put down the FB and step away

It's so hard to remember that there are people at the other end of a heated discussion about respect and proper behavior.  It's nice to imagine that manners were better back in the days when "everyone knew their place" ironic...  But we live in a time where everyone is recognizing their own worth and casting off the condemnation and subjugation of the previous ruling class.  It must be very hard on the ruling class.

My most recent indiscretion was on a post about "War on Christians".  It's got me thinking about what really tears down Christian values.  Things like porn, hollywood, the KKK, Disneyland being open on Sunday... those things are leading people to break commandments.  Adultery, false witness, killing,, the Sabbath...  False Gods, yep.  Dishonoring our parents, yep.  Coveting...that's what FB is all about.

I should probably focus my time and energy on raising my kids instead of raising a ruckus.

blunt

Today I lost a friend.  Not like someone I hang out with, because I only hang out with P, but you know, a FB friend.  I was too blunt in my comments about the imagined war on Christianity.  So she un-friended me.  That's probably good.  She also sent me a sincere message about how LGTB aren't such a minority.  But if they're not a minority, that would make them a majority, which wouldn't make sense.

Conservatives like to say there is a "War on Christianity" over things like Frito-lay giving rainbow chips to people that donate to an LGTB website.  I'm tired of this 1st world problems.  But I'm glad I don't have 3rd world problems, like an actual war on Christianity, where people are killed and driven from their homes.

I hate FB.  I need to break up with it.

Someone posted "Hurray" for "Mississippi having prayer in their schools."  What kind of prayer?  The right kind I'm sure.  But I don't want my kids praying to any God but ours.  I feel uncomfortable that they weekly hear someone giving a fairly generic prayer at the homeschool group.  Considering that Mississippi is so proud of the confederate flag, I just feel dubious about prayer in their schools.  I'm not a trinitarian and that is pretty important.

Curious kids

M loves books about pets, and human development.  While G is trying to make sure he's read every book in the Geronimo Stilton series (about a news editor mouse...), M is over in Juvenile Non-Fiction finding books like this.  This week she brought home one that was for the 10+ age set, so I'm reading it to know what it's saying.  And it's saying a lot.  So much that I'm talking to her a lot to fill in the gospel perspective on the things she's been reading.  G's been reading it.  lP's been reading it too!  Fortunately lP probably doesn't understand most of the content...  She is a very good reader, but she is also a very sheltered 4 year old.


I'm grateful for the gospel perspective on sexual intimacy.  The world, and this book, say "Do whatever feels good, it's fine!"  But the doctrine of saving intimacy for marriage is a great blessing.  I think of it like if you were given a very nice car at birth; your body...  So if you draw on the seats, spill ice cream on the gear shift, stomp on the peddles for fun, by the time you're old enough to use it for the purpose of driving, it's not in great shape.  Our bodies are literally temples for our spirits and certain physical abilities have a sacred purpose.  The sacred purpose of our sexuality is to have children within a marriage.  Children deserve to have a mom and a dad.  God wants the best for us. That is his plan.

oh yeah!

L was born!  He's pretty cute.

Embracing paper

G's school list was all paper products.  Copy paper, paper towels, tissues, and ziploc bags are the normal items.  But also, paper plates, and forks...!  No pencils or notebooks, just lunch supplies.   : )

So I bought a Sam's Club pack of paper towels and tissues.  Even though we give 2x the requested amount, we have several left over.  So I give myself permission to use tissues.  It's pretty nice! 

I've been a cloth diaper, cloth napkins, cloth towels etc... person.  But now I have 5 children, and I feel grateful for the convenience of simple things, like being able to grab a tissue when I'm watching a video and it makes me cry.

The ladies in my ward were so generous and I have a huge stash of diapers.  And I have tons of cloth diapers.  It's very nice having plenty of cloth and paper.

And my kids are awesome.  They're learning to help and also take care of their spaces.  M, G and P help with the dishes.  They tidy up their rooms on Saturday.  They wash their clothes when I tell them to...  It's really great to see them able to do things to help.  It's really great to have their help.

Trek

Yesterday we went up to the big city to visit friends.  We met up with 3 different families that we've known through a homeschool co-op.  Instead of a big meet up, we met each family individually.  It was nice to have 1 on 1 conversations and play for the kids without some of the usual group dynamics.  We left the house at 9:30 and didn't get back until 6:30.  For a lady with 4 kids, 40 weeks pregnant, it felt like a pretty big accomplishment.  But we did have a van with AC, plenty of water, hospitable friends, and Sam's Club pizza for lunch.  We even had a cell phone to call dad and ask him to heat up some soup.  Life is really so easy for us.

P and I have been married now for 15 years.  In honor of our 15 years P let me know that he'd like it if I would open boxes with the flap facing a particular way.  And I let him know that when he cleans out the car, it would be nice if he put things in a basket.  The honesty, it's brutal.  I'm so grateful for a loving marriage.  Even when we have significant disagreements, like the above stated, we are kind about it.  Well, P was kind.  I was sort of curt...

L is due tomorrow.  I have this amazing gift of forgetfulness, so I really don't know what to watch for in my body telling me it's time to have a baby.  But All of my other children have been born 7-10 days past their due date.  I've never been so temporally prepared for a child.  We have like 5 boxes of wipes and 12 packs of diapers.  The ladies in the ward showered us with cute outfits in a spread of sizes.  A friend in the other ward loaned me her newborn stash.  I've sewn a new sling.  I bought cheese, sausage, butter, chicken nuggets, and TP at Sam's Club.  So we're good to go!

As I was driving around yesterday I could see my 4 children looking around in the rear view mirror.  I have beautiful children.  I'm looking forward to getting to know L. 

Summer

Knowing the baby was due at the end of summer vacation, we've really been trying to have a great summer.  The kids have been enjoying swim lessons, library programs, playgrounds, picnics and short trips.  It's been really nice. 

M participated in a TKD class at the library and is now going to enroll in a 6 week class with the school.  She's doing a smorgasbord of activities over the next 6 months that her piano teacher is away.  I made a deal with her that if she keeps working and learns the songs I've assigned her, she can use the piano lesson money to do other activities.  So far it's working great and she is very motivated.

bB seems to be catching all sorts of viruses this summer, lovely.  Poor kid. 

Instead of a summer vacation from schooling, we've actually been able to establish better lesson habits.  This is the first time I've really been schooling the kids.  I'm a late academics sort of person.  And now that M and G are 8 and 10 I'm getting more involved.  M has math, spelling and piano.  G has spelling, and a workbook from school with daily activities.  So we swim, play, go to the library, or do errands, then come home and do our book work.  It's nice to just have the time to do things in a flexible way.