To return to school or not

So I have been thinking, there are many sides to this issue. I really want my kids to go back to school, and they need to learn. Their mental health is essential, and they need to be educated. Some do not do well at all on virtual learning. I am an educator I could teach them at home but not with your curriculum, sorry it is not built for teaching multiple levels at the same time, 6 levels in this house.

I am a teacher. I want to be back in the classroom with my students, I miss my students. However, I want us all to be safe when we do it. Teaching in a mask to students who can not see your expression is a terrible idea, will a face shield be acceptable instead of a mask? I have also seen the matrix where if one person is sick, then everyone they have contact with gets quarantined for 14 days. How do I isolate from my family of 10, or have I exposed them, so they are quarantined along with me? Does it extend to all of their classes are quarantined? Now we look like the screen on that old shampoo commercial, and I told 2 friends.

What is reasonable here, we need to figure out what is best for everyone and not alienate or belittle anyone who has concerns on either side. Yes, our president said we need to get back to school because he and the American Pediatric Association are concerned about the health and safety of children not because he is evil, so stop that dialogue. In the end, education is controlled on a local level in some areas by a tiny burg and in some areas by a county but not by Washington.

Oh, and then there is the question of maybe the media should stop interpreting information for us and let us think. I watch different "channels" for my news and am amazed at the different information I am receiving, all should be embarrassed by the slants they are giving.

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Thoughts after the Election

So recently a friend said I need to BLOG, too funny I am in no way a writer and I think of myself as the worst grammar student who ever lived and the queen of typos. You know like Patricia Heaton in that "Mom's Night Out Movie" the christian one not the other one. :) All her texts were so hysterical from the typos and errors, you should watch it as a family it is a fun movie with great meaning.

So we wake up today a country divided once again. The House is Blue and the Senate is Red. What does this mean for me a mom who has to wake up and get kids on the bus in the morning, prepare my religion lesson for this afternoon and take my son to therapy and do more laundry and yes that is a daily chore here? What the election results tell me is we are a nation who needs to pray more and teach the next generation to pray, help others and work hard. How do we do that in this technology age?

We are in such a great danger at this point in time with a screen generation who does not know the value of hard work. Every kid wants to be the next YouTube star or the next one to be trending on Instagram. How in the world do we as parents balance the family, school and social media for our children? I know many of you think why are your kids doing these things, most of yours are too.

Yes, when I last posted (4 years ago) my kids were those perfect homeschoolers (not). We have graduated our oldest as a full all the way through homeschooler and now have sent everyone else to public school, I know the horrors, well not really. Everything including homeschooling has good and bad. Our schools have wonderful teachers who love and care for their students for the most part. They choose to teach in one of the lower paying counties in the area so they must like the job and location a lot, 8 miles down the road is a sizable pay increase, glad they choose to stay here. Some have to leave just to pay their bills and I miss them dearly. (you know who you are) So school here although not perfect I know some of you know the trials we have had. My children are not perfect and neither are the schools, we are all a work in progress.

So back to my thoughts on last night. Like St. Mother Theresa says it starts at home and like St. Therese the Little Flower says it's the little things. Teach your children to do the little things in life, help the lost child in the hall at school, help your little sibling get ready for bed, help your sister with math, put the shoes away so mom doesn't trip on them, we need to teach the little way to change the world in a big way. o as we start today off with a crazy political world, don't ignore the world, just teach your children to make it better.

Today as I prepare my CCD lesson on the 5th Commandment, "Thou shall not kill." I will teach them that helping a little may help a life and that making someones day is bringing them life. Bringing them joy and helping them "Rejoice in the Lord"

OK so I am not a great writer and I go off on tangents but I hope you enjoyed these thoughts fro today, at least in a little way.

What's your family motto

Back from my retreat and one of the gems I waked away with was you need a family motto. 

Well after batting a few things around I said to a friend, "We already have one." I guess I have always operated on this sentiment especially during hard times.  "It's His (God's) plan not mine I am just along for the ride." 

Just now in the kitchen today my husband and I were talking about our weekend events and at the Mass he attended Fr. Moretti suggested each family have a scripture passage that is theirs. My husband said well we already do,

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few." Matthew 7:13-14

So we have our motto and our scripture verse already, now to get the laundry in order and start planning those meals so we can find peace in our world. I am betting it takes a little more than that but I am willing to start in that direction.

Don't Wait - Do Something

Many people continue to discuss the Boy Scout issue of the day, but what have you done to voice your opinion and influence the vote.

Some times our little bubble is comfortable and staying in it is wonderful but then other times we need to take action. So as the powers that be prepare to vote you need to find an avenue and put in your two cents. I have always been a believer in stop complaining and do something to make it better.

Nothing in this world irritates me as much as someone who continues to complain about things and does nothing to change the situation. If you think I am referring to you, maybe I am. Yes, I know prayer is a great tool but action is also needed. So, get on the internet and start searching for ways you can get your voice heard. Below are a couple of links but don't stop there, find more on your own and let me others know. I know you are busy, well guess what so am I.

Our world is changing and the only way to influence it is with action, so stop sitting around discussing and complaining and do something.


http://www.onmyhonor.net/

http://www.saveourscouts.net/

Saying Good Bye

OK my friends from elsewhere may not understand this as much as my area friends. I vow here and now no getting close to military friends anymore. (OK I am not serious) However, I am faced with again this year as military transfer time comes saying good bye to good friends.

Two years ago I met these two wonderful women and their families in the vestibule at Mass, a typical move by Fr. Peffley of introducing us in the vestibule, hey Father this one actually stuck. They are both Coast Guard and families and both have 6 wonderful children. We have spent two years getting to know each other through church, scouts, homeschooling and life and now they are heading out. 

I am told by Reesa that it just means we have a place to visit. So my daughter is already mapping our trip to Southern California and then up to Sitka, Alaska. I know it is a pipe dream that we would do that but you never know and it is a great homeschool geography lesson. I am told she is losing her two best friends and I have reassured her they will still be her special friends she will just have to start writing letters. 

So for a second year in a row I say see you for now to some great friends. Living in an area that is so driven my the military is always difficult and yes this will most likely happen again but I can tell you our lives are so much better off having had these people here with us. Now we have friends to visit or plan trips to get together with somewhere out there. How about we meet in the middle somewhere?

So this week we will try and eek out a few last visits and then it will be e-mails, blog and phone calls. 

To be cliche it is only see you some day again and not good bye. 

May God Bless your families in your travels and keep you safe. Thank you for your husbands for serving. 

Sunset

 The view from our front porch tonight.

Happy Birthday #4

Happy Birthday to my Awesome 9 year old.

 Note the lovely floral gift bag.

And for his birthday he gets a Kindle and a word game. Just don't tell they are both actually educational. He  got back some of the Legos which were "put away" by mommy last week since they were not cleaned up. He also received about 4 or so inches of perfect snow, not to light not to wet.

The view from our front porch

Our Home

Our Apple Trees

Our Backyard

Note - the horses are not ours we just get to see them everyday without having to care for them. The little girls named our house when we were looking at it "The Horsey House".