The Watcher

I came across this poem in one of Lamplighter's beautiful books.


The Watcher

She always leaned to watch for us,
Anxious if we were late,
In winter by the window,
In summer by the gate;

And though we mocked her tenderly,
Who had such foolish care,
The long way home would seem more safe
Because she waited there.

Her thoughts were all so full of us-
She never could forget!
And so I think that where she is
She must be watching yet,

Waiting till we come home to her,
Anxious if we are late -
Watching from heaven's window
Leaning from heaven's gate.

~Margaret Widdemer

Last Words

As I write this post, there is a 93 year old gentleman lying in a hospital bed in a coma, moments away from death. Some would say "Well, he's had a full life." And to that I say, "Yes, he has." Others might say, "Well, he is old... you knew it was coming." Of course everyone dies one day, but that still makes this day sad. Sad because he is my dear, sweet mother-in-law's daddy-- whom she really does still call daddy!

To read the rest of this post, please visit me at
Heart of the Matter...

Book Review: Homeschool Co-Ops

I just finished reading Carol Topp's book Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out. I first met Carol here at HSB. She was the first person that I had ever met (even if it was just online) that discussed the financial side of homeschooling... taxes, IRS, and the whole gamut of questions that an audience of homeschoolers could throw her way. Always knowledgeable (and approachable), I have learned much from her over the years (thanks, Carol!).

While I have never been a member of a co-op, I was thinking about getting together with one or two other families to have either an art class or science class-- the two subjects that have sadly fallen by the wayside in our homeschool. Carol's book came at the perfect time!

Let me tell you some of my favorite things about her book:

• Carol's writing style is very easy to read. It didn't take extra energy (that I did not have) to just get through the book-- I actually enjoyed reading it!
  
  
• Included in her book are real life stories and situations. Not only does it make things more interesting, but you can tell the book contains her personal experience with co-op's along with the experience of other homeschoolers.
  
  
• As you would expect from a CPA, the book is very well organized. Nothing irks me more than a book with no flow and no sense in the order of chapters.
  
  
• The book is very thorough and divided into three main sections:
  
  
  
  • Starting a Co-op,
  • Running a Co-op,
  • and How to Avoid Burnout.
    
    
• Examples of various forms, mission statements, etc. are included. She also has very pointed questions to ask yourself in each chapter. Not one to just convince you that a co-op is for everyone, Carol helps you to see the many benefits of a co-op as well as to count the cost.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that has even thought about starting a co-op! This has encouraged me greatly and I plan to pass this useful resource on to others.

The Rally

I live in the wrong decade (apparently)

111 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

I got this quiz from my friend Amy. Some of the questions were hilarious... I'm sure you'll know what I'm talking about when you get to it. It's 100 questions but a very simple check the box format that takes no time at all.

So, what was your score? What was the most hilarious question in your opinion?

I think I laughed the most at "Gives husband shampoo or manicure" and "Reacts with pleasure and delight to marital congress." ::snort::

Okay y'all, take it and let me know how you did. It is NOT a contest! In fact, I wonder if I should be embarrassed at my score! Or maybe I should give the hubs a pedicure to raise the bar. ::snort::

The Rockin' Egg Slicer

I was going to post about our busy week-- cookout with friends we haven't seen in forever, the big union rally downtown, my nephew's half birthday party... but driving 500+ miles in the past 2 days equals being tired.

After seeing the very talented JenIg and Coie in concert, I thought I'd share the skillz of the latest musical talent in the Drews household with you instead. For your listening pleasure:

My fav picture of David and the Boys

All week long (and then some!), Heart of the Matter is having a special Focus on Fathers. From today's post:

Welcome to the Heart of the Matter Online meme: Father's Day Edition. By the way, what exactly is a "meme"? Anyone care to explain this concept and its origin to us men?

Anyway, today's theme is similar to the uber-popular Wordless Wednesday. We want to see your favorite picture of your husband and your kids, or your husband and yourself, or just your husband alone.

So here is my entry:

This picture always makes me smile! :-) It was taken in 2005 when Dozer wasn't even big enough to walk yet.

My sister Lele got the boys these hilariously FUN t-shirts in New York City. David and I laughed at the boys all day long! The drawn in tie, sunglasses, cheesy pockets... man, it totally looked like the real thing!

So far, they all still say they want to be a pilot like daddy. That's good and bad. The bad part is the very scary learning to fly stage... I am positive that I will go completely white-haired and ulcered during that time! So I'm just not going to think about that right now... or ever.

If I don't talk to y'all again, have a wonderfully happy Father's Day weekend! And for you single momma's out there, Happy Father's Day to you too! If you are pulling double duty, you deserve a big pat on the back, high five and a Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino too!

Love,
Marshie

Yawns are contagious

I got my hair cut (a haircut? my hairs cut?)

So I got my hair cut... it was halfway down my back and now... it's not!

Okay, both pictures are incredibly dorky, look like mugshots (except a jail wouldn't have orange walls) and are VERY poor quality, but I got tired of my plain hair. I do miss the ease of the ponytail but this is nice... for now... That's the good thing about hair-- it always grows back!

So what do you think of my swing cut? See how it's shorter in the back but longer in the front? Kinda like a reverse mullet! LOL Just kidding. Anyhow, back on the ranch... I need the longer layers in front because my face is more on the round side and this minimizes the mongo forehead plus chubby... er, round face.

I'm done procrastinating now. I guess I better get some work done around here. If I don't talk to y'all again, have a GREAT weekend!

I get SO ANGRY sometimes!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,363434,00.html

This is a story about a couple that aborted a baby at 8 wks pregnancy. Around 19 weeks, she felt a flutter and a scan showed that she was still pregnant. Even though this baby had a good chance of having kidney problems at birth, this paragraph still IRKS me (BIG understatement there!):

Another scan a week later confirmed the baby also had kidney problems, but doctors told the couple the baby was likely to survive, so they decided he deserved another chance at life.

So babies that have medical issues don't deserve a chance at life?! Heaven forbid that these doctors are the ones to ever decide if *I* deserve surgery, a transplant, medication or even just to have a bone set! GRRR... I am so thankful for this precious one's LIFE! That he survived!!! And it is a sad day when we rejoice the decision of doctors and mothers to let their children be born... something that should never even be questioned.

Couldn't escape this tag! :)

So I was tagged by my dear friend Amy. Amy, you know I'm your friend when I'd actually unlazy myself long enough to answer questions like these!

Favorite food? Korean food! Dwaejibulgogi (spicy pork), Ojingobokum (spicy squid), kimchi (radish, cabbage, puchu, all kinds!), bulgogi (not spicy beef)... My mouth is watering just thinking about it all...

Quirks about you? I am double jointed in my elbows so you can twist my arm really really far. (This has oft been my answer to this type of question-- I'm not very creative.)

Any regrets in life? Some bad choices in life, but God's grace has been sufficient!

Favorite Blog recently? Very hard to pick! But lately, I've been loving The Pioneer Woman Cooks! and Pioneer Woman Photography. And I have to say that I've really been enjoying Lisa's blog. She is so funny!

Something you can’t get enough of? Coffee. (Yes, totally lame next to your reply Amy, but I didn't want to be a copycat.)

Worst job you've ever had? Secretary for the relocation department of Ernst & Young. Yes, I am naming that company b/c I despised that job more than anything. I was SO miserable, mainly b/c of my boss who'd show up late and then make us stay late because she never got around to actually working! Plus, I was waaay underpaid, overworked, my feet hurt and did I mention that I really really really disliked my boss? That's what happens when you call your boss enough times at their house asking if they are going to come in to work that day. It was even worse than the job at a laundromat where I washed other people's laundry. Yes, that bad!

But I'm not bitter. I am SO over that point in my life. Yup, la la la la la...

What job would you pay NOT to have? I wouldn't want to be one of those guys from that Verminator show. Ewwww!!!

If you could be a fly on the wall, where? In the cockpit of my husband's airplane. I wonder what they really talk about up there during those 5 hour flights... Okay, I pretty much want to know what he says about me... he tells me, but I want more details. :-)

Favorite Bible verse right now? Three that go well together:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
~James 1:5

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
~Isaiah 30:21

For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
~Psalm 48:14

Guilty Pleasure? Starbuck's Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino

If you HAD to spend $1,000 on YOURSELF, how would you spend it? I have no idea! I'm thinking family vacation... that's sounds really nice about now.

Favorite thing about your house? My dream master bathroom courtesy of a talented hubby and a useless extra master closet! Now I have a big tub for a bubblebath... aahhhhhh...

Least favorite thing about your house? The laundry room space is very crowded... I can't even open the dryer door all the way without it banging into the wall in front of it.

One thing you are bad at? Golf... although I do have some super cute pink golf shoes!

One thing you're good at? Playing my flute. And cooking (most of the time).

If you could change something about your circumstances, what? Absolutely nothing. I love my life!

Who would you like to meet someday? That's a good question. I have no idea. I've never been one to get fixated on people. But one day, I'll get to meet Jesus!!!

Who is your real life hero? My husband... and if he's busy, I've always got one of his sidekicks nearby...

What is the hardest part of your job? Hard??? I've got this kid thing DOWN! My kids came with mommy manuals... and so did my husband. What? You mean you didn't get manuals with yours? Maybe you can check online for a manual... because it is SO EASY every single day. I'm telling you, I sit on the couch and eat bon-bon's 24/7. *snort*

When are you most relaxed? After the kids are in bed for the night... and asleep.

What stresses you out? A messy house.

What can you not live without? Coffee, high speed internet, my cell phone.

Why do you blog? It's an easy way to keep in touch with friends and family. And I love that I can write about the kids and then forget about it, like a journal but faster since I can type and add pictures and video clips!

Who Am I Tagging? If you want to participate, feel free to join in! Let me know though because I'd l-o-v-e to read your answers.

Rules:
1. Answer the questions
2. Link back to whoever tagged you
3. Tag eight bloggers to do the same, 2 from each category.
New/ newer bloggers (since we want to share the love and send them traffic)
Bloggy friends
Bloggers you’d like to get to know better
Bloggers you don’t think will respond, but you hope will

Abandoned and Disappointed

The other morning, I walked into the kitchen to find this... abandoned on top of the stove...

What in the world?

I hollered (because that's what we do in Texas, holler...) for my eldest son and chief boy baker in the house.


Dash, what in the world is this doing here?!


With great disappointment in his voice, he explained...


Well, mommy, I thought it was going to be a WHOLE pizza in there but it was JUST the crust!!!

I laughed ALL morning long about this! Poor kid. I bet he was sorely disappointed and quite surprised to find just plain old dough in that can! *snort*

Reason number 5,692 to have kids: pure entertainment value.