Why no recent posts

I love the internet.  It is amazing.  This whole world of information literally at my finger tips.  It has been a wonderful tool for homeschool and keeping in touch with my family and has helped improve the aromas in my kitchen……but…..it can also be a tremendous distraction.

I decide to quickly check mail in the morning and, before I know it, the 5 minutes have stretched, the children are bouncing off the walls, meals are way behind schedule…schedule?  What schedule?  O yes, that paper pasted to my kitchen door that’s supposed to keep us moving nice and easy!  So, my resolve has been that I will not turn my laptop on until my duties are done.  Then, when all is done – and that includes preparation for the rest of the day.  (Scrambling to fix dinner when it’s practically bed time is just not good!)  Then, I can enjoy my cup of tea and browse and blog and read and listen and do all those wonderful internet things and not feel guilty!

This has been why I have not been posting blogs.  (Just in case you were wondering if I was still sulking because the Denver Broncos were massacred by the New England Patriots -who were, I have to admit, brilliant!)  Actually, speaking of that, Tim Tebow’s response to  his team’s loss only further reiterated his hero status.  He was not in the least bit displaced, although disappointed and totally took it in his stride.  Obviously some credit has to be given to this quarterback for bringing the way-back-there-Broncos up into the playoffs.  Great article here if you are interested.

Back to why I have not been posting.   I don’t have a Facebook account – nothing against it – it’s a great provision to stay in touch, but I am not ready to take it on yet.  Email is great, online albums like Picasa are super for making albums available.  The question to ask is, am I more connected to the virtual or the real?  For some reason, the weird people I encounter are stuck to Facebook,  Twitter, and all the other attachments that come with so-called social networking (which seems to make them less sociable).  What I am seeing is that these people generally cannot connect with real flesh and blood.  It’s disturbing.  For goodness sake, someone is talking with you but you are so out of it until your phone beeps, you have been ‘friended’ and that excitement seems to be far more than the actual blessing of sitting with  someone – not sitting alone in front of a computer screen!  I don’t get it!  It’s annoying.  No doubt it’s been a blessing and there are those out there who CAN control and moderate internet connections in good balance.  Which is how it’s supposed to be.  Interesting that most strange husbands and estranged wives or homes-out-of-order moms are for some reason not without these ‘necessities’.  I do realize it’s necessary to get our children to be computer savvy but I’m not in any hurry to get them there. They will connect those dots in no time at all when it’s time.  For now, good old paper and ink will do more for their hearts and brains than online connections.

The same rule applies for the phone.  And I mostly like to make my calls to my friends and family after homeschool and usually while I am working in the kitchen,  cleaning or cooking or doing some house project.  But I need to work on this one. It’s my husband’s pet peeve to see me on the phone, and so I honestly, truly try to please him with this.  This one is still in the working. I will have to ask him how I am doing….O dear!

In the meanwhile my home front update:   My Quarterback stayed amazing.  My Running Back had a bout of the Delhi Belly on his seventh birthday, my cheerleader succumbed  to the similar so that we had to skip church (I so dislike missing church).  Missing church is as good as skipping my weekly grocery shopping – for a Mother Hubbard’s scenario! Really, that is church for me.  My resources and focus for the week stems from that fellowship and preaching.  I will have to catch up with the message online (see, the internet CAN be a wonderful thing!)  My washing machine has been out of commission for two weeks almost – talk about a crisis. I am surviving thanks to my friend, Lii who has been doing loads (pun intended) of laundry so that our house is not drowned in unwashed fabric!  I have to practice patience.  India’s favorite phrase when you need to get stuff done – “No problem, on my way.”  Everyday, for two weeks and it can get frustrating.  My hot water geyser (sounds awful but that is what they are called in India, also died,- O no, that sounds even worse!)  Anyway, it’s winter, it’s cold and the kids baths are heated with the same geyser, (I’ve really got to find another word), and this also brings the hot water to my kitchen sink.  Very important. I did manage to get an electrician to come and so that is fixed. Yes!

But all these details must not crowd out the most important – my very quickly growing children.  Ria was not well and most unhappy about not being able to do much. She listened to Pinocchio online – what a wonderful site! (My friend Renu told me about it. Unabridged, articulate readings.)  Anyway, I could tell, Ria wanted Mama-time!  So much house work to do but nothing should be more important than some TLC for my sweet patient!  The cure was to read to her.  “Sure,  anything.” ( This is very rarely said because I must selfishly admit I have a hard time reading what does not interest me.) She wanted me to read Kidnapped by R.L. Stevenson, which is what we have been doing for school.  Saved! We read two chapters and fortunately for me, she enjoys the Scottish brogue!  (Aye, that I ken do fer the lass, a wee while yet!)  Later, Brandon showed off his UNO prowess.  I told him I would destroy him; you can imagine his glee when I lost!

Two books came in the mail for me this week.  Susan Schaeffer Macualay’s  For The Children’s Sake.  I have been wanting to read this for years, wish I had read it back then, because she was a huge influence to bringing Charlotte Mason’s philosophy to the US.  The other book was Catherine Levison’s A Charlotte Mason Education.  It is wonderful!  I am reading it now.  I was surprised to find out from Catherine’s book that Charlotte Mason was homeschooled and tragically orphaned at 16.  But so prepared was she that she emerged not an emotional wreck but strong, confident and able.  Beautiful!  Does her outcome bring credit to her family or what? I realize I have only a few more years with my children before they turn 16.  Another fleeting 6 with my lovely daughter and 9 with my son.  I want to make them count.  The internet is not going to disappear, nor will my phone.  All those house projects and chores will forever be wanting, but my two prized treasures, like time and tide, will keep on moving and growing.  I don’t want to miss out on what the Lord has for me to give AND receive in my role as a mother.  And so I welcome another blessed week of opportunity and learning.