Day One of Seminary. The alarm went off at 5:30. I had gone to bed around 9:30, but didn't get to sleep until well over an hour later (texts about Seminary kept me up). After a shower, a banana and some orange juice, I go out the door with Jonathan and Nasly, who was previously dropped off, to the church.
Jonathan played door monitor, letting students in the locked door. Nasly and I set up the classroom. I got the Mormon Channel music playing, and the students rolled in. I have four students, one of which is my son. They were all there, pretty much on time and ready to go.
We stayed fairly awake and alert and I got through in the time allotted. I even gave them a post-it note handout to put in their scriptures (super cool!). Plus, I was able to introduce the scripture journal, the reading charts, and scripture mastery. I gave them an assignment - to have all the scripture mastery marked and key words noted by the end of the week. They don't know it... but there will be a reward this Friday for those who do.
I think it was a good experience for all, though I worry about keeping Nasly from being discouraged about understanding English. I encouraged her to read a couple of scriptures in English with not a lot of difficult words and helped where she got a little stuck. It may take her a little bit to feel comfortable contributing to the conversation, but I think we can get there, if she'll stick with us.
Unfortunately, my day was far from over. Jonathan and I went home to Analiese to have scripture study and Spanish, then I took him to WOSC. I went back home again to work with Analiese on her lessons, work on laundry, prepare this week's menu and grocery list, do weekend dishes (yes, I was too busy and they were piling up), and study tomorrow's Seminary lesson some more. Then, it was time to take Analiese to the homeschool P.E. while I met with other parents about what sports we were going to do this year. In the middle of that, I had to recover Jonathan from the airport (no need to take the shuttle, the church where we have P.E. is closer to the airport than the Vo-Tech). Back to P.E. until it finished, then home to get ready to go swimming and pick up dinner from Subway (since I hadn't been able to go shopping today) and go to the pool. I had aerobics while the kids swam. Then we went home and I died.
No, not really. I ate my sandwich, watched a show with the kids, and put everyone to bed. I'm next. I'm exhausted. And I think I'm coming down with a cold. I really don't like being this busy. Especially when I don't feel well and just want to sleep!
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Day Two. Can things be any worse? Yes, they can. On top of the cold, that is trying to settle into my chest and has me sneezing and drippy-nosed constantly, we now encounter Shark Week. Preying upon my weakened system, are we?
I got through Seminary without sneezing on anyone. Everyone was there, though Nasly gave me a scare by showing up late to my house. Luckily, I was running a little late (forgot to put my church keys in my bag), but I told her she had me nervous. I know it's not easy for her, but I don't want her to give up, either! She can do this...we can do this!
At home, things got going slowly since neither Jonathan nor I had had breakfast before Seminary. Me, because all I wanted was juice at the time, and him, because he ran out of time. By the time we got done with our first-of-the-morning stuff (DEAR, devotional, pledge, and Spanish), I left them to fend for themselves educationally while I went to bed. The dears let me sleep until 11!
I needed it because I had to drive Jonathan to the Vo-Tech (no WOSC today), then eat a little lunch (need to eat something), help Analiese with the things I didn't do earlier because I was sleeping, and receive my visiting teachers, despite the mess my house was in.
After picking up Jonathan, we had to go shopping. I mean HAD, because like Old Mother Hubbard, my cupboards were bare! My kids let me know and my husband was nearly despondent over it. "Are we so poor we can't afford food anymore?" I let Jonathan push the cart, since my energy was nil. We got home in time to put groceries away and welcome Ken home. I didn't even get to Seminary study until after dinner.
The weather is up again and the a/c runs full blast. Things are so dry; my poor garden looks terrible. They are saying we may get some rain next week. Please, do. Everything shrivels in this heat!
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Last night was awful for sleeping. Maybe the cold isn't a cold after all. I had a fever, chills and aches. Oh, no! Not the flu!
After texting Ken (at a quarter to 11) that I needed his prayers, I did some of my own praying. I've only just started Seminary, I need to get myself and my students in the habit. I was called by God, couldn't he help me get better so I could do this job for him?
After that I managed to get to sleep. And this morning? A little nasal stuff, a little congestion in my chest, but the rest is gone! If we're on His errand, He will help us!
So my devotional this morning was about last night's experience. I threw what I had written before out the door. We had only spoken the day before how the Doctrine and Covenants was revelations given in answers to prayer in time of need. Those things still happen today!
Though, I think I nearly traumatized a student today. I have them taking turns doing prayers, leading music, and, next week, doing devotionals. Well, this one student didn't know how to lead and said it freaked her out. I said I'd help her and we come to find out that the hymn I chose was not an easy one to lead. I apologized a bunch (because besides that, I accidentally whacked her hand with mine while we were leading together) and she seemed fine by the end of class. But I kept thinking..."Man! Not even one week and I've already blown it!"
The rest of the day was pretty normal and I left the house only to take Jonathan to school and pick him up. I had promised last night that today I would take it easy. I even got in a nap, but after Analiese's lessons were over so I didn't mess up that schedule. I'm not completely over this, with a little drippy nose and a cough (the head stuff transferred to my chest) and I feel really warm at times, but today could have been so much worse!
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Now my baby's sick. Analiese woke up with a temperature and looking just awful. The whites of her eyes go gray when she's sick, so I always know. She's running a low-grade fever, too. Sick day, poor dear!
Everyone was back in Seminary, no traumatized students, so that was good. Also, I went home and dug up my triple combination in Spanish from my mission to drop off at Nasly's house today. She's going to study in Spanish at home so she can have an idea of what we're talking about in Seminary. I'm doing what I can!
Okay...is there a full moon out today or what??? (No, there's not, I checked.) But, there's a lot of weird stuff going on today. For one, I was at the library, taking back some books, when this older lady tried to get into my car on the passenger side! To be honest, she wasn't paying attention - and boy, howdy! She wasn't - the car she wanted was two parking spots down, larger than Ken's white Honda and a bright blue! She was thoroughly embarrassed, but I told her it would spice up her day's conversations.
Second weird thing today is, well, creepy. I got into the van to pick up Jonathan from school and saw on our fence - no kidding - a dead cat hanging there. These cats are the bane of my existence, since my neighbors feed them and they breed and breed and hang out in my planters and sit on my steps and in the shade of my trees and garage. I am so allergic to them, too! Anyway, this one had tried to climb over the fence, got it's leg stuck on the gate and died (heat stroke, probably). I know it's unbelievable, so here's a picture to prove it!
Ken took it down when he got home that night. Jonathan "tried," but I think it was just too gross for him to contemplate. Ugh!Friday, August 22, 2014
Friday! We all survived the first week of Seminary! I am tired and this weekend will be full of rest for me, but we did it. All four students came all four days, we had the Spirit with us (my #1 goal), and my two new high-schoolers both said they enjoyed it. Don't ask Jonathan, though, he's noncommittal and just says stuff to get a rise out of me, the pest!
Analiese is doing much better today, so we had lessons. History, usually a favorite in our house, was not too pleasant today as I had to explain the Holocaust to her. It's hard to believe anyone could be so evil...and so many people would just go along. Where were their consciences? Anyway, I sat next to her, hugging her all the time as we talked. It was a great time, though, to talk about standing up for what was right. We are going to be reading "Number the Stars" and "The Hiding Place" in the next few weeks to show her that people did try to help the poor Jews and even some of the prices paid for it. Still, I think that makes for a much better history lesson than just dwelling on the evil.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Oh, how I wish I could just rest all day! No such luck...my refrigerator is disgusting and so, while the kids clean rabbit cages, grumbling all the way, I will clean the fridge...and grumble all the way, too.
We did get a nice break this afternoon, though, for the Rodeo parade. The Rodeo's in town this weekend and, while we're not going (1. Sick, 2. No $), we did go out in front of the United (under the trees) on Broadway to watch the parade go by. Analiese didn't see it last year and I forgot my camera, so this year, she came and I have some pictures!
Here they come!
Longhorns! I feel sorry for them, those horns look so heavy. Moo!
That guy is daring in pink - but I admit, it looks good on him! His horse is gorgeous, too!
This fellow was nice enough to bring his horse to the curb so the kids could pet him.
Sunday, August 24, 2014Here they come!Longhorns! I feel sorry for them, those horns look so heavy. Moo!That guy is daring in pink - but I admit, it looks good on him! His horse is gorgeous, too!This fellow was nice enough to bring his horse to the curb so the kids could pet him.Today was one of those "do everything" kind of days at church. I just hope Sister Shields and her nephews aren't going through the summer cold thing that's going around. One of my student's moms said she thought it was wonderful I could do so many things in the gospel. I just said, "Jack-of-all-Trades, Master of None!"
All that really lingers of my cold is that cough and wheezy chest. I offered to pass around my bag of cough drops in Sunday School, because I wasn't the only one hacking away! It leaves me so tired, still, that I yawned a bit in all of my meetings. Sorry, not bored, just sick and tired (but not of church). So, after DEAR & Devotional at home, it was Mommy Nap Time (kids just don't know what they're missing!)
Ken's been working the last two days in Stillwater (three hours away to the northeast) for a Walmart there. Apparently, the new students at OSU cleaned out the entire Walmart and it needed restocking. He gets paid mileage, hotel stay and food alliance, so he volunteered. He should be home this evening.
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