So you are considering Home Education?

Whatever your reasons for considering the option of Home Education, you are not alone in the process, literally or figuratively. The NHERI (National Home Educators Research Institute), asserts, “Homeschooling – home education or home-based education – has grown from nearly extinct in the United States in the 1970s to over 2.5 million school-age students.”

Wherever you are on your journey, two things you should do if you have not already done so is to understand what Home Education is/isn’t and to find a state and/or local Home Education Organization. The IAHE, Indiana Home Educators Association, states,”We define home education as parent-directed, home-based, privately-funded education.” In addition to understanding the definition of home schooling in your state, you must also understand the law in your state. I strongly suggest that you become a member of HSLDA, Home School Legal Defence Association. They provide many free resources as well as links to Homeschool Organizations on their website.

If you want to talk about your options or ask questions about the practical side of home education, feel free to reach out to me at demossfam@gmail.com.

And good for you for taking responsibility for your child’s education by investigating the amazing opportunity of home schooling!

living free, on the Indiana Prairie

So far

Being back in the work environment outside of my realm (home) is a multi-faceted adventure.

I find that I love the challenge, even those things that intimidate me.  Can I just say that years of learning and experience are a benefit that is beyond description?  I am still a learner and pursuing growth and transformation, but I celebrate how far He has brought me.  Woot!  Woot!

The interaction with so many new and different people is both energizing and exhausting; I don’t realize how exhausting until later in the day.  Knowing my need for being alone to re-energize means that I long for Amy-time even more than normal.

Learning to “dare greatly,” that is to be fully me and vulnerable at work is scary and wonderful.  I’m not sure how long I get to play the newbie card, but so far the measure of grace and understanding extended to me at my workplace is quite astounding.  [Church, we have a lot to learn!]

Remembering that transition is always difficult, that change is a double-edged opportunity and that the process is the point, while not always easy to do, does re-set my perspective in times of wrestling with this decision to accept the position.

Thanks to all of you, my bestie husband, my besties, my natural family and my Kingdom family, for being my faithful cheerleaders and encouragers.  Your investment in me all of these years has helped to bring me to where I am today.  You rock, and I love each one of you dearly.

~still in the honeymoon phase, on the Indiana prairie

The Final Days

April 20, p.m.

About to put in a 10 minute sprint — not much time this afternoon because of date night.

April 25

Wrote a little over the past few days, but not much — very busy. Good think I had banked so many extra words. Today I overslept which is unusual for me, so I did not have my first thing in the morning session. Tomorrow I will get up and do better. Still I am a day ahead in word count. The end is near!

April 27

I can see the end from here, though I still don’t have an ending. I don’t really want Sam to be caught, it’s too soon for Patrick and Lanie. I feel like I should be tying up loose ends and leaving some thing open for the next book in the series.  Hmmm. . . just not sure what to do. I do know that I will make the word count and that I need to get moving because the 29th and 30th are going to be incredibly busy days.

April 28

I see the finish line. Forcing myself to focus and do this deed, early if possible, because today and the next two days are CRAZY busy. Come on! You can do it. Let everything go for these last 3 days of April! You will be glad you did. (Confession: I really, really, really want to go back and read it, also, before the time is up. Quiet, inner editor.)

April 30

Crossed the finish line around 9:30 pm. I feel relieved and yet sad. I have grandiose plans to continue writing and tweaking this novel as it seems like only a skeleton. Plus I intend to continue to write every day. Time will tell! I am grateful for the inspiration and the help, Chris Baty and Grechen Rubin. Decided not to go with a “Stargate SG1″ ending.”

~happy and fulfilled, on the Indiana prairie.

Another writing project update

Housekeeping Note:

I switched from the Day 1 format to the Date format at some point; because April is 30 days, it works, though.

April 14

Not sure where my notes went for yesterday. I did write though it was limited. Probably I didn’t make any notes.

Pushed my word count up to 4 days ahead. I am trying not to be discouraged and negative about my story. This is an emotional roller coaster ride. Most of the time, though, it feels like flying downhill.

April 16
Stagnating it feels. My inner editor is too loud. I must jump start this thing or just type boringly onward. I vow to consult the book for ideas and inspiration. If only I knew where I wanted it to go, I could aim the plot that direction. I thought it would happen organically, magically. Hahahaha!!!

Have a word total for 20 days of writing. That’s cool. Praying for God, the author, to download the plot developments which will lead to an ending close to the 50,000 word goal.

April 17

So Little Duke will return along with her actual owner and her real name, Princess. Her owner is a hometown boy that Lanie knows from the past.

Passed the 21 day word count mark. Going fishing soon — wahoo! what a treat.

April 19

Doing great at keeping up with writing every day and still ahead, but not so great at making notes here about the process. I think I just need to commit to a direction and run with it now. Not many words left and I need some kind of resolution. My hope was that
I would surprise myself with an amazing novel first time out, thought what I said was “it’s just practice.” It’s not an amazing novel. But it will be a completed one. And I am excited about that. Our internet is horrible and unrelieable at present, so backing up via email is not an option. I’d better put it on my memory stick before I shut ‘er down.

April 20
Try as I might, it’s hard to find time to put words down both places of late. Still tooling along toward an ending that could also become a beginning of a sequel. . .just in case it’s actually redeemable when the month is over. 🙂  Posting while the internet is kinda sorta cooperating.

~determinedly creating, on the Indiana praire

Writing Project Notes

Day 6

Almost 12500 words! Yippee!!! Time at home makes a big dent in the word count. Of course my to do list is not quite as finished off as it would have been, but this is only for this month.

Decided to let one of my other mains have some “screen time,” which blessedly took the story in a good direction. YES!!!

Day 7

Over the 8 day word count already this morning. I have managed to fill up this week with events, so I am especially thrilled with the cushion I have at present.

Have written my characters to a kind of boring place in the story I feel. time away from it will be grand.

Want to delve more deeply into his hyper observation — letting the predicted scene play out, him giving more info like how he has seen them there regularly having the same type of conversation & leaving in the same kind of way & that this time he also observed divorce papers on the table.

April 8

Still a comfortable one day’s lead in the word count. Last night I was struggling mightily to put in my second writing stint.Once again this morning I employed introducing more of the minor characters thought and dialogue relative to the plot so far, and it helped. Starting to lose motivation. Just keep typing, typing, typing. Just get words on the page.

For the evening session of writing, I have been listening to Back for book lovers through my headphones. Something that helped jumpstart my evening writing was starting my story that is my birthday gift to Jenny. Amazing how this stuff works!

April 11

though my note taking has been lax, I have been pounding away daily. I have managed to get a day ahead, but really, really, really want to get a two day lead at least before this week is out. i will need that much of a cushion in order to be on track by the end of the month. We have an anniversary get away planned (which wasn’t planned when I set out to do this), so I know that I won’t have much time for writing then. (Funny I keep finding myself being less restrictive with how many words I use in all of my writing, emails, texts, fb messages, now that I have a daily quota to fulfill in the novel. Too funny. right now I must take a shower so that I will be ready to face the evening.

Whew, 20,050 words, and I am calling it quits for the night. YAY!!!

April 12, a.m.

Overslept this morning, but still added significant words to my count, employing what time I had and borrowing text from a FB message to use in the story. Love when a plan comes together. Will have more time this afternoon to write before heading out for date night. So much fun, this.

 

~faithfully pounding, on the Indiana prairie

Writing Adventure Update

I have challenged myself. Can you guess what I am doing this month?

April 1

Lanie – her name just came to me this morning. Wild! have also had many ideas, which I did not write down — yikes! for the plot and details. Must be more diligent to save that string as I am sure I will need it!

Oh wow, I am having so much fun! Who knew i had these ideas inside of me?

I must stop re-reading and editing though. Seriously, ain’t nobody got time for that!

BAM! 1742 words total count so far – Day One

April 4

Day 4 already, and yes, I have kept my word count/writing on track, though I was unable to get ahead as I had hoped. Maybe today will be that day. I am trying not
to think to much about how boring my novel is already. just keep putting words on the page, I coach myself. Inner editor is not invited to the writing party.

When I get stuck I figure out a way to work into the storyline the ordinary things that fill my day. So far, so good, though probably exactly why I fear that the
novel is boring.

I do find my mind wandering back to the project and wondering what will happen next at odd intervals throughout the day. I was dubious of how this process would
affect me. Seems like I am having a “normal” and “expected” experience so far.

No matter what, the sense of accomplishment I feel when i email myself the day’s version is worth staying up late and getting up early and drinking more coffee and
power napping.

April 5

Day 5 — So far so good, and my intention to think about the plot of the story before falling asleep seems to work like a sleeping potion for me. So far, I can never
remember thinking past where I just left off in the story!

Yesterday when I was doing another sprint to achieve my word count goal, I suddenly realized that it was only minutes before my husband would be home for supper — zoikes!
Thankfully I had started a crockpot meal earlier in the day and had only minor things to add in order for the meal to be complete.

this morning the pull of getting to write again was what prompted me to get out of bed and not wait for the snoozed alarm to go off again.

Addicting it is for me!

I worked to get a day’s worth of words ahead today, since I was home the entire day — YES!!! Happiness!!!

~pressing onward, on the Indiana prairie

Another Mystery & My New Project

Can’t explain it.

Stopped in to find out if he does coat zipper replacement, and left an hour later feeling completely shifted and real again.  (Yes, he does zipper repair and replacement — take it to him before you do anything to a zipper with a problem, Hall’s Shoe & Leather Repair, Monticello, IN).

It seems like it was his complete peace and joy about being himself that spoke directly to my spirit and shifted my perspective without my soul even understanding what was happening.  Now this is a God sighting and a mystery initiated by Him.

Answered prayer hidden in a mystery that initiates revelation and transformation — yes, I say yes to the pain and the process for the joy that awaits at the next dot.

At the genesis of this post the new project had the title “learning to like myself.”  I already love myself, because I do take care of me in multi-faceted ways.  But I do not often like myself.  In the process of writing, dots began connecting, and I had the Inspired thought that this is about me being transformed into who He made me to be, stripping away what needs to go and growing me in those areas that are truly me.  There is a deep place in me that needs healing and complete transformation.  I believe that part of my journey is my new project of learning to like myself.

Almost 52 years into my life, it is well past time to make friends with me.

~leaning in, on the Indiana prairie

 

February Mysteries

These events are mysteries to me, because I do not understand what I am supposed to be learning or getting out of them:

Florida beach vacation cancelled

“Harold” needs more repair work than daughter wants to invest

More than our normal amount of sickness

Mom being hospitalized, crashing, being revived, spending time in ICU

Squat for Valentine’s Day nagging me extremely

Church leadership laughing at my pain and wounding me

Husband doing the best he can and adding to the pain

Where else can I go, but to Him?

While Scripture is truth, it does not comfort me sometimes.

~seeking comfort from The Comforter, on the Indiana prairie

 

Agree to disagree

Exquisite and distinct, pain that is necessary and transformational.

Yesterday held multiple moments of such.

And today I feel weary, needy and quiet.

Growing up with our adult children provides multiple painful opportunities.

How I need supernatural wisdom and strength, every

single

moment

of

every

single

day.

And the zeal of the LORD will accomplish this.

Until then, we agree to disagree while maintaining relationship.

Love wins again!

 

~still learning, on the Indiana prairie

10 of the things that I am not very good at

I am not very good at:

1. peacefully watching my husband, kids, family members or friends being in pain.
2. empathizing with someone when I feel like I should be “fixing” their problem(s).
3. convincing my brain to “let it go” when it’s stuck on something as I lie down to sleep.
4. asking for help.
5. expressing what I need.
6. prioritizing the many topics and activities in which I am interested.
7. handling overly busy seasons of life
8. resisting home-baked, sugar-laden, carb-loaded treats
9. believing in me.
10. communicating consistently the depth of my love for my husband and my kids.

This is not an exclusive nor a complete list. These are the first ten things that came to mind.

What are some of your weaknesses?

~daring greatly, on the Indiana prairie