Things of Great Joy

The computer is back up and running. With a new CD/DVD/CD-R drive, new hard drive, and a new memory it is almost as good as new. And with the warning recieved before the crash I was able to back up everything so within an hour of the repairman's departure, you wouldn't know that things were different...files saved, settings restored, bookmarks and webpage preferences remembered....I love technology when it works.

Yesterday was the first day of Bible Study. This semester I am studying a new Beth Moore video study on the book of Daniel. I WAS BLOWN AWAY. It is going to be fabulous, and I thought that about the other ones too. I was so stimulated by the intro material, I am looking forward to the homework. For example, she showed us in scripture how Daniel, something that took place 2 1/2 millenia ago is relevant to us today. The tower of Babel was built in Shinar. Abram was called out of Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the Promised Land. Both of these were covered in the Patriarch's study I did last fall. The plain of Shinar was were the nations decided to build a tower to the sky so that their name would never be lost from the earth, and they would not be scattered. That was in direct contridiction to what God wanted and wants. His name is to be glorified and He wants us to be fruitful and fill the earth. Chaldea is another name for Babylon. Shinar is in Babylon. This is not a coincidence. The Babylonians captured the Israelites and brought them back to the place where they had started. This represents the spiritual battle we all face in that the enemy wants to bring us back to our beginnings, our sinful selves, and invalidate any spiritual growth and progress we have made with the LORD. Daniel and his friends were some of many who were confronted with this challenge and the four of them fought against the enemy. May God use the ancient story to teach me a fresh word today. It has begun already.

Potty Training at Three

I have learned that no matter how successfully your toddler masters potty training accidents still happen for YEARS. I have written of this jouney to dry pants in earlier entries pitfalls and success and relapse. Let's hope we are nearing the end of potty humor. Jo sometimes gets too busy to go to the bathroom. Usually this happens when watching a movie. My new policy if that happens, is to then deny TV access for the rest of the day. If sister gets to watch a video then she does it by herself and Jo has to stay downstairs. This happened yesterday, and Jo took it pretty well. She seems to get the link between behavior and consequences. This evening, she was outside playing with Je and when they came inside she her shorts looked funny. I asked her if she was dry. Her answer was slow in coming, Je answered yes for her. Daddy thought she was damp but she came to me for a second opinion. I thought it was normal sweaty girl from the heat and HUMIDITY that we are enduring prior to a big round of storms expected tonight and tomorrow. She confided that she was dry, "I jus went in the grass!" she said with the offended air that only a new three year old can have. Ah wounded dignity! At least she was dry. Her father tried to blame this on me, but I told him we both taught her this when we stop on the side of the road. I do use a portable potty seat at least

I am in my right mind. I'll prove it!!!!

I am proudly left handed. I know that makes me quirky. I love it except the world is designed for right handed people. I am really sad that neither of my children seems to be lefties. When I was 15 my dad gave me a button for my jean jacket (that was very cool then) and it said
"If the right side of the brain controls the left side of the
body, then only left handed people are in their right minds"

I still have this button in my treasure box on my dresser.

I miss my dad.

You Are 35% Left Brained, 65% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Okay! I give up!!!!

I have been trying for nearly a week to get my computer to play nice. It won't. It is on its way into a wall or something. I think it has a virus that none of the expensive virus protection can find. So now I am stuck with this thing that doesn't work right. Right now the screen display resembles something that might have been on the computer of my elementary classroom when I was in 4th grade playing Oregon Trail!!!!! The graphics and stuff are way way weird. A friend had her baby (Congrats Lisa) and I looked at the pictures she sent via a weblink and it looks like a grainy bad newspaper photo or a digital camera print with 1 megapixel. I am sure the little guy is adorable but I won't be able to tell until I see him at church. Shan better do computer repair soon or I will pull my hair out.

To top it all off I have been having a week. I cry at the drop of a hat, I am completely unmotivated to do anything productive, my house is a wreck and my in-laws come this afternoon. Laundry is done but the clothes are in piles in the laundry room needing folded, iron, hung up, put away, etc. I am just blue. I guess my summer has caught up with me and like I said the other day BEFORE I just want it to end. Summer that is. Not life or anything. I can't wait to return to bible study, and routine. I hate limbo land and that is what August is for us teacher wives. School has started for the kids but not preschool or other school year activities that wait till after Labor Day.

I just want to get through these blahs and get on to the good stuff.

Although, I just got a link to show up and work in my blog so maybe things are looking up!!!

Summer is Over. Finally!!!!!!!

Now for a teacher that may seem like a strange sentiment especially barely halfway through August when the calendar indicates about 5 weeks till the autumnal equinox and it summer-like weather is likely to last at least till Labor Day, the unofficial official end of summer, but School has started. I think it is ridiculous that school starts in the middle of August but no one listens to me. The students returned to the classroom today so that is for me, the official end of summer. I am not even in the classroom currently, and that is what it means to me. Today wasn't noticably different for me and the girls but Daddy is a teacher so it is different for him. Fortunately, the heat wave has broken and I can stand to go outside and breath at the same time. I even opened up the house and turned on the attic fan. Love the attic fan. The house gets really cold, and Shan wears his flannel jammie pants. I love it. Snuggling under the covers and being cool.

I am relieved to have summer ending. This has been not so much my favorite year. Bible School and Church camp have been bright spots in the otherwise painful stretches. With deaths in the family and other difficulties with that and other things, I am ready for a fresh start. No I love winter so to me that is the fresh time. Fall is also acceptable, summer, my least favorite season weather wise.

BlaaaaaaaH!!!!

I know everyone has heard that the nation is suffering through an extreme heat wave. That means it is HOT!!!!!!! Most people talk about the winter blahs, its cold, its yucky, and when is it going to be over. I on the other hand love winter. I love snow and mush, cold weather, fires in the fireplace, hot cocoa, winter coats (although unless it is really cold, like 3degrees, my coat usually just rides around in the car with me), sweaters, turtlenecks and jeans, et al. So this heat wave is especially blah hy for me. I wish I could report some good from the heat, you know sweating five pounds off or something. I am so unmotivated to do anything productive, I haven't blogged in a week, I have cleaned my house, the public rooms only and I did browbeat my children into cleaning their rooms so they could watch TV. I have done only enough laundry to keep us in clean clothes, rather a neccessity when you sweat so much that you have to change clothes and shower two or three times a day. I don't cook because my husbands only request when it comes to dinner is, "Nothing that involves heat," meaning no grilling, baking, frying, or microwaving. My air conditioner has been hard pressed to keep up with the heat. The air conditioner is over 20 years old. I just want it to hold out for a few more years, Pleeeeeeeaaaase. I realized yesterday that Jo 3rd birthday is two weeks away and I have done very little to plan for it. I have presents that I have bought all year long so that isn't the problem, its a gathering kind of issue. Party or no party what to serve at dinner.

I think I haven't been this hot since I was pregnant. It is just tooooooo HOT. Have I mentioned that it was hot?