Waxwings

This afternoon I was off doing errands with Lindsay. I heard the story once I got home.

While I was gone, a huge flock of birds descended upon our huge pine tree, located in our front yard, directly in front of our living room window. Paul noticed them first and immediately alerted Eric--the bird expert in this house. As soon as Eric saw the birds he casually informed everybody that those birds were waxwings...in fact...they were cedar waxwings. Honestly, I would NEVER have known that!!! I was super impressed that he could identify a less common bird upon sight. Then, sure enough, he pulled out his extensive bird book and proved it to us. Not only did he correctly identify the bird, but he nailed down the particular species too. That boy amazes me. He LOVES birds and has obviously studied them and his book a great deal. Great job son!

Courtney

Lord, you have blessed me with such a beautiful girl.

Wisdom from Thomas Goodwin

Here is a piece that I read a few weeks ago that made a terrific impact on me. Take your time reading it.

"I have, by long experience, observed many holy and precious souls, who have clearly and wholly given themselves to Christ, to be saved by him his own way; and who, at their first conversion, as also at times of disertion, have made an entire and immediate close with Christ alone for their justification; who yet, in their ordinary course and way of their spirits, have been too much carried away with the rudiments of Christ in their own hearts, and not after Christ himself....

And although the use of our own graces, by way of sign and evidence of Christ in us, be allowed us by God, and is no way derogatory from Christ, if subordinated to faith, as so as that the heart be not too inordinate and immoderate in poring too long or too much on them, to fetch their comfort from them, unto a neglect of Christ, yet, as pleasures that are lawful are unlawfully used, when our thoughts and intentions are too long, or too frequent, or too vehement in them, so as to deaden the heart, either to the present delighting of God or pursuing after him...

And yet, the minds of so many are so wholly taken up with their own hearts, that, Christ is scarce in all their thoughts. But let these consider what a dishonor this must needs be unto Christ, that his train and favorites, our graces, should have a fuller court and more frequent attendance from our hearts than himself, who is the King of glory."

--excerpt from the introduction from "Christ Set Forth" by Thomas Goodwin.

20 Minutes of Quotes Heard During a Typical School Day

Homeschooling gets interesting somedays.

"What time is it?"
"Nine to fifteen."
"I lost my clothes again."
"What is 8-7?
"Oh, shoot. That's a hard one."
"I don't like time tables." (while reading a clock)
"I hate cows."
"Blue eyeball."
"Oh yeah...what's 6 times 6?"
"Don't drill her on multiplication. She needs to do subtraction first."
"Three to fifteen."
"Mom!!! I forgot this!!!!"
"I need a pencil."
"Run down the road."
"Hey, there's a boy."
"4:15."
"Good!"
"I go on counter...just kidding."
"I add green then blue."
"Oh no! I writed a 4!!"
"When I grow up,, my spaceship will crash."
"It's me--a monkey on a skateboard."
"Thank-you."
"Do your work."
"I want markers."
"I'm just mixed up."
"Off the table."
"Mom...look what I accidently did."
"Hey!"
"Hey!"
"HEY!!"
"I need room!!" (as 4 kids sit on 1 side of the table)
"Fine!"
"Sorry."
"I'm doing something WAY more complicated than both of you."
"I don't care."
"I don't care either."
"Yo...ho...yo...ho..."
"Look at my super long answers."
"Enough. Let each be attentive to his own work."
"Smooth like pudding."
"I NOT share."
"I hate math!!"
"My monkey is wearing a diaper."
"Is this plus or minus mom?"
"I'm just dumb at this."
"Would a plunger in the face help?"
"Yes."
"Enough!"
"Ok! Shut your books."
"YAAYYYYYY!!!"
"Coats on. 15 laps around the yard."

Seth and his Brain

Seth is our wonderful, sweet 2 year old boy. We were sure he was very gifted.

















Like most gifted 2 year old boys, he constructs great models (to scale of course) of some of the world's greatest monuments.

He expands his mind by drafting new solutions to solve the rising crises in our current world.

He faithfully continues to work on his thesis.

Today I gave him the diagram of a brain. (If my gifted son was awake I would ask him to tell me how to flip these pictures so they showed the right way).

I wanted to see if he could label it properly.






















Imagine my shock when this is what was handed to me.























I asked him a few questions.
ME: "Where is your brain, Seth?"
SETH: "It's lost."

Naturally, his response left me in a silent shock so his father continued the query.

DAD: "Seth, on your picture, what does the yellow show?"
SETH: "Happy thoughts."
DAD: "Seth, what does the blue show?"
SETH: "Dirt."

We are reeling.

Math is not for Everyone

Woes from the Past

While packing her basement (my parents are moving soon), my mom came across a few things that belonged to me. This morning she brought them over, one of which I would like to share with you. Honestly, I laughed so hard I had tears falling down my face when I read it all.

3 pages of looseleaf stapled together. The first page was a letter I had written to my parents in my 5th grade handwriting. It said:

Dear Mom and Pappa
I am sorry what happened about catechism. That's why I wrote lines. I did it because I kept wanting to put it off. I asked God to forgive me and do better. Please let me see that movie tonight. Have mercy, once.
Anita

What follows is 4 pages of lines:
"I must have all my catechism done by Friday night."

My oldest son enjoyed seeing this immensely as you can well imagine.