The Altar, the Fitting Room, and the Kitchen Sink

This weekend had me moving in and out of these spheres-- the sacred, the silly, and the mundane.  It's delightfully exhausting to be a woman, isn't it?

I loaded up with 7 other Jesus girls and headed off to the dotMom conference in Chattanooga.  We needed a new battery about 45 minutes into the trip and stopped at Chick Fil A, Starbucks, and McDonalds along the way...before lunch.  (Delightful. Exhausting. Wink.)

The conference totally went beyond any expectations our group had.  48 plus hours away from home with hotel service, dinners out, and no one but our sweet selves to care for?  Oh, yeah.  A good time was a given.

But, man.  The teaching?  The speakers brought it.  This wasn't a "let's pat ourselves on the back as good Christian women" kinda thing.  It was encouraging, but also powerful and challenging.  I loved it.

About 5 minutes into the first teaching session, I lean over to my group and announce, "Are you hearing this?"  It was the truth.  There is a collective weariness in us as women.  The Happily Ever After.  The Perfect Portrait.  And we let that get in the way of the life to which we have been called. And as Jen Hatmaker remarked, "Jesus does his best work in reality."

Here are a few of my favorite W-O-R-D-S from the weekend:

On how to be "enough" for your family: "Just show them Jesus." -Vicki Courtney

and  "God can take you on... He's stronger than your natural disposition."
-Angela Thomas

On this generation of children being raised in church: "Behaving and Tithing will not inspire our kids' loyalty (to Christ and the Church.)" - Jen Hatmaker 

That one sunk down deep.

And basically every word a man named David Thomas (co-author of Wild Things: The Art of Raising Boys) said.  Basically affirmed in me that I am raising a boy.  First and foremost.  A boy who needs to be anchored in his mom's love, understanding, and protection.  And all the stuff my family is bending over backwards to do that feels kinda out there?  It's what ALL boys need-- space and time.  Ain't that somethin'?

I'm happy to report that all 8 of us ladies made it back safe and sound, still friends, with a lot of "this goes in the vault" kinds of stories and overshares and laughter.  And a trip to the bra fitter.  G-lory.  A proper fitting undergarment will make you feel like a natural wo-man.


I love being one.  It's the best.

Here's a 3 minute recap made by Lifeway:

Precious Memories, How They Linger

J-Man and I are up doin' the 5:30 Toy Story Wake-up Ritual, so I decided to do some therapy homework and shockingly got sidetracked.  I did a bit better capturing little moments this year with Rachel through the magic of the smartphone and automatic Youtube upload. Posterity will thank me, I'm sure.  I got to go out and bargain hunt last night with a friend, so I didn't get to put her down for her last baby sleep.  So I may have just accidentally walked into her room, kinda woken her up and rocked her back to sleep.  Because I know she's not changing in any essential way, but these kind of things, like your last night as an infant, need to be banked down.  I'm nothing if not ceremonious in life's big and little occasions.

With that preamble in place, I present Rachel's First Year.  Enjoy the riveting commentary.  And Happy Birthday, Darling Rachel Girl.  You are a perfect fit.  You are so loved.

And finally...

Day of H.O.P.E. 2013

Last year I participated in the Day of H.O.P.E. (Hope Offered in a Pregnancy Emergency) with Caring Solutions Pregnancy Center in Macon, GA.  I wrote a bit about it here and here.

Caring Solutions has two locations in Warner Robins and Macon.  They are a 501c3 non-profit organization which has been helping women and families facing unexpected pregnancy in Middle Georgia since 1984 and has held over 39,000 appointments.  Their purpose is to offer the medical services of free pregnancy testing, ultrasound, and options counseling in an effort to share that HOPE is available, even when it seems like there is none. 

The Day of HOPE is being held this year on Saturday, September 21st and I am raising money to support this ministry.  The event includes a Children's Fun Run, 2 mile walk & 5K run followed by a cookout and inflatables for the kids. I will be travelling on the day of the walk/run, but am pledging to fundraise as an Encourager.

I am asking my friends, family and neighbors to sponsor me in these efforts.   Your donation will go to providing free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, counseling and parenting classes for expectant mothers and their partners.  More than mother and child are touched by this ministry-- potentially, an entire family's destiny is altered.  I can think of few greater opportunities for good.  I am so profoundly grateful for my own family and the One who created it.  I want others to know that kind of love, too.

Will you join me?

I am asking for 5 sponsors for $5, 10 sponsors for $10, and 2 sponsors for $25 or more. I have already given to kick off this effort.  Give a little or a lot... it all matters! 

You can make a donation electronically by visiting Friends of Caring Solutions  and clicking the Day of HOPE button or Donate tab.  Checks can be made to Caring Solutions Pregnancy Center with Melissa Young in the memo line.  Message me privately for my address to mail in the check.


Thank you for your support in bringing HOPE and honoring life.

Melissa

Just One Thing

Mitch Robbins: Have you ever had that feeling that this is the best I'm ever gonna do, this is the best I'm ever gonna feel... and it ain't that great?

Station Manager: Happy Birthday.

--Billy Crystal, City Slickers

In that spirit, I present:

 Melissa's Ideas on Being Awesome at Age 34, Completely Tongue-In-Cheek

1. Health: Get with the program and starting running 5Ks like every other woman in her mid-30s.

2. Nutrition: Buy a Vitamix and make green smoothies.  All the lifestyle bloggers are doing it!

3. Body Image: Increase ab exercises from 10 situps done over 5 years to 10 done at least once a year.  Come to terms with midsection.  Lose somewhere between 1 and 30 pounds without completely abandoning chocolate. 

4. Personal Growth: Increase my blogger cache. 

5. Relationships: Have real conversations in real time.  Laugh more.  (No snark here.)

6. Housekeeping: The bathrooms.  Something about the bathrooms. 

So, I had a birthday yesterday if it wasn't obvious.  I had cake and presents and family, so I had the good birthday requirements met.  I don't have any set birthday rituals, but I have been thinking over the last few days that this birthday is the first one in a long while that doesn't bring with it some kind of change or milestone.  Without some obvious goal for the year, I started thinking about what I want to be true of this year.   I haven't come up with any definitive answers as my Ideas list suggests, but I think it involves what any major goal takes: focus and one step in front of the other.

If I'm not careful, my goal could easily become "Make Jeremiah into a 'typical' kid at whatever cost to my sanity."  I think I've been operating in that manner for the last 6 months.

It hasn't made me the most fun person you'd ever meet.

After quite a topsy-turvy ride of emotions, I do have an aim for the year.

Trust and Obey.  

That means learning to appreciate my unique situation, looking less to what the "norm" is and more to what God would want me to do.  I do think many of the above ideas are things to pursue, but not because "that's what you do" but more "that's who I want to be".

Truly, I want to be more of the person God made me to be, and less of the perfect image I've cobbled together from the constant influx of "ways to be awesome" in which I emerge myself.

If I do, that is gonna make it an awesome year. 

Just one thing.

How Our First Week Went

Well!  It went well.  Surprisingly so.  As we inched closer to the start date, I could only wonder how this would work.  Our daily summer routine was less than ideal.  How could I devote 4 hours to school work (at least, aspire to that devoted block of time) plus feed and provide basic care for my 3 young children?  I was already worn down, overwhelmed and always feeling behind in housework, and now, let's educate my child?  On paper, not a logical move.  The decision had been made, and so, I unpacked my materials, prepared for Day 1, and prayed.  And something happened.  I got up and even though I failed to beat my early riser, chose not the let that bother me.  TV stayed off, and we ate our cereal, and got the kitchen clean.  We got dressed and began at 8:30--us! 

I turned on the music CD that came with my curriculum and "Your a Grand Old Flag" began to play in the background as the we finished getting ready.  We said the pledge, and then, it happened.  God showed up.  I mean it.  We got down on our knees, Mom and kids, and thanked God for our country and the freedom to do exactly what we were doing.  And it was just right.  I hadn't planned to do that--kneel with my kids-- I was just struck by it. And it occurred to me that in all my praying over them, I had never taken that posture with them as active participants.  Lesson 1 and it wasn't even 8:45.

Our basic schedule that is evolving is begin by 9, Math concepts lesson, snack, music/movement break, read aloud, break outside, baby up and lunch, finish/review letters and math activities.  Sarah usually does the math with us and I always allow her the choice of quiet play later in the day, but she usually chooses to stay with us.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays I get to work 1:1 with J, knee to knee.  And we are doing it!  I told myself that this month would be the "training wheels" period as we learn the curriculum, its pacing, and how to modify.  But my boy is learning!  The first lessons have been on the concepts of big/small, near/far, in/out/above/under and basic patterns.  We use manipulatives to introduce the concept and these are perfect for J.  With the worksheets, we do it together, sometimes with him pointing to an answer, circling or coloring an answer.  I modify things completely his response method such as using stickers to indicate in/out on a picture instead of drawing a more complicated image.  Sure, I'd like to work up to the preferred response method, but if he can grasp the concept, that's the point!  The focus of organized lessons and activities has given structure to our days by providing an impetus to our time together.  My purpose, both to bring J further along academically and bring us into a closer sync, is being accomplished!

And I can see more clearly J's weaknesses firsthand.  Obviously, listening comprehension is a challenge.  Our first stories have been classic tales, like the 3 Little Pigs.  While we have a complete new library of picture books as part of our curriculum, these first weeks are strictly oral reading, which stretches J's comprehension and attention.  He is unable to answer a recall question but I do not doubt that with the support of visuals and repetition this will improve.  We are using an on-level curriculum, so my plan is to track along, modify and slow down and review as needed.  If we do 25 percent of a rigorous curriculum (The Calvert School), I'm happy with that.  But I think we are doing a whole lot more!

We are only 6 days in and I don't want to paint our new homeschool routine as an instant family makeover.  It's not.  But I truly believe it's the start to new, exciting days.

Woo hoo!  We're doing the thing!  Thank you for reading, encouraging, and caring! 

Happy First Days of School!