God Telling Me My Story... One Chapter at a Time

Two days to go before Brian finishes up at work and comes home to the family business. Two years since starting a charitable organization for foster children and orphans. One phone call might have answered a prayer... And be the introductory sentence to the next paragraph of my life story.

We have always had a calling to be around children. I hear this phrase in my heart over and over again "Take care of My children". We have been trying to adopt for more than 10 years. God hasn't made that happen yet - he keeps sending us children by birth but puts us in the way of foster and orphaned children. We started One Family Foundation two years ago in order to try to help these children. We hoped it would enable us to bring some children into our home to be raised in a loving family and be given a bright future. We met two beautiful little boys in the process and still hold out hope that one day we will be able to adopt them. For two years, we got nowhere with the foundation - just dozens of letters requesting funds that we couldn't give. It was heartbreaking.

Yesterday, there was a message on our business line. It was from Lutheran Social Services of the South - based in Texas. The lady was calling to ask if they could please partner with us to help orphaned children. I was stunned. What perfect timing - right when we are being blessed with Brian's presence at home, the long-awaited publication of our magazine, and the establishement of what may become an independent private school. We've been wondering how we can fill in our time. We found that it isn't going to take the quantity of time we thought, but the flexibility of that time... In the course of running the businesses and teaching our children together, we are left with more time than we had when Brian was commuting 2 hours a day and working 8-10 hours in between.

So the fundraising programs I'd spent time developing are getting dusted off, and I'm in need of volunteers like never before to help us get this wonderful charity off the ground. God reveals himself in strange and wonderfully surprising ways. It's a good thing I love surprises - unfortuantely, I'm not patient. I love to shake the packages!

Mad Hatter

It's that time of year again... We're preparing for colder weather, which will be here in as little as 6 weeks from now. We could even have snow. I've begun making hats for all and sundry. Many of you know that this is one of my favorite projects. I've just completed 'acorn' hats for the boys and two of these lovely confections for us girls. Below is the pattern so you can have a go.

You need:
2 balls Lion Brand "Kool Wool" ( I used 'grass')
2 balls Lion Brand "Fun Fur" (I used 'mango')
Set dpns size 10.5

For baby CO 42 stitches, work in stocking stitch for 6". Cut long tail and draw through all stitches to close. Secure by taking stitches across closure, bring tail inside and run tail through several stitches inside, trim. Viola!

** For older child CO 54 stitches and work 7", adult 60 stitches and work for 8".

Happy knitting!

Sew Many Garments, Sew Little Time

4 dresses and 3 pair of pants - and that's merely the beginning... I've been designing and sewing clothing for more than 20 years. It doesn't save all that much money. It certainly doesn't save any time. However, I produce garments I'm not embarrassed to wear, or to see my family in. The cut, style, and color are perfect, and I genuinely get pleasure from making beautiful, durable clothing for my family.

Now that my oldest daughter is 13 and my middle daughter is almost 9, I have some helping hands. We're planning to convert one room of our home for sewing/knitting/needlework. I've taught the children about colors and styles that look well on each of them, and about quality. They will know better how to shop for themselves, or what to design for themselves. I'm proud of their independence from society's fashion status quo. They know they don't have to wear clothing that bares everything, is too tight or too baggy and labels aren't everything.

This year, along with our classical studies and other academic pursuits, we'll be working on flat pattern drafting, knit pattern development and garment construction techniques... Boys and girls... It's a marvelous maths and engineering project. Maybe we'll even manage to sew an entire wardrobe for each of our 7 family members in the process!

My favorite sources:

www.clotilde.com (notions)
www.patternworks.com (yarns and such)
www.knitpicks.com (yarns and such)
www.knitty.com (free knitting patterns!)
www.crochetpatterncentral.com (free crochet patterns)
www.fashionfabricsclub.com (tons of fabric at excellent prices)
www.warehousefabricsinc.com (beautiful home decor fabrics at SUPER prices!)

also various EBay vendors for my special fabrics (silk habotai and dupioni, laces, etc.)

My favorite magazines for sewing/needlework:

Australian Smocking and Inspirations (By FAR the best for heirloom sewing and embroidery)
Threads Magazine (neat tips and tricks)
Sew Beautiful (lots of sweet ideas)
and finally...
Creative Needle (patterns and inspiration for classic children's clothing)

Happy sewing!

And on Her Farm She Had an... Alpaca?

Cows, chickens, sheep - even horses. But alpacas? Old McDonald never had one of those on the farm.

Today we went to visit a farmer who raises alpacas on a small holding in Petersham, Massachusetts. Terry is one of a growing number of woman farmers in the Commonwealth. And she does it very well. In addition to her absolutely beautiful animals, she runs a bed and breakfast inn and has a small shop filled with alpaca wool yarns and apparel.

Last Saturday, the kids and I watched a program which featured alpacas. Being a knitter, I knew what they were and that their wool is highly prized (and as such hghly PRICED!). I didn't know what wonderful animals they were. They look a lot like a llama. However they are much smaller and a whole lot less aggresive. In fact, they are some of the most gentle animals I've ever had the pleasure to meet. They stand more than 5 feet tall, and are covered by thick, soft fleece. These critters feel NOTHING like a sheep. They feel like the nicest cashmere and silk blend. The babies (called cria) are covered in fleece that has teeny tiny little curls. They can be a bit timid, so it's best to let them come to you - and they will. They are very inquisitive and seem to enjoy human company.

Among the interesting things we learned about alpacas is that they create litter areas where the whole herd deposit their faeces, they all tend to line up and go at once, and best of all, they don't smell bad. Alpacas don't require much of anything from their humans, can stay out-of-doors in all weather (though they like to have shelter from intense heat and from precipitation), and don't need a large barn either. They don't eat much - a little hay and a small amount of fortified pellets is all. Caring for 10 animals takes Terry (the farmer) about an our a day.

In case you're thinking about getting one, they run about $20K apiece - females usually come pregnant or with a cria. Their blanket fleece (topmost layer) fetches about $8/oz. The average blanket weighs about 7lbs., but can be nearly twice that. The next two layers of fleece are less desirable, but still much nicer than sheep's wool and consequently more costly. Finally, alpaca have very little or no lanolin, so no 'sheepy' smell (which I happen to have a soft spot for :( ) and dirt tends not to stick to the critters like with sheep.

For more information on alpaca ownership: www.alpacainfo.com. Visit Terry online at www.colonialhillfarmatpetersham.com

An Homage to My Grandparents

I spent a great deal of time with my grandparents as a child. My parents divorced when I was young and I am an only child. My grandfather left school in 8th grade and spent the rest of his life teaching himself what interested him (history mainly). He was one of the most learned men I have ever known.

I was allowed to potter behind him at will. From him I learned how to grow a garden, fix machines (and anything at all that's broken), hunt, fish, trap, to love everyone whatever their station, to help your neighbors, and that there is always more than enough to share. He taught me to identify plants and how to care for animals and the envirnoment. He also taught me that if you can learn to read, you can learn to do anything else. He was the most Chritst-like man I have ever known.

My Nana was orphaned at 13 when her mother died of breast cancer and her father (a heavy drinker) lost custody of some of the five children. She went to live in a foster home where she was basically a servant. She left school in 11th grade and married on her 21st birthday. She spent a lot of time with me. From her I learned to cook, keep house, sew, crochet, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and house the homeless. She gave me a deep desire to care for children - as she did all her life. It is because of her that I feel I have a calling to adopt children who would not have a loving home otherwise.

My grandparents took me camping, hiking, fishing. They took me to visit all sorts of people, let me play in the garden, build tire swings and little forts. In the winter I went snowmobiling with my grandfather - even got to drive it when I was about 12! They taught me to make my own fun, gave me a love of word games and a sense of independence and confidence to do anything I set my mind to.

Looking back, and knowing what I know today, I'd say I had a very Charlotte Mason education. I learned more from my grandparents about absolutely EVERYTHING than I ever learned sitting at a desk in school. What a waste of 12 years!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

There's nothing like spending a summer Sunday afternoon at the ballpark. Brian headed off at 11AM with four of the children to catch the bus at church. It was Will's first ride in a big yellow schoolbus - very exciting for him since we homeschool. The laundry was still drying and I was sure I was going to miss the bus. I did indeed, but decided to get there under my own steam. I followed about 1 hour behind, but realized my wallet, and ticket was with Brian and the kids... I rang ahead to the stadium to let them know I was with the group and to see if they would let me in. The nice lady at the office said she would leave my name with the ticket office.

After writing down the driving directions, I packed Sophie into the van and thanked God that I had full tank of gas! During the hour-long drive, I gave good St. Christopher a workout and he rose to the ocassion - getting us there safely and in good time! We couldn't park at the paid lots since my wallet was now INSIDE the stadium. Mercifully, I found a perfect spot for the van at a school about one block from the stadium. Sophie and I arrived at the ticket counter and I gave my name. The delightful youg lady not only took me at my word, but handed me a general admission ticket to get into the gate AND the location of my group's section. The ticket taker was delighted by the Paw Sox's newest fan, all snuggled into her sling. I made my way to section 6 and was greeted by five delighted smiles at our arrival.

Brian bought hot dogs and chicken fingers for lunch and we enjoyed seeing two fine Boston RedSox players ply their trade (Trot Nixon on rehab and Kevin Youkelis keeping loose for the next call-up) . We sang, cheered and clapped with the music and were ammused by the presence of Mrs. Rhode Island - resplendent in her tiara (who knew it would go with pedal pushers and flip-flops?) - and her lovely family.

Following the PawSox victory over the Rochester Red Wings (5-2), we made our way to the field where Brian and the kids ran the bases, receiving a high-five from Paws the Mascot. To our great relief, the van hadn't been towed from it's spot so we climbed in and made for home. It was a quiet drive - everyone fell alseep but me. Better to stay awake when you're driving, I find... We stopped for ice cream sundaes before arriving home to bathe the children and put them to bed.

Yes, indeed - a beautiful way to spend a summer Sunday afternoon!

Scheduling Conflicts

Every year, we go to a great deal of effort to work out our daily schedules. Each year we fall short of our ideal daily routine. It seems some other home-schooling moms (and dads) are facing the same challenges right about now. Here are my thoughts on the subject:

I could set a 'time container' for school time and keep it loose within that. For instance, say 8-12 everyday is for school and whatever we get done we get done. The children can always go back and do 'homework' - maybe with Papa - later. Alternatively, I could make a priority list of things that MUST be accomplished during the week and go with that. If we have time for more, great!

Much of it will depend on the type of curriculum and teaching style you have. If you feel strongly about keeping some type of schedule, take a couple of days to notice the natural rhythm of your own family's day. You may find schoolwork is best accomplished in the afternoons or evening rather than mornings. Maybe you will have to split school time.

In our case, we need a good working schedule. We have a magazine that operates on deadlines and a business that relies on tight schedules so that each class or workshop runs on time. We teach our children using a classical approach, which requires a certain amount of discipline. We also travel a lot and much of our learning happens in the course of our travels. We’ll need to come up with a hybrid of the super rigid and loosy goosy.

Schedules get blown. There are days when someone is unwell, or when a younger child is feeling more needy. There may be an emergency that needs tending or an unexpected opportunity to take advantage of. Some days kids just aren’t ‘with it’.

I have noticed that what I fed my children radically affected every aspect of their behaviour... High protein, filling breakfasts help tremendously (long slow burn, rather than a spike). It means a bit more work for me in the mornings, but I have a much easier day in the long run. Also, playtime helps a lot - they can burn off the energy and settle down - I believe that's why schools have recess.

Charlotte Mason was very wise in reminding us that right after eating, blood flow goes to the digestive system - not to the brain so much. You've got about 20-30 minutes after breakfast in which to occupy the children in something mindless (chores, grooming, etc.) and then have them do their sit-down work. Keeping that in mind will help you keep your schedule and relieve your stress.

I rely on my oldest daughter (13) to help out a lot too - and she's good at it. All of the children have certain chores, but she has some of the most important. She also helps to look after her younger siblings, including the baby when I need to be physically or mentally occupied. God made her first and oldest for a reason. She gets more privileges too!

Schedule based on your family’s natural rhythm, eat well, and get help. That’ll keep everything on track and pleasant!