1.  By day,  I’ve been teaching my girls and then traipsing to dance classes and then over to the old house to get it ready to sell.  I love that house.   I will always love that house.   It’s like visiting an old friend—who’s wearing a  really cool turquoise dress.   By night, the kids have enjoyed some adventure swimming.

2.  My new kitchen installation has been delayed a bit but is set to go in on June 1st.

3.   Taylor’s home from college and is enjoying lake life with his friends.   Caiti wrote me the most endearing card for Mother’s Day–that I keep by my night stand and read over and over.

4.   I’m slowly but surely adjusting to my new life.   There are so many things to love.  Soon I hope to do some fun projects around this place.  For now, it’s seems mammoth enough to grocery shop and make dinner and do laundry (and school and sell a house and design a kitchen, etc etc etc)

5.   The girls and I are in the middle of book 6 of the Harry Potter series.   I’ve said it before but I am deeply indebted to Jo Rowling.

6.   I’ve been listening to lots of CD’s from the homeschool conference and oh my word—–such good stuff.    I’ve learned so much about my kinesthetic learner from Stephen Guffanti.  I’m ordering his book soon,  “Does my Child Really Have ADHD.”

7.  I’m tempted to attend the CCLE conference in June.   Gene Veith will be there and the topics look fantastic.  I could so be a conference junkie.

8.  I’m reading A Little Book on Joy by Matt Harrison.    What  a fantastic read—very joy inducing!

9.  I’ve been listening to an amazing 2 hour bible study on Leviticus (from the Issues Etc 24) and it may be one of the best bible studies I’ve ever listened to.   Who knew that Leviticus was so chocked full of goodies.

10.  As our school year winds down,  I’m debating our summer plans.   How much time should we take off if any?   I like the idea of summer vacation but shouldn’t it be a couple of weeks long instead of a couple of months?    Don’t we now live in constant summer vacation at this lake house?  What camps should we sign up for?   What books should we read?   Can we master the math facts and have fun doing it?  After listening to Andrew Pudewa‘s talk on mastery learning, I realize that we’re conditioned to learn things and then forget them.   I spent 20 years in school doing that and I hope I can create a different paradigm for my kids.

11.  I apologize to those of you who have emailed me that I haven’t answered yet.  I’m not on my A game but I’m trying catch up.   Some of you are trying to decide about homeschooling for next year and you’re torn about what to do.   Here’s my 2 cents.   I’ve never done anything in my life (including medical school)  that has so changed me and challenged me as homeschooling.   I am profoundly thankful for the opportunity to do it and I am learning everyday, often by my mistakes.   To do it right, you must lead by example and my example setting is so incredibly flawed.   I am more in tune with my children than ever, which can sometimes be disturbing.  Why?  Because when you see them clearly day in and day out, you see your own struggles and sin manifested in them.   It’s like looking in the mirror and seeing yourself for what you really are.   But just like with our spiritual life, the redemption is sweet.   We fail miserably and we forgive and start over the next day.   It’s all at once beautiful and tragic and profound.  I say, if you’re pondering and thinking and researching about it, just do it.  You won’t regret it.

12.  Lastly, I’ve been pondering boy names.  I don’t know why.    No, I’m not pregnant.  Let me repeat, as much as Steve and I would like more kids, it’s probably not possible and I’m NOT PREGNANT.   However, if I were, I think I’d name him James Elijah Wadsworth.   James: after my daddy.    Elijah:  after Elijah the prophet   Wadsworth:  after his daddy.    And his nickname would be Jack after C.S. Lewis (whose nickname was Jack).   His initials would be JEW and Christ was a Jew, ya know.

So there.   That’s my numbered list.

And if anyone has seen  my mojo, I’d really like to get  it back please.   This barely surviving business is for the birds.

Love ya and thanks for all  your well wishes and  your   ‘for goodness sakes would you blog something’ remarks!

The good news is: I finally finished my asymmetric plate wall in my dining room. My dear sister, who was here for Mother’s Day, even approved. And she’s not usually a fan of anything asymmetric.

The bad news is: I fear I may be channeling Mrs. Roper from 3’s Company. I’ve taken ‘house dress’ to a whole new level.

I’m blogging today over at Melissa’s place. I’m talking about motherhood and vulnerability.   Oddly enough, in my real life, I’m getting my first mammogram.   I will soon be the expert in vulnerable now won’t I?   Doctors make the worst patients but after your urgent pleading (Darby) I’ve also scheduled my yearly preventive health exam.

In other health related news, I started a new high protein (NO CARBS, NO SUGAR, NO DIET SODA) diet 2 weeks ago.  I was feeling awful all the time.   Can anyone say “too many major life changes in one year?”   I don’t metabolize sugar correctly and if I start on carbs early in the day, I’m on a bouncy ball all day with cravings and emotions and the like.   I was VERY skeptical.  I have the willpower of  Winnie the Poo.   But for some reason, this has worked for me.  It’s called the Ideal Protein Diet and you can only get it through a physician.  You only stay on the very strict portion (phase 1) for a few weeks.  I’ve lost almost 7 pounds and 5 inches and really feel better.  I didn’t go to the doctor seeking a diet.  I went because I felt run down and stressed and tired all the time.  It’s not a miracle diet but it works for me because I’m a carb-addict.    Funny thing is, when I was in medical practice, I specialized in helping people make lifestyle changes;   losing weight, smoking cessation, stress reduction and all sorts of behavior modification.   And now I’m  in need of a little lifestyle tweaking myself.   There’s no shame in that.   We all need help sometimes.    It’s okay to be vulnerable.

People often ask me why I never talk about health on this blog.  I was trained very traditionally in an MD program but found myself much more intrigued by alternative approaches to wellness and prevention.   I firmly believe that what we put in our bodies is most often responsible for our health outcome.   If I ever go back into medicine, I’ll likely retrain to do alternative medicine.    So, I don’t talk about traditional medicine because there’s only s portion of it I believe in.   And I don’t talk about alternative medicine because I haven’t properly educated myself in it and so much of it is so darn new age.    I guess I’m in a holding pattern so until I get it all figured out, I’ll continue to talk about my children, my faith, my favorite books, and my butter-laden recipes.

Now, head on over to Melissa’s where there will be no mention of protein or mammograms or butter.

This is where the magic happens but most days it doesn’t feel like magic. It feels like work and learning and grit and joy and beauty and messy. I don’t pretend to know how to do this, even after four years and I’m not sure it will always be the right decision for our family and our girls. But there’s some valuable information here, that’s been gotten the hard way. Hopefully, sharing my journey might help you in yours. This page will mostly contain links to other posts I’ve written and to valuable sites and books we use to create an environment where learning happens.

Where have I been?

For starters, I’ve been a little preoccupied with life.   I had a wonderful visit with Taylor and Caiti.   We found Caiti a gorgeous prom dress and despite my desperate pleas, Taylor did not let me cut his hair.   The girls and I went to see Alice in Wonderland, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  And if you missed it, Nester has a hilarious post about slipcovers which you should read.  I was supposed to go to her house and help with the slipcover-fest and couldn’t make it so she photoshopped me in at various places.   And then complained that I was absolutely no help whatsoever.    I missed seeing Kristi and missed meeting Tiny Twig.   I did however, upon inspiration from my friends,  begin a little slipcover party of my own.  I’m about 3/4 of the way done and I love it so far.  It’s such a great solution for thrift stores chairs that need rescuing.

I also have a great story to share with you soon.   I’ve given sneak peeks on Twitter.   Hope you have a great Sunday!

cherry picking last summer with Grandma at Uncle Jeff and Aunt Vicki’s farm.

The winner of the Pleated Poppy’s yummy stuff is……

Mott from the The Courtyard Gate.

If you will send me your address by email,  I’ll make sure you get your ‘loot’. Congratulations my friend!

In other lifeingrace news:

1.  I’ve been spring cleaning.   I took four bags of stuff to Goodwill from my laundry room.

2.  I’m trying to finish Hamlet by Friday for bookclub.   Wish me luck.

3.  I’m reading a fascinating book called The Hidden Key to Harry Potter that explores all the christian symbolism in the books.

4.  I could probably finish Hamlet by Friday if I wasn’t reading three other books at the same time.

5.  I received a ‘Beautiful Cup’ award from Internet Cafe for having a ‘unique and artistic’ blog about faith.  I’m very humbled and grateful.  I think ‘unique’ be another word for quirky!  Thanks to whoever nominated me.

6.  My girls and I are in such a good stride with our schooling.   I’ll update soon.  I’m already thinking of starting a bookclub for them this summer based on an idea I got from a book I just finished called The Thomas Jefferson Education: A Home Companion.

7.  Happy Birthday to Grandma Evadne. We love you!

when are you coming to visit?

8.  I’ve been making lots of bread.   I need a whole post to tell you about it.

9.  I’m hoping to plant some grass seeds today to have fresh grass for Easter decorations.

10.  I’m a little behind on Read the Bible Through in Three Months. I hope to finish by Easter.  I highly recommend it and it usually takes a little less than an hour a day.