Our School Plan: 2013-2014

I just want you all to know that I had to think for five minutes in order to remember the name of the website where I have the above stock photo stored.

 

 

In other words, don't expect much from this post. :) I am still struggling with lupus fog and am currently not the most enthusiastic blogger. However, I will break through the fog long enough to keep with tradition and reveal our plans for the up-coming school year.

 

Ben

14-years-old

9th grade

Photo Credit: Chloe Virginia Photography

In case it didn't jump out at you, MY SON IS STARTING HIGH SCHOOL! (The caps lock indicates one part excitement, nine parts freaking out.) He got a bit of a jump-start on the process last year by taking 3 classes for high school credit, and I used the year to prepare myself by keeping really, really good records (for the 1st time EVER). That's something I highly recommend you do during your 1st child's 8th grade year, but that is another post for another day. I won't go into detail right now so that I can share the plan for his official freshman year.

Math

He began Videotext Algebra (affiliate link) last year and will finish up modules D, E and F this year, giving him credit for Algebra I and II. We really like this curriculum because the teachers on the video explain the content really well. I am able to watch the lessons with him in order to refresh my memory. It's only been a quarter of a century since I last studied Algebra! Ha! I need the help to be able to help him.

 

As a quick aside: that is how homeschooling high school works. You do not have to be an expert but you do have to seek quality resources and help. It is out there so don't be intimidated!

English/Language Arts

Ben will take a co-op class for high school freshmen and sophomores, and his teacher will be, drum roll... ME! I will use Excellence in Literature, Year 2; The Lost Tools of Writing; and Analytical Grammar. (affiliate links)

EiL is designed to be used as a self-paced course. He completed Year 1 last year, and it worked great that way. However, I like the idea of meeting together with others for literature class so that the students can have the experience of discussing the content and performing the plays. I will fold in lots of resources and activities to develop critical thinking and literary analysis skills.

We are new to The Lost Tools. Ben has completed almost every IEW unit available, so we thought this was a good year to test drive something new. As fabulous as IEW is, it is always a good idea to try more than one approach and not get locked into a particular style.

Last year, he completed 2/3 of AG and will review this content with his class in the fall. In the spring, he (and his classmates) will complete season 3 on punctuation rules.

At home, he will also complete Vocabulary from Latin and Greek Roots. (affiliate link)

History/Geography/Worldview

This is a very important study in our home for many reasons but most particularly because Ben seems very serious about pursuing a career in law, politics, or related field. His college major will likely be history.

We have chosen to use the video course from King's Meadow Study Center (no affiliation) taught by Dr. George Grant. Technically, this study of the period of Antiquity is a full humanities course and will also include theology, literature, art, music, and other aspects of culture and worldview. I am teaching the additional literature class because I want Ben to have direct instruction in analysis/paper writing, so we will not include all the supplemental readings suggested by King's Meadow. Also, I will probably award more than one credit for this course or include part of the work completed as part of his English credit for the year. Lord willing, I can let you know how this goes as the year progresses.

Science

My dad is teaching high school biology at our co-op! Woo hoo!! Another year without science on my plate!!!

 

Excuse me while I happy dance for a minute. :)

 

He will complete the BJU curriculum (affiliate link) and is already working on a research project focusing on bird populations in our area.

Foreign Language

He will complete Spanish III at home with Michael as the teacher. They will use Avancemos. (affiliate link) This is not a homeschool-friendly curriculum and is designed for a classroom teacher and setting. Since that's my husband's profession, it's the curriculum of choice here; however, you might find it not so user-friendly.

Logic

He will complete Introductory Logic (Wilson and Nance) (affiliate link) and watch the video lessons which accompany the workbook.

 

Can you see a trend in our high school plan??!!

 

We tried a number of schooling options last year... from online classes to co-op... from mom-directed to video courses. We had the least success with online and the most success with video courses. 8th grade really is a good time to get a feel for what will work for your child's high school years. But again, that's another post for another day....

PE

He began Karate lessons over the summer with the plan of only taking a few months per year in order to spread the credit out over the four summers of high school. However, Ben LOVE, LOVE, LOVES Karate. We are blessed to have a studio run by a Christian, homeschooling family. Karate is one of the best things we have ever done for him, and our only regret is that we didn't start sooner. Sooo... we're going to keep him in it all year and allow him to continue for as long as he wants.

Fine Arts

We are also blessed with an awesome art studio in town which offers lessons at a very, very reasonable price. He will take lessons with Brian and a couple friends. The teacher graciously agreed to teach art to correlate with Brian's history topics which will also partially line up with Ben's studies. I'm thrilled!

 

Extra-curricular

• Yearbook staff
• Competitive speech and (maybe) debate
• Youth Birding Competition
• Science Fair
• International Festival
• National History Day Project
• Homeschool Teen Group

(What was your question about socialization, again? hahahaha)

Photo Credit: Chloe Virginia Photography

       Brian
       12-years-old
       7th Grade
                 





                
Math
We are parting ways with Singapore Math. (affiliate link) It signifies the end of an era for us because Singapore has served us well since Ben was in 1st grade. Brian completed level 6 last year (the last of the primary maths), and I do not feel comfortable continuing to teach from their program for upper grades.

It's hard!

We are switching to Glencoe's Pre-Algebra. (affiliate link) This is a little more teacher-intensive than I like for math; however, we don't want Brian starting Videotext until 8th grade. This will be a transition and review year for him.

English/Language Arts
I will be teaching a middle school co-op class for Brian and his friends, too. They will begin Analytical Grammar. (affiliate link) I will pace that according to the needs of the class but hope to cover the first season during the fall semester and the second season in the spring, leaving the third season for next year.

I am also going to teach from Analytical Grammar's new literature and composition component: Beyond the Book Report. This curriculum is also geared for home study because it has a video lesson component. Although I do not plan on showing videos to a class-for-pay, I like the scope and sequence of this curriculum and how it ties in with the grammar program. It will make a great spine.

I will also fold in some IEW, some EiL, some Lost Tools of Writing, and some Art of Poetry. (affiliate links) We will practice literary analysis using short stories and poems as our text, and I will probably fold in a little Teaching the Classics methodology. (affiliate link) And, as always, there will be some Dawn-essori (i.e. whatever hits my brain) methodology in there as well! Lol!

I am allowing the parents of my students to build their own reading lists because 1) it really doesn't matter to me what they read, 2) I can grade book reports without having read the book, and 3) in middle school, different kids are ready for vastly different books. I do not want to lock families into a reading plan which could potentially make them miserable and I want them to have the freedom to do what is best for their children.

Consider that an introduction to the explanation of our choice of literature for Brian. He will read the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. (affiliate link) Brian is a big fan and lacks 9 books to finish the series, exactly the number he needs for my class as he will read one per month for the book report component. We will add more to his reading list than that, but the Redwall books are the ones he will read carefully for the sake of report writing.

History
World History Detective from Critical Thinking Co. (affiliate link)

I chose this curriculum because The Classical Historian recommends it (no affiliation), and it looks simple. We need simple for my non-historian.

One caveat: this curriculum is not from a Christian publisher. We will reference the first four lesson on the origins of man and evolution because I do want my children to understand what the other side believes; however, we will use the book of Genesis, a sermon series on Genesis, and resources from Answers in Genesis to learn the truth (no affiliation).  Overall, World History Detective provides a straightforward presentation and a logical examination of history, and since we are not relying on this text to build worldview, I think it will suit our needs well.

Geography
Usually, I weave geography into our history studies, and of course, we will be unable to study the history of the ancient world without some map study. However, I have found that relying solely on this approach has led to a very limited understanding of geography in our house. We have only covered modern history lightly, so my kids have not learned the current map as well as I would like. Also, to my horror, I discovered they do not know geographic terms very well either. So, Brian will be completing BJU's Geography for Christian Schools, and as we reach content that I know will fill in some of Ben's gaps, I will pull him into the study. (affiliate link)

Another homeschool coaching moment: this is also how homeschool works. Don't allow yourself to be paralyzed by the fear of "gaps in their education." Know that all forms of schooling leave some gaps. There is no perfect school. However, constantly assess, find the holes, and then fill them in. :)

Science
CO-OP!!! Brian will take BJU's Space and Earth Science from his Papaw. Hooray!!! (affiliate link)

Foreign Language
There's not much new to say here. Avancemos. Dad. No mama, muchas gracias! (affiliate link)

PE
See Ben's PE, please. :)

Fine Arts
I'll have to send you back to Ben's section again. :) :)

Extra-curricular

• Youth Birding Competition
• International Festival
• Science Fair
• Homeschool Teen Group

Well, that's it! We're in for a busy year here at Olive Plants Home Academy. I will see you again... probably in May. :)

Blessings and have a great school year,
Dawn


Wednesday Weigh-in: I am so mad at IKEA!

Last week, my dad and I went to IKEA Atlanta to buy the boys' furniture-- step 2 of Project Move the Boys. I had checked their website about a zillion times because finding the exact pieces to fit their rooms was essential to the success of our remodeling project. I chose IKEA because they specialize in small spaces, and Brian's room in particular is teeny, tiny. There was nothing on their website to indicate the horror of all horrors that would meet me once at the store: the loft bed for Bri's room has been discontinued. I think it is available in the store in Washington state, and although I'm dedicated, that would be a bit far to drive. Sigh.

So, let's just say it was a stressful week which involved more soda than it should have. lol 

How did I fare? Well... you'll have to click over to my new blog, Wednesday Weigh-in Club, to find out! It's super cute so click that link, K? I have decided to get back down to business here at Olive Plants and keep things more homeschool/homemaking focused. If you are interested in following my weigh-ins, please follow or subscribe once at WWC. I look forward to seeing you there (and here!).

Blessings,
Dawn

Wednesday Weigh-in: Round one is complete!

You might think my title implies I have reached my first weight loss goal. That would make a lot of sense, since this is a post about weight loss. But, no. I could never keep things that organized and logical.

Variety is what you get here, folks. Variety!

Most likely, several weeks will pass before I hit my first weight-loss goal; however, we have completed round one of project "Move the Boys." You saw Brian's room earlier this week. Ben's room is now painted and ready for furniture, too. We're done with yard sales, and other than a few items that I just couldn't send to Goodwill and hope to sell online, the house has been purged!

But you want to read about weight loss, don't you? This is a Wednesday Weigh-in after all!

This week I lost 1.8 pounds!

That brings my total to 16 pounds.

 



I was really happy with the scale this morning, especially after last week's itty, bitty little dip. Add to that all the stuff we removed from closets and under beds and I feel much, much lighter this week! I don't feel as jam packed into my house or my clothes. It's a nice feeling.

By this time next week, we should have all the new furniture assembled and in place and all of the boys' belongings organized. Felix and Oscar (aka Ben and Brian) will not have to share a room any more. Felix (I'm not saying who's who) will be in organizational heaven. Oscar... well, we'll help him get organized, but will he stay that way? Here's hoping! :)

You can pray for my stamina this week. I really struggled to get it all done last week and felt rotten by the weekend. If Michael weren't at home to do more than his share of the work and if the boys weren't old enough to do their fair share too, this project wouldn't happen. I'm thankful for my guys; however, I'm really struggling with "spoon contentment." (So that will make more sense, you can read The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino.) It is really hard to feel good about yourself when everyone around you feels exhausted because they have lived a full, very active life while you're totally spent because you painted one wall. When you have a chronic illness, the wrestle with feelings of inadequacy is fierce. If that sounds like a pity party, well, it is. I'm working through some stuff over here. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers as I learn new lessons in contentment.


Blessings,
Dawn

Olive Plants Graffiti

Warning!

You may need protective eyewear to read this post.

Please put on your sunglasses before scrolling down.

 

 

 

Brian's favorite color is YELLOW. 

 

BRIGHT YELLOW!

 

A few weeks ago, we started the discussion about what his new room would look like. I wanted the boys' new separate rooms to reflect each of their personalities. Not that I think that's something kids have to have; however, my guys are less than 13 months apart in age and have always shared a very small bedroom. We think it's time for them to spread out a little and see what's it like to have their own personalized space. 

 

Well, Mr. Yellow-loving, almost-teenaged, artistically-inclined boy wanted his room to be... drum roll... YELLOW! In my mind, I pictured a lovely butternut, or something-out-of-Martha-Stewart-Living kind of yellow. Brian, however, longed for taxicab yellow. *sigh

 

I decided we could do a wall or two of the brighter yellow, but that we needed some other colors in the mix as not to be blinded overwhelmed by the yellow. That's when I got the bright idea (pun not intended) to do splatter paint on two of the walls. We could paint those walls a nice, crisp, clean white and splatter some complementary colors on it. If we added a little taxicab to the splatter mix, it would tie in nicely with the yellow walls and soften the room a bit.

 

The complementary colors of Brian's choice?

 

ORANGE!

 

And RED!!

 

Oh dear....

 

I must be in the running for World's Best Mom because I took the boy to Wal Mart to buy the paint colors of his dreams. Sadly for him (hooray for me!), the mixing machine would not accept the code for taxicab yellow, and we had to go down a few shades to "yellow snapdragon." (Must have hurt the computer's eyes, too.) Phew! 

 

However, when I went to pick out two quarts to have tinted orange and red, I experienced a bit of sticker shock. They were only $1 cheaper than the gallons. I wasn't going to buy 3 gallons of paint AND I wasn't going to pay that much for the quarts. That's when inspiration struck.

 

I bought paintable wallpaper and spray paint! We would be able to spray paint the paper outside, keep the mess out of the house, and save money all in one fell swoop.

 

Genius!

 

Or so I thought. (Ahem, *cough, cough)

 

Once home, the first thing Brian and I did was paint the trim white and two of the walls yellow.

 

His new loft bed will go on this wall between the window and the corner.
Beneath the loft, we will put a desk and shelves for his school work.
Did you put on your shades?
I warned you, yet you haven't seen the brightest part.
Prepare yourselves, now!

 

Next, Brian took the wallpaper outside and got down with the spray paint. Instead of splatter paint, we had graffiti. (So much for genius.)

 

He LOVED this step!

 

Once dry, we hung the graffiti paper on the two unpainted walls. Then I did a little touch-up spray paint along the seams to make the sheets blend together.

 

I did this part very carefully so that I would not get spray paint on the floor,
windows, ceiling, or doors.
I would advise covering everything with plastic before beginning.
Spraying outside first kept it from being too messy of a project, though,
and I was able to keep the paint on the wall and off everything else.
However, Dad does have some yellow, orange, and red grass to mow.

 

Once the spray paint dried, we removed the painter's tape, and VOILA! We had a yellow, red, and orange graffiti room.

 

The loft wall is to the left.
The graffiti wall between the door and the window
will serve as his "art studio."
We are buying him a long, red table to fit in that spot
and will hang red and white shelves above
for storing supplies.

 

 

The graffiti wall between the two doors is opposite where his loft will be.
It will have a tall, red and white bookshelf with drawers.

 

 

Here is another view of the wall between the doors.
I like how the corner turned out. :)

We will head to IKEA in a week or two to buy furniture. We have to paint Ben's room next week before making that trip. In a few weeks, when everything is in place, I will post pictures of the completed room with furniture.

 

Happy Painting!

Dawn

Wednesday Weigh-in: A Roller Coaster Week

I know you're not supposed to weigh yourself everyday. "Your weight fluctuates daily," says my dieting guidebook. However, I can't help but peek every couple of days. Seven is just TOO many to wait. :)

So, last week I weighed myself again on Thursday. I was down 3 whole pounds. IN.ONE.DAY! Unable to believe this, I continued to weigh daily and the 3 pound loss held... until Sunday morning.

On Saturday, we participated in a multi-family yard sale. I was outside all day, mostly seated to protect my joints, but still more active than normal. I didn't check in at MFP because I was just too busy; however, I also didn't eat very much that day because I was just too busy. I naively thought that if I had lost nearly 3 pounds in one day after doing very little, surely I would be down at least that much after so much activity.

WRONG!

I was back up 2 pounds on Sunday morning.

That, my friends, is why you have to stay off the scale and wait for the weekly weigh-in. I was so depressed!

However, instead of being a big cry baby and grabbing a tub of ice cream and the big spoon (cause that's what I really wanted to do), I put on my big girl panties and dealt with it. I kept eating within my budget, and here's what happened...

I lost 0.2 pound!

That takes my total weight loss to 14.2 pounds.

 

So, two-tenths of a pound doesn't feel that fabulous-- especially after seeing 3 pounds lost and having lost so much in previous weeks. However, I weigh less than last week. That's what is important- to keep losing a little at a time as I can.

 

I won't be an overachieving perfectionist about this.... I won't be an overachieving perfectionist about this... I won't be....

 

This week you can pray for me as I paint Brian's room and have another yard sale this Saturday. We did great last week and sold enough to pay for the new furniture in both rooms; however, we have so much stuff which has collected over the years that we must get rid of. Pray that God will grant me grace and patience needed to pace myself, that He will keep my pain levels down, and that I will be stay true to counting calories while very busy and fighting fatigue all the way. Lupus never leaves you alone, but life must move on anyway....

 

Blessings,

Dawn

Wednesday Weigh-in: Fruit Basket Turnover

This has a been a week of utter chaos.

Our homeschool year is complete, and Michael only has one more day of "post planning" before his summer break begins. What are we planning to do with our time off?

Completely rearrange every.thing.in.our.house.  (That and teach English. Teachers don't really get the summer off, y'all. ;))

Phase one began over spring break when we repainted the master bedroom and moved one piece of furniture out to the living room. We also emptied a large entertainment center and a few bookshelves that we intend to sell. We don't watch tv and we own too many books for the amount of space we have. (Yes, you can own too many books. LOL) That furniture is way too big and has to go! However, our living room and dining room have served as storage areas for two months now. Ahhhh!

The boys spent Memorial Day cleaning and completely clearing out their bedroom while I cleaned out the classroom closet and Michael cleaned out the attic. Good times! I canNOT believe how much stuff I had crammed in that closet. It was like I pulled a School Box and a homeschool convention out of there.

Yesterday, I worked furiously while seated on my bed. The boys brought piles of stuff from various yard sale storage areas around the house and placed them all around me. I sorted through the mound, pricing and labeling, until I could see the bed again... at which time the boys brought another big stack of things... lather, rinse, repeat....

In the midst of it all, I managed to log into MFP every day! Woot! Drum roll, please....

 

I lost 1.2 pounds!

I have lost 14 pounds total!

This week you can pray for our big sale on Saturday. We plan to move the boys into their own bedrooms and need to get rid of a lot of stuff. That's why I had to clear out the classroom. Our academy no longer has a dedicated school space. :(  Our guys are too old to need a cutesy classroom anymore. A desk and bookshelf will do just fine. Pray that all this activity doesn't prompt a pain flare, too. I have been pacing myself and making modifications (like sorting from my bed) which usually helps.

Thanks for checking in!
Dawn

Wednesday Weigh-in: Sleeping Beauty

My husband's nickname for me is Aurora Carina. That's Spanish/Latin for my full given name (Pronounced "uh-roar-uh car-een-ya"; If you're really cool, you can trill those Rs. I can't.). I have always treasured that nickname because it reminds of me the Aurora Borealis and Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. He is my Prince Charming, and that name encompasses a beauty which makes me feel like a princess. It is my handle over at My Fitness Pal, too, if you want to "friend me." (no caps: auroracarina).

However, this week that name has been more appropriate than ever (the sleeping part, not the beauty part ;)). Last week, I mentioned I felt really sick. Well, people with auto-immune diseases don't just snap back from a minor cold after a few days. Colds quickly develop into bronchitis or pneumonia (3 days this time for me; 3rd time this school year.).  Therefore, it takes us a couple weeks and lots of specialized treatment to get better. Therefore, my battle with fatigue raged twice as fierce this week. I lost. Soundly sleeping by 7 p.m. each night, I have managed merely to complete the absolute have-to's each day.

For that reason, I missed counting calories on MFP three days this week. I did work hard to keep a mental estimate of caloric intake and did not allow extra, unnecessary calories. Well, I did splurge a teeny bit and indulge by savoring a small slice of cheesecake on Monday.

(It was my 18th anniversary, y'all, and cheesecake is hub's and my tradition. shhh...)

 Despite my bout with narcolepsy and the indulgence, the scales were kind to me this morning.

I lost 2 pounds!

That brings my 2-week total to 12.8 pounds!

I was thrilled with that loss given the circumstances of the week and that I lost so much last week that I anticipated a small gain this week.

For those of you praying for me, remember my sleep cycle if you would, please. I finish my prescriptions for my "cold" tonight and am starting to feel well again. Thanks for your prayers. If there is anyway I can pray for you, please let me know in comments or by email.

Blessings,
Dawn

Wednesday Weigh-in: Starting Over

About a year and half ago, I started a weight-loss meme, and it really helped keep me on track. I lost over 30 pounds.

Then a lupus flare hit.

A big, bad, nasty flare which lasted several months. When those come along, it is a huge struggle just to do simple tasks like brushing my hair. Counting calories is just not going to happen in the midst of a flare.

I started my meds for lupus in December and my pain flares seem to be under control. I say "seem to be" because with this disease, you just never know. Another flare could be lurking around the corner. Regardless, I have decided that it is time to get back on track with nutrition and weight-loss. Working through the side effects of the meds and getting my pain levels manageable was phase one of my get healthier plan. So, now on to phase two....

Truthfully, we don't really eat all that bad around here. I like most fruits and veggies and serve up lean, baked meats most nights. Our favorite meal as a family is chicken cooked in the wok with white wine and fresh herbs, steamed rice, and squash (also cooked in the wok with a little olive oil, herbs, and white wine).  The problem for me is snacking. Lupus keeps me from leading an active lifestyle which means there is NO room in my diet for extra calories. I have to count them and stop eating as soon as I'm out.

Plain and simple... it works for me every time, as evidenced by this week's weight loss.

I lost 10.8 pounds this week!

 

Now, here's the thing. 1st weeks are always big losers for me... water weight and all that business. Then I got hit with a nasty bug and lived on popsicles and chai tea for 2 days.  I'm sure that contributed to my big loss, and it is possible that I will put a little back on next week. (Not planning to do that, but you know what I mean.)

 

I'm not putting the meme up this time because I can't turn this into a big responsibility. It is something that I must do to keep me motivated and moving in the direction of better health. I appreciate your prayers and words of encouragement, though, so please comment away.

 

Blessings,

Dawn

I'm a little bit lupie.

I have lupus.

Phew... there! I said it.

Technically, I have mixed connective tissue disease which presents itself as lupus and most likely is lupus.  Was that confusing enough for ya? That's life with an auto-immune disease. What that really means is that I exhibit most of the critical criteria to be diagnosed with lupus but I also exhibit symptoms of other rheumatic conditions like RA. I'm kind of a mess, and since my auto-immune probs most resemble lupus, I just tell people I have lupus. It's easier that way. Today, I have decided to tell you because it is World Lupus Day.

What exactly is lupus?
That's a really good question. I'm convinced that not even the experts can explain it in precise terms. It is a very complicated disease which has multiple symptoms and presents itself differently in almost every patient. In a nut shell, it is an auto-immune disease which, in layman's terms, means that the immune sytem is messed up. Instead of just attacking foreign invaders, like viruses and bacteria, the immune system of the lupus sufferer also attacks the body's tissues.

What are the symptoms?
Well, as I said earlier, there are a lot of them. The biggie and what seems to be the common thread among us lupies is joint swelling and pain. This can be immobilizing at times, folks. It can affect every joint, including between the vertebrae. That's not fun! It explains why doctors sent me for MRI after MRI over the years trying to find a herneated or slipped disc and why it took until December of 2012 to get a correct diagnosis.

Lupus flares can create the same shock waves of pain as a spinal injury, put the sufferer in a wheelchair or bed for days or weeks, and then suddenly... (POOF!) all better. That's because it is a disease of flares and remission. Sometimes you feel like you're near death's door; other days you feel just fine. For that reason, it is also called an "invisible illness." It is very common for the lupus patient to be told she doesn't look sick. Trust me, she is.

It also causes a wide varity of other problems including photosensitivity, skin rashes, respriratory problems, mental fog, constant flu-like conditions (imagine living with a recurring fever and cough), and FATIGUE. Lupus is also a cause of infertility and miscarriage, and in serious cases, can cause kidney failure, heart disease, and stroke.

That sounds scary.
Are you going to die?
As long as I take care of myself, it does not seem that lupus will "cut my life short."  My prognosis is excellent, and my doctor seems to think that as long as I take my meds and keep my lifestyle as healthy as possible that I will be just fine. That sounds easy enough, but for an over-acheiving homeschooling mom who wants to model a strong work ethic and pour myself out for others and in the Lord's service... pacing myself is torture. Lupus will most likely not be the death of me, at least not any time soon, but it has been the executioner of many of my dreams. There is much I would like to write about that topic because I believe God is always good and what He ordains is always right. I don't have room in this post to say what is on my heart, so for now, I will sum it up by simply quoting Job, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Do you have any of the major problems?
Given that I have likely lived with lupus for 20 years, it is wonderful news that my vital organs show no real damage. After four months of meds, my pain levels are WAY down.

I am still struggling with fatigue and major brain fog. I have to write things down, set my phone's calendar to remind me to do just about everything, and I canNOT be interrupted. That's not a pride thing (most of the time ;). It's that if someone stops me mid-sentence, I cannot just pick up and resume where I left off. I have to return to point A and work my way back through it all- IF I can remember where point A was. That is why I have NOT been in the blogosphere much lately. I just can't process all the info out there and I often can't collect my thoughts enough to get them publishable.

Will you get better?
Pray that I will. My doctor says that I stand a good chance of going into a long or even permanent remission. I am following his orders to the tee.

Will you continue to teach... to blog... to homeschool?
Yes, yes, and yes. Teaching is something that, with modifications and boundaries, I can do. It keeps me appropriately active and happy.

Blogging is something I want to keep going but can only do as I have the mental energy to do. I won't be tackling any big blogging projects in the near future. I am loving all the activity going on in my archives, though. Thank you to those who keep reading and/or sending others this way.

And homeschooling... you have to understand that it would take death itself to stop me from homeschooling my sons. They are in the home stretch as Ben starts high school in August. Brian is on Ben's heels. (Ben is Orville, and Brian is Wilbur, btw. I've decided that since they are now old enough to own their own blogs, they are old enough for me to call them by their real names on mine.)

With that said, I am getting real about what I need to teach directly and I what I need to seek out help for. I am learning about setting priorities and taking care of myself while fulfilling my duties as a Christian wife and mother. So much to say, so few brain cells....

What can I do for you or someone else I know with lupus?
Whether you are an irl or online friend, please remember me in your prayers as you can. Also, today is World Lupus Day. If there is someone in your life with an auto-immune disease, please take a little time to educate yourself. Empowered with that knowledge, show understanding. Most likely, your loved one feels like she has a severe back problem, arthritis, the flu, demensia, nagging allergies, morning sickness, mono, and poison ivy all at once. On top of that, she is carrying the pain of lost children and/or lost dreams, living in a body which is aging more quickly than it should, and contending with a whole lot of misunderstanding about her condition- not just from friends and acquaintances, but within the medical community, too. She is having to fight for her health by finding the right medical care, following the correct treatments, and finding a balance between too much and too little. Give her your love and kindness. That's the best thing we can do for anyone, whether she has lupus or not. :)

If you want to know more about lupus or how to help your friend/relative with lupus, return soon. I want to share with you what I learned from spoons.

Yes, that's right.

Spoons.

Blessings,
Dawn

Homeschooling Mysteries: The Case of Bobby White

Remember this guy?

He really had us stumped. You would think the one bird which remained close to us for nearly an hour would be the easiest of all birds to identify. 

 

We did good investigative work. We took note of all his field marks and photographed him about 30 times in a variety of poses. We listened to his peeping noise over and over again.  We scanned every field guide we own, searched our electronic database, and compared him to about 100 pictures online. We even emailed his picture to other birding friends.

 

However, we just could not identify this guy, so I did what I should have done in the first place: emailed his picture to Skidaway Island State Park where we had seen him.

 

We initially thought he was a Bobwhite because of his obvious quail-like characteristics, and as far as we know, Bobwhite are the only quail present in Georgia. My husband "talked" to this bird, too. He called out, "Bob, Bob White," and each time birdie answered, "Bob."  (Yes, we talk to birds.) However, we second guessed ourselves because his head is so white-- not typical for a Bobwhite.

 

The naturalist at Skidaway returned my email with an answer.  Bobby White is indeed a Northern Bobwhite. 

 

Mystery solved.

 

You can all breathe a little easier now. ;) 

 

Happy...  breathing?!

Dawn

 

p.s. I can't believe no one commented on my previous post. I made an epic "typo." (We'll call it that, okay?) I wrote that we drove to a farm 30 minutes EAST of Savannah. 

 

Um, no.

 

We did not drive into the Atlantic Ocean.

 

If you caught my mistake, I hope you had a good laugh. I sure did.

 

I once had a student who mistakenly stated that we live in the Atlantic Ocean when she had meant to say (obviously) that we live on North America. Consequently, my husband and I call any misspeak an "Atlantic Ocean Moment."  Boy, did I ever have an Atlantic Ocean Moment!

 

Laughing at myself....