me. I write so others know they are not alone in their thoughts and frustrations and prayers. So I will write. I read quite a few blogs from some excellent writers. Trying to keep up with them will be impossible so writing will be my outlet, for now. :-)
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