Diana B.

7,670 Days Later

October 27, 2013October 28, 2013 Diana B.7 Comments

Dear Mama,

Oh, how I miss you. It’s been 21 years today since we said goodbye. Exactly 7,670 days. A small part of me feels like that tragic day was a hundred years ago and happened to someone else entirely, and another small part of me feels like that tragic day was not long ago at all, and I am still a grief-struck teenager wondering how I’ll ever carry on without you to guide me.

I remember a bedtime story you used to tell about a lost traveler. Actually, I don’t remember any details about the main character. Maybe it was a donkey? But I remember the moral of the story was to always know who you are and where you are going.

Becoming a motherless daughter as a teen made me question who I was and wonder where I was going. God, in His faithfulness, drew me in close to Him and taught me that life’s really more about knowing Who you belong to and where you are going. I am so thankful that I belong to Him and am on my way to heaven. What peace, joy and hope I have in knowing this truth.

Yet the grief of mother-loss still comes in waves. Usually they are small, gentle waves, but even now sometimes the waves of grief can be surprisingly overwhelming. I long ago realized the grief won’t end this side of heaven. But by the grace of God, I am carrying on. Or actually, He is carrying me as I trust in Him to guide my steps.

Being the mother of two little girls requires lots of guidance and wisdom, and so often I hear the lie that being a motherless daughter somehow makes me unqualified to be a mother. My new verse for fighting that lie is 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

I already have all I need to do this job! And being a wife and mothering these girls is a lot of work. It’s good work, but work indeed. I cannot imagine anyone else I’d rather spend my days with.

And I am thankful that you met and loved Michael, even if you didn’t know back then that he would become my husband. He still re-tells the blonde jokes and OSU jokes you told him, and he laughingly recounts the time you told him sailboats only move by continental drift. He’s a wonderful husband and a great daddy.

One of my deepest longings is for you to come to our house and meet our sweet little girls. These two lovely granddaughters of yours, each is her own dear and special person.

But oh, how they both remind me so very much of you with their piano-playing, book-consuming, chocolate-loving passions.

The oldest daughter is almost 11. I remember you always said that was the perfect age, and now I understand why. She’s so helpful and sweet. She has your big, dancing-blue eyes, beautiful, mile-long smile and slender little legs. She looks so much like the pictures we have of you as a little girl, and she fills our house with the snip-snip of scissors and the low steady hum of the sewing machine. I remember those sounds filling up your bedroom when you were sewing me a new dress or teaching me how to make a pillow. How I wish you could spend a day sewing doll clothes with this daughter. For the longest time it was too painful for me to sew with her because that was something you and I did together and I just didn’t feel confident without you. But this girl, she is a fearless seamstress with such nimble little fingers. Just a few weeks ago, she encouraged me to help her make her little sister a doll for her birthday.

What fun we had picking fabric, stitching things together and being sneaky about the entire project so her sister wouldn’t find out.

The youngest daughter just turned 8 and she has your big, dancing-blue eyes, too. Her hair is the same beautiful caramel-strawberry blonde as yours, and you’d be delighted to know that hers is naturally curly, as you always so desperately wished yours was. Like you, this girl is quick with numbers – and she especially likes double-checking her math worksheets on her new adding machine. Give her a little more time with that thing, and I can just imagine the rolls of adding machine paper cascading like a waterfall across our schoolroom table, just like the rolls of paper flooded the floor of your office on busy days. This daughter’s sense of humor reminds me of yours; she loves telling jokes and has a quick wit that catches me and her daddy off guard sometimes. At church the other day, when our pastor was talking about us becoming more like Jesus spiritually but not physically, she grinned and quipped, “That means we don’t have to grow beards.”

I guess that’s the sum of what all these 21 years of motherless days adds up to – your own little girl growing up to be a wife and mother and, by the grace of God, becoming confident that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

I love you, Mama, and I can’t wait to see you on that glorious day.

Hugs and kisses,

Diana

Simply Messing about in Boats

October 26, 2013 Diana B.3 Comments

The following excerpt is from The Wind in the Willows.

“Do you know, I’ve never been in a boat before in all my life,” said Mole.

“What?” cried the Rat, open-mouthed: “Never been in a — you never — well I — what have you been doing then?”

“Is it so nice as all that?” asked the Mole shyly, though he was quite prepared to believe it as he leant back in his seat and surveyed the cushions, the oars, the rowlocks, and all the fascinating fittings, and felt the boat sway lightly under him.

“Nice? It’s the only thing,” said the Water Rat solemnly, as he leant forward for his stroke. “Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half as much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,” he went on dreamily: “messing –about — in — boats; messing —”

“Look ahead, Rat!” cried the Mole suddenly.

It was too late. The boat struck the bank full tilt. The dreamer, the joyous oarsman, lay on his back at the bottom of the boat, his heels in the air.

“— about in boats — or with boats,” the Rat went on composedly, picking himself up with a pleasant laugh. “In or out of ’em, it doesn’t matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that’s the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don’t; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you’re always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you’ve done it there’s always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you’d much better not…”

The Mole never heard a word he was saying. Absorbed in the new life he was entering upon, intoxicated with the sparkle, the ripple, the scents and the sounds and the sunlight, he trailed a paw in the water and dreamed long, waking dreams. The Water Rat, like the good little fellow he was, sculled steadily on and forebore to disturb him.

My Golden Girl

October 25, 2013 Diana B.3 Comments

Frost said gold is nature’s hardest hue to hold. He was referring to spring’s earliest gold-green leaves. Nothing gold can stay, he said.

Aye, fall’s golden leaves are nearly just as quick to flee. They linger just long enough for a photo or two.

My baby, with her golden locks, celebrates her golden birthday the same week all the yellow leaves glow and glimmer in the trees. So we crown with her a golden wreath of laurel.

And we dig through a closet full of boxes to find the gold leaf tea set my grandparents used on their golden wedding anniversary more than 40 years ago.

We set the table in shades of gold, pour amber-colored tea, and sing along with Britt Nicole as nearly a dozen kids masquerade through the living room. And the golden girl, she glows and shines.

She lingers just long enough for a photo and a short interview because even golden birthdays cannot stay.

1. What makes you happy? That I’m turning 8! {Giggle.} I have another one for you. That I am going to heaven.

2. What makes you sad? That people get sick.

3. What makes you laugh? Daddy! And videos of my sister when she was little, like 2, running around the living room.

4. What is your favorite thing to do? I like to swim and read and play with my stuffed animals and dolls. I also like to nature bake.

5. What are you really good at? nature baking

6. What are you not very good at? Knitting and crocheting – that’s not my talent.

7. What is your favorite food and drink? I like Kraft macaroni and cheese and cream soda.

8. What’s your favorite color? Dark, dark green

9. Where is your favorite place to go? I like to go to the Children’s Museum.

10. Who are your best friends? Naomi, Noah, Grace, Joellen, Mommy, Daddy, my sister, and Jesus

11. What are your favorite movies or TV shows? Liberty Kids and The Emperor’s New Groove

12. What verses are you reciting lately? Philippians 2:1-6

13. What are some of your favorite books right now? Cul de Sac Kids Series, Imagination Station Series, The Bible

14. Who are your favorite people? My grandparents and relatives

15. What are your favorite toys? Honey (my bear), my tea sets

16. If you were a character in Wizard of Oz, who would you be? I would like to be Toto.

17. What does Mommy do when you’re not around? Wrap birthday presents!

18. What do you do when Mommy isn’t around? Go to ballet, piano, art class, play with my sister, play with babysitters, play with Daddy

19. What is something Mommy always says to you? “Goodnight, I love you!” “Good morning, I love you, but I’m busy doing my hair.”

20. What do you and Mommy do together? Read, hug, and bake

21. How are you and Mommy the same? We kind of have the same smile, like to bake, and we like to read, and we like to take pictures.

22. How are you and Mommy different? Mommy is a mommy. She has a computer. She has a phone. She has an iPod. Mommy can drive a car. I can play piano way better. I’ve caught fish and she has not.

23. How do you know Mommy loves you? Because she says it every night, and she hugs me and reads to me and I can just tell.

The Leaves are Falling Down

October 5, 2013 Diana B.1 Comment

Fridays in the fall are perfect for a field trip/nature walk to the Arboretum.

The Arb has gourds and pumpkins a-plenty, much to the delight of my own little pumpkin.

And scarecrows…

But best of all, the Arb has leaves. Fiery red, golden yellow, orange, green and brown — they are glorious!

My oldest loved how the raindrops gathered on this leaf to make it shimmer.

Then she saw this leaf, which was more colorful and shimmered, too.

My little pumpkin thought for sure a fairy had taken a bath in this oak leaf and had forgotten to drain the water.

Thank You, Lord, for the glorious leaves!

And happy leaf-looking, everybody!

A Cricket

October 4, 2013October 4, 2013 Diana B.Leave a comment

“A Cricket” by Aileen Fisher

In a matchbox

Is a cricket

With a patent-leather shine.

It’s at Peter’s,

And he’s printed

“Mister Cricket” on a sign.

In a fruit jar

That is open,

With a leaf on which to dine,

Is a cricket

That is Kathy’s

And she thinks it’s very fine.

Nothing’s gayer

Than a cricket!

Nothing’s louder after nine!

But my mother

Thinks a thicket

Is the nicest place for mine.

More Favorites from the Bookworms

September 1, 2013 Diana B.2 Comments

While I love reading aloud, my two girls do far more reading without me these days. Sometimes the girls get so engrossed in their books, I have to surgically remove their noses from the pages in order to get help with laundry or dinner!

So what books are so incredibly riveting to my 7- and 10-year-old bookworms? Well, my youngest likes to read and re-read series of books, such as the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series by Betty MacDonald, the Imagination Station series from Focus on the Family, the Adventures in the Kingdom series by Dian Layton, The Cul-De-Sac Kids series by Beverly Lewis, and nearly anything by Beverly Cleary. She recently finished Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse by Ursula Moray Williams, and together we are reading The Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I also should note that she loved The Wonderful Wizard of Oz so much she insisted we read it together as a family this summer, even though I have a terrible fear of winged monkeys. We finished the book a few weeks ago, and thankfully my life is almost entirely free of those frightful creatures!

Lately my oldest is adoring the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery and The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss. The Borrowers series by Mary Norton, In Grandma’s Attic series by Arleta Richardson, and children’s fantasy books by Edith Nesbit are also among her recent favorites. In addition to reading fiction, reading biographies on various missionaries and famous Americans is another of her favorite genres.

Happy reading!

12+ Books We Love

August 19, 2013August 19, 2013 Diana B.2 Comments

“Being a bookworm means having non-fictional feelings for fictional characters.”

That’s a quote I saw on Grammarly.com last week. And so true, so true it is. Over the last few years, my two bookworm daughters and I have fallen in love with some dear friends in the pages of chapter books, especially those that we read aloud together. And what’s more thrilling than meeting new friends in books, reading about their adventures and watching them grow? Why, sharing those new fictional friends with our real-life, non-fiction friends, that’s what!

Here’s the scoop on some of our favorite children’s fiction books with characters we’re sure you’ll adore, too.

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit: In this children’s fantasy book, we learned from the mistakes of the five children who have their biggest wishes granted by a sand fairy. Nothing goes as expected with the wishes, and we all learn solid lessons in contentment.
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit: Bobbie, the leading female character in this classic story, faces adversity with great perseverance and is an admirable role model. Both her strengths and weaknesses show as she interacts with her siblings and her mother and grows in character. Bobbie respects and honors her mother, even when her mother is not forthcoming about the father’s sudden disappearance.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett: In this classic, several characters, especially Mary, transform and grow right along with the flowers in the secret garden they discover. Dicken is so charming and almost magical, and the robin in the garden has quite a lovable personality, too.
Little Pilgrim’s Progress by Helen Taylor: I usually dislike adaptations of classics, but Helen Taylor’s simplified version of John Bunyan’s book is the exception. The tale of Christian’s journey is an excellent allegory with memorable lessons in following the straight and narrow path, through life’s trials and temptations, all the way to heaven.
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor: The Jewish sisters in this book are thoughtful and face difficulties with much love and concern for each other. My oldest continued reading the rest of the books in this series, which includes a lot of insight about Jewish customs and celebrating Jewish holidays.
The Saturdays, The Four Story Mistake, Then There Were Five and Spiderweb for Two by Elizabeth Enright: This series, also known as the Melendy Quartet, features four lovably genuine siblings who take turns having adventures and enduring trials. They nearly always treat each other with love and care, despite their vastly different personalities and interests.
Betsy Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace: The first four books in this series are just perfect for girls 11 and under. The enduring friendship between neighbors Betsy and Tacy is quite endearing, and their playtime adventures are wholesome, believable and often comical. The books offer a peek into what daily family life was like in the early 1900s.
Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright: What an enchanting adventure this trio of young cousins share when they discover an elderly couple living in the most fascinating place near the water.
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter: Oh! How Pollyanna spreads contentment and cheer through her glad game! This book is simply delightful and teaches us about being thankful for God’s goodness and grace.
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls: Set in rural northeastern Oklahoma, this book takes me back to my roots. Even if you didn’t grow up there, you’re sure to develop a colorful Oklahoma accent reading this downright hilarious tale about a boy, his grandpa, his twin sister who walks with a limp, and a rowdy bunch of circus monkeys.
Elsie Dinsmore series by Martha Finley: Young Elsie is misunderstood and often mistreated by her tutor and many others in her grandfather’s home. She often struggles with obeying her father until he becomes a Christian and realizes how dear his precious Elsie is. This series spans many years of Elsie’s life; our family has enjoyed the first three books.
Heidi by Johanna Spyri: I love the classic edition of this book that comes with beautiful illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith. Lovable Heidi and her misunderstood grandfather both grow in character and spirit through their relationships with each other and with Peter, Clara, and even the goats. Set in the lovely Swiss Alps, this story is long but timeless and worth reading every page. All three of us cried when we finished because Heidi had become so very dear to our hearts.

Up next for our family read alouds this school year are:

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
Almost Home: The Story of the Mayflower’s Mary Chilton by Wendy Lawton
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert O’Brien
Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

What fictional characters do you have non-fictional feelings for? And what books are you reading with your kids this year? Do tell!

A Little Encouragement for the Homeschool Crowd

August 18, 2013 Diana B.Leave a comment

Just in time for back to school, here’s a bit of encouraging and enlightening news on homeschooling.

http://www.topmastersineducation.com/homeschooled/

Happy reading!

Our New School Room

August 13, 2013 Diana B.5 Comments

August is flying by and soon the girls and I will be hitting the books again. Since we moved last spring, we are super excited to share pictures of our new school room.

This is the main area for seat work like math, language arts and handwriting. The black bookshelves are from Ikea. The big one holds our library of children’s fiction chapter books and picture books, biographies, reference books, family devotionals, teacher’s manuals, math games and manipulatives, and a few magazines. (We subscribe to God’s World News and Nature Friend.)

The smaller shelf on the right has a cubby for each kid’s workbooks, art supplies in Mason jars, paper, paints, and some extra stuff we may or may not use.

The surface is handy for pencils, stapler, red “in-boxes” for the day’s work, a pencil sharpener and a few other items we want to keep handy. The couch behind this is a great spot for history, science and literature reading.

The bulletin board area is still a work in progress.

The chalkboards are simply art canvases covered with chalkboard paint. These are low enough that the kids can reach them. In the upper right corner is a clipboard for displaying 12 by 12 inch scrapbooking pages. We will use it as a place to show which composer, artist, poet and/or hymn we are studying. The upper left is a picture tray that displays 4 by 6 photos of our family. The bulletin board includes a U.S. map, reading incentive sheets, and a calendar. I’ll add our Scripture memory verses and something else soon.

This is my “teacher” desk as well as the best spot for my kids to do Spanish lessons and typing lessons on the computer. In two of those three-ring binders, I file the kids’ school work by subject. I keep my Well Planned Day planner and other homeschool planning materials here.