What a Day!

Today was supposed to be a better day.  We ordered a refrigerator (coming on Monday) so my stress level has dropped.  My day began with the phone ringing before 9:00.  I didn't answer.  I didn't want to get sucked in to a long conversation.  It stopped ringing.  Shew!  It was quiet.  Then, it rang again.  Same number popped up.  Ok, maybe there is an emergency.  Should I get it?  Should I let it go to voice mail and then listen to the message?  What to do???  I answered.  Mistake.  Or, maybe not.  You'll see.  It was a friend asking me for a recipe.  Seriously?  Before 9am?  After I gave her the recipe, she then shared the real reason for her call; to talk about Bible study.  This conversation could go on a long time if I allowed it.  I love talking about God and His Word!  But there's a time and place for everything, right?

My friend just wanted to give me information about the upcoming study.  I have been on the fence about going again due to school.  I've been with this study group for about 10 years and hate to give it up.  But, they meet on Thursday mornings, which is not great for school.  I truly believe God gave me the confirmation I needed when she announced the name of the study.  It's the same one my friends and I did over the summer.  It's a great study, but I'm not interested in working through it again.  So, there's my answer!  It made the decision so much easier for me.  So, was answering the call really a mistake?  Probably not.  It's another weight lifted off my shoulders.  Nonetheless, the conversation lasted about 25 minutes, which was 20 minutes too long!  I wanted to start school by 9am and it didn't happen.

Even so, one would think that the rest of the day would be peaches & cream since the refrigerator shopping is done and the lingering question about Bible study is answered.  Not so fast!  The first part of school went great, which is our Bible lesson.  (God knows how to teach better than me!)  But, just as we began to move on, Katie reaches to grab her workbook and her entire cup of water goes flying into the air!  I immediately started grabbing books, hoping none of our borrowed books would get wet.  The water mostly landed on the floor and on her chair.  I don't know how!  I would love to see a slow-motion video of it!  There were just a few drops on my lesson book (which I own, so at least I don't have any explaining to do), and they dried quickly, so no harm done.  Did I yell?  Maybe.  Ok, yes, I yelled!  I didn't want to, but you have to understand that my kids are notorious for creating diversions!  Pencils mysteriously go flying right out of the very hands that held them!  And often, my "students" turn into monkies right in the middle of a lesson.  As if that's not enough to drive a teacher mom "bananas" they often interrupt a lesson to tell me some senseless story because one or two words from our lesson reminded them of it!  The word "stick" could be in a lesson, and their minds divert to when we went hiking in the woods and they stepped on a stick, and it broke, and then they two sticks....  I'm not joking!  This is real stuff!!!

We managed to push through half of a regular day and then took the afternoon to visit a farm with fellow homeschoolers.  At this point, you're thinking 'finally, she got some relief!'  Ha-ha, you're too funny!  The noise level in my car to and from the farm was too much for me.  If my friend had not been riding with me, I think I would have driven to the funny farm instead!  You must think I have no control.  Well, it's kinda hard to drive and discipline at the same time.  Trust me, I'm not above pulling the car over to take care of things.  I've done it before and I'll do it again!  But, like I said, my friend and her son were both with us and I didn't want to scare them away!  I did place threats a couple times which worked momentarily.  I'm not sure why they were so wound up.  It could be the lack of refrigerated food! :)

I'll post pictures from the farm soon.  You'll see that I'm not in any of them.  Probably a good thing!  I'm sure my grey hairs multiplied today and would have stood out in a picture!  Oh, and for the record, I normally make sure the kids use cups with lids & straws during school.  Today was an off day....obviously!  Next week will be better.  I just know it!