SNOW DAY 2

Well, what do you know? It has snowed twice this winter in Mississippi! We didn't get all the nasty ice that everyone else had, but just a nice dusting of snow and enough "coldness" for them to cancel school today....for everyone but the homeschoolers! Mom is so mean!
At least Megan didn't have to miss school for her orthodontic evaluation....yes, another one in braces! She will start next month. They will try to hook her up with Katie's same dental student so they can have their appointments together.
Speaking of dental...I've had quite the ride. A few weeks ago I bit down into a licorice rope and heard a bone crunching sound eminating from my mouth! I called the dentist, but due the late hour they told me to come in first thing in the morning. He looked at it and said he couldn't find anything wrong, so referred me to an endodontist after he bonded the now loose tooth to the ones surrounding it. One visit to the endo and he found the crack...half of my tooth was lucky to still be there. The crack was across the middle of the back of the tooth. Also the root canal I had on that tooth when I was little was now broken as well...the tooth was needing a new "post and core." So I went in last Friday, armed with a mild pain killer that all my friend's told me was worthless...but what else can you do pregnant? So after enduring painful shots to numb me (they thought I was tough enough to withstand it since I had my babies at home without drugs) he went to work redoing the rootcanal then gave instructions for me to return to my dentist for a crown. I had no idea what I was in for! Monday or Tuesday (I don't remember it is still a blur) I went in not knowing they were going to REMOVE my tooth, send it to a lab, and let me live with a temporary until mid Feb when the tooth would come back!!!!!! So why the hell did I get the root canal fixed? Seems to me they could have removed it, repaired it, crowned it and then put it all back! Why so many dr. visits, xrays and PAIN?!?!?!? I'm starting to really get sick of soup and yogurt!! I did get some applesauce today, woohoo! I also managed to eat a taco salad....no biting anything or eating anything requiring my front teeth for awhile.
Well, I am glad the kids were around today...everything felt "normal" for once. I know other parents dread their kids being home--I LOVE IT!

Megan, the spoon that stirs the pot

So, if you've read back a little, you will see me gushing about how great Kat is...well, the next in line is making up for her sister's lack of "typical teen rebellion." I always joke that she will be the one to run off and be a pole dancer in Las Vegas! Scantily clad, stealing, lying, selfish kid is driving me to drink!!!!!!!!!! Just kidding, but seriously, I don't know if we will all survive this "phase" and am welcoming any hints anyone else has about how they might curb the self-righteous attitude that she seems to display on a permanent basis. Remember the "nobody likes me....?" Well, hers is even better, "I just wish everyone around here could show a little respect and consideration of my feelings!" This comes on the heals of her taking a shower (for an hour), then walking around in a towel, in front of two other kids watching tv, putting in what she wanted to watch and then getting upset when I told her to go get dressed, clean her room and stop walking in front of other people and changing the tv while other people are watching it. Argh! She also complains about every single little thing I ask her to do, like it is some big inconvenience to her busy schedule! I am open to comments, suggestions, criticisms!!!

Snow!

We awoke to a mini-blizzard here in North Mississippi! The kids stood by the window for at least 20 minutes just watching it snow. They also laughed at the birds and squirrels as they dashed about, obviously confused by the white stuff falling from the sky....they just kept pushing leaves and snow aside to try to reach the insects and seeds that were covered. Of course, in typical southern style, it left as quickly as it came. The kids enjoyed the morning "playing" in the dusting of snow, came in for some hot cocoa, and then had a review of European explorers while playing in the living room. There is a video of their reenactment at the bottom!

Stephen's first basketball game

So we finally managed to find a sporting team that truly cares about kids having fun, fits our schedule and is economically feasible...church basketball!
Here is Stephen at his first game...the tall bean pole kid with arms in the air constantly.

Pride and joy

A friend of mine just did this and gave me a great idea....
Katherine left for New York City on Friday. I cried on the way home from the airport. This year is giving me "baby steps" to letting her go in just a few short years. I can already see signs of the "I am making my own life now."She has always been fiercely independent. But her beautiful blond curls and constant laughs and smiles, made it almost impossible to ever be horribly mad at her.
As she grew she held fast to that independence, but also became noticibly shy. Not painfully so, but just preferring her own company of family and books to strangers. I've noticed in the past year her willingness to socialize with others, make new friends, and enjoy being around other kids around her own age has dramatically improved. She went from going to homeschool functions and sitting in a corner and reading, to actually going into a room of other teens, feeling at ease and interacting with them...even when she really didn't know any of them! Her confidence in herself has helped her to blossom beautifully in the past six months!
Yesterday, I took her to school at 8 in time for luggage drop off and final instructions. I started to walk into school with her when she saw a fellow classmate who was also going on the trip. She yelled out to her and started running up to her to talk. I caught up and asked if she wanted me to stay or go home and come back later to take her to the airport...she said, "whatever you want mom, but you can go home." I watched her walk into school chatting away and thought to myself, "step 1."
"Step 2" came when I took her to the airport and she walked off with another classmate into the airport terminal to wait on the school bus...without me. I expressed some concern about leaving her there alone and another nice, quiet and quite shy boy that I remembered from last year's trip to Orlando, came up and said, "its okay Mrs. Harper, I'll wait with her." Katherine turned and walked off with him. I ducked into the van to grab my camera for a picture and she was almost out of sight...
I cried all the way home from the airport. I thought, two more years and she will out of the nest. She is so looking forward to summer youth retreats (this year without me as a chaperone), college and all the experiences and challenges that go with that.

I am proud that she is turning out to be such a level headed, loving, christian young woman. That was my goal when they first placed her in my arms and though I once doubted she'd live past the age of three (LOL!). Now at 15 1/2 I am glad that she is in my life!!!

My experience with the law...

Okay, another "I hate my kids day." Everyone has been so wacky, loud and disrespectful since Paul left...I don't know why. Maybe because mom is "checked out", in pain, tired, or getting sick...any or all of the above. I go to the endodontist today to see what is wrong and hopefully fix it. In the meantime, I look for more squishy foods to eat as I can't bit anything (pull apart sandwiches in bite size pieces, and anything hard is out the window). Wow, I am just exhausted. Big stress last night....we had art co-op over here and Kat was supposed to stay after school for a meeting. Anticipating that she would call for pickup while three other families were parked in my driveway, I moved my van to what was once the "cul-de-sac," but is now just a wide spot in the road. Unbeknownst to me, I got the right side of the van in the mud! Kat ended up with a ride home with a friend from school, so I didn't get in my van until 6:30pm last night, to pick up Stephen from basketball practice (another dad took him). When I got in I thought it felt a little crooked, but soon started up and..........spun my wheels! Tried to rock, but it just would go about four inches and settle back to its previous spot. It was pitch black and cold and so I gave up. Called a friend who promised to come out in the morning as her dh was on graveyard shift and would return in the morning. Called my other friend and asked if they could bring Stephen home as I was unable to drive anywhere...no probs...fast forward about 10pm, I get up to get a drink of water and see cop lights flashing on the street behind my van! I think, should I call the police station or go out there? And if I go out there, will they think they are under attack and I invite unwanted bullets into my pudgy body???? What does it feel like to get shot? Oh, my mind wanders! As I stood at the window trying to decide what to do, I finally figure to turn on lights and begin to walk out...remember we live on an acre and the house is somewhat situated a little more than 1/2 way back from the road. I'm yelling, "I'm sorry officer, that is my van! I just got stuck in the mud and no one could come help me until tomorrow morning!" Their flashlights quickly flash in my direction to see a pregnant woman waving her arms, walking slowly towards them. They asked their few questions and say someone called in a suspicious vehicle...I said I didn't understand that since we bought the van a year ago and all my neighbors know it is ours??? After a few minutes they finally wished me a good night and walked back to their car. I walked back up and watch them head off a second police officer who'd come from the opposite direction..two cop cars, four cops...just for a 12 passenger van with a carseat in it?! Olive Branch must be hurting for activity!~ They sat outside my house for 15 minutes or more talking...so much excitement!

southern grammar

So we finally got back into the groove today and I just quickly have a moment to tell you of a major mistake my 7 yr old found in her grammar book. Never mind that four other kids were in this book before her SHE found the mistake...there is no listing for y'all or all y'alls in her book!!!! Plural and plural possessives beware...The South does not forgive or forget (a lesson in which has taken me YEARS to figure out)!

Happy New Year!

Well, the year started off warm down here in the south, but has turned its nastiness back on us and we have freezing rain! You have to add the cold to the humidity and it is down right bone-chilling! Stephen started basketball practice. We managed to get him onto a team with some other homeschool friends, so he is really enjoying it...we'll let you know when there "big" game is! Paul and I drove out to meet the new midwife today and she was an absolute delight! Being a fellow midwife and also having had so many, I've learned that it isn't like interviewing doctors at all. I am looking for how she conducts herself, how she speaks and what I see her "see me" as. Paul and I both took an instant like to her and I can't wait for this friendship to grow! I must say too, that we were gone for four hours and not one phone call from the kids and the house was clean when I got home! Makes me wonder if Katherine locked everyone up until we returned, LOL!
Paul has to report out to the airport tomorow and will be on "hotel standby" for 12 hours...he tells me, "you should come out and we can have dinner...." Ha! Is that what you call it now? He has to do that for four days...I get the bed to myself finally!!!
Katherine is gearing up for her big NYC trip in just under 10 days! I'm a little bit of a wreck, but I am sure she will be fine. Megan and Kat both go back tomorrow and I actually got on the computer tonight so I could download the lesson plans for the other three tomorrow. I honestly still have to input their grades from last quarter, but that shouldn't take me much time.
Tomorrow we will have some company, so everyone is going to have to hustle with their work and get done before lunch. This shouldn't be too much of a problem...unless you are seven and have ADHD...then it is torture!!!!
Well, I probably need to hit the sack early as Meg & Kat leave for the bus at 6:40 in the morning!