Music Monday - Flower Duet from "Lakme" by Leo Delibes

Once upon a time, I thought I would be living a gypsy life now. I had dreams of being an opera singer, performing in fabulous concert halls and theaters around the world. When I got to Brenau, I got the lead role in our opera that year. I loved the performing, but as I moved along in my major, I realized what an all consuming goal I had set for myself. In order to become a major opera star, it must be your life, and most opera singers don't reach their peak vocally until their mid-thirties. My professors wanted me to go to Italy the summer after my sophomore year. I was in love, having fun in my sorority, missing my family, and just didn't think I could do it. I also realized that my other dream of being a wife and a mother would be put on hold for at least a while as I pursued my dream. So, I decided that the operatic life wasn't for me. I have often wondered, "What if?", but I know that the things I hold dearest to me probably wouldn't be in my life right now if I had gone that route. I still love the music though. You all know that D. isn't really the opera type, so I haven't attended an opera in years. I catch it when I can on tv and recordings. This duet is one of my all time favorites. It has been called one of the most beautiful songs ever, and has been in many movies and commercials. You may recognize it. It just soars, and when it does, your spirit will too.

Tinkering Thursday

I am going to begin another weekly posting to help me stay on top of blogging and also to share projects that I have been working on. I am calling this weekly post "Tinkering Thursdays". As you all know I scrapbook, knit and just generally love to craft, so I will share whatever I have been working on for the week with you all. This summer I did many projects, but one I thought was easy and could work all year long was my tiered planter I made for my front porch. I got the idea Here I pretty much followed the directions, but used colors that worked for me. I also used impatiens, asparagus fern, and spiky dracena in my planters for the thrill, fill and spill. I haven't decided if I am going to use it year-round, but it will be most of the year at least. I love it because it was easy, reasonable in price, classic in design and fun to do and change the plants in. If any of you have done these or do them in the future, please let me know!

Music Monday

In my attempt to get back to regular blogging, I am going to start two new weekly posts. The first is Music Monday. I have loved music - singing, playing piano, listening to many different kinds of music - for as long as I can remember. I sang my first solo in church when I was about 6. I thought it would be my career, and for a while it was. Now I just love it again for the joy it brings me. So, I would like to share with my readers some of my faves. I will share all kinds of music that I love for many different reasons. This first has been a song I have loved for a long time - it's not new, but every time I hear it I'm reminded of the Truth. It is by Christian artist. Sara Groves. She has sooooo many songs that I just love. I love that she writes many of her lyrics and songs. That is such a gift. This song reminds me that I always have exactly what I need to get relief/wisdom/encouragement, etc. for any situation I am in. It's The Word, and God gave it to us so we will always have just exactly what we need when we need it. It will always be more than enough for us no matter what.

Ahhhhh

I feel like I have just exhaled from a big, deep breath. Summer came not as the lazy days I remember, but as a whirlwind taking us from one fun activity to the next. I loved our Summer List, but also realized that I always feel like I have to check off everything on my list and it did contribute to a little of the frantic pace of our summer. I hated for it to end. We did have a wonderful time as a family. BUT, I am thrilled that we are back into routine, getting a new rhythm to our life with Aubrey in first grade and Mallory at a new pre-school this year. I have lots of pictures and stories and projects from the summer, but I will post them when the dinner isn't just about ready. Thanks for sticking with me if you're still here!

P.S. - I would post a picture of us, but I haven't even gotten any pics loaded to my computer from this summer yet!

Helloooo??? Anyone here???

Well, I'm here, but not for long or with any major news. We're just enjoying our summer, checking things off our list and having a great time. I am not really worrying about my blog (as you can see by the messed up layout. I changed it, it doesn't work, and I don't know how to fix it. If any of you would like to volunteer I'll make you some homemade cookies and love you forever.) Some of my friends have 16 posts on my Google reader that I haven't read. If I haven't commented know that it doesn't mean I don't love you or cherish your stories anymore, just that I'm not really online much right now. So I just wanted you all to know that I'm kind of on a blog hiatus right now. I have much to show (lots of scrapping and knitting) and tell (stories from the lake, camp, birthdays, milestones, etc), but it will all have to wait. I hope you all are having a wonderful and blessed summer. (and you're still with me when I come back! :) )

Sssssummer's here!

We are having such a good time already this summer. Only one week in, and we have had so much fun! I haven't really looked forward to summer like I have this year. I think it's because this was Aubrey's first year of real school, so we really did need a break. I saw this Summer List idea here at Meg's blog. I thought it would be such a neat thing to have things to look forward to, keep us on track, and help me be more intentional about doing things this summer. Aubrey and I mostly made the list with some input from D. We also left a little space in case something comes up. We have already been able to check some things off our list. (which always feels good to me) I am going to take pics of all we have done, as well as save tickets, receipts, etc. Then I will make a small scrapbook of our summer list. Something very small - probably a photo book with a little journalling and embellishments.

We are also working on responsibility with Aubrey this summer, so he has his own chart. We are learning a Bible verse a week together as a family, so that is on his chart. (I'm also going to make a book of all of our verses so we can review them.) He is also reading 50 minutes a week, doing some homework that I put together for him, and learning 5 new words a week. I really didn't want him to lose any learning this summer. We're being light about it, not stressing, just keeping our brains working. He is also learning how to make his bed, in charge of feeding Piper and other small chores. I am letting go of some things even though it is hard for me to let him do things because he doesn't do them exactly like I would. He needs it though. I probably do too.

Anyway, that is what is going on here right now! I feel such a feeling of relief now that summer is here. I didn't realize I needed it so much. And, I had to throw in this pic of the snake I made for my nephew Les. I finished it months ago, but never posted a pic. He loves it. And it was fun to make. Have a great week!

moving upward and onward

Many of you know how much I absolutely love our local elementary school. I taught there for 2 years before I had Aubrey, and I loved it then. I love it even more now. Public school isn't perfect. There is too much to do, with too little funds, too little parent involvement and a host of other ills. However, I found during my 7 years of teaching that almost every teacher I taught with loved his/her students and was teaching because they loved kids and wanted to make a difference.

Last summer I prayed a lot. I prayed for Aubrey's teacher, Mrs. Costley, who I didn't even know about. I prayed for Aubrey's classmates. I prayed for Aubrey's safety, physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I prayed for all involved in his first year of school. I couldn't even think about it without tearing up. As a former kindergarten teacher I know how important the first year of school is. I had all kinds of people giving me their opinions on where to send him, what to say, what to do, what not to do, etc. I even had a friend tell me she would be praying that I would change my mind about sending Aubrey to our local elementary school. That hurt, and actually it made me mad. As his mom, I would never do anything to put him in a position I thought would be detrimental to him in any way. So I prayed and prayed and prayed. God heard my prayers. He knew the desires of my heart and how tender I was about this journey. He couldn't have been more perfect.

Aubrey's kindergarten year has exceeded anything I wanted or hoped for him. His teacher was so wonderful for him. She cared for him in such a special way. I know she does it for all of her students because she let me come in once a week to do an art project with the kids. This was such a sweet time for me. I got to know all the children Aubrey talked about. I got to see how he interacted with his teacher and class. I felt like I wasn't just dropping him off at school, but a part of what he was doing. Mrs. Costley was so cautious about Aubrey's food allergies it made me feel secure. She called me to check on him when he was sick (which he was - a lot) and called me any time someone brought in food she wasn't sure if he could eat. Aubrey didn't come home asking me about horrible words, movies, tv shows, etc. I know that will come, but I had heard horror stories about it happening in kindergarten. His class was one of the sweetest classes I have ever been around. They liked each other. They were kind to each other. No behavior problems. No kid I didn't want to rub off on Aubrey. It was truly amazing, and I believe it was partly due to prayer.

Aubrey has matured a good bit this year. At kindergarted graduation he received the Explorer Buddy Award for being kind and friendly to others. The kind of award I hope he always receives. He learned a lot this year, both academically and emotionally. I am so thankful for Mrs. Costley, our administration and our entire school. It is a blessing in our life. I am sad to be moving on and up, but it is a fact of life. Now I'm just a little more secure in this change, and I know Aubrey is too.