Gadianton's Group Gone Global

So, have you been reading my blog? Have you been watching the news? I haven't done the latter because we don't GET it, but I have been keeping my figurative ear to the ground a LOT more lately... obvious in my posts, right? Well, I received a link today, through one of my Yahoo! Groups (an homeschool Mom's group) and feel a desire to pass it along and URGE you to read it.

I've been feeling, for a while, that the things going on in the politics of our Country and the world, at large, are connected to our detriment. This article has helped me understand how and why! It's very well written and has such a tremendous amount of information as to make it a resource I will have to read at least once more to gain a better understanding of how Gadianton's Group is working currently in our Country.

I do believe the machinations stretch far beyond our borders. Gadianton's Group is striving, I believe, for the United World Order. Whether or not you believe this is an eventuality (because of prophecy in the Bible or otherwise), I firmly believe that we can stand against it rather than usher it in, if we so choose. Will we be long-sighted enough to see that even though we may be super busy and even overwhelmed with the things in our lives, that our children's freedoms are worth our efforts and greater sacrifices? I didn't at first. I couldn't see out of the cloud of Post Partum Depression I was covered by... but I'm trying now! I hope you will try, too! Doing our best is all we're asked/expected to do.

A couple of posts below this one, I've shared a great link that is a good guide for contacting our Representatives. My Mom, Vicki, made a comment that I think is probably the case for most Representatives (House or Senate). She said that her Rep. prefers phone calls. I think it most likely that phone calls and snail mails carry the most weight... emails are something, but they are (at least they are for me!) more easily put aside.

Also, if you're most interested in reading about my actual life, instead of the political stuff absorbing my thoughts (thus showing most in my blog), make sure to scrolls down to read the post just after this one to read about something that's happened recently. I have a few other pretty big things to write (personal life stuff), but it's going to be another day or two before I can get it up.

Some personal family info... not requiring a whole post...

TEA!
She's crawling away from me. I think I've mentioned this before, but lately she comes to me: when she's hungry, needs a dipey change, is hurt, needs a cuddle, or wants me to entertain her. The last two items are few and far between. She still sleeps with us and nurses often, so I think that fulls up her cuddle quotient. :)

She's cruising (walking along things) like a PRO. I think I've mentioned that before, too, but the newest development there is that she's letting go with one hand. It's so funny... she's SUCH a scardy cat. (Just like me.)

She still loves to play both the real piano and the Schoenhut little one we have (in the laundry room). She waits for and wants me to compliment her whenever she plays either. It's so sweet!

KAT
She's on lesson 13 in her reading lessons (out of 100). She's also pretty darn good at her numbers recognition now.

She also loves to play piano. Hopefully she'll be able to start lessons in a year (or a little less).

She still loves Dance class. Her favorite is still "tap tap".

RIA
She's reading a few series currently. One is the Maddie Mysteries. She likes them all right, but after two more I'm going to give her the option of dumping that series simply because she's not that excited about it. She's also reading Nancy Drew and really enjoys them so far. She's almost done with the Narnia series (she only has one more book left).

Ria LOVES Math. Currently she's confident and competent with her 0, 1, 2, and 9 addition facts (meaning that when I ask her one randomly she either spits out the correct answer immediately or thinks for just a moment before saying the correct answer!). Her time telling is still very slow, but we're taking a break from that right now. She can do it, just takes her a minute to remember the difference between the hours and minutes and all (analog, of course). She decided to tell me how to count by 100s today. She has not be taught that in our lessons! My eldest daughter loves to randomly tell me problems and their answers.

Piano is still an every day activity. On Sundays she loves to make up her own songs for anyone listening (and for Kat to dance along with!).

Dance is going to start back up in a few weeks and she's very excited about another Recital. I'm so happy she enjoys performing so much and is at ease so completely in front of people!

Smart as a whip, wouldn't you say?

The Other Side
Well, along with all the good stuff, we do have our trials! Ria has been resistant about school most days with me. We're working through it, but MAN it's rough. I was recently told that "of course" Ria was a few grade levels ahead of her peers because that was to be expected of homeschoolers who were actually DOING homeschool because the teacher has so much time for the student in the home environs.... Ummm... well, maybe in the imaginary world (or real, even) of OTHER people. I rarely have ANY time to sit down with Ria for school. She does it independently and asks questions only here and there. To be honest, I spend less than 30 minutes per day "doing school with" Ria. And most days it is WAY under 30 minutes. Teaching her to read was labor intensive, but beyond that, it's not been at all. She's making the progress she is because she's just THAT smart!

So, what am I doing? Well, I still have a home to maintain that is a tremendous time drain. There are books to read to make sure they are/will be appropriate for my girls. I have personal study so I can have more information to work with in my effort to become a better mama, person, wife, mother... and so on. Oh, and did I mention I still have a nursling who is about 80% boobie juice fed? Yes. The time I spend nursing is also spent reading, most of the time (since she falls asleep) and I can't stand to not accomplish anything more than sitting while she nurses/sleeps. Oh, and connected to that is the fact that my baby Tea will not sleep longer than 10 minutes off of me. I'm okay with it, most of the time, because it requires me to sit and then I allow myself to get things done that involve my brain more than my body. I also have my church calling, writing, and efforts to be of service outside of my family, and my efforts to make a difference in the crazy political stuff going on lately.

Okay, that's all for today. ^_^