I love to read... don't you?

What we are reading:

Mom: The Goldsmith's Daughter, Kate Sedley
~N~: Shades of Gray, Carolyn Reeder
~D~: The Drummer Boy of Vicksburg, G. Clifton Wisler

In the mornings, I am reading aloud "Clara Barton," and before bed I am reading aloud "The Hobbit."

I have decided to slow down on the Ancient History for awhile so we can spend more time on the history of Fredericksburg. We are surrounded by Civil War history and I am eager for all of us to gain a better understanding of the many interesting issues relating to that time period. What an awesome opportunity to live here and take the boys to see the Fredericksburg Battlefield, Civil War museums, Ferry Farm (George Washington's boyhood home), and many, many other sites of historical significance.

Today, I have been enjoying some alone time. While the boys hung out with Dad, I left to run some errands. After going here and there, I spent a couple of good hours at Borders Bookstore. I didn't buy any books, but I did enjoy perusing many a good book without being in a hurry or having to keep a watchful eye on my children. So many books, so little time.

I was just telling my husband the other day about my reading obsession. I have to read every sign I come across when I'm driving. I read license plates and bumper stickers. Wherever the words are, I want to read them. I am not concerned with numbers, its the letters that I care about. When I am bored, I write with my finger, tracing words I hear onto my leg. I imagine the words in my head as people are talking to me. If I meet someone who has a name I am unfamiliar with, I ask them to spell it so I can see it in my head. When I'm eating my breakfast, I have to have something to read. When I'm in the bathroom, I have to have something to read. If I know I will have to spend time waiting somewhere, I have to have something to read. In a barber shop, doctor's office, sitting in the car or before I go to bed, I want something to read. When I visit other people's homes, I look for books. If they
have lots of interesting ones, I pull them off the shelf and would probably prefer looking through them over talking to their owners. Unless I'm at Samantha's. Then I pull out the books I'm interested in and we talk about them together! I am overjoyed at the sight of my children reading. I love it when they come and tell me something that they read about.

I love it that God wrote letters to us. The fact that God put His Word in the form of a book means that He expects us to be readers! That makes me wonder... will there be books in Heaven? Will we read in Heaven? Surely!

Reading and Rejoicing,
Marla

I've Got the Dial-up Blues

Things to do while you wait for a Dial-up page to load:

1. balance your checkbook
2. change oil in your car
3. cook supper
4. take a nap
5. clean your bathroom
6. read a book to your children
7. pay bills
8. watch an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond
9. rearrange living room furniture
10. take a shower


Okay, its a little sarcastic, but not much. Life has changed since I had to give up DSL. We live about 5 miles outside the city limits and have no access to DSL. It is the only thing I don't like about living here. Dial-up is a blogger's nightmare. Anyone out there who maintains a blog while using dial-up must be an amazingly patient person, willing to spend many hours listening to their screeching modems as they redial, redial, redial, sometimes to absolutely no avail. They get glossy-eyed as they watch their computer's futile attempt to load pages with multiple graphics, if they are lucky. If they are unlucky, they see this error message all too often: "CANNOT FIND SERVER." Let's be honest. Nobody out there should be paying a singe cent for dial up service. It should be free. No, it should be outlawed.

So, I'm having to rethink my blogging priorities. The dialup situation is truely terrible here and drains too much of my time and energy. My blog will either wither up and die, or else it will be updated on a much less frequent basis. Sad, but true. Now, when I get online, its to get the business done as quickly as possible, before it locks up and leaves me hanging. Now, when I get online, I cross my fingers that it will actually connect, and then that it will actually load pages and work properly. Yep, sad, but true. Do you know if there are any dial-up support groups out there?

Marla

Oh Happy Day - ITS FRIDAY!

Here I sit, coffee cup right next to me. I'm sure glad its Friday.

You know, moving is stressful. I have a cold sore on my lip to prove it. What timing. Tonight, my husband and I are going out for dinner to celebrate our 14th anniversary and I have this incredible sore on my bottom lip! Yikes! I think I'll practice the "thinker pose", and maybe he'll never even notice. Thankfully, cold sores are not a common occurence for me. I usually get one only during high stress periods.



It takes so long to feel "at home" after you move. We have furniture placed throughout the house, but no pictures on the walls yet. I've attempted it several times only to put them back in a pile because:
1. I'm not in the mood
2. they don't look right in this house
3. Just don't care about it yet (is that the same thing as #1?)
Hey, white walls can be soothing and undistracting.

I'm amazed at the emotions I have experienced since we moved here. Especially in regards to homeschooling. I have had days where I was totally convinced that homeschooling is absolutely, undeniably the best thing we have ever done or ever could do. No one could persuade me that my children should be in school. Then, I've had the other extreme, where I'm totally unsure of myself and wonder why in the world they aren't in school. I sometimes have no desire to be in charge of their education and wonder if we are really accomplishing anything here. But these are fleeting doubts that I can shoot down pretty quick. It just annoys me that I can be so wishy-washy. Since we moved, it sometimes feels like I just started homeschooling last month. Are these typical first year jitters? I thought it would be easier to transition if we were homeschooling, than if they had to switch schools in the middle of the year. No doubt, it has been loads easier for the BOYS, just not easier for ME!!

My lack of creativity has also been startling. I just don't feel like doing anything exciting or different right now. My blog definitely reflects it. Its just there.

I wish Spring were here. I'd love to see some budding trees, green grass, and robins in my front yard. And aren't you tired of being cold? It seems like its been winter for years now.

Well, I better go dab some herbal remedy on my lip and pray for a quick cure. Hopefully within the next few hours!!

It's Friday -
So Rejoice!
Marla

Little by little, box by box...

The kitchen is unpacked... Hooray!
The living room is unpacked... Hooray!

My bedroom is the goal for today.... 18 boxes to unpack...sigh.
Over the weekend I'll get the boys' bedroom and playroom unpacked...bigger sigh.

Then I need to bake some chocolate chip cookies to celebrate! Because chocolate cures everything from aching back muscles to emotional stress, right?

I'm keeping a vigilant eye on the front windows today as I (impatiently) wait for Airborne to deliver my digital camera.I found out that they supposedly have been to my house 7 times to attempt delivery! I find that hard to believe. I think they are going to the wrong house. I've been home nearly every day since we moved here, either unpacking boxes or having school. They have not even ONE time left a note on my door stating that they were here and attempted to deliver a package. This whole thing makes me crazy. Yesterday I tracked the package and found out the driver left with the package at 9:00, so I waited around all day and they never showed up. When I called last night, they said they attempted to deliver at 3:30pm! Ha! Double Ha Ha! I was here the WHOLE DAY. WHAT IS GOING ON? If I want to pick up the package myself I have to drive all the way to Alexandria! I'm giving 'em one more day. If they don't deliver my camera today, I'll go get it myself tomorrow.

The sun is coming out from behind the clouds. Looks like a splendid day for staying inside and digging through endless cartons of stuff. Just kidding.

Rejoice- for the Lord is good
and His mercy endures forever!
Marla