Hodgepodge: Green, Growls, and Grown Kids

Wedding pictures and post are coming. The last two days have been a mess--literally. The wedding was beautiful, gorgeous, and everything it should have been, but when the weekend was over, it was O.VER!. The dog has diarrhea from kennel stress, Joel broke his clavicle yesterday playing soccer, and my husband had to fly out to California on Monday and takes a red-eye home tonight. So I've been playing maid, nurse, and chauffeur all by myself. My respect-o-meter for single moms has hit an all-time high.

And now... without further doo-doo, let's check out something a bit more predictable--a Wednesday Hodgepodge from Joyce.

1. St. Patrick's Day will be celebrated this coming Saturday...what's a favorite article of clothing you own that contains a touch o' the green?

I really like the teal green blouse that I wore to Ben and Dee's engagement party. It's comfy and light for a summer's day, and can be dressed up or down with the greatest of ease. (I don't especially care for the expression on my face in that picture because it looks like I'm either on drugs or need drugs, but nonetheless, I like that green top.)

2. What's a favorite 'green space' in the town, state, or province where you live?

Actually my own back yard is one of my personal favorite green spaces, but in the summer I love to spend as many Friday afternoons as possible up at Sandy Cove Christian Conference Center located on the Chesapeake Bay. I could just lie on a blanket all day and watch the white sailboats glide by on the blue water. Swimming and shuffleboard, miniature golf and a snack shack on site make for a pleasant and lazy family day trip. It's easy to feel that the place is bathed in prayer, because I'm sure it is. It feels like a respite to a weary soul and body in the arms of Christ.

3. Do you wish you were taller, shorter, or think you're just about right in the height department?

I don't bemoan my (lack of) height most of the time. However, it would be more convenient when reaching things over my head in the kitchen, or dancing eye-to-eye with my husband. I also think that most clothes look better on taller people, but that's not a big deal. For the most part, I'm fine with my 5'3" height.

4. What's the surest way for someone to pick a fight with you?

Whoa! There used to be quite a few ways, but by God's grace I'm more self-controlled and less easily provoked than I once was. That said, you will certainly make me growl if you:

-insult one of my family members

-dismiss my ideas without giving me good reasons

-deceive me

-mess up a room I've just cleaned or dump a basket of laundry I've just folded

-tell me I'm "too needy"

-look at your watch when I'm talking to you

-fail to visit me after major surgery

-bring up sins of my past that have been forgiven but still grieve me

-ignore my attempts to communicate with you. I hate having my emails or calls ignored no matter what the issue, but the worst is the silent treatment when I'm angry. TALK TO ME, PEOPLE!! TALK TO ME!!

5. Broccoli-Spinach-String Beans-Peas...of the four, your favorite green veg? (Or the one you dislike the least if that first option's too hard. I just know there's some veggie haters out there.)

That's a hard one because I love beef with broccoli, spinach just about any way (in salads, spanikopita, and in smoothies); string beans are safe and go with everything; peas add a sweetness to an entree. Eenie, meenie, let's say string beanies.

6. March is National Women's History Month...besides friends, neighbors and the women you're related to, who's a woman in history you admire and why?

Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley had something like 19 children, not all of whom lived to adulthood. Many died in infancy. One was accidentally smothered by the maid. The way she loved God even through multiple losses of children, speaks a great deal of her character. She also took time each week individually with each of her children. That inspired me to put "Mommy/Ben or Mommy/Sarah or Mommy/Sarah dates on the calendar to make sure that I was spending time with them as people, not just as my students or as a group. They liked that.

When Susannah was overwhelmed and needed a break, she would put her apron over her head and talk to God. Her kids knew not to bother Mama when she had the apron over her head. (I tried it once upon a time, with drastically different results. I believe they kept asking me why I was being weird.) Some people don't know that Samuel Wesley, her husband, had a spending problem and was twice jailed. He squandered almost every dime he was given, so Susannah had to manage on a pittance to feed her family, and find a way not to harm her husband's reputation at the same time. I admire women who handle finances well when their husbands don't. And I feel very blessed that I am not in that position.

7. You fill in the blank: Keep Calm and _____Pray_______on. I was going to say "dance on," but not every situation calls for dancing. But every situation calls for prayer, no matter how seemingly insignificant.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

At long last, I feel a deep sense that our choice to homeschool when it was viewed with scorn and skepticism, back in the early 1990's, was the right choice. Homeschooling was new and only a handful of us were courageous enough to do it. Not even our pastor at the time was "on board" because there was no empirical evidence that it "worked." At times I was fearful that our weird education method and "sheltering" would ruin my kids' chances at gainful employment. Now, I can say that my adult children are all three on solid career paths. Our third child just accepted a job offer with a major investment firm--a summer internship which starts in June. I am grateful for my husband's and parents' support and encouragement, for the small circle of friends who journeyed with us in the beginning years, and for the stamina and faith to persevere. I am also grateful that I'm no longer homeschooling nor carry any guilt whatsoever that we aren't .