Speaking from the Heart

I have resisted the temptation to blog, but the urge is too much. It has been awhile since my last update. I hope friends and families are doing well. Considering how busy we've been this summer, this is a very light week.

The family had a great time visiting families over 4th of July. Dear husband and I started a vegetable garden. I think we started too late. The tomatoes cracked before they ripened. The watermelon did not do as well as we had hoped. However, we've gotten a pound of purple hull peas and Lima Beans. We're hoping the next crop will do better.

It seems like in a blink of an eye, summer is almost over. We'll be starting school on August 11th, a week after the planned intital date. It's going to be a busy year. In addition to doing schoolwork at home, Dear Son and Daughter have classes with other homeschoolers. That means 3 out of 5 days, we'll be on the road. I am already feeling a little frazzled of how I am going to get everything done.


The kids have been busy with summer day camps. Dear Son spent a week at Camp Rock. This camp was not an ordinary camp, where campers only played and had a good time. Dear Son and campers were missionaries. They went to a low-income community to clean a residence's yard, to paint another residence's home, and to help out with Vacation Bible School. Dear Son and his fellow campers returned to the church around 3:00 daily, where they got some rest and recreation. After dinner, the campers had a Bible Study before they went to a movie, bowling, or just participated in a planned game. Lights were out by 11:00. Dear Son was supposed to camp out at the church, but Dear Husband and I opted to pick him up every night and returned him to church every morning. It was a great experience for Dear Son, not to mention the fact that he got to get away from me and his sister, and he earned 40 hours of community service towards his high school credit. Besides Camp Rock, Dear Son particpated in Volleyball Camp, and he is looking forward to computer programming camp, which will begin next week.

Dear Daughter busied herself with Dance and Music Camps, and Wednesday choir this summer. At the last minute, she qualified to participate in Engineering for Youth. For five days, she and 9 other girls worked together to build cranes, electric motor cars, etc. with Lego's. At the last day of class, they designed a birthday cake and programmed the candles to flicker on and off. Dear Daughter had a good time and learned a lot. However, the hardest thing for her and for myself was being away from each other for 8 hours daily.

Dear Kids,

Don't be alarmed, the world isn't coming to an end. I am simply taking a
bath. It will take about thirty minutes and will involve soap and water. Yes, I
know how to swim. Even if I didn't, forcing myself to drown in a half-inch of
lukewarm water is more work than I've got energy for. (Which reminds me, I'm all
for science projects, but the next time you want to see if Play-Doh floats,
use cold water.)

Don't panic if I'm not out right on time. I've heard that people don't
dissolve in water and I'd like to test the theory. While I'm in the tub, I'd like
you to remember a few things. The large slab of wood between us is called a
door. Do not bang to hear my voice. I promise that even though you can't see me, I
*am* on the other side. I'm not digging an escape tunnel and running for the
border,no matter what I said a while ago. I didn't mean it. Honest. There will
be plenty of time later to tell me about your day.

"Later" means at a time when I am no longer naked, wet, and contemplating
bubble gum in the blow dryer. I know you have important things to tell me. Please
let one of them be that you have invented a new way to blow bubbles, not a
new way to add gum to your hair.

Believe it or not, shouting, "TELEPHONE!" through the closed bathroom door
will *not* make the phone stop ringing. Answer it and take a message. Since
Amazing Mind-Reading Mom has the day off, you'll need to write that message down.
Use paper and a pencil. Do not use your brother and the laundry marker. We
can't send him to school with telephone number tattoos.

Water makes me wet, not deaf. I can still tell the difference between the
sound of "nothing" and the sound of a child playing the piano with a basketball.
I can also hear you tattling at the top of your lungs. I'm *choosing* NOT to
answer you.

Don't call your dad at work and tell him I am unconscious in the bathroom. He
didn't appreciate it last time. He won't appreciate it more this time. Trust
me.

No matter how much I would like it, water does not make me forgetful. I
remember who you are and why you are grounded. No, you can't go to Shelby's house
to play. No, you can't go to Shelby's house to use the bathroom. If someone is
in our other bathroom, you will just have to think dry thoughts and wait.
Unless you have four feet and a tail, do not think of going outside to "water" the
lawn. I know the dog does it. The neighbors don't feel the need to call me
when the dog does it.

Unless the house catches on fire, stay inside and keep the doors locked. Do
not go outside and throw rocks at the bathroom window to get my attention. I
know it works in the movies. This is reality, the place where people don't like
to sit in a tub while rocks and broken glass rain in on them. Do not set the
house on fire. Call me if there is an emergency.

Emergencies ARE:
1. Dad has fallen off the roof.
2. Your brother and/or sister is bleeding.
3. There's a red fire truck in front of our house.

Emergencies are NOT:
1. Dad has fallen asleep.
2. Someone on TV is bleeding.
3. There's a red pickup truck in front of our house.

One other thing: Being forced to use the last roll of toilet paper for a towel does not make me happy. It makes me sticky with little white polka dots. In the future, when the tub overflows, use a mop to clean up the water instead of every towel in the house. For my sanity's sake, let's pretend it was the tub, Okay? No, I don't want to hear the real story. Ever. Especially not while I'm standing in the pool of water you missed.

By the way, all Play-Doh experiments are hereby canceled. Be good. Entertain yourselves. Yes, you can do both at the same time. Try coloring, playing a game, or paying that stack of bills on the coffee table.. I'll be out soon. Maybe.

Love,
Your Mom