tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-255026332012-02-14T21:09:44.896-06:00Life in the big, ugly house.thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.comBlogger9321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-89859673127259585732012-02-14T12:47:00.000-06:002012-02-14T12:47:59.678-06:00

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thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-85429228890010541122012-02-14T08:00:00.000-06:002012-02-14T08:00:05.760-06:00

Because while I haven't been whining out loud (much), I've been whining inside my head quite a bit.  I'm tired of all this paperwork and waiting and I'm ready to bring my daughter home.  Now.  I don't want to wait another week to hear that we have travel approval.  I'm just really done with waiting. We first saw H's picture in December of 2010.  That was a long time ago.  Too long it seems, and

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-63837542704615882902012-02-13T08:00:00.000-06:002012-02-13T08:00:16.623-06:00

I've just spent far more time than I meant to looking for a post I was sure I had written, but evidently hadn't.  Somehow I really thought I wrote about the Chicago Tribune article on large families and adoption in Illinois, but I think planning for Thanksgiving got the better of me and I never did.  Perhaps that's why that article is still gnawing at me.  Actually it wasn't the article, but a

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-59180236771464908372012-02-11T14:27:00.000-06:002012-02-11T14:27:54.329-06:00

I have been sitting at the computer for more than a few hours.  I am in the process of making a photo book for TM's foster parents which will have photos of TM from the past 6 years.  It takes a while to sort through all the pictures, choose them, and then upload them.  It's fairly tedious, but I know it will be worth it.  Plus, if I want the book to arrive in good time before we leave, I need to

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-20097828282072717552012-02-10T12:46:00.000-06:002012-02-10T12:46:13.582-06:00

Here is my solution for communicating with H.: I found the best site last night and spent a while making all these photo cards which I printed out and then laminated this morning.  (I plan to put them all on a ring to keep them together.)  It took me a few minutes to figure out how to make it work, but after I did, I was able to make exactly the cards I wanted.  Essentially how it works is that

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-15188000551701395582012-02-09T12:27:00.001-06:002012-02-09T13:25:34.183-06:00

My friend Ann, over at Crazy for Kids, has passed on an award to me.  Thank you!  Thank you for giving me a topic to write about.  (Do you know how hard it is to come up with something to write sometimes?  I am so happy for prompts!)  Ann is a fellow adoptive mom of a large family... and a real life friend.  It is inconvenient that we live so far away from each other.  So what is our solution?  

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-62666383112838455382012-02-08T13:37:00.000-06:002012-02-08T13:37:49.868-06:00

Sometimes being the grown-up isn't fun.  It means that you have to make the not-fun decisions; the decisions that  aren't glamorous, but are important.  Sometimes being the grown-up makes you unpopular, even with yourself.  In general, I try to portray adulthood to my children as something positive and something to look forward to.  I think we do a disservice to our children if we make adulthood

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-3921465725934704262012-02-07T13:18:00.000-06:002012-02-07T13:18:45.579-06:00

How about a recipe?  I realize I haven't posted one in a long time and it's either that or I drone on a bit more about the travel plans I'm making.  I think you'll all take the recipe. When you're feeding a lot of people, you learn to stretch you meat.  A lot.  For instance, one dinner last week, I made about a pound of chicken stretch to feed all 10 of us.  Pretty impressive, huh?  Here's what

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-85732573974976745912012-02-06T13:21:00.000-06:002012-02-06T13:21:40.310-06:00

As I begin the whole host of preparations to be ready to travel when the time comes, I thought I would share my list of prayer requests.  These are not in any specific order, just as they come to mind as I write. That A. and TM's passports will arrive soon so that I can start the visa process We are trying to make it work so that we can do a very quick stop in Vietnam and have a reunion between

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-9377545910505818042012-02-04T11:10:00.000-06:002012-02-04T11:10:49.117-06:00

When we switched the schoolroom to A., P., and H.'s new room, we discovered that they were in desperate need of storage, especially bookcases.  We decided to move the bookcase which had been in the hallway holding our picture books.  This was not a difficult choice because if you have ever tried to store picture books, you will know that they don't fit on shelves very well.  It was one of those

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-75687718908954012522012-02-03T11:59:00.000-06:002012-02-03T11:59:49.698-06:00

Yes, I am.  I don't really feel older, but every so often, I have one of those moments where reality hits.  Take yesterday.  I was doing a bunch of adoption paperwork (again), and looking to see what passport size photos I had and how many more I needed.  For some reason I had one set of myself from the beginning of 2011 and one taken from much later in the year.  Oh my goodness.  I think the

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-893491891522151522012-02-02T13:01:00.001-06:002012-02-03T12:49:32.405-06:00

A. enjoys fixing her hair and other's hair as well.  It's a shame that she is surrounded by sisters who don't share her enthusiasm.  M. isn't much for fiddling with hair, so A. is out someone who will style hers and P. does not particularly enjoy having new hairstyles put in, so A. is out someone on whom to experiment.  Enter her littlest sisters, who do enjoy having someone fix their hair.  (I

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-29742175823313324802012-02-01T12:52:00.000-06:002012-02-01T12:52:42.002-06:00

We really love books around here, if you hadn't guessed.  And one of the benefits of loving books and having children who love books is reading to them.  There is nothing better than having a child (or two or three) snuggled up next to you while you all enjoy a really good book together.  If the book is not so great, well, it's still nice to have the snuggly children, but the book gets read

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-19675808315340161222012-01-31T08:00:00.002-06:002012-01-31T11:31:27.409-06:00

A comment was left on the post about disruption yesterday that I wanted to address here, so everyone could see my response. Dear Anonymous, My heart has been so heavy for you ever since I read your comment yesterday and I have been praying for you and for your family.  I know that sounds trite.  Frankly, when you're in the midst of something like this, when there seems to be no way out and

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-48151006056287960992012-01-30T12:21:00.000-06:002012-01-30T12:21:53.497-06:00

I know I have mentioned before that as a way to organize my homemaking, I use the old-fashioned concept of assigning a task to a certain day of the week.  Currently here is what my week looks like:  Monday - shopping and errands; Tuesday - desk (making appts., paying bills, filing, etc.); Wednesday - sewing (plus mending); Thursday - kitchen (making anything out of the ordinary for the coming

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-60948870586505378312012-01-28T14:21:00.000-06:002012-01-28T14:21:00.030-06:00

I'm sure most adoptive parents are familiar with variations on this phrase, and I'm also quite sure that the majority of them find it just as irksome as I do.  Because it just isn't true.  We are not any better than anyone else.  Frankly, being an adoptive parent can sometimes make you face up to the fact that not only are you not any better than anyone else, but that you are not even as good as

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-44408417332693546412012-01-27T12:10:00.001-06:002012-01-27T18:41:10.112-06:00

Our history co-op is studying ancient Egypt this year.  Today's lesson was on the game Senet.  The older group took turns playing on an already constructed game board: That's P13 sitting there. The younger group made their own game board, playing pieces, and throwing sticks, then spent some time playing the game. TM working on making his playing pieces. The whole group as they work upstairs. D.

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-59099584621350835752012-01-26T13:40:00.000-06:002012-01-26T13:40:06.067-06:00

I am always surprised when people ask me what I do with the girls (G. and L.) for school... and they follow up with a second question asking if they go to preschool.  They are two for Heaven's sake!  They don't need school.  They need to follow their Mommy around all day and watch and play and learn.  (And get lots and lots of hugs and kisses and conversation.)  But that isn't to say they are not

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-32050839771555758562012-01-25T13:02:00.001-06:002012-01-25T22:00:14.357-06:00

As you all know I am a big advocate of adoption.  But I have been seeing things in the adoption community that disturb me a little.  This isn't directed at any single situation, but to a general sense of what is going on.  You know it's great that people want to adopt and give a child, especially an older child, a home.  But too often I hear stories of people disrupting an adoption for reasons

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-7318731839997669762012-01-24T15:19:00.002-06:002012-01-24T17:23:54.816-06:00

Remember a loooong time ago I wrote about the felt book and doll I was making for H.?  Well, I'm happy to report, except for a hook and eye, it is all done.  Want to see it? The biggest part of finishing it was to figure out how to do her name in my embroidery software and then stitch it on to the cover material.  I'm feeling pretty satisfied with how it turned out and it has given me a

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-45516792808738749102012-01-23T12:38:00.000-06:002012-01-23T12:38:04.765-06:00

Last night we celebrated the first night of Tet, the Vietnamese New Year.  We had a really fantastic lemongrass roasted chicken (ga nuong xa) from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mai Pham.  We also has the traditional banh chung (sticky rice surrounding meat, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed): Last year we sliced it and just ate it plain.  It was, um, an acquired taste, I think.  Or

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-43588789859206493792012-01-21T13:23:00.002-06:002012-01-21T13:23:29.232-06:00

G. and little bit of K. L. L. K. G. G. G. TM P.

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-24858862819516188602012-01-20T12:11:00.001-06:002012-01-20T12:16:37.338-06:00

As I mentioned yesterday, we had read through the account of the building of the Tabernacle and that I was quite struck with it.  Aside from just how beautiful it was, I also noted that the skill and ability to create this thing of beauty were a direct gift from God.  He gave the ability to 'devise artistic designs'; to work in gold, silver, and bronze; to carve and set stones, to weave, to

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-41097904826441974272012-01-19T13:53:00.000-06:002012-01-19T13:53:16.722-06:00

As part of our study of Ancient Egypt we have been reading the Biblical accounts of the Israelites in Egypt, including the Exodus and the wandering in the wilderness.  Last week we read about the Israelites building the Tabernacle, so I thought it would be helpful to see what we were reading about.  I found a free, printable model of the Tabernacle which I printed out, and children assembled:

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-10638882588645076022012-01-18T13:16:00.000-06:002012-01-18T13:16:44.828-06:00

I learn surprising things from homeschooling... about my children.  They are things I'm not sure I would find out if we didn't choose this educational path.  This is especially true with TM. Learning a new language can be a tricky thing, especially if that second language is being learned while the first language is being lost.  Adopted children seem to effortlessly begin to communicate in an 

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-20681056935588688962012-01-17T14:25:00.002-06:002012-01-17T14:35:59.645-06:00

I have several chapters of Isaiah to prepare, so I'm doing an easy post.  I went back over the past year to see which posts garnered the most comments (minus those which contained give-aways or requests for information), and I'm going to share them with you.  It will give you something to read if you missed them the first time around and give me the needed prep time.  Here they are, from least to

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-39459540915623344472012-01-16T13:23:00.000-06:002012-01-16T13:23:29.951-06:00

"She sighed.  'Some people turn away from following Yahweh over the least hard thing.  I'm not brave, but one lesson I learned from my father -- stick to the job, whatever it is.  I can't help it; I just plod ahead.  The hard jobs sometimes turn out to be the ones that make you feel best about yourself when the thing's done.'" From Tirzah by Lucille Travis.  We just finished reading it at lunch

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-60955554773317146662012-01-14T14:27:00.002-06:002012-01-14T14:45:32.552-06:00

So, when you have two 2 year olds, I have discovered that there is never a good time to clean their room, much less organize it.  Because they want to help.  And the word help in the 2 year old mind evidently means, "very carefully watch what Mommy does and then undo it" because if Mommy wanted to do it once, she must  want to do the same thing over and over again.  My usual solution to this

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-15974250516840113632012-01-13T11:08:00.000-06:002012-01-13T11:08:59.003-06:00

I love opening up my email and having new pictures of H.  And I love this picture of her, too.  It seems unreal at this point, after all the waiting and seeing pictures of her that we are so close to receiving our travel approval.

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-32455865728944718292012-01-12T18:32:00.000-06:002012-01-12T18:32:46.657-06:00

Well, it looks as though winter has finally arrived.  It started snowing mid-morning and hasn't stopped, much to the delight of all the children in residence.  I actually don't mind snow as long as I don't have to drive in it.  (I really don't enjoy driving our giant van in the snow.  Even getting out of our driveway can be dicey with the much narrower street.)  And since I don't have to go

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-72881710689772731952012-01-11T13:53:00.000-06:002012-01-11T13:53:03.532-06:00

In a response to a post on a homeschooling adopted children Yahoo group, something I wrote made me wonder.  Wonder if what I wrote was correct, that is.  (This happens a lot to me... I need to write to think about things and sometimes I am quite surprised at how a post ends.)  Anyway, the topic at hand was the difficulties that some adopted children experience in trying to learn and retain

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-8340537786329949372012-01-10T13:53:00.001-06:002012-01-10T20:00:14.824-06:00

I happened across a post on a blog I had never read before and it got me thinking about the term 'radical'.  I have to admit that I have wanted to read the book, Radical by David Platt, but haven't had a chance yet.  (Plus, I don't own a copy.  Someone want to loan me one?)  But I have a pretty good idea of what it's about... eschewing the normal and societally-approved way of living and choosing

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-79701347865006784302012-01-09T16:42:00.000-06:002012-01-09T16:42:47.795-06:00

I have so many thoughts about faithfulness, money, debt, following God's will, etc. roiling around in my head that at some point I will probably need to write them down.  But I hesitate, because I can't quite figure out how to write what I want to write without it coming off as though I'm begging for money; as though I seem to think that other people should finance my life.  And since that

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-15252728639434754382012-01-07T14:55:00.000-06:002012-01-07T14:55:43.333-06:00

Aesop wrote a lot of fables about foxes and in at least one of them, the fox was at odds with a crow.  Well, based on my very scientific sampling of one fox and three crows, it seems that there is a natural animosity between these two species of which I was unaware. There has been a fox roaming our neighborhood for a few days now and he seems to be particularly fond of our backyard.  Since we

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-40010595400698867722012-01-06T13:18:00.001-06:002012-01-06T20:33:13.378-06:00

I want to say again how much I love my new Kindle.  Before Christmas, I had been in a bit of a book drought, which is unusual for me.  I would start a book, get through the first few chapters, and for one reason or another, returned it to the library.  The reasons were either that it was so poorly written that I couldn't bring myself to spend any more time with it or that the characters were so

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-82411492463835837092012-01-05T15:51:00.001-06:002012-01-05T15:53:02.678-06:00

This is what it looks like after a trip to IKEA because nearly everything to be purchased there needs to be assembled: This is A., P., and TM working on putting together the white boxes which are going to slide into the large bookcase in their room.  Instead of trying to disassemble the huge bookcase and purchase yet more dressers, we decided to use the bookcase as a dresser.  For this to work,

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-83868771431338292792012-01-04T11:56:00.000-06:002012-01-04T11:56:14.463-06:00

I'm sure every single one of you has had one of those days where you think you are going to do one set of things and you end up doing something completely different.  This can either be because it was a conscious decision on your part, but more often (at least in my experience) it is because of series of interruptions or distractions to an otherwise planned-out day. I don't think that planning

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-33756802335156255102012-01-03T14:18:00.000-06:002012-01-03T14:18:02.664-06:00

J. went back to work this morning, but we are not getting back into our regular school schedule until next week. (Can I tell you just how happy I was when I discovered I had planned this week as a vacation week long ago last summer?)  I am spending this week doing a spurt of organizing.  Yesterday I made curtains for G. and L.'s room and started reorganizing it.  Still to go are curtains for A.

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-31493139204581391562011-12-31T18:34:00.000-06:002011-12-31T18:34:19.006-06:00

Just a quick post to wish everyone a happy new year.  We've spent most of the day cleaning and organizing and putting away.  It's just nicer to start the new year with a clean house.  On top of regular cleaning, the boys rearranged their room and we put up the third bed for H. in A. and P.'s room.  (It desperately needs some organizational help and I can't really see what room is available

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-11349711149435507962011-12-30T15:39:00.000-06:002011-12-30T15:39:50.288-06:00

I told a friend the other day that I won't be sad to see the back end of 2011.  The obvious reason is that it will mean we are much, much closer to bringing H. home.  The other reason is that it has been a very uneventfully eventful year.  That probably doesn't make a lot of sense.  Let me explain. On one hand, not much really happened.  We did a lot of paperwork, the children all grew and

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-13272747495858857962011-12-29T15:16:00.000-06:002011-12-29T15:16:27.726-06:00

I don't know what we've been doing this week that J. is off work, but we've been filling our time.  Today we took everyone except G. and L. to the Tintin movie.  (It was a Christmas gift.)  We have been huge fans of the Tintin comics for years, with B. loving it the most, so we couldn't miss the movie.  I give the movie a thumbs up, especially if you know and love the comics.  (If you don't know

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-34415624067061899192011-12-27T12:29:00.000-06:002011-12-27T12:29:19.793-06:00

Now I can show you what I have been working on all month.  You probably noticed the picture of L. wearing her wings in the last post.  I made a set of bird wings for each little girl, though L. has deemed them butterfly wings, and I have a feeling that is what they will be.  (I shamelessly copied all my gifts this year from other bloggers.  To give credit where credit is due, I'll link back to

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-34265299211759280862011-12-26T13:42:00.001-06:002011-12-26T22:25:59.425-06:00

We've had a lovely holiday.... here are a few pictures.  I'll start with Christmas Eve.  Here are G. and L. in their new dresses waiting for the Christmas pageant to begin. L. (on left) and G. (on right) Everyone was involved in the pageant in some fashion except for the little girls and myself.  J. was one of the directors, M. was working a spotlight, B. was running sound, A. was stage crew, P.

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-88530746098379443882011-12-23T10:41:00.000-06:002011-12-23T10:41:15.426-06:00

Well, our house isn't exactly an inn, nor is it terribly difficult to find extra room in it, but think of the title as figurative.  In the flurry of last minute preparations that I need to take care of today, I have a little more shopping to add to my list.  A member of our church found out about a group of African exchange students who attend her daughter's college.  This group of students are

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-79715398250912640282011-12-22T12:31:00.001-06:002011-12-22T15:57:37.252-06:00

It is not 'frah - gee - lay' and it was not delivered in a huge crate, but we won it all the same.  Here is our award... it was sitting on our front porch waiting for us to return from the orthodontist: Yes, we won a 12-oz can crusher.  It's from our fair city and the note attached informs us that our city sanitation employees were monitoring everyone's recycling and refuse and they thought that

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-58152105744658028452011-12-21T11:59:00.000-06:002011-12-21T11:59:21.974-06:00

We're getting closer to being ready for Christmas.  Our tree is up: And baby Jesus has been found.  (Hooray!  Thank you, TM.  Now I can show you pictures.)  These are the nativity dolls I made years ago which live under our tree during December.  Early on we decided that we would not put presents out early.  It was a too-great temptation for toddlers, plus by having wrapped gifts to stare at for

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-41589541627622808852011-12-17T17:18:00.000-06:002011-12-17T17:18:22.769-06:00

So, no pretty pictures of our Christmas decorations today, either.  We are still searching for baby Jesus.  He is a part of the soft doll nativity set that I made years ago when M. and B. were little.  Well, not surprisingly, G. and L. immediately loved them, with G. loving baby Jesus best of all.  For the first couple of days she would go nowhere without 'her' baby.  She would hold him and talk

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-53096265991939360122011-12-16T20:12:00.000-06:002011-12-16T20:12:01.981-06:00

My plan all day was to take some pictures of our house decorated for Christmas and share them with you.  Obviously I never got around to it.  It's kind of how this whole month has gone... me having great plans and then never having them materialize.  I'm taking deep breaths and reevaluating what actually needs to get done and what is optional.  It probably won't surprise you that more and more is

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-37145369295604884422011-12-15T10:57:00.001-06:002011-12-15T11:10:03.966-06:00

I haven't written much about homeschooling lately, mainly because there isn't much to write.  Up until this past week we were following our normal schedule.  And since it's just what we do, it hardly seems worth writing about.  Last week was the end of my scheduled lesson plans.  I knew that I would be entering the 'frantic sewing phase' of the season and it was no use fighting it.  As a

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-78746108170124134972011-12-14T10:40:00.000-06:002011-12-14T10:40:53.077-06:00

Yesterday we went to the Chicago Botanic Gardens to see the Wonderland Express exhibit along with our good friends the P family and H-S family.  I've written about these two families extensively before, but if you are new, the extra initials in the alphabet soup I'm usually serving up may be confusing.  So, a thumbnail sketch.... the P family has 8 children (we watched some of them while their

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-29516184307030612832011-12-13T08:00:00.000-06:002011-12-13T08:00:17.910-06:00

M. came home briefly last night so that she could see the one acts which B. was in.  (B., by the way, did an excellent job.  I am always amazed when I watch my children on stage at their comfort at being there and their ability to transform into someone else.  Blaine will be in You Can't Take it With You the last weekend of March.  Block it out now... but I"m sure I'll send more than a couple

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-20907885428536058922011-12-12T08:00:00.000-06:002011-12-12T08:00:02.392-06:00

On Saturday we had our annual family tree trimming party.  M. was able to get away from school and finals for a bit to join us and she brought a couple of friends with her.  We had many chocolate-y treats, eggnog, and stuffed pizza to top it off.  (Though a couple of children had enjoyed the treats earlier in the day so much that they didn't have a whole lot of room for pizza.) There were lots

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-43922651732637417842011-12-10T09:00:00.000-06:002011-12-10T09:00:04.152-06:00

Here is a short video of L., G., and K. singing their rendition of "Jesus Loves Me" and a few photos of L.  First about the hair.  In the video, while it looks as though they took a bowl of greasy noodles, rubbed their hands in them, and then rubbed their hands all over their heads, this is not what happened.  The night before, having grown weary of the really horrible cradle cap they were both

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-88129329155658546682011-12-09T09:00:00.008-06:002011-12-09T09:00:10.900-06:00

There are so many different thoughts swirling around my head at the moment that I'm not sure I can write a coherent post, but I'll give it a shot because I need to sort out my brain somehow.  It's from a whole combination  of things... working (in a small way) to overcome the large family bias in IL adoptions; being aware of the somewhat negative opinions the general public seems to have about

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-49845232998560811262011-12-08T08:00:00.000-06:002011-12-08T08:00:10.919-06:00

Things should not be quiet in a household with as many children as we have, and if they are we should pay closer attention.  Last night, as J. and I worked on the last details of dinner, we both realized that it was mighty quiet and that we really hadn't seen very many of the children pass through the kitchen.  We even remarked to one another that perhaps we should be worried and went back to the

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-6438527479834858072011-12-07T10:32:00.000-06:002011-12-07T10:32:16.514-06:00

I have a burden on my heart for this boy and I can't shake it.  So I will continue to advocate for him until he finds his family.  No child should have to ask for a family.  No child should look forward to their 14th birthday with dread.  No child should wonder what will happen to him. Joseph, who is 12 years old, has 1 1/2 years before his chances for a family are dashed.  Just today he told an

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-78825847271614483732011-12-06T18:36:00.000-06:002011-12-06T18:36:17.206-06:00

I guess I just need to keep praying about this adoption until the moment we sign on the dotted line and make it legal.  I was mistaken that from here on out things would be easy.  Today our LOA paperwork was supposed to arrive.  The idea was that I would have it all turned around and back at the FedEx pick-up by 8pm tonight so it could be back with our agency tomorrow.  (The clock doesn't start

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-25259970744506005112011-12-05T15:15:00.000-06:002011-12-05T15:15:12.252-06:00

and one of them is to let you know that we have our LOA for H.!  According to our agency, that means that we can expect to travel in about 11 to 15 weeks.  It looks as though March is going to be an exciting month.  This is probably the best Christmas gift I could have received. I'm just going to enjoy the moment and wait for tomorrow to practice my serenity and fearlessness about how the

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-9539489868201475622011-12-05T08:00:00.000-06:002011-12-05T08:00:03.204-06:00

My mom sent G. and L. a couple of new dresses, so that requires some pictures of them modelling their new duds.  Here is the first installment.  I love these knit dresses... I'm pretty sure this is what they will wear on Christmas.  G. is on the left and L. is on the right.  L. is looking a bit forlorn in the first two because we took the book she wanted to hold away from her.  (Mean parents!  

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-76663747721695371562011-12-03T09:00:00.002-06:002011-12-03T13:02:15.460-06:00

J. and I are blessed with a large group of very good friends.  These are not your average run-of-the-mill friends, but more the call-in-the-middle-of-the-night-for-help type friends.  They are supportive, encouraging, generous, and just plain fun.  What's even better is that some of them are also parenting children from hard places.  There is nothing like having someone you can talk to who

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-74535951102774362482011-12-02T12:13:00.001-06:002011-12-02T13:23:08.765-06:00

Or is it one of those weeks?  You know the ones, where things seem hard, where the disgruntlement level among children seems very high, where stress seems like a palpable entity in the house, where every little annoyance seems magnified, and the whole package makes for tired and unenthusiastic mother.  Of course, it's difficult to really pinpoint cause and effect.  Did the tired and

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-70247376754475321522011-12-01T08:00:00.001-06:002011-12-01T08:00:06.741-06:00

We are currently on day 39 of our wait for our LOA to adopt H.  (Still fuzzy on the adoption lingo? Here's an explanation.)  And each day brings a whole host of mixed feelings.  I really, really want to have that LOA because it means that this is actually going to happen.  Every day we do not receive it, I have a little fraction of worry that grows just a little bigger that someone will change

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-37060036556799902902011-11-30T08:00:00.000-06:002011-11-30T08:00:03.437-06:00

Yesterday, I took P. to get her hair cut so that she could donate her ponytail to Locks of Love.  This was a little traumatic for her parents, since she has only had her hair trimmed a little bit... ever.  But she has been rather persistent in wanting her hair cut, so I bit the bullet and we went. Here is the result: I think it's cute and not too short and P. is very happy with it.  She loves

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-69697657639815356122011-11-29T08:00:00.000-06:002011-11-29T08:00:05.521-06:00

I don't know about you, but I am taking a deep breath and trying to plan how I will make everything I would like to before Christmas.  I think I need to prioritize and start that way, because I'm beginning to doubt whether I can really do it all or not.  In the past, my prime sewing time has been after everyone has gone to bed.  But recently, I have been so exhausted after everyone is tucked in

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-73112603100878451492011-11-28T08:00:00.001-06:002011-11-28T14:30:34.817-06:00

Yesterday was the first day of Advent and the beginning of a new church year.  Advent marks the four Sundays preceding Christmas and is a time of expectation, preparation, hope, and longing.  In the past it also had a penitent aspect, observed with fasting, which some traditions still observe today.  These five words just about sum up (at least for me) how we should approach the coming of the

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-67601083219341830752011-11-26T11:34:00.000-06:002011-11-26T11:34:52.420-06:00

I have always loved the days following holidays almost more than the holidays themselves.  All the hard work has been done, everyone is relaxed, there's nothing on the to-do list, and often there is still enough food so that no one really has to think about cooking all that much.  I do love holidays... the togetherness, the traditions, and at least in our family, an excuse to dress up and use the

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-60817730188202558662011-11-25T14:14:00.000-06:002011-11-25T14:14:42.444-06:00

The tables were set. (And a word of caution... if you plan on heading to your big box craft store the day before Thanksgiving to get appropriate table decorations, think again.  It is all Christmas all the time.) We had appetizers, which some small people liked very much, L. and creamed onions. My sister-in-law brought these fabulous roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon tossed in a vinaigrette.

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-14240034297390720462011-11-23T09:26:00.000-06:002011-11-23T09:26:04.031-06:00

The room which was our schoolroom has now been transformed and turned into the A. and P.'s room.  It involved taking down some ugly paneling and J. and B. putting up wall board and then having 'worker guys' come in and tape and sand.  The worker guy also repaired the horrible water damage on the ceiling which was a result of the leaking roof which was repaired this past spring.  The girls were

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-86832464764572883522011-11-22T11:17:00.000-06:002011-11-22T11:17:52.198-06:00

The Census Bureau has come out with their newest figure of how much it costs to raise one child to the age of 18 (so this number does NOT include college expenses).  Ready for it?  For middle income families it's $286,860 over the course of 18 years.  Once again I'm forced to do some math.  That averages out to $15,937 a year and $1328 per month.  Hang on, hang on!  I know most of you with larger

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-47380697182286861832011-11-21T11:32:00.000-06:002011-11-21T11:32:13.004-06:00

I'm starting in on my rather large to-do list so that I can enjoy Thanksgiving when it arrives, so instead of writing something myself, I'm going to give you a few links to what some other writers have said about adoption. First from my real-life friend Ann at Crazy for Kids: Remembering his Losses The Happy Ending Next is the excellent National Adoption Month post from No Greater Joy Mom:

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-73174270907593639432011-11-19T21:18:00.000-06:002011-11-19T21:18:41.470-06:00

Attachment is a big word in adoption.  It is the development of the bond between a new parent and child which will cement their relationship together.  For some, this is an easy bond to create, for others, it is difficult.  I have experienced both extremes.  Even with some of the drama we have been experiencing as TM becomes more fluent in English, more emotionally aware, and consequently more

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-73257245755021187752011-11-18T10:51:00.000-06:002011-11-18T10:51:01.410-06:00

Here's a shot from the production of Little Women which A. is in the weekend.  She is playing Aunt March.  Don't you think she is the oldest 13 year old you've ever seen?  Come see the show if you are able.  Details are available on the Thin Ice Theater website.  (For those of you who have been reading for a while, the redhead is P13 who is playing Jo in half of the shows.) I thought I would

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-10952241488392635952011-11-17T10:26:00.000-06:002011-11-17T10:26:39.854-06:00

Some of the littles of the family: L. G. G., L., and K. G., L., and K., except now everyone is (sort of) looking at the camera

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-21674355025357200142011-11-16T13:47:00.000-06:002011-11-16T13:47:40.422-06:00

My young friend Molly suggested in the comments a while back that I share my testimony.  I'm 45 years old, so to share the whole thing would make for a longer blog post than even I typically write. It's still November, so I will share the part of my testimony that involves the adoption of my children. Long before we had begun our adoption journey, I read the book L'Abri by Edith Schaeffer.  

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-29561743174612938762011-11-15T14:19:00.000-06:002011-11-15T14:19:28.170-06:00

As we begin our gallop into the holiday season, I have been thinking about ways to keep life under control while still having fun and enjoying the holidays.  Some holiday craziness is unavoidable.  At Thanksgiving there is a lot of cooking involved and if you are the host, some cleaning is probably in order as well.  This is the holiday I am focusing on right now (though always running through

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-48591210412665340302011-11-14T08:00:00.001-06:002011-11-14T08:00:08.669-06:00

As I have mentioned, H. is at a wonderful place called Shepherds Field Children's Village.  This home houses ~100 special needs orphans at a time and provides love, stability, and health care for them while they wait to find permanent homes.  For some this will not happen, either because they are not eligible for adoption or because the orphanage which holds their paperwork is not able to do

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-5352081624603906742011-11-12T09:00:00.001-06:002011-11-14T14:50:09.942-06:00

I was asked a question yesterday about how we manage reading aloud to such a wide age group.  That is, how do we find books that interest children between the ages of 16 and 2.  (Can I just pause and say Hooray!  I don't have to think up a topic to post about?) The simple answer is that we don't.  We don't really worry about finding just the right book that will appeal to everyone.  I look at

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-87404006717874996252011-11-11T08:00:00.000-06:002011-11-11T08:00:31.496-06:00

That line would be from Proverbs 31.  And might I just mention that she didn't live in Chicago?  Where each child needs coat, boots, hat, gloves, and snow pants  You would think I would know by now, having lived in the Chicago area for ~27 years, that the weather here is a little unpredictable.  Yes, we have been having a very mild autumn, but really that was no excuse for pretending that snow

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-1355923121732932242011-11-10T08:00:00.001-06:002011-11-10T08:00:02.203-06:00

Yesterday was the class performance of the acting class P. and D. have been taking.  They were working on an abridged version of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.  P. was Susan and D. was Fenris Ulf, the head of the White Witch's secret police (who is also a wolf).  They did a nice job. D. was particularly excited about performing. P. removed her costume before I could get a picture of

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-53359267035361075042011-11-09T18:50:00.002-06:002011-11-09T21:49:46.247-06:00

A. has been working on algebra, and while I really like the VideoText program I have her using, I realized that she was having difficulty with equations because she couldn't picture what was going on.  I remembered that I had heard of a manipulative program designed to teach algebraic concepts and went on a search.  I came up with the Hands-On Equations program.  A. and I have been working

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-57470921378185494232011-11-08T08:00:00.000-06:002011-11-08T08:00:03.770-06:00

My children have been teasing me a bit this past week because of the amount of time I have been spending on the Pinterest site.  I know I'm a bit late to the party, but I'm kind of used to that by now.  I really have been doing research, though I'm sure my children won't believe me.  I've found some interesting projects that could be potential gifts and it is providing a place to store other

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-55406239974235398162011-11-07T08:00:00.000-06:002011-11-07T08:00:00.710-06:00

You knew it was coming, right?  My annual post about adoption and National Adoption Month?  I wasn't even sure I was going to write anything this year.  Ha!  I made it all the way to the 7th. It was our pastor's sermon yesterday morning that changed my mind.  I liked the sermon, but felt that perhaps he didn't go quite far enough.  (Don't you find that sometimes you wish sermons were more of a

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-38452231112897830642011-11-05T17:51:00.000-05:002011-11-05T17:51:10.886-05:00

After doing some research, B. decided he could take the honey from the top super of his hive.  A fellow church member also kept bees at one point and had a honey extractor which he allowed B. to borrow.  What?  You've never heard of a honey extractor?  Here is what one looks like: It is a hand operated machine which helps to separate the honey from the comb using centrifugal force. First B. had

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-13573090832417393562011-11-04T12:08:00.000-05:002011-11-04T12:08:21.134-05:00

Congratulations on your new little one!  You have just been part of one of the greatest miracles there is... bringing a brand new life into this world; a life that is completely unique and never seen before.  What an exciting time is in front of you... getting to know this new little person, being amazed at how perfectly she has been formed, smelling that 'new baby smell', and being overwhelmed

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-42560270854869105642011-11-03T14:19:00.002-05:002011-11-03T18:20:51.820-05:00

One of our favorite read-aloud books is The Return of the Twelves by Pauline Clark.  It is about a young boy who happens to find the set of small wooden soldiers which turn out to have been owned by the Bronte children.  Of course, there is much more to the story than that, but I don't want to ruin it for you.  It's a great opening to learning about a famous family as well, because the Bronte

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-32361091289175549642011-11-02T08:00:00.001-05:002011-11-02T08:00:08.038-05:00

I try to practice hospitality.  I have discovered that as my family has grown, it has become both easier and more difficult to do this.  It is easier, because I don't spend quite so much time over-thinking it.  When I had fewer children and a bit more time, I would plan things to death.  Inviting someone over for dinner became an event.  One that took a lot of energy and time and wasn't something

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-47140859100839171712011-11-01T08:00:00.000-05:002011-11-01T08:00:08.097-05:00

First, here is everyone at work busily carving pumpkins... either for themselves or for smaller people. G. (purple) and L. (pink) enjoyed playing in the pumpkin goo with spoons, but didn't really want to touch it with their hands. In general, my children need very little encouragement to dress in a costume.  Here is what they chose for Beggar's Night.  (My friend's term, which I really like and

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-43359042365496541512011-10-31T09:40:00.000-05:002011-10-31T09:40:42.465-05:00

Today is TM's 9th birthday.  We celebrated last night.  Of course, as my children tend to do, he chose a birthday dessert which did not lend itself to candles.  A. and P. did the honors. Here is the birthday dessert TM choose.  Owl cupcakes.  He and A. wanted to make them and had a grand time decorating them yesterday.  Aren't they cute?  (The eyes are oreo halves.) G. waiting for her dessert

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-86019213802825160402011-10-29T09:00:00.001-05:002011-10-29T09:00:06.007-05:00

We have heard the news the we have an official log-in date:  Oct. 24, 2011.  This is a big hurdle and now we settle in and wait.  It would be wonderful to hear that we have our Letter of Acceptance by Christmas.  This would put us on a timeline to travel around March.  Of course, I wouldn't complain if it all happened sooner, but I've learned to expect things to take longer, so we're back to not

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-8460029310821317112011-10-28T08:00:00.000-05:002011-10-28T08:00:12.748-05:00

I, who have no love for math, spent two hours last night calculating how big the pyramids would all be using a 30 meters to 1 centimeter scale.  And not only did I figure out the dimensions, I then cut them out of paper.  Why would a supposedly sane person do this, you ask?  Well, I am scheduled to teach the younger group of our history co-op this morning and we're all about hands-on learning.  

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-49818848693204481182011-10-27T08:00:00.002-05:002011-10-27T08:00:05.236-05:00

I have a newly discovered poem.  At least it's new to me, but it is not new by any stretch of the imagination.  It is the poem Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.  I came across a snippet of it when I was preparing for the chapter of Isaiah we were working on and was immediately smitten.  Here is the bit I first read: "Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God;

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-75023449471363770362011-10-26T08:00:00.001-05:002011-10-26T08:00:01.070-05:00

Here is how a group of girls keep their hands busy while discussing the book of Isaiah. L. L. G. G.

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-87092942914824426682011-10-25T08:00:00.000-05:002011-10-25T08:00:13.215-05:00

After a very long hiatus, I have found my sewing machine and have actually used it.  I don't know why I had gone so long.  I enjoy sewing and don't lack for people to sew for.  Really I think it boils down to that huge ironing pile I dealt with on Saturday.  Clearing that out has made me realize what a huge mental block it had become.  It was as though I couldn't do anything because I had to take

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-13865208790588162202011-10-24T08:00:00.001-05:002011-10-24T08:00:04.793-05:00

It's just a normal Saturday around here... cleaning the house, running errands, playing outside.  Sometimes what people are most interested in is just what a normal day looks like around here.  I'll stop by the computer every so often to update on whats been going on. 11:30 Everyone has been doing their Saturday jobs and they are nearly almost done.  That is except for A., whom J. is picking up

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-24334380026785810902011-10-22T09:00:00.001-05:002011-10-22T09:00:03.614-05:00

Pie crust is so incredibly easy to make that I'm not sure how it got its reputation for being difficult.  So, instead of just giving you my basic pie crust recipe, I thought I'd take a few pictures as well to show you exactly how easy it is. First, here's the basic recipe, this will make a two crust, 9-inch pie: 2 1/2 C. flour 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 C. shortening 6-7 TBSP cold water That's it, just

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-63244842008987874852011-10-21T08:30:00.000-05:002011-10-21T08:30:02.017-05:00

J. and I have been having a wonderful time watching M. succeed in her first full semester of college.  She is doing quite well in her classes, was cast (in one of only 6 parts) in the fall show (Hideous Progeny, about the Shelleys and the writing of the book, Frankenstein), and is making some really good friends.  All in all, she is having a ball and learning a lot.  What more could a parent hope

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-21085137068166717022011-10-20T08:00:00.000-05:002011-10-20T08:00:01.846-05:00

I don't know about you, but as a parent I sometimes get into bad habits.  One of these habits is a knee jerk reaction of saying no whenever my children ask me to do anything.  'No' is easier.  It requires nothing of me and makes no messes.  It is not inconvenient and I can continue on with whatever my plans were.  And while 'no' can be a reasonable response sometimes, it is often just selfishness

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-40715389435479604372011-10-19T08:30:00.000-05:002011-10-19T08:30:00.372-05:00

When I was making our schedule for the school year, I decided that every now and then I would add in a day where we played games together instead of doing our regular work.  I love to play games, but often don't think about playing them with my children in the busyness of the day.  By scheduling it, I could be sure to remember.  It also solved the problem on what to do with the days that I knew

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-45758605635779055282011-10-18T08:30:00.000-05:002011-10-18T08:30:00.283-05:00

"Do not think of it, he ordered himself. To forget it he began to run, almost colliding with a group of glassmakers as he turned into the main thoroughfare that paralleled the Nile.  He dodged in and out among the homebound workers, shouting greetings to Kai the baker's boy and a few other urchins he knew.  He was turning his whole attention to physical activity so that he might not notice the

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25502633.post-9415304161221480502011-10-17T08:00:00.000-05:002011-10-17T08:00:13.408-05:00

I was finally motivated to redo my children's household job assignments, mainly because I was asked to speak at the moms' group at our church about this topic and thought I should get myself in order first.  We had gotten into a bit of a slump as far as cleaning and housework, and it was beginning to show.  Everyone was doing the bare minimum and I had stopped really checking.  We needed a change

thecurrysevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08932092243753160814noreply@blogger.com0