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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Hello Readers,
As we begin preparing for our homeschool year, I started thinking about how, as parents, we strive to help our children. Whether we are working on lesson plans that will give them the best opportunity to learn, all the way to coping with everyday stressors that arise. As parent’s we want nothing but the best for our children. As a former public school family, I knew right away that my younger boys were struggling. Not just in school, but with bullying. I fought their fight. I pulled them from public school because I didn’t want them to be afraid. I wanted them to have the ability to learn in a stress-free environment. I wanted them to know that they are loved and appreciated. That their opinions are just as important as the next persons and to be equally responsible for their actions. As I sat down this month to meditate on things, a notion popped into my mind. I couldn’t help but wonder… was my help actually hurting them? 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. Good afternoon lovely readers!
Sitting in the computer lab between classes today, I discovered something. Of course, it's nothing new, but I felt it necessary to discuss it and thus, the cause of this blog post: "When it seems as though it's all falling apart, it all comes together!" What do I mean by that. Well, it's simple really. Think about things that can easily sway you to believe all hope is gone. Perhaps your car is breaking down, your washer is on the fritz, your health is not good... Got your thought? 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...
Good Morning from Evans Homeschool Academy,
As the boys continue working on their mean, median, mode and range worksheets, I am forever resentful to the seasonal time change. I have always been a summer child. I’ve never cared much for the winter months. Yesterday, with the cloud cover, we had what I consider daylight for 1 hour! That is ridiculous. Granted, the clouds prevented the awesome sun from shining through, and I know the sun was there, but still, I yearned for those bright, blinding beams of warmth. As a child, I never paid any mind to the time change. It was something older folks worried about and tended to – as long as it didn’t impede on my playing in the upstairs attic. As a teen, I would find something to do indoors from November to March that kept my mind busy and that worked the majority of the time. But that was then. How many times in our walk through parenthood do we tell our children that if something is bothering us, to talk about it, find a way to deal or cope with it, or remove themselves from the situation. In my years of parenting, had I received a nickel for each time I'd said those phrases, I certainly wouldn't be worrying about my son's Chromebook that just recently went on the fritz! But I can tell you, I wouldn't take nary a penny for those words. Because in the last 3/4 of a year, I myself have learned a great deal from those words. You just simply will not believe how I learned this! |
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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