Adventures in the Snow

 

It was Tuesday, January 21^st. I was at a doctor’s appointment that was running long.  Noticing snow coming down, I began to get antsy. Having never driven in the snow before, I didn’t realize I should have left right away and come back later for lab work. Nearly an hour passed before I headed down the elevator and out the door. It was almost 5 PM. While waiting for labs I did a little googling on driving in the snow…”Drive half the speed you normally would and make sure your gas tank is full” were the two things that stuck out to me. The parking lot that had been jam-packed when I arrived for my appointment at 2:30, was now nearly deserted. Using the windshield wipers, I was able to clear the snow from my front window. Heading out onto the roads I could tell immediately I was in trouble. Cars were sliding around me, and I was seeing accidents left and right. My mind began to wonder what lay ahead of me, a car accident? Or a night spent stuck somewhere in my van?  As the chaos around me increased, I wondered which way I should go home. After filling up my gas tank, grabbing a bag of emergency potato chips and a bottled water, I headed back into the slippery, hazardous maze towards home. Steve was going to try and come out so I could follow him home, but I told him there was no way he would make it to me. The only one who could help me at this point, was God. Not a bad place to be in!

                I finally decided I would just head towards the gridlocked 316 rather than take backroads. But to get to 316 – my navigator app sent me on a familiar backroad that included a hill. About halfway up the hill my van began to lose traction. I would press on the gas to no avail. Cars behind me seemed to be in the same predicament. If only I could back up maybe I could turn around and try another way, but this would surely lead to slipping and hitting the cars behind me. I thought of asking the other drivers if we all just wanted to back up, but when I stepped out onto the asphalt it was covered in slippery ice. There was no way I would make it to their cars without falling.

                A nice man stopped and gave me advice and tried to come back and help me but couldn’t-it was the thought that counted 😊 Most people that were making it up the hill did not stop to try and help. For the most part, it was each man for himself. But one lady pulled up next to me and told me to turn off my traction control. That was how she had been able to make it up the hill. This worked! I’ve never heard my van groan like it did! But old faithful made it!  I came to the four way stop – with various cars haphazardly sharing the icy road with me – and turned left. Going down the hill I lost control and began to slide. Nearly hitting a giant passenger bus that was stuck on the side of the three-lane road, I came to a screeching halt. Quickly putting the van into park and engaging the emergency brake, I took a deep breath... Phew-crisis averted...

Not so fast George Banks! Within a minute or so, a truck came sliding down the road behind me and hit my van sideways. Thankfully no-one was hurt. But we were clearly stuck. If only I had stayed put at the top of the hill. But then again…if that were the case, I wouldn’t have the rest of this story to tell you!

                Holding onto the side of my van, I carefully made my way over the icy road to the truck’s passenger window. A soft-spoken19-year-old young man from Mexico was driving with his mom who didn’t speak any English. We commiserated about the situation and discussed the fact that we had collided and would probably need to report the accident. With the help of a very nice gentleman who had come out of his home nearby, I made it across the slippery road to the sidewalk and walked down to speak to a Sheriff who was there. Long story short, the police couldn’t come out to car accidents unless an ambulance was needed. We were told to take pictures, exchange phone numbers, and deal with it later. This was completely understandable given the chaos on the roads.

                Providentially, I was within a five-minute walk of my dear Kenyan friend of the last 18 years. We hadn’t seen each other in a long time – so this would be an opportunity to stay warm and catch up! I was concerned about the young man and his mom because they didn’t have a full gas tank to get them through the night. The young man said his father had insisted on coming to help and had already set out on the 10 mile walk from his home, in the freezing cold, snow and ice. Standing there with my teeth chattering, toes frozen, cold to the core-my heart melted under the heat of that kind of love! I was in awe of this embodiment of Christ! The son walked 5 miles to meet him, leaving his mom in the truck. She was too scared to come with me but I gave the son my phone number and said call me if anything happens and she needs me.

                Safely again across the icy road, I headed to my friend’s house.  She met me on the sidewalk with warm blankets, and inside with hot tea, and a space heater. After catching up for a little while, the young man called and said a car had slid into his truck and could I go to his mom. Of course I could! When my friend heard about their situation, she offered for them to come back to her home as well for the night. How beautiful!  My friend’s adult daughter came with me, and we made our way as quickly as possible to the now, three car pile-up.

                Scooting across the ice on my rear-end, I made it over to the truck. This girl knows she doesn’t want to fall on the ice! The young man’s sweet momma looked so scared and bewildered. She quickly handed me her phone so I could talk to her son. He said he and his dad were close. Not wanting to get hit by an out-of-control vehicle, I quickly got off the road. More cars were turning onto the street thinking they would make it down the hill. We waved at many of them and explained the only way down would involve sliding into either our 3-car pile-up, or the other 3 -car pile-up just below us. After about twenty freezing minutes, the young man and his hero dad arrived. Unfortunately, he would not be able to get into the truck and drive them home. Presently, he needed to get his wife out of the truck and safely across the icy road. He tied some rope onto his truck and had his son take the other end hoping she could hold on to it and walk across. Realizing this wouldn’t work, we all threw down our scarves and other articles of clothing onto the ice and in tears, she crawled across the freezing road.

Back on our feet, I told them they were welcome to come back with me to my friend’s home. The hero dad said he had hoped to take his family to a hotel. Finding one a thirty-minute walk away, he determined to take his family there. Pulling off my gloves I gave them to the momma, who was intermittently crying. I asked if I could pray for them before they departed. Huddling together we put our arms around each other and praised the God who loves us and takes care of us. I praised God for showing me more of his loving character through this husband and father who would brave 10 miles in the snow, ice and freezing temperatures to get to his family and asked for God’s protection over them on their journey. After I finished praying, I suggested they call the hotel to make sure there were rooms available. To their dismay, there weren’t any, so we began the trek to my friend’s home.

One God over all, one snowstorm, and one car accident, collided three families from three different parts of the world, the USA, Mexico and Kenya, into one home and our hearts were to knit together into one heart. I watched my Kenyan friend, lovingly prepare a meal for us, and we sat together around her table like we had been friends for our whole lives. I watched her daughter give up her room and her bed. Each member of the family sacrificed in a different way to welcome myself and three strangers into their home.

It was a scary night, a night of unknown outcomes, a night of surprises. A night of free-falling (or sliding!) into God’s providential care. Of sliding and crashing in just the right places, into just the right people. And now, with plans of future gatherings at each other’s homes, our hearts are bigger – our families have expanded. Safely at home, I feel as if heaven just came to earth, but for a moment. And I am changed. Praise our God from whom all blessings flow. Amen.

Planning....

I learned many years ago...that I pretty much don't do anything I really want to do, unless I plan to do it....in writing.  And I've learned just in the last few years that I thrive in a well organized environment.  Everything needs  a home, and typically a label too.

Here is an exception to the label rule.  I found this fabulous shelf thingie at a local antique mall.  It was on sale...even better.  This organizes our "specials".  From top to bottom, missionary story, read aloud, geography, art, history and nature study.  (on the very top is a basket full of smooth stones and jar.  When I'm reading aloud I will pull out one stone for each boy.  If they are quiet the whole time I'm reading, all stones go in the jar, if they interrupt, a stone goes back in the basket.  Once the jar is full...they get a reward.  Which varies.  This time it's each boy gets to pick out a 10 dollar lego set.  This is a very simple system that works for us...I tried tickets they earn or lose, and stocking a store that costs a varying amount of tickets...this was too complicated!)

We do geography every day, although some days we spend more time than others, we listen to the missionary audio story twice a week (last year it was daily---this year we will cover 4 missionaries, last year it was 8!  Needed to be a little less ambitious this year), read aloud is daily, Winnie the pooh though is just once per week---we facetime our friends in Romania and I read aloud to my little boys and her little ones...so fun!----Art is once a week, History is once a week, and Nature study once per week.

Isn't this cute!?  It's my two dollar homeschool planner!  So much simpler than last year.  Last year I had a three-ring binder with detailed daily plans that I filled out at the beginning of each unit.  This year I knew I wanted to have written plans (since I don't' do anything without them!) but I wanted it to be simplified.  So it'll be easier to explain by showing you inside....

This is my read aloud tab...  I took each one of my read-alouds I plan to read to the kids this year and wrote out each chapter with a square to check off.  On later pages I realized it would be nice to put in each column the amount of chapters to be read each week.  In addition to these two books we are going to read Black Beauty (which will take two units--so 8 weeks), The Snow Queen by Anderson, The Wind in the Willows, Bridge to Teribithia, and Star of Light.  I'm so excited to read these stories!

This is how simple my history plans are.  We are using Mystery of History this year for History.  Typically I read through the lessons in each week, and just share the highlights with the boys.  They aren't going to remember the bulk of what I read anyways.  And then the highlights we interact with by putting an entry in their books of knowledge.  Which are basically small scrapbooks that the boys write facts, paste pictures or draw pictures from what they learned.  I'll share some photos from these little books in a moment.

Our geography plans were a little more in-depth, so I put them together in Word and printed and taped them into the notebook.  We are using Memoria Press's geography curriculum which is wonderful.  There is a teacher text that I read to the boys and a student workbook.  It divides out most of the world into individual countries, some areas into regions.  The text teaches highlights about the country and the workbook gives a blank map for the student to fill in. We have a variety of other blank maps so that each boy can color in the country we are learning about.

Here is an example of our nature study plans.  We have a great guide for nature study each week, and so I base our plans on that book.

I divided the year out into eight 4 week units.  For each unit, we have a hymn and a fun song we sing each morning during "morning time". Before we sing our hymn, we start every school day by singing the Doxology, standing around the table with hands raised to God.  Thank you Sarah Mackenzie for this idea!  Honestly, the boys sometimes lift their hands while standing in their seats, they spin, they go get a drink of water, etc.  This is certainly not perfect or idyllic.  But nothing is, is it?

I just recently added a tab to my planner for a monthly calendar to keep track of our off weeks and also the schedule of our co-ops.  We are starting Summit academy this year and really excited about it!  My oldest two boys will take math, science, art and guitar there on Wednesdays.  My younger boys will take math and science experiments, and my 5th grader will also take a literature class and drawing.  I'm so excited about this having this opportunity.  And I can't believe that my 16 year has his drivers license now and will drive him and his brother to and from their co-ops!  (they will continue in Veritas Classical school on Tuesdays in addition to Summit on Wednesdays)

Here are some pages from the boys small "books of knowledge"...These books are literally like 6 by 6 inches.  The boys write their facts in no certain order.  I'm excited for them to have these little scrapbooks of sorts at the end of the year and to be reminded of all the neat things we will have learned this year.

For our missionary biography, each boy has a blank book that they write in after we listen to each chapter.

This is my main storage area for our homeschool books.  Each child has their own shelf.  The little under shelf storage cubbies are a big help!  The very bottom cubby holds our math u see blocks, as well as some other necessities we use each day.  We switched to Math U See this year and it is SO wonderful!  Math is no longer dreaded by either my student or me!

Miss Ellie teaching us a thing or to :) :) :)

Last but not least...let's talk about planning for relationships!  Here is our dear friend Miss Ellie.  We go way way back.  We used to live in the same neighborhood so seeing her was so easy.  Now it takes planning.  We talked about it last night and came up with a recurring monthly date to get together.  If we want to see each other....and we most certainly do....planning is essential.  I'm so glad we came up with one! 

On our planning for relationships agenda...hoping to get a regular game night set with grandparents and a monthly open house for church family :)

An important note to add...while I've found planning to be so important to do all that God has called me to do...I have also learned I have to hold them loosely.  After all...

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9

PS:  We had no plans to get a puppy.  But oopsy Daisy!  It happened.  My sister's dog had puppies, and after much pressure from many sides, I caved in and said yes.  The first couple of months were rough.  But I wish I would have known it's just like having a baby.  The first few months are really hard, but it gets definitely easier.  We are really enjoying our Daisy.  She is a perfect addition to the family!

PSS:  In the car with the boys the other day they told me that when they were out with dad going to a Falcons game that they passed by the spot where their dad proposed to me.  And they told me he told them that I said "No way!"  LOL  Then Jacob said "Mommy I'm so glad you didn't say no way because you and daddy are good mommies and daddies"....  And then he said, "When I grow up I want to be a daddy just like daddy...Nice".  Sweet boy :)

Blogging again...and a nature walk!

I don't know why it is so hard to get outside...really for me to get outside (besides the heat!), but

my structured plan for nature study is helping.  (more on that in another post...loving our simplified homeschool organization this year!)  Although I planned for the boys

to make an entry in their nature journals (those poor neglected books) and that didn't happen,

at least we did get outside and see some really neat stuff!  Sharing some pictures below and then I will tell you about my plan for my blog!  

I love that we can head right into our own backyard to see all these things.  Our walk was cut short by my needing to pull the bread out of the oven.  I'm back to making my families bread thanks to a used Bosch mixer I bought and sprouted whole wheat flour I buy at Dekalb Farmers Market.  It makes it so easy!  Just mix all the ingredients, the machine does the majority of the kneading, put in a bowl for 45 minutes, divide out into pans, let them rise in a warm oven, bake and done!  

I'm also back to blogging.  For about 7 or 8 years I blogged when my boys were small, during the having babies years.  I did it because I couldn't bring myself to lug out all the paper and glue and print photos and make scrapbooks, but I really wanted to keep a record of all our special memories.  I planned to one day print my blog.  I recently turned 40 and decided I wanted to tackle that project, of printing my blog, and Blog2print made it possible and relatively easy and inexpensive to do so.  I have over 1,000 pages of memories in four books to read through and it is so much fun!  I have a terrible memory so I wouldn't remember a thing about those good and hard years if it weren't for my blog.  

I had planned to print my blog and then delete it from the internet, but when I realized how much I love having the accounts of our days, funny things the boys said and did, I decided instead of deleting my blog, to keep going with it!  I want to remember these special days too as my boys are all growing up.  So while this will never be a famous blog in the eyes of the world, it's famous in our family.  The boys are already pouring over my printed blog books, giggling, sometimes roaring in laughter at the things they said and did.  

So here I go again!  

This Boy Turns Five-This Momma Cries!

"Momma!  The Northern Lights!!!"....He's always thinking he is seeing the Northern Lights...LOL!

It feels like the end of an era.  There will be no more babies.  Jacob is no longer a baby...at all.  Okay...so maybe he is still on the young side.  And the eve before his birthday I reminded myself that the fact that he is growing up is very very good.  I have so much to be thankful for!  My little children growing up is as it should be.  Letting go...and accepting the changing of seasons is where my heart needs to rest.  (And I'm remembering what Henri Nouwen said ~one of my favorite authors~about letting go...we let go with open hands in a posture to not just let go of what we ought not try and keep but also with open hands to receive whatever our Father wants to give us!)

We headed to celebrate at our favorite spot.  We call it the "stone table"---a high meadow clearing at Little Mulberry Park, and thankfully just minutes from our house.  We took along the birthday boys' requests...a rocket to shoot off and hot dogs to cook on our little camping stove.  The wind made everything harder and after one shot of the rocket, it was gone forever.  (okay the thought just went through my head "yeah, just like Jacob's baby years...."  ---stop it dramatic self!)

We are so blessed with our boys...growing through the seasons with them.  I noticed a "W" on the stone ground with a bit of shock... "Boys!  There's a "W"!" Thinking about our last name.  They all laughed and said, "Yeah mom, have you never noticed the W, E, S and N around the stone table!?"  Well, no I hadn't.  Anyway, the W for Walsman is cool in my book.  Or maybe W for going West.  Walsmans....West...A dream we think about from time to time...moving out West, buying a small ranch, raising horses and boys together...I suggested this evening maybe we could just move to North Georgia...it's beautiful there too!  (our home that we bought here in Auburn we found out recently is zoned residential...so unless we were able to change that, we can't have horses here!) 

Back to Jacob...and his birthday.  The boys played hide and seek tag, lots of giggles and fun.  We watched deer grazing along the edge of the meadow near the forest as we walked, bags slung over shoulders, towards the parking area.  I'm thankful for the many boys in my life and for our great God who leads us all...