Simple Woman

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Outside my window…

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This is actually the view from my window in Gaylord, Michigan over the past weekend.  Gaylord is located on the parallel halfway between the North Pole and the Equator.  They have TONS of snow.  In fact, instead of cars parked around our hotel there were snow mobiles!!  It’s a different world than what I’m used to – that’s for sure.

I am thinking…
we were in Gaylord for my nephew’s wedding.  Jack is Calvin’s age.  He married his high school sweetheart.  It was a lovely wedding.

Rosie and her cousin, the flower girl.  This little girl would have been Raphael’s age – a view of what might have been I suppose.

I am thankful…
for the safe trip up to Gaylord and back.   Thankful to meet up with extended family and old friends.

In the kitchen…

My sister got me the Wheat Belly cookbook for Christmas and I can’t wait to dive into it!  I am really looking forward to some great recipes for the new year!

I am wearing…
Brown workout pants and a soft hoodie

I am creating…
a clean laundry room for the new year and organizing the classroom – again!

I am going…
to get my medical transcription done too and then make some plans for the new year.  I am also going to have to re-work our school schedule because my granddaughter will be joining us a few hours a day while her mother goes back to work.  Each child will get some time with the baby during the school day, but I am also hoping that she will take a nice nap in the afternoon.  We’ll see how it all works out.  I guess I will also be getting a travel crib!!

I am reading…

I am hoping…

• That I can be on good terms with all of my sons, but to also learn to disconnect my heart from them and from their decision.
• That the young women my sons give their hearts to won’t break them. 
• To get my head around some quick recipes on this new diet venture.
• that I can endure all of the things I am called to endure – through Christ who strengthens me. 

I am looking forward to…

• Getting some more eBay sales in the new year. 
• The new school year.

From the Learning Rooms

Still on winter break!

I am learning…
or rather I have learned my lesson when it comes to instructors for my children. I have now had experience with two different young instructors, both in their 20s, both trying to establish their businesses by instructing children.  I have had frustrations with both of them.  I wrote about the first one a few years back here and here. One of Noah’s teachers is leaving so I asked for a grade for his work so far this year and got a surprising e-mail back.  Although he got an A for the lessons, the teacher wrote:

 I have noticed that he is not fluent with reading–both music and English.  Learning progress is definitely affected by reading comprehension and speed.  

In sharing this, my hope is that you would be encouraged.  Noah is a very respectful student.  And he would do even better in his piano performance if he became fluent in reading.  In fact, fluent reading will assist him wherever God calls him to serve in life.

 May the Lord help you find the tools to facilitate Noah’s reading skills.  And may He bless you, give you wisdom, and draw you and your children closer to Himself through the process of living day by day and preparing them for the years ahead.  

Thankfully, reading skills are not necessary for salvation, only faith in Jesus Christ is necessary.  And still, thankfully, reading is a gift.  Because of literacy, we can read God’s word that, by His grace, we might know and love God more.

I was so freaked out by this that I grabbed Noah as he went walking by, shoved the closest book I could find into his hands (which turned out to be the Psalter) and had him start reading.  He was a bit perplexed at my request but he quickly and easily read 

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,
to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful.

Noah was chosen for the bell choir because he reads music well according to the choir director (who also has given him an A).  He is getting A’s in his online Latin Class and he got an A in Algebra I and so far in geometry by his math tutor.  The work he does for me I think he does very well.  If I have any problems with Noah at all it’s his spelling – which is encoding not decoding – an entirely different skill. Noah also reads a lot for fun.   And why mention this to me NOW as opposed to a year or so ago if there were concerns?  I don’t get it.  But this is the second time something like this has happened and I am going to stick with older, more seasoned instructors.

I am pondering…
the baptism of my grand nephew- that we also attended last weekend.  Such a sweet baby.  The only funny thing was that the when the deacon asked for the Christian name, and the parents said, “Isadore” the deacon wouldn’t accept it!!  So they said, “Joseph” and the ceremony proceeded.  Since there are two St. Isadore’s I think that should be a Christian- enough name for a baptism!  I’m still a little surprised by that.

 
 
A photo I am sharing…

Beautiful Christmas Baptism.

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