Recently we had a little gathering of area homeschoolers here at our place. We were walking down the driveway, with the two youngest fellows running up ahead. I did my best to catch up with them, because shortly before everyone arrived I had noticed a dead snake on the driveway. I thought I should warn the little guys, so it didn't startle them too much when they reached it.
As I huffed my way towards them, I hollered, "Slow up, I need to show you something!" The minute I reached the dreaded spot and pointed out the lifeless, long form to them, the youngest of the two said, "Cool!" He then prompltly picked it up, shouting, "Hey mom - look at this!!!"
I ended up being the one who was startled - by a five year old's fearlessness.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Quote of the new School Year
We began our Fall 2008 homeschool year the day after Labor Day. About two days into Josiah's kingergarten career, he was afraid he had a problem. He brought his handwriting book to me and showed me the circles he was supposed to be drawing. He asked with genuine concern in his voice, "Do you think my pencil is messed up, because these circles aren't looking very good!"
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Like Father, Like Daughter
(published in some late May edition of "the Bullseye" - right before it went out of business)
I can see all of you reading my title and thinking, “Isn’t that supposed to be ‘like mother, like daughter’?” In a family of six daughters, do you really suppose they would all turn out like me and none like their father? I’m very pleased to report that no, they have not.
Our second born is about to graduate high school in a few short weeks. As would be expected, I now find myself reflecting on this very unique and wonderful young lady that God brought into our lives 18 years ago. Here's the deal; even though she is this beautiful, petite, feminine young woman…she is EXACTLY like her dad. I don’t mean her outward appearance – it’s that inner person that makes her who she is, that part of her that is so much like her father. Those inner persons can be extremely exasperating to me – a person so unlike either of them – and yet so remarkably endearing and fun. It would take a book to explain all the many similarities, so I’ll just pick one little example.
My husband Nate is the most self-confident person I’ve ever known. He also knows a little bit of stuff about a lot of different things. And so, anyone who knows him well, knows that you can ask him a question on just about anything, and he can automatically come up with an answer. In fact, he seems to relish in being able to come up with intelligent sounding answers, whether or not he knows the exact answer. I used to think it was a male pride thing – he just couldn’t admit that he really didn’t know the answer, so he had fun making something up. Bethany is proving my “male pride” theory all wrong.
Some friends from out-of-town came to visit us recently. Bethany came downstairs wearing a T-shirt from the college she plans to attend this fall.
“How in the world do you pronounce that word?” was our friend’s question when he read the T-shirt.
“Well, even though it’s spelled O-u-a-c-h-i-t-a, you pronounce it like Wash-i-ta," was Bethany’s reply.
“And why would the college be named Oauchita?” was the next question.
Without missing a beat, she said, “It’s named after a tribe of Indians that lived in the area. They all committed mass suicide when the government came in and took their land away years and years ago.”
I, being her mother, caught the rather sly twinkle in her eye as her words were pouring forth, but our friend lacked my many years of experience.
“REALLY? Mass suicide?” he exclaimed. “That’s very uncharacteristic of the native Americans.”
She burst out laughing and said, “You don’t believe me, do you? I just made that all up!”
Our friend looked straight at her father and said, “Oh brother – I had no idea THAT could get passed down thru the gene pool, too!”
That, along with a hundred other things that sometimes make me wonder if I had anything at all to do with her parentage…she is definitely her daddy’s girl. I love every bit of her, and hate to think about how dull life is going to be around here when she heads off to that college named after suicidal Indians. I hope they’re prepared for this little live-wire who is headed their way very shortly.
Our second born is about to graduate high school in a few short weeks. As would be expected, I now find myself reflecting on this very unique and wonderful young lady that God brought into our lives 18 years ago. Here's the deal; even though she is this beautiful, petite, feminine young woman…she is EXACTLY like her dad. I don’t mean her outward appearance – it’s that inner person that makes her who she is, that part of her that is so much like her father. Those inner persons can be extremely exasperating to me – a person so unlike either of them – and yet so remarkably endearing and fun. It would take a book to explain all the many similarities, so I’ll just pick one little example.
My husband Nate is the most self-confident person I’ve ever known. He also knows a little bit of stuff about a lot of different things. And so, anyone who knows him well, knows that you can ask him a question on just about anything, and he can automatically come up with an answer. In fact, he seems to relish in being able to come up with intelligent sounding answers, whether or not he knows the exact answer. I used to think it was a male pride thing – he just couldn’t admit that he really didn’t know the answer, so he had fun making something up. Bethany is proving my “male pride” theory all wrong.
Some friends from out-of-town came to visit us recently. Bethany came downstairs wearing a T-shirt from the college she plans to attend this fall.
“How in the world do you pronounce that word?” was our friend’s question when he read the T-shirt.
“Well, even though it’s spelled O-u-a-c-h-i-t-a, you pronounce it like Wash-i-ta," was Bethany’s reply.
“And why would the college be named Oauchita?” was the next question.
Without missing a beat, she said, “It’s named after a tribe of Indians that lived in the area. They all committed mass suicide when the government came in and took their land away years and years ago.”
I, being her mother, caught the rather sly twinkle in her eye as her words were pouring forth, but our friend lacked my many years of experience.
“REALLY? Mass suicide?” he exclaimed. “That’s very uncharacteristic of the native Americans.”
She burst out laughing and said, “You don’t believe me, do you? I just made that all up!”
Our friend looked straight at her father and said, “Oh brother – I had no idea THAT could get passed down thru the gene pool, too!”
That, along with a hundred other things that sometimes make me wonder if I had anything at all to do with her parentage…she is definitely her daddy’s girl. I love every bit of her, and hate to think about how dull life is going to be around here when she heads off to that college named after suicidal Indians. I hope they’re prepared for this little live-wire who is headed their way very shortly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)