Hit that kettle button

I've just about given up writing anything today. My computer is soooo slow! Argh. I typed in my blog name and it took me to McDonald's.com! What's with that?
Ah, the button just clicked up, water's hot. Just a minute....back. I made a pot of Earl Grey this morning to drink while I wrote my friend Elizabeth. Now I think I'll drink Passion, hmm. Linnea left her Tazo, so I'm enjoying it. It would spoil if I saved it for her. Today's the kind of day for tea. Cold. Blustery snow showers, wind advisory. And another day of not substituting. After spending my morning reading blogs and writing the letter, I took off for the library and got books by Elizabeth Goudge and Ellis Peters. These are my light, fun reading. Really, I do read other stuff, but cold winter days lend themselves to relaxing reading. And when I substitute, it's easier to read light stuff if I can't concentrate.

So what do I think about on these days at home? Well, lots of things. And I may post about some. I wrote a paper a few years ago about single-sex schools and classrooms. Now we're hearing more and more about that. Interesting. Almost sounds like I'm reading my paper when I read about it. I guess some law has just changed opening the door for more schools to go that route. [ oooo, pink tea!] More later..

Along the same, or related to that is the idea of developing leadership skills in our young men, at Christian schools particularly. How are we training our boys in Christian schools to be leaders? The tendency since the Fall is for women to push to take charge and for men to sit back and let them. More and more girls are class and student body presidents. How can we encourage our young men to WANT to be in charge? And be gracious, courageous leaders? Another topic for later...

Also, I think about what it means to be a "middle-aged" woman, nearly empty nester. What is the next stage of life? What should I be doing now? And why can't I think clearly, sleep, have energy, and all the while feel so crabby sometimes?? Another stage of life...

And then I remember Psalm 139:13-16 "For you formed my inward parts; ....My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret...your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written every one of...the days that were framed for me, when as yet there were none of them." My personality and temperament were formed by God. And God wrote down every one of all the days that he would give me, before I was even born. That last part is assurance to me for my family's safety. Not one of us will die before all the days He has ordained for us are complete! No such thing as an "untimely death" in God's eyes.

Will should be enjoying Slovakia right now. And this Passion tea is yummy.

Robbie Burns Day

I meant to write about Robert Burns all day today. I can't have a title like I do and not say anything about Robert Burns day! I was going to have "haggis and neeps" for dinner, but I didn't know where I could find the haggis. Really, it does taste good. Haven't had it over here, though. You know, Burns is the guy who wrote Auld Lang Syne and My Love's Like a Red, Red Rose just to name a couple. I have to put one of his poems here just to juggle your memory about high school English class. .....
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I
And I will luve thee still my dear
Till a' the seas gang dry.

Lovely, isn't it? We didn't appreciate him in 12th grade English. At least I didn't. I was more into Elizabeth Barrett Browning...*smile*!

Not only is it Burns' birthday, but my nephew Sam (brother of diber) turned 21 today! woohooo! I'm sure he celebrated it quietly with his family... A man's a man for a' that!!!

AND my good friend Mairead, in Scotland. I won't say how old she is. Happy Birthday! I'd put her picture in here, but you can see it if you go to flickr and look at the Scotland wedding pictures. She's the mother of the bride. And a lovely one she is, too!

"And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught, for auld lang syne!"

Morning Sun

Just a quick note before I run off to view Andrew's Senior pictures at the studio...

After clicking on to the Internet and getting pictures of explosions in Baghdad or Lebanon or some other bad news, this photo is a picture of peace! At times I can see how pagans could worship the sun. It is so amazing in its rising every morning. Yesterday we stood and watched it move up out of the rim of the earth. Brilliant in the white bright light reflected everywhere in the snow and frosty air! Enjoy!

My friend took this one along with several others that you can view in my Flickr. More later....

A Mother's heart

No matter how many times I do it, it is never easy to take my children to the airport and have them leave. Will left this afternoon about 1. He should be nearly to Atlanta by now. I was a basket case all morning. I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep last night. Good thing I planned to go grocery shopping or I would have been TOTALLY useless today. Once they're gone, I'm fine. I get used to them being gone, and it doesn't bother me. One thing that helps and that is I remember how I felt going back to college...and it felt GOOD! I was always so excited to get back to all my friends and those good times! Some of my friends here avoid the pain of separation by having their children go to school here in town or within a couple of hours. But that seems to limit our children's experiences and the enrichment that new people and places can give them. Also, letting them go away helps them mature and learn to be responsible and care for themselves. Builds independence, and that's our goal in the first place! I keep preaching to myself....

My friend Deborah is looking forward to her son returning from Iraq. He's already on his way home. He and Will were little boys together molti anni fa! And Andrew's history teacher's son also is back from Iraq. We're so thankful for these safe returns!

What's for dinner?

Sunday dinner rotates around here. This is Will's last Sunday at home, so it was roast chicken Sunday. If we hadn't lived in Scotland, roast chicken never would have been one of our meals. I remember when Will was born our friend Elizabeth brought us roast chicken, and it was most delicious! I don't think mine ever tastes as good as hers! But since then, it is a family favorite. We rotate our Sundays between roast beef and roast chicken. I also have the same vegetables with each: brocolli and corn with the chicken; green beans and carrots with roast beef. We do have brussel sprouts with beef sometimes. This way I never have to think about dinner when Sunday comes around, and I always have what I need. The kids love coming home for Sunday dinners. If any one is gone on a Sunday, they can picture what's going on at home! *smile* Friends at church will ask if it's a chicken or beef Sunday!

So we're warm, well fed and..... watching football, sigh.

Just a side note, the driveway and sidewalk are snowless and DRY! It's "warm" today.

If any of you see a video called, Amazing Grace, get it. We have really enjoyed hearing once again the teaching about the wonderful grace of God. My salvation is all of Him and none of me, and I am soooo thankful! I sure would make a mess of things!

To slice the snow

Yea, yea, yea, I always write about the weather...Starts giving away my age, does it? Today we woke to our biggest snow yet, between 6 and 8 inches. I do love getting out and shoveling. Makes me feel refreshed with all that exercise and fresh air in my lungs! Den gets out the snowblower and makes nice, neat slices in the deep snow. Too bad snowblowers are so noisy and smelly.

Unbelievably, our church cancelled the morning service. This is Nebraska, you'd think we'd have to have a few feet before they cancel church. I remember one time when I was in college, must've been home for Christmas, my dad drove to church in Waterloo which was about 50 miles away. It had snowed A LOT that night, but he wasn't going to miss church. We bucked drifts, slid around, followed the snow plow and eventually we arrived at church. I don't remember if we were late or not. I do remember we ate lunch with a family from the church. A "little" snow never slowed Dad down!

Crisp, cold and quiet

Ah, it's a lovely morning, but molto freddo! Last time I checked it was -10F! We're so thankful for warm houses. Den and Will are off to work. Andrew has another day off school. I'll write a bit here and clean up around the house after the long weekend. Since it did snow about 6 inches, we didn't range too far from home. We had an inch or so on Saturday and then the rest Sunday beginning about noon. I just saw a picture of Omaha on CNN in the photo stream about the weather. We are down to two cars now since the Geo doesn't like temps below 20. We'll see what happens tomorrow when more cars are demanded.

It's nice to have all these plants in here in the winter. It's like a green garden. If you check out Flickr, you can see all the bushes. The rosemary is huge!

Getting Will ready for the big trip to Slovakia. Have to find a hot water bottle; not too easy on this side of the big pond. He'd probably find one easier in Slovakia! Warm socks, shoes/boots. It will be interesting to hear about all the places he gets to visit. He'd like to stay over there and visit friends after the semester is over, but I don't know how the plane ticket works.

Back to my cozy house..