Please Pray....

I've been informed that my friend, Rapunzel, is tired of reading the same blog post for the past week. I've had a few reasons for not posting. First of all, the cord for my laptop was missing. I just couldn't bring myself to log onto my children's ssslllooowww computer for an update. Secondly, I found that if I check out large print novels from the library, I can read while walking on my treadmill! Bad discovery. Now I walk and read in the morning....and keep reading for the rest of the day. I have a problem, once I start reading I can't stop. So my blogging has taken a back burner. (But I've read some pretty good books over the past week.) Now my cord has been found and I can get on with the posts. I plan to answer all your questions over the next few days. But for now...

Jouster called on Thursday, in tears. He was homesick and sick of being where he was. He said he wanted to leave. He had thought about running away. By the end our our 10 minute conversation, he seemed a little more upbeat, and excited to hear that I had sent two letters that he had not yet received.

When we visited on Saturday, he seemed much more at peace with his situation. He didn't share or open up much, but was looking forward to the end of March when he would receive a four hour pass, and he talked about 'just getting through it'. We left thinking things were going to be okay for him.

Until today when I got a phone call. He and another boy ran away yesterday morning before church. A staff member pursued them, which is not standard procedure, parked his car in front of them, and persuaded them to return. They returned, but not without many consequences. The hardest for me will be his loss of phone privileges for two weeks. I long to hear his voice during the week.

Fortunately he has made a commitment to the Dean of Students to stay. He has committed to dealing with the consequences of his actions. What he needs now, more than anything, is prayer. Pray for him to be strong. Pray for him to endure. I don't know what else to pray. I'm at a loss right now.

The Dean said he was certain God was protecting the boys through that staff member who went after them, especially since it is not something they would normally do. The neighborhood he is in is very rough. It's not a place someone would want to be roaming around aimlessly. I'm thankful he's back, but heartbroken that he is struggling. Will you please pray for him as the Lord brings him to mind?

Look What I Did...

I just joined the Homeschool Lounge. Actually I am pending....pending approval. Do you think they want me? I hope they want me. My old insecurities have resurfaced. I believe it goes back to the days I was always afraid of being picked last for teams. How horrible that would have been.

One boy in our class was always the last one picked because he had a heart condition. I always felt bad for him. What was that playground supervisor who organized the game thinking? If I had been in charge, I would have made a rule saying: Any team games played during recess or Phy Ed will be chosen only one way. An appointed person will radomly select students by pointing and saying, "You're a one, you're a two, you're a one, you're a two. One's over here, two's over there."

What do you think? Were you ever picked last? Is there a better way than One's and Two's? Should I just be thankful my children have been spared being picked last because they are homeschooled? Or should I say, "Gee Michelle, can't you let it go? For crying out loud, it's been over thirty years!"

Question and Answer Time

Okay, I've been thinking about this for some time now. It's question and answer time at Our Fairy Tale Life. I always have fun reading other Q & A's on blogs and thought it would be fun to find out what you all (my five faithful readers) want to know. I have already had quite a few 'in person' questions and thought I could add them to any questions you might have for me.

So, ask away. Leave your questions here in the comment section. I will post the answers next week.

Twins

The King has a twin. They do not look alike and people are surprised to hear that they are twins. They are fraternal, yet somewhat identical.
The King's Twin and family were over recently. They were invited guests. Unfortunately an uninvited guest appeared. I was so thankful he showed up. This guest made our evening very interesting, and helped prove that my husband is actually a twin.

We were giving King's Twin and Sister in Love a tour of our basement, when I saw and heard something that will forever be etched in my mind. Something that even now, more than a week later, gets me belly laughing so hard, my eyes well up with tears and I can't see to type.

So, I know you are all dying to know...what, could get her so worked up? Oh, nothing much really. Just the King's Twin, dashing up the basement stairs, six at a time, nearly running me and his wife over in the process, howling, "OHHHHHH, A BA-HA-HA-HA-HAT." (Actually he did knock me down and I had his footprint in the middle of my back, but I'm not holding it against him.)

After King's Twin had fled to safety, he stood holding his chest and panting. We were concerned that maybe he was having a heart attack, but once he was able to speak, he told us he was fine. It was only a pulled muscle in his chest.

I've only ever heard and seen this from one other man in my life. The King. I call it the masculine bat reaction. I now have no doubts in my mind that these two men were knit together, and shared their mother's womb. God may have made them fraternal, but their bat reaction is definitely identical.

I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Grandmother Goddess of the Garden last week. She said she tagged me (and the others) for "the pure enjoyment of reading their blogs". That made me smile!



Here goes:

THE MISSION:

Share five random things about myself.

Share five places that I want to see or want to see again.

1. I floss every morning. I'd rather be late than to skip flossing. (The King would rather I skip flossing than to be late.)
2. I don't like to travel without a package of Red Vines licorice. (The King doesn't understand, but then he rarely travels without a cup of coffee.)
3. I brew my own Kombucha tea. (The King's favorite summertime drink.)
4. Massages make me tense. I don't like them...at all. (The King, on the other hand, adores massages and can't relate.)
5. I absolutely cannot go to sleep at night without a fresh coat of Burt's Bees on my lips. I panic if my tube is 'missing'. (Really, just ask The King.)

1. India (The King went without me.)
2. Italy (He'd better not go here without me.)
3. Norway (Or here.)
4. Niagra Falls (Or here.)
5. Trinidad (Especially not here.)

I'm supposed to tag five people and tell why I tagged them...so, if you are reading this, consider yourself tagged...because I want to know more about you too. Let me know if you do this!

Wordless Wednesday

Ron Paul

Last night we picked up the King's Twin and family, loaded up our home school bus, and headed off to see Dr. Ron Paul.
You wouldn't believe the excitement in all of the children's voices as they spotted hundreds of Ron Paul signs and bumper stickers as we neared our destination. Why? You see, King's Twin (sitting to the right in the tan shirt) had long ago offered $1.00 for Ron Paul paraphernalia sightings.
I proudly earned a buck before he changed the rule to "only person's under 18". Then another rule was added, the sightings had to be verified by someone, uh, verifiable. Our children had visions of dollar bills packing their wallets. Their dreams were squelched as King's Twin informed them he would not be paying out. Sightings at a Ron Paul rally did not count.
Oh well, we all had fun anyway. How could we not? We were surrounded by fellow Ron Paul supporters. As you can see, Prince Charming loved the rally.
Best of all, we were able to see Dr. Ron Paul in person. But the fun didn't stop there. As we left the rally, we had the pleasure of watching The King honk the horn at person's holding Ron Paul signs while the King's Twin shouted out the window, "Go Ron Paul!" The bonus had to be the children at the back of our bus chanting, "What do we want? DQ. Who do we want? Ron Paul. What do we want? DQ. Who do we want? Ron Paul." Their persistent chants did not pay off. The King and King's Twin had decided. There would be no ice cream stop on the way home. But Sir Oh did not let that get him down. Instead, he enjoyed a little snooze on his big cousin's shoulder. Who needs ice cream when you have a Jester sitting close by?

This talented young man, Eric Richards, performed this song at the rally. I just had to share. Enjoy!

Skiing

Squire and Scribe went skiing for the first time yesterday. They had a blast. A local ski hill offered a special for home schoolers. The $20.00 fee included equipment rental, lift pass, beginner lesson, and six hours on the slope. What a deal! A fresh snowfall and mild temperatures made it the perfect day for skiing. I now have two boys who think they have found "their sport". The best part is that the special will be offered again next month.