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Hello Readers,
Seldom do I post anything of great value. Most of the time it's a rant here and there about one thing or another. And usually, it involves homeschool, field trips, freebie downloads, etc. And those are GREAT! But, I'm going to be real with you for a moment. Life happens. Life... just... happens. And we can complain, we can pray, we can procrastinate, we can argue until we are blue in the face. But it doesn't change a thing. Stress, worry, worry, and stress - the uglier parts of being a grown up. And I have had my fair share throughout my life - but never all at once. Let me break it down for you. We are a big family. We drive a full size van. We traded in our Pacifica for this vehicle nearly two years ago. Granted, it was used but it was a pretty penny. We are still making payments on it. We live month to month. We can't afford big ticket costs right when they happen. So our Savana (that's our vans name) starts running hot. I called my dad in Florida and asked him some questions. He gave me some ideas on what could be wrong with it. After spraying off the condenser real well and adding more coolant, she is doing fine. Then, all of Hades blazes were upon us. In trying to keep our vehicle up and going, we went to our local Walmart for an oil change. While it was up on the rack, the man told my husband that our tires were bad. We knew the tread was getting thin, but I thought they would last until September so we could buy a new set of tires. But hubby was concerned and rightly so. Apparently, there were metal wires beginning to show on the inside. Well, I knew that meant the front end was out of alignment. But I had zero to pay to get it aligned. On a hope and a prayer, we went to the local tire place and purchased two used tires on a 30 day warranty that would surely get us through for what little bit of driving we do. All was good... or so I thought. After driving to see my mother 45 minutes away, we were on the road headed home, going 60 mph... And the passenger front tire blew out... Yes, one of the two we just had replaced. *Sigh* We drag the spare out from under the van. Grab the scissor jack and proceed to change the tire. Until the jack bends and the van is no longer safely positioned. *Sigh* I grab the phone and call my lady-knight in shining armor - my neighbor and sister from another mister, Rena. She brings her floor jack out to help us. We get it propped back up and just good enough to loosen the scissor jack, when her floor jack starts to give. *Sigh* Mind you, we are on a fairly traveled highway in Northeast Arkansas and NO one had stopped to see if we needed help. Until a kind young man, who unbeknownst to me at the time, was a former neighbor of Rena's! This young man not only had a second floor jack, but proceeded to change the tire for us. For that, I am truly thankful and the $10 dollars I had to my name was given to him for his hard work, but did not amount to nearly enough, because he changed the tire in the rain! Yes. In Arkansas, the sun shines, it rains, hails, sleets, and snows, all within 48 hours of each other. Luckily, it was just the rain this time. Gladly, we made it home in one piece, minus hubby's shoe! *Sigh* The sole blew out of it as he was trying to climb up the ditch incline to better position himself before the scissor jack gave way. Now, we are at another dilemma. Mother-in-law has a doctor's appointment in Little Rock Friday. I have several options: 1. Drive the van to Little Rock hoping that I do not have a flat (because the spare is being used on it already). 2. Allow my mother in law to pay to rent a vehicle (which is costly) and drive her to the appointment for her biopsy. 3. Reschedule the appointment until we can get tires on the vehicle, and pray the cells do not turn cancerous before they can get them removed. 4. Give up, tuck tail, and run for the hills. NOT! My grandma raised me to do the best with what I have. I have hope. I have faith. I have prayer. I may be at the end of my rope, but I will not let go! I'll tie a knot and hang on! Until next time, LaVonda
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Good Monday Morning to you all!
I try to make Monday's more pleasant, but that is not always the case. For instance, as I was (disinterested in) rolling out of bed this morning, I began reflecting on the last 72 hours. Our kids and I went on a camping trip this past weekend. I find that getting out into nature really does help curb the electronic addictions that many of us face, myself included. Time seems different when you are camping. Everything slows down. You can really take a moment to hear your own thoughts. All weekend, we were laughing, cutting up with each other, and despite our oldest coming down with strep throat (I thought it would miss her), we had a great time. A little campfire chat, a random proposal by my eldest son to a tree during a rousing game of Truth or Dare. All the way down to our camp neighbors running down the lane yelling "The red coats are coming" (We bring all kinds of education to our trips) - we had a blast! I even had a campfire s'more for the first time in over 14 years (I still don't like them). A blast, right!?! Yes! A great weekend. That was the beginning of the end. Good Evening,
With the kids enjoying their banana pudding, I'm taking a few minutes to reflect on the last couple of weeks. Yes, they have been chaotic to say the least. The Christmas tree is up, the grocery shopping is completed, and the ingredients for some serious holiday cooking is accounted for. But that isn't the change that has graced our home. This past week, my eldest, KR, began her first real job in the work force. At 17, she has blossomed into a young woman and it seems like it happened overnight. When days turn into weeks, and months into years, we seldom remember the important moments in life that matter. Friendship is certainly one of those important moments that must be nurtured, encouraged and appreciated. Over the years, I've lost touch with so many of the people I once knew. More recently, a friendship that developed was treated wrongly by me because life happens. But that is still no excuse for the way I disrespected my friend, however unintentional.
When life happens, we forget. When kids begin fighting, we forget. When things happen that are beyond the norm, we forget. And as difficult as it is for me to carry those issues with me and discuss them with my friends, I have realized that what is going on in my life at that particular moment may be easier understood by taking a moment and just putting them on the back burner to recognize that friendship and birthdays are just as important. My dear friend Rena, whom I have come to know and love, had a birthday recently. And because I was so consumed with my ordeals, I failed to even walk across the yard and wish her a happy birthday, ask how her day was going, or even make her a birthday card. I feel like a failure at friendship. In the past, I would often equate ending friendships as being "their fault", not mine. But I have began to recognize that I am the reason why some of those friendships failed. To Rena, may you know that you have been a beacon of light in helping me to realize that I am just as responsible for nurturing a friendship as the other person. You've also helped me to become a better person by acknowledging my faults. It was your birthday, and I missed the opportunity to share it with you because of my own problems. But, above all else, know that I am sincerely apologetic and hope that this small blemish can be erased in time and that you will still cherish our friendship in the light that you always have, and know that I will as well! I like to think I have a good grasp on things. A well-planned agenda, a weekly lesson planner, and enough web links to drive a sane person mad! A little coffee, a good prayer, and a heavenly song on my lips. And as fast as I had it, I lost it. If anyone tells you homeschooling is easy, they've never done it. And if they tell you it's a waste, they've never experienced it. But to tell you the day is hard, the nights can get long (especially if you build your own curriculum), and the trials and tribulations of everyday life is anything but organized...
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HELLOWelcome! My name is LaVonda. I am the wife of Rodney, the mom of 5 remarkable kids (well, 2 are adults now), an avid homeschooler, blogger, and sociologist. I am blessed with the ability to spend my time sharing our homeschool and life experiences with you. It is my hope to provide you with motivation, ideas, and some candid stress-relief through my blog - Mom's Scribe! Grab a cup of coffee, sit on down, and make yourself at home! Past Scribes
August 2020
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