Election Night

Another change of living in a new state is understanding their politics. Although Delaware did not have any important races, I was still able to work on election night. I was a reporting agent for Reuters. They launched a nationwide effort to collect voting results as the polls closed with agents covering all counties (well almost all counties). I got paid, and I got press credentials!

My Own Birthday Party

I got up at the usual hour for making breakfast and going to tutor.
But I wore a new dress (gift from fashionable-minimalist-Kristen).
And I texted two friends to say that I was officially giving up on Job Application #5 (not complaining, but trying to move forward in a positive way by being open to other possibilities that Divine Mercy was sure to show me next).
Then the director from said job called me just before lunch hour and offered me the position!
So I had a very happy lunch back home with my crew.

I will work with an international student organization doing public relations (newsletter and website) plus recruiting host families and conducting support programs and field trips for all involved. 

Sounds like God has a plan. He is good. All the time.

Wedding Anniversary

Twenty-four years ago, we said "for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health..."

Happiness Medicine

Throughout the past 12 months, Captain kept noticing that I was calmer and happier and remarked on it. My regular blood work showed that it was true in the sense that my need for thyroid medicine was less and less. I had been on the SAME dose for 9 years, but this year I've worked my way down to half a dose every day. I think that is significant and says something about my stress levels. Life was still quite busy and full of challenges, but a seven-month adventure to Nashville was good for me.
Today, I am happy because I'll be picking up Captain from the airport for his weekend visit after being separated for two weeks.

Sebelius Resigns

Last week, Kathleen Sebelius resigned from ObamaCare. I was a little surprised, but I shouldn't have been. The Secretary of Health and Human Services stepped down the day after the enrollment period ended (which had been pushed back so many times in order to reach a respectable number) some three-and-a-half-years into the project. Sebelius was overdue for walking away from the whole disaster. I have covered the native Kansan before, since she is one of the figures left from my political days in Topeka in the early 90s. We are glad to be making our last COBRA payment of $1700 and joining the group medical insurance provided at Captain's new job.

Starting off in Delaware

We used our time wisely this week while staying with Captain in Delaware and learning about Wilmington and its suburbs. The twins also did some homeschool in the mornings and took their resumes around in the afternoons. They went to 4-5 places for lifeguarding jobs (at country clubs and swimming pool associations). They were brave about cold calling, interviews, and they were both offered a job already! They can work full-time this summer at the outdoor pool at the University of Delaware (Newark campus), and the manager said he would use them this fall for the ice rink/skate school/concession stand indoors.
I also did a few interviews with tutoring centers. There was a great discrepancy in cost and quality among them, but I am pleased that "Back to Basics" can offer me steady hours right away this summer.

How Can There Be Too Many Books?

I held a book sale today in the parking lot where homeschool families meet for a weekly afternoon co-op. It was sunny and successful! Now I wish I had kept count of how many books I started with, or how many I actually sold (lots were priced at 25¢ and several at $1). I started with 16 boxes full. Which is amazing since we only have 6 book cases at home. I must be pretty organized with those 30+ shelves. Anyhow I tried not to be sad about the "good" books going to other homes. Especially since there was $400 in my pocket. Mostly I focused on the other "Sonlight moms" as they talked about their favorite readers, and which ones made them cry in front of their kids! A group of us stood there and could almost quote lines from "One Hundred Dresses" and "Billy & Blaze" and "Little Britches" and "Wheel on the School." But the biggest impression upon me was how many of these books Meggar has read. True, she was the child who stayed in my homeschool the longest, so she had the longest benefit from my standard 30-minutes of read-aloud time after lunch. She is also an avid reader herself. So that when I add up all the school books, library books, read alouds, and then her own shelf of interests and "pleasure reading," it gave me an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Now that's enough to make a mom cry.

Ownership and Stewardship

I was thinking about the right to ownership and the right to usage this weekend. It started with an article I'd read on a Catholic blog, but I peruse so many that I cannot recall which one or who to quote... I knew that it was time to stop owning so many homeschool books. I have the right to own them, but I figure it is also wise to exercise stewardship and allow them to be used by other people now. Of course, I have shelves and shelves (and more shelves) about the house. Sheepishly I must admit that I still possess all the preschool and kindergarten books I started with on Meggar's path from 1996 onward. (Sentimental me.) I tried to part with them once the twins were done with kindergarten. Seemed logical. But was impossible because I was too busy with teenagers. Anyone with multiple teenagers knows what I mean. They require a Mom to lose as much sleep as a nursing toddler does, and they have the same endless stream of energy.
So I looked at my house for sale, and I saw with new eyes the stacks of books actually overflowing the shelving units in several rooms. There are books for every grade on up through high school. Plus my college level reading on Third World women, Catholic spirituality, and then all the books from monthly book clubs.
I've started parsing. There will be a book sale this week. At homeschool co-op and likely any other used book event I can find in the Kansas City area. It will be a good thing. Kind of like the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge. I'm up to my 12th box so far (sorted by subject, historical time period, or grade level).

Children's Books

I don't think children's books should be written "down" for children. The best authors agree with me. (Or vice versa.)
I remember reading where Madeline L'Engle said something along those same lines. Her statement was printed on the dust jacket of the book I was reading about age 13. She was my favorite author around the summer of 1978, and I thought I was grown up enough to agree with her sentiments: "You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children." I thought her books were amazing--and difficult--and spiritual. So I loved reading savoring them. She wrote 60 books, and they won awards from 1949-1999 (whoa! to think I've only read 5 of her books so far...).
The same seems true for Beatrix Potter's approach to children's literature. Her books remain on the list of beloved classics. So I was pleased to read that Emma Thompson has signed a 3-book contract with Potter's publisher, including The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit (he goes to Scotland on McGregor's wagon-2012) and The Christmas Tale of Peter Rabbit (he saves the turkey from the feast-2013). The bonus for me is not that I will read about Peter's adventures to any of my children, but that I simply admire Emma Thompson. She stole my heart by writing a screenplay of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. By the way, Thompson is the only person (male or female) to win an Academy Award both for writing ("S&S") and acting ("Howards End"). I'm a bit behind on the Peter Rabbit news, but I am still eager to see Thompson as she portrays another literary figure in "Saving Mr. Banks" (hopefully will soon be released by Redbox in US).

Carrot and Radish earbobs

These are the pleasant tidbits that I picked up today in a magazine article at the doctor's office. One of the great benefits to waiting with Captain is I can read something short and worthwhile.

Money on My Mind

I finished the taxes! This is always a big worrry and a big accomplishment for me. I was afraid we were going to owe money (because of the severance package). But I did not understand the deduction for job hunting expenses... Now I feel better knowing that we will get a refund (which is "our money" that the government has had, but it is still better than writing a check on April 15 with all the rest of our expenses after six months without employment).

The Grand Finale Weekend

It was bittersweet to return to Nashville for a hockey weekend, so I was determined to make it a fun farewell for my twins. We drove all day Thursday, and Captain stayed here with his father who is in the hospital. We woke early on Friday for 7:10 a.m. mass at Father Ryan High School with Quinn, Caleb, and Aaron. Then we ate breakfast at a 1940s diner near Vanderbilt with Jimmy. Such an intimate setting for close friends to put their heads and hearts together and see where God is leading everyone. The Holy Spirit is definitely at work and consoling my sons along the way with Godly friends who will last a lifetime eternity.
We started our tourist adventure downtown:
1. Viewed the Civil Rights photo exhibit inside the beautiful Library

2. Took self-guided tour of State Capitol
(only 33 senators and 99 representatives who were not in session today).
3. Stayed the longest at the Frist Art Museum. Wonderful exhibit of European impressionists paired with nearly-identical Japanese works from same time period.

We were delighted to see three Mary Cassatts, four Monets, a Van Gogh, Degas, Lautrec, Renoir, and even a Munch (not The Scream, of course). We learned a bit about the war in Baghdad from an artist's perspective...

and the war in Spain against Napoleon in 1808....

4. Went to Centennial Park to see a full-scale replica of the Parthenon (complete with Athena statue inside)...

 and Parthenon Doors.

5. Stopped at Centennial Ice Rink to see if the Nashville Predators were practicing... but they weren't.
6. Drove by the Cathedral and Union Station and Carnton Plantation... too many sites for one day.

A Dangerous Occupation

Maggie Smith has all the best lines in "Downton Abbey." Of course, they are timed for humor but often I find her wisdom particularly sublime. Last week, she quipped that she disagrees with thinking about one's life as it is a "dangerous occupation" in her experience: "No life appears rewarding if you think too much about it." Now, on to the season 4 finale.

Something for Me on Valentine's Day

I found a young hairdresser from Moscow who knows her stuff! While it may not seem that romantic for Valentine's Day, a good haircut is a treat I can give to myself. And overall, taking care of yourself is a habit that women should practice. Experts say that your heart health is improved by a weekly social visit with a loved one. So this week, I'm counting my trip to the beauty shop.
The twins are playing hockey in Minnesota--which they LOVE so that's apropo for Valentine's Day.
I sent Downton Abbey tea to Meggar's dorm mail slot. And we surprised Dorito with a cheesecake delivered to his door in Manhattan. (With a little help from housemom Dianna.)
I adored the Catholic Valentine poem on the blog of Benedictine College: anyone can sign up to receive email updates from the Gregorian Institute!

Tutor at Your Service

Getting ready for the ACT is best accomplished through practice tests. By giving students various sections from a retired test, I can more easily help them identify troublesome areas. I see 8-10 students every week at Huntington Learning Center, where I help them walk through the workbook: four modules of preparation for Reading, four more for English, and two for the Writing portion. This means I have read so many ACT passages that I nearly have them memorized! I've learned about Mars, dinosaurs, cloning of pigs, Mark Twain's speech to Herbert Hoover, Zen Buddhism, Tejano Music, etc. In addition, I am working as an independent contractor for Tutor Doctor. This service means I drive to the homes of four more students for afternoon/weekend help with their high school assignments and homework, including Algebra II, biology, history, English, and Spanish. Another of my students is is his mid-40s, and I am helping him study for the GED. Everyone is eager to work hard, so I enjoy the seriousness of the work. And I'm blessed by the wide range of colorful personalities who have been added to my weekly routine.

I Can Cook

To think that my husband will come home every night for supper after work.... nice! (except for hockey weekends and late-night simulator sessions, but still a new normal for us.)

Around the Next Bend

I would be remiss to not mention an upcoming interview for Captain at Flight Safety International. He knew about some openings since he was there last month, so he applied right after hearing the news about his heart condition. Next Tuesday he will meet with an interview panel in Wilmington, DE. As part of the process, he has to teach a 10-minute class on any topic of his choosing. Captain spent most of the week condensing his notes on the Fuel Systems of the Gulfstream Astra (good distraction). I helped him design a hand-out with little airplanes for the bullet points. He created a Power Point and put it on the jump drive he had. Plus Office Depot helped him bind copies of Chapter 5 so his "class" can review the diagrams et. al. I must admit it was fun teaching Captain how to teach.
This weekend he is in Atlanta with the Thunder boys for a few games. I know they prefer a Father-and-Son format for hockey, so I stayed in Nashville to do ACT tutoring.

New Years Resolution

Obviously, I need to help earn money for our family's budget. I sold a few big ticket items over the Christmas break--which helped. Once I got back to Nashville, I began to pursue part-time employment (again). I posted my tutoring services on Craigslist and applied for two jobs tutoring for the ACT. For the first company, they asked me during the face-to-face interview if I had taken the ACT recently. "No, not recently," I replied (as in not since October 1983). I did help Dorito with most of his ACT Prep and graded his practice tests, but that was over a year ago. Meggar went to an outside source for her ACT Prep... so I sat down cold-turkey and did the Math and English tests that first afternoon at Huntington. I went back and took the Science and Reading portions the next afternoon (during hockey practice). The only trouble was knowing how to pace myself... I didn't get all the problems done on the Math and Science so that hurt my scores.
24 = Science
28 = Math
29 = English
36 = Reading (perfect!!)
29 = My Composite (only one point higher than I scored back in high school--so I guess I'm not much smarter even though I've repeated high school three times over with my kids)
Both companies hired me.
Went to training yesterday and start Monday.

Part-time Job for Me

I'm excited to start a part-time job in Nashville teaching ACT Prep at one of the public schools. My after-school position will run from mid-January until early April. Every little bit help$.
Meanwhile, Dorito is doing some part-time work during his college break (on the ice).
And Meggar is already back to the books, starting a full week earlier than K-State does.

For Goodness' Sake

Why do we keep traditions? Partly for the children's sakes. And partly for the sake of our own sanity, I believe. One of my traditions is to make Japanese Tempura for New Year's Day.

But this year I nearly forgot about it. My thoughts were elsewhere, and I feel like I'm holding my breath rather than living a normal, day-to-day routine. But my brother Clint reminded me. He fondly recalls Akemi (our Japanese exchange student when he was a 7-year-old), and he has been among the groups I have hosted and cooked for at various New Years in the past. Not only do I cook the way Akemi taught me, but I also dig out the entire box of souvenirs collected during the summer that I was an exchange student to her family in Tokyo. I like to invite another family to come over each year and share the cultural evening. I show photos and teach a few Japanese phrases while everyone tries chopsticks, rice, shrimp, potatoes, mushrooms, and carrots-with-onions. This year it was only five of us, but I am glad that I kept the tradition! It gives me a chance to reminisce and dream, which has a good effect on my children. As we are already a few days  into the Year of the Horse, I'm mindful of our blessings and our identity as God's adventurers.

What to do for Relaxation

We hung out with the Evans family this weekend. The twins and Miles decided to "black out" their rims. Plus there was early morning Chick-fil-A and hide-and-seek with Henry. For my part, I took things easy. I enjoyed Donna's homemade salsa with a margarita, an episode of "Downton," and a cooking lesson with two little monkeys.