On balance it's been a great week for me. There are always ups and downs in a recovery this major, but this is the first week with WAY more ups than downs. Yesterday I spent about 4 hours outside, and I don't remember the last time I did that. The weather was lovely and my Kindle and I had a lovely afternoon together on the swing. Then I took my coffee out there at 7 and stayed until 9 since I wanted to see all our new solar lighting come on as it got dark. Unfortunately, one of the "downs" was that I ended up with a dozen mosquito bites all on the foot that I can't reach and that made my night miserable, but I wouldn't trade the wonderful fresh air and breeze and exercise for a few hours of sleep.

What a tragedy to watch the oil slick approaching the Gulf Coast...it breaks my heart to think of the small businesses and family fisherman who will be ruined if that oil does indeed (as seems inevitable) ooze onto the shore. The Papa was doing some research on the Exxon Valdez oil spill twenty years ago in Alaska, and so many species of animals, birds and fish never recovered. And that wasn't even an area where there was a major effect on the economy. The Gulf Coast could be devastated, both in a biological and an economic sense.

We're just a week and a half from school's end here at Granny's House. This is a year I'll be glad to see go, as I don't even remember a lot of it. I'm looking forward to being much more vigorously involved in teaching and coordinating (and driving!) next year as I continue to get my strength and my wits back. We'll have only two, TWO, students--a freshman and a junior in high school. Think I should finally break down and give away my phonics cards?

Most of you will have heard the town hall clip this week of the president saying, "I do think at some point you've made enough money..." I love it when he gives us these off-the-cuff peeks at what he truly believes. Raise your hand if you think you've made enough now and should start giving most of it back to him so he can decide who needs it more?

We've finally started mowing our property this week. We've had such a gorgeous sea of bluebonnets, black-eyed Susans, and other wildflowers this year that it's hard to watch them go. They made our house look like a postcard for a month or so...

And, the House is abuzz with wedding plans (see Monday's post). There's nothing like planning a wedding when you've got five sisters...it's a gigantic party all the time!

This week my reading includes Little Women. Yes, the real Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Haven't read it since I was a kid, and it's very interesting to compare my recollections of it with my current thoughts. Having raised a houseful of girls I see so much that we dealt with, both good and bad, but I'm still amused by the "stiltedness" of the conversations and the moralizing of the author, both elements which would eliminate it from consideration by a publisher today. Nevertheless, this classic still has much to commend it, and even the "preachiness" is refreshing when compared to what passes for young people's literature today.

Some dear friends of ours have been led to adopt a brother and sister from Ethiopia. This sweet family has five children and are now opening their hearts and home to an 8 year old boy and 5 year old girl who are waiting for someone to love them. The process of adopting internationally is terribly expensive, not to mention stressful, so if God brings them to your mind, would you pray that He would provide all that Charles and Stacey need as they follow His will down this challenging road? And pray that God will use this family to bring Dawit and Mushera to Himself.

Congratulations to my brother Danny who just landed his dream job with GEICO Insurance, and to my son-in-law Dave who starts his new job with Farmer's Insurance tomorrow. May God give both of you success and favor with your employers and show you many opportunities each day to serve Him!

Have a happy first week of May!

Labels: Books, Health, Homeschooling, News, ObamaNation, Weddings