This should be the last one for today...

• Bullet style because I have so many thoughts swirling around that I either have to write 17 posts or do it bullet style. (That sounds bad.)
• Jason asked me about homeschooling and how I felt about the ruling in California. I feel like it will be overturned. I did go and sign all the petitions and it really bothers me, but I also don't think they can make it stick. I believe parents are uniquely able to educate their children even better than a person who has gone to school to educate children. This has to do with the one on one ratio and also the fact that parents motivated enough to homeschool generally know their children very well-strengths and weaknesses. They also are much more vested in the success of their own child than an outsider would be. I could go on and on about this topic but I really dont want to. My blog readers are a mixed bag of educators. There are pros and cons to any form of educating children. Parents who are plugged into their kids usually have smart kids no matter how they educate them-even if those kids have learning challenges.
• Jason also asked me what a co-op is. It is a group of parents working together to provide a sort of private school together. We each teach whatever our stength subjects are and that generally allows each teacher to benefit from sharing the teaching load with other families. It is a wonderful thing-but the responsibility of the day to day work still falls on the moms. All co-ops are different. I could see where public school leaders might have a problem with homeschool co-ops since they function as a type of school, however, most co-ops will accept only seasoned homeschoolers-meaning, no one is leaving school to be in a co-op. It is alot of work and requires excellent leadership to survive the constant ebb and flow of members. (Sandy is beyond excellent-her leadership skills boggle my mind!!)
• My sister Pam and I had a wonderful visit today. We discussed parenting and marriage and how hard they both are. I told her about the book that convicts me to the bone and makes me malcontent to carry on as usual. (Shepherding A Childs Heart, Tedd Tripp). I actually told her not to read it unless she wants to live in constant conviction like I am. Don't read it people. Ignorance is bliss. I know God is using this book to speak to me. My mother told me this today, "So many people whip their kids because they(the parents) are in a bad mood. The kids do something that makes the parents mad and the parents whip them. Lots of times the kids don't even know what they did wrong. I remember my dad doing that. I would know he was mad, but not why or why I was being spanked. Of course, I didn't ask any questions either." This is exactly the sort of thing the book addresses. He states that parents often punish their children for having bad manners or making a mistake that makes the parent look bad. The heart is often not even considered and the child has not been malicious-just childish. Parenting is the hardest job in the whole entire wide world!!
• My mom and I had a wonderful visit today as well. She is actually doing very well and operating independently. I am very proud of her. I brought my step-dad home from the hosptial on Friday(can't remember if I blogged that or not) and she is now right back to taking care of him and bossing him around. I think they are gonna be just fine. My sister Pam has been staying there at night and we discussed all of us taking turns doing that to give her a break. I assessed the need today though. I asked her if they had needed her at night one time while she had been staying there. She said no. I don't think they need us on this level yet. They have a lifeline necklace for emergencies and they have each other. For now, I think it is enough. We will all be making frequent contact-in person and over the phone. I think it is time to give them some space. My mom wholeheartedly agreed. I am blogging this because she has never wholeheartedly agreed with anything I've said before.
• Easter candy is so good and fresh it should be against the law. Thank goodness I only had two egg hunters at the church egg hunt and we were able to "regift" that candy into the eggs for the egg hunt for hubby's family. ( ; We have hardly any left. My butt is very thankful it won't have to grow any more!!
• I think all of my thoughts will be able to settle now. WHEW!! Thank You LORD for blogs!