Growing Children, Mind Maps, and Rambling Thoughts

Last night the house was uncharacteristically quiet for a few hours. Uncharacteristic for a house that contains eight children, that is. By eight o'clock, everyone was either out somewhere doing something, or sound asleep. My 13 and 10 year old daughters have been getting up early to do their paperroutes so they are typically tired at the end of the day. Garnet went down without a peep, Tamara went to bed early as well, and Elodie crashed on the couch until I took her up to bed with me when it was my turn to go. The three other boys were out at a small engines meeting for 4H until about 8:30. I actually had an hour or so to do some quiet work at my desk.

My mind maps are nearly finished. I re-worked one of them last night because I wasn't pleased with the arrangement of information on the page, and it grew and grew until I had an 81/2 by 11 taped to the edge of an 8 1/7 by 22 inch sheet. However, I think it now contains all the information I wanted to get down. I still have to do my antidote sheet, but haven't decided if I will tape it on the other edge or leave it detached.

I also managed to have a good long talk with my son-in-law, Adam. I had originally called to talk to Trista to see how her drive home with my eldest daughter Patricia went after they left my house the previous evening. I had an inkling it wouldn't go well, particularly as Patricia was in a bad mood by the time the evening was over. We had got on to the subject of her projected marriage in the upcoming year, and she wanted to hear all over again why I won't be attending the wedding or reception. Needless to say, a brief discussion on the demerits of fornication before marriage and unequal yoking with unbelievers didn't sit too well with her. She's willfully running headlong into something I have warned her against and I am not hypocrite enough to show up for a wedding that doesn't have my approval and that violates God's Word.

I didn't approve of Trista and Adam getting married when they did for a variety of reasons, but they are both seeking to serve the Lord and it is a thrill to me to see how they are maturing and growing in grace. Adam is a really nice guy and couldn't be better for Trista in so many ways. We have had some bumps along the way in developing a relationship, but I think we are both at a place where there is now substantial and mutual respect and even admiration.

Yesterday I took Ben and David, the boy next door, to the college career fair. Ben is looking into applying for the College Technical Career program which would enable him to get his first year's apprenticeship in a trade while still going to school and save him 3 grand at the same time. I am hoping that he will take advantage of this opportunity because I think it would be the making of him.

I didn't homeschool the younger kids yesterday , but they did manage to do some work on their own. My laundry is finally caught up, the house is in a decent state of cleanliness, and I slept in a little bit this morning. The sun is shining though we have lost the heat wave that made me think of growing things, but I think it is going to be a good day in spite of it.